Sharon's daily check-in

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

sharon227
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Post by sharon227 » Mon Dec 31, 2018 3:29 am

What a good way of putting it, automatedeating! The sensible, not-overly-restrictive boundaries are there. Even though I'm not making very healthy choices this week, at least I'm not pigging out on crap and my portions are reasonable!

Happy New Year to you as well!

I had an S day today and finally had some of those cookies that have been sitting on the counter all week. I sat and enjoyed a few small ones with my husband as we had a cup of tea in the late afternoon. I did have a tiny piece of one walking by the bag, but I decided I didn't enjoy it nearly as much that way. So I didn't do it again. Not because I couldn't -- it's an S day, I could have -- but because it didn't really make sense to. Big habit change for me.

We also had the pastries after dinner. More specifically, my husband and I split one single-serving tart, along with another cup of tea. I love tea, but rarely even make time for one cup, let alone two. Ah, the joys of being off from work for the holiday week!

The pastry was good, but also rich. I didn't have any urge to pick at part of another one. That is really new for me. Old me would have kept picking at other pastries in the box.

I made a healthy mushroom soup (with light coconut milk instead of heavy cream, and it also had carrots and celery in it) for dinner, to go with salmon burgers and roasted broccoli. A lot healthier than lunch, which was rather heavy Chinese leftovers (chicken with cashew nuts. Yum.)

I generally don't make a big deal out of New Year's Eve. I have completely gorged on crap in the past, though (chips & dip and M&Ms have been 2 staples throughout the years), but this year's theme will be moderation.

automatedeating
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Post by automatedeating » Mon Dec 31, 2018 3:50 am

Good luck tomorrow!

When you put "M&Ms" I immediately had a craving and decided I'd better not buy those tomorrow. :roll: :lol: :shock: 8)
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

Soprano
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Post by Soprano » Mon Dec 31, 2018 7:03 am

You've developed some great habits Sharon, well done

Jx
Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.

sharon227
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Post by sharon227 » Mon Dec 31, 2018 8:16 pm

Heh. You and me both, automatedeating. I was thinking to buy some peanut M&Ms for New Year's. (I'm not big on the regular ones, but am addicted to the peanut ones). But as I thought more about it, it's probably better if they're not in the house. We'll have chips (which I've never really lost control over the way I do with sweets) as well as veggies and dip. And those cookies and pastries, plus whatever company brings. Seems like enough. Good luck to you, too!

And thanks so much for the encouragement, Soprano!

I went out with my husband for a Japanese lunch, which was reasonably healthy - a single "Bento box" plate. Dinner and tonight will be a different story :-)

Good luck to all of us as we end the year, and start a new year continuing our NoS habits!

sharon227
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Post by sharon227 » Thu Jan 03, 2019 1:13 am

Well, New Year's Eve was definitely an overeating experience, although not a complete pig-out. Not having peanut M&Ms in the house was a wise choice.

I had some chips, some dark-chocolate-and-nuts trail mix, 2 bowls of healthy soup, 2 dinner rolls, and a slice and a half of pizza for dinner, 2 glasses of bubbly, and cake for dessert. Geez when I write it, it sounds like a complete pigfest. But it's a lot better than many previous years.

I had leftover pastries last night, otherwise ate reasonably OK.

Had an incredibly strong urge for some more pastries today. I mean really, really strong. I WANTED THOSE PASTRIES. I went back to my apple cider and reminded myself that an S day is coming soon. Sadly, the pastries probably won't be good anymore by then. Although maybe that's a good thing.

My husband suggested we have them tonight, forgetting that I don't do that anymore. Boy I really want a cup of tea and a pastry. But I want even more to build my moderate-eating habits and not go back to the way I was eating before. So, I'm here checking in instead.

Think I may go make a cup of herbal tea.

Hope everyone had a good New Year's holiday!

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Octavia
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Post by Octavia » Sat Jan 05, 2019 9:49 am

Wow - to replace a craving for pastry with apple cider! That shows real strength, Sharon! Sounds like you are really in the No S zone.

Hope you have a great weekend.

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Post by automatedeating » Sat Jan 05, 2019 4:05 pm

I love that you used your check-in thread at a time of temptation. Very excellent use of the forum. :-)
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

sharon227
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Post by sharon227 » Sun Jan 06, 2019 3:36 pm

Thanks Octavia. I guess part of me just needed "something, anything sort of sweet" and was satisfied, even if another part REALLY wanted those pastries. And thanks, automatedeating, I do find the forums a great place for self-accountability but especially support!!

I got sick Thursday night, including a really upset stomach which sadly did not seem to affect my appetite too much but did make me feel very miserable. I had no appetite Thursday night, but that was after dinner so not much help. By Friday I was hungry but couldn't really face eating too many things. One sign that I'm sick: seeing a Godiva bar in the fridge made my stomach turn.

I ended up having "snacks" -- bland cereal and ginger ale, plus Saltines -- but Reinhard did say in the book we have permission to break the rules if we're truly sick.

So I've been eating a lot of Saltines, bananas, and French toast w maple syrup. Basically lots of refined carbs with little redeeming nutritional value except for the bananas. And I haven't exercised for the last 2 days. Not a great start to 2019.

I'm debating trying to go to the gym today to do a bit of light treadmill to see if it will make me feel better or worse. Not exercising in the winter makes me feel lousy, and it this point I'm not sure how much of feeling crappy is that I'm still sick and how much is that I've been laying around like a lump.

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Post by automatedeating » Sun Jan 06, 2019 3:39 pm

Sick Days are S Days! No doubt about it!

If you get to the gym and you don't feel like exercising, just sit in the hot tub. :lol:
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

sharon227
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Post by sharon227 » Sun Jan 06, 2019 8:40 pm

Thanks, automatedeating! I was thinking about the hot tub! But then the idea of hair possibly being still damp and going out in the cold made me decide not to.

I did light treadmill - no incline, no jogging, just varying between 3.5 and 4 mph - and a little stretching. Was good to get moving a little but not too much. Back home I had a whole grain roll, then another roll with some turkey, did manage a little salad,a little fruit salad, then a bunch of Saltines while watching NFL playoffs. No interest in potato chips, so clearly I'm not 100% better :D I'm actually ready for bed but will go back to the couch and watch some more football with hubby.

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Octavia
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Post by Octavia » Sun Jan 06, 2019 8:52 pm

Sorry to hear you’ve not been well, Sharon. Hope you feel better soon.

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Post by automatedeating » Tue Jan 08, 2019 12:11 am

Sharon - I did a "guided meditation" today! It was 5 minutes of breathing (4 seconds in, hold 7 seconds, 8 seconds out) and it was great! Thank you for the suggestion.
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

sharon227
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Post by sharon227 » Tue Jan 08, 2019 2:40 am

Thanks very much, Octavia! I'm slowly improving, but still don't have all my energy back.

Really happy to hear about the meditation, automatedeating! I decided to increase from 3 to 4 minutes today :D I got a bit fidgety but plan to stick with it.

I felt well enough to want some of the frozen Yule log waiting for me. Had a very small portion, and it was too much for my still sensitive stomach. Just as well.

Made myself chicken vegetable soup today, and that was a good choice for dinner. Zero exercise, though, I just stayed in.

sharon227
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Post by sharon227 » Tue Jan 08, 2019 2:43 pm

So the holiday period ended up an utter nightmare. I just went on the scale, and I'm up a LOT. In fact, I'm only down 2 lbs from when I started NoS in May. I can't begin to explain how upset and disappointed I am. I suppose it's better to be starting the year down from 2018 at all instead of up. But 2 lbs in 7 months of NoS? That sucks.

OK. So what have I learned?

* It matters how much and what I pile on my plate, not just that I'm not snacking.
* My S days need to be more moderate than they have been.
* Refined carbs on N days are probably a bad idea, even if they're not sweets.
* My little "modifications" when virtual plating are probably too much food.

I'm going to stick it out through May and see what happens.

:(

automatedeating
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Post by automatedeating » Tue Jan 08, 2019 4:40 pm

How much did you gain over the holidays? I couldn't tell from your posts.

I know I'm becoming a broken record, but weighing more regularly prevents the unwelcome surprises.

Oolala has given such great advice when faced with these disappointments - observe with calm curiosity what effects various food choices have on your weight. Then we can respond with a plan.
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

sharon227
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Joined: Fri May 18, 2018 12:13 pm

Post by sharon227 » Tue Jan 08, 2019 6:23 pm

Thanks automatedeating. The sad story, via my Excel tracker:

Image

If I'm honest with myself, I can't say it's a huge surprise. I could tell this was happening from my waistline. This is just confirmation.

I didn't really gain all that much - about 3.5 lbs. The problem is that I haven't lost all that much since May, so that's over half of what I worked so hard for months to take off.

You're right. Weighing every day is too compulsive for me - I become hooked on validation from the number. But skipping for almost a month isn't a great idea either. I need to stick with my original plan to weigh Tuesday through Thursday every other week, holidays or no holidays.

I do like that advice from Oolala, thanks for posting it. Basically I need to drastically cut down on the refined carbs. And I've known this for some time, long before last year. Following NoS rules won't change that. That spare tire around my middle gets a lot more noticeable if I add refined carbs to my diet. A few days of Saltines and ginger ale really didn't help. I'm going to need to figure out something else when my stomach is upset and I feel like crap.

Soprano
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Post by Soprano » Tue Jan 08, 2019 8:52 pm

You've had a shock but you have plan, don't even think about putting an end day on it, it's a journey and a lifetime plan, you have the tools you need and the changes you are going to instigate are your choices from learning. Much better than diet imposed ones as they will stay with you.

Big hugs for the disappointment though :)

Jx
Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.

sharon227
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Post by sharon227 » Wed Jan 09, 2019 2:09 am

Thanks, Soprano. I appreciate the virtual hug! (And need one)

You have a point about the end date. Thing is, at some point I have to decide if this plan is working for me to reach my goal, if not quickly, ever. I'm really disappointed, to say the least.

I was following the rules more seriously today. No nibbling as I put nuts in my breakfast thinking "They'd fit in the bowl anyway." The whole point is to see what I'm eating.

I had fruit and plain Greek yogurt for breakfast. I love cut fresh fruit and plain Greek yogurt, the issue with that is more time cutting up the fruit in the morning (cereal is SO much faster). Leftover homemade soup for lunch. Tasty but not enough without having some bread or something else. I needed a small half glass of cider for "snack."

Salmon burger on whole wheat roll for dinner along with some salad (and oil & vinegar) and a pear for dessert.

No exercise again today, I'm still not feeling great. Off to bed.

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Post by Soprano » Wed Jan 09, 2019 6:48 am

Let's just discuss this "plan working for me" a little more :)

If you stick to the plan it does work for you, you have proven that. What you have just learnt is that if you revert to old habits the weight comes back. That will happen on any plan.

I'm guessing your issue is with the slow weightloss, if you are thinking that you would have lost more in the run up to Christmas and that you might still have overeaten but would now weigh less bear in mind our bodies are complex so firstly you may have gained more and secondly if you had been in proper diet mode you might have found it harder to get back on plan and thus gained more still in January.

The way I see it your alternatives are a restrictive diet, fasting or intuitive eating.

I'd avoid a diet at all costs, from what I've gleaned fasting has some real positives but has some potential negatives. I do think it could become a tool to help you though. But use with care!

I'm thinking your next steps should be to look at intuitive eating, read some books for example Beyond Chocolate, if you can find it the Manorama formula. Don't stop Nos in favour of these but I'm sure some of he reasons I found Nos so successful was down to the fact I had already done some work in this area.

Just for the record Nov 23rd I reached my lowest weight for sometime 10.2.8 ( a stone since March) Dec 4th it was 10.4.2. This morning I felt I needed to see the Christmas damage 10.4.6. it's my belief some of the increase before Christmas was a normal fluctuation. I didn't follow any rules from the week before Christmas until last weekend.

For me that's a real result. What I'm trying to say is my overeating at Christmas was much more normal overeating like thin people do at feast and celebrations than bingeing from feeling deprived. You need to address how you use food as a treat or emotional crutch. I found following intuitive eating didn't work long term as I struggled to know when I was hungry and what I was hungry for Nos takes away that problem The rest of IE is valid though.

Really hope this helps

Jx
Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.

sharon227
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Post by sharon227 » Wed Jan 09, 2019 3:08 pm

Thanks very much for the additional thoughts (and encouragement) Soprano. A key point is "if you stick to the plan." If I stick to Weight Watchers it works. If I stick to South Beach it works. But I didn't. If I stick to NoS it works also, but more slowly. Which is OK if I truly can stick to it for life. But can I stick to it for life? I always think I can stick to every plan forever when I start off enthusiastically. If I'm honest with myself, it is still too early for me to know for sure about any plan after less than a year. I'll have to see how it goes when I hit road bumps.

The no snacks and no sweets on N days seems doable long term. There are Europeans who eat like this all the time. I'm still not sure about the only one plate and no seconds, though. No soup before the meal? No salad on a separate plate? No small plate of fruit for dessert after dinner? I need to find my way on that.

Anyway, looks like some of the weight gain was a bit temporary due to all the refined carbs I had over the holidays and when I was sick. This morning showed a bit of a better story after a couple of days of healthier choices.

Image

It's really interesting how I can feel my waistline getting bigger as I gain weight after just a short time of eating a lot of refined carbs. I know that fat around my middle is the unhealthiest of all. I truly need to cut back on refined carbs for good health, not just weight loss.

automatedeating
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Post by automatedeating » Wed Jan 09, 2019 4:36 pm

Sharon, I love your graph!

I found that Vanilla NoS doesn't work for my height/age/gender, whatever. Starting over a year ago, I began eliminating processed foods from my diet. That helped - I think I lost 5 pounds between Jan and March. In July, I began limiting my carbs and that has done the trick. But you have to get over the fear of saturated fat and the siren song of "whole-grain" to embrace my way of eating. :lol: My carbs come in the form of dairy, fruits, veggies, tortilla chips, and occasional bread. I eat more carbs on S Days, just as I'm enjoying fun foods. Definitely no more pasta, and I don't even miss it. I don't feel bloated or crampy, and I finally lost weight easily. I also get to eat until I'm full and satisfied and I love my food. Of course, my motivation was not weight-loss originally - it was blood sugar control and blood pressure reduction. That was probably why I finally gave it a try.
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

sharon227
Posts: 292
Joined: Fri May 18, 2018 12:13 pm

Post by sharon227 » Wed Jan 09, 2019 11:28 pm

Thanks about the graph, automatedeating! :D I'm anal enough to be tracking and graphing in Excel.

And thanks for the advice on foods. I'm pretty sure that Vanilla NoS won't work for me either. The promise that I could eat anything in moderate amounts without snacking was really appealing, but I think I knew deep inside that wasn't going to work for me at this stage of my life. Twenty years ago? Probably. Not now that I'm older.

I'm a firm believe that different people react differently to foods, and there isn't one list of foods that are problematic for everyone.

If I pay attention, I can usually tell what foods I should take a break from. If I can't stop eating them, I need to pause for awhile. Or if I don't feel great after eating them. Some breads, even whole grain, are like that. Others aren't.

Full-fat dairy is often too much fat for me, I just feel heavy. Some is wonderful and fine. Interesting what you said about pasta. I've had whole wheat pasta and feel OK afterwards. I'll have to pay attention if I try white pasta again, although I'm guessing I shouldn't. Bagels with refined flour generally don't make me feel so great after eating them. I really do need to pay careful attention as I'm eating.

I had more cut fruit and low-fat Greek yogurt for breakfast. Yum. Salad with small amounts of chicken and feta for lunch. Grilled chicken wrap for dinner with a pear for dessert. Will see about the pita for the wrap.

automatedeating
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Post by automatedeating » Thu Jan 10, 2019 1:39 am

I'm sure you will find the right combination of foods that helps you feel full and satisfied and that works with your weight-loss goals.

Just look at the Excel graph! With that kind of commitment, I'm sure you'll find your way. This really is a journey, and there are new surprises around every corner.
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

sharon227
Posts: 292
Joined: Fri May 18, 2018 12:13 pm

Post by sharon227 » Thu Jan 10, 2019 1:52 pm

Thanks, automatedeating! Clearly I'm still learning. And one thing that seems clear is I need to pretty strictly limit my refined carbs on N days. And shouldn't go hog-wild with them on S days either.

I probably ought to stop whining about having gained weight over the holidays. Maybe half of it was temporary based on the flood of refined carbs I had because of my stomach bug last week and over the weekend.

Image

oolala53
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Post by oolala53 » Thu Jan 10, 2019 2:27 pm

What goes on the plate is a bit of an art. (And the placebo effect can come into play. Fun, huh?) Nothing to do but keep going forward and enjoy every bite of what we DO eat. 😀
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)

sharon227
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Post by sharon227 » Fri Jan 11, 2019 1:28 am

Yes, good point, oolala. If we're not enjoying every bite of what we eat, why bother?

sharon227
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Post by sharon227 » Sun Jan 13, 2019 1:00 am

It seems that I need to add Saltines to my list of things I should just not start eating at all. Good grief. Who binges on SALTINES???

I thought I’d have some chicken salad with crackers. I ended up eating an entire package of crackers and more. To think of all the really good foods I could have had instead, with all those carbs and calories wasted on that crap.

Very very disappointed in myself.

Well, hopefully a lesson learned.

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Post by ladybird30 » Sun Jan 13, 2019 3:56 am

Some food scientist no doubt spent many hours working on the exact amount of salt to add and the right degree of crunch so that Saltine eaters would do exactly what you did.

So we shouldn't be too disappointed in ourselves. We are up against the big guns.
Three meals a day - not too little not too much, but just right

automatedeating
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Post by automatedeating » Sun Jan 13, 2019 4:14 am

Also - it is an S Day. :-)

Oh - and I'm right there with you for being able to eat a whole package of saltine's. :-)
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

oolala53
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Location: San Diego, CA USA

Post by oolala53 » Sun Jan 13, 2019 8:27 am

I used to do that. Well, maybe just one sleeve. But that was in addition to other stuff. Particle foods! It's so easy to just pack them in.
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)

automatedeating
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Post by automatedeating » Sun Jan 13, 2019 3:18 pm

oolala53 wrote:Particle foods! It's so easy to just pack them in.
Yes.
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

sharon227
Posts: 292
Joined: Fri May 18, 2018 12:13 pm

Post by sharon227 » Mon Jan 14, 2019 2:20 am

Oh, so comforting to know I'm not alone here! And that's what I meant, one "sleeve" -- one full, long, paper-wrapped stack of them from the box. Not, fortunately, the whole box.

Bingeing on chocolate somehow seems more understandable than bingeing on crackers. But you're right, ladybird. Some food scientist probably did spend many hours formulating the exact amount of salt, texture, and crunch to make me lose control. Another good reason to not start with them anymore.

Today it was bread. Mix of whole grain and refined grain sourdough. Not quite as out of control as the Saltines, but I had 3 or 4 slices when one really should have been enough. Fooling myself that since I was having healthy homemade lentil soup for dinner, it was OK. But that was not OK.

I really do enjoy my food more when I know I'm just having one portion and I work to savor each bite. Yet here I am eating too much on my S Days, as if winter famine is right around the corner and I need to prepare.

Oh well. My NoS is still a work in progress. And the short dark days of winter are more of a challenge than I'd hoped. But tomorrow's an N day and structure returns. Thanks very much ladybirt, automatedeating and oolala for the support and encouragement.

sharon227
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Joined: Fri May 18, 2018 12:13 pm

Post by sharon227 » Mon Jan 14, 2019 7:00 pm

The bread problem is temporarily solved. Day-old sourdough bread is not nearly as tempting as fresh. Had a slice with my salad at lunch and didn't feel the urge to have more (not that I would since it's an N Day).

Saltines are off limits now for N days and possibly S days too unless I'm sick. I keep reminding myself what ladybird said: Some food scientist probably designed them to be as irresistible as possible. I should think carefully about things that were engineered to wreak havoc in my brain.

sharon227
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Post by sharon227 » Wed Jan 16, 2019 1:36 am

I'm getting into an interesting routine. After I splurge on sweets/snacks/refined carbs on my S weekends, Mondays are a little tough. I typically need to turn to some apple cider to get through the period between lunch and dinner. I get out of the habit of not being full all the time. Now that it's Tuesday, I'm OK again with 3 meals and no juice between them.

I waited too long to have lunch today, though. It was after 2 and I was ravenous. Just got too busy at work. I definitely need to prioritize taking breaks to eat meals when I should, without working at the computer, like a civilized person.

Had a salad with some grilled chicken for dinner, along with half a pita bread, and an orange and small piece of low-fat cheese for dessert. Very fulling and satisfying. Old me would still be hungry after that. So, progress continues, if not the speedy weight loss of my dreams :D

sharon227
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Post by sharon227 » Mon Jan 28, 2019 2:56 am

I've been traveling, for work and to visit my husband's family, and I've had more S days than I'd planned this month. One thing I learned: If I'm going to be significantly off my usual routine, I need to be definite at the outset that a day is an N day. If I think "I'll see how it goes," it will go as an S day. Exactly Reinhard's point that an ingrained habit takes way less energy than making decisions and trying to exercise willpower.

I've lowered my expectations for winter. It's just not a good time for me to think I can make good progress on weight loss, between holidays and cold, dark days. My new goal is to get back to my mid-November weight by end of March, and then resume weight loss in the spring. If I maintain my weight through the winter, I'll be ahead of where I usually am in April.

oolala53
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Location: San Diego, CA USA

Post by oolala53 » Tue Jan 29, 2019 3:52 am

A reasonable outlook.
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)

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Wed Jan 30, 2019 12:45 am

I like this approach too. :-)
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

sharon227
Posts: 292
Joined: Fri May 18, 2018 12:13 pm

Re: Sharon's daily check-in

Post by sharon227 » Mon Feb 04, 2019 1:04 pm

Thank oolala and automated eating. It's been a tough week. Someone we know died unexpectedly - an acquaintance who shares a similar circle of friends. And even though we're not close, it's still sad and upsetting. I feel terrible for his wife, who is a lovely woman.

Plus I've had a bad cold this week so I haven't done any real exercise since Tuesday (I finally got out of the house yesterday for a light stroll, but that didn't do much to burn off calories) and am spending a lot of time either sitting or in bed.

I'm trying to focus on self-care. I did some snacking while feeling lousy mid-week, really more like small meals/grazing because I didn't have the appetite to eat a regular-sized meal and then I'd get hungry. I'd like to keep to healthy food choices, even if I'm eating a bit too much or at the "wrong" times. That seems like a decent plan for now. I'll try to get back to "regular" NoS today or tomorrow.

Super Bowl Sunday is typically a perilous food day for me. Lots of chips and pretzels and dip and in past years tons of peanut M&Ms, plus pizza for dinner and cake for dessert. Happily, this year was different. Instead, yesterday I did some snacking on carrots and hummus (which I actually love). I had a few potato chips and decided I didn't want them. The only "snack food" I had was some popcorn that my husband microwaved. Dinner was homemade lentil vegetable soup and whole grain bread, dessert was fresh fruit salad. Not perfect but I'm happy with my choices. Will see what the scale "thinks" when I weigh in Tuesday.

automatedeating
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Re: Sharon's daily check-in

Post by automatedeating » Mon Feb 04, 2019 6:10 pm

So glad you are focusing on self-care. It has been hugely important to my improved outlook on life in the past year. Of course, both my work and domestic demands have lessened, which makes it easier for me to feel great. Anyway, keep it up!

Oh, and great job yesterday with the Super Bowl! I used to (be able to) eat SO much junk food in one day! It's been a gradual epiphany (is that an oxymoron?) that I am not a big person, and I do not need the same amount of calories or portions or whatever as a 6 foot guy.
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

sharon227
Posts: 292
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Re: Sharon's daily check-in

Post by sharon227 » Tue Feb 05, 2019 12:34 pm

Thanks, automatedeating! When I think about it, self care is a pretty obvious, logical thing to be doing. I'm not sure why I haven't focused on it more in the past. But what's done is done. I'll try to remember going forward.

Last night we went to visit the wife of our acquaintance who died unexpectedly. That was difficult. She's doing very well, but I still came home quite upset and had difficulty sleeping.

Weigh-in time, my weight is up this morning. I suppose it could be the salty popcorn from Sunday still. Also I did have a few pieces of fruit after dinner last night while visiting (there was a ton of food out, didn't touch anything else, including loads of sweets and snacks. But as I've mentioned before, my body doesn't give me any credit for all the things I didn't eat), or the fact that I had less than 5 hours of sleep last night. Will try to take a walk today - I did go for a nice 40-minute lunchtime walk yesterday at least - and get back and real NoS.

automatedeating
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Re: Sharon's daily check-in

Post by automatedeating » Tue Feb 05, 2019 3:48 pm

Don't those mid-day walks feel so great?

Very sorry about the pain you are feeling as you empathize with the woman who lost her husband. Those things are so scary as we (as humans) naturally imagine ourselves in that same awful situation. However, as encouragement, remember that humans are resilient, and when bad things happen to us, we usually find a way to push through and feel joy again. I think sometimes are empathy focuses all on the pain and forgets that joy can come again.
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

sharon227
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Re: Sharon's daily check-in

Post by sharon227 » Fri Feb 08, 2019 1:03 am

Yes, automatedeating, those mid-day walks do feel great! So good to get up and move. I didn't today, because I still have the tail end of my cold and it was very cold and raw out, but I plan to be back tomorrow.

And a very good point about focusing on pain as opposed to the possibility of joy. I need to keep that in mind, because after something like this, the world seems like a scarier, more threatening place.

On the eating front, I've made peace with the fact that I'm unlikely to end the winter down at all from my weigh in mid-November. That's truly OK. And that's giving me the freedom to experiment with NoS a bit to see what I think will work for me for life, as opposed to while I'm motivated to lose.

My goal is a sensible eating plan with with simple rules that become second nature - I am in total agreement with Reinhard that counting and measuring won't work and constantly trying to make decisions and exercise willpower won't work - that feels like traditional sane eating, but also doesn't feel too restrictive. I'm comparing how I'm eating with how I imagine a chic, sensible French woman eats. No between-meal snacking on N days is something I want to continue. No sweets on N days also. It's the one plate and no seconds rule that I'm feeling my way around still.

I don't like the idea that I feel compelled to pile extra on my plate so I don't feel hungry because I can't have seconds. And it also seems unreasonable that if I have a sensible healthy plate of food, I can't have a small bit of fruit and/or a little low-fat cheese for dessert if I want.

For now, I'm trying to "virtual plate" my dinner a bit, leaving a bit of room for small seconds sometimes if I don't feel sure about how much food I want to take. And I've made a new rule for myself that if I have a truly healthy plate of food for dinner -- no high-calorie take-out or fried food, at least half veggies -- it's fine if I have a small plate of fruit for dessert.

Last night I had a large salad with a little grilled chicken and half a medium pita with some hummus for dinner. I had a pear for dessert. Made me happy, it was healthy, and all is good. Weighed myself this morning and my scale says I'm back down to 141.5, which means 140.5 or so because my scale is always a pound more than when I weigh in at various doctor's offices. At 5'5" that gives me a BMI of around 23.5. Not exactly my dream goal, but not hideously awful either. I feel really really good at 132 and a 22 BMI, but I can certainly live with 135-ish.

Tonight I had a second small turkey burger for dinner, after deciding one small one wasn't enough. I should have had one and a half, because now I'm overly full and it doesn't feel good. I originally took one and a half, left room on my plate in case I wanted more, and then took the other half. I'll need to work on this virtual-plating-maybe-I-want-seconds, because I overdid it tonight.

Hard to believe this full-close-to-stuffed feeling was pretty much how I used to feel after most of my dinners.

automatedeating
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Re: Sharon's daily check-in

Post by automatedeating » Fri Feb 08, 2019 2:29 am

As I was reading your (very interesting) post, I realized that I virtual plate regularly, zero guilt. I guess because the entirety of the meal was planned out, and I generally eat the same stuff, so I know how much I need. Sometimes I overdo it, but most of the time I don't, and we are learning and gathering data all the time. :-)

Glad your meal felt good last night. And don't worry about tonight's slight-overfullness -- tomorrow is a new N Day. We are definitely in this for the long haul.
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

Soprano
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Re: Sharon's daily check-in

Post by Soprano » Fri Feb 08, 2019 5:16 am

In your case I wouldn't get too hung up on a little fruit as a dessert especially if you are still hungry. As long as most days you are leaving the meal pleasantly satisfied I'm sure it won't impact negatively on loss.

Like you my loss has stalled since Christmas but I think it's the impact of stress in my new job and not quite sticking to the rules as I was.

Back to habitcsl for me while I tighten up...

Jx
Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.

sharon227
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Re: Sharon's daily check-in

Post by sharon227 » Sat Feb 09, 2019 2:50 am

Thanks automatedeating. It's good to hear that you are virtual plating also -- and even with that, you're down to a 22.7 BMI from over 26! That's encouraging. And you're right, it's still a learning process and continual small readjustments are to be expected. And thanks Soprano. The key of being pleasantly satisfied instead of full and stuffed is something to keep in mind. My work stress has gone up as I am adjusting to a new boss in the same job, so I'm sure a new job altogether is quite a bit more stress.

But I know it's also winter. I move less, not only "official" exercise but just in general, because I stay in more. Obviously even if I'm eating the same, if I'm moving less there will be an effect. And I'm not eating the same, I'm eating denser foods.

Ah well. My eating habits are still better than they were a year ago before I started NoS. It's not only making somewhat healthier choices and eating less, but I'm enjoying my food more. That's huge. And I feel better when I don't overeat. I like not stuffing things in my mouth all day. I like planning my meals, and sitting down like a civilized person to enjoy them. I often like the fact that since my meal quantities are limited, I appreciate what I have more. And I like that I appreciate my sweets more because they're a special treat, not a regular part of every day.

I didn't eat much for the day's first two meals - regular breakfast but a light lunch. It was a nice afternoon so I did get out and walk for 45 minutes, which was mood helpful. We had pizza for dinner and I had 2 slices plus a small glass of white wine,which wasn't the most healthy of choices, but I enjoyed every bite (and at least we just had mushrooms on it, not meat). I made sure to eat slowly and savor every bite.

We're going out to dinner with friends tomorrow night. I will try to keep moderation in mind even though it's an S day.

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Re: Sharon's daily check-in

Post by automatedeating » Sat Feb 09, 2019 2:36 pm

sharon227 wrote:
Sat Feb 09, 2019 2:50 am
I often like the fact that since my meal quantities are limited, I appreciate what I have more. And I like that I appreciate my sweets more because they're a special treat, not a regular part of every day.
This is so great!

Also, so happy you got out for another walk during the day. I'm a little jealous - it's so icy here it's tough to get out for my normal walks.
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

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Octavia
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Re: Sharon's daily check-in

Post by Octavia » Sun Feb 10, 2019 7:28 pm

Hi Sharon, I think you’re doing fantastically. I often feel frustrated at how slow No S is, but that’s because it doesn’t work like a diet. Sometimes all I manage to do is keep the habits ticking over, with no weight loss at all, but on the other hand if I was trying to ‘diet’ in the normal sense, my weight would be down, up, down, up - much more damaging in the long run...and there’d probably be long periods of just giving up in exasperation. No S is so much better! And we get to really enjoy our food.

I can relate so much to your posts! :)

sharon227
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Re: Sharon's daily check-in

Post by sharon227 » Wed Feb 13, 2019 1:21 am

Thanks so much for the support, automatedeating and Octavia! It really helps! I am trying to focus on enjoying my food more. It's definitely true that if I can have as much as I want, I don't savor slowly the way I do when I know it's limited. And I'm with you about getting frustrated with the slow weight loss. But the real question is what is reasonable as my long-term lifestyle. So many diets claim they're also lifestyles, but for me they turn out not to be. After 10 months on NoS, I'm ready to explore that question.

I had a pretty good weekend. I ended up not having any sweets. Sunday night I was thinking I ought to have a square or two of dark chocolate since it was my last chance for a week :lol: . But I didn't really feel like it was going to be a wonderful treat at that time. I mostly didn't snack. I did have more than one plate at meals, though. Went out with friends Saturday night, and I had several pieces of bread, a glass of wine, plus a chicken and pasta dish (although the good news was that I brought home almost half the main plate). I left the table feeling fuller than usual but not stuffed, which is progress for me. A year ago, I'm pretty sure I would have been stuffed.

So I seem to be doing mostly OK with the no sweets during the week. I'm pretty OK with the no snacking -- there are definitely days that I want a snack but I can resist. And days I have what under strict NoS would be considered snacking. I had a couple of roasted brussel sprouts when they were ready tonight before the main dish was ready, although tried to leave some room on my plate for them afterwards. At least I was aware of it, and didn't spend the whole time I was cooking grazing, which I might have done before NoS.

I'm still going to experiment with pushing the boundaries of the one plate rule, because as I've said before, I can see that's not going to work for me in the long run. Sometimes at lunch I do like having a half sandwich, small salad, and small bowl of grapes on one plate. But if I'm having pasta for dinner, I don't really want to plop my orange on the same plate.

I'll see how it goes. I'm definitely not losing weight right now, which is fine as long as I start losing again in the spring.

automatedeating
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Re: Sharon's daily check-in

Post by automatedeating » Wed Feb 13, 2019 2:44 am

You know, Sharon, you can just call me Auto. :mrgreen: :lol:
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

sharon227
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Re: Sharon's daily check-in

Post by sharon227 » Wed Feb 13, 2019 1:52 pm

:lol: Will do, Auto!

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Re: Sharon's daily check-in

Post by sharon227 » Wed Feb 13, 2019 2:08 pm

Deciding that it's OK not to lose weight until spring has been very liberating. Ideally, I'd like to at least be back to my NoS low of 139 -- I'm about 3 lbs higher than that -- but meanwhile, my goal is not to gain. I am now proud of myself for maintenance, with the understanding that I'll resume my weight-loss efforts in a couple of months. Good practice for when I reach my goal weight and maintenance will be my permanent goal. I also feel freer to experiment with how I can translate "one plate" into "reasonable meal portion size" in a way that doesn't require too much thought or willpower but that I can live with in the long term. As I mentioned before, strict one plate isn't working for me, but I do need most of that structure.

Had a hefty plate of whole wheat pasta & part-skim mozzarella for dinner last night along with a pile of roasted brussel sprouts on the plate and space for an orange for dessert, which I had on a separate plate after. The pasta was tasty, and pre-NoS me would have had a smaller first portion, then a second portion, and probably some picking after that. NoS me ate the first portion more slowly, kind of sad that I knew I couldn't have seconds. And then when I finished the first portion, I realized that I wasn't hungry anymore and was actually sated. One thing the NoS structure has given me is much more mindfulness when I eat. Paying attention to my eating is super key to me making healthy, wise choices in what, how, and how much I eat. And instead of (only) feeling onerous, it's also key to me enjoying my food more.

I'm still trying to find a balance on when I weigh myself. I don't want to feel like I'm checking for scale "punishment" if I weigh every day, especially after an S Day. On the other hand, if I don't weigh for awhile, I easily fool myself that "things are going OK!" even when they're not. For now, I'm going to try weighing every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday and average those for my weekly weigh-in each week. Or maybe Wednesday, Thursday, Friday. Some three days not immediately after an S Day.

automatedeating
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Re: Sharon's daily check-in

Post by automatedeating » Wed Feb 13, 2019 3:10 pm

I also feel freer to experiment with how I can translate "one plate" into "reasonable meal portion size" in a way that doesn't require too much thought or willpower but that I can live with in the long term.
Yes - long-term sustainability is like hitting the jackpot! :-)
One thing the NoS structure has given me is much more mindfulness when I eat. It's also key to me enjoying my food more.
I completely relate to this!
I don't want to feel like I'm checking for scale "punishment" if I weigh every day, especially after an S Day. On the other hand, if I don't weigh for awhile, I easily fool myself that "things are going OK!" even when they're not.


The only tough thing I anticipate here is that having days you don't weigh is that then you have to think about whether it's a weigh day, which sucks some of our willpower for the day..... What about weighing T - S? Then take S and M off since those are the days we all see the upward blip? I just expect to see weight gain of 2 pounds over the weekend. If it were more than that, maybe I do need a wake-up call. If it's under that, I'm always surprised.
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

sharon227
Posts: 292
Joined: Fri May 18, 2018 12:13 pm

Re: Sharon's daily check-in

Post by sharon227 » Fri Feb 15, 2019 2:21 am

Thanks for the weigh-day advice. I'll see how it goes, but Tues-Thurs seems like it might work. It's fine if it's 1 or 2 days more or less. You're right that not weighing for awhile can have bad results, though, at least for me. I need to find a good balance between accountability and obsession :)

sharon227
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Re: Sharon's daily check-in

Post by sharon227 » Fri Feb 15, 2019 2:35 am

As I experiment to see what's going to work for me long-term, one-plate/no-seconds not-exactly-wise, I've decided to approach meal times in a new frame of mind: "How can I best enjoy this mealtime experience?" I have the understanding that food quantity is not limitless, but that does also boost its appeal, as Reinhard noted in the old saying that appetite is the best sauce.

I am a big believer in how we eat is very important, not only what we eat. Makes sense from an evolutionary perspective that if we were under duress and stress, storing fat would be useful; while if we were relaxed, things were probably good in the food department and our bodies didn't need to store. I'm really trying to be relaxed and mindful when I eat. I think that's part of the "French paradox." They may be enjoying lots of wine and bread and cheese and chocolate, but they do it sitting and paying attention, not wolfing down their food and treats in front of the TV or at the computer or in the car.

I splurged with time this morning and spent some precious morning minutes before work making myself a fruit salad to have with Greek yogurt, instead of pouring some cereal out of a box. I love fresh fruit with plain yogurt, and that was a nice start to the day.

I finally felt like I had enough energy to do some running intervals on the treadmill at the gym, after weeks of shaking off a cold and its after-effects. I'm a bit sore now, but that was great for my mood. Had a small salad with some tuna, a little cheese, and half a slice of whole grain bread with some olive-oil-based butter substitute I like.

It's Valentine's Day, so I did splurge at dinner.Hubby and I went to our favorite Chinese restaurant. I had a cup of soup and then piled my plate high with brown rice and great chicken dishes. It was a big serving, but I didn't have seconds or even pick at what was left on the serving platters (which I just about always did before NoS). Savored and enjoyed every bite. Was somewhere between full and stuffed. In other words, I ate too much but not hideously too much. Passed up wine with dinner, as I was more in the mood for indulging on food. I am saving the V'Day chocolates for the weekend.

I'm glad tomorrow isn't a weigh day, since I'm sure tonight's sodium fest wouldn't be pretty. And while I'm OK with not losing at the moment, I really don't want to gain.

I did weigh this morning and was down almost half a pound, but I'm sure I more than made up for that today.

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Re: Sharon's daily check-in

Post by automatedeating » Fri Feb 15, 2019 3:56 am

Happy Valentine's Day! Sounds like you had a really great day all around.
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

sharon227
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Re: Sharon's daily check-in

Post by sharon227 » Fri Feb 15, 2019 1:48 pm

Thanks! It was lovely.

sharon227
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Re: Sharon's daily check-in

Post by sharon227 » Sun Feb 17, 2019 7:44 pm

"How can I best enjoy this meal?" I am loving asking this question at mealtime. It's really helped me enjoy my meals more.

Answering that question often means having a single portion, because I've seen since starting NoS that I enjoy my food more when it's not unlimited. It means being mindful, paying attention to what I'm eating, eating slowly and savoring flavors with every bite. It means eating quality food and not junk. It means being relaxed and focused on my meal, not looking at a screen (TV or computer or phone). It means spending some thought on food presentation - a nice plate, nice silverware - and not eating out of a plastic container.

Interestingly, most of these are also strategies for weight loss (or weight maintenance). But shifting my attitude to think about enjoyment has been helpful. How you look at things really matters. "How can I increase my mealtime pleasure" has a much different feel to it than "what do I need to do so I lose weight?"

Next, I need to work on my feelings of guilt and "that's a bad choice" every time I have something that's not fresh fruit, fresh vegetable, low-fat dairy, very lean protein, healthy fats, or whole grain. I want to be OK with having some refined carbs and saturated fats, but in reasonable, moderate amounts. Yet I don't want to restrict all of those to only S Days. So this is another thing I need to find my way on.

We went out to dinner for a friend's birthday last night. I had several slices of bread before the meal (they were small, but I still should have stopped at 2). Meal was pasta with vegetables and a little chicken -- incredibly tasty, yet I still felt guilty for having the white-flour pasta and white-flour bread instead of some grilled fish.

I also had a glass and a half of wine with dinner and felt fine about that, probably because my history hasn't been indulging in alcohol, but indulging in high-fat, high-refined-carb foods.

I took home about a third of my main course,so at least I didn't eat too much. I didn't have dessert at the restaurant, and instead had some fresh fruit later after we got home. Objectively, that was a reasonable evening. Yet I'm still worried that my weight will be up when I next weigh in on Tuesday (especially since I had leftover Valentine's Day Chinese food for lunch today. Did someone say s-o-o-o-o-odium?).

I don't like that. I don't want to feel worried or concerned every time I treat myself. Hopefully, my weight won't be up next week, and it will be reinforcement that it's OK to have occasional treat meals in moderation.

automatedeating
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Re: Sharon's daily check-in

Post by automatedeating » Sun Feb 17, 2019 8:49 pm

Lots of good thoughts here. I can tell that just by putting these things down in your thread you are finding your way to something that will work for you. These things take time, as you know, but as you write you are actually making some changes to your relationship with food.

For me, eating pretty much the same foods every N Day relieves me of worrying about whether it's OK to eat something or not. So if you have a certain type of a food that you'd like to indulge in, you can have planned meals with those items. No biggie, no guilt, since they were planned.

And S Days and eating out - well, those things are a lower priority to organize, ya know? :-)
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

sharon227
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Re: Sharon's daily check-in

Post by sharon227 » Wed Feb 20, 2019 3:22 am

I did another "I'm not sure if I want Monday to be an S day or not" because of the Presidents' Day holiday yesterday. Ha. Whenever I say that to myself, it always ends up an S day. Why not just admit it at the outset?

Monday was an OK day. Had a cocktail with dinner instead of a glass of wine - very rarely do that - and we went out for Japanese food. Mostly healthy but loads more sodium. Had one and a half small squares of chocolate for dessert.

I peeked at the scale this morning and it was brutal. I'm not counting it as an official weigh day for tracking - that will be Wed-Fri this week - but it was certainly a wake-up call that if I go out to eat 4 days in a row because I'm tired of cooking, indulging in lots of white-flour bread and pasta and salty foods, that's not the way to achieve my goals.

I was back on track today. Whole-grain cereal with half a banana and low-fat milk for breakfast. Tuna sandwich with a small piece of low-fat cheese and a few grapes for lunch. Homemade lentil soup, slice of whole-grain bread with olive-oil-butter-like-spread and a pear for dinner. No snacking except a couple of plain baby carrots while I was making the lentil soup, which I'm fine with. Took a 30-minute walk at lunchtime.

I hope the scale is a bit less gruesome tomorrow.

Thisisnotabadidea-
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Re: Sharon's daily check-in

Post by Thisisnotabadidea- » Wed Feb 20, 2019 3:45 am

Ugh I totally get that feeling of indulging and the scale calling you out for it :roll: . I'm hoping my 2ish pound gain will fall off soon too

sharon227
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Re: Sharon's daily check-in

Post by sharon227 » Wed Feb 20, 2019 1:05 pm

So easy for the scale to jump after a couple of days of indulgence, and so slow for it to come down again! Good luck on yours as well!

Scale for me was down a pound from yesterday's horror but still up 2 from last week and +4 from my November, pre-holiday NoS low. I am curious to see if I will get back to last week's number by Friday. If so, it will be a good gauge as to what's a reasonable holiday-weekend indulgence level for weight maintenance. When I'm back trying to lose at the end of next month (start of spring), I'll know that I'll need to keep indulgences a bit better in check if I want to start losing again.

I have to admit that I'm disappointed "vanilla NoS" doesn't work for me to lose weight. But after 10 months of this, it's pretty clear that I need to be careful about the types of foods that I eat, not just quantity (and timing), beyond limiting sweets. Even when I ramp up my exercise intensity, I simply can't fill up 3 plates of food a day with whatever I want, if what I want includes a lot of white-flour carbs, rich sauces, and sodium.

There's no use in whining too much about it. I need to focus on the fact that I do know what works -- significantly cutting back on refined carbs, trying to have most meals home cooked, and not eating until truly full (even if the food fits on a single plate). So the question isn't what to do, but how. More specifically, how do I make this something that I can live with for the rest of my life without feeling resentful and deprived?

margot17
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Re: Sharon's daily check-in

Post by margot17 » Wed Feb 20, 2019 3:43 pm

sharon227 wrote:
Wed Feb 20, 2019 1:05 pm
I have to admit that I'm disappointed "vanilla NoS" doesn't work for me to lose weight. But after 10 months of this,
Would you say more that compliance is harder to achieve consistently long-term, after the novelty wears off, or that if one is rather close to the goal weight vanilla Nos may and may not be enough? just curious of what could be waiting for me down the line.

automatedeating
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Re: Sharon's daily check-in

Post by automatedeating » Wed Feb 20, 2019 5:38 pm

Sharon - I feel your pain. I also had to face that Vanilla NoS was not adequate for me without looking at the types of food I was eating. And I waited 4 years before making that decision, so you are moving much quicker along the journey that I did. :-)

Margot - I feel that compliance has only gotten easier over the years.
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

sharon227
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Re: Sharon's daily check-in

Post by sharon227 » Thu Feb 21, 2019 2:07 am

Margot, I'm in this for less than 10 months, so you're better off taking the word of someone like Auto about long-term compliance. So far for me, compliance with no snacking and no sweets during the week has gotten easier. I'm still feeling my way with the one plate.

If I look back honestly, Vanilla NoS has never really worked for me to lose weight. A pile of refined carbs or super-rich food (even if not desserts) simply won't work if I want to lose. The good news is that I feel so much better physically when I make healthy food choices and don't stuff myself. The key is to find ways to enjoy those foods while I'm eating them, not just after. And to figure out what to do when I don't feel like cooking. There certainly are options that don't involve calling in for pizza.

Auto, you're right about not waiting too long between weigh-ins. The scale going up this week was an excellent reminder that I need to get back to basics if I want to achieve my goals. I think 3 days a week instead of 3 days every other week may be the way to go.

Happy to say that I made more healthy choices today - leftover homemade lentil soup with slice of bread and some grapes and bit of low-fat cheese for lunch. Today was a strength-training day at the gym, I came home very hungry. In addition to take-out salad and grilled chicken with some Italian dressing, I had some low-fat cheese for protein and a pear for dessert. I also took a short walk at lunchtime today because it was sunny, even though it was also cold and there are still some icy spots. It really helps my mood if I can take a break mid-day and get out in the sun.

28 days until Spring.

margot17
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Location: France

Re: Sharon's daily check-in

Post by margot17 » Thu Feb 21, 2019 10:54 am

That's good to hear, Auto and Sharon, very encouraging.

When I don't feel like cooking and it's a family dinner or with friends but informal, I like using those things like a fondue set (there are many types of fondue! not only the cheesy one), or something to grill things on the table (we used to have one in stone, very pretty, if not look for things for tepanyaki). We bought once something genial, on the border between Thailand and Burma, where while the meat cooks, the juices are gathered to make a soup, we took it to Europe and then must have lost somewhere, but I saw a westernized version on amazon. People just love messing with cooking while at the table! they get all suddenly excited! and you just need to serve the meats and veggies, and several choices of dressing and mustard, done. Plus some good bread and you could put that too on the plaque and make many types of bruschetta.
On the same line of thinking, if it's too much hussle to cut the vegetables for a salad, you can get yourself organized for making pinzimonio, which is super-nice imo. You need small bowls so that everyone has his own and makes his own dressing, and a big plate where to put the uncut (or cut in big chunks) veggies. In Italy, they use coffee cups (italian coffee so the very small ones) when they don't have the bowls.

sharon227
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Re: Sharon's daily check-in

Post by sharon227 » Fri Feb 22, 2019 1:29 am

Good ideas. Sometimes I just don't feel like shopping, cooking, or cleaning up at all after a full day/week of working.

The scale was down another half pound today. that makes it another pound and a half to get back to my February low and 4 lbs or so to my NoS low. It's possible this long weekend of indulgence would in fact be fine once in awhile, maybe once a month maximum, when my goal is to maintain my weight. It's probably going to delay things too much when I'm trying to lose, though. But that's still reasonably encouraging. I don't need to be perfect over the long haul in order to maintain. I do need to be mostly very, very good while I'm trying to lose, though.

I had a not unhealthy / not healthy day today. No good vegetables in the house and I wasn't up for grocery shopping. I had Japanese leftovers for lunch -- not much, but I'm sure it was more than enough sodium that I may skip tomorrow's weigh-in -- along with a small bowl of fresh fruit. Dinner was a big heaping portion of whole wheat pasta with sauce, cheese, and sun-dried tomatoes, along with a glass of white wine. Portion was probably a bit too much if not an actual pigfest. It wasn't unhealthy, but lack of vegetables made it not very healthy either. I think that's fine occasionally, but I do think I need to have more vegetables than this overall.

Did some stretching exercises inside and went out for a half-hour walk at lunchtime. But I spent pretty much the entire rest of the day sitting, except when making dinner, since I worked at home today. That's not healthy. I'm not close to a 10,000-step day (although I did make it to 8200).

margot17
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Location: France

Re: Sharon's daily check-in

Post by margot17 » Fri Feb 22, 2019 9:39 am

sharon227 wrote:
Fri Feb 22, 2019 1:29 am
Good ideas. Sometimes I just don't feel like shopping, cooking, or cleaning up at all after a full day/week of working.
I hear you! our internal rule is that the one who cooks won't deal with setting and clearing the table or cleaning up. So I have an extra motivation for cooking as I like much less doing the other two.

sharon227
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Re: Sharon's daily check-in

Post by sharon227 » Fri Feb 22, 2019 1:51 pm

Margot, we had a rule like that also. But then my husband and I each gravitated toward our own special equipment when we cook - I have my slow cooker and now my Instant Pot, while he likes his indoor grill, and we each have pots and pans we like the most (I'm a bit picky about the cookware that was originally my Mom's). So the one who cooks tends to do at least some of the major cleanup. He still does make dinner sometimes, but I've started doing more of it because his meals tend to be more protein-focused than mine.

sharon227
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Re: Sharon's daily check-in

Post by sharon227 » Fri Feb 22, 2019 2:11 pm

So I decided to suck it up and get on the scale this morning after my vegetable-free pile 'o whole wheat pasta and cheese for dinner last night (unless you count tomatoes as a vegetable, which I don't). First I gave myself a pep talk that this weigh-in should be viewed as informational and not punitive, with the point being for me to continue to see what works for weight loss, what works for weight maintenance, and what just isn't going to work except very occasionally.

Much to my surprise, I was down another pound! It is somewhat ironic that after I decided I'm fine with maintaining until Spring, I'm losing the weight I gained earlier this month. Hmmm. Could it be that focusing on meal enjoyment and not stressing about weight loss or feeling guilty if I enjoy my food has some benefits?

It seems pretty clear that evidence is pointing to a need to drastically limit my refined carbs, at least while I'm trying to lose weight. I keep trying to push the envelope on that, but at this point, it's pretty obvious. That doesn't mean refined carbs are "evil" or "forbidden" and that I should feel guilty whenever I have them. I don't want to think about any food like that (well, except for sodas and trans fats, but I truly don't want either of those in my diet at all, and they're not.) It does mean that I ought to think about adding refined carbs to the S Day only list, and even then limiting them while I'm trying to lose, though.

Auto, I can see why you waited awhile to conclude that Vanilla No S didn't work for you. The idea of being to eat anything enjoyable except sweets that fits on a plate is very compelling. And probably if you're a guy - especially if you're a guy in your 20s or 30s or 40s - that works for weight loss. I think it would have worked for me in my 20s or 30s, maybe even my 40s if I was doing a lot of exercise daily. But it doesn't now. Wishing otherwise, and reading stories about how that works for other people, doesn't make it so for me.

My sister has started following "Forks Over Knives," which I'd never heard of. It's vegan while also trying to eliminate processed foods - even vegetable oils, which I can't say I agree with. I can't see myself doing that. But I like the idea of trying to maybe do one or two vegan days during the week. I'm already trying to have some meatless days, and using meat more as a "condiment" than the focus of my meal. The idea of eliminating even healthy low-fat yogurt (which I love) doesn't seem very appealing. I can see how I might try cutting back on cheese, though, even if it's low fat.

automatedeating
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Re: Sharon's daily check-in

Post by automatedeating » Sat Feb 23, 2019 1:51 am

It sounds like you are finding your way, and maybe we can just consider tinkering to be part of the fun.
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

sharon227
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Re: Sharon's daily check-in

Post by sharon227 » Sat Feb 23, 2019 2:09 am

I like that framing, Auto! Tinkering is part of the fun!! :lol: :lol:

Thisisnotabadidea-
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Re: Sharon's daily check-in

Post by Thisisnotabadidea- » Sat Feb 23, 2019 5:05 am

Ironically I also find that when I say "okay I'm fine with maintaining this weight" my body drops another pound suddenly! I don't know if it related or what but it seems to always happen. I started out trying to maintain 137 for awhile and now here I am at 131 :lol:

sharon227
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Re: Sharon's daily check-in

Post by sharon227 » Sat Feb 23, 2019 3:26 pm

Wow, congratulations! Oh how I'd love to be at 131, that is such a great weight for me.

But funny, isn't it?

I'm coming to believe that a lack of stress and guilt is part of what Americans see as "the French paradox" (along with reasonable portions, eating more real food, and not snacking) -- that being relaxed and enjoying your food, instead of having stress hormones swimming around your body when you sit down for a meal and worry about what you're eating, makes your body react differently. It makes it more likely we can eat enjoyable foods in moderation without gaining weight.

I can't remember where I read it, maybe "French Women Don't Get Fat," abouta survey asking what people thought of when they heard "chocolate cake." Most common French woman answer was "celebration" and most common American woman answer was "guilt." How sad is that?

I really want to change my mindset to focus on enjoyment while I eat and feeling good after I eat.

Meanwhile, I've noticed that I've pretty much gotten out of the habit of snacking. My early S days, I couldn't wait to go back to my usual style of eating and grab food out of the pantry or fridge throughout the day. It was really difficult not to eat between lunch and dinner or after dinner. Now "grazing" feels really odd. I might add a planned snack mid-afternoon on the weekends, sitting down and purposefully enjoying something, but standing at the open fridge picking at grapes or a piece of cheese somehow feels a bit uncivilized. I'm very thankful to NoS for that!

automatedeating
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Re: Sharon's daily check-in

Post by automatedeating » Sat Feb 23, 2019 4:33 pm

My early S days, I couldn't wait to go back to my usual style of eating and grab food out of the pantry or fridge throughout the day. It was really difficult not to eat between lunch and dinner or after dinner. Now "grazing" feels really odd. I might add a planned snack mid-afternoon on the weekends, sitting down and purposefully enjoying something, but standing at the open fridge picking at grapes or a piece of cheese somehow feels a bit uncivilized.
This is great!
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

jenji
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Location: Cambridge

Re: Sharon's daily check-in

Post by jenji » Sat Feb 23, 2019 11:50 pm

Maybe I could emulate you and add in some lunchtime walks. I like that idea but rarely do it.
I'm a 53-year-old mom and non-profit CEO
I am 5' 7.5"
Began No S at 184#, BMI 28.4 - 9/25/2017
Current weight: 181#, BMI 27.9, 12/19/2022

sharon227
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Re: Sharon's daily check-in

Post by sharon227 » Wed Feb 27, 2019 2:45 am

Yes, Jen! Lunchtime walks! Makes such a difference in the day!

Weather was too cold and windy today, so I did a lunchtime gym session instead, but definitely improved my afternoon mood.

And thanks, Auto!

Unfortunately, my weight has ticked back up again. I'm a grand total of 2.5 lbs down since I started NoS in May. I wasn't expecting to lose 4 lbs a month, but maybe more than 4 ounces a month?

On the bright side, I have learned a lot about better eating habits. And instead of my weight creeping up this year, it crept down a bit. But still. This is very disappointing.

So, where do I go from here? I'm going to continue to work on maintenance until spring starts. Then I'm considering doing South Beach for a few weeks to try to kick start a weight loss. I'd like to be at least a pound or two lower than when I weighed in at the doctor's last November when I go back to the doctor in May. Right now I'm 4 lbs higher. Ugh.

Had a take-out salad with grilled chicken from the gym cafeteria for lunch after my workout. Went out to dinner with friends tonight. Decided I wanted to enjoy a small bowl of onion soup with cheese as an appetizer, so I had salmon with white beans and arugula for dinner (which I enjoyed a lot). I'm guessing there was a lot of sodium in everything, though. I'm thinking I'll skip the weigh-in tomorrow and weigh Thursday and Friday. Another uptick sending me basically back to where I started and I may just give up altogether.

Soprano
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Re: Sharon's daily check-in

Post by Soprano » Wed Feb 27, 2019 4:24 am

Starting a diet seems like a slippery slope to me though i can understand your disappointment. Like you I gained over the festive period and accepted losses would be less until spring. It doesn't have to be that way though, small adjustments and you should be able to kick start losses again.

Rather than diet have you considered missing the odd meal a week. My losses were helped by skipping breakfast one day a week?

Jx
Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.

sharon227
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Re: Sharon's daily check-in

Post by sharon227 » Tue Mar 05, 2019 4:13 am

Thanks for the suggestions. I've been thinking a lot about how I want to go forward. I do think I need to do something to "jump start" my weight-loss journey -- nothing radical or crazy, and no weighing, measuring, or counting.

But I know that when I limit my carbs I tend to lose weight. It's something I've learned over many years, and it would be foolish to ignore. I think it's reasonable to expand the NoS on sweets to white flour/refined carbohydrates for awhile. Not going crazy looking at labels on everything, but keeping those to more occasional treats while I'm trying to lose. And I still may try 2 weeks of South Beach Phase I again. I did like how I felt after that the first two times I did it.

Had a big family dinner last night and ate too much. Made a lot of healthy choices today - fruit and plain yogurt for breakfast, leftover fish with salad for lunch, homemade lentil soup for dinner (with no piece of bread this time). I'm a little hungry now, but I should be able to tough it out until tomorrow.

Soprano
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Re: Sharon's daily check-in

Post by Soprano » Tue Mar 05, 2019 9:39 pm

Reducing refined carbs sounds like a good plan :)

Jx
Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.

sharon227
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Re: Sharon's daily check-in

Post by sharon227 » Wed Mar 06, 2019 11:31 am

Thanks! I’m continuing to think about this. I do want to cut way back on white flour and other refined carbs. But I don’t want to be one of those people who can’t eat this, can’t eat that, can’t eat the other thing (except on weekends).

Sweets turned out to be pretty easy to cut out, logistically, during the week. No meal is based around sweets (or shouldn’t be.) But what if friends are going out for sushi during the week, or there's pizza for lunch at work? Am I always going to be saying no or not having any? Maybe the answer for me here is ... moderation. Making my default choice not refined carbs but not getting myself crazy about it, and keeping any portions of it during the week to a small part of my plate.

automatedeating
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Re: Sharon's daily check-in

Post by automatedeating » Wed Mar 06, 2019 3:54 pm

Going out for meals and being in social situations is always going to derail people. I approach my eating choices according to the "normal" day, and don't let my fear of a social situation affect my normal eating plan. That way, whatever happens when I go out is not considered part of my real eating plan. That said, at this point I don't care what people think of how I eat, I know what works for me. But I guess my suggestion is to just figure out what you want to do on a regular day, not the going-out stuff. Then you'll know your "N". :-) Don't get down on yourself about the odd situations in the course of a week. Maybe just stay straight Vanilla in those situations and call it good.

As far as having to read packages, I promise I rarely do! By cutting out refined foods, you end up eating stuff that just looks like ... food. No need to read a label.

And then - back to the going out thing. Nobody ever asks me anything, bugs me at all. For example, I went to Mexican restaurant Monday because a co-worker is leaving. I just found something on the menu that worked for me. No one at the table asked or said anything. It was completely no big deal. I think when we are confident (and maybe discreet if fitting in is a big deal to you), people just go along with whatever seems to making you happy.

And lastly - we have to find foods we love! Without that, reducing other things that we love (or used to love, in my case) - only feels like deprivation. That's no long-term solution.

You're finding and forging your own path. That is so empowering and one of the powerful strengths of the NoS approach to life. :-)
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

sharon227
Posts: 292
Joined: Fri May 18, 2018 12:13 pm

Re: Sharon's daily check-in

Post by sharon227 » Thu Mar 07, 2019 4:38 am

A lot of good thoughts there. And it's true that usually it's reasonably easy to find a healthy choice when I go out to eat. I think the question for me now is how much do I want to. I'd like it to become as automatic as not having sweets during the week, but it's a little more involved. So Auto you have a good idea to focus now on my "regular days" first. When i've got that down, I'll think about a plan for restaurants (parties will likely be S Days).

There was pizza, salad, and cookies at a work meeting today. I had 1 slice of pizza (and left over a little crust :D ), a pile of salad, and no cookie or soda. Salad and grilled chicken for dinner. Just a banana for breakfast since I was in a rush. Too cold to want to exercise outside today, so I did half an hour on the treadmill at the gym after work.

sharon227
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Re: Sharon's daily check-in

Post by sharon227 » Sat Mar 09, 2019 5:20 am

I am back to my mid-December weight -- probably briefly, but for this morning only a pound and a half from my pre-holiday NoS weight. That is certainly better than I'd been doing. I've been cutting down on refined carbs and trying to cut down on my portions a bit. Ended up having pasta and seafood plus 2 pieces of bread, and a glass of wine, the day before last and yet I'm still down. I vowed to enjoy the meal, not feel guilty about what I was eating, but not eat until I was stuffed. I think that along with being relaxed and enjoying the whole experience helped me not overeat, since I was paying attention to my food (in order to enjoy every bite).

Had leftovers for lunch and then a big salad with grilled chicken for dinner. Probably ate too much of the salad, but given that we were at a restaurant and I didn't have bread or sides or anything to drink except club soda, could have been worse.

I'm still feeling sluggish, though. Working a lot of overtime and not doing as much exercise and just regular movement as usual, since it's been so cold out. Spring can't come soon enough.

automatedeating
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Re: Sharon's daily check-in

Post by automatedeating » Sat Mar 09, 2019 2:17 pm

Spring can't come soon enough.
Agreed! We had another big snow yesterday, but it literally melted away in one day. This morning I was imagining what it will be like to get ready for work and be able to wear fewer layers. And then I imagined the feel of the sun's warmth on my face. Ahhh
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

sharon227
Posts: 292
Joined: Fri May 18, 2018 12:13 pm

Re: Sharon's daily check-in

Post by sharon227 » Tue Apr 02, 2019 12:34 pm

Still not much spring here!

I was away for awhile - first on business, then extended the trip to take a short vacation, and then I came back sick. Happy to say I'm mostly over it.

My exercise plan has been disrupted quite a bit, although I was walking while away and did a nice run right before I got sick. My eating was mostly OK - not exactly on plan but pretty reasonable all in all. I attended an event Sunday night with a sweets buffet for dessert, and that was unfortunate. I definitely ate more than I should have -- and when I say "should have," I'm not talking about guilt issues, but actual "I ate so much that I didn't feel great afterwards". I also ate too much on the airplane with the unlimited snacks, didn't feel so light and energetic after a couple of bags of crap. Truly now, if I pay attention to my body and how I feel, that will be a good guide for my S Days. Now that I have the measure of what's normal on N days.

My weight remains about 5.5 lbs down from when I first started NoS. While the overall number feels disappointingly small, I have to keep in mind that I've usually been gaining a bit after each winter. Being down at the end of winter is still an achievement, even if I wish I was down more.

After almost 11 months of this, no sweets and no snacks during the week feel pretty normal now. Mondays can still be a challenge - sometimes I'm grateful to get back to the structure, other times it's a struggle to go back to the usual "rules", and sometimes it's a bit of both. Now I find that an afternoon cup of tea is often enough to get through to dinner. Especially if I have it in a nice glass or china cup. Presentation matters.

I will occasionally snack on veggies as I'm cooking them if I'm very hungry, then trying to leave room on my plate for them. That's technically off plan, but if the overall meal is healthy with at least half my plate veggies/fruit, I'm OK with it.

No seconds is still a challenge -- usually not because I want to take a second helping of the main meal (although sometimes I still want to), but because I like having a multi-course meal with a separate salad and/or dessert (of fruit and/or cheese). I'd probably lose weight faster if I stuck to the rules 100%, but I'm trying to find a healthy, traditional way of eating that I can live with for life. I don't want to be obsessing about food anymore. Trying to arrange my dinner so I can cram an orange or bunch of grapes on the plate doesn't feel natural or traditional (although for some reason, doing so for lunch generally feels OK, probably because so many restaurant lunches can be one-plate-only affairs).

I hope to get back to losing as the weather finally gets nicer.

Soprano
Posts: 1184
Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2018 8:56 pm
Location: UK

Re: Sharon's daily check-in

Post by Soprano » Tue Apr 02, 2019 12:48 pm

Great to hear from you. My story has been similar to yours. I've not got to my nos lowest since Christmas but am 11lbs lighter than when I started last March. I'm going to start walking again soon and have maintained my yoga.

If I am lighter this time next year it will do me.

Well done

Jx
Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Re: Sharon's daily check-in

Post by automatedeating » Tue Apr 02, 2019 2:38 pm

For a long time my NoS signature was "NoS keeps me from gaining weight". And believe it or not, that was sufficiently feel-good for me for a long time!
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

margot17
Posts: 207
Joined: Wed Jan 30, 2019 8:14 pm
Location: France

Re: Sharon's daily check-in

Post by margot17 » Tue Apr 02, 2019 4:40 pm

Hi welcome back Sharon!
So Auto, THAT'S HOW you managed to stick to Nos for years even though you werent losing weight. I often wondered!

sharon227
Posts: 292
Joined: Fri May 18, 2018 12:13 pm

Re: Sharon's daily check-in

Post by sharon227 » Wed Apr 03, 2019 11:02 pm

Thanks, all! Soprano, 11 lbs down is really awesome. Congratulations! And Auto, that's a good point. When I get back my goal weight, I already know that I have the skills to maintain, and a lifestyle that I can envision keeping long term. Meanwhile I need to find some additional small tweaks that will help me lose again. Although I suspect that the nice weather will help. Like most of us, I naturally eat lighter when it's warm and sunny. Plus, I just do a ton of extra movement -- "unofficial exercise" puttering around the yard, being out with friends walking around and so on. Lose in the warm weather and maintain in the cold seems reasonable, and a lot better than maintain when it's warm and gain when it's cold, which is what happened the last few years.

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Re: Sharon's daily check-in

Post by automatedeating » Thu Apr 04, 2019 3:27 pm

I feel like I am one of those rare humans that always eats more in the spring and even in the summer. Like I said somewhere else, I see myself as a blundering bear that has come out of hibernation and instinctively wants to stuff her face and put on fat for 6 months. :shock:
When I look at my weight charts over the years, spring is a killer for my weight. I consistently gain 5 pounds spring quarter. My goal is to NOT do that this year!
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

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

Re: Sharon's daily check-in

Post by oolala53 » Thu Apr 04, 2019 7:20 pm

Hello, Sharon! Browsing around and saying hi. Just noting that our bodies sure seem to have their own ideas about how much to weigh and how much of it is fat. It can do all kinds of things to thwart our efforts. But in our food rich culture, being willy nilly about it is not going to lead to any kind of satisfaction, either.

I haven’t read every post so I don’t know if anybody else said this, but doesn’t seem very unnatural to arrange your plate so that your fruit would fit on it for your meal, but then to actually put the fruit on another plate or in a bowl or something? Not that it’s a big deal.

Here’s to a strong April.
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)

sharon227
Posts: 292
Joined: Fri May 18, 2018 12:13 pm

Re: Sharon's daily check-in

Post by sharon227 » Fri Apr 05, 2019 2:23 am

Hi Oolala and thanks for stopping by. You're right about leaving space on the plate, which isn't the same as balancing it on the plate. But I guess I draw the line at my entree salad or a reasonably sized soup bowl. Maybe I need to do that too if I want to keep losing, and go back to these habits once I want to maintain in the long term.

Auto, that's so interesting! I guess people do indeed react differently to the change of seasons. Assuming the season ever changes here. I'm still waiting for spring. We're in that period where it's definitely not the dead of winter anymore, but still doesn't feel like spring between the lack of color and the cold winds still blowing.

Went out to eat tonight and had half a large and very tasty salad with grilled chicken (good; already have my healthy lunch for tomorrow too), a glass of white wine (also good), and a couple of pieces of bread dipped in olive oil (would have been better to stop at one).

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Re: Sharon's daily check-in

Post by automatedeating » Sat Apr 20, 2019 3:50 am

Hi Sharon!
I was just realizing I haven't seen you on the boards in a bit and wanted to say hi. Hope your spring is still going well!
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

sharon227
Posts: 292
Joined: Fri May 18, 2018 12:13 pm

Re: Sharon's daily check-in

Post by sharon227 » Tue May 28, 2019 1:05 pm

Thank you so much, auto! Things got really busy, and I felt like I wanted to focus less on my eating and make it more of a natural habit. But overall things going pretty well. Hope same for you. I had my one-year-later check-up with the doctor who recommended NoS to me last year and it went really well! I posted details in the testimonials area.

Now I need to get back on track after my Memorial Day weekend S Days splurges.

sharon227
Posts: 292
Joined: Fri May 18, 2018 12:13 pm

Re: Sharon's daily check-in

Post by sharon227 » Fri Jun 21, 2019 1:57 pm

It feels like it's taken forever, although really just 13 months so far, but I'm finally getting close to a truly great weight for me -- one that I maintained for a number of years until various life crises (death of both my parents and one of my best friends all within less than a year and a half) triggered some serious emotional eating that lasted quite awhile. 2 more pounds and I'll be at my old, final Weight Watchers goal weight. 6 more pounds and I'd be truly ecstatic -- my WW goal from several decades ago. I'd given up on ever seeing that again, but now it actually seems possible. Might not be for another year, but I'm no longer in a rush, since I'm already reasonably satisfied with my weight. I feel a noticeable difference from 10 lbs ago.

Long days, warm weather -- that's my best chance at losing weight, since I'm doing my most exercise and incidental movement (not "official" exercise, just out and about a lot) and am happy to eat light. So I'm really motivated, at least to drop another 2. I'm not only mostly sticking to the rules, but cutting way back on carbs. An important thing is that this time, I'm not looking forward to "finishing" and then going back to most of my old eating habits. Instead, I'm looking forward to my NoS eating habits when I wasn't losing weight but only maintaining :lol: -- having bread and pasta several N days a week as well as on S days.

It was so hard for me to stop snacking. Which makes sense, since I'd spent years grazing. I still miss it at times, and often snack on S days. But now it's mindful snacking -- at least I'm aware of all my between-meal eating because it's not just mindless habit. And I rarely feel guilty when I have reasonable indulgences, which is REALLY important. Feeling guilty for enjoying a treat is a terrible thing. Now I'm finally beginning to learn how to indulge in some things in moderation, and to know which things I have moderation problems with.

This is all easy to say now, though. I'll see how it works out during the carb-craving cold dark days of late fall and winter. If I could manage to maintain and not gain, that would be super. My other goal for 2019-2020.

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Re: Sharon's daily check-in

Post by automatedeating » Fri Jun 21, 2019 2:58 pm

You sound like you are in a really good place, Sharon! So happy to hear this update and your contentment.
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

sharon227
Posts: 292
Joined: Fri May 18, 2018 12:13 pm

Re: Sharon's daily check-in

Post by sharon227 » Sun Jun 30, 2019 7:28 pm

Thanks, Auto!! It's been a rough week the last week, though. My husband's father died last weekend. While it's not the same wrenching emotional blow as losing my own parents, it's been very stressful and sad. He was a wonderful man who treated me like a daughter, and I will miss him a lot. We were out of town for a week for the funeral and aftermath.

Eating-wise, I was far from perfect but haven't veered totally off the rails. Funeral day I gave up and called it an S day from the outset. Had a couple of small tastes of sweets the next day. Otherwise I was doing no sweets and mostly no snacks although definitely having more than one plate of food at dinner. We ate out several nights at a place with multi-course dinners, including choice of desserts, and I had fresh fruit instead of cake or pie every night and either soup or salad for appetizer. I did dive into the bread basket, which I normally wouldn't have done. I definitely did not cut down on refined carbs last week. But I give myself credit for not going hog wild. Friday was a big family lunch and I had 2 plates of food but passed up the desserts.

This weekend I have been taking advantage of S days but haven't gone too wild with sweets. Bowl of frozen yogurt last night, small square of fudge as a snack today (so far). Determined to get back to regular N days this week until Independence Day Thursday.

Times like this it's definitely helpful for me to have the accountability of the bulletin boards.

Whosonfirst
Posts: 538
Joined: Thu Nov 16, 2006 12:32 pm

Re: Sharon's daily check-in

Post by Whosonfirst » Sun Jun 30, 2019 8:17 pm

Sorry for your loss. Sounds like you have been doing well.
https://twitter.com/SipeEngineering
Current weight(9/2020)-212 lbs.
Goal Weight- 205 lbs.
NoS Goal: >= 80% Success days

sharon227
Posts: 292
Joined: Fri May 18, 2018 12:13 pm

Re: Sharon's daily check-in

Post by sharon227 » Wed Jul 03, 2019 12:39 pm

Thank you @Whosonfirst.

sharon227
Posts: 292
Joined: Fri May 18, 2018 12:13 pm

Re: Sharon's daily check-in

Post by sharon227 » Wed Jul 03, 2019 12:50 pm

It's been another tough week emotionally as we deal with the loss of my father-in-law. Grief can be so physically as well as emotionally exhausting. I'm proud of myself for not trying to 'cope' by consuming large quantities of junk food to spike my blood sugar and give me temporary energy. That's one kind of amazing thing NoS has done for me. I seem to have basic habits now of not snacking or having sweets during weekdays. And while I do violate that from time to time, some of the habits are pretty much sticking, at least so far. I'm not so foolish as to think that an unexpected tragedy couldn't knock me off my healthy choices (my father-in-law was in declining health so I can't say this was out-of-the-blue unexpected, and there is a bit of balance to it all in knowing he lived a long full life even as no matter how long a loved one lives, sometimes it never feels long enough), but meanwhile I think I'm handling this grief better than I would have before NoS.

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