Everyday Systems

A new check-in, for a new year. I'd like to lose several pounds and could really use the accountability right now. Sweets & seconds have been creeping into my way of eating & I'd like to nip that in the bud. We have a cruise vacation planned for later this year so that, among other, more noble reasons, is incentive to get in better shape.

Immediate goal is to keep a food/exercise journal here for the month of January.

Wednesday January 1 -- S Day
B -- 1/2 bagel w cc, coffee
L -- Bowl of lite potato soup, granny smith apple slices, small bowl of Cheez-Its
D (planned) -- Ham, cheesy potatoes, fresh steamed green beans
Dessert (planned) -- Slice of cookie cake leftover from DD's birthday

Exercise -- Shoveling

What a beautiful screen name! Best wishes for the New Year!

It's all about the accountability isn't it? I have the same sweet-and-snacks situation so here I am as well. Looking forward to reading your thread.

Looking forward to following your journal this month! I think daily entries are great. I don't look at them as a burden at all (more like my personal counseling time!), and I am on Week 19 of daily entries.

Have fun with it!

Awww, thanks everyone! I look forward to reading your posts as well & hope that your new years are off to a great start!


Thursday January 2 -- N Day

B -- 1/2 bagel w cc, coffee
L -- Ham, cheesy potatoes, steamed green beans
Snack -- Bowl of Skinny Pop popcorn & granny smith apple slices w some fat free caramel dip, coffee
D (planned) -- Roasted chicken, roasted veggies, risotto

Exercise -- Shoveling

Red for today, unfortunately due to a snack. It is bitterly cold here and I've been out shoveling for over two hours so far. I came in from round two, was really cold/famished & opted to have a snack with DH (who is on vacation for the rest of the week.)

I can imagine being famished after shoveling, especially since you only had half of a bagel at breakfast. Be sure not to beat yourself up about it. Be as gentle with yourself as you would with someone else, okay?

Thank you, Diligence, for the encouraging words! It is very true that I didn't eat enough breakfast for the amount of manual labor I did yesterday.


Friday January 3 -- N Day
B -- 1/2 bagel w cc, coffee
L (Wendy's) -- Double stack, fries, mini can of Coke Zero
D -- Leftover roasted chicken & roasted veggies, stuffing

Exercise -- None

Kept today green but it wasn't easy. We have plenty of leftover holiday goodies in the house & DH is of the opinion that any vacation day for him should be an S day for me ... but he has been on vacation for over two weeks now. I know that this will get easier as I build up my habits.

Saturday January 4 -- S Day
B -- 1/2 bagel w cc
L (Panera) -- 1/2 Turkey/avocado sandwich, some broccoli cheese soup, some baguette, coffee and (shared w family and my mom) smallish piece of shortbread cookie and smallish piece of brownie
D -- Pizza, grapes, cucumber slices
Might have a cup of hot chocolate later ...

Exercise -- None

Sunday January 5 -- S Day
B -- Bowl of oatmeal squares, coffee
L -- Leftover pizza, cucumber slices, carrots
D (planned) -- Homemade lasagna (from freezer), caesar salad

Treats -- Thinking about making some red hot apple cider later today and having some homemade cookies (from freezer) ...

Exercise -- Shoveling

We are expected to get up to 12 inches of snow today and then have temps that dip down to as low as -20 to -30, with wind chill, over the next few days. Already did an initial shovel and heading out shortly for round 2 ...

I noticed you're thinking of cookies from the freezer. I was just thinking this morning how like using the freezer for treats. I put a bunch of leftover treats in there last week so I wouldn't be tempted during the week. I still haven't touched them, but I'm so glad they were there in the freezer rather than on the counter. I might have caved if they were on the counter.

Pre-vacation No S Challenge

Week 1

Mon May 26 -- S Day (Memorial Day)
B (Tim Hortons) -- Boston cream, small mocha
L (McD's) -- McDouble, small fries, iced tea
Starbucks -- Iced Oprah Chai Latte
D -- Slice of homemade sub, carrots, chips & dip

Tues May 27 -- N Day
B -- 1/2 bagel w cc
L (Chipotle w DH) -- Burrito bowl w rice, beans, veggies, grilled chicken, salsa and guac plus a few chips & some Coke Zero
D -- Beer brat w mustard (no bun), potato salad, fresh steamed green beans, small slice watermelon

Exercise: Mowed front yard and did some walking

Wed May 28 -- N Day
B -- 1/2 bagel w cc
coffee
L -- Creole-style soup, cheez-its, grapes
D -- BBQ chicken bubble up casserole, fresh steamed green beans

Exercise: Mowed backyard and yardwork

Thurs May 29 -- N Day
B (out for coffee w friends) -- Cheddar herb scone, coffee
L -- 1/2 bagel w cc, carrots, grapes
D -- Taco salad

Exercise: Long walk w dog

Fri May 30 -- N Day
B --1/2 bagel w cc
L -- Potato soup, cheez-its, grapes
Coffee
D -- Ham & swiss melt on Hawaiian roll, potato salad, slice of fresh pineapple, sugar snap peas
Iced coffee

Exercise: Mowed front lawn and walk w dog

Sat Sun 31 -- S Day
B (Tim Horton's) -- Boston Cream doughnut, small mocha
L (McD's) -- McDouble, small fries, unsweetened iced tea
D (Chick-fil-a) -- Nuggets, fries, coke zero

Away all day. Food choices were pretty junky with no fruit/veggies to speak of but not an over-the-top S Day either.

Week 2
Sun Jun 1 -- S Day
B -- Smallish chocolate chocolate chip muffin, coffee
L (Chili's) -- Garden salad w ranch, some nachos
Dessert (DQ) -- Small mocha moolatte
D -- Pizza, caesar salad
After dinner (Starbucks) -- Small iced Oprah chai latte

Mon Jun 2 --N Day
B -- 1/2 bagel w cc
L-- Potato soup, cheez-its
Coffee
D -- Sloppy joe casserole, red pepper & cucumber slices, cheese puffs, raspberries

Exercise: Walk w dog

Tues Jun 3 --N Day
B -- 1/2 bagel w cc
L-- Nachos, nectarine
Coffee
D -- Sloppy joe casserole, red pepper & cucumber slices, cheese puffs

Exercise: Walking & mowed front lawn

Wed Jun 4 --N Day
B (out for coffee w friends) -- Cheddar herb scone, coffee
L-- Nachos, apple
D -- Roasted chicken, company mashed potatoes, corn


Thurs June 5 --N Day
B -- Oatmeal squares w milk
L-- Nachos, nectarine
Coffee
D -- Roasted chicken, company mashed potatoes, corn
Starbucks -- Small skinny decaf mocha

Exercise: Mowed whole yard & walking

Fri Jun 6 --N Day
B -- Croissant
L (Chipotle) -- Burrito bowl w rice, beans, grilled chicken, veggies, salsa, guac plus a few chips and some Coke Zero
D (Panera) -- Mediterranean chicken flatbread, Greek salad, some potato chips, iced coffee

Exercise: Goodly amount of walking

Sat Jun 7 -- S Day
B (Tim Hortons) -- Boston Cream, small mocha
L (McD's) -- McDouble, fries, iced tea
D (party for some of DD's friends at our house) -- Pizza, caesar salad, pink lemonade, ice cream sundae
Later -- Some Twizzlers

Week 3
Sun Jun 8 -- S Day
B -- 1/2 bagel w cc, coffee w splash
L (Qdoba) -- Veggie burrito bow, chips w queso
D -- Pizza, salad, ice cream sundae

Exercise: Walk w dog

One of those weekends where I felt like I undid a lot of the good work I did during the week. Candy on Saturday night was not needed. Flat out binge.

Mon Jun 9 --N Day
B -- 1/2 bagel w cc
L-- Nachos, plum
D (planned) -- Chicken almondine, steamed green beans, roll, berries

Exercise (planned): Some walking and mow front lawn

Feeling very run down today. Hoping to go to bed early tonight and just feel better. Have had mono and influenza a in the past 9 months so am *really* done with being ill.


Tues Jun 10 --N Day
B -- Pumpkin bread
L-- Nachos, celery
Coffee
D (Planned) -- Chicken almondine, green beans, roll

Exercise: Walking


Wed Jun 11 -- Planned S event (Last day of school)
B -- Pumpkin bread
L--Small piece leftover chicken almondine, plum, Doritos
D (Noodles & Co.) -- Mac & cheese w broccoli
Starbucks -- Mocha

Exercise: Walking

Thurs June 12 --N Day
B --1/2 bagel w cc
L--Nachos, carrots
Chuck E Cheese -- Coffee
D -- Teriyaki chicken meatballs, jasmine rice, sugar snap peas

Exercise: Walking & mowed backyard

Fri Jun 13 --N Day
Fail. Day went well until just before dinner and went down hill from there.

Exercise: Walking & mow front lawn

Sat Jun 14 -- S Day
Exercise: Walking

Week 4
Sun Jun 15 -- S Day


Mon Jun 16 --N Day
B -- Orange cranberry bread, coffee
L--Bagel w hummus & tomato, carrots, blueberries
Starbucks -- Iced coffee
D -- Cheesy chicken bacon tator tot casserole, red pepper and cucumber slices

Exercise:Walking

Tues Jun 17 --N Day
B -- Croissant, coffee
L-- Mac & cheese, carrots, blueberries
Coffee
D -- Cheesy chicken bacon tator tot casserole, red pepper and cucumber slices

Exercise: Walking



Wed Jun 18 --N Day
B -- Croissant, coffee
L-- Mac & cheese, carrots, blueberries
D -- Salami & cheese sandwich on pretzel bun chips, sugar snap peas

Exercise: Walking


Thurs June 19 --N Day
B -- 1/2 bagel w hummus, coffee
L-- Chicken caesar salad, cheez-its
D (out for Mexican) -- Chips & salsa, steak fajita quesadilla, iced tea

Exercise: Walking but not as much as usual

Red because chips at dinner were not plated and I ate too many of them. Did well in that I resisted cake and snacks when we had a playdate with some old friends at the pool.

Fri Jun 20 --N Day
B -- 1/2 bagel w thin slice sharp cheddar and 2 strips bacon, coffee
L-- Potato soup, cheez-its, carrots
D -- Pasta w marinara, caesar salad, slice of garlic cheese bread

Exercise: Walking

Sat Jun 21 -- S Day
Exercise: Mowed entire yard

Week 5
Sun Jun 22 -- S Day
Daytrip to American Girl store. 3 meals out plus rich dessert.

Mon Jun 23 --N Day
B -- 1/2 bagel w hummus, coffee
L-- 1/2 bagel w hummus, small bag cheetos, blueberries
coffee
D -- Chicken enchilada pasta bake, sliced peppers and cucumbers

Tues Jun 24 --N Day
B --
L--
D --


Wed Jun 25 --N Day
B --
L--
D --


Thurs June 26 --N Day
B --
L--
D --

Fri Jun 27 --N Day
B --
L--
D --

Sat Jun 28 -- S Day
B --
L--
D --

Week 6
Sun Jun 29 -- S Day
B --
L --
D --

Mon Jun 30 --N Day
B --
L--
D --

Tues July 1 --N Day
B --
L--
D --

I'm into the 4th week of my pre-vacation challenge and my weight is the same as it was at the start. My focus has mostly been on trying to get solid on meal time eating. Think I'm going to have to crunch down on some grey areas I've been letting slide. Depending on the day, my weight is teetering between the "normal" and "overweight" BMI range. Was really hoping to knock off some pounds before our trip (biggest part of which is a cruise.)

I only lost 1 pound my first month of NoS. And I was overweight (you are not). Please be gentle with yourself, and feed yourself three enjoyable meals.

How much you enjoy your vacation is NOT going to depend on how skinny you are. You know that. You know that.

automatedeating -- Thank you so much for the wise words! I know you are right. We went on a cruise 10 years ago and I was close to morbidly obese. I think I had dreams of being completely svelte on this one but I'm happy and healthy and it would be silly to let my current weight struggles get me down. It will be a great time. Thank you again.

You were close to morbidly obese and are now healthy weight/overweight? Well, big fat WELL DONE!

So this is how I thought about my own fantasy of being thin pre-holiday: I am in fact thinner than I have been in a decade. More importantly, I am healthy. Most importantly, I have a body that allows me to have such wonderful experiences and a system that allows me to look after my body, get healthy in a sustainable way AND enjoy food. I'm in a pretty fantastic place right now, exactly how I am.

So have a wonderful time enjoying your no-doubt beautiful body as it is on your cruise!

And auto: HEAR HEAR!

Awww, thanks eschano! I so appreciate your kind words. Yes, I was definitely edging in the morbidly obese direction. Shortly after the cruise, I turned things around with my eating and exercise and until very recently have stayed well within a normal BMI. (I've also lost a half an inch in height somewhere recently and that isn't helping either. ) It will be a wonderful trip! I am getting back on habit with No S, always a sanity check for me which is a good thing. I'll keep up the habits as much as possible during our travels and hop more strictly back on board after our vacation. Thank you again.

Back from the trip which was lovely. Ready and needing to get back on track with my eating. I'm just not where I want to be weight-wise at this point. Last night, I was toying with the idea of carb cycling. However, when it gets down to it, the whole concept of timing my meals, eating such a restrictive diet that won't fit in with normal life, etc, just gives me a headache even considering the logistics. I don't think I can keep up with something like that in the long run. I need simplicity and sanity.


So, for today, 3 regular meals with no Ss plus a nice walk.

Wednesday July 23 -- N Day
Late B (out w extended family) -- Egg scramble with gyro meat, veggies & feta, hash browns, coffee
L -- 1/2 apple bagel w cc, 1/2 apple
D -- ww pasta w marinara sauce, caesar salad

Exercise: Walking

NWS Day today due to DD's swim championships. Early morning, very late lunch with some snacks to tide us over. We also had ice cream for dinner, something we do about once a summer, so there was that too … No exercise today.