Newbie Assistance Please

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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sue1031
Posts: 4
Joined: Fri Jun 30, 2017 5:17 pm

Newbie Assistance Please

Post by sue1031 » Fri Jun 30, 2017 5:38 pm

Hi Everyone!
I am a newbie to NO S and to posting on a platform like this.
Not exactly sure how to do it but will give this a try!

I feel that the NO S plan is exactly what I have been trying to accomplish over the past 1/2 of my life. Why didn't I find this years ago???
I would like to refer to NO S as a plan and not a diet, since I am aiming to make this permanent.

When on a diet we always feel that there must be a end to the journey (goal weight) and then when that goal is reached, most of the time the wagon tips over and we fall.

I came across this site on Tuesday and just started immediately with no snacks, no sweets, no seconds. I am finding it to be quite liberating to know I just fill up my plate with healthy choices and off I go.

I look forward to reading all of your comments, suggestions and tips!

Thank you!

Bluebell
Posts: 633
Joined: Thu Sep 29, 2016 7:17 pm
Location: Hampshire UK

Post by Bluebell » Fri Jun 30, 2017 7:01 pm

Hi sue and welcome to NoS! You are correct in thinking that NoS is a way of eating that is for life, rather than a diet with an end goal. I found NoS 9 months ago and I can say in all honesty that it has been life changing. At the age of 42 I have finally escaped years of yoyo dieting and have found a way of eating that I feel I can follow forever.
I will say that weight loss for me has been slow, but the benefits of eating this way are more important than losing quickly, I have been there and done that and it never ends well!
Good luck at the beginning of your NoS journey, there is plenty of advice and support on this forum, my main tip in the early days is to just concentrate on getting that habits down and don't worry too much about what the scales say. If you can get the NoS rules ingrained then everything else will follow.
"You'll know where the North Star is ⭐️" - Oolala

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

Post by oolala53 » Fri Jun 30, 2017 7:41 pm

Not sure what assistance you're asking for. I'd say the best thing to do is to read as much of the Sticky of Stickies threads as feels appropriate. (I'd recommend skipping the "Mods" thread for at least three months, maybe six. No premature optimization! The mods stick better later when they're done AFTER extensive experience. When you read the Why did you leave" thread, you'll see a fair number of people "modded" for quicker loss and ended up going off the rails.) There's a ton of stuff that's been covered, though you're free to ask anyway. You could also browse the check-in threads to see if there are a few people you'd like to follow. It's nice when it feels like you're part of a tribe.

But one of the best things about No S is how it allows people to concentrate on the REST of their lives between meals, so if it's going smoothly, go with that.

It really is true that this is not "diet." It's patterned on how slim cultures do eat, not on how to lose weight, though it's slightly stricter. That's justified because slim culture practices are reinforced throughout the culture and they often don't have the all-day access to food that we do. So we draw the lines a bit "brighter."

Here's to a great future of pleasurable and productive eating!
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)

sue1031
Posts: 4
Joined: Fri Jun 30, 2017 5:17 pm

Post by sue1031 » Fri Jun 30, 2017 10:44 pm

Thank you both for your posts!

Question... what size plate is used as a guide?

A dinner size plate or the smaller plate?

Also, is a glass of wine or beer allowed on Non S days?

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

Post by oolala53 » Fri Jun 30, 2017 11:49 pm

Alcohol is considered a separate issue. Many people have a glass or two with a meal. Reinhard aspires to what he calls a "2-glass ceiling," but he's a guy, so women might make it 1 glass. I'm not much of a drinker, but I would think of each glass as an extra slice of bread or serving of potatoes on my plate. That would help me keep it in perspective for me.

Plate size is individual. People say plates are so much bigger now, but mine are about the same as my mom's china, which I own, so I've compared. I do tend to use a luncheon plate at either lunch or dinner, but I didn't start that way. My breakfasts have gotten a lot smaller, too. I think I would have rebelled if I thought I had to eat like this at the beginning, but making sane routines was more important to me than weight loss. Over time, my appetite has changed. Also, my browsing on slim cultures led me to see how slim cultures regard the different meals of the day, but no need to get all caught up in that now. Some people even use dessert or salad plates, but those make me feel like I'm Alice in Wonderland, unless it's breakfast time.

It's okay to have this all take some time. Diet head tells us we are supposed to give it all our attention, like a part-time job, get it all down in 12 weeks and sail away happily after that. That might work if we could go live in No S land where there were few reminders of old habits and everyone else was doing the same thing. (I know of three weight loss authors who lived for extended times in other countries and were profoundly affected by mostly meal-based eating.) But that's not to say it has to be a chore if it doesn't go fast. See if you can let it unfold.

Even though we don't talk about introduction phases and such here, I really think many people would benefit from regarding the first several months as laying the foundation for weight loss, though some do have initial success. There's no way to know which one you'll be before you start.
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)

noni
Posts: 613
Joined: Fri Feb 27, 2009 2:01 pm

Post by noni » Sat Jul 01, 2017 12:17 pm

Like Oolala says, I would go with the luncheon size plate, about 8-1/2". My husband and adult sons use these for dinner. They do go back for seconds sometimes, but they are not NoSers.
"Never go back for seconds. Get it all the first time." - Garfield

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

Post by oolala53 » Sat Jul 01, 2017 6:03 pm

I didn't use a luncheon plate until a long time into it. It is so interesting that the men in your family eat on that sized plate. I almost can't imagine them being the norm for me. I think I'd have to get rid of all my other dishes because I'd know they were an option! Hmm, maybe I'll be on the lookout at yard sales. I do love my sage plates and lavender flattish soup "bowls"! It's ridiculous that I resist the smaller plates because I don't think they're as attractive. Then again, my eating mistakes are mostly outside of meal time.
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)

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

Post by Merry » Sun Jul 02, 2017 3:34 am

Hi Sue! I've been doing no-s for a year and a half and agree--it's definitely a plan more than a diet. I think of it as how I want to eat the rest of my life.

I often eat off a mid size plate, and usually only use our largest plates for special meals. I didn't start that way though. In the beginning, just focus on n day habits. Welcome!
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

sue1031
Posts: 4
Joined: Fri Jun 30, 2017 5:17 pm

Post by sue1031 » Sun Jul 02, 2017 11:00 am

Good Morning!
Than you for the wise and insightful tips!

Oolala, that is great advice on how to calculate any alcoholic beverages. I am not much of a drinker but trying to figure how to incorporate it this holiday weekend if it arises!

Merry, I love the idea of using the larger plate for special occasions.

I will take both of your thoughts and go with the smaller plate regularly.
But might go yard sale shopping for my own extra pretty plate and leave my family to the standard ones. Lol!

I'm pretty excited about this plan. Usually weekends can be an overload of grazing and snacking. So yesterday I did allow myself one snack mid afternoon and one in the evening. But I chose fruit and a Lara bar to keep it pretty healthy.

I am also trying not to weigh myself everyday.

What are your thoughts on that? What has worked for you?

Happy Sunday😊

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

Post by Merry » Mon Jul 03, 2017 6:00 am

sue1031 wrote: I am also trying not to weigh myself everyday.

What are your thoughts on that? What has worked for you?

Happy Sunday😊
Happy Sunday! :-)

I do weigh daily (except on Sunday). I find that more information relaxes me--there are no big surprises. I know the trends of my weight, the kinds of things that make it go up and down, and I can tell when a measurement is a real gain or loss versus just a flukey weight some day. If my weight suddenly jumps up 2 lbs in a day or drops 2 lbs, I know that these are not real gains or losses and can think about the things that might have affected the measurement. Because my weight tends to bounce around a lot, I find that weighing less often is more stressful to me because it might look like I gained when I didn't etc...

Different people respond in different ways though, and I know some people find it stressful to weigh daily--do what works well for you. In the book, Reinhard does recommend that if you are weighing monthly, take the weight several days the week you weigh so that you can average them (and hopefully get a more accurate weight that way).
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

sue1031
Posts: 4
Joined: Fri Jun 30, 2017 5:17 pm

Post by sue1031 » Tue Jul 04, 2017 12:03 am

Thanks, Merry! Today was a little off since it's a non S day but is kind of like a holiday since I was off from work. Spent the day poolside with my seltzer and brought a big salad to share at lunchtime.

Worked out well but felt like I needed a snack for some reason and settled on cherries. I know I shouldn't have snacked but knew that was better than chips!!!!

This is a work in progress but trying to see where those weaknesses are and change them for good!!!

Happy 4th!

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

Post by oolala53 » Wed Aug 16, 2017 3:20 am

Cover your ears to FV's message! Way too many details that don't have much to do with No S.
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)

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