Everyday Systems

[RAWCOOKIE]

I can hardly believe that I've reached my 1 yr anniversary on No S! I think that means I am no longer a 'newbie' - maybe!

I can't remember how I came across No S - it might have been via Spark People. But once I read the explanation here on this website - I jumped straight in. It appealed to my logic - it made sense to me.

I've been an acceptably 'normal' weight all my life really. There was a short period, after I got divorced, when I went up to my highest weight at around 140lbs. That was temporary and I soon lost it by counting calories etc!

As many others have said, I've been through many, many different phases of eating systems: I became vegetarian when I was 18 and still am - along the way I've tried macrobiotics; food combining; eating dinner for breakfast; high fibre; low fat; low carb; raw; intuitive eating; mono-meals; juicing - oh, I really can't remember them all! I have always been on some sort of system or another.

For most of my life I've probably been a pain in the proverbial! Whatever system I was following I was obsessive about it - until I could no longer sustain it - then I'd try something else!

So - given that I've not been significantly over-weight - why was I constantly tweaking my diet? Well, what I've been wrangling with - all my life - is what I think of as a kind of Wild Beast - a raging force that compels me to munch and chomp and graze continuously - always looking for the next thing to eat - fearful without a snack in the bag.

I have, therefore, also worked my way through a whole host of books addressing the issue of emotional eating, craving, addiction, mind-body connection, spiritual nutrition, body clutter etc etc etc.

The BIGGEST thing that the No S system has given me is CALMNESS and SANITY in my relationship with food. I went from being a 3 meals and 3 snacks-a-day person, to being a 3 meals and 0 snacks-a-day person in the first two weeks of No S! And I didn't die! Amazing!

My weight has gone down on No S without me even trying - I've enjoyed reckless S days and abundant N days. I have even been able to slacken the reins and participate in social events on special S days when it seemed important. I can now actually make a decision as to whether eating a piece of cake is socially necessary or not. Rather than just eating the cake because everyone else is, and because it's in front of me.

I no longer feel powerless!

I've got no startling weight loss to report - I was a healthy weight to begin with - but I have gone down 5lbs quite naturally.

My metric is the habit - I've used HabitCal every single day since 13th June 2015 and these are the stats I use to measure my success.

HabitCal tells me I've a score of 88.9% - well, that hits the 80/20 rule well enough.

I've had 26 RED days over the 12 months - so that's approx 2 a month.

Tada! that's where I need to focus. I've just started a fresh 21-day Vanilla streak - My goal is to keep reinforcing my N days with the No S habit - and if I can get those RED days down to approx 1 a month, and push my % over the next 12 months - I'll be very happy.

Time for breakfast
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I love Everyday Systems :3

13.6.15 124.25lbs
1.3.17 112.25lbs

[oolala53]

So, Gill, do you sometimes "take" the optional two S days per month?

Two red days a month average is stupendous! I had a LOT more, after my introductory "perfect" three months. I don't think I've ever had such a perfect streak again.

SO glad to know you. And SO glad it sounds now like you still do some experimenting, but the sense of being a bit frantic about it is gone.

Here's to a long stay here, if only to be a beacon to the newbies.
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Count plates, not calories. Three a day. 7 years & counting
Age 63 SBMI Jan/10-30.8 Jan/12-26.8 Mar/13-24.9 Dec/15 24.8 held steady +/- 8-lb. for two years Mar/17 22.8

There is no S better than Vanilla No S.

[RAWCOOKIE]

No, I don't 'take' the 2 optional extra S days. I only take really 'special' days as extra S days - and they have to be planned in advance to be extra S days - anything else I call 'red'. I haven't actually counted up how many extra S days I've had, but I don't think those are an issue for me.

Thanks for all your support too!
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I love Everyday Systems :3

13.6.15 124.25lbs
1.3.17 112.25lbs

[reinhard]

Rawcookie -- I love this. Congratulations and thank you for sharing this post with us. I love the freedom, the calmness, the sanity; I love the emphasis on habit vs. pounds or whatever. I love that the habitcal is proving a really useful too for you.

So great to read about your profound, continuing success here, and so great to have you in this group. Thank you!

Reinhard

[vmsurbat]

Well done!

I also *love* the sanity of NoS and its clear-cut focus on sustainable behaviors, so I understand your exhilarating enthusiasm! Thank you for sharing your story.

Best wishes with continuing NoS success!
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Vicki in MNE
7! Yrs. with Vanilla NoS, down 55+lb, happily maintaining and still loving it!

[kaalii]

beautiful testimonial and wonderfull success story, rawcookie!

my fav part:

[RAWCOOKIE]

THANK YOU!
_________________
I love Everyday Systems :3

13.6.15 124.25lbs
1.3.17 112.25lbs

[MaggieMae]

Way to go, raw cookie!

[knitapeace]

You are awesome! Thank you for the inspiration!

[e-lyn]

Thanks for sharing your story, RawCookie!