Sophiasapientia's "During" Story

(New!) Read (or post) about people who have stuck with No-S for 10 or more months, lost 10 or more pounds, or 10 or more percent for their starting weight. Periodic updates strongly encouraged -- you can think of it as "Yearly Check In."

Moderators: Soprano, automatedeating

Post Reply
User avatar
sophiasapientia
Posts: 919
Joined: Tue Nov 25, 2008 3:09 am
Location: Michigan

Sophiasapientia's "During" Story

Post by sophiasapientia » Thu Jun 02, 2011 1:12 pm

It has been one year and five months since I restarted No S and I feel like celebrating!

A little background information:
I'm 36 years old, just a smidge under 5'3" and weight had been a challenge for me for many years.

I grew-up in a household where, once my parents' divorced in my preteen years, nobody cooked (fast food was the norm) or ever sat down to a proper meal. Exercise wasn't prioritized or modeled either. These -- cooking, exercising, regular set family meals -- were all skills and habits that I learned and adopted over time as a adult.

At my all-time highest weight, during a stressful period when my now 8 year old daughter was a year old, I weighed 193 lbs but, over the years, I've yo-yoed all over the place, from the low one-teens upwards. I lost the bulk of the excess weight from my all-time high through a low carb diet/exercise but low carb eating wasn't sustainable for me. I kept about 50 lbs of this completely off through exercise and sheer will but the rest of the weight was a constant struggle. I was tired of obsessing, tired of the continual battle with my body, tired of not feeling comfortable in my own skin. I was constantly reading diet books, searching for a miracle solution. It was on one such search on Amazon in late November 2008 that I happened across the No S diet book. I immediately found the website and decided to give it a go.

Reinhard has said that it can take multiple attempts for No S to stick and I'm certainly one of "those" stories. I tried No S twice and fell off the wagon before restarting on New Year's 2010. I think the difference for me this time was that I wasn't looking for a quick fix. I wanted a lifetime solution and I wanted to settle into a weight that I could maintain easily and happily. I was, above all else, committed to building a solid habit. I had two or three very minor red days in my first several months on No S. The result is that I lost over 20 pounds in about five months last year and have maintained that loss, well within the normal, healthy BMI range for my height, for a year. Some months I lost several pounds, some months I lost 1 or 2. My ultimate focus was on building habit, learning how to enjoy food and living an active lifestyle.

I haven't been perfect. This past winter, while I never abandoned No S, I got sloppy. My weight had dropped into the high 1-teens to low 120s and I felt like I could splurge. I stopped tracking my weight. I started having a bite here, a midweek dessert there. Certainly not everyday but enough that, combined with a change in exercise routine, I lost my footing. It has been a humbling reminder of how important it is for me to be strict and consistent with my habits. Three one-plate meals a day with some treats on special days plus consistent exercise. Wash, rinse, repeat. Wash, rinse, repeat again. And again.


What I Do:
Vanilla No S -- I do plain, good 'ol vanilla No S with unrestricted S Days. I also rarely drink anything with calories between meals on N Days.

S Days -- As I mentioned, I have unrestricted S Days. However, I tend to follow the basic 3 meal structure with some added treats. I don't generally permasnack. I like to plan out at least one or two special treats for each S Day ... something I've really been wanting. We often eat out once or twice on the weekend. I look forward to S Days.

Exercise -- I've exercised consistently for years and it was a well-engrained habit long before I discovered No S. Mostly I walk or do nordic skiwalking. I wear a pedometer everyday and challenge myself so stay active through the course of my day. I think, for myself, if I'm following a moderate diet, exercise is especially essential. I aim to get over 10,000 steps each day. This number tends to higher in the warmer months and about on target during the cold Michigan winters.

Some of my Dietary Defaults:
9-inch plates: In 2009, I picked up a set of 9-inch plates. I use these for dinner and sometimes lunch at home. (Usually my breakfast plate is smaller and I often eat soup or use a smaller plate for lunch.) I don't worry about plate size when I'm out. I figure if the standard plate size was about 9" inches in the 1970s, prior to when our nation had an obesity epidemic, it is good enough for me.

Friday night pizza: If it works with our schedule, I usually make homemade pizza, served with salad or some cut-up veggies, for dinner on Friday night. This works great because my family loves pizza and I feel like I'm getting an end-of-the-week treat without violating the No S rules.

Tracking: About a month into my restart, I began weighing every morning and graphing my weight on Fitday. I know that Reinhard advises against weighing too much and that it isn't a good practice for everyone but I actually find it very helpful to see trends over time. I still weigh myself everyday and graph my weight on an iphone App. It keeps me accountable and empowers me to nip any potential problems in the bud quickly. I've found that when I don't weigh myself, I'm far more likely to make poor choices and gain weight. I also found it useful to keep a daily food log on my Daily Check-In thread ... and especially so when trying to build habit.



THANK YOU!!!
I just want to say THANK YOU Reinhard for sharing your plan and story with the world. This simple system has honestly changed my life. How wonderful it feels to feel comfortable in my own skin and wear those size 4s. I enjoy food once again. Plus, out of the countless plans I tried, this is the only one that my husband actually likes and that I felt good about the habits that I am modeling for our daughter ...

My crazy search for the "perfect diet" -- and all of the mental energy/angst that I once devoted to that topic-- is over. I haven't browsed the diet section of the bookstore since December 2009 and I've saved a ton of money by not purchasing diet related products/services since then. What freedom & bliss!

THANK YOU also to the folks on these Boards for your support, insights and sharing this No S journey.

Onwards
I love how there is no "After" on No S. This a lifetime journey, one that I am committed to living out one day at a time. I look forward to sharing my "During" update in January 2012. :D 8) :D
Last edited by sophiasapientia on Thu Jun 02, 2011 4:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Restarted No S (3rd times a charm!) January 2010 at 145 lbs

jellybeans01
Posts: 232
Joined: Fri Aug 20, 2010 3:10 pm
Location: San Antonio

Post by jellybeans01 » Thu Jun 02, 2011 3:21 pm

I loved your post! It was so imformative.
I'm 36 also! I found that after 34 or so it was not as easy for me to lose weight like before. This diet has been a blessing to me also. I think it was going on the atkins low carb diet that changed everything for me. Boy, I got thin, but this weird binge behavior crept up in me. It sort of freaked me out, I never had this problem before.
I'm doing no s right now while preggos. After baby, I plan to go back to smaller plates like you mentioned and track my weight weekly. Thanks for being an inspiration.

User avatar
sophiasapientia
Posts: 919
Joined: Tue Nov 25, 2008 3:09 am
Location: Michigan

Post by sophiasapientia » Fri Jun 03, 2011 10:30 am

Thanks so much for your kind words, Jellybeans! It means a lot. :D I know what you mean about the binge behavior. On the LC plan I was on, I could have a (non-LC) dessert everyday and I developed an unhealthy binge mentality about sweets, some that I never had before, even when I was obese. :? It took awhile to get past that and I didn't like that I was modeling for my then-toddler that it was perfectly fine to have a big dessert everyday ... Anyway, I think it is so great that you are taking good care of yourself during your pregnancy, adjusting as needed, for morning sickness, etc! It will pay off after the little one arrives, I reckon. 8) :D
Restarted No S (3rd times a charm!) January 2010 at 145 lbs

Starla
Posts: 398
Joined: Mon Sep 14, 2009 4:55 pm

Post by Starla » Fri Jun 03, 2011 12:56 pm

First of all, congratulations! What an inspiring story, not just of a weight change, but of a life change.

Your testimonial really struck home for me, because I have been struggling ever since returning from vacation over a month ago. In your words, I've become "sloppy." And, like you, I realized I've stopped weighing myself. I already knew I'd stopped exercising, for the most part.

Thanks so much for the reminder that it's really just the simple things I need to return to.

I wish you all the best in this continuing journey we're on!

User avatar
sophiasapientia
Posts: 919
Joined: Tue Nov 25, 2008 3:09 am
Location: Michigan

Post by sophiasapientia » Fri Jun 03, 2011 3:47 pm

Starla -- You are such a wonderful inspiration with the tremendous success you've had with No S and thanks so much for your support! ... Yeah, it was a bit of a revelation to me recently when I realized that I had gotten sloppy/gone off course and need to get back to the basic simple plan ... The tracking, especially, seems to be an important thing for me. I've found through trial and error that if I'm opting to stay off the scale and not track for more than a few days -- and not just post-S Days or after being on vacation or the like, giving my body a chance to recover from natural excess of special times -- that it is a sign that something is "off" in terms of my habits/behavior. Enlightening! ... Anyway, I'm delighted to share this continuing No S journey with you and thanks again! :D
Restarted No S (3rd times a charm!) January 2010 at 145 lbs

User avatar
reinhard
Site Admin
Posts: 5918
Joined: Tue Apr 12, 2005 7:38 pm
Location: Cambridge, MA
Contact:

Post by reinhard » Fri Jun 03, 2011 7:39 pm

Hi Sophia,

People were asking for a "yearly check in" and boy did you deliver!

So much good stuff here, from your bouncing back from initial setbacks, to your specific dietary "defaults," to your aborted "crazy search for the perfect diet."

Congratulations on your success and thank you for this thoughtful and detailed update!

Reinhard

KareBear
Posts: 171
Joined: Wed Jan 20, 2010 11:16 pm
Location: Eugene, Oregon

Post by KareBear » Fri Jun 03, 2011 8:35 pm

Thanks so much for sharing your journey with us! So inspiring. I am 5'1 and over 40, but usually I am pretty active. I LOVE to exercise. I too, am doing straight Vanilla No S with unrestricted weekends. Saturdays especailly, I don't eat 3 meals so I really enjoy the freedom of having mini meals throughout the day. Anyway, thanks for sharing! Things like that keep us all motivated.

Karen
Karen

Start/Current/Goal
160/ 160 /135

Sienna
Posts: 262
Joined: Thu Sep 30, 2010 5:00 pm

Post by Sienna » Fri Jun 03, 2011 8:52 pm

Congratulations on getting everything to stick! I think sometimes it's harder to re-try something that didn't work the first time than it is to try something new, so I really admire your ability to keep coming back.
Finally a diet that I can make a lifestyle!

Started June 2010
6/27/2010 - 226 lbs
10/17/2010 - 203 lbs - 10% weight loss goal!
1/29/2011 - 182 lbs - 2nd 10% weight loss goal!
5/29/2011 - 165 lbs - 3rd 10% weight loss goal! (one more to go)

User avatar
DaveMc
Posts: 394
Joined: Tue Jul 28, 2009 12:28 pm

Post by DaveMc » Fri Jun 03, 2011 9:43 pm

Wonderful. Congratulations!

mamamia
Posts: 47
Joined: Sun May 29, 2011 10:45 am

Post by mamamia » Fri Jun 03, 2011 11:09 pm

Thank you for sharing your story, Sophia. A newbie like me gets a lot of inspiration from someone who has been doing it for a while! I too tried low carb - lost 20 pounds, gained back 30, etc. This plan is so 'human' and I'm so glad I found it!

dmarie710
Posts: 249
Joined: Mon Oct 13, 2008 1:48 am
Location: Temecula

Post by dmarie710 » Fri Jun 03, 2011 11:57 pm

Hi Shannon. I posted a reply and must have done something wrong, but I wrote what an inspiration you have been to me for a long time. So glad to see you've posted in testimonials.
Denise
Denise
restart No S on 4/1 at 132#
goal is 120-123# doing vanilla NoS with Eat Stop Eat on Monday.

User avatar
sophiasapientia
Posts: 919
Joined: Tue Nov 25, 2008 3:09 am
Location: Michigan

Post by sophiasapientia » Sat Jun 04, 2011 12:23 am

Thanks so much to everyone for all of your kind words and support!!! It is hard to put into words how much I've been impacted not only by the No S plan but also by reading all of your posts with all of their wisdom, wit and just the day to day reality of trying to make this plan work in our individual lives over time. I am truly grateful for having found No S and these forums. :D

Shannon
Restarted No S (3rd times a charm!) January 2010 at 145 lbs

Grammy G
Posts: 636
Joined: Tue Sep 08, 2009 1:00 pm

Post by Grammy G » Sat Jun 04, 2011 8:17 pm

I really enjoyed reading your story, Sophia! thanks for taking the time to share it with us! I especially liked the thought that this is a "during" without an ending. I just finished reading Son of a Witch where one of the characters remarks, "Even a happy ending is an ending." How true! Those of us that have dieted to goals (happy endings) and then been faced with the "now what" and the problems maintenance bring..know the joy of the "during" of a lifelong eating plan.. NoS!! keep us posted! :D
"If you realized how powerful your thoughts are, you would never think another negative thought."
Peace Pilgrim

User avatar
NoSRocks
Posts: 1137
Joined: Sun Jan 17, 2010 12:51 am

Post by NoSRocks » Wed Jun 15, 2011 3:50 am

WONDERFUL post!! Thanks so much for continuing to be an absolute inspiration, Shannon!! So glad that the No S plan is working well for your good self and it was a pleasure to read.

All the very best to you and yours, Roxy xxx
No S-er since December 2009
Streamlined S Days: 6/25/12
SW: 170 /CW: 127
Weight loss to date: 43 lbs

Post Reply