Things that doesn't make sense

No Snacks, no sweets, no seconds. Except on Days that start with S. Too simple for you? Simple is why it works. Look here for questions, introductions, support, success stories.

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lagflag
Posts: 17
Joined: Tue Jun 13, 2017 8:25 pm

Things that doesn't make sense

Post by lagflag » Thu Jun 22, 2017 2:16 am

Almost a week in NoS. I just don't get the following and would appreciate if someone can explain the logic here:
- it is ok to fill my plate with junk food, but it is not ok to put some nuts in a second plate and eat healthy food in the first plate instead
- it is ok to snack on milk, but not ok to snack on Celery or a piece of fruit
I understand the reason of no snacking rule, but really would i break it if i choose to snack on chickpeas instead of milk?!

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Merry
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Re: Things that doesn't make sense

Post by Merry » Thu Jun 22, 2017 2:51 am

lagflag wrote:Almost a week in NoS. I just don't get the following and would appreciate if someone can explain the logic here:
- it is ok to fill my plate with junk food, but it is not ok to put some nuts in a second plate and eat healthy food in the first plate instead
- it is ok to snack on milk, but not ok to snack on Celery or a piece of fruit
I understand the reason of no snacking rule, but really would i break it if i choose to snack on chickpeas instead of milk?!
I don't know if you have the book, but Reinhard does a good job of addressing these in there.

The one plate rule is the only way that quantity is limited--there's no counting calories or points or carbs or some other method to make sure we're not over-eating. If you start to say 1 plate plus a little bit more--then the rules are no longer clear and it can morph into all kinds of other things.

Having one plate makes one think about the contents more. Sure, we might choose a junk food plate occasionally, but most of us would start to feel silly if we chose it all the time. So, enjoy the freedom to eat healthy and find a way to fit those nuts onto that first plate--or enjoy the freedom to eat junk but don't make up for it by trying to add healthy food on another plate. I can honestly say that the longer I'm on No-S, the more I think overall about wanting to enjoy more healthy foods and the less I want just junk. Sure, I eat some junk sometimes--but less than I used to. I only have one plate--that makes me picky. I want that one plate to COUNT--I want it to taste good and I want it to be good for me.

Snacks--it's a similar principle. Reinhard uses a pomegranate as an example. Sure, it would be good and healthy as a snack, but it's the principle--once I allow that as a snack, now I have to start evaluating all of my snacks--is this one okay? What about that one? Suddenly instead of a nice, easy habit to follow where no decision-making is needed, I have to make all of these decisions--and that means I'm going to be a lot less likely to stay on track. It's much easier and simpler to just say no snacks. And, I can have that pomegranate on my plate. Or that celery.

Milk is just a hold-over if we're truly hungry and don't think we'll make it. It keeps us from breaking the habit since we don't actually chew food. Honestly though, I'm surprised how many times a nice glass of ice water satisfies when I am absolutely positive that I'm starving and won't make it (happened just the other day, I was shocked!). Our culture reinforces perma-snacking and the idea that we just can't live and be healthy if we don't always have food to nosh on--and it's just not true.

HTH some!
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

ironchef
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Location: Australia

Re: Things that doesn't make sense

Post by ironchef » Thu Jun 22, 2017 3:17 am

The first thing I would say is that No S is a way to get into the habit of eating moderately within a culture that does not support moderation. It does not address every point about good nutrition and healthy eating, and doesn't attempt to. To quote from Reinhard on the front page:
The No S Diet is a framework for controlling excess. Beyond that it makes no stipulations about your nutritional or gastronomic choices. That doesn't mean they're not important, they're just separate issues. Fight one enemy at a time, not three at once.

That said, I find that having a limited number of limited quantity meals makes me take them more seriously, both from a gastronomic and a nutritional point of view. Pretty much every meal I eat is delicious or healthy or both.
If you don't have the book, the front No S page on this site is well worth a read and addresses many questions like these.
lagflag wrote:it is ok to fill my plate with junk food, but it is not ok to put some nuts in a second plate and eat healthy food in the first plate instead
When you say "ok", you mean "within the letter of the law for No S". Sure, a plate full of (single layer) savoury junk food is within the letter of the law for Vanilla No S. And sometimes my dinner plate is a single layer of pizza.

However, you can't avoid reality. Your body will not be fooled if you keep the letter of the law (one plate) and ignore the spirit (eat moderately). If I was eating a plate spread with pizza frequently, and was not meeting my health or weight loss goals, I would know, very clearly, what the culprit was. There would be no hiding from myself. What I like about No S is that very visibility. There is no handful of nuts here, banana there, and me at the end of it sighing "I eat so healthy, I don't understand why I keep gaining".

Merry addressed the snacks stuff perfectly - the idea is to break the habit of eating between meals. Obviously, if you spend your time between meals drinking loads of calorie rich drinks (e.g. wine, beer, milky coffees) you may not lose weight. But that's a decision that No S leaves up to you. A quote on this from Reinhard, answering the question "what about healthy snacks":
Eat healthy meals. If you know you have just three, you'll make them count. I'm perfectly aware that an orange between meals is not going kill you, that, taken in itself, it's perfectly healthy. But the idea is to have the orange instead of, not in addition to, and in justification of, some unhealthy part of your meal. The problem is primarily one of self-discipline, and if you start making all kinds of exceptions, you'll fail.

osoniye
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Post by osoniye » Thu Jun 22, 2017 10:34 am

Good advice above.
I'd say, give it a chance. Even if you don't embrace the concepts, try embracing the behavior, and see how it works for you after a month or two.
There really is something to limiting the volume of food to a plate, and if choosing the types of food bothers you, go with a divided plate concept of 1/2 plate veggies, 1/4 plate starch, 1/4 plate protein or something that suits you. Stick with liquids between meals and relax in the space of not having to make a lot of nutrition decisions. You might find that you really like it. It works for me.
-Sonya
No Sweets, No Snacks and No Seconds, Except (Sometimes) on days that start with "S".

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