Newbie with S-day Questions

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

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jakmaw
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Joined: Sun May 08, 2005 9:21 pm

Newbie with S-day Questions

Post by jakmaw » Sun May 08, 2005 9:36 pm

Hi, All. I stumbled on No-S a couple of weeks ago and LOVE IT! As an eternal snacker, I thought I could never do it, but it has been easy and actually quite freeing.

However, I think my S-days are a bit out of hand. Being so afraid I will feel deprived if I don't take fairly full advantage of my S-day, I think I'm just putting back on any weight I lost during my 5 No-D days. Not binging my guts out, but doing everything I'm not doing during the week.

I'd like to hear from any of you on how you handle S-days without defeating the whole program. Thanks.

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Jammin' Jan
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Post by Jammin' Jan » Sun May 08, 2005 9:47 pm

Maybe you could just pick one thing to do on your s day that is not allowed on a no-s day. For example, have a little sweet on Saturday, and then a little snack on Sunday. But don't do more than one each day. Would this work for you?

I'm new here, too, and I think this is the most reasonable program I've ever seen!

jakmaw
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Post by jakmaw » Mon May 09, 2005 12:11 pm

Thanks, Jan and Navin. Navin, you are doing so great. You are probably right that I should not get too crazed about s-days for the moment and just aim to stay with the whole concept, which I am doing. But Jan, you have a good point. If I see that indeed I can't get away with 2 days of "freedom", I think I will need to narrow my parameters without being so strict that I feel deprived (which, as I mentioned, is a sure way for me to screw up any food plan).

This is such a great approach and seems the most normal and doable of anything I've ever tried, and I'm even fairly willing to be patient to see results (another thing I'm very bad at).

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reinhard
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Post by reinhard » Mon May 09, 2005 12:30 pm

Welcome jakmaw,

I wouldn't worry too much about this. I think there's more danger in heaping on extra restrictions than in compensatory weekend overeating. Yes, it's physically possible to make up for all your weekday virtue on the weekend, but I think it's very unlikely without deliberate sabotoge. I don't worry at all about what I eat on weekends (except to make sure to get what I most want), and I've lost over 40 pounds. The first few weekends may be a little out of control, but your weekday habits will start to kick in after a while. So keeping the weekdays strict is the best thing you can do for your weekends. The threshold for "too much" will gradually get lower. You'll be less used to brownies, so it'll only take 2 instead of 6 to make you feel delightfully gluttonous. The panic you describe, of missing an opportunity to enjoy some special treat, recedes after you realize it's not such a privation to go without for a bit, that it's never that long till the next opportunity, that there really are plenty of opportunities.

One thing I would recommend is make sure to get something you really and specifically want on S days, not to just go on auto pilot and start eating everything within reach. If you give yourself what you most want, you'll be less likely to start eating everything you kinda sorta maybe want. Get a scoop of "super premium" ice cream with all the fixin's your heart desires instead of a tub of "value," or whatever else happens to be lying around. By giving it what it most wants, your appetite won't feel cheated and resentful, and pounce at lesser temptations. This works better both on the enjoyment level and on the calorie control level, and it's the opposite of restriction.

Hope this helps, keep us posted,

Reinhard

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reinhard
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Post by reinhard » Mon May 09, 2005 12:40 pm


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Jammin' Jan
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Post by Jammin' Jan » Mon May 09, 2005 1:40 pm

Reinhard, I sure do like your approach!

jools
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Post by jools » Mon May 09, 2005 6:22 pm

ahh you cute newbies- as someone once put it- take care of the N days and the s days will take care of themselves- remember N-days are for being comically strict so s days can be just that- free of strictness- dont worry yourselves about putting everything back on you lost over the week-it probably wasnt that much to begin with anyways.
remember this isnt a race to lose this is a total lifestyle change- it takes time and lots of it- some of you will find it easy to give up the snacks and some the sweets etc... we are conquering habits here which leads to weight loss over time- remember our leader lost 40# but that wasnt immediately it was over the course of 2 years i believe. Slow loss is better that fast loss even though society tells us differently.

I remember my first few ss days were fun- i was eating guilt free for the first time since i was a kid lol. :lol:

There is freedom on this EP to live and enjoy life, food and even exercise.
There are no SSS police coming around to see what you are chowing down. so enjoy then for what they were created for. and remember eventually S days arent a temptation to over do but to just enjoy :D

hope this helps
Jools

jakmaw
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Post by jakmaw » Mon May 09, 2005 11:10 pm

Reinhard and Jools - SOOOO helpful. Thanks for removing a major guilt trip from my head. Reinhard - your suggestion to make sure I'm eating things I really want and not just mindlessly grabbing everything "because I can" makes so much sense.

You longtimers have the greatest approach - just follow the rules and avoid running mind games on yourself and overanalyzing. Thanks for the tips. Really appreciate your support.

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