E-lyn's Check-In Journal

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

e-lyn
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon May 23, 2016 7:11 pm

E-lyn's Check-In Journal

Post by e-lyn » Thu May 26, 2016 4:10 am

I don't know if I can do this.

Had lunch out with my best friend today. She's on a diet to lose 10-15 pounds for her son's wedding in June. She's always been quite slender but wants to be skinny for the event. We've been close for almost 20 years and she's watched my weight fluctuate by 60 pounds or so. She's lost 10 pounds in the past two weeks. I've stopped weighing myself while I shift gears to No S. It was so depressing to listen to her talk about her weight loss and give me diet tips. Like I don't know how to starve myself eating grilled fish and 0 point soup! I felt like crying but just smiled and nodded. Even though today was a successful N day for me, it's so tempting to get back on the diet roller-coaster.

B - Eggs, cheese, toast w butter, fruit
L - Small burger, 1/2 the bun, kale salad
D - Baked potato, cabbage w ham, salad

cedar
Posts: 312
Joined: Tue Apr 19, 2011 5:30 am
Location: Australia

Post by cedar » Thu May 26, 2016 6:53 am

I know what you're feeling e-lyn! I just had a similar conversation with my mum about her latest diet..and got off the phone feeling awful. Then I remembered that this time speaking to mum it's the I quit sugar, last year it was weight watchers, before that low GI..I've watched my mum diet since I was a little girl, and I myself went on my first diet at 11 and have continued the trend.. I wasn't even overweight..! No S is it. It's sanity..balance and kindness to ourselves.. Keep going and I wish you all the very best..eating really doesn't have to be so hard I'm sure. :D

Jen1974
Posts: 648
Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2016 6:49 pm
Location: Colorado

Post by Jen1974 » Thu May 26, 2016 4:41 pm

I have a friend like that too. She is SO GOOD at not eating that she has walks around in her bikini whenever possible LOL LOL!! I spent a week with her & felt I was being judged for anything I ate when she barely ate anything at all so I ate like her (it was miserable). I left her place & headed strait to Krispy Kreme for donuts LOL!! Eating like that is not living. I've been doing No S since Feburary. It was slow but I am about at my goal weight only I did it while eating good filling foods & was HAPPY during the process. Some people have mastered the art of making eating miserable & maybe that works for them, but I'd rather show up to her place in the future, looking great, & eat unhealthy things like cheeseburgers & fries while she eats only 1/2 of her grilled fish salad with dressing on the side (:

e-lyn
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon May 23, 2016 7:11 pm

Post by e-lyn » Thu May 26, 2016 5:58 pm

Cedar....thanks for the encouragement! You're so right, it's tough to find sanity when we're programmed for dieting at such a young age. I don't remember my mom actively dieting but she hated her body shape (thin on top, heavier thighs) and talked a lot about it. I went on my first diet at the age of 12.

Jen....Among my friends and family I'm the hardcore dieter. But I hide it well so people don't see the crazy and miserable side of it so much. They just wonder why I'm still overweight. It's good to hear that you've been able to get to a healthy weight eating this way. It gives me hope!

e-lyn
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon May 23, 2016 7:11 pm

Post by e-lyn » Fri May 27, 2016 2:41 am

I'm still thinking about my meals and worrying about portion sizes. Working on relaxing and trusting the process. I feel antsy and bored in between meals. Still trying to figure out what to do about eating fruit. I'm used to eating it as a snack but now that I have a small portion with my meals I'm having some mild indigestion. I might cut it out to see if that helps. Hmm...lots of bread today!

B - egg, bread/butter, apricots, prunes
L - bagel w lox/cream cheese, spaghetti squash, peach
D - split pea soup, bread/butter, spaghetti squash, salad, blueberries

e-lyn
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon May 23, 2016 7:11 pm

Post by e-lyn » Sat May 28, 2016 3:40 am

Today was the first day I faced a real S diet challenge. Friday evenings just have S written all over them. End of the week and family wants to relax and share an extra good meal with a little dessert. Whole Foods had swordfish 1/2 off....so delicious! I bought a small container of ice cream thinking that I could resist until tomorrow. But I find myself wanting to share in this treat with my family.
What to do?

B - egg, potato, apricots, coffee w milk
L - split pea soup, lox/bagel/cream cheese, half a banana
D - swordfish, rice pilaf, collard greens, beets

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

Post by RAWCOOKIE » Sat May 28, 2016 4:56 am

Hi, you know you said your felt bored and ansty between meals? well, I think feeling that, and sticking to your N-day plan is wonderful; this emotional way that we use food to stuff down our feelings is the big challenge for lots of us. You've done great this week.

I often find that I get a Friday night S feeling - like my brain is saying "It's the end of the week, let's celebrate!" - it's also our opportunity to learn delayed gratification - that ice-cream will taste so much better on Saturday!

Now, when I feel the urge to snack on Friday evening, I almost laugh to myself - knowing that it's sort of like an inner child tugging at my leg, saying 'oh, just one....... pleeease! it's nearly Saturday' - it's just like wanting to unwrap 'just one present' before Xmas Day. I'm getting much better at delayed gratification - training myself the No S way - and you'll find this will happen for you as well, I'm sure!

Have a great weekend!

Oh, and about the fruit and the indigestion - this sounds a bit whacky, but I've been experimenting just this last week with eating my fruit FIRST at meal-times. There are some theories that fruit is digested more quickly, therefore you should eat it first - otherwise it sits on top of the other food and sort of ferments and causes gas. You might like to try it and see if it helps!
I love Everyday Systems :3

13.6.15 124.25lbs
11.11.21 101.00lbs

e-lyn
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon May 23, 2016 7:11 pm

Post by e-lyn » Sat May 28, 2016 7:37 am

RAWCOOKIE....I really appreciate all your suggestions about sticking to my N day plan. And I loved your analogy about opening the Christmas presents early. I only wish I had read this before I polished off the ice cream, a couple of crackers with cheese, and a half bag of caramel popcorn! Ironically, this is the first evening I haven't been bothered by indigestion.

I'm not sure whether to count today as an S day or a red day. Last week I had a Friday S day, Saturday N, and Sunday S. I did this because it was my first week and kind of a test run. But as you mentioned, delayed gratification is such an important part of this plan so I don't want to modify my way out of really getting that down. And yet, after all that extra food I really don't even want or need two more S days. I feel done.

btw, I'm going to try eating my fruit before the meal as you suggested. I'll report back...

e-lyn
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon May 23, 2016 7:11 pm

Post by e-lyn » Sun May 29, 2016 2:37 am

So, I've decided to stick to vanilla No S and call yesterday a RED day. Today is technically an S day with no S's. I'm not trying to make up for yesterday but my meals have been satisfying and I honestly haven't felt like eating anything extra. Tomorrow is another S day so I'll most likely indulge a bit then.

B - egg, bread/butter, bit of potato/ham, banana
L - ham/cheese sandwich, collard greens, apricots/cottage cheese
D - chicken/bean/rice burrito, 3 chips, cucumbers, small bit of guacamole

e-lyn
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon May 23, 2016 7:11 pm

Post by e-lyn » Mon May 30, 2016 3:44 am

S day today. I stuck to my standard plate of food at meals but I may have gone a bit overboard with the treats...a huge slice of coffee cake that I split between breakfast and lunch. After dinner I shared a very rich chocolate macadamia nut cookie with my husband. And I bought a small piece of Manchego cheese to have later with some decaf coffee.

Even though tomorrow is a holiday we don't have anything special planned so I'm going back to the usual routine.

osoniye
Posts: 1257
Joined: Sat May 22, 2010 2:19 pm
Location: Horn of Africa

Post by osoniye » Mon May 30, 2016 4:44 am

e-lyn wrote:Even though tomorrow is a holiday we don't have anything special planned so I'm going back to the usual routine.
Sounds like a good idea. I have to work, so am doing the same!
-Sonya
No Sweets, No Snacks and No Seconds, Except (Sometimes) on days that start with "S".

e-lyn
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon May 23, 2016 7:11 pm

Post by e-lyn » Tue May 31, 2016 4:13 am

I'm feeling less frantic before meals. I know that I can have a healthy portion of tasty food. I don't have to find exactly the right food for whatever diet I happen to be on. I'm fortunate to have delicious, quality food available to me. I just have to limit myself to one plate.

B - toast w peanut butter, cottage cheese, apricots
L - baked chicken w BBQ sauce, potato salad, banana
D - burger, salad

e-lyn
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon May 23, 2016 7:11 pm

Post by e-lyn » Wed Jun 01, 2016 2:10 am

I ate pizza for dinner tonight! I'm still in a state of shock as I rarely allow myself to indulge for fear of losing all control and polishing off half the pie. But hubby brought home an XL pepperoni left over from a work event and there it was.

I gave a lot of thought as to what my dinner alternatives were. Eat pizza with my hub and sons or do what I usually do and try to conjure up something vaguely diet-y just for myself. I decided to try eating 'like a normal person', haha. I put one XL slice on my plate and the rest was salad. I was scared thinking it might not fill me up for the evening so I made a small dessert cup with raspberries and yogurt and put that near my plate. I then proceeded to eat the pizza with a knife and fork rather than just stuff it in my mouth out of habit.

Amazingly, I was able to stop after that one piece. It was a very large slice, but still. I wasn't even able to finish my back-up yogurt and raspberries. I was actually FULL!

B - egg, bread, banana, cottage cheese
L - tofu/vegetable stir fry, brown rice, raspberries
D - pizza! salad, a few raspberries and a bite of yogurt

User avatar
Merry
Posts: 1658
Joined: Mon Sep 22, 2008 2:14 am

Post by Merry » Wed Jun 01, 2016 5:17 am

e-lyn wrote: Amazingly, I was able to stop after that one piece. It was a very large slice, but still. I wasn't even able to finish my back-up yogurt and raspberries. I was actually FULL!
Awesome job, Lyn!!

I have two teenagers, and we have pizza almost every Friday (sometimes frozen, sometimes take & bake, sometimes order out)--and I have still managed to lose weight. I hope you enjoyed the pizza.

About your friend--I have a friend who lost a ton of weight, and she invited several of us over for breakfast--made a delicious blueberry Frenchtoast egg casserole dish--and then didn't eat any with us. Turned out she made it on purpose because she doesn't like blueberries and knew she wouldn't be tempted!

So, here's to normal eating! Slow and steady wins this race, and it's so much better than yo-yo diets (and I've yo-yo-ed enough in the past!)
Homeschool Mom and No S returnee as of 11-30-15.
2 years and counting on No-S.
29 lbs. down, 34 to go. Slow and steady wins the race.
Respect Moderation

e-lyn
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon May 23, 2016 7:11 pm

Post by e-lyn » Thu Jun 02, 2016 4:34 am

Thanks for the words of encouragement, Merry! I definitely enjoyed the pizza. But I especially liked how I felt after eating it....guilt-free! I really hope I can continue on this way.

Today I switched out my usual breakfast of eggs, toast, fruit and had a bowl of oatmeal. I used to eat oatmeal virtually every day when I was on Weight Watchers and I just got so tired of it. But it tasted good and was a nice change. What I really want is some crunchy cereal with milk but I think that would be too close to 'sweet' for me. I'll save it for an S day.

B - oatmeal, a bit of brown sugar, walnuts, dried apricots
L - bagel/lox/cream cheese, 2 tortilla chips, zucchini, raspberries
D - spaghetti, bread/butter, salad

User avatar
Merry
Posts: 1658
Joined: Mon Sep 22, 2008 2:14 am

Post by Merry » Thu Jun 02, 2016 5:00 am

e-lyn wrote:Thanks for the words of encouragement, Merry! I definitely enjoyed the pizza. But I especially liked how I felt after eating it....guilt-free! I really hope I can continue on this way.
YEAH!!!
Homeschool Mom and No S returnee as of 11-30-15.
2 years and counting on No-S.
29 lbs. down, 34 to go. Slow and steady wins the race.
Respect Moderation

e-lyn
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon May 23, 2016 7:11 pm

Post by e-lyn » Fri Jun 03, 2016 4:36 am

So, an odd dinner tonight. We planned dinner out at our favorite Mexican restaurant but it was packed! We decided to eat at a Vietnamese noodle place. Usually I order the cabbage salad with chicken...a dieter's delight! But I'm not on a 'diet' so I ordered what I really wanted which was a noodle bowl with bbq pork and shrimp, fried egg roll too. A huge bowl of food; I was really hungry and it was a much later dinner than what I'm used to. I really wanted to eat the whole thing but ended up leaving a few pieces of pork in the bowl. So that was good. The not so good...I felt like it was more than what would normally fit on one plate unless I piled that sucker high. So even though I left food behind, I did overeat. Hmm....what lesson do I need to learn here?

B - egg, bread/butter, fruit
L - burger, 1/2 the bun, kale salad
D - bbq pork and shrimp noodle bowl, eggroll

User avatar
Merry
Posts: 1658
Joined: Mon Sep 22, 2008 2:14 am

Post by Merry » Fri Jun 03, 2016 4:40 am

Sounds delicious! I'd say, focus on the success and freedom of ordering what you really wanted to. If you ate out regularly (weekly or more frequently), then it would be really important to get good at virtual plating. But if it's once in awhile? I wouldn't sweat it. You'll get better at it over time.
Homeschool Mom and No S returnee as of 11-30-15.
2 years and counting on No-S.
29 lbs. down, 34 to go. Slow and steady wins the race.
Respect Moderation

e-lyn
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon May 23, 2016 7:11 pm

Post by e-lyn » Fri Jun 03, 2016 4:59 am

Thanks for the reassurance, Merry! I actually do eat out a fair amount. Maybe 2 lunches and two dinners a week. Because I've been dieting forever I have a list of acceptable local restaurants and acceptable menu items all stored in my diet-y little head.

I guess I need to 'virtual plate' my meal ahead of time and pack up the rest immediately so there's no temptation to over eat. Or stick to ordering more modestly. I'm not sure.

e-lyn
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon May 23, 2016 7:11 pm

Post by e-lyn » Sat Jun 04, 2016 7:12 am

Today was my hubby's last day of teaching and he's now home for the summer. Friday evenings are always difficult for me. It's the night we're all together and relaxing as a family after a busy week. Saturday is usually spent running errands and taking care of business. Not a day I really care about having a treat. Anyway, tonight I took a Fail and had some ice cream and some bread with cheese after dinner. Tomorrow is an S day but I could easily not have any S's because I really feel done after tonight. Our summer schedule will be completely different so I really need to get a handle on this. I want to create new habits that I can stick with long term.

B - omelet w lox/cream cheese, bread, fruit
L - chef salad w turkey/cheese/avo/dressing, banana
D - chicken, tabbouleh, bread/butter, kiwi fruit

After dinner - ice cream, slices of baguette w cheddar :cry:

User avatar
Merry
Posts: 1658
Joined: Mon Sep 22, 2008 2:14 am

Post by Merry » Sun Jun 05, 2016 4:58 am

e-lyn wrote:Today was my hubby's last day of teaching and he's now home for the summer. Friday evenings are always difficult for me. It's the night we're all together and relaxing as a family after a busy week. Saturday is usually spent running errands and taking care of business. Not a day I really care about having a treat.
Why not take S days on Friday and Sunday instead then? (Those are actually my normal S days--just works out better for me). I think you mentioned on your other thread about struggling to go more than 4 days--maybe this would help with that issue too. Could you stick with a green in between two yellow days?
Homeschool Mom and No S returnee as of 11-30-15.
2 years and counting on No-S.
29 lbs. down, 34 to go. Slow and steady wins the race.
Respect Moderation

e-lyn
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon May 23, 2016 7:11 pm

Post by e-lyn » Mon Jun 06, 2016 5:50 am

Merry, I had actually been thinking about taking Friday and Sunday as S days. I had a number of challenges from Friday through Sunday this week so I just did the best I could. I won't go into too many details but I will say I had three S days. I can definitely see how unexpected 'special days' can really throw things off. Mine came on Saturday with a last minute visit from my oldest son who has recently moved an hour away. And then Sunday I had promised my two youngest an end-of-the-school-year Chinese takeout meal. I didn't eat anything too crazy on any of the three days....just didn't stick with the plan.

Live and learn. I'll start fresh on Monday.

e-lyn
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon May 23, 2016 7:11 pm

Post by e-lyn » Tue Jun 07, 2016 2:27 am

Monday Monday, so good to me...

I love getting back to N days! I still feel guilt and remorse on S days and especially on Fail days. Old habits are hard to break.

B - ww toast with peanut butter, 1 sausage
L - chicken salad on ww bread, raspberries
D - shrimp fajitas, beans, tortillas, salsa, a few chips

I do tend to eat a bit more on Mondays to stave off any cravings. And my meals are still bread heavy. Probably due to denying myself the pleasure for so long.

bunsofaluminum
Posts: 339
Joined: Sun May 15, 2016 4:02 pm

Post by bunsofaluminum » Tue Jun 07, 2016 3:23 am

Oh yummy, your Pho soup sounds so good. I love the stuff, and have a place in my neighborhood that I go to often. Asian food is HEAVEN for a vegetarian! I eat the whole thing, every single time, and never have felt guilt because it's low fat hahahaha.

Hopefully the guilt feelings from S days will dwindle and wither to nothing! Enjoy all the food!

MaggieMae
Posts: 589
Joined: Sun Nov 01, 2015 9:53 pm
Location: Ohio, USA

Post by MaggieMae » Tue Jun 07, 2016 3:33 am

Hi e-lyn! Sounds like you're doing great! You'll figure out what works best for you. I've been considering making Friday my regular S day for a while now, too. Friday night was always a time for my hubby and myself to go out and celebrate the end of the week. We don't go out much these days, but it still feels like we should have a treat that night. I'm trying to stay vanilla a little longer, but I definitely see this mod in my future. BTW, two of the ads below your last post are selling things titled "Monday, Monday". :lol:
I mentioned being addicted to Mtn Dew in my first post and my ads are always for Mtn Dew. Go figure.
I love your new found freedom to order foods you like, and not stick to the low calorie fare. I was on the low fat kick for a looooong time. I've been putting mayonnaise on everything just because I can. haha.(slight exaggeration). Seriously, it's the little things like putting butter on my baked potato again that make me happy. I used to order the same thing at every restaurant: grilled chicken sandwich, lettuce only. Plain baked potato. :cry:

e-lyn
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon May 23, 2016 7:11 pm

Post by e-lyn » Tue Jun 07, 2016 7:36 pm

Maggie Mae, I noticed the "Monday, Monday" products too...'they' can see our every move!

After so many years of dieting I'm very conscious of fat, calories, carbs, etc. I'm trying to find a balance between sadness diet meals and free-for-alls. I used 1T of mayo and 1T of yogurt for my chicken salad yesterday. I wanted it to taste like real chicken salad but I was afraid to go all out. And I've been eating a lot of bread so my carb meter is going wild! But I'm feeling confident that I can find my way back to moderate eating habits.

I agree with you about staying vanilla S for a while longer. Although taking a Friday night S sure is tempting!

e-lyn
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon May 23, 2016 7:11 pm

Post by e-lyn » Wed Jun 08, 2016 3:29 am

I'm trying to follow the basic vanilla No S but not get too legalistic right now. For instance....salad. I want to eat my veggies, but I don't want my plain salad (less than 1T of vinaigrette) taking up space on my 9" plate. It won't fill me up 'til the next meal, that's for sure and it displaces the things that will. If it's a "loaded" salad with cheese and avocado then it can go on my plate. Otherwise, it's banished to a salad plate for now. How do you all deal with your salad?

B - everything bagel, egg, 1 sausage
L - leftover fajitas w veg, brown rice, apricots
D - chicken burrito, salad, guacamole, 4 chips

When I think back to my dinner, I now realize that I could have been satisfied with 3/4 of the burrito and maybe fit the salad on my plate...maybe.

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

Post by oolala53 » Wed Jun 08, 2016 4:57 am

You have been at this only two weeks, right? It is TOTALLY diet head to think you have got to get these habits down NOW and that you have to look and watch and learn from every little experience. That will likely lead to frustration and giving up. You are in this for the long haul. Unless you have a pressing health issue, it will likely take some time to find your groove. Maybe more than one groove.

When I first started, I had pizza or a fast food burrito (1/2) plus freggies several times a week for about a year! And ate fast food and cheap take-out (with a lot of leftovers) up until a few months ago. And on weekends in the first months and longer, I would eat pancakes with syrup, 20 oz. of milk chocolate-seriously-, and more over the course of the S days. I'm not recommending that but it was the pace I could take at the time. Admittedly, I wasn't interested in weight loss even though I was low-obese. I just had to find a way to get enough pleasure from my eating so that I would reduce bingeing. I expected I would lose some eventually and thought I MIGHT get back to high school weight (when I was about 20 lbs. heavier than most of the girls at my height). But it wasn't the driving issue. I guess if I'd had health problems, I would have been more restrictive, as I am now, with different preferences and motivations. I've noticed here that hardly anyone who set out in a hurry got what she wanted. A few luck out. (There's a new person [same height as I am] here now who started at a weight that I would likely have to have cancer to get down to, and she still lost weight in two months. Luck! I didn't dare ask why she was even here in the first place. She weighed less than 97% of her peers to start! You just never know how things will go.)

Oh, on Fridays, I used to make a Bisquick biscuit and have it with strawberries and stevia-sweetened plain yogurt. I'd eat it with whatever meal I felt needed to be the most celebratory that day. I could have had it any N day, but I saved it for Fridays, and it felt like I was kicking off the weekend while still staying on the plan. I haven't done that now for years.

I do recommend when you go out to ask for a leftovers container right when the food comes and apportion the food so that you have a reasonable plate of food to eat. It's just too easy to overeat when there's so much there, and then likely feel lousy later. (Wansink says a motto at his lab is if you see it, you eat it.) You don't have to do it frantically, but just as you might imagine some sane foreigner who's not used to huge portions might. Not, "I'll never lose weight if I eat all that!" but more, "Oh, I really don't want to feel stuffed, so I'll save this for tomorrow."

And sometimes you just might want to get really full. There's time to figure this out, too.

I just read a blurb today by an online coach who says the secret benefit of having found his workable-for-the-long-run plan is that he could release his energy and attention for other areas of life. He got very lean before he let himself "rest." I say you don't have to wait until you are lean at all, but just get a moderate routine going and dive in to the rest of life as soon as you can. You will likely find the meal contents change over time anyway. (Reinhard didn't post anything about No S until he had been at it four years. I'm sure by that point he had forgotten some of the shifts. He WAS lucky enough to drop 20 lbs. pretty fast, but he had no real goal weight. The rest came off quite slowly it sounds like, and adding in exercise probably had a lot to do with that. And being relatively young.)

It sounds like you have a full life. Something to rejoice over, and let eating take its place.

I say this as someone who continues to struggle with the in-between-meals time, but that is a personal issue. No S can't solve that for me. NO eating plan can!

Not to say it doesn't take SOME reflection and attention. That's just part of it when you live in a culture that doesn't actually support moderation. It's going to take some purposeful effort, but possibly less than we think. And you can be doing well even with some overeating. Just try to enjoy every bite when you DO eat, and enjoy the company, etc. even when there's no food involved.

If you stick to the base plan on ANY day, consider yourself a success. It's way too soon to be worried that you're not eating the right thing or having too much. At the same time, you don't have to push food on yourself just because you can. At any rate, if you feel yourself very caught up in what to eat, force yourself to just choose something, put it on a plate, and eat it! Then try to forget about ALL of it for a few hours. (I'm saying this to remind myself, too.)
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
Merry
Posts: 1658
Joined: Mon Sep 22, 2008 2:14 am

Post by Merry » Wed Jun 08, 2016 5:13 am

oolala53 wrote: Not, "I'll never lose weight if I eat all that!" but more, "Oh, I really don't want to feel stuffed, so I'll save this for tomorrow."
I love finding more positive ways to speak to myself like this too!
Homeschool Mom and No S returnee as of 11-30-15.
2 years and counting on No-S.
29 lbs. down, 34 to go. Slow and steady wins the race.
Respect Moderation

e-lyn
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon May 23, 2016 7:11 pm

Post by e-lyn » Thu Jun 09, 2016 3:08 am

Oolala, that was a lot for me to take in all at once! I reread your post a few times trying to get the gist of what you were saying. I do have a tendency to obsess a bit, but I have to admit I'm surprised that my somewhat modest observations garnered such a big response. Still, I do appreciate the fact that you've been at this a while and have obviously been successful. So I'm open to your comments and advice and will try to take them to heart.

I admit it is difficult for me to just eat food and not think too hard about it. That's a good part of the reason why I'm here. I started my first diet at the age of 12 after my dad told me I was getting heavy. The last 25 years I've spent preparing meals for 5; husband and three sons. Despite cooking healthy well-balanced meals he and I are both definitely overweight. Our sons are skinny beanpoles! One of them sat next to me last night while watching TV. He ate a huge brownie slathered with peanut butter. My sis-in-law weighs 300 pounds even after WLS. She lectures me about my occasional use of 1/2 packet of Splenda in my coffee. My super thin best friend orders very rich food when we have lunch out. 1/3 pound prime burgers topped with gorgonzola, béarnaise sauce on the side! She then picks at it while I eat my 'well-balanced' meal. She stays thin eating diet soups and is always giving me 'helpful' tips for weight loss. My sister is obsessed with 'clean eating'. She hosted an 80th birthday party for our dad and would not let me bring even a modest dessert. My niece was hospitalized with an eating disorder a few years back. I just reconnected with a childhood friend whose teeth are ruined from 20 year struggle with bulimia. I would talk to my therapist about all of this except she is....FAT!

So yes, maybe I am in somewhat of a hurry to quickly rid myself of this extra weight and of 'diet head'. It's a huge burden and keeps me from freely enjoying the other aspects of my life! But I do realize it won't happen overnight. So I'm just putting one foot in front of the other for now.

MaggieMae
Posts: 589
Joined: Sun Nov 01, 2015 9:53 pm
Location: Ohio, USA

Post by MaggieMae » Thu Jun 09, 2016 4:17 am

I don't put my salad on my plate, either! The only time I do is if I'm going to put salmon on top and make it part of the main dish. My salad isn't that crazy so I don't worry about it. I put romaine on a salad plate, put a few blue cheese crumbles and about a teaspoon of almond slivers on top. a d then maybe a tablespoon of dressing Greek vinaigrette. I'm getting hungry now thinking about it. Anyway. It's small and helps me get some green stuff. I never put my fruit on the plate either.

osoniye
Posts: 1257
Joined: Sat May 22, 2010 2:19 pm
Location: Horn of Africa

Post by osoniye » Thu Jun 09, 2016 5:03 am

e-lyn wrote:How do you all deal with your salad?
Hi Lyn- I have my salad on a side plate if it is only low-starch veggies and up to 2T salad dressing. It just takes up too much room otherwise (and I would be hungry very soon if that crowded out my more solid food). I don't think there is anything wrong with that. Seems like Reinhard said something about a piece of fruit on the side of the plate not being the end of the world or something, so I am going by the spirit of that.
-Sonya
No Sweets, No Snacks and No Seconds, Except (Sometimes) on days that start with "S".

e-lyn
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon May 23, 2016 7:11 pm

Post by e-lyn » Thu Jun 09, 2016 6:48 am

It's nice to know I'm not the only one having side salads! It's working for me so I'll continue for now.

B - egg, bread, PB, apricots
L - bagel w turkey/cheese, salad, pineapple
D - salmon, potato salad, broccoli, more yummy pineapple

I probably won't continue posting all my meals here. It was very helpful for the first couple of weeks and I'll come back to it if I need to. I think I'm in a pretty good routine of 3 meals a day on N days.

e-lyn
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon May 23, 2016 7:11 pm

Post by e-lyn » Fri Jun 10, 2016 4:16 am

Today was a successful green day! I really start thinking about dessert after 4 solid N days. I can make it through 3 days and not give it much thought but on Thursdays I find myself dwelling on cake, cookies, and pie. Not even chocolate....just baked goods. I think I'll have a bit of jam on my toast tomorrow morning.

e-lyn
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon May 23, 2016 7:11 pm

Post by e-lyn » Sat Jun 11, 2016 3:57 am

Yay! This is the first week I've had 5 green days in a row. It really helps to have my husband on board with No S. It was difficult watching him take seconds and thirds at the dinner table. He's a slow eater and the boys and I would be long gone by the time he was finished. I just couldn't sit there watching him overeat while I was struggling to accept my one plate of food. I know we are each responsible for our own intake, but between my skinny sons and their snack food and my husband's everlasting dinner I was losing it a bit.

I'm very much looking forward to my S days!

B - egg, potato, toast, jam
L - deli sandwich, pineapple and cottage cheese
D - tacos, grilled veggies

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

Post by oolala53 » Mon Jun 13, 2016 6:27 am

I developed the habit of eating slowly (most of the time) even before No S. Sometimes I fill my plate and then put half of the hot food back. I take my time with what's on my plate, and then sometimes even take a bit of a break. Then I take the rest. That might not be canonical, but it keeps my food from getting too cold or me eating it too fast, and makes it a bit like eating courses (which is also common in traditional cultures) without being confused by amounts served at different times. Maybe you could experiment with something similar so that the timing eating with your husband might match a bit better? I'm more like him, usually the last one to finish.

I do put everything on the plate. I gave up having salad dressing years ago, unless I am eating a quite plain entree. I love using my other food as a kind of dressing! I like the combo of textures. Obviously, I don't mind my different foods touching eat other! But that's pretty quirky, I know.

Have a great week of green.
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
Merry
Posts: 1658
Joined: Mon Sep 22, 2008 2:14 am

Post by Merry » Tue Jun 14, 2016 1:54 am

e-lyn wrote:Yay! This is the first week I've had 5 green days in a row.
YAY! Awesome job, Lyn! So glad your husband is on board :-).
Homeschool Mom and No S returnee as of 11-30-15.
2 years and counting on No-S.
29 lbs. down, 34 to go. Slow and steady wins the race.
Respect Moderation

User avatar
Merry
Posts: 1658
Joined: Mon Sep 22, 2008 2:14 am

Post by Merry » Tue Jun 14, 2016 1:56 am

oolala53 wrote:I love using my other food as a kind of dressing! I like the combo of textures. Obviously, I don't mind my different foods touching eat other! But that's pretty quirky, I know.

Have a great week of green.
LOL, I AM one who minds different foods touching, but I do still (sometimes) like to use other food as a kind of dressing. (That's acceptable. Things like the cranberry sauce getting on the mashed potatoes at Thanksgiving, NOT! I have grown though--as a child I would have preferred a lunch tray with dividers to a plate, LOL!)
Homeschool Mom and No S returnee as of 11-30-15.
2 years and counting on No-S.
29 lbs. down, 34 to go. Slow and steady wins the race.
Respect Moderation

e-lyn
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon May 23, 2016 7:11 pm

Post by e-lyn » Wed Jun 15, 2016 3:33 am

oolala and Merry...thanks for your comments! I have been using little pyrex custard cups to separate my food. I really like having a side of something like pineapple with a bit of cottage cheese and I'm pretty certain I'm staying within the framework of vanilla No S. Oolala, I like your idea of eating in courses to keep pace with my husband. I might just try that.

Well, today was a very unsatisfying food day and possibly even a Fail. I had a sandwich for lunch and really wanted to finish up some leftover macaroni salad as well. But I got 'diet head' and opted to eat some brussels sprouts instead. They were bitter and unpleasant. So I tossed half of them and replaced them with half the mac salad. It was good so I went back for the rest of it. Now it all would have fit on my plate but technically it was seconds. Why didn't I just let myself have what I really wanted to begin with?

Similar situation eating out with hubby for dinner. My dinner was small and unsatisfying so I picked off of his plate.
I guess sad food days will happen and I need to move on.

B - oatmeal, dried fruit, walnuts, pear
L - chicken on whole grain, 3 yucky brussels sprouts, delicious macaroni salad, raspberries
D - teeny tiny Asian chicken salad, piece of curry chicken, potato, carrot picked off of hubby's plate.

e-lyn
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon May 23, 2016 7:11 pm

Post by e-lyn » Thu Jun 16, 2016 2:46 am

Rolling along with the occasional bump but today was a solid green.

B - egg, english muffin, apricots, cottage cheese
L - pastrami/cheese on a small roll, veggie soup, apple
D - lamb chops, rice, veggies, fruit

bunsofaluminum
Posts: 339
Joined: Sun May 15, 2016 4:02 pm

Post by bunsofaluminum » Thu Jun 16, 2016 3:38 am

way to go on that Five Days in a Row! you're flying!

keep it up :)

e-lyn
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon May 23, 2016 7:11 pm

Post by e-lyn » Thu Jun 16, 2016 4:02 am

Thanks, Bunso! I have a big S weekend coming up with Father's Day so I really want to get some solid N days in.

e-lyn
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon May 23, 2016 7:11 pm

Post by e-lyn » Fri Jun 17, 2016 3:39 am

Tonight was a bit of a challenge as we had unexpected company for dinner. We were planning to have turkey burgers and salad. My sister-in-law brought along a few bags of frozen fries to add to the meal. Everything tasted good and I stuck to my one plate but I really struggled not to have seconds. I think having company turned a routine dinner into what felt like a special occasion but I was determined to stick to my No S day.
After dinner my sis-in-law invited me out for coffee at Starbucks. She got a mocha frappuccino with heavy cream and a s'mores bar. Yikes! I stuck to a tall latte, no sugar. That really worked for me.

B - egg, cheese, toast, apricots
L - salami/cheese on bagel, veg soup, apple, almonds
D - turkey burger, sweet potato fries, salad w/avocado

bunsofaluminum
Posts: 339
Joined: Sun May 15, 2016 4:02 pm

Post by bunsofaluminum » Fri Jun 17, 2016 3:27 pm

That's exactly what I do with salad: put my entrée over it. I've even gone so far as to have spaghetti salad, no lie. The sauce acts as an okay fat free salad dressing, and I'm able to choke down my raw leafy greens

(NOT a salad girl, nope)

way to go, not having seconds! this is huge! You are teaching your stomach that enough is actually...enough! It's beginning to work for me, where I was able to completely ignore a delicious chicken alfredo my BF made himself for dinner(s)...because I'd already eaten and was full.

anyway, I know the shift will come for you :) Keep muscling through!

e-lyn
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon May 23, 2016 7:11 pm

Post by e-lyn » Sat Jun 18, 2016 3:18 am

bunso, thanks for the words of encouragement! I wish I could eat salad the way you described but I just can't. I've tried it for various diets and I even enjoyed some of the McD fat free dressings for a while. I just can't bring myself to do it anymore. But I can easily eat tons of plain cooked vegetables. So now it's either salad with a regular dressing or just veggies for me.

Today was a success. Looking forward to my S weekend!

B - egg, turkey sausage, toast, apricots
L - tofu/rice/broccoli, grapefruit, banana
D - lamb/barley/veg soup, toasted cheese sandwich, salad

bunsofaluminum
Posts: 339
Joined: Sun May 15, 2016 4:02 pm

Post by bunsofaluminum » Sat Jun 18, 2016 2:13 pm

e-lyn wrote:bunso, thanks for the words of encouragement! I wish I could eat salad the way you described but I just can't. I've tried it for various diets and I even enjoyed some of the McD fat free dressings for a while. I just can't bring myself to do it anymore. But I can easily eat tons of plain cooked vegetables. So now it's either salad with a regular dressing or just veggies for me.
Heh. I don't like any of the McD dressings, and I tried a LOT of them. Ooh, but I found a recipe for walnut sauce in the Esselstyn book on reversing heart disease...that makes a decent topping for anything, including salads. But the only salad I really like is tossed green with LOTS of stuff in it, and drowned in ranch dressing, or Roquefort. OF course, all that high fat dressing isn't helpful, so I just don't eat salad. Even the way I describe, with the entrée slathered over the top...not very darn often. Though I do find a chopped salad a lot easier to heh swallow...I'm with you. Cook my veggies, please.

Have fun with Father's Day...enjoy that S day ALL THE WAY!

e-lyn
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon May 23, 2016 7:11 pm

Post by e-lyn » Tue Jun 21, 2016 2:13 am

Well, the less said about my S weekend, the better. I'm still over-eating and over-sweeting. Not binge style, just more than I need.

Tonight I made a kale pesto and this was a real breakthrough for me. Prior to No S, I would never have allowed myself to make or eat such a decadent dish. I love pesto but considered it something only thin people could eat. I put a reasonable portion on my plate. It was delicious! Did I want seconds? YES. But it is a weekday and I don't have seconds on weekdays, lol.

B - PB on toast, banana
L - potato, broccoli, egg, apricots w yogurt
D - homemade kale pesto w rigatoni, sliced tomatoes, grapefruit

bunsofaluminum
Posts: 339
Joined: Sun May 15, 2016 4:02 pm

Post by bunsofaluminum » Tue Jun 21, 2016 3:23 am

e-lyn wrote:Well, the less said about my S weekend, the better. I'm still over-eating and over-sweeting. Not binge style, just more than I need.

Tonight I made a kale pesto and this was a real breakthrough for me. Prior to No S, I would never have allowed myself to make or eat such a decadent dish. I love pesto but considered it something only thin people could eat. I put a reasonable portion on my plate. It was delicious! Did I want seconds? YES. But it is a weekday and I don't have seconds on weekdays, lol.
Recipe for that kale pesto? I'm always looking for 1)ways to use kale and 2) light pasta dishes.

e-lyn
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon May 23, 2016 7:11 pm

Post by e-lyn » Tue Jun 21, 2016 3:59 am

Umm...I don't know how light it was, but it was so good! Here's a link to the recipe from a Diana Henry cookbook. I didn't use the anchovies and I don't think it really needed the butter.

http://www.motherearthnews.com/real-foo ... 0zdeh.aspx

bunsofaluminum
Posts: 339
Joined: Sun May 15, 2016 4:02 pm

Post by bunsofaluminum » Tue Jun 21, 2016 2:44 pm

e-lyn wrote:Umm...I don't know how light it was, but it was so good! Here's a link to the recipe from a Diana Henry cookbook. I didn't use the anchovies and I don't think it really needed the butter.

http://www.motherearthnews.com/real-foo ... 0zdeh.aspx

Oof, I see what you mean. All that olive oil! and butter!

Reminds me of a youtube video I watched, a vegan who was creating a "light" mac and not cheese baked dish, based on yams. she even said "this is a light version" something something. So, i watched. She not only put 1/4 c olive oil IN the sauce, when she put it all in a baking dish for the oven, she randomly poured oil straight from the olive oil jar over the dish.

I can't even imagine how greasy that must have been. But I do love pesto. This kale pesto might be a feast dish sometime soon.

Jen1974
Posts: 648
Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2016 6:49 pm
Location: Colorado

Post by Jen1974 » Tue Jun 21, 2016 3:22 pm

e-lyn wrote:bunso, thanks for the words of encouragement! I wish I could eat salad the way you described but I just can't. I've tried it for various diets and I even enjoyed some of the McD fat free dressings for a while. I just can't bring myself to do it anymore. But I can easily eat tons of plain cooked vegetables. So now it's either salad with a regular dressing or just veggies for me.

Today was a success. Looking forward to my S weekend!

B - egg, turkey sausage, toast, apricots
L - tofu/rice/broccoli, grapefruit, banana
D - lamb/barley/veg soup, toasted cheese sandwich, salad
I can't do salads either but love raw veggies. For me it's better, I get the health factor from veggies without the calories of dressing &#128540; I'd rather have a some cheese or a yogurt instead of salad dressing!!!

e-lyn
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon May 23, 2016 7:11 pm

Post by e-lyn » Wed Jun 22, 2016 2:27 am

Yes Bunso, the pesto was rich, but we got 8 servings out of that recipe and we ate it with just sliced tomatoes. Definitely not for everyday eating but not terrible. Before No S I would have denied myself the pleasure of this meal, but then I would maybe be unable to resist a brownie or some ice cream after my 'diet' meal. I'm still playing around with all these concepts.

Jen, I definitely go through phases with the salads. Sometimes I crave them and other times I just can't. And I love raw veggies with a bit of cheese!

B - oatmeal, dried fruit, nuts
L - burger, 1/2 bun, kale salad
D - roast chicken, salad, baguette, apricot

e-lyn
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon May 23, 2016 7:11 pm

Post by e-lyn » Thu Jun 23, 2016 4:36 am

I had a routine doctor visit today and I'm feeling somewhat discouraged. I've gained 8 pounds since March! Blood pressure, heart rate...no bueno. I've only been on No S for a few weeks and I didn't weigh myself at the beginning so I'm not sure where I am in the weight loss story...heading up or down. Now I have a number to work with.

I'm so tempted to go back on Weight Watcher's or one of the many other diets I've had success (temporary) with. I'm trying to focus on the many positive things in my life, but feeling very disheartened.

B - egg, rice cake w peanut butter, raspberries
L - small ham/cheese baguette, cabbage salad, watermelon
D - corn tortillas, beans and rice, salad, chips and salsa

osoniye
Posts: 1257
Joined: Sat May 22, 2010 2:19 pm
Location: Horn of Africa

Post by osoniye » Thu Jun 23, 2016 12:07 pm

Hi e-lyn- Sorry your dr's visit was discouraging!
I hope you'll stick with NoS and let it work it's slow magic. The other ways can be fast, but the weight loss doesn't last, at least for most of us. Keep in mind that after some months of NoS habit, you can always tweak the "what" on your plates to more veggies and fruit. But take it slowly. Habit is king.
-Sonya
No Sweets, No Snacks and No Seconds, Except (Sometimes) on days that start with "S".

Jen1974
Posts: 648
Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2016 6:49 pm
Location: Colorado

Post by Jen1974 » Thu Jun 23, 2016 4:32 pm

No S is by far the best way to lose weight that I've ever found!! Don't give up on No S. Once you get it down you will get to lose the weight while eating all the foods you love & you will learn how to keep it off by going through the process!!

e-lyn
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon May 23, 2016 7:11 pm

Post by e-lyn » Fri Jun 24, 2016 2:33 am

Jen and osoniye...thanks for the encouragement! I have to keep going with No S and trust that things will work out. The alternative is just too depressing.

My recent menus allow me to eat the same foods as my family. I've experimented with so many different diets and plans, from McDougall plant-based, low carb, Weight Watchers, raw, etc. I'm sure a lot of you know what I'm talking about. I really don't want to count calories or cut out any particular foods right now but I do need to shed this weight. Trying not to get too down about it.

On the plus side, I like the routine of N days and feel comforted by the limits.


B - egg, toast, 1 small sausage, piece of banana
L - chicken salad sandwich, green salad, plum
D - 2 slice cheese pizza, green salad, broccoli

e-lyn
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon May 23, 2016 7:11 pm

Post by e-lyn » Sat Jun 25, 2016 2:59 am

A successful No S week! I've been at this for a month now with only a couple of fails. I'm enjoying the food sanity despite my 'diet head' moments. Yet, there seems to be no reduction in my appetite at mealtimes. I've definitely had some sweets, snacks, and seconds on my S days. Indulgent, but not wild. I'm pretty sure I've gained a few pounds.

I know...patience, patience.


B - egg, toast, apricots
L - 1/2 deli sandwich, vegetable soup, 1/2 banana, dollop of yogurt
D - chicken taco, beans, chips and salsa

e-lyn
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon May 23, 2016 7:11 pm

Post by e-lyn » Tue Jun 28, 2016 2:12 am

I had plenty of treats on my weekend S days, but there were times when I hesitated because I wasn't sure if I really wanted whatever it was. I really had to think about it which is unusual for me. Before No S there was hardly a sweet, snack, or second I would willingly turn down. And I sleep better on a somewhat empty stomach so night time snacking isn't as appealing to me now.

B - egg, bread, 1/2 banana, PB
L - arugula salad, swordfish, baguette, 1/2 grapefruit
D - hotdog, 1/2 bun, three bean salad, pineapple

bunsofaluminum
Posts: 339
Joined: Sun May 15, 2016 4:02 pm

Post by bunsofaluminum » Tue Jun 28, 2016 9:25 pm

Isn't it terrific, how this changes you. All the various diets and eating plans I've tried have never confronted the overeating like the NoS and I love it.

e-lyn
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon May 23, 2016 7:11 pm

Post by e-lyn » Wed Jun 29, 2016 4:05 am

Even though my desire for snacks, sweets, and seconds has lessened I'm still quite hungry at meals. I'm pretty sure I'm eating more than my body needs but I don't feel anywhere near ready to cut down on quantity at those meals. I just don't want to experience those out of control food cravings again.

Food prep has been a bit of an issue lately. We're in the middle of a heat wave and it's still over 80 degrees in my house at dinner time. I don't want to cook!

B - egg, toast/butter, apricots, raspberries
L - hotdog, 1/2 bun, three bean salad, pineapple
D - chicken burrito, chips/salsa, applesauce
Last edited by e-lyn on Wed Jun 29, 2016 4:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.

LifeisaBlessing
Posts: 337
Joined: Thu Jun 02, 2016 1:08 pm

Post by LifeisaBlessing » Wed Jun 29, 2016 11:42 am

I hear you on the heat, e-lyn! Cant stand heating up the house even further when it's so hot and humid outside.

Your menus look absolutely scrumptious! :) And it's so great to be able to eat the same foods as the rest of the family!
I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.
~Jimmy Dean

The second you overcomplicate it is the second it becomes the thing for which it is a corrective.
~El Fug, on the NoS Diet

e-lyn
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon May 23, 2016 7:11 pm

Post by e-lyn » Thu Jun 30, 2016 4:31 am

Thanks, LifeisaBlessing! It's such a relief to be able to share meals with my family and not have to prepare special diet food for myself. I try to keep it simple and relatively healthy, with some splurges here and there. Low carb was so expensive with four hungry guys! I did enjoy the McDougall plant-based plan. It was super easy on the budget but required a ton of prep and my family never really took to it, even after a couple of years eating that way. So this is good for now, although I might tweak it a bit down the road.

B - egg, toast w/butter, toast w/peanut butter
L - rice, teriyaki salmon, 4 pcs. vegetable tempura, salad, miso soup
D - Salad Nicoise (tuna, potato, green beans, lettuce), bread, applesauce

e-lyn
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon May 23, 2016 7:11 pm

Post by e-lyn » Fri Jul 01, 2016 3:10 am

I thought about food a lot today. It's so hot here; I'm not able to get much accomplished at home and I don't want to exercise or run errands in this heat.
My brain somehow thought that snacking would alleviate the stress and boredom of the day. I resisted and tried to fill the space between meals with other activities, but it was annoying....like a gnat.

B - bagel/cream cheese/lox
L - tuna/swiss sandwich, 1/2 hard boiled egg, apricots
D - spaghetti, green beans w/vinaigrette

User avatar
Merry
Posts: 1658
Joined: Mon Sep 22, 2008 2:14 am

Post by Merry » Fri Jul 01, 2016 4:10 am

e-lyn wrote:I thought about food a lot today. It's so hot here; I'm not able to get much accomplished at home and I don't want to exercise or run errands in this heat.
My brain somehow thought that snacking would alleviate the stress and boredom of the day. I resisted and tried to fill the space between meals with other activities, but it was annoying....like a gnat.

B - bagel/cream cheese/lox
L - tuna/swiss sandwich, 1/2 hard boiled egg, apricots
D - spaghetti, green beans w/vinaigrette
My brain always thinks sugar will make things better. I have to tell it--Down boy, down! Good dog!

Glad you resisted!
Homeschool Mom and No S returnee as of 11-30-15.
2 years and counting on No-S.
29 lbs. down, 34 to go. Slow and steady wins the race.
Respect Moderation

Emmama
Posts: 76
Joined: Fri Jun 17, 2016 6:00 pm
Location: Texas

Post by Emmama » Sat Jul 02, 2016 2:01 am

e-lyn wrote:I thought about food a lot today. It's so hot here; I'm not able to get much accomplished at home and I don't want to exercise or run errands in this heat.
Same here, terribly hot. And I do eat out of boredom. I floated around in the pool for a couple hours just to avoid being tempted by the food in the house.

e-lyn
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon May 23, 2016 7:11 pm

Post by e-lyn » Sat Jul 02, 2016 2:24 am

Well, I caved in to temptation last night. I think part of the problem was that my dinner was so delicious and I really wanted to have seconds but I resisted. That evening the food fantasies would just not go away no matter how much I tried to distract myself. I asked myself what I would need to resolve the matter and decided to have a rice cake with a thin slice of swiss cheese. That did the trick. So a FAIL, but a small one because I stopped there. I think I'll go for a walk tonight after it cools down a bit. Life goes on...

B - toast w egg/cheese/ham, 1/2 banana with PB
L - leftover spaghetti, green beans, raisin bread with PB, apricot
D - roast chicken, potato/green bean/arugula salad, raisin bread w butter

Yeah, I know....what's up with all the raisin bread and peanut butter today?

kwerp
Posts: 31
Joined: Wed Jul 15, 2015 7:24 am

Post by kwerp » Sat Jul 02, 2016 7:44 am

Hi e-lyn, I'm new but trying to make a good go of it this time.
As far as fails go, I'd say it's super minor. At least you didn't fall trap to 'oh now I've done it, might as well eat....'

And raisin bread is awesome! I might have to get some when I'm next out, now that I don't have to restrict what I can eat. :wink:

e-lyn
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon May 23, 2016 7:11 pm

Post by e-lyn » Wed Jul 06, 2016 2:30 am

Hi Kwerp! Well, the raisin bread is almost gone and I'm giving it a rest for now. It was really too good and almost a 'sweet' for me.

First day checking in since the 3-day holiday weekend. I was just going to take my usual two S days, but it turned into three anyway. I can only describe my food intake by quoting a song from the 70's: 'Once you get started, whoa it's hard to stop'. Extra bonus points to anyone who can name that song!!

The holiday food was great and there was loads of it! I do fine on N days, but S days still find me falling back on old habits. Back to N today but still a tendency towards overeating. Sigh.

B - egg, toast/butter, piece of sausage
L - burger, 1/2 bun, caesar salad, fries
D - lentil and kale salad, bread/butter

Emmama
Posts: 76
Joined: Fri Jun 17, 2016 6:00 pm
Location: Texas

Post by Emmama » Wed Jul 06, 2016 2:44 am

I like your menus as well!

I did ponder the idea of limiting my S day intake, since there were three in a row. But that wouldn't have been realistic...its so hard to get out of diet mentality imo.

Cheer up :) you have 3 more days to perfect your N day intake

User avatar
kaalii
Posts: 745
Joined: Sun Apr 24, 2016 9:42 pm
Location: switzerland

Post by kaalii » Wed Jul 06, 2016 9:57 am

googled the song for bonus points :D :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUKVTLWa_fM

all the best! :)
Age:40
BMI: 18.8
Body Fat %: 17.6
in it for maintenance and, more importantly, sanity!!

e-lyn
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon May 23, 2016 7:11 pm

Post by e-lyn » Wed Jul 06, 2016 6:19 pm

You win, kaalii!

e-lyn
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon May 23, 2016 7:11 pm

Post by e-lyn » Thu Jul 07, 2016 4:17 am

Feeling hungry...

B - egg, toast, bacon, raspberries
L - tri-tip sandwich, kale salad
D - enchilada, corn, banana

e-lyn
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon May 23, 2016 7:11 pm

Post by e-lyn » Fri Jul 08, 2016 5:21 am

Tonight was a FAIL. We had dinner with my husband's family and there was just too much food at the table. I was overwhelmed by the amount of food and choices offered...like a buffet. I avoided all the appetizers. My dinner plate had modest amounts but I went back for one more bbq rib and a bite of potato salad. In retrospect, I could have skipped the bread but I was trying to avoid eating too many ribs. I also took one bite of dessert but no more because it wasn't my favorite. I guess it could have been worse.

B - egg, toast, 1/3 sausage, tomatoes
L - lentil soup, cheese, bread, cherries
D - bbq ribs, corn, potato salad, green salad, caprese salad, bread, watermelon, various pickles/olives

knitapeace
Posts: 100
Joined: Tue Jun 14, 2016 4:57 pm

Post by knitapeace » Fri Jul 08, 2016 12:09 pm

That sounds like a slip off a very tiny wagon to me, LOL! One of my favorite sayings lately came from someone on a meditation forum I think: "It's all practice; there is no perfect." So yeah, you didn't have a technically perfect day but you're thinking very differently about food and I think that's fantastic. Back on that wagon for a green day today; you can do it!
Everything I need, I already have.

bunsofaluminum
Posts: 339
Joined: Sun May 15, 2016 4:02 pm

Post by bunsofaluminum » Sat Jul 09, 2016 1:12 am

e-lyn wrote:Tonight was a FAIL. We had dinner with my husband's family and there was just too much food at the table. I was overwhelmed by the amount of food and choices offered...like a buffet. I avoided all the appetizers. My dinner plate had modest amounts but I went back for one more bbq rib and a bite of potato salad. In retrospect, I could have skipped the bread but I was trying to avoid eating too many ribs. I also took one bite of dessert but no more because it wasn't my favorite. I guess it could have been worse.
it sure as heck could have been worse. Your plate might have had heaps, and you might have just stood over the rib plate plowing thru one after another. But I'm glad to have your experience to think about when I have a buffet/potluck at the family reunion in a couple of weeks. I can imagine having so many choices that it would feel overwhelming. I will be on the alert.

As for you, I think you did great!

User avatar
liveitup
Posts: 265
Joined: Fri Apr 01, 2016 4:17 am
Location: California

Post by liveitup » Sat Jul 09, 2016 2:16 am

Not bad at all! Could have been much worse.

e-lyn
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon May 23, 2016 7:11 pm

Post by e-lyn » Sat Jul 09, 2016 5:53 am

Yes, everyone beware of the buffet tables and the potlucks...haha! They're especially difficult on N days.

Thanks for the support, knitapeace, bunso, and liveitup. Glad we're all on this journey together!

Back to GREEN today.

B - raisin bread, peanut butter
L - green salad, potato salad, HB egg, bread, 5 almonds, V8 juice
D - chicken taco, beans, chips and salsa

Jen1974
Posts: 648
Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2016 6:49 pm
Location: Colorado

Post by Jen1974 » Sat Jul 09, 2016 4:32 pm

You should be so proud of that fail!!! That sounds like a dinner that could have gone in a totally different direction & I think you showed great control & will power to not let it!!

LifeisaBlessing
Posts: 337
Joined: Thu Jun 02, 2016 1:08 pm

Post by LifeisaBlessing » Mon Jul 11, 2016 2:18 pm

Great job on staying in control at the family dinner, e-lyn. :) And as always, your meals sound delicious! :)
I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.
~Jimmy Dean

The second you overcomplicate it is the second it becomes the thing for which it is a corrective.
~El Fug, on the NoS Diet

e-lyn
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon May 23, 2016 7:11 pm

Post by e-lyn » Tue Jul 12, 2016 3:41 am

Thanks, Jen and LifeisaBlessing! I'm determined to stick to No S and create better food habits for myself. I'm realizing that part of the process is the ability to have small food 'failures' and not let it go any further.

I didn't sleep well last night due to the heatwave and excess food of my S days. Woke up tired and grouchy. I snapped at everyone and ate too much.

B - egg, cheese, sausage, bread, cantaloupe
L - lemongrass chicken/shrimp, brown rice, fried roll
D - tomato/cheese sandwich, waldorf salad, chips

e-lyn
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon May 23, 2016 7:11 pm

Post by e-lyn » Wed Jul 13, 2016 4:00 am

I've decided that I don't like eating in restaurants on N days. Unless I'm very familiar with the restaurant I stress out about the choices, portions, etc. Today I met a friend for lunch and it was a perfect example how it isn't working for me. I ordered a half sandwich and cup of soup, so far so good. I thought I would make it a little special by having the chicken salad on baguette. The soup was described as a light tomato basil. I had eaten breakfast about 5 hours before so I was quite hungry. My meal came and I was astounded. They had made a mistake and given me a whole sandwich and it was on a huge croissant instead of the baguette. The chicken salad was absolutely dripping with mayo! I know chicken salad has mayo, but this is California - the land of 'clean' eaters, lol. The last time I saw that much mayonnaise was in 1975 at a church potluck. And the soup was loaded with cream! In my Weight Watcher days I would have had a big discussion with the server and requested that they remake my entire lunch. But I was with a friend and I'm trying not to have food insanity. I could have just eaten a portion of it and taken the rest home, but I was running errands afterwards and it wouldn't have survived the heat. By that point I was super hungry and irritated. Not the best time to make good choices. I ate most of it and just chalked it up to a less than stellar green day.
And really...was it any worse than the burger and fries I ate the other day?

This situation is a common one for me. When I restrict my food in any way,
even NoS, I sometimes have food meltdowns. The pressure to make the 'right' choice overwhelms me and I get really obsessive about the details of my meal. If I am too hungry my mind and body shut down to the decision making process. Often I completely lose my appetite. I'm not proud of it but it's similar to the tantrum of a two year old. It makes my husband crazy and my unhappiness around food keeps us from enjoying our meals and our time together. I attribute this whole thing to a lifetime of dieting, food judgements, and shame about my weight issues. I plan to stick to NoS because I really need to put this whole thing to rest once and for all.


B - raisin bread, peanut butter, sausage, peach
L - chicken salad/croissant, tomato soup
D - chopped veggie salad, cottage cheese, peaches

Emmama
Posts: 76
Joined: Fri Jun 17, 2016 6:00 pm
Location: Texas

Post by Emmama » Thu Jul 14, 2016 2:41 am

I ate most of it and just chalked it up to a less than stellar green day.
I mean, a plateful of food is a plateful of food, right? Maybe would be "better" to have eaten half of everything, or eaten till you felt satisfied, etc but maybe it would be better to just keep things very simple - you were successful because you had no sweets, seconds, or snacks. Take the pressure off. I think that having a lot of rules is what makes us so crazy around food.

I keep thinking that I "should" cut down on carbs and then I just stop because the second I try to do that, the whole thing becomes crazy-making.

It's hard to eat out because you give up control - to some extent - of what the food on your plate looks like...but it's still food on a plate and you can decide.

Sounds like a success to me :) plus you were super-aware of all the feelings around all of it, and that's gotta be a win, too.

e-lyn
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon May 23, 2016 7:11 pm

Post by e-lyn » Thu Jul 14, 2016 4:17 am

Thanks for your comments, Emmama!

I almost deleted that post.
I was having a really bad day and needed to vent. Sharing personal stuff about my disordered eating patterns on this board is uncomfortable at times. But maybe it will be helpful for me to look back on at some point. And maybe some reading it will be able to relate...I don't know.

Anyway, it's still really sweltering here. My house thermostat says 85 degrees and it's 9 p.m. I'm definitely thinking about ice cream! But I'm going to make an iced coffee with a splash of milk instead.

B - egg, bread/butter, 1/2 peach, cottage cheese
L - hot dog/bun, chopped salad
D - chicken burrito, chips, peach

knitapeace
Posts: 100
Joined: Tue Jun 14, 2016 4:57 pm

Post by knitapeace » Thu Jul 14, 2016 12:14 pm

The layers and nuances of how we feel and think and talk to ourselves about food...it's so complicated!!! If you want my opinion, you ate a meal and enjoyed it and you still had a very successful GREEN day. Well done.

I'm also a fiend for ice cream and love the idea of an iced coffee as a substitute on an N day! I was craving something after dinner last night and ended up drinking a glass of lemon-lime seltzer (unsweetened) and the bubbles really did the trick of filling my stomach. Plus I love soda so I got the feeling without the sugar.
Everything I need, I already have.

bunsofaluminum
Posts: 339
Joined: Sun May 15, 2016 4:02 pm

Post by bunsofaluminum » Thu Jul 14, 2016 1:22 pm

Oh I hear you...all that mayo blargh

but the others have it right: You were successful. It was a plate of food, you didn't have any S's so go easy on yourself. And you bring up something that I find frequently happening with No S: Getting SUPER hungry by mealtime. It isn't very pleasant, is it?

But anyway, you did it and you can count it as a full fledged green day for sure! way to go!

Emmama
Posts: 76
Joined: Fri Jun 17, 2016 6:00 pm
Location: Texas

Post by Emmama » Thu Jul 14, 2016 4:48 pm

e-lyn wrote:

I almost deleted that post.
I was having a really bad day and needed to vent. Sharing personal stuff about my disordered eating patterns on this board is uncomfortable at times. But maybe it will be helpful for me to look back on at some point. And maybe some reading it will be able to relate...I don't know.
I'm glad you didn't...I can definitely relate. Forming the habit (to me) seems like the easy part - the hard part is navigating all the feelings around food, nurture, restriction, shame, etc. It's amazing that a plateful of food can stir that all up, but it can and does. I think one of the strengths of the NoS approach is just "normalizing" meals...over time, maybe the emotions around food subside, too?

e-lyn
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon May 23, 2016 7:11 pm

Post by e-lyn » Fri Jul 15, 2016 2:59 am

Not much appetite today. France, of course. :cry:

And we rec'd notice today that our neighbor is suing us. She claims to have tripped on the sidewalk in front of our house and broke her wrist...10 months ago.

I'll just record my food for the day and move on.

B - egg, toast, peach
L - chef salad, cup of soup
D - chicken tacos, mixed veggies, guac, salsa

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

Post by lpearlmom » Fri Jul 15, 2016 5:25 am

Omg I'm so sorry about your neighbor. Pretty weird that she's bringing it up now and isn't it the city's responsibility to keep up the sidewalks? My dh's aunt tried to sue someone for a similar reason and we all told her she was crazy to pursue it. She persisted but it never got anywhere.

Hang in there. This too shall pass.

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

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

Post by oolala53 » Sat Jul 16, 2016 1:47 am

Litigation. Shudder. If only eating could help. But, it doesn't.

Hope you got through Friday green.

BTW, I tend to keep a big towel in the "trunk" of my hatchback. Food wrapped in that has always survived even several hours before I got home. And having it way back there prevents opening it before I get there!

Allow me to say that every painful moment you hold out goes into a very important savings account. Try not to resent those moments. They are rather like resistance exercise; they build strength faster. And they are a good balance for endurance, when the situation is easier and the "pace" can be maintained without much drama. The body/habit gets healthier with both.

And you have a lot of incentive to win at this, much more than mere appearance, which is a very high-maintenance mistress. Health is a much more gracious and grateful admirer. If I may be so bold. :)
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)

e-lyn
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon May 23, 2016 7:11 pm

Post by e-lyn » Sat Jul 16, 2016 2:57 am

Thanks for the words of encouragement, Linda! I'm trying not to panic about the situation and just let our insurance company handle it. I feel so angry and it's hard not to take it personally but I can't afford to let it ruin my whole summer.

oolala...you are so right! Eating to excess does not make these dilemmas any easier. And excess weight makes it more difficult to cope with life in general. Thanks for the reminder...I appreciate your interesting and challenging posts!

I had SUCCESS yesterday in spite of the challenges. I'm considering my first mod from vanilla NoS. I am so done by Friday night and I would really like to enjoy a little extra food and a small dessert. I just don't care all that much about Saturday. And Sunday is usually a relaxed family day where we do enjoy a few extras. So I'm thinking of having an S meal and dessert on Friday evenings, back to NoS on Saturday, followed by an S
Sunday. I'm also hoping it will make it easier to get back on track Mondays without any sluggishness or sweet cravings. And it limits my S opportunities overall.
Any suggestions or caveats?

B - egg, toast, apricots
L - soup, roll, 1/2 banana, cottage cheese
D - bbq ribs, baked beans, green salad.......so far?

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

Post by oolala53 » Sat Jul 16, 2016 5:15 am

Those guidelines sound reasonable. A month of testing it out should give you a chance if it leads to moderation.
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 » Sat Jul 16, 2016 5:38 am

Perfect attitude re: your neighbor. I doubt it's personal. She just may be the grumpy type.

I think your mod sounds very reasonable.

Have a great weekend!
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

bunsofaluminum
Posts: 339
Joined: Sun May 15, 2016 4:02 pm

Post by bunsofaluminum » Sat Jul 16, 2016 5:37 pm

Oh ack! that's too bad about the neighbor. Maybe she is just looking for a way to pay the medical bills from breaking her wrist. Anyway, congrats on going forward with a good Friday! And your little mod sounds good. It's the great thing about No S...it is all about how we do life. So incredibly adaptable to reality.

way to go!

e-lyn
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon May 23, 2016 7:11 pm

Post by e-lyn » Sun Jul 17, 2016 2:35 am

Thanks oolala, linda, and bunso for the feedback on my mod!

Last night I allowed myself a small second helping of dinner. I also had a scoop of vanilla ice cream with half a banana and some caramel popcorn on top. It was a delicious and very satisfying dessert. Today I was ready to get right back on NoS as per my modification. It was a successful GREEN day for me. Tomorrow we'll be in San Francisco visiting our son and his girlfriend. I'll really appreciate the S day!

B - egg, toast/butter, apricots
L - chicken enchilada, green salad
D - spaghetti, butternut squash, green salad

osoniye
Posts: 1257
Joined: Sat May 22, 2010 2:19 pm
Location: Horn of Africa

Post by osoniye » Sun Jul 17, 2016 12:36 pm

e-lyn wrote: Any suggestions or caveats?
I would recommend taking all day Friday and Sundays as S days. You don't HAVE to eat any other S on Friday, but I think it might help psychologically to be able to.
-Sonya
No Sweets, No Snacks and No Seconds, Except (Sometimes) on days that start with "S".

e-lyn
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon May 23, 2016 7:11 pm

Post by e-lyn » Tue Jul 19, 2016 2:22 am

osoniye, even though I did okay this weekend with my new mod, you may be right. I'll keep track of it. If I start going wild on Sundays I might have to change it. Thanks!

B - egg, sausage, bread, dried fruit/nuts
L - ham/cheese sandwich, potato salad, carrot, cherries
D - spaghetti, butternut squash, peach

e-lyn
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon May 23, 2016 7:11 pm

Post by e-lyn » Wed Jul 20, 2016 2:52 am

I'm still struggling with wanting to eat when I'm feeling stressed out or emotional. My automatic response has typically been, 'what can I eat to relieve this feeling?' The answer, of course, is.....'nothing'. Distractions can help but good habits are even better. I'm slowly getting there.

B - raisin bread, peanut butter, banana
L - rice, curry veg, tempura, miso soup, salad
D - chicken veg soup, cornbread

Emmama
Posts: 76
Joined: Fri Jun 17, 2016 6:00 pm
Location: Texas

Post by Emmama » Wed Jul 20, 2016 4:59 am

e-lyn wrote:I'm still struggling with wanting to eat when I'm feeling stressed out or emotional. My automatic response has typically been, 'what can I eat to relieve this feeling?'
I hear ya. I have the same issues. And the kicker is that it works..for just a little while. Then all the stressors and emotions come right back.

Good work :)

knitapeace
Posts: 100
Joined: Tue Jun 14, 2016 4:57 pm

Post by knitapeace » Wed Jul 20, 2016 12:14 pm

I'm not a hippy granola type but I do like meditation and one of the reasons is because it teaches you to sit with discomfort, whether physical or emotional. You don't attempt to relieve it, or ignore it, or change it in any way. You just acknowledge it and exist alongside it. The idea is to help you when you're not sitting, to deal with uncomfortable emotions in a less stressful way. Just a thought.

I'm not there yet, LOL.
Everything I need, I already have.

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

Post by oolala53 » Wed Jul 20, 2016 12:27 pm

I credit some of my Zen sitting with helping me learn to tolerate desire to eat without doing. 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