My Year of No S

[LoriLifts]

New year, New Blog!

My 2010 resolution is to maintain a yearlong blog as I build my No S habits. I'll aim for daily posts, my minimum will be 4 times a week.

Fast forward to January 1, 2011. What do I want to have achieved in the past 365 days.....

-No S will be part of my daily life, like brushing my teeth. No more internal struggles or mental chatter.

-I will be at a weight I'm comfortable maintaining. I don't have a specific number. When I fit in all my pants, I'll be a happy camper.

-I have a group of marathons and half marathons I want to finish. They're spread out in different states and throughout the year. It's a lofty goal, I'll be really proud of myself if I complete all of them.

-One more fitness goal....dust off the sledgehammer and start shovelgloving again. Every other day.

That's enough on my plate for now.

Happy New Year

[LoriLifts]

The second day of January is an S day! How great is this!

Although No S is my core diet, I also like to do intermittent fasting. I follow Brad Pilon's Eat Stop Eat program. A couple days a week I eat my last meal of the day around 6pm. Then I don't eat agin until 24 hours later at 6pm.

Yesterday was a fasting day. Usually I like to do them on a work day, when I'm really busy. Yesterday I was home all day except for an afternoon hike with my husband. I kept myself busy cleaning the house, waiting until the evening to eat wasn't a problem.

One of the rules of Eat Stop Eat is that when you come off a fast, eat a normal day's worth of food. Do not eat larger portions to make up for the time you didn't eat. That's why No S is such a good fit. If I apply the No S rules, I can't overeat after a fast.

It's a pretty day in New Mexico. Sunny, in the 40's with a little snow on the ground. My husband and I are going for another hike, we're lucky to have lots of trails close to our house.

Tomorrow I have a 20 mile walk/run scheduled, in preparation for the Phoenix marathon on January 17. I plan on spending the evening on my couch!

[LoriLifts]

20 mile walk/run....done!

And to top it off, I stuck to No S rules today. My husband and I went out to dinner after my run. I was prepared to eat a big meal with dessert, but all I wanted was breakfast.

So I had an omelet with potatoes and toast. And not a dessert in sight.

It's time to take the christmas tree down....

[LoriLifts]

Today was a fasting day, I'm also working out of town.

Sticking to No S is easy on fasting days. When I have my evening meal, I eat breakfast. And when I eat breakfast, I don't crave a dessert.

I had a big bowl of oatmeal with blueberries and nuts in my hotel room. It was delish!

Tomorrow is a regular day, I might have breakfast again for dinner, it really helps keep my sweet tooth at bay.

[LoriLifts]

I'm re-discovering my love for grains.

Yesterday I had oatmeal, today I had a bowl of black eyed peas with brown rice.

I like eating my food from a bowl, for some reason I'm not as tempted to return to the kitchen for seconds. And that's a good thing.

[nlb]

Hi Walkerlori

Restless night and started reading here. Enjoyed seeing your 2010 goals. Envy your marathoning. I used to, did about 60. Did about 20 ultras too. Now I'm walking and it just isn't the same. Looking for a half marathon to walk so I again have a goal.

I am vacationing in FL right now but on Monday, Jan 11 going to do my 3rd attempt at No S. Am familiar with IF as well, and like your Monday fast day.

I wouldn't be surprised if either one of us has a lot to lose but want those clothes to fit/feel better. If you have time, maybe we can check in on one another from time to time?

nlb

[LoriLifts]

Thanks for stopping by nlb. It's great to know there is another crazy marathoner (ultra marathoner!) doing No S! I'll swing by your blog and say hello.

I'm focusing on exercise this week. I want to get a good mix of hiking, marathon training and yes, shovel gloving for 2010.

Today I added an interval treadmill session. I did a combo of inclines, sprints, walking and running. The minutes flew by, I'm going to pencil in at least 1 interval every week.

As I type this, my sledgehammer is in the corner, mocking me. I really need to pick it up and start again. I think that tomorrow will be the day...

[LoriLifts]

I ordered a new scale and I received it today.

It's called the Quantum scale and it's really cool. What it does is record your weight but doesn't show you the actual number. When you weigh yourself, it will only say the number of lbs you've lost or gained. And it will keep a running total.

For example, the first weigh in may say -1 lb. The second time I weigh in, I may have lost another lb, the scale will say -2 lbs. Then the next time, if I gain 1 lb, the scale will say -1 lb.

I have a tendency to get caught up on an actual weight, with this scale I can focus on progress instead.

I'm planning on using it for 2010. As long as my cumulative total is negative numbers, I'll be happy!

[LoriLifts]

Week 1 in review

-Completed 1 fasting day
-Completed 2 vanilla S days
-Completed my last 20 mile run before the Phoenix marathon
-Completed 10,000 steps a day

I'm happy with my results. After the Phoenix marathon I'm increasing my fasting days to 2 and my vanilla S days to 3.

[clarinetgal]

By Vanilla S days, do you mean a couple of days where you don't eat sweets? I was just curious.

[LoriLifts]

Hi Clarinetgal,

My definition of vanilla S is sticking to the no snacks, no sweets, no seconds rules. My goal is to get to all 5 days doing vanilla S, I'm getting there by doing baby steps.

[LoriLifts]

Taper week!

The week before a marathon is called a taper week. This is when you decrease your mileage to rest for the upcoming race.

I'm going out for a 5 mile walk/run with my husband today. After that, I'll stick to my 10,000 steps a day.

[clarinetgal]

Thanks, Walkerlori. That makes sense. Good luck with your marathon.

[LoriLifts]

#%*@ expense account!!!

I'm working out of town until Wednesday. And when I'm working out of town, I have an expense account for my meals. Usually I'm able to eat in a reasonable matter. Today I was in the "free food!" mode.

Oh well, tomorrow is another day. I am happy that I hit the treadmill as soon as I checked into the hotel. I made sure I got my 10,000 steps in.

[LoriLifts]

I have a love/hate relationship with my pedometer.

On the one hand, I hate when I'm tired (like today) and want to hang around in my hotel room, eating take out food and watching The Biggest Loser. And then I look at my pedometer and it says " You only have 4318 steps, go down to the treadmill for 30 minutes". ( Yes, my pedometer talks to me, sometimes in a mocking voice).

On the other hand, I love that even when my food isn't on plan (like today), I can still be proud that I logged my 10,000 steps for the day.

Time for The Biggest Loser...

[clarinetgal]

What kind of pedometer do you have??? I've toyed with getting one. I do exercise regularly, but I figure it wouldn't hurt to also aim for walking 10,000 steps a day.

[LoriLifts]

I had my first weigh in on my new Quantum scale. I'm down 1.3 pounds.

I really like this scale. Since I only see lbs lost or gained, I can focus on my progress, not on my weight. My first goal is to lose 5 lbs, I'd like to accomplish this before I run the New Orleans marathon at the end of February.

Clarinetgal...I have Omron's walking style pedometer and I love it. I can download my daily steps on my computer, the software keeps a weekly, monthy and yearly total of steps. You also can see your average daily steps. It's very motivating.

[clarinetgal]

Thanks! I've heard good things about the Omron, so I'll definitely keep it in mind.

[LoriLifts]

Off I go to do the Phoenix marathon.

Be back on Monday....

[clarinetgal]

Good luck!

[LoriLifts]

Phoenix marathon...done!

Only 3 more marathons and 3 half marathons to do in 2010 to reach my goal.

No complaints, only good things to say about the race. The weather was perfect, in the 50's. No lines at the Porta Potties. Lots of friendly volunteers passing out water. And a really cool medal!

I wore my pedometer all day, with the matharon and all the airport walking, I completed 63,000 steps yesterday!

I feel good today, I'm going to go for a walk later today to loosen up.

My next marathon is in 5 weeks in New Orleans.

[clarinetgal]

63,000 steps! Wow!

[LoriLifts]

Today I weighed in...I'm down 4.4 lbs.

My plan was to lose 3 lbs by my next marathon on February 28. Unless I go nuts, I should be there!

Besides losing weight, I want to reinforce the No S habits in 2010. I'm going to tackle them step by step.

The steps I'll implement until my next marathon is
- Shovelglove 5X a week

- Vanilla S until noon on N days ( This sounds easy but for me, it's tough. I've got a bad 11:00 cappucino and scone habit).

Cutting out the daily scones should get me to my 3 lb goal. I'll weigh in once a week to make sure I'm on the right track.

[clarinetgal]

That's great! I'm sure you'll meet the rest of your weight loss goal in no time.

[nlb]

Good job! And congrats on the marathon! Can remember vividly people asking me how much wt I lost after doing a marathon. It was always NONE. And everytime I did one I would vow to be in better shape for the next one. Having said that, there is a great feeling of accomplishment that accompanies marathoning, right? What's the next one?

No S is going much better this time around. I'm more cognizant of nutrition and seem to want the "good" foods. Today is Day 11 of 21 Days. Started out at 121;now 118.5.

NLB

[clarinetgal]

That's awesome, NLB!

[LoriLifts]

Way to go NLB!!

I think I'm ready to do a 21 day challenge. I've attempted the challenge 179322 times, I never make it to the end.

My next marathon is in 28 days. I keep thinking how great it would be to cross the finish line with 21 days of No S behind me.

I also need to stick to shovelgloving dang it! I was successful for a couple days, then stopped.

My HabitCal is looking pretty sad this month.

I've got alot of habits to work on...

[LoriLifts]

I read this comment on the EatStopEat website..

Great advice. Reminds me of the “S†diet I read about online a number of years ago. No snacks, sweets, or seconds except on days that begin with “Sâ€. That combined with a day or two of fasting, and you’re golden Why do people like to complicate everything so much?

Amen to that!

I was in a bookstore this week. I always seem to gravitate to the diet section, to see "what's new". Inevitably my "diet head" starts talking to me. "That diet sounds good, maybe I should try it for a couple weeks".

The good news is that I resist and return to No S. I have no desire to return to the diet rollar coaster, even when my pants feel tight!

[clarinetgal]

Me neither! I am SO done with dieting!

[LoriLifts]

February is off to a good start.

My plan is to do vanilla S and a couple 24 hour fasts every week. I'm also doing 10,000 steps a day.

I'll be looking good for the New Orleans marathon!

[clarinetgal]

That's a lot! I'm sure you will be looking good for the New Orleans Marathon.

[LoriLifts]

Thanks Clarinetgal!

Today was a 24 hour fast day, from 5:30pm yesterday until 5:30 pm today.

It's nice not to think about food for 24 hours. I always break my fast with what else? Breakfast! I just finished a delicious bowl of cereal with blueberries and bananas.

It's also really easy to stick to No S if you're not eating! I'm looking forward to my 3 no sweet/no seconds meals tomorrow.

[clarinetgal]

Good job! I don't think 'I' could fast at this time in my life (I wouldn't want to risk getting cranky with my 2 year old son during the day), but I admire the people who can do it.

[LoriLifts]

I love my snuggy.

It keeps me warm and cozy on my couch.

When I'm wrapped up in my snuggy, I don't want to get up and eat a snack.

Thanks to my snuggy, I had another successful day.

[clarinetgal]

I have a snuggy, too.

[LoriLifts]

A big financial weight was lifted off my shoulders this week. I also had a successful week of No S.

My finances and weight seem to parallel each other. For many years I didn't really have much weight to lose, maybe 5 lbs or so. I also was employed for 18 years at a job that I loved. My plan was to retire from that company and live happily every after.

And guess what happened?

In 2005, after 18 years, my job was eliminated. I was angry, depressed and sad. So I sat on my couch. With ice cream. For a year.

My debt was going up and so was my weight. When I finally got off the couch and started to look for a new career, I was about 30 lbs overweight. And I didn't even want to open my bills.

Fast forward to 2009. I spent the year juggling several jobs, determined to reduce my debt. I made some feeble attempts to lose weight but my main focus was paying off my bills. I was still using food as a "treat" or "reward" after I worked long days.

This week all my hard work paid off. My finances are under control. I know that my weight will follow along the same path in 2010.

[clarinetgal]

That's great about the debt being under control!

[LoriLifts]

I was battling a cold this weekend..on my S days!

That sucks!

I was scheduled for a 20 mile training run on Sunday.

That double sucks!

The good news is that despite a very plugged up head, I completed my run. I usually walk for 4 minutes and run for 1 minute. This time I only ran for 30 seconds, my lungs hurt too much. It took me 5.5 hours to cover 20 miles but I did it!

A good side affect of a head cold is the loss of taste. It's been easy sticking to No S, food has no flavor!

[clarinetgal]

That's too bad about getting a cold on your S days. Good for you for even trying to run when you were sick.

[LoriLifts]

Thanks for the kudos Clarinetgal. I'm patting myself on the back!

Today was get on the scale day. I'm down 5.5 lbs. My goal was to lose 3 lbs by the marathon on Feb 28. I exceeded my goal but I don't think the number will stick. Since I was sick for a couple days, I wasn't eating very much. And I also completed my 20 mile training run on Sunday.

I'll weigh in again next week and see what happens.

My taste is coming back but my head is still stuffed up, dang it.

[clarinetgal]

Good job on the weight loss, regardless. Colds are rough. I hope you feel better soon.

[LoriLifts]

I had an good heart thumping interval workout on the treadmill today.

If anyone out there in cyberland likes to do heart training workouts, I can highly recommend cardio coach. Cardio coach is a website that has downloadable interval workouts that vary from 30 - 60 minutes. There are lots of different combinations so you don't get bored. I love them!

Tomorrow is a fasting day. I should have scheduled it when I couldn't taste or smell anything!

[clarinetgal]

I LOVE Cardio Coach! Which volumes do you have? I have 3,4,6, and 7 on my MP3 player. I love the MP3 format, because I can mix and match the challenges based on what I'm in the mood for and how much time I have that day.

[LoriLifts]

A 3 day weekend! WOO HOO!!!

My husband and I are going on long hikes Saturday and Monday as well as a 5 mile run on Sunday.

Clarinetgal, I have all the volumes except 7. I need to download that one too...Cardio Coach rocks!

[LoriLifts]

I found a good addition for my HabitCal.

http://habitforge.com.

Here's how it works...
You pick a habit that you want to form.
Habitforge will e-mail daily you with 1 question. "Were you successful doing (whatever your habit is)"?
You either click yes or no. If you click yes, you continue for 21 days. After that, you can begin to form a new habit. If you click no, the calender resets to day 1, until you have 21 successful days in a row.
The website also has nifty stats and a place for comments.

My biggest challenge has been no snacking. I'm going to focus on that S rule for 21 days.

[clarinetgal]

That Habitforge site sounds interesting. I have a couple of habits that I'm really struggling with right now. Enjoy your hikes!

[LoriLifts]

I'm noticing that many people write down what they ate in their blogs. I may try this for a week or so.

One of the outside No S blogs I read is from a guy who is losing weight by photographing everything he eats. He thinks that it eliminates any secret eating or random bites during the day, since everything has to be documented. So far he's lost almost 50 lbs, maybe he's on to something.

What the heck, starting on Monday, I'll write down my food intake. I'll see what happens..

[LoriLifts]

Today is a fasting day until 6. I really need this one, there was lots of Valentine noshing yesterday!

My husband and I are going on a long hike this afternoon. That's one of the good things about living in New Mexico, lots of outdoor activities.

Before moving to New Mexico, we lived in New Orleans. Today is the day before Mardi Gras, called Lundi Gras. Lundi Gras was usually a day when you relaxed, to save your energy before the big day. I remember many Lundi Gras, lounging around and eating king cake all day. And having more than one strawberry daquari!

Let the good times roll!

[LoriLifts]

Just got back from a cold and snowy 3 hour hike. I've got about an hour until I break my fast. I like to eat breakfast for my first meal. Since I was going to keep a food log, here's the plan..

6 PM
cereal with almond milk, blueberries and a sliced banana.

Is it 6 yet?

[LoriLifts]

I forgot how much I like Trader Joes!

I'm working out of town tonight and stopped in to Trader Joes to pick up my traveling food. They have an awesome selection of grab and go meals. I filled my cooler with salads and sandwiches.

Today I had...

English muffin with butter and jam. Coffee

Half of a lentil wrap with a mixed green salad. Clementine and some chocolate.

The rest of my mixed green salad and a brownie.

This was a successful day, I didn't snack! I also hit the treadmill as soon as I checked into my hotel.

Tomorrow I'm fasting until my 6pm meal.

[LoriLifts]

Habits sure are sneaky.

Especially bad habits. They tend to creep up on you. For example, snacking in the evening. It only took a week or so of a nightly "treat" while watching tv to turn into a raging bad habit. I had this monkey on my back for years.

I know that I'll never be a successful No Ser without abolishing my evening snack on N days. I decided to turn the tables and creep up on this bad habit (like it did to me).

A month or so ago, I started having my evening snack earlier. I started at 8:30pm, then gradually decreased the time to 7pm.

I eat dinner around 6, it was an easy transition to eat my brownie (it's always a sweet snack) at mealtime instead of 7.

And now guess what? Eight or nine 'o clock can come and go without thinking about a snack. It's amazing! (except on S days, then all bets are off)

Today I fasted until 6pm. My evening meal was..

Spinach and lentil bolani
Mixed green salad
Brownie

The kitchen is closed!

[LoriLifts]

I received the fancy shoes that I ordered. They're called MBTs, supposedly they give your legs more of a workout than average shoes. They're ugly but if they're good for my legs, I'll wear them! I wear my pedometer every day and do at least at 10,000 steps a day. I'll test them for about 6 months and give a review.

Today I ate..

English muffin with butter and jam

Sushi, an orange and some chocolate

Spinach bolani, salad and a brownie

[LoriLifts]

"Hey wait a minute, I thought Friday was supposed to be eat like an idiot day?"

"It was canceled?"

"I didn't get the memo"

[LoriLifts]

I'm usually a pretty happy go lucky kind of person. I try to add some fun into anything I do.

I'm taking the same approach to losing weight. I figure if it's going to take a year of my life to lose it, and the rest of my life to maintain, there better be some laughs along the way!

There's lots of funny weight loss blogs, my current favorite is Jack Sh*t, Gettin' Fit. This guy has lost about 95 lbs and is laugh out loud funny.

I also like to read funny weight loss books. I've read Jen Lancaster's "Such A Pretty Fat" several times and still laugh. I share her philosophy that I'm overweight because I have high self esteem. In my head, I think I look great!

I'm currently reading Jeff Garlin's new book "My Footprint". He's an overweight comedian who is also on one of my favorite tv shows "Curb Your Enthusiasm". I've read the first couple chapters and it's hilarious. Health issues didn't motivate him to embark on a weight loss plan. What did it for him was receiving a catalog called "Living the XL Life" in the mail. The catalog sells all kinds of products, from ponchos to toilet seats for people weighing 650 to 1200 lbs! And one of the catalog models looks like him!

Keep on laughing

[LoriLifts]

Here's a good column from Brad Pilon of Eat Stop Eat..

Here's a fun trick for you...

Right now, I want you to lift your shirt up..just a bit. Make sure
no one is looking and just take a quick look at your stomach.

What's staring back at you?

Maybe 6 pack abs, but probably not (just guessing)

Your probably thinking 'Fat. Brad right now I'm staring at extra
fat, at least a little more fat than I WANT to be seeing'


Let's face it, the MAJORITY of us have at least a little
more fat than we want to, but I want to point something else
out to you..

You are also looking at your DEBT.

That's right, you PAID HARD EARNED MONEY for every single one of
those calories sitting in the form of fat on your stomach!

AND, even more devastating is that you pay HARD EARNED MONEY to keep
every single one of those calories!

Fat represent nothing more than Extra Food that you ate at some
point in your life.l

Food that you payed money for.

Bottom line - Learning to Eat less can solve a lot of problems,
it's the quickest way to get lean, and it's an important way to get
your financial life in check.

You can't control the mortgage rates, or the price of gas for your
car, but you can control how much money you spend on food,
especially when you really want to be lean anyways!

So I guess what I'm trying to say is, the next time you go out for
a quick bite to eat, you need to ask yourself "Am I actually PAYING
to be fat?"

It's harsh, but it's also a great motivator to keep your eating in
check.

[LoriLifts]

I'm off to run the New Orleans marathon....

[LoriLifts]

One more marathon completed without passing out!

I'm on target for my 2010 race goals. My next one is the half marathon in Dallas in 2 weeks.

I'm not where I want to be on my weight loss goals. As of this morning, I'm down 2.9 pounds. My plan was to be down 4.5 lbs by Dallas on March 14. I might be able to do it if I quit eating those $&*# desserts!

Maybe I'll cut back to 1 bite on my dinner plate.

[LoriLifts]

If you need a dose of inspiration and motivation, check out Katie Spotz's blog, row for water.com.

Katie is a 23 year old girl who is rowing across the Atlantic ocean, alone! She started in January and will be finished sometime in March.

She rows 8-12 hours a day and is keeping a blog. I'm hooked and am reading her on a daily basis.

[Elspeth]

Congrats on the marathon! I can't even conceive of walking that distance, let alone running.

[LoriLifts]

Thanks Elspeth. I do a combination of run/ walking in my marathons. I used to mostly run, when I turned 50 I decided to extend my walking sessions. I need to perserve my knees so I can complete marathons in my 60's!

I seem to have settled into a good combination of Vanilla S lite ( no snacks or seconds, 1 pc of dessert on my dinner plate), intermittent fasting and exercise. I'm confident I'll be finishing 2010 at my goal weight.

I've got all my marathons and half marathons planned throughout the year. These upcoming races are helping to keep me focused on my eating plan. Nothing is worse than being bloated and facing a 26.2 mile race!

[LoriLifts]

Here's another smart post from Brad Pilon. I like him almost (but not quite) as much as Reinhard.

Some ‘quick and dirty’ math today.

Here is a hypothetical situation for you…

Your basal metabolic rate is 1,500 calories (Remember, this is just an example I’m not saying that YOUR BMR is exactly 1,500).

If you include your daily exercise, and the costs of eating, your total daily energy Expenditure is 2,200 Calories per day.

So the total amount of calories that you burn in a day is 2,200.

Now in this hypothetical situation, you’ve decided that you want to lose some weight.

You read around on the internet and discover that if you eat 500 less calories per day, the over the course of a week you should lose 1 pound of fat.

So you give it a try.

You count your calories meticulously. With precision that would make NASA engineers jealous.

You know for an absolute FACT that you ate 500 less calories EVERY SINGLE DAY.

But you still didn’t lose weight.

What gives?

Did you slow down your metabolism?

Is your metabolism broken?

even worse…did you enter Starvation mode?

Actually…. It’s none of the above.

You’ve been eating 2,900 Calories for the past year (part of the reason you are trying to lose weight in the first place)

2,900 -500 = 2,400

Bottom line: Even with you’re new diet, YOU ARE STILL OVEREATING BY 200 CALORIES!!!

This is why the old saying ‘eat 500 less calories to lose weight’ doesn’t work….because it’s not a complete sentence.

it should be:

“Eat 500 less calories per day THAN YOU BURNâ€.

I know it seems overly simple, but this example may help a lot of people who are struggling to lose weight. You can be ‘dieting’ and still overeating.

The amount you need to eat is probably a lot less then you might think.

BP

[LoriLifts]

I've been on a Vanilla S streak.

I'm not going to make a big deal about it. It seems that when I make "21 day proclamations" or join the 21 day challenge on the general discussion board, I always go astray. I guess it's my inner rebellious teenager.

I'm working out of town for a couple days. I stocked my cooler with N day foods (no desserts) and am staying in a hotel with a pretty good gym.

All signs point to more successful Vanilla S days. I'll see what happens.

[LoriLifts]

Today was weigh in day. I'm down 3.7 lbs. My goal was to be down 4 pounds before the Dallas half marathon on Saturday. I'm almost on target, that's a good thing.

I'm flying to Dallas on Saturday. Even though I'm doing a half marathon on Sunday, I'm not going to "eat like an idiot".

Besides not snacking, I think the reason the scale is going down is my breakfast. I switched my morning english muffin and jam to greek yogurt and jam. I told myself that I can have an english muffin on S days for breakfast. I think it's the little changes that add up.

[LoriLifts]

I'm a very sporatic poster. I need to start updating at least 4 times a week. If not, I forget what I've accomplished!

I completed the Dallas half marathon last week. It was a nice mental vacation, knowing I only had to do 13.1 miles instead of 26.2. My next race is the Nashville marathon on April 24.

I may be inconsistent in No S but my daily 10,000 steps have been right on! I wear a pedometer everyday and upload the data into my computer. I've passed 1 million steps for the year and have been averaging 13,000 steps a day.

OK, now for the not so stellar news, my vanilla S streak ended. I seem to be happiest having no snacks, no seconds and 1 small dessert with dinner. And 2 Eat Stop Eat days a week. I think I'm going to stick with that idea, it eliminates any mental anquish.

I haven't weighed in this week, I'll step on the scale on Friday. I would love to be down 7 pounds by the Nashville marathon.

Time to start my Sunday...

[LoriLifts]

It's 10 am on Sunday morning, in 30 minutes I'm going outside for a 20 mile training run. My next marathon is in 4 weeks, I need to keep my stamina up or I'll take a nap in the middle of the race!

I'm falling back on an old breakfast favorite, green smoothies. A couple years ago I tried a raw food diet. I stayed with it for about 6 months. I wouldn't want to go back to an all raw diet however, I enjoy adding more smoothies and juices into my diet.

This morning I had a mango/ kale/ avocado smoothie with coconut water and nut milk. It really filled me up. I'll bring a couple energy gels and electrolyte tablets for my run, just in case I need a boost. Completing 20 miles takes me about 5 hours.

Here's what my Sunday will look like...

Eat-Walk-Run (repeat a million times)-Eat-Sleep!

[LoriLifts]

Another 20 miles done!

I've been feeling really strong and focused with No S and Eat Stop Eat. I may be ready to give the 21 day challenge another try.

Maybe the 2937th try will be the charm!

[LoriLifts]

I'm still here!

And being SUCCESSFUL at vanilla S!

Today is day 3 of 21.

I'm going to do it this time!

[LoriLifts]

I'm on day 8 of my 21 day No S challenge. No slipups and I'm tickled pink.

I had a very stubborn sugar monkey on my back. No matter what I did, I couldn't shake him. Unfortunately this has happened before. I knew I had to take some extreme measures.

I just completed a 7 day juice fast. I know this method isn't for everyone, I've done this before and have had success when I'm way off track. Usually I go to some fancy spa for a week, to drink juice and hike. My budget couldn't include a spa this time time around. I dusted off my juicer and did the at home version.

I bought a boatload of fruits and vegtables, juiced them all up and made sure that I kept busy all week.

I'm happy with my 7 day results. I'm down 5.5 pounds and most importantly, I feel in control again. I'm spending the next week transitioning back to solid foods. Next weekend I'm in Nashville to complete the next marathon in my series.

It feels good to be back on track again.

[LoriLifts]

It's been a crazy topsy turvey day!

I flew to Nashville to complete the marathon. I arrived yesterday with no problems. All was well until today, which was race day.

Tennesee was in a severe weather area. Severe weather means tornados. When the race started at 7, the skies were cloudy but no rain. I was feeling hopeful that I could complete the marathon with no bad weather.

All was fine until mile 12. At that point, burley policemen were herding the marathoners to the half marathon course. They said that the weather would be taking a turn for the worse, anyone not finishing the marathon in 4 hours and 30 min would have to get off the course.

I usually finish marathons in 6:30 min, way over the 4:30 cutoff.

I understand the need to cut the race short, no one wants to get hit by lightening.

I was able to sneak in a couple extra miles. When I crossed the finish line, I did about 15 miles. By the time I walked to the hotel, I was at about 16.5 miles.

When I entered the hotel, I was faced with a dilema. I could call it a day and spend the afternoon in my room.

Or...I could go to the gym and finish the marathon on the treadmill.

Before my rational mind prevailed, I hit the treadmill.

Two and a half hours and 10 miles later, I finished the marathon.

And the best part? It's an S day!

And there's a cupcake bakery around the corner!

Life is good.

[LoriLifts]

Still in Nashville, I fly home later this morning.

And wouldn't you know it, today is a beautiful day, a perfect day for a marathon!

As crazy as yesterday was, I'm actually kind of glad it happened. I never thought that I would have the mental toughness to finish a marathon on a treadmill.

If I can do that, I can certainly resist a #%$@ cookie on a Tuesday!

Although today is an S day, I'm also making it a fasting day. It's easy to fast when I'm traveling. I walked down to Starbucks and got a coffee. Now I'll drink water until dinner tonight. My husband is picking me up at the airport, then we're going out to eat. It will still be an S day, I can have dessert!

[Elspeth]

Wow! I never heard of someone finishing a marathon on a treadmill. I am in awe of your determination and self-discipline. Way to go!

[LoriLifts]

Hi Blog!

I haven't been around for awhile, work has been crazy busy. I'm still fasting and training for marathons (my next one is June 6 in San Diego) and building the No S habit.

I've been doing something new with fasting. In a nutshell, you fast 19 hours and have a 5 hour window to eat. This fits in nicely with No S. Since I fast during the day, I eliminate snacking and seconds. My 5 hour window has been including a dessert.

Last time I stepped on the scale, I was down 5 lbs. I'm in no hurry to lose the remaining lbs, my focus is on No S.

Life will slow down next week, I'm planning on posting on a regular basis again.

[LoriLifts]

I was rereading my blog and noticed an interesting pattern.

Whenever I make long or short term goals that focus on diet or weight, I never finish them.

No matter if it's doing a 21 day Vanilla S challenge, or commiting to losing 1 pound a week, I never follow through.

Maybe it's a mental block or something. I make plenty of exercise goals and succeed, but when it comes to diet, not so much.

I think maybe my brain can't handle too many goals at once. I'm in the process of completing my series of marathons for 2010. I'm also on track for my goal of 5 million steps in 2010. Maybe the thought of adding a diet/ weight goal is too daunting. Maybe my goal basket is full for 2010.

It seems that the unlike exercise, where I have 21 week training schedule, the less I think about what I eat, the better I stick to my plan.

For example, I've been very busy with work. When I think back to how I've been eating, I've pretty much adhered to No S without much thought. I also added some fasting days without any effort.

And that's how the thin people I know handle food. They don't plan out there meals or obssess about what they should or shouldn't eat. They follow whatever personal guidelines of how and what they eat and they get on with the day.

Hmmm..maybe they're on to something.

Right now, if I do a mix of No S with intermittent fasting and combine it with my exercise plans for 2010, my weight seems to be in check. I'll continue this path and without overthinking it, see what happens.

[Graham]

Hi Lori, most instructive blog you have! I can't imagine how you manage to exercise so much and eat so little.

It has made me wonder to what extent it is realistic for me to think of using your experience as a template for myself: A zebra can't take much useful diet advice from a lion can it?

I am very tempted to try adding Eat Stop Eat to my regime though - I'm not losing any weight so far with Vanilla No S, ESE isn't killing you, could I make it part of my life without messing something up?

Fasting and exercising - can you fast and then do a run? If you haven't eaten, what keeps your blood sugar up? I'm mystified.

Well, enough for now, this is your blog after all, I'm just visiting -

best wishes, Graham

[LoriLifts]

Hi Graham,

Thanks for saying I don't eat much! No one ever says that to me! You made my day!

I can be a very (ahem) "robust" eater. That's the reason I'm not a skinny marathoner!

The weather is gorgeous in New Mexico. My husband and I have a 9 mile run scheduled for this afternoon. Then we're heading to our favorite restaurant for dinner. Today will be a fabulous day.

[Elspeth]

Hi Lori! Thanks for your kind words. I'll be interested to hear how Fast 5 works for you. At various times I've seriously considered doing it instead of ESE, but coffee is my Achilles heel. I drink it with a bit of cream and a little sugar so I can't have it while fasting, and I can only drink it in the morning or very early afternoon due to the effect caffeine has on my sleeping. Although I've limited myself to one or two cups a day (and manage to abstain on my ESE days), the prospect of doing without it altogether is enough to keep me from doing Fast 5 at all. Still...it is tempting! Are you doing Fast 5 all 7 days of the week? When is your window?

Congrats on your continued success!

[LoriLifts]

I'm really liking Fast-5! My eating window is 1:30-6:30, so far, it's been a perfect fit. I'm busy in the morning so postponing breakfast is easy. My stomach usually starts talking around noon, I only have an hour and a half before my eating window opens.

Thanks to No S, my evening snack habit was broken. I eat dinner around 6 and after that, the kitchen is closed!

Once my Fast-5 habit is solid, I'm going to work on no sweets on N days. That's the missing piece of the No S puzzle.

Later that day....

I'm working out of town for a couple days. I finished my 10,000 steps on the hotel treadmill this evening. I guess I'll spend the remaining hour or so before bed watching mindless sitcoms. I like staying in hotels, even when I'm not ordering late night room service.

[LoriLifts]

I watched the Oprah show with Geneen Roth today.

I've read some of Geneen Roth's books, I may buy her new one too. She was one of the pioneers of intuitive eating. I agree with many of her philosophies.

I've never done any of her "soul searching" exercises. Exploring my subconscience about why I might overeat. I don't care to figure out why I like to space out on the couch with ice cream (sometimes). Maybe it's because I'm not a binge eater, any food issues I have don't seem that imposing.

It seems as if the more time I spend analyzing why and what I eat, the more I'm prone to obssessing about food and weight and all of it.

My motto for eating comes from Micheal Pollan "Eat Food, Not Too Much, Mostly Plants" That's the way I'm trying to live.

[LoriLifts]

I'm devoting this entry to our fearless leader, Reinhard.

Thank you so much for your simple yet strikingly effective 13 word diet.

Because of No S, I broke a many, many year habit of evening snacking. I never, ever thought I could close the kitchen after dinner. Much to my amazement and delight, now I can do it (on N days).

The thought of seconds don't even enter my mind on N days, thanks to No S.

My last hurdle is sweets. I know that if I work on building the No Sweet habit on N days, I'll be successful.

Thanks again for the book and this forum.

PS...Your podcasts rock!

[LoriLifts]

So I finished a week of Fast 5. This is a form of intermittent fasting, you fast for 19 hours, then give yourself a 5 hour eating window.

My window was from 1:30 to 6:30 everyday. Since I had broken my no eating at night habit with No S, I felt comfortable most days. I would get hungry around noon but wait to eat until 1:30. I'd have an early dinner and my eating was done.

My only issue is marathon training. Tomorrow I have to complete 20 miles. It will take me over 5 hours, my eating window doesn't fit. For this reason, I'm going to put Fast 5 on hold until later in the year, when my race schedule is done.

Back to the basics...No S with a couple of 24 hour fasting days thrown in. Why re-invent the wheel?

[LoriLifts]

It's a beautiful Sunday in New Mexico!
A perfect day for a 20 mile walk/run!

I just loaded up on an S day breakfast. In an hour or so, I'll head out the door.

I've been doing marathons for over 10 years. What still amazes me is my ability to stay on my feet, moving forward, for over 5 hours. I'll leave my house at 11, at 4:00, I'll be 20 miles away!

I'm going to be passing my gym around mile 14. My husband is driving down to finish the last 6 miles with me. Afterward, I take a shower at my gym, then we go out to dinner. No S is a perfect fit with marathon training. I always do my long runs on the weekends.

One of my fantasies is to walk across america. I've read books about people who have done this. One guy was in his late 60's, or maybe 70. He ran across america. Everyday, he planned his route. His wife would drive about 5 miles ahead in a van. He would catch up, then she would drive 5 miles ahead again. All the way across america.

Hmm...all I need is a big bag of money to finance the trip and a good way to talk my husband into being the van driver.

In the meantime, I'll get this 20 miler out of the way. Then it's only 3 weeks until the San Diego marathon.

[LoriLifts]

Damn you sweets!

I have 21 days until my marathon in San Diego. I thought to myself "21 days..it's a perfect amount of tme to do 21 days of vanilla S. Just think how terrfic you'd feel crossing the finish line and completing a 21 day challenge. Let's go for it!"

I'm sure you can guess what happened.

Oh well, 2 out of 3 No S rules aren't bad. At least I'm weaning myself down to a dessert glass ceiling..no more than 1 per N day. And my Snacks and Seconds rules are rock solid. I guess when I'm really ready to commit to no sweets, it will happen. I'm not freaking out over it. However, I do dream of completing a 21 day challenge....

On a positive note, my 20 miles went very well yesterday. I felt so good, I did 21 miles! Today I'm a bit sore in my hips but not too bad. My husband and I are going for an afternoon hike in an hour or so.

Bye for now.

[LoriLifts]

Uh oh.

It may be time for me to kick it up a notch.

For the last couple of months I've been content to cruise along, maintaining my weight. Sure I'd like to drop a few pounds, but I didn't feel too motivated to change things. I've been doing No S lite with some random fasting.

I've been in a comfy blanket of "this is good enough-itis".

This week I found out that I have to attend a conference for work this summer. Add to that the 3 marathons I'm signed up to complete before September. And did I mention that my husband has dropped 15 pounds? He's only 6.5 lbs away from his goal weight and is beginning to get preachy. He's saying things like "You should do what I did to lose weight". And "If you followed my instructions, you'd be at your goal by now".

He's reallly getting on my nerves.

The time has come to put up or shut up. I'm going to get more organized about my fasting days. I'm also going to build a fence around the simple No S rules.

In other words, it's time for me to get uncomfortable and get this remaining weight off. I'm thinking if I follow the rules, I'll be in tip top shape by July 4.

I'll have to endure 6 more weeks of my husband being Mr Weight Loss Know It All....

[LoriLifts]

I'm working out of town today, it was also a fasting day. Fasting is so much easier when I'm busy. I checked into my hotel around 6pm, my fast was over at 6:30.

Implementing the No S rules have also made intermittent fasting much easier. This evening I had my meal at 6:30, one plate, no seconds. Thanks to No S, I can stick to my one plate dinner, with no snacks at night. Brad Pilon of Eat Stop Eat warns not to overeat the first meal that breaks the fast. He says to resume whatever amount you would eat on a regular day. It's easy to stick to this important rule with No S.

[LoriLifts]

I have a pedometer that I wear every day. My step goal for 2010 is 5 million steps. I download my step data onto my computer. I checked my total steps, so far I almost have 2 million steps for the year. I'm on track for my goal, I need to be at 2.5 million steps by July 1.

Today was one of those easy peasy fasting days. No stomach grumbles or "I wanna eat" brain hunger.

[LoriLifts]

I can identify with this comment from Skwigg's blog...

"Have you ever done that thing where reading a diet book makes you binge? Like, just thinking about starting makes you want some pie? Well, I'm kind of becoming that way with eating habits books. My eating habits are fine, but if I start thinking that I'm doing it wrong or that I need to change everything, that makes me want McDonald's. So, lately I just go with what's working and try not analyze it to death."

[LoriLifts]

Three day weekends rock!

I've got a crazy travel schedule in June. Until then, I'm sticking close to home and enjoying the time off. My husband and I have a couple of hikes planned along with a 12 mile run on Monday.

I've been craving strawberry shortcake. Tomorrow will be the day some gets eaten. I can't wait!

Time to get another cup of coffee.
Happy Memorial Day!

[LoriLifts]

I am someone who doesn't snack or have seconds.

If it's in writing, it must be official.

Yesterday was an S day. I finished dinner at 6 and didn't eat anything after that. If I would have wanted an evening snack, I would have had one, since it's an S day.

I just didn't think about it. I almost can't believe it. Did I get up in the middle of the night to raid the refrigerator? Nope. Wow.

According to my blog, I started working on breaking my no snack habit in February. It took me about 3 months to tame it.

No seconds was an easy one for me. The big magilla is the last one...No Sweets on S days.

I'm ready to tackle it.

I'm going to need accountability on this one. Starting on Monday, I'm going to write down what I eat on my N days. I'm also dusting off my Habitcal.

I've got a plan and I'm sticking to it.
But not today. It's an S day and I've got strawberry shortcake to eat!

[LoriLifts]

Another interesting post from Brad Pilon..



I'm not sure if you already knew this, but next weekend I'm
entering my first power lifting contest in well over a decade.

I'm going to try to lose a couple pounds in order to 'sneak' in to
a lower weight class.

When I told a friend I was going to try and drop 5 pounds she
replied:

"FIVE pounds of FAT? Can you even do that in a week??"

Now truth be told, I'm not planning on dropping 5 pounds of
fat...I'm just going to do the contest fasted.

But it raises a good question...could I drop 5 pounds of pure body
fat in a week if I had to?

Time for some rough math.

I've got about 150-155 pounds of lean mass...that puts my resting
metabolic rate at about 1,800 Calories.

Add in my AVERAGE daily exercise and movement and I might get to
2,500 Calories being burned in a day...if I'm lucky.

Now...everybody likes to talk about it taking a 3,500 calorie
deficit to burn a pound of fat, but unfortunately it's a little more
complicated then this.

You see, it's not until the later stages of fasting where you are
burning mostly fat...for the first couple hours your burning mostly
the calories from your food.

For the next couple hours you would be burning a nice mix of sugar
and fat....

So in reality you'd probably have to burn about 4,000 calories
(probably more) TOTAL in order for 3,500 of those calories to have
come from Body Fat.

So I would need to burn at least an extra 1,500 Calories in order
to burn a total of 4,000 Calories per day.

Under this logic, to burn 1 pound of fat in a day, I would need to

be fasting, run around 10 miles, then get in a pretty intense 1-2 hour
weight training session in.

Now, to lose 5 pounds of body fat in a week, It wouldn't be this
much work every day (I could probably cut the run down to 5
miles)..but it would take 7 days of fasting (which I'll probably
never do)...and running 5 miles per day for 7 days straight
(again..probably not going to do this in my lifetime) and a couple
of weight training workouts.

So, the chances of me losing 5 pounds of Actual body fat in a
week...slim to none.

I can lose 5 pounds of weight no problem...heck I've done that in
one 24 hour fast, but 5 pounds of pure body fat...this takes time
and effort....


Now my math may be of in some places, but the point remains:

4-5 weeks would be a much more realistic goal.

So bottom line, losing weight is easier than losing fat...so don't
ever get discouraged on the days when the scale doesn't really move
after a fast...even a half pound of fat is an impressive feat...

Another point...even if it's not all fat..the weight you lose is weight
you didn't need to be carrying..whether it's inflammation, food weight
or the mysterious..'other' it's stuff you really didn't need.

Just trying to help you keep it all in perspective,

[LoriLifts]

In an effort to stay accountable, I'm going to write down my meals on N days. My goal is to track from Memorial Day to 4th of July. Here is today..

-cereal with blueberries
-protein shake after my 12 mile run

My husband and I are going out for dinner. I'll add what I ate later today. I think I'm in the mood for breakfast items, maybe an omelet or oatmeal.

Back again with dinner info.

-omelet with homefries and an english muffin (that was one big plate!)

[LoriLifts]

Working out of town and am very tired. Here's today's info..

Fasted until 6 pm.

-veggie wrap/ salad/ strawberries/ blueberries with marscapone

over 10,000 steps

Time for bed.

[LoriLifts]

The good news...I got 10,000 steps in every day when I was working out of town. Working out of town with my boss! Last night I had to hit the hotel treadmill at 8 pm to get in the remaining 5000 steps. I rocked the 10,000 steps a day rule!

The bad news...Did I mention I was working out of town with my boss? Although he's a nice guy, this was a big bowl of stress. I turned to the world of sweets for comfort. I won't go into the calorie laden details. It's not pretty.

The good news...I'm back on track! And my boss went back home!

[LoriLifts]

I'm heading to San Diego for my next marathon......

[LoriLifts]

Another thought provoking post from Brad Pilon...

Everyone should do a cheat day every once in a while.

Why?

Because it reminds us how HORRIBLE it feels to overeat.

Seriously, even the WORST fasting day doesn’t feel as a bad as an overstretched, bloated, distended gurgling stomach.

It’s just not a nice feeling.

But worth doing…for the sole reason of remembering why we DON’T do it more often.

In a way, it’s kind of like getting really, really drunk.

It might sound like fun, but in the end, all it does is remind us of why we don’t it every night…or month…It just doesn’t feel nice.

And we know it’s hard on our bodies.

Basically, in my opinion cheat days are a form of nutritional shock therapy.

Done very sporadically, it’s a good way to stay on track

[LoriLifts]

I completed my 30th marathon this weekend in San Diego. Most of the way I felt great. Usually around mile 11, my mind begins to get a little squirrelly. I start thinking "I've still got 15 miles left...15 miles!...I'll never make it..I don't want to do this...I want to go to bed!"

Whenever these self defeating thoughts arise I say to myself "Stay Calm and Carry On". This mantra gets me back on track.

I think I'll start saying "Stay Calm and Carry On" when I'm tempted to eat off track. If it works in marathons, maybe it will work with food.

My next marathon is in 3 weeks in Seattle. Yikes!

Stay Calm and Carry On.

[sophiasapientia]

Wow! Congratulations on finishing your 30th marathon. I'm in awe of what you do, with all that running ... Very inspirational!

[LoriLifts]

Thanks Shannon,

I need to get as committed to No S as I am with marathons!

[LoriLifts]

I just finished a crazy busy week. I was in 4 states and 5 hotel rooms in 7 days. I squeezed in a marathon and working out of town with my boss.

I was too busy to write down what I ate or tweak No S. I didn't have time to think about what I would be eating for dinner or breakfast or lunch. I didn't have time to read other peoples food and diet blogs.

I ate as well as I could and applied the No S rules most of the time. When I slipped up, I didn't have time to dwell on it. I moved on to the next meal.

It was nice to not have food occupy my thoughts. I imagine that's how it will be when I have all the No S rules ingrained as habits. I'm a bit more motivated to stick to vanilla S to make this happen.

[LoriLifts]

Here's another good blog entry from Jack S*#t Getting Fit.....

About six months ago, I was dragging my hefty self down the home stretch of a mile-and-a half walk around the block when my portly, nearly deaf neighbor Art Deco waved me down (that’s not his real name, by the way; his real name is Arthur Deco).

“JACKIE,†he bellowed over the droning of his leaf blower (Art’s got a thing about leaves touching his lawn, so he blows them over to my yard). “YOU TRYIN’ TO LOSE SOME WEIGHT?â€

“Geez, Art,†I frowned, putting my index finger up to my mouth. “We don’t need to announce it to the entire neighborhood…â€

“I NEED TO DROP A FEW POUNDS, TOO,†he exclaimed, patting his own extended mid-section.

“Great,†I told him. “We can be dieting buddies and help each other out. When I feel the urge to drive out and get a burger and fries, I'll call you first.â€

“GREAT!†smiled Art. “I’LL RIDE WITH YOU.â€

In the days that followed, I invited him on walks, told him about all the wild and crazy smoothies I was making and clued him in on a senior special the gym I had just joined was offering, but Art wasn’t interested in any of that.

“I’M NOT PAYING FOR SOME FANCY-SCHMANCY GYM,†Art told me one afternoon.

A couple of months passed and Art stopped me on the street again.

“JACKIE, YOU’RE LOSING WEIGHT, SON.â€

“Yeah,†I smiled. “That was kind of the idea, Art. Except I thought that you were gonna do this with me.â€

“I TRIED THAT SUBWAY DIET FOR A WEEK–YOU KNOW, LIKE THAT JARED GUY,†Art said. “BUT I WOUND UP GAINING TEN POUNDS. TEN POUNDS! CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT?â€

“THAT DOESN’T SOUND RIGHT,†I said, before catching myself. “I mean, that doesn’t sound right.â€

“I DON’T KNOW,†Art shook his head. “I HAD ONE SIX-FOOT SUB SANDWICH EVERY DAY FOR LUNCH.â€

“Ahhhhhh,†I nodded. “I think I may see the problem. Well, c’mon. We’ll try again. I’ll help…â€

“MAYBE AFTER THE FOURTH OF JULY,†he told me. “WE’RE HAVING A BIG COOKOUT WITH THE GRANDKIDS.â€

I shrugged and returned home. Things got kind of busy, and I didn’t talk to Art for a couple of months.

“JACKIE,†he smiled. “YOU’RE WASTIN’ AWAY TO NOTHIN’.â€

“Yeah, Art,†I told him. “This program I’m on is really working. The sooner we get you started, the sooner you can drop those pounds, too.â€

“OH,†exclaimed Art. “IT’S EASIER FOR SOME FOLKS THAN IT IS FOR OTHERS, JACKIE.â€

So here I am, 75 pounds down and believing in my own future. What Art doesn’t understand is that this journey isn’t easy for me, isn’t easy for anybody I know. It’s day after day of dedication, of good choices, of hard work.

For people who believe in themselves, the hard road becomes less difficult. For the ones who don’t believe, the difficult road becomes impossible.

[andreamuse]

That's an incredibly inspirational story! And oh so true. Baby steps, baby steps day after day...