It's about time for my own thread

leafy_greens · Post by **leafy_greens** » Mon Mar 04, 2013 4:51 pm

I'm back from 2010 (when I made it one month, then collapsed).

Starting on Jan. 31, 2013 again, I have made it over a month and have almost completed the current 21 day challenge. It is still not easy, but I think it is possibly becoming easier, and seems to be a heck of a lot easier compared to the first time around. I can't explain why. Perhaps resignation at knowing there's no way out but through.

I hate Mondays. That feeling of being back to austerity, as opposed to the euphoria of Friday afternoons. That horrible feeling of having to let my mouth salivate instead of reaching for the Oreos to drown out what I don't want to be doing. I suppose that eventually, this negative feeling will flip into the positive of knowing my food will taste better the longer I wait.

Listening to the podcasts about S-Days Gone Wild. Sounds like I just need to give it some more time. I feel like I can go longer, as compared to 2010 when I could barely make it to 30 days. So, I'm just going to stick it out for as long as I can. It has helped so far to talk to people on the board, and listen to podcasts, and read chapters of the book, whenever I feel like collapsing.

Considering my history of sugar addiction, it's a miracle that I've made it over a month. I am just thinking about one day. Actually more like one segment of the day. Just make it to lunch. Just make it to dinner. Just go to bed and it will be breakfast before you know it.

I can't wait until I'm at the point where I'm not wishing my life away, waiting for bed time on Friday.

leafy_greens · Post by **leafy_greens** » Tue Mar 05, 2013 8:06 pm

Is it bed time on Friday yet?!!!

No BS · Post by **No BS** » Wed Mar 06, 2013 12:59 am

leafy_greens wrote: Considering my history of sugar addiction, it's a miracle that I've made it over a month. I am just thinking about one day. Actually more like one segment of the day. Just make it to lunch. Just make it to dinner. Just go to bed and it will be breakfast before you know it.

That's exactly what I do, too. And I'm finding it works!! Plus it gets easier with practice: delayed gratification.

Remember how we used to smile indulgently at the little kids in the car on road trips, asking: "Are we there yet?" Guess what? We're those little kids driving around in No "S".

Good luck!

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Wed Mar 06, 2013 2:51 am

I have a pretty extreme sugar addiction so I understand. I messed up today but probably had close to 30 days in as well. We can do this!

leafy_greens · Post by **leafy_greens** » Mon Mar 11, 2013 5:57 pm

This weekend I was a human garbage disposal.

Despite this, I'm still hating Mondays.

Does not help that my coworker brought in a massive box of leftover stuff from their bake sale.

There are too many awesome goodies everywhere, to just save for the S Days. #bitter

leafy_greens · Post by **leafy_greens** » Fri Mar 15, 2013 7:31 pm

After 6 weeks, bf says my stomach is flatter. I don't weigh and my clothes don't feel too much different, but he swears it is. (I only have about 10 lbs to lose to be my "thinnest", so it may not be that noticeable.)

It is still not easy. Waiting until that magical threshhold when it is. Been daydreaming about cookies all week.

Asked bf if he ever thinks about food and where he's going to get dessert. He looked at me puzzled and was like, "Uh, no? I don't have that problem."

Gosh, I feel so abnormal.

No BS · Post by **No BS** » Sat Mar 16, 2013 1:39 am

leafy_greens wrote: Gosh, I feel so abnormal.

Clearly you are in the right place then.

Relax. Enjoy your weekend!

Whenever I got to hating Mondays real bad, it usually just meant I needed a different job!

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Mon Mar 18, 2013 1:36 am

leafy_greens wrote:After 6 weeks, bf says my stomach is flatter. I don't weigh and my clothes don't feel too much different, but he swears it is. (I only have about 10 lbs to lose to be my "thinnest", so it may not be that noticeable.)

It is still not easy. Waiting until that magical threshhold when it is. Been daydreaming about cookies all week.

Asked bf if he ever thinks about food and where he's going to get dessert. He looked at me puzzled and was like, "Uh, no? I don't have that problem."

Gosh, I feel so abnormal.

we have a lot in common. i am not weighing myself either . i plan on waiting until may now. i had said april but i really don't want to weigh myself. i want to just get this down and not worry about my weight again. i know as soon as i step on and see that number, no matter what it is i won't like it. so why live like that? and i know what you mean about asking your S/O about food. mine never thinks of it. i would love to get to the point where i never think about dessert. but i think that's pretty far off right now!

we'll get there. and if not, we have a great system in place for us that will get us there.

leafy_greens · Post by **leafy_greens** » Mon Mar 18, 2013 3:13 pm

Monday blues. Would love to be grazing, stuffing my face with cookies right about now. Will there EVER be an easy Monday??? I have only had 6 Mondays, maybe that's not long enough to be easy yet.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Mon Mar 18, 2013 6:57 pm

I know you're having some bad moments. But I also know you're in it for the long haul.

Try not to wish for ease soon. Wish for strength before ease. Ironically, when you get stronger when it's hard, the number of times you need strength will decrease. But it takes a lot longer than 6 weeks for the majority of people.

Is there any way you can do something different or extra on Mondays to help divert you?

leafy_greens · Post by **leafy_greens** » Thu Mar 21, 2013 5:52 pm

I don't know what I can do on Mondays. It's back to work when I've just had two days off. That's hard enough without all the No S restrictions.

Well the past three days, I've forgotten to mark my habit cal. In the beginning I lived for the morning so I could mark one more day closer to the weekend. I think this is a good sign. I've made it 7 weeks.

sleepygirlzzzz · Post by **sleepygirlzzzz** » Thu Mar 21, 2013 8:20 pm

Hi Leafy,

Although Mondays may be hard right now, you're clearly doing brilliantly if you're already on 7 weeks! Mondays are typically hard for me too - along with the other 4 N days

Just keep reminding yourself how far you've come in such a short period of time. Hooray - only 1.5 more days until the weekend!

leafy_greens · Post by **leafy_greens** » Fri Mar 29, 2013 7:46 pm

I've made it two months with no red days. It has not been easy this week, at all. I can't wait until my chocolate breakfast tomorrow!

sleepygirlzzzz · Post by **sleepygirlzzzz** » Fri Mar 29, 2013 8:35 pm

Two months with no reds is brilliant! Congrats!

I, too, am eagerly awaiting my chocolate in the morning. If I'm being totally honest, I'm likely to have Ben & Jerry's ice cream as a morning treat

leafy_greens · Post by **leafy_greens** » Fri Mar 29, 2013 9:04 pm

I plan on having a big cookie and some chocolate covered pretzels and M&M's for breakfast. Ice cream for breakfast isn't weird to me at all. Last week I had cake for breakfast (and a couple other times during the weekend). I'm not telling you what else I plan on eating, because it's just embarrassing.

Waiting for Oohlala to chime in about how S days will be wild for more 3 years.

On a brighter note, I've definitely lost 2-3 lbs because my pants are loose.

I have to tell you, a few days this week I almost threw in the towel and had a red day. Nothing short of miraculous, because of my cravings lately. I think the key is sipping on a big cup of cold brew unsweet tea all day (at work) and distracting myself at home (either by cooking dinner, working out, napping or watching movies.) Making my own dinner instead of eating packaged meals is a lot more fulfilling, too. But I have no qualms about having chips with dinner too. I seem to be wanting salty things ever since cutting out the sweets.

sleepygirlzzzz · Post by **sleepygirlzzzz** » Fri Mar 29, 2013 9:14 pm

Haha - I love it! Your planned breakfast sounds amazing - I know that it probably shouldn't as I'm meant to be working on learning to be more moderate on S days - but it really does

Really great news on the weight loss. Unfortunately my waistline is not as happy about my first few weeks on No S as my stomach and brain. I have definitely gotten more round over the past few weeks but hoping that with time and committing myself to running again after an 8 week hiatus, this will sort itself out. At the moment, just happy to feel sane again!

leafy_greens · Post by **leafy_greens** » Fri Mar 29, 2013 9:25 pm

The weight loss is definitely slow. I don't notice much difference except for I don't have the inconsistent bloating. I'm pretty thin already but for some reason I inherited my mom's starving-kid belly, so that's where I can see the weight coming and going. Heavier or thinner my stomach is always poking out, so if my pants are a bit looser that's how I can tell. One forum member recently said she lost 16 lbs in a year (sorry I can't remember whom). So that goes along with the general wisdom of 1-2 lbs a month being a healthy rate. If I can lose 10 that will be enough. If I see more progress in a couple more months then I will know if the amount I'm eating is on the right track. I'm not concerned about the wild S days because I don't think I can squeeze in enough calories to cause huge weight gain in two days.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Fri Mar 29, 2013 10:10 pm

It would be mostly water weight gain.

No chiming in this time: you've got the word already!

I'm not past thinking a chocolate breakfast sounds pretty good, but since I have no one to share it with, it won't be happening here this weekend. No worries.

sleepygirlzzzz · Post by **sleepygirlzzzz** » Mon Apr 01, 2013 5:36 pm

How has your Monday been? Are your Monday blues getting any better?

Seems we may have a lot in common because I, too, seem to have the starving-kid belly! Seems to run in our family as well as my sister is very seriously thin (too thin but she eats loads) but she tells me that after each meal her stomach pops out. I'm not particularly concerned about my weight - at the most I'd be happy to lose 5-10lbs. But ideally I'd like to lose about 2-3 inches off my waist.

leafy_greens · Post by **leafy_greens** » Mon Apr 08, 2013 2:29 pm

Just had my 10th weekend of S-Days Gone Wild. Back to the Monday Blues. Houston, we have a problem.

It's weird how I am relieved to have Mondays but am still angry that I can't continue eating sweets.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Mon Apr 08, 2013 11:00 pm

The body's reactions are not rational. Only our actions are either rational or not. You know what you have to do this week.

leafy_greens · Post by **leafy_greens** » Wed Apr 17, 2013 2:30 pm

Observation - Packing my lunch is weird now, and brings a slight anxiousness. Previously, I would have to pack enough courses for lunch, and pre- and post-lunch grazing consisting several snack bags and a couple of options for emergency chocolate (my chocolate emergencies are all day long.) Now, I have my one box for the main course, and possibly a couple of lunch supplements like apple and pretzels, but no chocolate snacks. I have gotten somewhat used to not snacking, but it still feels like my bag is not packed enough or heavy enough. Somehow I always make it to dinner without the snacks and it's a weird feeling.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Thu Apr 18, 2013 12:06 am

This will become your new norm. When I first started, I brought lunches that included the food from at least one snack that I would have had. I usually had one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Now I bring what would have been a lunch preNo S and a piece of fruit. Plus the entrees are smaller. New norm.

leafy_greens · Post by **leafy_greens** » Thu Apr 18, 2013 3:45 pm

leafy_greens · Post by **leafy_greens** » Wed Nov 06, 2013 1:57 pm

Needing some spice in my N-days. I have been stuck in the mode of using sweets as the go-to favorite food when I'm hungry and asking myself "What do I want to eat?" Every time I ask myself that, I want a sweet, and I can't have sweets on N-days, which is severely depressing to me. So I was thinking about how I can open my horizons, and turn it into something positive that I will look forward to, instead of "you can't have that." Also how I will make it between lunch and dinner (typical work boredom?)

I realized that it is worth waiting because once I get to dinner I can have anything - ANYTHING - as long as it is not a sweet (I don't typically have an issue with no seconds.) That is a huge range and variety of different types of food and I can have any of it that I want. Imagining delicious, gourmet, non-sweet foods seems like it helps. Also, going out to eat is not off limits, either.

eschano · Post by **eschano** » Thu Nov 07, 2013 11:09 am

Hi Leafy-greens,

When I notice that my body is craving sweets on N days, I would often choose seasonally available vegetables that are slightly sweet. At the moment it would be sweet potatoes, butternut squash or pumpkins. Peas are also a favourite of mine. I find that this satisfies the cravings and gives my body something healthy to chew on too. (Now, I know there are people who wouldn't consider any of those veges healthy but I do as my body feels great after them as opposed to after sweets and junk food).

Just two more days to S day!

leafy_greens · Post by **leafy_greens** » Thu Nov 07, 2013 2:52 pm

I think any of those vegetables sound a lot healthier than sweets. I don't know who would consider them unhealthy unless they are on a strange non-No S diet. I didn't think about peas being sweet but I guess you are right. Thanks!

leafy_greens · Post by **leafy_greens** » Fri May 20, 2016 3:32 pm

I have made it a month today. I have been on No S off and on since 2010. I checked my Habit Cal. I managed to make it for at least a month, four different times:

- May 2010
- Feb-June-ish 2013 (I had surgery in July and fell off the wagon due to stress)
- October 2015
- May 2016

I am contemplating each "long" success (a month is long for me) and seeing if I remember what is different about each one. I remember the first month in 2010 was extremely torturous. I was eating chocolate at midnight on Friday. And I think subsequent ones were torture as well. I was very strict on any extra bites.

I don't feel as torturous right now, but I'm still very uncomfortable. But, I am much less strict this month. I believe things that I would have counted "red" before, I'm counting as a success now.

I am eating two pieces of chocolate per day. This helps a lot. Also, if I have a bowl of chips while cooking dinner and a bunch of nuts, I just count this as part of my dinner. If it's not grazing at my desk at work, this is a big success.

Everyday Systems

It's about time for my own thread

It's about time for my own thread

Re: It's about time for my own thread

A month of success