Everyday Systems

Starting a daily check-in again. It's been a long time since I posted and I think this will make me more accountable. I've been really struggling lately with N days, specifically Thursday and Friday. And my S days (one at least) are full out binges. Argh! We'll see how this week goes.

Monday: Success

Brunch = pumpkin pancakes, turkey breakfast sausages
Dinner - oatmeal

Welcome back! Looking forward to reading your thread.

Don't worry about S days. I used to have a real problem with binge eating. I'm about 1 1/3 years in now and binging isn't a thing anymore. However, it took about a year for my S days to calm down.

The key for me was to never punish myself or be harsh to myself about it.

Thanks eschano! That makes me feel better to hear that. Maybe I will try to relax a little until I've at least reached the year mark (this fall).

Today was a success, but I struggled a little.

Brunch = baked oatmeal, banana, boiled eggs (good thing I didn't have more food in my lunch bag because I probably would've kept going).

Afternoon = Latte from Tassimo

Dinner = egg frittata, mixed veggies, pita w/margarine, Quest protein bar (again, wanted to keep eating purely for emotional reasons).

For my daughter's birthday tomorrow, I will allow myself a piece of cake IF I feel like having one. So I'm giving myself the option of an S day but only if I feel like having cake. Otherwise, it will be an N day as usual.

Well, it wasn't an S day for me after all. Just didn't feel like cake. So I stuck to my usual although I did add a third meal. It was needed today. I was too hungry.

Brunch= baked oatmeal, banana, chicken breast with skin, larabar
Lunch= pita and margarine, quest bar, mixed veggies, baked cheese puffs
Dinner= turkey breast lunch meat, 1\2 baked oatmeal

Success!

Hi, lderoc- Welcome back. Sounds like you're doing great!
Care to share your recipe for baked oatmeal??

For sure Sonya. It's called Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal and I got it in an edition of Oxygen magazine. I've tweaked it a little (steel cut oats instead of old-fashioned and a tsp of truvia.)

1/2 cup steel cut oats
1/4 tsp baking powder
Dash sea salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp allspice
1/8 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp trivia
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
2 tbsp cottage cheese
1 cup water

Mix all ingredients and bake at 350 for approx. 45 mins.

Enjoy!

Haven't posted in a few days. Well it is sure astounding how it doesn't take long for a bad habit to form. Don't know if I should declare Thursday a fail or an S day. Here's why. When Thursday rolls around, I start to feel some anxiety about the weekend S days and the fear that I will binge ALL weekend long, resulting in the dreaded food hangover on Monday and Tuesday. As a result, I end up having a binge and actually feeling relief afterwards because I got it out of my system. The weekend is much tamer because of that Thursday night binge. And this week, even Thursday was a lot tamer. This has happened the last 3 Thursdays.

What should I do? Make this a mod or try to follow vanilla? Any feedback would be great.

Thanks lderoc- I hope to try that recipe when I get home from this work trip and have access to an oven again! By the way, how many servings does it make?
Re: the Thursday night binges- it's great that they are getting tamer and that they have had a good effect on the weekend. I personally would keep calling them "Red" and observing how they work, and in time they will hopefully become extinct, as the weekends get more moderate and the Mon/Tues recovery time gets lessened too. It's a process and you're headed in the right direction.

I agree with Sonya. Just watch those red Thursday nights with calm curiosity. They will get tamer over the months, I'm sure. And I like how Sonya said they will eventually go "extinct".

Thanks Sonya and automatedeating. I will take your advice and see what the next few weeks look like.

The baked oatmeal recipe is for one serving, but I make at least 5 of those at once in individual ramekins and refrigerate them. They are good for a week.

Today was another sane S day.

Breakfast = coffee with milk

Lunch= Mongolian stir fry restaurant (wanted seconds but decided to stick to one plate-last time I had seconds I felt sick)

Dinner = 1/2 baked oatmeal, quest bar, pita and margarine, pop chips (definitely seconds at this meal but not a binge )

Hi, lderoc- Sounds like a very sane S day. I look forward to hearing how Mon/Tue go, and if Thurs is calmer this week. It's amazing how we adjust.
I love those Mongolian restaurants, and haven't been to one in years. Something to keep in mind for when I'm next nearer to one! I love the variety they have, but also find it hard to keep it to one bowl.

Well, this week went quite well however Thursday evening was yet another binge-so hard to get out of that. Seriously considering making this my S day, but preplanning my treats so that i don't go overboard. Friday and Saturday were great, but stayed up really late so was very tired Sunday. This always causes me to overeat and go for carbs and sweets. Oh well, onward to a good N week (hopefully).

That's a great attitude! Onward and upward. Here's to a great week.

If you don't choose to make Thursday an S day, you might just give it some special attention... plan a really nice dinner, with maybe some fruit to finish it off. Brush your teeth right after and take a bubble bath or do something else relaxing to occupy yourself and take your mind off food. Maybe journal what you're feeling and why you want to eat, if you're not sufficiently distracted. You know, break the chain of small habits that are leading up to this larger habit of a Thursday night binge.

osoniye wrote:If you don't choose to make Thursday an S day, you might just give it some special attention... plan a really nice dinner, with maybe some fruit to finish it off. Brush your teeth right after and take a bubble bath or do something else relaxing to occupy yourself and take your mind off food. Maybe journal what you're feeling and why you want to eat, if you're not sufficiently distracted. You know, break the chain of small habits that are leading up to this larger habit of a Thursday night binge.

Love that Sonya!

Great idea! Thanks! I will try that this week.

Yesterday and today were green, but with a lot of hard work. I REALLY wanted to stuff my face at lunch today. And yesterday, I had to add a third meal of steamed veggies to prevent hitting the pantry later in the day.

Yesterday's meals:

B: oatmeal
L: cottage cheese with strawberries,pita with margarine, raw carrots,quest bar
D: steamed veggies

Today's meals:

B: oatmeal
L: pasta with meat and cheese, bun
D: rice chips, cottage cheese

Much better day today! Reduced the amount of each meal and as a result felt satisfied, not bloated. Now just have to keep it going.

B=oatmeal
L=bagel, cheddar cheese, apple
D=nothing yet - had a late breakfast and lunch, so may not need anything else. If I do, I will have carrots, strawberries and a quest bar.

Have a great evening everyone!

Have a great Thursday, lderoc... eat good, satisfying meals. I'm rooting for you!

Well done!

Thanks for the encouragement!

Had a third meal yesterday. It was 1 carrot and a quest bar.

I made today my S day because it's just too hard not to. But made it my third meal and it all fit on one plate so I guess that's an improvement.

B=cottage cheese and strawberries, rice chips, Greek yogurt and granola
L=tuna and tomato paste on toast,roasted cauliflower, apple
D=1choc.chip cookie, 1 slice banana bread, 1 piece ice-cream cake (all homemade), handful nuts, sour cream and onion chips

Hi, lderoc- Yea for you! Glad you felt in control of your eating on a thurSday!
You mention adding a 3rd meal sometimes on N days... do you think there's any chance that trying to keep it down to 2 meals other days might be contributing to the feeling of needing to overdo it on Thursdays? Just a thought.

Took your advice Sonya and it worked great! Thank you for that. I had breakfast much earlier than I usually do (8:30) and reduced my portions a little. Then I had lunch 4 hrs later and was not hungry at all until over 5 hrs later. Also kept my dinner portion much more reasonable.

B=boiled egg, sprouted grain toast, strawberries
L=oatmeal
D=veggie burger, raw veggies

FEEL GREAT!

Another great day! Have not needed to take advantage of my S day so far. But might have some popcorn tonight.

B=2 eggs,sprouted grain toast,Roma tomato,coffee
L=oatmeal
D=bbq'd chicken breast, sweet potato, roasted veggies, apple
S=(not yet) popcorn, raw veggies

Glad you routine seems to be settling!!

Keep on with the 3rd meal and see if that helps balance out the urges on Thursday.

Thanks MerryKat! Anxious to see what happens Thursday.

Yesterday and today were N days with 3 meals. So far so good.

Hi lderoc- Hope you have a great and moderate Thursday, whether you declare it an N or an S day!

Hi lderoc,
Another Thursday later... just wondering how you're doing. Hope you're doing well!!