General welcome to new folks and FAQs :)

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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kccc
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General welcome to new folks and FAQs :)

Post by kccc » Wed Dec 29, 2010 1:01 pm

We're heading into the New Year, and since one of the most common New Year's Resolution is to lose weight. I'm expecting a sudden influx of new people to our board!

If you're new, welcome! Please introduce yourself. You can start your own thread to introduce yourself, but you're welcome to do it on this one so that the "old-timers" can welcome you as a group. This is a wonderful community of helpful people.

Here are some things you should know (and I expect the "old-timers" can add to my list, and hope they will)...

1) Everyone does "No-S" a little differently, and that's okay - but you should be aware of that when asking for and getting advice.

For beginners, the recommended starting place is "Vanilla No-S" - the basic rules with no changes or additional restrictions. However, people who have been doing this a long time often add "mods" - modifications based on their own lifestyles, preferences, and what they have found works best for their individual bodies and circumstances. (General rule of thumb: The more dieting you've done in the past, the longer you should stick with Vanilla No-S before attempting mods. This is very, very different from most diets, and you've got a lot to un-learn!)

Most old-timers are careful to indicate what "mods" they're doing when they give advice, to provide context, but some forget. So, just be aware that we all have slightly unique paths here. :)

2) There are a LOT of resources here - check them out!
- If you don't have the book, it's worth buying.
- Check out Reinhard's podcasts. I particularly recommend the one on "Strictness" for beginners.
- The sticky threads up above have useful info in them.
- If you want to read testimonials, there is a separate forum for them.
- To track your own progress, there is a "habitcal" calendar and the "Daily Check In" forum where you can start your own personal thread. Others may read it as well, but it's kind of "your" space.

I'll try to add some "Frequently Asked Questions" below, and hope others who've been around a while will chime in.

Best wishes to all of you!

KCCC
Last edited by kccc on Wed Dec 29, 2010 10:36 pm, edited 3 times in total.

kccc
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Post by kccc » Wed Dec 29, 2010 1:21 pm

FAQ:

1) How often should I weigh?
This one comes up a lot, and answers vary. This prior thread summarizes the various positions, and includes more links out.
http://everydaysystems.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=5928

2) What about artificially sweetened drinks?
This one also has a variety of answers.
http://everydaysystems.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=6680
http://everydaysystems.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=6474
http://everydaysystems.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=6171
Short answer: Personal choice. Some people avoid them, some can't live without them. (IMHO, in the grand scheme of things, it's probably less important than the basic meal structure.)

3) Should I count calories too?

Short answer, full of opinion :) : No-S achieves portion control through the meal/plate structure as opposed to calorie counting. It is not a calorie-counting plan in itself. Some people do choose to layer calorie-counting with it. NOTE: Since many people here are refugees from calorie-counting, and there are LOTS of sites to support that and only one No-S site, those who do calorie-count generally confine their advocacy to their personal threads - a courtesy much-appreciated by the non-calorie-counting crowd.

http://everydaysystems.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=3836
http://everydaysystems.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=6943
http://everydaysystems.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=6437

My perception is that MOST are more successful when they work on establishing the NO-S habit FIRST, then add calorie-counting if the basic structure is not sufficient. But that's just IMHO.

4) What about soup? It doesn't fit on a plate.
http://everydaysystems.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=4531
(Thanks to TooSolidFlesh for this link.)

idontknow
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Post by idontknow » Wed Dec 29, 2010 10:58 pm

I'd like to recommend the 'phases of No S' sticky at the top of this board. I found this really useful when I first started - it helped me get some perspective on the length of time it takes to embed the habits. It's a good 'virtual measuring stick'. :D

wosnes
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Post by wosnes » Thu Dec 30, 2010 9:40 pm

I'd like to let the newbies know that you're going to have good days, you're going to have bad days, and you're going to have downright awful days. Expect it and accept it. Acknowledge whatever mistakes you've made and move on. Don't worry about being perfect. Perfectionists waste too much time (not to mention energy and guilt) on trying to be perfect. Perfection is an illusion, anyway.

Instead, do your best. The following is quoted from The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz and some articles about The Four Agreements:
Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgement, self-abuse, and regret.

Under any circumstance, always do your best, no more and no less. But keep in mind that your best is never going to be the same from one moment to the next. Everything is alive and changing all the time, so your best will sometimes be high in quality and other times will not be as good. When you wake up refreshed and energized in the morning, your best will be better than when you're tired at night. Your best will be different when you are healthy as opposed to when you are sick, or sober as opposed to drunk. Your best will depend on whether you are feeling wonderful and happy, or upset, angry or jealous.

In your everyday moods your best can change from one moment to another, from one hour to the next. from one day to another. Your best will also change over time. As you build the habit of the four new agreements, your best will become better than it used to be.

Regardless of the quality, keep doing your best -- no more and no less than your best. If you try too hard to do more than your best, you will spend more energy than is needed and in the end your best will not be enough. When you overdo, you deplete your body and go against yourself, and it will take you longer to accomplish your goal. But if you do less than your best, you subject yourself to frustrations, self-judgement, guilt and regrets.

Just do your best -- in any circumstance in your life. It doesn't matter if you're sick or tired, if you always do your best there is no way you can judge yourself. And if you don't judge yourself, there is no way you are going to suffer from guilt, blame and self-punishment. By always doing your best, you will break a big spell that you have been under.

There was a man who wanted to transcend his suffering so he went to a Buddhist temple to find a Master to help him. He went to the Master and asked, "Master, if I meditate four hours a day, how long will it take me to transcend?"

The Master looked at him and said, "If you meditate four hours a day, perhaps you will transcend in ten years."

Thinking he could do better the man then said, "Oh, Master, what if I meditated eight hours a day, how long will it take me to transcend?"

The Master looked at him and said, "If you meditate eight hours a day, perhaps you will transcend in twenty years."

"But why will it take me longer if I meditate more?" the man asked.

The Master replied, "You are not here to sacrifice your joy or your life. You are here to live, to be happy, and to love. If you can do your best in two hours of meditation, but you spend eight hours instead, you will only grow tired, miss the point, and you won't enjoy your life. Do your best and perhaps you will learn that no matter how long you meditate, you can live, love and be happy."
.

Don't miss the point. This is simple. Don't make it more difficult than it is. Good enough is good enough.
"That which we persist in doing becomes easier for us to do. Not that the nature of the thing itself has changed but our power to do it is increased." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

"You are what you eat -- so don't be Fast, Easy, Cheap or Fake."

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Post by Nicest of the Damned » Fri Dec 31, 2010 3:47 pm

I would recommend that everybody do vanilla No S for at least the first month. Don't start adding mods until the vanilla No S habits seem like natural things to do, or one month, whichever comes later. Researchers on habit say that it takes people at least a month to establish a new habit.

I would also recommend against starting No S at the same time as you're trying to change other habits, like quitting drinking or smoking, or starting an exercise program.

The one exception to "no mods until vanilla seems natural" is if you try vanilla No S, and really find it too difficult. If that happens, you can try establishing one or two of the No S habits at first, and adding the other ones on later.

If you do start adding mods, only add three or fewer at once, and don't add new ones more often than once a month. After you add a mod, you should hold off on adding any new ones for at least a month, or until the new mod (or mods) seems natural, whichever comes later.

The reason for all this is that, as a human, you have a limited amount of willpower. If you try to change too many of your habits at once, you spread that willpower too thin, and you probably end up accomplishing nothing.

A lot of people want to add mods to keep their S days from going too wild. Restricting S days, though, is like cooking a small fish. It takes a very light touch. S days serve an important function in No S. If you keep denying yourself some foods, you can get a craving for them that builds and builds as time goes on, and eventually gets too strong to resist. S days are a safety valve to keep that from happening. Also, willpower needs rest, like muscles do. Give your willpower a break on S days, and it will be stronger for you on N days.

The idea here isn't to get your eating to diet-book perfection right away. The idea is to establish good habits that you can keep over the long term. This is a marathon, not a sprint. No S isn't the kind of diet you go on to lose weight quickly for an upcoming class reunion or swimsuit season. It's a diet where you establish good habits for life. It's going to take a while to establish those habits. There's no way to rush the process.

The first month of No S is going to be the hardest. Then, you're not only fighting the temptations to eat that everybody deals with, you're also fighting your established eating habits. Don't get discouraged if you have a lot of failures in your first month. It gets easier from there on out.

When you do fail, as you will, get back up on the horse right away. Don't wait till tomorrow, or Monday, or next month. Try as best you can to stick to No S for the rest of the day after the failure. Don't think, "I've wrecked my diet, might as well eat more." If you get a dent in your car, you don't think "the car's wrecked, might as well drive it into a brick wall", do you? Failing at No S does not make you a bad or weak person, it doesn't mean you can't do this, and we don't kick people off the board for having "red" days.

HabitCal may seem hokey (it did to me at first), but it really does help. Try it. Or you can do a daily check-in thread, or mark a paper calendar, if you'd prefer. Having some accountability really does seem to make it easier to stick to No S. A calendar also helps keep you from magnifying your failures and minimizing your successes, since the failures and successes are the same size on a calendar.

A calendar also allows you to declare your S days in advance. That way, there's not as much temptation to declare today an S day just because you feel like having a snack or sweet. Non-weekend S days should be legitimate special days, or days when you have a social obligation that involves food, or times when you are really sick, not just a time when you feel like eating more. Definitely don't give yourself an S day because you're stressed or upset today. If you have a pattern of eating because you feel bad, you want to break that habit, not reinforce it.

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Post by wosnes » Fri Dec 31, 2010 5:50 pm

I'd recommend being on No-S 3 to 6 months before making modifications. Most of us still don't really have the habits down before that. There's no point in modifying something you haven't mastered.
"That which we persist in doing becomes easier for us to do. Not that the nature of the thing itself has changed but our power to do it is increased." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

"You are what you eat -- so don't be Fast, Easy, Cheap or Fake."

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Post by LoriLifts » Fri Dec 31, 2010 10:37 pm

Welcome new folks!

:D
Habits are at first cobwebs, then cables.

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Post by motorin » Sat Jan 01, 2011 11:14 pm

I'm newish. Married male in my 30's with children. I've been off and on No S for a few months. With the New Year, it's time to try again. You have to get some failures under your belt!

The No S Diet is by far the most logical and sustainable diet I've seen. Tried Weight Watchers and countless others. I hate counting calories. I tend to be an "emotional eater" as they say. This is mostly out of stress, boredom, and habit.

Nicest of the Damned
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Post by Nicest of the Damned » Sun Jan 02, 2011 5:20 pm

motorin wrote:I tend to be an "emotional eater" as they say. This is mostly out of stress, boredom, and habit.
I have this same tendency, and I think No S is helpful. No S doesn't require you to distinguish between hunger and stress, boredom, or habit, the way a diet that tells you to "eat when you're hungry" does. You just have to know if it is a meal time, and if this is your first plate.

Following the No S rules makes it hard to overeat, too. You can't eat between meals, and the amount you can eat at meals is limited. Other than "no sweets on N days", there are no rules about what you can eat, so you're free to eat what comforts you.

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Post by exdieter » Mon Jan 03, 2011 3:41 pm

Hi There --

I'm a new group member. Mid-thirties, married woman in Chicago.

About 8 months ago, I committed to stop counting calories and get in shape. I've successfully done both, but have watched my weight creep up. So I've devoted 2011 to be the year I learn to eat like a normal person. :D

I've read tons and tons about the subject, and I feel like this approach could be the one that allows me to finally get control of what I eat without obsessing over every morsel and tick of the scale.

Happy New Year to everybody. Here's hoping we all achieve health and happiness in 2011. :)
Slow and steady wins the race.
5"4', mid-thirties female
1/2/11: 157.2
4/4/11: 153.6

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reinhard
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Post by reinhard » Mon Jan 03, 2011 4:17 pm

Thanks for starting this very timely thread, KCCC (and sorry I was AWOL for the last week and change -- intense stay at home vacation with the kids).

Welcome all newbies!

Reinhard

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NoelFigart
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Post by NoelFigart » Tue Jan 04, 2011 1:18 am

wosnes wrote:I'd recommend being on No-S 3 to 6 months before making modifications. Most of us still don't really have the habits down before that. There's no point in modifying something you haven't mastered.
I agree that it's ideal, though very very hard for people who are expecting a quick fix to a problem that is often life-long.

No-S is so very moderate and for the most part, we are not a particularly moderate society.

I have not yet solved my weight problem as I still find consistency hard with eating habits, but I can say that moderation (glass ceiling) DID solve a burgeoning drinking problem, and I think that the key to both is in the long-term habits rather than the short fixes.
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Nicest of the Damned
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Post by Nicest of the Damned » Tue Jan 04, 2011 2:14 am

NoelFigart wrote:
wosnes wrote:I'd recommend being on No-S 3 to 6 months before making modifications. Most of us still don't really have the habits down before that. There's no point in modifying something you haven't mastered.
I agree that it's ideal, though very very hard for people who are expecting a quick fix to a problem that is often life-long.
No S is definitely not a quick fix. It has its virtues, but quick weight loss and quick progress are not among them.

You almost certainly didn't gain all that weight quickly. That's just not how it works for most people. You know that gaining weight is easier than losing weight. You know that doing hard things usually takes longer than doing easy things. Why would you expect to lose the weight quickly?

jump4joy
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my intro

Post by jump4joy » Tue Jan 04, 2011 5:29 am

I joined this group last August and haven't had a lot to say since I've been trying to find my own way to incorporating No-S into my life. I've been committed to intuitive eating for the last 4 1/2 years and have found No-S to be a perfect way to add some moderate structure that I've needed. I also have found value in intermittent fasting for the past six months. I'm finally getting some successful days under my belt by using what I've learned from all three. What I do is very close to vanilla no-s, except I usually have only two meals per day, and sometimes a third small meal or snack. That's all I'm hungry for. I really love the logic and simplicity of the No S Diet, and am finding that it fits very well with my natural hunger rhythms.

I'm 53, married, and mom of two beautiful daughters, 18 and 21. I'll be starting my own check-in thread and anyone is welcome to visit with me there. I'm very impressed with the people here on this forum and have enjoyed reading your posts here over the past five months. I've decided that this is a good, safe place to be and would like to join in on the discussion to give and receive support.

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Post by DaveMc » Tue Jan 04, 2011 1:19 pm

One other question that's frequently asked:

5) My S days are too wild! Should I modify or eliminate them, or add restrictions? Am I going to sabotage myself on S days?

The first response, here, is usually to find out how long the questioner has been doing NoS. If it's less than several months, the standard advice is "don't worry about it, yet." You really need to give yourself a while to settle in to good, solid N day habits, without worrying too much about what you do on S days - focus on the N days first! Remember that this is a marathon, not a sprint: a few months of possibly-too-wild S days isn't important compared to the long-term benefit of getting solid N day habits established.

*Can* you eat so much on S days that you undo all your good work for the rest of the week? Sure. *Will* you do that? Most beginners assume that they will, and start to panic prematurely. Many people find, though, that their S days become more moderate over time, without any special effort or specific modifications or restrictions. For one thing, not eating sweets all week means that it starts to take less to make you feel satisfied. And once you're out of the habit of non-stop eating, it actually feels weird to do it -- and not pleasant! The "phases of NoS" sticky at the top of the forum can be helpful, here (http://everydaysystems.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=6437).

Now, some people do find that their S days never go through this automatic transition to a more moderate state, and if they've been at this for a good long while, they may need to consider some explicit modifications. See the "S days gone wild" podcast that Reinhard produced, for a canonical discussion of this issue (http://everydaysystems.com/podcast/, or it's available through iTunes). There are also any number of people here on the forums who have successfully implemented modifications, including things like limiting their S day treats to a specific number of high-quality items, or replacing S days entirely with a number of "S events", spread throughout the week rather than concentrated on specific days. Once again, those who have been most successful with this have done the "basic" or "vanilla" version of NoS (that is, following the plan as stated, with no extra rules) for a long while before making these changes. (I believe that forum regular wosnes said that she went to a floating S event system after several *years* on NoS.)


Also: Welcome back, Noel! Long time no see!

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Post by NoelFigart » Tue Jan 04, 2011 10:17 pm

Thanks. Good to be back. My husband and I found that our eating habits were starting to get silly again, so I find the support here does reinforce not only the habits we want to have, but the example we want to set for the little 'uns who ain't so little any more.
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Post by Nicest of the Damned » Tue Jan 04, 2011 11:34 pm

NoelFigart wrote:Thanks. Good to be back. My husband and I found that our eating habits were starting to get silly again, so I find the support here does reinforce not only the habits we want to have, but the example we want to set for the little 'uns who ain't so little any more.
Good for you. The best way to ensure that your kids have good eating habits is to have good eating habits yourself. "Do as I say, not as I do" doesn't work much better for eating habits than it does for anything else.

kccc
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Post by kccc » Thu Jan 06, 2011 7:25 pm

Welcome to all the many new folks!! (I'd name names, but I would be sure to leave someone out.)

Some other FAQ questions:

1) Oh no! I ate a forbidden-by-other-diets-item. Have I failed?

Short answer: If it was NOT a sweet, and WAS on your (single) plate at a meal, no. Agreed, it might not have been an ideal choice, but you can fine-tune that kind of thing once you have your habits down. For now, keep it simple. Don't cheat, but don't layer on restrictions that aren't there either.

2) I ate something between meals, but it really was healthy. I don't have to count that as a failure, do I?

Short answer: Yes, you do. Your goal is to build habit, and you don't do that when you have to stop and evaluate "does this count?" (Besides, that's a dangerously slippery slope.) If it wasn't on a plate at mealtime, it counts.

Don't get too warped out by it, though - just "mark it and move on."

3) I failed! ::Great angst coupled with fear of never succeeding::
Short answer: Welcome to the club. :) It's normal for all of us imperfect humans. The question isn't IF you'll fail, but WHEN... and how you handle it.

Just start back on track as quickly as you can - the faster you get over it, the less damage it will do. If you can learn anything useful to prevent similar slip-ups in the future, that would be good. On the other hand, beating yourself up about it is NOT good - it will just make you more likely to fail again because you feel bad about being beat up. So be gentle with yourself, and keep going.

myshell
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I'm a Newbie-thanks for the tips!

Post by myshell » Mon Jan 10, 2011 5:30 pm

I'm new, I just finished my first week! I'm a snacker. If I don't fill up each meal I can't stop thinking about food. It's really opened my eyes to my habits. I am doing the vanilla No "S" diet and following the Phases listed in the sticky notes and am otherwise very happy. My body doesn't feel a huge desire to revolt, which always happens on the other plans. I try to drink lots of water and tell myself out loud what time my next meal is so that there is no arguing with myself. (I know I'm not alone with the internal arguments here).

Thank you for the tips! It looks like an amazing group of very supportive people. I plan to post everytime I feel like snacking to keep myself in-line.

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Post by shorthouse3000 » Wed Jan 12, 2011 4:45 am

I guess I can't be considered new, but I am going to try and get back on track tomorrow. I think posting something makes me feel a little more accountable. Good luck to everyone in 2011!!!

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Post by NoelFigart » Sat Jan 15, 2011 4:53 pm

KCCC:
General rule of thumb: The more dieting you've done in the past, the longer you should stick with Vanilla No-S before attempting mods. This is very, very different from most diets, and you've got a lot to un-learn!
Oh this. Oh dear, oh Lord, this.

To give a general idea... I've dieted several different ways for 30 years. I've been off and on No S for about four, then interspersed it with other diets when I started losing weight but got impatient, then got disgusted and stopped dieting and gained weight and...

I need to get a lot straightened out and quit with the crazy eating habits. I am going to try to do plain Vanilla No S for an entire year. No tweaks, no mods. I KNOW I won't GAIN weight, if nothing else. I expect I'll at least lose a little.

This is coming from someone who knows the system quite well, mind. But what I am expecting to get out of it is some incredibly, solidly-strong HABIT. THEN maybe I'll tweak if I need to. (Being 5'2" and and 42, chances are quite good I might have to). But for myself, I feel like that until habits are so solid I don't THINK about them, until they become Just How I Live, then I need to be strict about the Vanilla. As a Lifetime Yo-yo dieter, I have to fix that first. And so far, I just haven't.
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Summerwine
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Post by Summerwine » Sun Jan 16, 2011 2:44 pm

Hello there, I'm new. :) Just completing my first week of NoS.

I'm finding NoS alarmingly easy so far. I get very hungry between meals (snacking is my chief demon), but drinks in-between have been sorting me out. I'm slightly scared of how easy it's been in the first week, because I can't help thinking that there's a trap waiting for me somewhere. :roll: I know it's an irrational fear, though, so I'm concentrating on following the rules strictly, and mentally preparing to dust myself off and carry on if I should fall down.

The main difficulty I've had with diets so far in my life is that I'm only 4'11'', and calorie-counting regimes have me eating only 1300 calories a day. I did lose weight this way once, but it's a mathematical exercise I've found very challenging - it's been known to take over my life, leaving little time to relax between working and thinking about the stupid calories. I'm immensely relieved to be rid of that problem.

I'm 178.8 lbs as of today (didn't get the starting weight last week, d'oh), and hope to be 110, which is smack in the middle of the healthy range for my height.

Thank you everyone for being such a civilised, welcoming crowd.

:)
Summerwine.

P.S. Special thanks for adding the soup question to the FAQ - I'm a vegetable broth addict.
Start date: 10 Jan 2011
4'11'', 31 y.o
SW: 178.8 lbs / CW: 177.4 lbs
Goal 1: 145 lbs (no longer obese)
Goal 2: 120 lbs (no longer overweight)
Final Goal: 110 lbs

"If winter comes, can spring be far behind?" John Crowley.

Nicest of the Damned
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Post by Nicest of the Damned » Sun Jan 16, 2011 8:31 pm

"I'm a picky eater. I don't eat X and Y." Or, "I keep kosher", or "I am a vegetarian." Can I do No S?

Yes. The only rule in No S about what you eat is "no sweets on N days." Any other rule anyone follows about what to eat or not eat is a mod that that person has added for themselves, not a part of canonical vanilla No S. There are other picky eaters doing No S, here is a thread for us:

http://everydaysystems.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=6908

You're not the only picky eater on this board. You might want to consider a multivitamin if your pickiness is excluding large numbers of foods or types of foods from your diet.

I keep kosher and do No S, so I know that's possible. From what I know about halal and Lenten dietary restrictions, and vegetarianism, I can't see any reason why it wouldn't be possible to do No S while following those restrictions, too.

"Can I eat X on an N-day?"

As long as X is not a sweet, is eaten as part of a regular meal, and fits on one plate, yes.

"I eat out or get takeout a lot. Is that OK on No S?"

Yes. At a restaurant, supersizes are also an S, just as snacks, sweets, and seconds are. To keep things in the spirit of No S, everything you order should fit on one plate. If you get takeout and bring it home, that's easy- just put it on your regular plates, or on paper plates, and only eat one plateful.

"I can't do this!"

Don't panic. Calm down. Yes, you CAN do this.

FindingLaurie
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New Here

Post by FindingLaurie » Mon Jan 17, 2011 6:48 am

Good morning! I am new here and wanted to introduce myself. I probably have the same story as many so I'll make it brief!

I was fit and healthy all through my 20s. Had children in my early 30s and find myself still carrying "baby weight" nine years later :roll: I've tried several diets and failed miserably at them all. For me, diets seem to create an obsession with food that is simply unhealthy - I am thinking about it all day long! I found this plan through another message board and can not tell you how excited I am to start. It makes perfect sense to me and knowing that an "S" day is on the horizon will make things easier.

Here's to a new me!
~Laurie

Started Jan. 17, 2011
207.4/207.4/140

vmsurbat
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Re: New Here

Post by vmsurbat » Mon Jan 17, 2011 5:23 pm

FindingLaurie wrote: I found this plan through another message board and can not tell you how excited I am to start. It makes perfect sense to me and knowing that an "S" day is on the horizon will make things easier.

Here's to a new me!
Hi Laurie!

Glad to see you made it over here. The forums are a great help--for encouragement, for advice, for keeping the vision of a sane relationship with food alive.

To a new you!
Vicki in MNE
7! Yrs. with Vanilla NoS, down 55+lb, happily maintaining and still loving it!

kccc
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Post by kccc » Tue Jan 25, 2011 4:54 pm

Additional welcomes, and a "bump" for the thread.

It's now late January. If you started at New Year's, you're in a tough spot - where the initial enthusiasm is flagging but habits are not yet well-formed. Hang in there. It gets easier over time.

Once again, I recommend the "strictness" podcast. Here's a link to the transcript.

I also strongly recommend the "sticky" titled No S Catch Phrase Glossary (add yours!).
Something in there is bound to resonate and inspire you to keep on.

Best wishes!

Nicest of the Damned
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Post by Nicest of the Damned » Tue Jan 25, 2011 5:35 pm

KCCC wrote:It's now late January. If you started at New Year's, you're in a tough spot - where the initial enthusiasm is flagging but habits are not yet well-formed. Hang in there. It gets easier over time.
In fact, you're probably around the point of maximum difficulty, all else being equal. It really does stop getting harder and start getting easier.

kccc
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Post by kccc » Tue Feb 01, 2011 7:38 pm

Just a "bump."

If you haven't checked out the some of the references in the thread yet, the beginning of a new month might be a good time. Also a good time to start HabitCal, if you've been thinking of that.

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~hf
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Post by ~hf » Tue Feb 01, 2011 8:43 pm

This thread really should be a sticky.

MelanieMMT
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Post by MelanieMMT » Wed Feb 02, 2011 8:12 pm

Hello,

I'm new, sort of. :) I actually tried the No S diet once...though it was very short lived, and I honestly could not remember, why I stopped.

However, recently I remembered about the No S, and I decided to try it once again. I am finishing up my first week today, and I really am enjoying myself.

I feel in control of myself, even more so then when I was counting calories, and unlike when I was counting calories, I actually feel satified at meal time, instead of hungry all the time.

I also feel better without so much sugar in my system (I was a huge soda drinker). Yet, I dont' feel deprived knowing that on the weekends, I can have a little if I want.

I am hoping to stay the course this time and actually make this a habit, and try not to get too antsy waiting for the weight to come off.

I love this message board, as everyone seems really nice and encouraging. :D

kccc
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Post by kccc » Tue Feb 08, 2011 2:38 am

Bumping since someone asked about weighing... there's a prior discussion linked above.

kccc
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Post by kccc » Tue Feb 22, 2011 9:42 pm

Bump for new folks! :)

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ImprisonedBeauty
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Post by ImprisonedBeauty » Fri Feb 25, 2011 9:50 pm

Hello! I was just lurking about as I am preparing myself to start No-S this coming Tuesday March 1st, and I thought I would go ahead and introduce myself.
I am a married woman in my late twenties living in central Pennsylvania. This is my first time doing No-S. I was lucky enough to come across a recommendation while surfing the Internet, and it seemed like it would be good for me. As a housewife and a freelance artist I spend a lot of time by myself and not moving around very much. I also spend a lot of time eating... I eat when I'm bored/emotional/thinking/stressed/you-name-it, and I have a huge sweet tooth which I got in the habit of indulging every day. Naturally, with this lifestyle I have gained a lot of weight... I am currently fifty pounds overweight. I have spent a lot of time being depressed and beating myself up over my weight and appearance... but I realize that that will do me no good, and I need to change my ways.
I already eat pretty healthily (aside from the excessive sweets), drink plenty of water (nothing but water actually, aside from a cup of tea/soda/hot cocoa/wine once in a blue moon), and exercise six days a week (most of the time). I don't believe in diets, and as much as I would love a quick and massive weight loss I don't believe in that either. I believe in having a healthy lifestyle and taking care of myself. I am hoping that No-S will be another healthy lifestyle change for me, and that this forum will be a source of support and accountability for me.
:)
Taking it one small step at a time.

Kevin
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Post by Kevin » Fri Feb 25, 2011 10:35 pm

Welcome aboard, IB!
Kevin
1/13/2011-189# :: 4/21/2011-177# :: Goal-165#
"Respecting the 4th S: sometimes."

Strawberry Roan
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Post by Strawberry Roan » Sun Feb 27, 2011 7:05 pm

Great thread KCCC, welcome to all. I would like to add, in my case, accepting the plateaus was a big step. I would be at the same weight for days and days even if I was doing everything right. I remember being 157, then 153 for a long long time. I think my body tried to hold on to certain set points until I proved that I was serious then I would lose several pounds all at once :wink:

I just kept at it, I figure You can't go wrong if you are doing right. This is my second round of NO S, it works great - IF you work it right.

To your health all,
Berry

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BrightAngel
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Post by BrightAngel » Mon Feb 28, 2011 1:13 am

imprisonedbeauty wrote: I am hoping that No-S will be another healthy lifestyle change for me,
and that this forum will be a source of support and accountability for me.
:)
Wecome. Image
No S can be a very healthy way to eat, and
you came to the right place for support.
BrightAngel - (Dr. Collins)
See: DietHobby. com

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NoelFigart
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Post by NoelFigart » Wed Mar 23, 2011 10:58 am

I thought of a new question that oughta show up on the FAQ:

Do I have to exercise to do No-S?

Yes and no. Of course, you could be completely sedentary, stick to No-S and not exercise and you probably won't gain (For reference, I'm a short chronic dieter who is d'une certaine age and naturally sedentary. I lost five pounds in two months following No-S and being VERY crappy about getting any exercise). You might even lose a tiny bit. It would still be following No-S, and no-one's going to kick you out of the No-S club for it.

The reality is that your body needs to move to be healthy,and regular moderate exercise combined with a moderate diet will be a great aid in losing weight. Our Founder most certainly gets plenty of exercise in conjunction with No-S using the systems of Shovelglove and Urban Ranger. By his own report, you're looking at over an hour a day of walking and fourteen minutes a day of more intense exercise using Shovelglove. That's a fairly significant amount of exercise.

While Urban Ranger and Shovelglove are popular on the boards, there are lots of other forms of exercise people do here. We have swimmers, weightlifters, people into Tai-chi, yoga or martial arts. Once you get your diet habits down, it is probably a good idea to start looking at your movement habits. Consensus on the board is not to work on too many habits at a time, though. Willpower is finite, and you can take habits in the order you think are important.
------
My blog https://noelfigart.com/wordpress/ I talk about being a freelance writer, working out and cooking mostly. The language is not always drawing room fashion. Just sayin'.

bettyB
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newbie

Post by bettyB » Wed Mar 23, 2011 11:54 am

Hi all,

I'm betty, from the UK. I just wanted to say that I found the no S diet last night and spent most of the evening engrossed in the website! It makes so much sense!

However embarrassing it might be to admit it, it's common sense! and I am a fool for ever thinking a good diet should be anything but!

The way the diet is explained on the site really speaks to me.

The bit about the beets and carrots, for example, is precisely what I was trying to articulate to my friend who's on the Tony Ferguson diet - She was telling me how she can't have any carbs or even carb-heavy veg like carrots, and I remember saying, ' Um, it's not the carrots that made you fat!!'

I like how up front this advice is - I need to take personal responsbility for my actions. I am not fat cos I had some toast with butter for breakfast, I'm fat cos I had loads of it throughout the day. Snacking is 100% my issue, and I have to get some willpower and realise thin people do not munch all day long cos they are bored/upset/etc they eat at meal times and they enjoy what they eat.

And because it's common sense, and 'normal' behaviour, it's something you really can stick to for life -it's just the way normal people eat! It's the way I have longed to eat, like my friends who are stick thin, and it perfectly illustrates how twisted my current relationship with food is.

So Hi everyone, I might be more of a lurker than a contributor to this site but I wanted to say thinks this is a really helpful resource and I am so happy to have found it! :)

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Re: newbie

Post by BrightAngel » Wed Mar 23, 2011 1:25 pm

bettyB wrote: I need to take personal responsbility for my actions.
I am not fat cos I had some toast with butter for breakfast,
I'm fat cos I had loads of it throughout the day.
Snacking is 100% my issue
Image Hi Betty,
I look forward to getting to know you.
BrightAngel - (Dr. Collins)
See: DietHobby. com

milliem
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Post by milliem » Wed Mar 23, 2011 4:35 pm

Hello, thought i'd introduce myself as I'm new to this NoS thing :)

I'm Millie, I'm 29 and from the UK. I've never really dieted before (as I hate the thought of restricting what I eat) and I don't have an 'ideal' body type or weight. I generally think I have a pretty good body image :) BUT I am overweight, and although I'm not really gaining, I could definitely use at least eating healthier and hopefully lose some weight too.

NoS appealed to me because it's not about 'banning' foods or strict counting of calories/points/sins/whatever, it's about eating sensibly and cutting out most of the crap, most of the time. In theory!

I started NoS on Monday so 3 days in currently! It's quite hard to adjust to not snacking and eating between meals and keeping my sweet tooth at bay. I'm trying to be strict 'vanilla' at the moment but trying to remember to eat breakfast is a challenge! I'm looking forward to trying to make all this a habit, fingers crossed.

bettyB
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Post by bettyB » Wed Mar 23, 2011 4:52 pm

milliem wrote:Hello, thought i'd introduce myself as I'm new to this NoS thing :)
Hi millie! Nice to see another UK-based newbie :)

milliem
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Post by milliem » Wed Mar 23, 2011 5:47 pm

bettyB wrote:
milliem wrote:Hello, thought i'd introduce myself as I'm new to this NoS thing :)
Hi millie! Nice to see another UK-based newbie :)
Hi there :) Yep, I measure in grams and weigh in kilograms, definitely a UK-er :P

librarylady
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Post by librarylady » Wed Mar 23, 2011 8:38 pm

Yep, I measure in grams and weigh in kilograms, definitely a UK-er
Dear me I thought you used "stones" across the pond! :lol:

idontknow
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Post by idontknow » Wed Mar 23, 2011 8:56 pm

We're in a period of transition to join our European neighbours.... The older ones among us still use stones, pounds and ounces. Some of the younger ones use kilograms and grams.

bettyB
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Post by bettyB » Thu Mar 24, 2011 11:45 am

ah well i'm an old school UKer (depsite only being 25!) I use stones, pounds, ounces, feet and inches! (and pints! hehe!)

But I guess I just got that from my mother, despite what they tried to teach me in school I am still rubbish at understanding kilograms!!

I'm currently 11 stone. Only 5ft 3. Hoping to get down to 9 and a half. Loving the No S diet so far!!

Mrandy1
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Newby andy

Post by Mrandy1 » Thu Mar 24, 2011 12:17 pm

Hello all - I'm Andy from NYC and stumbled on no s when I was googling about "no snack" diets. I had successfully gotten down to 165 from 180 a few years ago thru rigorous exercise and strictly watching what I was eating and then last sept i just started snacking again (pretzels chips cookies ) all the time and within 4 months I was back at 175. I have all these clothes I bought at 165 and then are starting to get tight!

Anyway I found the no s website and it just makes so much sense!

Anyway today is day 5 and I told my kids I'm conducting a long term experiment on myself! When I pick up my 12 year old today after school I'm even going over to home depot to get a sledge Hammer so I can shovel glove properly! (last night I was bouncing around w a 15lb exercise bar.

Anyway I think this system is brilliant. A simple method for creating better habits and controlling my tendency to snack all the time.

We shall see!
Starting weight was 176. I'm interested to see where this system will take me long term. I'll weigh myself once a week and track the results.
Mrandy1

Starting weight 3/20/2011: 176
Weight as of 4/23/2011. 169.8
Weight as of 5/5/2011. 169.5
goal BMI 24.9 = 164 lbs

librarylady
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Post by librarylady » Thu Mar 24, 2011 2:04 pm

Hi Betty,

The first time I visited your beautiful country was when I was 21 - some many years ago (ok 1977! :wink: ). While there I decided to weigh myself as I had been chomping down a bit hard on the sweeties. My friend and I stared at the scale - "what on earth could "9 stone" mean?" What sort of stones were we talking about here? Is 9 stone good or bad? Luckily a charming Englishman assured me that 9 stone was excellent for me and that I was in very good shape. Oh to have the metabolism of a 21 year old again!! :D

Welcome and best luck - glad to see that some of you are still keeping up the old traditions!

milliem
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Post by milliem » Thu Mar 24, 2011 5:48 pm

I must fall between old and new, I weigh things in grams/kilograms but measure height in feet and inches not centimetres!

Either that or I'm just confused, it's a possibility :)

kccc
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Post by kccc » Fri Apr 08, 2011 12:45 pm

Bumpity-bump. :)

Melamin
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Post by Melamin » Fri Apr 08, 2011 5:52 pm

Hello :)
I found this website through a link from another forum that was discussing weight loss.
I have a significant amount of weight to lose, but have got in the habit of not really eating over the past 3 years, so that when I did eat, it was more of a binge. :oops:
The Dr's keep telling me to diet,but don't seem to want to address anything else, and since I am responsible for my own health I think this way of eating will help me to normalise things!
Looking forward to getting to know you all
:D
Drink Coffee! Do stupid things faster!!

Too solid flesh
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Post by Too solid flesh » Fri Apr 08, 2011 6:26 pm

Welcome, Melamin!
Be kind, for everybody you meet is fighting a hard battle.

oolala53
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Post by oolala53 » Sat Apr 09, 2011 5:56 am

Though this is not promoted as a system for eating issues like bingeing, I have found it very helpful. I'd say last year I decreased it my bingeing by 80%, and I'm decreasing it even more now. However, even when I was a bingeing I had decent meals. No matter. To end disordered eating, you have got to greatly reduce the randomness of eating. The order of No S is its healing element, if you want my opinion. Please don't give up on it even it's hard to establish the habit. I think it is likely your best chance.
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)

Becoming
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Post by Becoming » Sat Apr 09, 2011 8:19 am

oolala53 wrote:The order of No S is its healing element, if you want my opinion. Please don't give up on it even it's hard to establish the habit. I think it is likely your best chance.
I completely agree with oolala53. I have had great success reducing my binging using No-S. I don't binge during the week anymore, or on Sundays, and I am almost ready to let go of my over-the-top Saturdays. No-S has has helped me to change some deeply ingrained bad habits, and I hope it is the same for you, Melamin. There is heaps of support here if you need it. Good luck!

Melamin
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Post by Melamin » Sat Apr 09, 2011 8:33 pm

Thanks for the welcome :)

I completely appreciate what has been said about binging...my bad habits started 3 years ago. I had just had my 3rd baby and my body went a bit nuts. Sleeping 20 out of 24 hours meant there was a very small window of time to have a meal and try to stay connected to my babies and husband. It took 10 months for the Dr's to get things 'right' for me and yet, despite this, I still only ever ate one meal a day. And it was a BIG meal.
Since finding this way of eating I have made a real attempt to eat 3 meals a day. It's a lot harder than I thought it would be, especially when you don't get hungry until really late at night!!
I'll keep plodding along though, I'm in this for the long haul :)
Drink Coffee! Do stupid things faster!!

herbsgirl
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Post by herbsgirl » Thu Sep 15, 2011 5:05 pm

wosnes wrote:I'd recommend being on No-S 3 to 6 months before making modifications. Most of us still don't really have the habits down before that. There's no point in modifying something you haven't mastered.
That is a good point. 3-6 months is alot better amount of time to be able to see how something is working than 1 month!
SW 218.2 10-14-13
1 mo 193.4
2 mo 178.8
3 mo 162.8
4 mo 151.4
5 mo 146.2
72 lbs lost in 19 wks 5' 6.5" 31 years old BMI 23.1
counting bites go to: countyourbites . blogspot . com

thtrchic
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Post by thtrchic » Mon Jan 02, 2012 6:51 pm

As its once again a new year, I thought I'd go ahead and bump this thread up.

oolala53
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Post by oolala53 » Tue Jan 03, 2012 3:38 am

Excellent idea.
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)

3-0-7 girl
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Post by 3-0-7 girl » Wed Jan 04, 2012 2:25 pm

Just wanted to say that this works great for people that are Juvenile or Type 1 diabetic too. Don't think you can't do No S because of that, you can, it will be awesome.

What I do in between meals if I have a blood sugar low is to drink OJ.

I do the 3 meals one plate of food, no seconds, and a tiny bite of dessert 7 days a week. If I do the snacks on the weekends my blood sugar jets up too high. By doing it 3-0-7 I maintain pretty normal levels of blood sugar 95% of the time, which is real good.

Welcome to any and all newbies, 2012 is gonna be OUR year to establish a workable eating pattern that incorporates regular foods and establishes a WOE you can do under any circumstances.

WOOOOOOO WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO 8) :D :D
3-0-7 girl

Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you this day: And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the LORD your God… (Dt. 11:26-28.)

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