Midweek S days?

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vainglorious
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Joined: Wed Aug 23, 2017 2:24 am

Midweek S days?

Post by vainglorious » Sat Aug 26, 2017 11:34 pm

I'm wondering how common mid-week S days are for people here?

What is the reasoning for having two S days in a row? I haven't read the book yet so apologies if it's explained there.

I have a sweet tooth, so I've noticed the last few weeks that on Saturday I'll make something yummy, and then feel compelled to finish it by Sunday night because it's an S day followed by a whole week where the food will become stale. So I eat it, even if I don't actually feel like eating it. Sometimes I feel sweetsed out but I'm like, well, it's here and it needs to be eaten. Whereas if I took a midweek S day, say on Wednesday, there's no way I could or would want to finish it all in one day so I would probably share it with neighbors or work. I'd still follow the no snacks/no seconds part (I do that on most S days anyway already).

So yeah, just curious if other people have midweek S days?

oolala53
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Post by oolala53 » Sun Aug 27, 2017 2:54 am

Theoretically, after awhile, a person might have only one or even NO S's on S days. I think this is more likely when they are together. One or the other of the days, it won't feel necessary. But if they are split, it's probably more likely to feel they are deserved every possible day.

Also, for most people, the weekends are the most unstructured time.

The kind of pressure you are talking about is often something that eventually fades away. OR people get exasperated, quit for awhile because they "can't" control themselves on weekends, try other things, fail at those, and come back saying they didn't realize how well Reinhard had thought it out, that they wish they had never left and had just kept going through all the phases it can take to have the compulsive desires wear out. Then they find they can control themselves on the weekend because they accept that it's their best option.


It's hard to know from responses now how representative the practice of splitting is because a lot of people who are doing Vanilla (the program as originally planned) are just doing it and not checking in anymore. We have some people who've been very successful with splitting and they are around right now. And many others as described above.

If you are willing to experiment and not get too down on yourself if it doesn't work out, go for it.


Just realize that what works for a few months doesn't always work year in and year out. But that's okay because if you are patient and diligent, you'll find what does.
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
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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)

healthyskillz
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Post by healthyskillz » Sun Aug 27, 2017 8:13 pm

I don't have as much "No S experience" as oolala and my weekends are still a bit chaotic eatingwise, but a major change is that we buy a lot less sweets and junk food. In reality when it's lying around the house, I'll often feel compelled to eat it, especially if it's food that'll go stale. So when the weekend comes around we often go out for an ice cream, or I'll buy a single large cookie and just finish it and enjoy it. It's when we have a bunch of small sweets lying around that I'll find it hard to stop. Is this an option for you? Or can you freeze what you made for the next weekend?
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F/30-ish. BED recovered. Mod: pre-dinner fruit.

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Merry
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Post by Merry » Mon Aug 28, 2017 4:03 am

Not mid-week, but my S days are Fridays and Sundays instead of Saturdays and Sundays, because that works out better for the flow of my life.

Years ago I tried to do S days on Wednesdays and Sundays, and that was too spread out--What Ooolala said happened that I ended up eating more sweets & junk than I would if the two days were back to back. I actually think it happens some now too, but not as bad as when the days were more spread out.

However, have you ever tried saving the treat? If it's something like cake that could dry out, you can freeze it and pull it out the night before so it's fresh the day you want it. I find cookies save very well in a baggie. I often save special treats for the next weekend--most things save pretty well. I also have teens in the house though, and sometimes I just think, I'm happy with having it once and letting them finish the rest!
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ironchef
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Post by ironchef » Mon Aug 28, 2017 5:22 am

For us the weekends are the most unstructured time, the time when we see our friends and families, and the days when the vast majority of parties and special outings we are invited to are scheduled. So, having those be S days works for me. I am very rarely invited out to a birthday party, engagement party or wedding on a mid-week night.

I am a very keen baker. If I make a large batch of something that is not finished over the weekend I work out a solution that doesn't include me eating it. For example, I may take some to my neighbors, take it in to work on Monday, freeze it for the next weekend (I find muffins freeze well).

I've also become better at making smaller batches of goodies. For example, my favorite oat cookie recipe I now make a 1/3 batch, which makes a good number for eating with friends or family over the weekend, without lots of left overs. I also sometimes make 1/2 batches of muffins (which means 6 for my family of 4) or even mini cakes in a mug for mr. chef and I to share, to avoid having lots of sweets around.

vainglorious
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Post by vainglorious » Tue Aug 29, 2017 5:09 am

oolala53 wrote:Theoretically, after awhile, a person might have only one or even NO S's on S days. I think this is more likely when they are together. One or the other of the days, it won't feel necessary.
Yeah, I've kind of already noticed that! I don't really want a lot of sugary treats two days in a row. Yesterday (S day) I had half a cookie. But I do start craving some sweets around Wednesday, and it's especially hard right now because we're going into the fall baking season and I love fall baking so much. I could make 9 fall sweets and have them only on weekends and probably overeat them, but making 18 different recipes and sharing them sounds better. I could save them theoretically but I really like things baked fresh, and having the same cake for three weekends in a row doesn't sound all that appealing (I mean, unless it's completely amazing!).

Also a couple people have mentioned unstructured time and social engagements, and that makes a lot of sense and it is a really good rationale (again my apologies if that was mentioned in the book!). I'm realizing my weekends are shifted a bit so Saturday and Sundays aren't usually the days I have off. And, I do have mid-week meetups with my friends, almost every week (trivia team and game nights are on weekdays). I've been keeping those as S days of course, but I think it might be more fun to make treats for those days and share them, since trivia or game night usually "feels" like a more celebratory or special day to me than the typical Saturday.

Anyway thanks for all your responses and food for thought! :)

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