Holocenes 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

Post Reply
Holocene
Posts: 35
Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2016 7:07 pm

Holocenes check in.

Post by Holocene » Wed Mar 09, 2016 7:48 pm

This is not my first day doing No S but it is my first day on the forum so I'll call this day one for simplicity.

I'm on here after a particularly stressful 3 years and a heart attack of unknown cause.

Surprisingly enough, even though I came within a couple of centre meters of dying I'm still fit and healthy and 8 months later I can run 5Ks (couldn't do so before) and still go to the gym.

However, at uni I let go of my eating and gained a little weight I would like to lose. Probably around 10 pounds.

Day one: messed up. Whoops.

Started off great. Skipped breakfast because I wasn't hungry at all and went to the gym. Made friends with a personal trainer and we are going to start doing kettlebells together 5 days a week.

Lunch was OK "ish", I was starving after the gym so I ate a whole bag of salad and a breast of lean chicken breast all drizzled with balsamic vinegar.

All went down hill at dinner time. Mum is having friends round tonight, so she done a huge tidy up after baking cakes and said we couldn't use the oven tonight. Dad brang home mcdonalds for dinner. Still, that wasn't so bad but I had 2 slices of cake after because my mums baking is to die for.

So I'm going to put today down as a fail even though I still ate less than I usually do.

I am aiming to move back out ASAP when I find work again (unable to work last six months whilst cardiologists decided what to do with me), I'm a lucky man to have such supportive and caring parents. However, I feel eating well will be easier and less of a challenge when I live away from home again as my parents are both overweight and very inactive and their diet choices tend to rub off if I let my guard down.

Tomorrow I will exert more self control.
deep roots are not reached by the frost.

Holocene
Posts: 35
Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2016 7:07 pm

Post by Holocene » Thu Mar 10, 2016 10:59 pm

I'd class today as a success.

No breakfast today, got up late today and went straight to the gym.

Lunch = Sliced chicken breast, some grapes and cheese. Yum.

Dinner = Sweet and sour chicken with rice.

Tea/sub for breakfast = 3 chicken wings and two crackers.

had 2 coffees with milk and sugar. Reduced to 1 tspn of sugar instead of 2.


I need to set myself a new rule... If I skip a meal I won't make up for it at a later time, I will carry on as normal and wait until my next meal and eat that normally... That should teach me for being a lazy git and staying in bed until 11 :lol:
deep roots are not reached by the frost.

User avatar
lpearlmom
Posts: 4812
Joined: Fri Aug 02, 2013 4:59 am
Location: Arizona

Post by lpearlmom » Fri Mar 11, 2016 5:30 am

Skipping breakfast always backfires on me so I try to at least grab a protein bar or something. Still 3 meals is three meals so great job!

Hope tomorrow goes well too.

Linda
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

Holocene
Posts: 35
Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2016 7:07 pm

Post by Holocene » Fri Mar 11, 2016 9:08 pm

lpearlmom wrote:Skipping breakfast always backfires on me so I try to at least grab a protein bar or something. Still 3 meals is three meals so great job!

Hope tomorrow goes well too.

Linda
Thanks!
deep roots are not reached by the frost.

Holocene
Posts: 35
Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2016 7:07 pm

Post by Holocene » Fri Mar 11, 2016 9:12 pm

Success

3 meals + a pint of low alcohol cider with my dinner.

Had a good kettlebell session today. Hope the Irish travelers/ Gypsies move on soon as they are blocking my usual running route and they chased me last time I ran through their "camp". Don't really want to risk being punched in the head whilst on warfarin :shock:
deep roots are not reached by the frost.

Holocene
Posts: 35
Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2016 7:07 pm

Post by Holocene » Sat Mar 12, 2016 9:37 pm

S day today. Did well. Had seconds and pudding but didn't eat as much as I thought I would and am stuffed and satisfied. Still ate less than I would have done before starting No S.
deep roots are not reached by the frost.

Holocene
Posts: 35
Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2016 7:07 pm

Post by Holocene » Mon Mar 14, 2016 2:29 am

S day.
deep roots are not reached by the frost.

Holocene
Posts: 35
Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2016 7:07 pm

Post by Holocene » Tue Mar 15, 2016 12:40 am

Success
deep roots are not reached by the frost.

RAWCOOKIE
Posts: 1360
Joined: Thu Jun 18, 2015 9:01 am
Location: Cornwall, UK

Post by RAWCOOKIE » Tue Mar 15, 2016 7:49 am

Morning! Wishing you a great N day today!

Putting off eating early in the day is, as Linda said, likely to backfire, unless you have a very firm plan for re-fuelling at your first meal of the day (even if that's not until 11am or something).

You note about the travellers caught my eye - I have chosen to walk a different route to and from work now because of a little bunch of homeless people who hang out in the town 'asking' for money. I feel slightly bad for avoiding them, but I feel terrible, and threatened, when I walk past them.
I love Everyday Systems :3

13.6.15 124.25lbs
11.11.21 101.00lbs

Holocene
Posts: 35
Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2016 7:07 pm

Post by Holocene » Wed Mar 16, 2016 10:05 am

Yesterday was a success
deep roots are not reached by the frost.

Holocene
Posts: 35
Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2016 7:07 pm

Post by Holocene » Wed Mar 16, 2016 10:13 am

RAWCOOKIE wrote:Morning! Wishing you a great N day today!

Putting off eating early in the day is, as Linda said, likely to backfire, unless you have a very firm plan for re-fuelling at your first meal of the day (even if that's not until 11am or something).

You note about the travellers caught my eye - I have chosen to walk a different route to and from work now because of a little bunch of homeless people who hang out in the town 'asking' for money. I feel slightly bad for avoiding them, but I feel terrible, and threatened, when I walk past them.
Thank you!

Yea, I've been making sure I eat in the mornings the last couple of days and it is MUCH easier not to fail, especially at night when I start trying to rationalise eating more food when I don't need to.

On the topic of changing route, I don't blame you. I understand you feeling bad, but if you feel harassed and threatened you're doing the right thing avoiding them.

Avoiding gypsies/pikeys/Irish travelers in my country is considered the safe and clever thing to do and is in fact expected. The Gypsy community in the UK is a particularly unpleasant and violent culture... Come to think of it, I don't know why I ran through their 'camp' in the first place!
deep roots are not reached by the frost.

Holocene
Posts: 35
Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2016 7:07 pm

Post by Holocene » Thu Mar 17, 2016 10:47 am

Yesterday = success

Today is an S day as it's St Paddies day and I'll be having a few beers and lots of coddle down the pub.
deep roots are not reached by the frost.

Holocene
Posts: 35
Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2016 7:07 pm

Post by Holocene » Fri Mar 18, 2016 12:17 am

So even though today was an S day, I still did OK, didn't go crazy with snacks. Had seconds but only because bowls at the party were TINY. Had a pint of Guinness and 2 shandies and the rest of my drinks were doet Coke.

Even though I see it as a succes, it's still an S day and I had seconds.

Overall I'm happy because I didn't gorge as I may have in the past.
deep roots are not reached by the frost.

Holocene
Posts: 35
Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2016 7:07 pm

Post by Holocene » Fri Mar 18, 2016 11:14 pm

success
deep roots are not reached by the frost.

Holocene
Posts: 35
Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2016 7:07 pm

Post by Holocene » Sun Mar 20, 2016 6:43 pm

S day today. Went well. I'm really starting to get into this and can feel my relationship with food changing.

I had a cookie with some milk for desert and I was satisfied whereas before I would want to eat all of the cookies just because they were there, other than that it was like an N day.

I can actually say no to myself now and it doesn't feel like a massive internal struggle.
deep roots are not reached by the frost.

User avatar
lpearlmom
Posts: 4812
Joined: Fri Aug 02, 2013 4:59 am
Location: Arizona

Post by lpearlmom » Mon Mar 21, 2016 5:22 am

You're doing great! Keep up the good work!

Linda :)
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

Holocene
Posts: 35
Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2016 7:07 pm

Post by Holocene » Tue Mar 22, 2016 9:22 am

Thanks, Linda :)
deep roots are not reached by the frost.

Holocene
Posts: 35
Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2016 7:07 pm

Post by Holocene » Tue Mar 22, 2016 9:22 am

Yesterday = Success
deep roots are not reached by the frost.

Holocene
Posts: 35
Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2016 7:07 pm

Post by Holocene » Wed Mar 23, 2016 6:32 pm

Yesterday = success I ate out as I had a date but I controlled myself, didn't order the supersize meal and just ate normally. Wasn't even tempted to have pudding because I was stuffed.

Today = a kind of middle ground because I had sushi (the one that comes in tiny little servings on a conveyor belt type thing) I ate no where near as much as I would have before NoS but it wasn't exactly all on one plate. More like several small plates.

I'd call today a success because I was purposely restrained and didn't have any desert even though it was revolving around in front of me!!
deep roots are not reached by the frost.

Holocene
Posts: 35
Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2016 7:07 pm

Post by Holocene » Thu Mar 24, 2016 8:25 pm

Today I think I failed

I started my new job today, woke up late and didn't have breakfast. I only had a small lunch at work and headed to the gym straight after.
Got home and my dad cooked dinner and he always does small portions because he's crap at cooking.

About an hour after my dinner I had 2 slices of toast with jam and a small glass of mixed berry smoothie... This would have been my breakfast but I had it after dinner.

So whilst technically not a fail I'm going to make a new rule which means if I skip breakfast I don't get to have an extra feeding time later that day. Breakfast, lunch and dinner only and if I miss one I miss one. I'm hoping this will help me become a morning person and make me actually get up on time in the morning allowing me to fuel up for the day and have less stressful mornings in general.
deep roots are not reached by the frost.

RAWCOOKIE
Posts: 1360
Joined: Thu Jun 18, 2015 9:01 am
Location: Cornwall, UK

Post by RAWCOOKIE » Mon Mar 28, 2016 5:33 pm

I'm with you on your 'marking' strategy - saving breakfast for later in case you're hungry doesn't encourage a regular 3-meals-a-day habit. I remember early on in my No S (started last June) I gave myself a RED for getting a sweetened bottled drink after work - I knew I was allowed to have drinks, but I also knew I was looking for something SWEET and not 'something to drink'! We all know what we're up to, don't we?!?!? :wink:
I love Everyday Systems :3

13.6.15 124.25lbs
11.11.21 101.00lbs

Holocene
Posts: 35
Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2016 7:07 pm

Post by Holocene » Mon Mar 28, 2016 6:44 pm

Haha RAWCOOKIE, we do know what we're up to but it's so easy to tell myself that I don't know what we're up to :P
deep roots are not reached by the frost.

Holocene
Posts: 35
Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2016 7:07 pm

Post by Holocene » Mon Mar 28, 2016 6:52 pm

So, I was actually pretty good over the Easter weekend even though it was my S days and Easter I ate relatively normally.

I've also started working again and my schedule is all over the place. I found it hard to do three meals a day and done two instead as I was too lazy to get up earlier to make breakfast leading to me gorge at dinner/stack my plate.

Today is bank holiday Monday and I could technically call it an S day however I don't want to start giving myself S days all willy Nilly. So today was a FAIL because I just ate a whole Easter egg after dinner.

On a positive note, when I gorged last night I actually felt ill afterwards and didn't want any more food when in older times I'd have waited for the nausea to pass and then eat more. I still find myself eating less and feeling satisfied: not the telling myself I'm satisfied with less but actually being satisfied with less or to put it differently, I'm becoming satisfied with enough. Gorging doesn't appeal to me as much any more. I just need to get myself used to work and NoS.
deep roots are not reached by the frost.

oolala53
Posts: 10059
Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2008 1:46 am
Location: San Diego, CA USA

Post by oolala53 » Tue Mar 29, 2016 1:28 am

I think it's interesting that you are not tortured by not having breakfast some times. I would have had a terrible time doing that when I first started. In essence, it sounds like you are doing a couple of 16-hour fasts a week. Some people choose to do those on purpose- I'm one of them, but it's after six years. If you don't use it as an excuse to eat larger meals other times, I think it's a fair mod for you. I know it wasn't your intent to do the fasting, but just a way to encourage yourself to keep to routine meal times. I agree with that.


Alternatively to skipping breakfast, though, is that you might have a simple go-to that you gather the night before, like an apple and some nuts. Or make a half a peanut butter sandwich to have with fruit. Just ideas. I'm assuming you can take those with you on the way.
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

Holocene
Posts: 35
Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2016 7:07 pm

Post by Holocene » Tue Mar 29, 2016 9:25 am

Hey, oolala53.


I always struggle to eat before 11AM. When I'm not working I naturally want to eat at about 12noon but alas, work gets in the way and I can easily go without eating until 2-3PM.. If I eat when I get up (roughly 8AM) I feel physically sick. Maybe it's a habit I can get out of and get used to eating early.

On the topic of fasting, I might actually start doing some 16 hour fasts as I find it quite easy: I'd just need to teach myself to ignore the little voice in my head that tells me to eat more at meal time to make up for what I missed earlier in the day.
deep roots are not reached by the frost.

oolala53
Posts: 10059
Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2008 1:46 am
Location: San Diego, CA USA

Post by oolala53 » Wed Mar 30, 2016 3:52 pm

Seems like you might be a natural for the two-meal option. Or a different eating window than most. I've seen people here permanently opt for a much smaller window, starting much later than the mainstream culture, but still eat three times. I would rather just have fewer meals, as I don't enjoy my food as much without about 5 hours in between. No matter what, we here have longer gaps between meals than most (with the smaller window leaving a longer overnight "fast"), and I believe that is a boon to health, though Reinhard doesn't use that as a selling point.
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

Holocene
Posts: 35
Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2016 7:07 pm

Post by Holocene » Sat Apr 23, 2016 8:16 pm

I've been super busy the last couple of weeks with the new job, even more busy this last week because I have been offered a new job in my chosen profession. A big step for me as this time roughly 10 months ago we all thought I wasn't going to survive much longer, let alone become fitter than I was beforehand.

I have been ill since Tuesday with a pretty bad chest infection and have only started feeling better the last couple of days. I fell off the wagon a tiny bit since I started the new job although nothing too major. However when sick I did fall off the wagon and have started snacking again.

I decided to start posting here again as it really helped me to stop snacking.

I'm going to class today as a fail because I skipped breakfast and made up for it just a minute ago by having a plate of crackers, cheese and chutney. Technically only 3 meals but I broke one of the rules I made myself: if I skip or miss a meal it's my fault and I can't 'make up for it later' once I've had dinner/tea, that's it, kitchen closed.

I need to get up slightly earlier and have breakfast or else I do want to snack at night despite me thinking I get along well with skipping breakfast.

I have weighed myself and I still weigh the same as when I started (83kg) but looking in the mirror I look in better shape and my waist measurement is smaller; I've gained some muscle since running and lifting weights again.

Onwardss and upwards; back on the wagon tomorrow.
deep roots are not reached by the frost.

oolala53
Posts: 10059
Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2008 1:46 am
Location: San Diego, CA USA

Post by oolala53 » Sun Apr 24, 2016 11:57 pm

I have to admit that I see that some of my success has been because my work has been stable and the schedule for eating is, too, since lunch is determined by the school schedule. Lately, I've had to be available to students at lunch time, and it was a bit of a challenge not to convince myself that I could mod things (totally unnecessarily) for it. Kudos for it being a minor issue.
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

User avatar
lpearlmom
Posts: 4812
Joined: Fri Aug 02, 2013 4:59 am
Location: Arizona

Post by lpearlmom » Wed Apr 27, 2016 3:36 am

Sorry about the chest infection. I hope this week goes well for you!
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

Holocene
Posts: 35
Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2016 7:07 pm

Post by Holocene » Wed Apr 27, 2016 8:06 pm

Thank you, lpearlmom. I really have fell off the wagon this week. It's probably to do with the stress of sorting out my new job, working and increasing the intensity at the gym; mainly I feel that I'm comfort eating because I'm a bit nervous (and excited) about starting my new job (physiotherapist) that has a HELL of a lot more responsibility than I have ever had in any other job in my life.

I haven't snacked loads but just been eating far too much to the extent where I feel uncomfortably full.

I have 5 days off before I start my new job so I'm going to use them days to get back on track.



Fail
deep roots are not reached by the frost.

Holocene
Posts: 35
Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2016 7:07 pm

Post by Holocene » Thu Apr 28, 2016 6:48 pm

fail

Had a snack today but I don't care haha. My mum bought some beautiful tony little snacks from the new local Italian shop.

Had a awesome workout today also. Free weights and then 500m rowing sprint.

I think I'm finally starting to find a natural pattern for my eating: no breakfast as it just makes me feel sick. Have lunch and dinner and then a small meal in the evening, something like some cheese, deli meats, crackers and a watered down glass of wine. Yum.
deep roots are not reached by the frost.

oolala53
Posts: 10059
Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2008 1:46 am
Location: San Diego, CA USA

Post by oolala53 » Sat Apr 30, 2016 3:26 pm

Some slim cultures eat early; others, late. Consistency and moderation are the keys. The timing just has to work for your total needs.

BTW, consider telling yourself that sticking to moderate meals is an even BETTER way of coping with the stress of a new job than S-ing. But you have to do it consistently to find that out. At first, it WON'T feel like a relief. But later, it will! See if you can power your way through a few weeks to find out. You can always go back to S-ing, if you find I'm full of it!
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

Post Reply