Eveninglightwriter's Daily Check In

Counting carbs/calories is a drag. Obsessive scale stepping is a recipe for despair. If you want to count something, "days on habit" is a much better metric. Checking off days on a calendar would do just fine, but if you do it here you get accountability and support. Here's how. Start a new topic in this forum called (say) "Your Name Daily Check In." Then every N day post a "reply" to that topic as to whether you stayed on habit. A simple "<font color="green">SUCCESS</font>" or "<font color="red">FAILURE</font>" (or your preferred euphemism if that's too harsh) is sufficient, but obviously you're welcome to write more if you want. On S-days just register that you're taking an S-day. You don't have to do this forever, just until you're confident you've built the habit. Feel free to check in weekly or monthly or sporadically instead of daily. Feel free also to track other habits besides No-s (I'm keeping this forum under No-s because that's what the vast majority are using it for). See also my <a href="/habitcal/">HabitCal</a> tool for another more formal (and perhaps complementary) way to track habits.

Moderators: Soprano, automatedeating

mestahl
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Location: North Carolina

Eveninglightwriter's Daily Check In

Post by mestahl » Sun Mar 02, 2014 4:22 pm

So I got on the scales this morning and I weighed 255.6.lbs. No change after nearly a week of counting calories. I found the No S diet when I realized a hundred pound weight loss from years ago was creeping back up on me. I've managed to gain 30lbs back. I don't want to count calories anymore.

What brought me to No S was the realization that if you make most of your food from scratch (which I do) it is virtually impossible to count calories. I like the rhythm to No S - it already fits my lifestyle. My husband and I eat very well through the week and eat out maybe twice on the weekends.

So with almost 100lbs to lose I'm starting this rhythm on an S day which is easy. I hope to update daily.

osoniye
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Post by osoniye » Sun Mar 02, 2014 4:31 pm

Welcome, eveninglightwriter! It's great to have you here. I'm sure you'll find this community very friendly and helpful, as I have.
-Sonya
No Sweets, No Snacks and No Seconds, Except (Sometimes) on days that start with "S".

eschano
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Post by eschano » Mon Mar 03, 2014 2:00 pm

Welcome! Lots of people start on S days. Seems to work well.
eschano - Vanilla rocks!

July 2012- January 2016
Started again January 2021

mestahl
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Location: North Carolina

Post by mestahl » Mon Mar 03, 2014 3:44 pm

Thanks so much for the encouragement. So far so good but I've only just begun my first N day. The hard part will be the time between lunch and dinner where I get my hungriest. I have packed a larger lunch to combat this.

mestahl
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Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2014 3:28 pm
Location: North Carolina

Post by mestahl » Tue Mar 04, 2014 1:02 am

So today was my very first No S day. I'm headed toward this in a plain vanilla sort of way. I'd like to say that it was a breeze but the 4-6pm time period was rough, I made it though.

Breakfast: Corn flakes with homemade granola and a smattering of dried fruit, whole milk, and a banana

Lunch : ham, turkey, cheese sandwich on homemade bun, chips, carrot sticks with a small portion of yes - homemade hummus

Dinner: NY strip with spinach salad (carrots, celery, green bell pepper) and little blue cheese dressing

I had coffee with milk, herbal tea, and lots of water.

I didn't feel like the eliptical so I did 27 minutes on the Wii fit.

All in all not a bad start.

automatedeating
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Post by automatedeating » Tue Mar 04, 2014 1:07 am

yay! Congratulations!
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

snapdragon
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Post by snapdragon » Tue Mar 04, 2014 1:13 am

Welcome! I hope you find this as freeing as I do!
Starting weight 185
Healthy BMI 139
Willingness without action is fantasy

eschano
Posts: 2642
Joined: Wed Jul 18, 2012 2:20 pm

Post by eschano » Tue Mar 04, 2014 9:26 am

eveninglightwriter wrote: the 4-6pm time period was rough, I made it though.
Well done! I remember I was soo hungry the first week between lunch and dinner. Now, I only get hungry the last hour/30min and I often have 8 hours in between.

My strategies were tea, tea, tea and coffee. And after dinner I sometimes resorted to having a bath (it's the ultimate diversion from food for me and my body seems fine having the hot water to process).

I didn't add any sports for the first couple of weeks/month as I felt too hungry but if you can than even better.

Congrats on your first green day, bring on the next one.
eschano - Vanilla rocks!

July 2012- January 2016
Started again January 2021

mestahl
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Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2014 3:28 pm
Location: North Carolina

Post by mestahl » Wed Mar 05, 2014 12:38 am

My strategies were tea, tea, tea and coffee. And after dinner I sometimes resorted to having a bath (it's the ultimate diversion from food for me and my body seems fine having the hot water to process).

Yes I think lots of hot herbal tea is really going to help me get through the dreaded 4-6pm stretch. I can ususally make it if I exercise during that time too. Thanks for the hot bath suggestion, I need to take those more often.

mestahl
Posts: 108
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Location: North Carolina

Post by mestahl » Wed Mar 05, 2014 12:44 am

W1D2 as you kids say.

I have yet another green day under my belt!

I woke up this morning with a fairly nasty cold thanks to dear Spring and my allergies but I continued on.

Breakfast was my usual - bowl of cereal and coffee with scant milk

Lunch was egg salad sandwich, hummus with carrots, some chips and the banana that I didn't eat this morning

Dinner was homemade clean out my fridge soup with garlic rubbed toast

I did not exercise at all unless you count moaning on couch and finishing a 6 hour mini series based on Middlemarch (I was sick and weepy)

I had loads of water and tons of herbal tea with some honey due to cold - normally I drink it straight

Having a cold made it easier, I slept through much of the afternoon cravings.

eschano
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Post by eschano » Wed Mar 05, 2014 11:34 am

Well done on your second Green Day!

And: don't forget if the cold gets worse: Sick Days are S Days.
eschano - Vanilla rocks!

July 2012- January 2016
Started again January 2021

mestahl
Posts: 108
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2014 3:28 pm
Location: North Carolina

Post by mestahl » Thu Mar 06, 2014 12:22 am

W1D3

Another green day! :mrgreen:

B : Normal bowl of cereal with usual granola and dried fruit, banana and coffee with dollop of milk

L: Leftover soup and a warm sandwich

D: Cooked cabbage, oven roasted potatoes, and beef knockwurst (1.5 links to be exact) I couldn't help myself, I had a beer as well.

Lots of herbal tea and water as usual.

As I am recovering from a cold I did not exercise, I plan to be back at it tomorrow.

Some observations:
1)I'm planning my S days - what sweet would I like to make? - something delicious but nothing that provokes me to binge (cookies are the worst)

2) I think my grocery bill will go down - has anyone else noticed that? I feel like I am eating less because I'm not scurrying off to the kitchen for snacks

3) It is such a relief to not be stuck in the binge/guilt loop.

4) The hunger is getting easier.

Eschano - thank you for the wise words I am feeling better today but I will remember that.[/list]

snapdragon
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Post by snapdragon » Thu Mar 06, 2014 12:33 am

You seem off to a great start. Was that Middlemarch from Netflix? I have that on my to watch list.
Starting weight 185
Healthy BMI 139
Willingness without action is fantasy

mestahl
Posts: 108
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2014 3:28 pm
Location: North Carolina

Post by mestahl » Thu Mar 06, 2014 8:44 pm

Snapdragon -Yes it is from netflix and it was quite good if you are in to long period pieces - the payoff is slow but once you get through maybe the first two episodes it becomes quite enjoyable.

Tessytwinkle
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Post by Tessytwinkle » Thu Mar 06, 2014 10:50 pm

Hi there. You're doing great :)
You're right! I think my grocery bills do go down when I am settled on noS I sometimes think wow is that it? I've only got three meals a day to sort and one of those - breakfast - is always sorted. It's kinda weird. Cos I have always needed lots of food in the house to ' keep me safe'. My mum was very depressed when I was a child and we often had empty cupboards. So food is safety for me. But noS is safer :)
Keep going. We're all rooting for you.

Sweetness
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Post by Sweetness » Fri Mar 07, 2014 1:08 am

Looks like you have some great ideas for foods, thanks for stopping by my thread. Its good to be thinking about the weekend ahead of time. Definitely when you're not buying cookies, chips and fast food, its easier on the budget. 8)
Patty

Anxiety in a person's heart weighs him down, but an encouraging word brings him joy. (Proverbs 12:25 NET)
I'm a glutton for encouragement.

mestahl
Posts: 108
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2014 3:28 pm
Location: North Carolina

Post by mestahl » Fri Mar 07, 2014 1:19 am

I really don't want to jinx myself but I stepped on the scales this morning and I was at 252.6! Now this is all probably due to water but a 3lb loss is a 3lb loss. And I'm feeling so good - I've not had heartburn at once.

W1D4 - Success except when I popped a noodle into my mouth while cooking and I will take that down as funny business. It is exceedingly hard to break the eat while I cook habit but the fact that I realized immediately is a huge change.

B - Usual cereal, granola, and dried fruit with whole milk and banana
L - Sandwich with chips, carrots, and hummus
D - Ahhhh dinner - homemade beef stroganoff with egg noodles and steamed brocoli.

I had my morning coffee with a bit of milk, a really wonderful cup of mint tea - plain, and a cup of ginger tea with honey.

Still no exercise - I'm working on that.


Sweetness - I try very hard to cook everything we eat but I'm really gunning for breakfast out on Saturday. I have a very odd craving for waffles.

Tessytwinkle - I get sort of panicky when my shelves and fridge are empty. I like a nice buffer around me of food. I never realized how expensive "diet foods" are though. I can make a good amount of chocolate chip cookies for the price of a box of snackwells. Its astounding!

osoniye
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Location: Horn of Africa

Post by osoniye » Fri Mar 07, 2014 3:57 am

Hi eveninglightwriter- Congratulations on the 3# loss. That's great. Homemade beef stroganoff sounds really yummy. Hope you enjoy the waffles if you decide to go for them on Saturday. Sounds like a nice treat!
Yeah, besides cheaper, aren't homemade chocolate chip cookies just so much better than Snackwells?!
-Sonya
No Sweets, No Snacks and No Seconds, Except (Sometimes) on days that start with "S".

eschano
Posts: 2642
Joined: Wed Jul 18, 2012 2:20 pm

Post by eschano » Fri Mar 07, 2014 9:43 am

You're doing so well! I wouldn't worry about exercise until you have a firm NoS habit on N days to be honest. Just make sure you incorporate walking in your daily routines and you'll be fine!

My grocery bills didn't go down: I buy much more high-quality stuff now. So I spend the same on less but: my food has become so satisfying and my Ss so much better that I barely ever feel deprived.
eschano - Vanilla rocks!

July 2012- January 2016
Started again January 2021

Sweetness
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Joined: Thu Aug 25, 2011 2:54 pm
Location: Fall and winters in Cuernavaca, Morelos Mexico and summers in St Paul, Minnesota

Post by Sweetness » Fri Mar 07, 2014 5:15 pm

Congrats on the Loss! You are a winner!
8)
Patty

Anxiety in a person's heart weighs him down, but an encouraging word brings him joy. (Proverbs 12:25 NET)
I'm a glutton for encouragement.

mestahl
Posts: 108
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2014 3:28 pm
Location: North Carolina

Post by mestahl » Sat Mar 08, 2014 12:10 am

You guys are so nice - really supportive. I've never seen such a supportive board - I feel comfortable here and I feel like we are all in this together. It makes a huge difference in my attitude. Thank you all so much.

Anyways - my last N day before my S weekend. Oy - I'm sort of nervous about the S days to be honest. I like the rhythm of my eating this week and I dread getting out of synch. I'm going to enjoy my S days but I'm definitley going to try and not go "buck wild" as my momma says.

B - Usual Cereal, Granola, Milk, Banana, Coffee with milk

L - Lunch w/co-workers I ordered a Greek chiciken breast salad with warm whole wheat pita

D - Trader Joe's Mandarin Orange Chicken which I doctored with stir fry veggies and brown rice - By no means was the mandarin orange sauce overly sweetened but boy I could taste it. All in all I would not buy the mandarin orange chicken.

I had two cups of coffee one with milk one with half and half and a plain hot tea.


I'm going to incorporate exercise with my S days I think.

Tessytwinkle
Posts: 610
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Post by Tessytwinkle » Sat Mar 08, 2014 5:47 am

Have a good weekend, read or listen to some of the podcasts. You can't do anything 'wrong' on an S day. It can feel pretty wild at times. But most of us have been there and we are still ok :) it is a pressure release valve and gradually you will have less and less pressure to release. This is a process and you are doing brilliantly. So relax and enjoy the ride :)

mestahl
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Location: North Carolina

Post by mestahl » Sun Mar 09, 2014 2:32 pm

I admit to being a bit haughty and cocky heading into my S days. I had such a perfect week - it was much easier than I thought and I felt great.

That lasted oh maybe two hours on Saturday. I dug right in to breakfast which was a very large waffle with powdered sugar and strawberries and a quick swipe of maple syrup. I felt sick immediately We were quite busy so we had lunch of leftovers late and I had a blackberry yogurt - so sweet too sweet. I decided to make chocolate chip cookies and thus started my downhill binge.

Just because cookies are made with whole wheat flour and coconut sugar and all that doesn't mean its okay to eat a million and a half. A cookie is a cookie.

Needless to say I felt miserable last night, I slept terribly and this morning I'm feeling it. Of course that didn't stop me from having yet another cookie this morning as I made breakfast.

I am not upset with myself - my default setting is grazer and I've learned from this past week that I cannot graze or I will binge. I'm treating this weekend as a true learning experience and I'm ready to move on to my N day on Monday.

I did manage to get 30 minutes in on the eliptical and I'm sure I will hit that again today. It feels good to be moving again.

Sweetness
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Post by Sweetness » Sun Mar 09, 2014 2:46 pm

I have been there done that, more times than I can count, S days gone wild. There is a podcast about that. What Tessy says is true and bears repeating. I have found that after a wild weekend, I am more than happy to go back to my normal 3 plates! It will balance out, and you'll learn to be more moderate on the weekends. 8)
Tessytwinkle wrote:Have a good weekend, read or listen to some of the podcasts. You can't do anything 'wrong' on an S day. It can feel pretty wild at times. But most of us have been there and we are still ok :) it is a pressure release valve and gradually you will have less and less pressure to release. This is a process and you are doing brilliantly. So relax and enjoy the ride :)
Patty

Anxiety in a person's heart weighs him down, but an encouraging word brings him joy. (Proverbs 12:25 NET)
I'm a glutton for encouragement.

eschano
Posts: 2642
Joined: Wed Jul 18, 2012 2:20 pm

Post by eschano » Mon Mar 10, 2014 11:11 am

Eveninglightwriter, I completely understand where you're coming from but please please please don't worry about S days. In my experience the worst thing you could do now is to add restrictions. You're way too new on to this. Once you have at least 6 months good N day compliance you can think about S days. Until then: just notice what happens. Nothing more, nothing less.

I reached my goal and beyond and had the wildest S days for a year and they only started to calm down in waves in the last 8 months.

There's nothing wrong and you had successful S days.

Now, to a green week!
eschano - Vanilla rocks!

July 2012- January 2016
Started again January 2021

Sweetness
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Location: Fall and winters in Cuernavaca, Morelos Mexico and summers in St Paul, Minnesota

Post by Sweetness » Mon Mar 10, 2014 10:52 pm

eschano wrote:Eveninglightwriter, I completely understand where you're coming from but please please please don't worry about S days. In my experience the worst thing you could do now is to add restrictions. You're way too new on to this. Once you have at least 6 months good N day compliance you can think about S days. Until then: just notice what happens. Nothing more, nothing less.

I reached my goal and beyond and had the wildest S days for a year and they only started to calm down in waves in the last 8 months.

There's nothing wrong and you had successful S days.

Now, to a green week!
I agree, well said!! I too lost weight while having wild S days, the Nday habits are the important thing. And the S days are a safety valve.
Patty

Anxiety in a person's heart weighs him down, but an encouraging word brings him joy. (Proverbs 12:25 NET)
I'm a glutton for encouragement.

mestahl
Posts: 108
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2014 3:28 pm
Location: North Carolina

Post by mestahl » Tue Mar 11, 2014 12:30 am

I was very proud of myself - thanks to the stellar advice given to me by you lovely people - I did not panic yesterday (on my N day) nor did I feel guilt - I hit the eliptical listened to the podcast on N days gone wild and felt better. I do think I'm going to put more emphasis on eating my three meals and having a special sweet on N days instead of day long binges but I figure this will work itself out.

Today I'm back in the saddle. I did notice that I was much hungrier today but I expected that after the weekend.

B - Usual cereal, banana, and milk
L - Sandwich, Chips, a few cheese cubes, and carrot sticks
D - salad, a baked sweet potato, and a steak

I feel good, I don't have heartburn today and I took a 25 minute walk on my lunch break - a bit of urban rangering. It was such a lovely 70 degree day.

On to the next day.

eschano
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Post by eschano » Tue Mar 11, 2014 11:39 am

Really delighted! We're proud of you too!
eschano - Vanilla rocks!

July 2012- January 2016
Started again January 2021

mestahl
Posts: 108
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2014 3:28 pm
Location: North Carolina

Post by mestahl » Wed Mar 12, 2014 12:33 am

First off I kept hearing about this LAM stuff and it took me a while to figure out what you clever people were talking about. Once I did and for the record LAM stands for Looking After Myself, I that LAM was worthy of noting on my Daily Check-In

So today was a success

It was definitley not an easy success.
B: Cereal, banana, milk, coffee with milk
L: Sandwich, chips, cheese cubes, and carrots
D: Salad, braised white beans with herbs, and slowcooker buffalo chicken sandwiches. I also had a half a glass of milk.

LAM : I've been feeling poorly since last week and finally this morning I thought I deserve to feel better - no use in feeling bad just to seem tough so I made an appointment to the doctor and discovered I have an infection that can be remedied with antibiotics. I called in to work and planted myself on the couch and really and truly took it easy.

So while it was hard to stick to an N day when all I wanted to do was binge my face off instead I gave my body what it needed most - plenty of water and rest.

Here is hoping the meds kick in soon. I hope everyone who stops by my little corner is having a fabulous week.

Sweetness
Posts: 1152
Joined: Thu Aug 25, 2011 2:54 pm
Location: Fall and winters in Cuernavaca, Morelos Mexico and summers in St Paul, Minnesota

Post by Sweetness » Wed Mar 12, 2014 3:39 am

Congrats on the success, and looking after yourself! Get well soon! :lol:
Patty

Anxiety in a person's heart weighs him down, but an encouraging word brings him joy. (Proverbs 12:25 NET)
I'm a glutton for encouragement.

eschano
Posts: 2642
Joined: Wed Jul 18, 2012 2:20 pm

Post by eschano » Wed Mar 12, 2014 11:13 am

Oh well done! That's a brilliant LAM. Sick days are S days but even better if you kept it green. Hope you are proud of yourself because you deserve that.
eschano - Vanilla rocks!

July 2012- January 2016
Started again January 2021

mestahl
Posts: 108
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2014 3:28 pm
Location: North Carolina

Post by mestahl » Thu Mar 13, 2014 12:28 am

Feeling better today - I didn't realize how sick I was until I started taking antibiotics. Everything is just a bit easier and takes less effort.

Another green day

B - Cereal, granola, dried fruit, milk, and coffee
L - Sandwich, chips, cheese, and carrots
D - Three slices of homemade pizza and some plain whole milk yogurt.

I was faced with temptation when the husband asked for ice cream and I offered to get him some from the freezer. I did not partake! I feel better knowing that if I really want it - it will be there on Saturday.

I will also report that hubby said that I've been doing very well on my diet and that he is proud of me. Gosh - that made me feel like a million bucks.

On to the next one!

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
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Post by automatedeating » Thu Mar 13, 2014 1:34 am

Oh, that's really neat that your husband is encouraging you!

I guess I'm a bit behind on your thread, but I would agree with all the other posters not to worry about your weekends right now. Put all your "newbie" energy into green days! :)

I lived for 6 years in North Carolina (Chapel Hill and Durham) and I still miss it.....ah, I bet the weather is just getting amazing right now. Wildflowers everywhere, turtles showing up on logs again......oh, how I love North Carolina.
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

mestahl
Posts: 108
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2014 3:28 pm
Location: North Carolina

Post by mestahl » Thu Mar 13, 2014 11:36 am

Automatedeating - thank you for stopping by my thread!

We've had a pretty rough winter here in NC (like most of the US) - very cold and we even had some snow - deep snow. We got about 8 inches here in Charlotte.

But yeah, it is starting to get nice - my bradford pear trees are blooming and I've got radishes that I've planted coming up. I'm originally from the mountains of NC near Asheville so Charlotte is definitely much milder.

automatedeating
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Post by automatedeating » Thu Mar 13, 2014 12:38 pm

I stayed in Brevard for a few weeks when I was in college. I loved it so much that I applied to grad schools in North Carolina--that's what originally brought me there. :)
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

mestahl
Posts: 108
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2014 3:28 pm
Location: North Carolina

Post by mestahl » Thu Mar 13, 2014 2:59 pm

Oh yes -- Brevard! I attended college in Charlotte and fell in love with a boy and here I am - a city girl now. I guess that's the way it goes.

automatedeating
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Post by automatedeating » Fri Mar 14, 2014 12:18 am

I was wondering if you have some nifty story of how you chose your screen name?
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

mestahl
Posts: 108
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2014 3:28 pm
Location: North Carolina

Post by mestahl » Fri Mar 14, 2014 12:43 am

Automatedeating - oh about a million years ago I fancied myself a poet - I did write and publish some but not so much anymore - I got busy - its a name I had when I was writing - sort of a consolation that if I had to hold down a full time job at least I could write in the evenings.

mestahl
Posts: 108
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2014 3:28 pm
Location: North Carolina

Post by mestahl » Fri Mar 14, 2014 12:49 am

Another green day!

And look its Thursday - almost to the weekend - YAY

B - Usual cereal, dried fruit, granola, milk, coffee w/milk
L - a rare PB&J sandwich with chips and whole milk yogurt
D - homemade mac and cheese, collards, and a grilled pork chop

It was so hard not to eat cheese as I grating it for the mac and cheese. Normally I would have popped it in my mouth and thought nothing about it. I didn't and really my meal tasted better without binging and not being hungry.

LAM - A big mug of bedtime tea and the book Night Film by Marisha Pessl. This book is a scary crime noir who did it about a reporter investigating a creepy cult favorite horror film director - a really great read so far.

Look out Friday - here I come.

Sweetness
Posts: 1152
Joined: Thu Aug 25, 2011 2:54 pm
Location: Fall and winters in Cuernavaca, Morelos Mexico and summers in St Paul, Minnesota

Post by Sweetness » Fri Mar 14, 2014 3:10 am

You, my dear, are doing so well! Glad you are feeling better! 8)
Patty

Anxiety in a person's heart weighs him down, but an encouraging word brings him joy. (Proverbs 12:25 NET)
I'm a glutton for encouragement.

eschano
Posts: 2642
Joined: Wed Jul 18, 2012 2:20 pm

Post by eschano » Fri Mar 14, 2014 10:19 am

Well done! And thanks for mentioning the book. Sounds great.
eschano - Vanilla rocks!

July 2012- January 2016
Started again January 2021

mestahl
Posts: 108
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2014 3:28 pm
Location: North Carolina

Post by mestahl » Sat Mar 15, 2014 3:19 pm

Happy S Day to you all!

I've decided to weigh myself every Saturday morning before I get my S days started. This morning I was 251.3 - I started at 255.6 two weeks ago. While I only lost a pound this week I'm awfully proud of it - I did very little exercise due to not feeling well but I stuck with the N days and it paid off. For my second ever S weeked I'm sticking to the 3 meal a day plan with a dessert afterwards - I think this suits me quite well.

Yesterday was a green day

B - Cereal, Dried Fruit, Milk, Granola, Banana, Coffee with milk
L - Every Friday I treat myself to a burrito from Chipotle. I had a chicken burrito with brown rice, pintos, corn and mild salsa, and lettuce - delicious
D - Homemade falafel with yogurt tahini sauce mascerated onions in vinegar, cukes, and some radish on Pita. Oven roasted potatoes

B - The most delicious oatmeal I've ever had if anyone is interested here is the link http://www.thewednesdaychef.com/the_wed ... ridge.html

Lunch today is our favorite taco place - I'll probably have scads of chips and some tacos (obviously)

LAM - Sounds crazy but I adore yard work so today my better half and I are doing yard work. Spring has arrived here in the south and my little radishes are starting to peek through and I'm saying prayers that the strawberries I planted a few weeks ago will make a show.

automatedeating
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Post by automatedeating » Sun Mar 16, 2014 10:26 pm

Happy S Day to you too, EveningLightWriter!

Hope you had a wonderful LAM time in your garden. :)
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

eschano
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Joined: Wed Jul 18, 2012 2:20 pm

Post by eschano » Mon Mar 17, 2014 10:52 am

Great LAM!

Be careful not to overly limit your S days. If this is only your second S weekend you're running the risk to restrict prematurely. If you need a wild S weekend - give yourself one at the beginning.
eschano - Vanilla rocks!

July 2012- January 2016
Started again January 2021

mestahl
Posts: 108
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2014 3:28 pm
Location: North Carolina

Post by mestahl » Tue Mar 18, 2014 12:13 am

Thank you Eschano and Automatedeating - I needed some support today.

Today was hard.

I have a coworker who is suffering deeply from an illness and supervisors that are not being sensitive or caring towards her. It causes me a great deal of pain to see her so low, I pray that she will find some relief soon.

And then my husband asked me to make brownies for his dad for his birthday. It was so hard to make those brownies after such a stressful day when all I wanted to do was to dive head first into the bowl. I pulled it off thoough by moving quick and dunking the mixing bowl quickly in the sink.

So ...a very hard won green day.

B - Cereal, Granola, Raisins, Banana, Milk, and Milky coffee
L - Sandwich, chips, cottage cheese
D - Homemade pizza and a half of a glass of milk

I got back up on the eliptical and did my 14 minutes. Normally I would be pushing it for 30 minutes but I'm going to try Reinhard's suggestion.

LAM - I have the newest Oprah magazine and a cup of tea calling my name.

automatedeating
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Post by automatedeating » Tue Mar 18, 2014 12:22 am

wow, what an amazing victorious day, on two fronts!

And I'm especially pleased with your 14-minutes on the elliptical (rather than going all out for 30). "Let the minimum be the maximum!" as Reinhard says. :)
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

eschano
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Post by eschano » Tue Mar 18, 2014 9:12 am

Fantastic eveninglightwriter! Those hard won days are the best - you can feel proud of yourself all day today :)

Also, your LAM sounds lovely!
eschano - Vanilla rocks!

July 2012- January 2016
Started again January 2021

Sweetness
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Location: Fall and winters in Cuernavaca, Morelos Mexico and summers in St Paul, Minnesota

Post by Sweetness » Tue Mar 18, 2014 11:46 pm

Congrats on the hard won success! :lol:
Patty

Anxiety in a person's heart weighs him down, but an encouraging word brings him joy. (Proverbs 12:25 NET)
I'm a glutton for encouragement.

mestahl
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Location: North Carolina

Post by mestahl » Tue Mar 18, 2014 11:57 pm

Thanks guys :D

Today was a stressful day and thank God I am writing from the other end of it!

B - Usual granola, cereal, raisins, banana, milk, milky coffee
L - sandwich, chips,cottage cheese, and some almonds
D - Salad with red wine vinegar, homemade beef stroganoff with egg noodles.

Today was heavy plate days. I'm stressed and I'm definitley fighting the urge to eat - I even popped a carrot in my mouth while chopping veggies for the salad. I realized immediately what I'd down but it was already down the hatch.

Here is hoping tomorrow is a better day.

automatedeating
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Post by automatedeating » Wed Mar 19, 2014 12:19 am

heavy plates are perfectly legit during times of stress. It follows the rules, and gets you through. Over time you'll notice natural fluctuations in your appetite. Appetite of Big or small, one plate is all. :)

I've been "heavy-plating" it the last few days. When I first started NoS, I probably heavy-plated for a full month before my fear of going hungry lessened.
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

eschano
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Joined: Wed Jul 18, 2012 2:20 pm

Post by eschano » Wed Mar 19, 2014 9:53 am

Yes, I had a week of heavy plating last week (pizzas, burgers, all kinds of super dense food) and maintained. Don't worry about it. Next week will be light (I couldn't see a single dense food anymore so had super light foods naturally this week so far).
eschano - Vanilla rocks!

July 2012- January 2016
Started again January 2021

mestahl
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Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2014 3:28 pm
Location: North Carolina

Post by mestahl » Wed Mar 19, 2014 11:30 pm

I am relieved to know that all my heavy plating is normal. I swear I've noticed more about my body and what it is trying to tell me since I started No S-ing. Instead of constantly stuffing myself I'm starting to notice thirst and fatigue and cold ....all of my senses seem to have awakened.

Another green day
B - Cereal, raisins, granola, banana, milk - and milky coffee
L - Sandwich, chips, cottage cheese, carrots and celery
D - stuffed shells (ricotta, egg, spices) with homemade tomato sauce and some mozzerella cheese on top. A half a glass of plain kefir

The sun finally came out after three days of the most miserable weather that you can imagine and tomorrow we may actually see the 50s. If that is true I will plan on some urban rangering.

AND tomorrow is Thursday so I need to start thinking about what treat I want for le weekend

automatedeating
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Post by automatedeating » Wed Mar 19, 2014 11:40 pm

eveninglightwriter wrote:Instead of constantly stuffing myself I'm starting to notice thirst and fatigue and cold ....all of my senses seem to have awakened
This is really cool!
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

eschano
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Post by eschano » Thu Mar 20, 2014 9:29 am

I agree with auto - love that quote from you!
eschano - Vanilla rocks!

July 2012- January 2016
Started again January 2021

mestahl
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Location: North Carolina

Post by mestahl » Fri Mar 21, 2014 12:34 am

Today is Thursday and as I only have to make a cup of tea and pull myself into bed with a book I thought I might check in before I got too sleepy.

It was a green day

B Cereal, Granola, Milk, Banana, Milky Coffee
L Sandwich, chips, orange, and yogurt (whole milk, plain)
D Pork chop, mashed potatoes, pinto beans, and salad One half cup of plain unsweetened kefir

Today I realized that I rarely thought about sweets - now that is a miracle!
It was like I'd forgotten all my food woes - as though the hunger wasn't there...it was easy.

I did 14 minutes on the eliptical.

Here's to Friday!

eschano
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Post by eschano » Fri Mar 21, 2014 9:20 am

eveninglightwriter wrote:Today I realized that I rarely thought about sweets - now that is a miracle!
It was like I'd forgotten all my food woes - as though the hunger wasn't there...it was easy.
I love those days, they are so good and they definitely become more and more frequent the longer we practice N days.
eschano - Vanilla rocks!

July 2012- January 2016
Started again January 2021

tobiasmom
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Location: Texas

hey

Post by tobiasmom » Fri Mar 21, 2014 4:20 pm

I am loving hearing about your journey. I like to cook too..... and have fallen into counting points off and on.... and it is just solo hard when you cook from scratch! you have inspired me to get my act together? keep up the good work :)

mestahl
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Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2014 3:28 pm
Location: North Carolina

Post by mestahl » Fri Mar 21, 2014 6:00 pm

tobiasmom - thank you so much. One of the main reasons I decided that No S worked for me was that I didn't have to count a single thing and I could still make that loaf of bread at home. I'm sure you've been there - trying to decipher how many calories is in a slice of homemade pizza.

I'm really just awful at math too and I got tired of having to carry a calculator around.

Good luck with your No S-ing -- if I can stick with this anyone can!

mestahl
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Location: North Carolina

Post by mestahl » Fri Mar 21, 2014 11:58 pm

SO today is Friday and yet another green day

B I broke with tradition and had a banana, granola, greek yogurt parfait with whole milk plain yogurt. Milky coffee

L It was Chipotle day and so I had a chicken burrito with brown rice, pintos, chicken, salsa, guacamole, and lettuce

D I didn't sleep well and was too tired to cook so my DH brought home a pizza. I loaded my plate up with Hawaiian style pizza. I also had a half of a glass of kefir.

I did 14 minutes on the eliptical.

So concludes my week of heavy plating. I'm not going to stress it - some weeks are going to be heavier than others. So - on to the weekend.

ironchef
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Post by ironchef » Sun Mar 23, 2014 4:12 am

Well done on making such a strong start to No-S! I've just read your whole check in and you are going so well.

Heavy plate weeks will happen - for me even just colder weather can set me craving a plate of roast and potatoes. At this stage in the journey, forming that strong habit is the most important thing.

Happy S days to you :)

automatedeating
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Post by automatedeating » Sun Mar 23, 2014 3:32 pm

I think you're doing fabulous! Keep on keepin' on, Eveninglightwriter!
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

mestahl
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Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2014 3:28 pm
Location: North Carolina

Post by mestahl » Tue Mar 25, 2014 12:45 am

So this weekend I got on the scales and I'd gained some weight - not much but enough to really make me panic and go immediately into lock down mode where I start throwing out caloric strategies and equations.

And then I took a deep breath and had a lovely day with my man.

We bought a cake - we sat down face to face and had each a slice of cake and laughed at how great it was. And that was Saturday and Sunday - laughing, cake, food we wanted to really enjoy.

And this Monday morning my pants felt a bit snug but I didn't worry so much. I read this morning in the No S book about weighing and I thought about my intentions. I do want to lose weight but more than anything I want to be more sane around food - I don't want to be the crazy cake lady binging on sweets in her car (oh yes I have done that - this gal ate a whole box of snackwell chocolate devils food cookies in her car years ago).

Today was green but I'm going to claim a little funny business here - I made a salad with dinner but I didn't like the side I put on my plate so I put a little more salad in my plate - technically a second.I should have ate everything and then waited to see if I was really full or wanted more salad - I take it as a lesson learned

B : Cereal, Granola, Banana, Milk, a small glass of 100% cranberry juice no sugar added, Milky Coffee

L: Sandwich, chips, yogurt, almonds

D: Homemade spiced lamb/beef meatballs, cous cous with leftover oven roasted cauliflower, salad with homemade yogurt tahini dressing, a quick splash of cranberry juice in water

hot tazo calm chamomile tea - plain

14 minutes exercise.

LAM - ditching some of the self help books I've collected. I'm tired of always trying to improve myself - right now I just want to be.

mestahl
Posts: 108
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2014 3:28 pm
Location: North Carolina

Post by mestahl » Wed Mar 26, 2014 12:42 am

We are having a blast of winter weather here in NC and it has left me cranky and tired tonight. I'm fed up with winter! Please remind me of this post when in July it is over 100 degrees and I have to mow the lawn.

It was a green day - a hard one

B - Normal cereal, granola, banana, glass of cranberry juice, milk, and milky coffee

L - sandwich, chips, a bit of granola with yougurt.

D- grilled chicken breast over a spinach salad with veg and bacon

Some tea at lunch, my nightly tea, and a quick shot of decaf with half and half at Trader Joe's

eschano
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Post by eschano » Wed Mar 26, 2014 9:45 am

eveninglightwriter wrote:Please remind me of this post when in July it is over 100 degrees and I have to mow the lawn.
Hahahahahaha!

Also: well done on your hard one Green Day!

Plus: love the fact that you're ditching the self-help books. Just being is great.
eschano - Vanilla rocks!

July 2012- January 2016
Started again January 2021

ironchef
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Location: Australia

Post by ironchef » Thu Mar 27, 2014 1:50 am

eveninglightwriter wrote:It was a green day - a hard one
Well done. These ones are the best (I think) for giving your habit "muscle" - because you've pushed through something hard. Next time it's hard you can think "no worries, I did a great job on my last hard day".

I like the quote from KCCC in the No-S catch phrase sticky thread: "You can do hard things". It acknowledges that things aren't always easy, but reminds us that doesn't mean we aren't capable.

Although, as oolala points out, perhaps "You can do difficult things" has less double entendre risk!

mestahl
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Post by mestahl » Thu Mar 27, 2014 4:48 pm

I have an addiction: it is to perfection. I've been thinking about it since I've started No S - I've pretty much tried to do everything perfectly (okay nnot the whole staying thin part of it). I'd sit down to write a poem or story and I'd stop before I could even finish it because it wasn't perfect. I've tried exercising every day and get frustrated when I didn't do that perfectly. I try to eat 2000 calories a day and I blow that after a cookie free-for-all.

But since No-S I've started to realize I don't have to be an over achiever. My hubby noticed this in me the other week - sometimes I seem to be flailing about trying to do something but never quite accomplishing it.

Sorry about the rant - just some ideas I've been having

Yesterday I did not check-in and normally by now I would be wringing my hands in disappointment and worry because I did not do this.

But I was tired and instead I plopped down in a recliner with a suitable reading lamp and a very good read.

So today you are getting a two-for-one

Wednesday
B - Cereal, granola, banana, milk, cranberry juice, milky coffee
L - Sandwich, Goldfish crackers, and yogurt with a bit of maple syrup
D - The most delicious pasta I'd had in a long time (and more shockingly I made it) and a cup of herbal tea with a bit of raw local honey

Thursday
B - Cereal, granola, banana, cranberry juice, milk, and a cup of coffee with a bit of cream
L - Super chunky peanut butter sandwich, goldfish crackers, a bit of cottage cheese, and half an orange
D - Tonight we plan to make a blue cheese burger and some oven fries

I did exercise for 14 minutes last night and today I plan to do so as well.

How great is it to have an eaiting guide that also helps you discover yourself??

Oh and if anyone is interested the book I'm reading a novel entitled The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley

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Post by automatedeating » Thu Mar 27, 2014 9:24 pm

ELW-- (hehe, I'm giving you a nickname now)
Your post is a "perfect" opportunity for me to give my favorite quote about moderate everything:
"Do not let the perfect become the enemy of the good". It is THE most lynchpin quote in all of my personal changes over the past 7 months. It applies to: dealing with failure, and attitudes toward: exercise, parenting, finances, projects, apologies, body image, eating, and nutrition. And probably in your case we could add: gardening, and writing. :)
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

mestahl
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Location: North Carolina

Post by mestahl » Fri Mar 28, 2014 11:48 am

Automatedeating - I feel very official having a nickname now!

I love that quote and I'm going to post it on my fridge as a reminder.

Letting go of the need for self perfection has been sort of liberating. This week I've noticed I'm much less tense and more at ease and my overactive brain hasn't driven me crazy constantly gabbing.

Thank you for the wise words (as always) - they are very much appreciated.

eschano
Posts: 2642
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Post by eschano » Fri Mar 28, 2014 1:18 pm

Hi ELW, I love that you discovered this about yourself! The most amazing thing on NoS happens - once you are discovering freedom from perfect food control this freedom from perfectionism really gets into everything in life :)
eschano - Vanilla rocks!

July 2012- January 2016
Started again January 2021

mestahl
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Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2014 3:28 pm
Location: North Carolina

Post by mestahl » Sat Mar 29, 2014 1:35 pm

Yesterday (Friday) was a green day.

B - Cereal, milk, granola, banana, cranberry juice, milky coffee

L - My Friday treat : A delicious Chipotle chicken burrito

D - A pork chop, a healthy portion of homemade baked beans, and kale

Creamy coffee with a bit of Bailey's Irish Cream I did not add sugar so this went from a dessert to an after dinner drink, tons and tons of water

I did exercise for 14 minutes

This morning I peeked on the scales - no change in my weight and thank goodness for that!


This past week I wasn't just dying for an S day - it feels weird though to not be counting down the minutes. I'm thinking of making sticky toffee pudding for a dessert.

Hope everyone has a happy weekend and enjoys their S days!

automatedeating
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Post by automatedeating » Sun Mar 30, 2014 12:18 am

You must be close to 1 month of NoSing, ELW! :)
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

mestahl
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Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2014 3:28 pm
Location: North Carolina

Post by mestahl » Mon Mar 31, 2014 12:30 pm

Holy Cow - You are right Automatedeating - I am close to a month!

This weekend was really great :D

Not only did I not totally go "buck wild" as my momma would say - but I felt pretty darned good.

I'm finding that I'm not even thinking about seconds - I just automatically eat what's on my plate and stop there.

I made sticky toffee pudding this weekend for the first time and it was glorious. We also shared a slice of tres leches cake at a Peruvian place.

So I did have three slices of cake.

But I also ate moderately and I didn't snack quite as much. And I noticed that as I cooked I did not eat a whole meal under the guise of tasting for seasoning.

What a difference a month makes - I'm less crazy (in a food sense) and while the weight isn't flying off I'm also not ballooning off the charts. Not bad for two days shy of a month.

tobiasmom
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Hey

Post by tobiasmom » Mon Mar 31, 2014 1:28 pm

Sticky toffee pudding sounds amazing! Was it tough to make? I am going to have to look this one up!!

Great job! I've finally got my act together :)

mestahl
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Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2014 3:28 pm
Location: North Carolina

Post by mestahl » Mon Mar 31, 2014 3:23 pm

It is not difficult at all - I liked this recipe a lot - I made the pudding part in a muffin pan as I like individual servings. I didn't have dates so I used prunes and I'm certain you could use raisins and have no problems.

http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/sticky-toffee-pudding
Last edited by mestahl on Mon Mar 31, 2014 7:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.

eschano
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Post by eschano » Mon Mar 31, 2014 4:04 pm

Thanks for the recipe ELW!!
eschano - Vanilla rocks!

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Started again January 2021

mestahl
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Post by mestahl » Tue Apr 01, 2014 12:29 pm

Boy was it Monday! Yesterday turned out to be a horrendous day. First off we took a bit of a financial blow and then my dad called me to tell me his dog died --- we didn't eat until around 7 and that was at a really awful bbq place. We NEVER eat out through the week but we had a meeting late and on the other side of town. I thought I might fall over when the waitress put a basket of hushpuppies down and said "Ya'll let me know when you need more of these." Great - an unlimited supply of hushpuppies - just what I needed (Not!).

I'm going to chaulk yesterday up to yellow and move on with my life. I had normal breakfast and lunch - dinner and that dreaded neverending basked of hushpuppies could definitley be considered funny business. I also had no time to exercise :(

At least thank god - it is a new month! Here's to April

tobiasmom
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Hey

Post by tobiasmom » Tue Apr 01, 2014 1:15 pm

Thanks for the recipe. Looks amazing!!!

Sorry about your horrible day, but you're right...today's a new day, a new month even!!

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Post by automatedeating » Tue Apr 01, 2014 2:14 pm

Oh, ELW, I just found out yesterday that my father-in-law's dog died, too. So rough.

Mmmmmm, hush puppies. I remember the first time I was served those when I moved to North Carolina. I had no idea what they were. 16 years later, and I'll never forget them. :)
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

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Post by eschano » Wed Apr 02, 2014 8:48 am

Sorry to hear about your father-in-law's dog!
eschano - Vanilla rocks!

July 2012- January 2016
Started again January 2021

mestahl
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Post by mestahl » Wed Apr 02, 2014 12:58 pm

Thank you Automated and Eschano - My dad was pretty upset when I spoke to him on Monday. He'd had Daisy the Golden Retriever for 9 years so of course its like losing a member of the family.

On to happier thoughts

Yesterday was an easy green day (don't you just looove those?)
B: My regular cereal with granola and milk, banana, milky coffee, and watered down cranberry juice
L : Sandwich, goldfish crackers, and hummus with veggies
D: Homemade pepperoni pizza

Tons of water and a plain chamomile tea

I took a glorious post lunch walk as the weather here in NC is very very nice right now. I also mowed the lawn when I got home from work.

LAM : As it is National Poetry Month I've set myself a mini goal to read a poem a day and to write a poem a day. I've found a gent from Writer's Digest magazine who posts a prompt everyday for this month. I enjoyed the first prompt yesterday which was write a poem about beginnings.

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Post by MerryKat » Wed Apr 02, 2014 1:43 pm

Just done a quick flip through your posts and you sound like you are doing fantastically and sliding into the NoS lifestyle easy as pie!!!

Continue day by day and you won't know yourself in a years time!!
Hugs from Sunny South Africa
Vanilla No S with no Sugar due to Health issues - 11 yrs No S - September 2016 (some good, some bad (my own doing) but always the right thing for me!)

mestahl
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Post by mestahl » Wed Apr 02, 2014 4:42 pm

Thank you Merrykat - The encouragement here has been so vital to my success - and as I write this I've just realized that I've been No S-ing for a month - feels very very good - best thing I've ever done for myself.

Simpless
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Post by Simpless » Wed Apr 02, 2014 11:12 pm

Evenlightwriter - I totally agree. I have been on NoS for 24 days now but had first tried it in 2009. I never stayed on the forum, and didn't last long. The support has made all the difference for me this time.

tobiasmom
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Hey

Post by tobiasmom » Thu Apr 03, 2014 2:46 am

You mowed the lawn? You are a stud! I sound like a wimp, but that is super impressive in my book! I don't know how to turn on a lawn mower!!! Haha. Let's just say I do all the INSIDE chores :)

eschano
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Post by eschano » Thu Apr 03, 2014 8:58 am

ELW, happy first month!!!

Simpless, I had months going off the boards and the reds kept coming. It's great to dabble in and out of it once the habits are firm but my recent relatively green streak is definitely down to all of you guys!!!
eschano - Vanilla rocks!

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mestahl
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Post by mestahl » Thu Apr 03, 2014 11:34 am

I had an easy day of it yesterday, thank goodness. The weather was so nice - dare I say even warm as we got into the 80s.

B : Cereal, milk, granola, banana, watered down cranberry juice, and milky coffee

L : sandwich, yogurt, and chips

D: baked chicken tenders, organic yukon gold oven fries, salad w/ blue cheese crumble dressing

Tons and tons of water.


I've noticed the past week that I'm feeling less hunger (or maybe I'm just getting good at ignoring it) and I'm not finishing my plate. I'm getting full with less food. The week flies by quickly and then I think wow - another S day is here.

LAM well I'd planned to sit on my deck and read when I got home from work but that did not happen as the traffic was just awful and by the time I got home and changed it was time to start dinner.

Feeling cranky today - need some time to myself - I will try to make that happen this evening.

Tomorrow is Friday (that is my mantra today)

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MerryKat
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Post by MerryKat » Thu Apr 03, 2014 12:01 pm

Congratulations on the month!
Hugs from Sunny South Africa
Vanilla No S with no Sugar due to Health issues - 11 yrs No S - September 2016 (some good, some bad (my own doing) but always the right thing for me!)

mestahl
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Post by mestahl » Fri Apr 04, 2014 12:01 pm

Well its yet again another Friday. We've basically made it through 5 days of N-ing and now the S-ing starts tomorrow.

I am making yesterday a yellow day.

Here's why:

Breakfast and lunch were basically the same as always.

Dinner was taco night and I caught my sneaky self trying to "taste" more than I should. I thought to myself well as long as I don't finish everything on my plate I should be just fine.

What??

That is caloric accounting if I've ever seen/heard it.

So I stopped myself and I ate my plate of food. We are planning a trip to vegas sometime later in the year and I thought to myself I need to lose as much weight as I can before this trip. Whoa - where did that come from?

Oh - only years of dieting.

How does one exorcise the bad diet voices from one's brain? Does anyone have any suggestions? :?:

automatedeating
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Post by automatedeating » Fri Apr 04, 2014 11:27 pm

ELW, I can relate, but I don't have much in the way of advice.... I'd like to hear what others have to say on this.
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

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Post by LoriLifts » Sun Apr 06, 2014 3:26 pm

Just stopping by to say hi and that I enjoy reading your thread!

I fight the 4pm snack habit too. It's tenacious and sneaky but we will conquer it!

I haven't been able to exorcise my "diet mind". After a million years of use (I'm kind of old), it's a well developed muscle. I can shut it up for long periods of time. The chatter seems to begin again (for me) when I set weight goals or try to tweak the No S rules.

Everybody has different "diet mind" triggers.

Good luck on your journey, you're doing great!
Habits are at first cobwebs, then cables.

mestahl
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Post by mestahl » Mon Apr 07, 2014 12:46 pm

Eschano - Walkerlori - thank you for at least weighing in.

I thought about it some over the weekend and then like magic I opened up the No S book and read the chapter about habit. Really diet head for me a coping mecanism - I see it as positive self talk - damage control but really its mean punnishment - negative self talk when I really think about it. My mom is perpetually on a diet and she's always said things like "I need to lose weight" or "If only I could lose a few pounds before.." So not only did I develop my own diet head, I inherited her's. Just like anything else it is going to take time to squelch that yippy, annoying voice in my head. I've even given it the form my neighbor's annoying yippy yappy little dog - much easier to ignore that way.

I had a very nice weekend. I made a small pan of brownies from scratch and really enjoyed them with the hubby. Very little in the way to snacking - I'm getting pretty good at handling this hunger thing. I'd like to get more exercise in this week but my main focus is in establishing exercise as a habit and keeping my N days as green.

eschano
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Post by eschano » Mon Apr 07, 2014 1:42 pm

ELW, I'm fighting diet-head as well lately! So worth the fight! I already know I am much healthier than my mother ever was when it comes to food and if I ever have children I'll have them knowing I'm not going to pass on horrendous self-talk and bad diet-habits.
eschano - Vanilla rocks!

July 2012- January 2016
Started again January 2021

mestahl
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Post by mestahl » Tue Apr 08, 2014 11:47 am

Eschano - undoing years of habit (in this case diet head) is going to take time - althought with all this delightful moderation I am feeling less like a crazy woman.

Yesterday was Monday and thank goodness for that - Mondays find me coming down from my sugar high of the weekend - Mondays I'm the hungriest but also grateful for once again moderation.

B : Cereal with granola, banana, milky coffee
L : Sandwich, Cheddar Crackers, Yogurt
D: Tortellini primavera (oh gosh it was so very good)

Tons of water and a hastily sloshed down chamomile tea

LAM : I basically rushed through my day on Monday which is the worst. I did make time for my 14 minutes of eliptical and that was marvelous.

My mother-in-law who has her heart in the right place, gave me three pounds of jelly beans on Sunday night. I love candy and so this would ordinarily end up with me overdosing on Jelly Beans but I put them on top of the fridge for next Saturday. Now the reality of it is that Saturday I may at 8am run down the steps and have a handful of starburst jelly beans but that doesn't matter - I am not eating them now and that is a huge step.

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Post by mestahl » Wed Apr 09, 2014 11:45 am

I must start this daily check-in with a confession that I am in a frightfully good mood this morning. For one thing it was actually near day light when I got to work this morning and not actually the pitch black of night. Also I'm reading the most amazing book : Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel. I swear I am being totally transported by this book. Also - it isn't raining and the sun is out.

Yesterday was a heavy plate day - I had probably if I want to be honest with myself a plate and a half at dinner. Lunch was light and I was so hungry by the time I got home I was shakey. I had a small glass of milk and once dinner happened I tore into my food like a lioness (we had a steak which makes it even more visceral).

If I don't eat enough for lunch - if I start trying to compensate and eat less at each meal I am going to more than likely go off the rails at dinner and I'm not going to feel up to exercising. So lunch needs to be fulfilling.

Another valuable lesson learned. Now back to my book.

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Post by eschano » Wed Apr 09, 2014 11:57 am

If you think Wolf Hall is good, wait for Bringing Up The Bodies! Just finshed that one and it's sooooo good! Can't wait for the third one to come out.

Great insight about lunch!
eschano - Vanilla rocks!

July 2012- January 2016
Started again January 2021

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MerryKat
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Post by MerryKat » Wed Apr 09, 2014 12:05 pm

Definitely going to have to look for these books - they sound excellent!!!
Hugs from Sunny South Africa
Vanilla No S with no Sugar due to Health issues - 11 yrs No S - September 2016 (some good, some bad (my own doing) but always the right thing for me!)

mestahl
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Post by mestahl » Wed Apr 09, 2014 7:31 pm

Eschano - do you know that they are making a tv series for the books? I was excited about this - as a person who is riveted by Game of Thrones on HBO - good adaptations can be made.

Merrykat if you are a lover of historical fiction please do yourself a favour and pick up Wolf Hall.

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Post by Strawberry Roan » Wed Apr 09, 2014 9:16 pm

I loved the visual of visceral eating. I swear last night I came home and attacked my food like an animal. My husband and son had spent the day together, eating out twice - once at Wendy's and once at Sonic. So they weren't hungry when I got home from work. I was starved. I ate two pieces of leftover pizza to have enough strength to make my salad. Then I wolfed it down like - well an animal, one who loves salad.

So, I truly related to your post. :D
Berry

eschano
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Post by eschano » Thu Apr 10, 2014 8:25 am

eveninglightwriter wrote:Eschano - do you know that they are making a tv series for the books?
I had no idea but no I am really excited about it! You're right, GoTh is a great adaptation although I find myself sitting in front of the TV with my SO and biting my lip not to give him lots and lots of backstories when something has fallen out of the screenplay. ;)
eschano - Vanilla rocks!

July 2012- January 2016
Started again January 2021

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Post by MerryKat » Thu Apr 10, 2014 10:17 am

I LOVED the GoT books and have the series on disc to watch - waiting for time to watch the series in one weekend.

I definitely going to get Wolf Hall.
Hugs from Sunny South Africa
Vanilla No S with no Sugar due to Health issues - 11 yrs No S - September 2016 (some good, some bad (my own doing) but always the right thing for me!)

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