Worth it check-in

Counting carbs/calories is a drag. Obsessive scale stepping is a recipe for despair. If you want to count something, "days on habit" is a much better metric. Checking off days on a calendar would do just fine, but if you do it here you get accountability and support. Here's how. Start a new topic in this forum called (say) "Your Name Daily Check In." Then every N day post a "reply" to that topic as to whether you stayed on habit. A simple "<font color="green">SUCCESS</font>" or "<font color="red">FAILURE</font>" (or your preferred euphemism if that's too harsh) is sufficient, but obviously you're welcome to write more if you want. On S-days just register that you're taking an S-day. You don't have to do this forever, just until you're confident you've built the habit. Feel free to check in weekly or monthly or sporadically instead of daily. Feel free also to track other habits besides No-s (I'm keeping this forum under No-s because that's what the vast majority are using it for). See also my <a href="/habitcal/">HabitCal</a> tool for another more formal (and perhaps complementary) way to track habits.

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Over43
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Post by Over43 » Mon Aug 18, 2014 11:54 pm

Good job today!
Bacon is the gateway meat. - Anthony Bourdain
You pale in comparison to Fox Mulder. - The Smoking Man

I made myself be hungry, then I would get hungrier. - Frank Zane Mr. Olympia '77, '78, '79

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Post by worth it » Tue Aug 19, 2014 12:12 am

Thanks over43!

Hoping that third time is the charm for me.

worth it
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Post by worth it » Wed Aug 20, 2014 3:57 am

Week 2, Tuesday- Success

B- egg Mcmuffin; coffee with cream and sugar

L- peanut butter toast with honey; fruit; single serve potato chips

D- pizza (plate piled high)

Am noticing that every time I work at this site (far away), I overeat at dinner. Perhaps it is the horrendous traffic, long drive (takes 2.5 to 3 hours to get home), or maybe I let myself get too hungry, but I need to be proactive knowing this happens EVERYTIME.

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Over43
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Post by Over43 » Wed Aug 20, 2014 4:14 am

Worth It,

I read your food diary and truthfully, it is uncanny how our food diaries look alike. Sometimes, looking at yours I think that I have clicked on mine by accident.

If I have learned one thing from your posts, you don't fear the food. Good job.
Last edited by Over43 on Wed Aug 20, 2014 3:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Bacon is the gateway meat. - Anthony Bourdain
You pale in comparison to Fox Mulder. - The Smoking Man

I made myself be hungry, then I would get hungrier. - Frank Zane Mr. Olympia '77, '78, '79

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Over43
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Post by Over43 » Wed Aug 20, 2014 4:18 am

worth it wrote:Week 2, Tuesday- Success

B- egg Mcmuffin; coffee with cream and sugar

L- peanut butter toast with honey; fruit; single serve potato chips

D- pizza (plate piled high)

Am noticing that every time I work at this site (far away), I overeat at dinner. Perhaps it is the horrendous traffic, long drive (takes 2.5 to 3 hours to get home), or maybe I let myself get too hungry, but I need to be proactive knowing this happens EVERYTIME.
A three hour ride home from work sucks. If you have access a market, pick up a 20 oz. Bottle of milk for the ride, and sip on it.

Over43
Bacon is the gateway meat. - Anthony Bourdain
You pale in comparison to Fox Mulder. - The Smoking Man

I made myself be hungry, then I would get hungrier. - Frank Zane Mr. Olympia '77, '78, '79

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Post by worth it » Wed Aug 20, 2014 2:50 pm

Week 2, Wednesday- Success so far

B- coffee with cream and sugar; Organic whole wheat buttered toast topped with cottage cheese and tomatoes from the garden

L- TBD

D- TBD

over43- Although you probably didn't realize this, your comment about my lack of fear around eating has given me great hope today- Thank you!

To tell the truth, I have been afraid of food over the past several years, which is when I got fat. Before that, I had always LOVED food and never obsessed over it and am hoping that by your recent observation, that maybe I am on my way back to that "place". A place where I eat yummy, well-balanced meals most of the time, and can also eat junk food/unhealthy food sometimes and still maintain a normal weight. Only time will tell.

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Post by Over43 » Wed Aug 20, 2014 3:14 pm

Good, not what, but how much.
Bacon is the gateway meat. - Anthony Bourdain
You pale in comparison to Fox Mulder. - The Smoking Man

I made myself be hungry, then I would get hungrier. - Frank Zane Mr. Olympia '77, '78, '79

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lpearlmom
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Post by lpearlmom » Thu Aug 21, 2014 12:08 am

Isn't it crazy how much dieting messes with us?! We're wired to experience joy from food for survival reasons, and it really sucks when that goes haywire. Glad you're finding your way back to a good place though. That's real progress!

Linda
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by worth it » Fri Aug 22, 2014 8:39 pm

Thursday, Week 2- Fail

B- coffee with cream and sugar; sausage and cheese sandwich

L- Hamburger and Fries

D- Turkey, mashed potatoes and salad

2.5 glasses of wine

Late night snacking- Ritz crackers; tortilla chips

I'm out-of-town visiting my family this weekend. I thought that perhaps I'd be able to follow No S, but I couldn't do it tonite. In fact, if I was being honest, I didn't need to eat dinner because I ate junky road food and my stomach was bloated, but I did it anyway... and then I went on to eat snacks later after drinking wine and staying up talking with my family late night. I am going to declare NWS days tomorrow and Monday (while I'm traveling) to give myself a break and not make the whole day a WTH situation.

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Post by worth it » Fri Aug 22, 2014 8:44 pm

Friday, Week 2- NWS day

B- Crepes and an over easy egg; coffee with cream and sugar

L- Cheese pastry and antipasti (salami, cheese, olives)

Snack: Cheese pastry, plums and tortilla chips, chocolate, cookies (tummy ache)

D- Cheeseburger (no bun); twice-baked potato, salad

Vodka and soda


Drinking lots of water today. It is HOT and I was very dehydrated this morning... all that wine and salt gave me a headache. Ugh. Hope I won't drink that much again!
Last edited by worth it on Sat Aug 23, 2014 9:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Post by worth it » Sat Aug 23, 2014 9:00 pm

Week 2, Saturday- S Day

B- coffee with cream and sugar

L- butter pecan ice cream cone and a chocolate wafer cookie

D- sausage sandwich and cabbage salad

Dessert: Chocolate wafer cookies
Last edited by worth it on Sun Aug 24, 2014 9:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Post by osoniye » Sun Aug 24, 2014 4:19 am

Hi worth it- Sounds like you had a good time with your family and that's worth a few fails or NWS days for sure. When it's a special visit like that and not normal life, it seems like the right time to relax a bit on the rules. You'll get back on track once you're home and into the normal routine. Have a good trip back.
-Sonya
No Sweets, No Snacks and No Seconds, Except (Sometimes) on days that start with "S".

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Post by worth it » Sun Aug 24, 2014 9:13 pm

Week 2, Sunday- S Day

B- Sausage, egg and cheese on a croissant; coffee with cream and sugar

L- 1 small bean and veggie burrito; 1 small beef burrito; ice cream cone

D- potato chips, a few pretzel crackers with laughing cow cheese, couple bites of pizza

Update: Was going to have a Dove ice cream bar, but just didn't want it. Whoo hop.

My S days are remaining relatively calm still. That is a very good thing. During the long ride today, I kept thinking that the key for me will be to now start to challenge myself to see if I can leave some food on my plate. I always worry that I will not have enough food at my meals and I need not be afraid, as another meal is always around the corner. I think for some reason, I"m afraid of the feeling of hunger and need to remind myself that it's a normal human response- not something to fear. I'm going to work on this during the upcoming week.

Sonya, thanks for stopping by! I appreciate your encouragement and know that when I'm not stressed out by my family (although I love them), I will be able to get back in the swing of things.

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Post by worth it » Mon Aug 25, 2014 3:29 pm

Week 3, N Day

B- Peanut butter toast with honey-left 1/2 piece;1/2 glass of milk; coffee with cream and sugar

L- 1/2 Bacon Cheeseburger; 1/2 of coleslaw; bloody mary; 2 steak fries

D- 2 scrambled eggs; sourdough toast with butter

So, after about a year, I finally got my No S book back from my mom. I started reading it again last night and had a breakthrough- I know why I have not been losing weight- my plates hold too much food. I read a line where Reinhard says that everything should be a "single vertical layer on your plate," and that a piece of bread should fit on a "single layer on your plate" and not overlapping anything else. I would say that overall, I tend to overfill my plate, i.e. bread or extra salad, etc. and most of the time things were always overlapping each other, so I could fit it all on one plate. I don't even want to think of the days where I believed I piled my plate high- those were probably double plate days! Wow. Once again, I think I was so worried about not getting enough during my meals, that I filled my plates and overate on portions. I'm now thinking that it's a blessing I've only put on a few lbs. (or stayed pretty close to the same weight) during the time I was doing No S. I'm sure that's due to not snacking and eating sweets all day.

DUH.

Well, it's onward and (maybe downward? with my weight) from here. I feel like I just solved a close to year-long puzzle that it probably very obvious to most everyone else, but didn't click with me. Let's see what I can do now.


Update: I had planned on taking today as an NWS day, but didn't- I can't believe I didn't do it when I had the opportunity. I really kept an eye on those plates today- good start to the week! Am going to start a new Habitcal today to keep my positive motivation going.
Last edited by worth it on Tue Aug 26, 2014 1:19 am, edited 2 times in total.

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Post by osoniye » Mon Aug 25, 2014 4:23 pm

Hi, worth it- I can be a plate piler, too! I'm glad sandwiches are already two layers of bread, but one unit in and of itself. I often pile up veggies or salad and think that's OK, but try to keep other items unstacked. I'm happy when the lasagna or some such is a really tall piece!
-Sonya
No Sweets, No Snacks and No Seconds, Except (Sometimes) on days that start with "S".

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Post by clarinetgal » Mon Aug 25, 2014 8:52 pm

I'm glad you figured out about your plates! I've definitely piled my plates too high, also. I agree with Sonya. I think if you pile your plates with more fruits and veggies and less high calorie foods, it should help.

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Post by automatedeating » Tue Aug 26, 2014 1:21 am

Worth it, I've also been a plate piler. Just in recent weeks I've noticed I'm never hungry for meals. In my early months of NoSing I was always hungry by mealtime. So, just in the last two days I've consciously put less on my plate--and then I just read your entry. Sounds like we are on the same wavelength right now. :)
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

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Post by eschano » Tue Aug 26, 2014 1:53 pm

Brilliant insight! I'm a plate piler too. Maybe that's ok with Salad but I certainly should watch what's going on with that now. Thanks for the heads-up!
eschano - Vanilla rocks!

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Started again January 2021

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Post by worth it » Tue Aug 26, 2014 8:42 pm

Week 3, Tuesday- N Day

B-1/2 sausage egg and white cheddar cheese sandwich on sourdough; coffee with cream and sugar

L- Small salami sandwich on sourdough (cut 1 slice in half to make 2 pieces of bread); single serve doritos; 1/2 apple

L- (Will be) pork chops with roasted vegetable couscous

20 minutes of dance workout video

Sonya, CG, auto and eschano,

Thank your for your thoughts, empathy and insight. I love the thought of still being able to pile my plate with veggies, but to tone it down on other items. I have been doing that for the past 2 days for sure!

So far, it's become almost a game to me of trying to find the exact amount of food on my plate that will keep me satisfied until my next meal, but still allowing me to be hungry for the next meal. I'm sure it will vary depending on my activity level and what I've eaten for meals, but it's still a challenge that I would like to become adept at. For whatever reason, doing this has "forced" me to be very mindful of my intake of food, which I like, especially because my meals are yummy! : - )

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Post by ironchef » Wed Aug 27, 2014 12:52 am

This is exactly what I've been experimenting with over the past month, since I realised I was almost never hungry for breakfast. I've got a bunch of "default" meals now, which I know will be the right size so that I'm hungry about an hour before the next meal is due.

Sometimes I get it wrong and I'm hungry for several hours, but that's ok.

I like your idea of piling fruit and veg, but not other things.

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Post by lpearlmom » Wed Aug 27, 2014 5:51 am

Yay sounds like you're on the right track! Isn't it funny how sometimes the answer is right in front of our noses? I've been having this back pain forever and it finally dawned on me today that I started having it around the same time I started rowing--doh!

Good luck with finding the right amount for you. I definitely fill my plate but don't pile. On the other hand when I tried going to smaller plates, it felt too much like my old diets and back fired on me big time. So good to find just the right balance. Not too much but not so little that it triggers feelings of deprivation.

I'm sure you'll find what works for you!

Linda
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by worth it » Thu Aug 28, 2014 1:47 am

Week 3, Wednesday N Day

B- coffee with cream and sugar; egg mcmuffin

L- leftover dinner from last nite (pork chop with roasted veggie couscous)

Small sweet coffee drink

D- skillet lasagna; organic greens with oil and vinegar

Linda,

What you wrote reminded me of a commercial I saw on TV recently that stars "Captain Obvious"! It cracks me up! Many times I can observe patterns, issues, etc in others but I can't on myself- how ironic! Either way, it was helpful to read the No S book again to have this one stick with me.

So today, I had my 3 hour drive home in bad traffic (with my bad attitude) and I decided to stop for a iced coffee with milk (over43 contributed to this idea by recommending having a milk on a recent post). Anyway, when I ordered it, I had no idea that I was ordering a sweet coffee drink. I tasted it and went "Whoa" this is sweet... then another sip and I thought "Whoa" this is good! : - ) Anyway, I drank every last drop because I was very HUNGRY and it helped with my headache, and made my 3 hours a little less horrible. While technically this is a fail, I didn't do it on purpose, and even better yet, I didn't let it turn into a WTH moment. In fact, I think it allowed me to not gorge on my dinner, so whatever- fail, schmail! Ha!

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Post by lpearlmom » Thu Aug 28, 2014 5:25 am

Ha, yes total captain obvious moment for me! :)

Not a fail in my book but I know I'm bending the rules a bit. Still sometimes you just gotta do what gets you through.

Sounds like you've got the right attitude either way though! ;)

Linda
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by eschano » Thu Aug 28, 2014 9:34 am

Lol! I love the sweet coffee story!
eschano - Vanilla rocks!

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Post by worth it » Fri Aug 29, 2014 3:08 am

Week 3, Thursday

B- egg McMuffin; coffee with cream and sugar

L- PB toast with honey

D-Single serve bag of doritos; chicken tenders and a roll

decaf with cream and sugar

Another visit to the far away site- 2.5 hour drive. CrAzy week... glad it's a work from home day tomorrow! Maybe I'll even get to work out!

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Post by worth it » Sat Aug 30, 2014 12:26 am

Week 3, Friday N Day

B- Sausage mcmuffin; coffee with cream and sugar

L- salami sandwich on white bread; remaining roasted veggie couscous (plated piled a little high)

D- Ham and cheese bake; 3/4 glass of milk

20 min walk

Boy am I glad that this week is over! Too much work drama. I was having a rough go of it today but still managed to put up a green.

I can't tell you how much I am looking forward to my S days tomorrow. I am dreaming of brownies and will probably make a batch this weekend- one/half with frosting!

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Post by clarinetgal » Sat Aug 30, 2014 6:54 am

I hope you have a nice weekend, after your crazy week! Brownies sound good!

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Post by worth it » Sun Aug 31, 2014 12:30 am

Week 3, Saturday- S Day!

B- 2 donuts; coffee with cream and sugar; 1/2 glass of milk

bite of my hubby's breakfast sandwich

L-1/2 bacon cheeseburger; strawberry lemonade; a few steak fries, a bite of pizza, pretzel bites

D-2 pieces of pizza; 2 breadsticks

20 minute walk

CG, I might do the brownies tomorrow. Since I had those donuts this morning, I don't care about sweets anymore today. Oh well, if I want them tomorrow, I will make them! Gotta love S days!

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Post by worth it » Sun Aug 31, 2014 9:01 pm

Week 3, Sunday- S Day

B- coffee with cream and sugar; 2 donuts (leftover from yesterday)... not as satisfying as yesterday

L- 1/2 bacon cheeseburger; 2 breadsticks; a few handfuls of kettle corn (again, leftovers that were not as satisfying as yesterday)

D- Smoked sausage sandwich; small, homemade, mint-choc chip shake

25 minute walk/run chasing after my little one on his bike; 20 minutes chasing him around at the park

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lpearlmom
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Post by lpearlmom » Mon Sep 01, 2014 6:15 am

Sounds like a pretty calm S day. Good job!

I kind of miss the days of built in exercise when my kids were younger.

Thanks again for stopping by my thread.

Linda ;)
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by worth it » Mon Sep 01, 2014 10:36 pm

Week 4, Monday, NWS Day

B- coffee with cream and sugar; 2 over easy eggs and 2 pieces of buttered sourdough toast

L- BBQ ribs, 2 bites of macaroni salad, 1 small corn on the cob; 1/2 baked potato (Yes, it fit all on one plate!)

D- Watermelon

Update: Had an evening meal, 1/2 ham sandwich on amazing fresh bread and also had cheese and crackers.


As of now, I've eaten like it was an N day, but I'm still leaving it open for a snack later. I'll have it if I want it, but who knows, I'm pretty full still.

Update: even though I snacked today, I didn't have any additional sweets. What a surprise for me!

20 minute walk

Linda, thanks for stopping by! Yes, the weekends are truly no longer wild and are starting to look like N days, with some special sweets added in. They are no longer "stomach ache" days. I'm noticing the same for you too!

It's also motivating to think about how I haven't binged for over 3 weeks (since I stopped my fasting diet and got back on No S).

I'm really hoping this 3rd time is a charm for me!
Last edited by worth it on Tue Sep 02, 2014 4:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Post by clarinetgal » Tue Sep 02, 2014 7:01 am

Great job! It sounds like you're making some good progress!

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Post by worth it » Tue Sep 02, 2014 4:40 pm

Week 4, Tuesday- N Day

50 min walk at Forest Preserve

B- Coffee with cream and sugar; Oatmeal with a spoonful of cottage cheese

L-Small ham sandwich; single serve Doritos; watermelon

D- 2 pieces of leftover pizza and 2 breadsticks... plated piled high! I was really hungry today though. Wonder if it was the extra time during my walk this morning before breakfast. Oh well. Tomorrow is another day!

Thanks CG, I finally feel like the puzzle pieces are coming together for me with No S- and it has taken just shy of a year (with two, 1.5 month breaks in there) for that to happen.

I remember oolala and many others telling me that progress on No S would take time, and they were right. I am proud that I continue to stick with it, even without the reward of weight loss that most people experience on No S. That fact has been the hardest part for me, but perhaps it will come now? Who knows, but I will continue to trust the process now that I've seen some real progress and I will continue to be my determined old self- Hopefully slow and steady will win the race!
Last edited by worth it on Wed Sep 03, 2014 12:18 am, edited 2 times in total.

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Post by automatedeating » Tue Sep 02, 2014 5:24 pm

Wow, worthit, I am really glad to hear you say that you are beginning to see the virtue in patience with NoS (even without the weight loss, as you said). I think you and I might be similar in that we might ... eventually .... have to focus on what's on the plate. I hesitated to even write that because then it might mean I have to actually do that. Man, I am so NOT ready to do that! LOL! I ate a huge Big Mac for lunch yesterday and loved every bite.
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

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Post by worth it » Wed Sep 03, 2014 10:53 pm

Week 4, Wednesday- N Day

20 minute walk

B- Fiber One cereal; coffee with cream and sugar

L- Sushi roll with lightly sweetened iced tea; 2 bites of pineapple

D- 1/2 Soft pretzel; smoked sausage; red cabbage salad

Hard to stay green today for some reason but I am doing it. Diet soda after dinner, here I come!

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Post by lpearlmom » Wed Sep 03, 2014 11:11 pm

I'm having a bit of a hard time today too. I keep wanting to pick at stuff! Good for you for pushing through the difficult moments & yay for diet coke.

Linda
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by clarinetgal » Thu Sep 04, 2014 6:28 am

Yes, good job on pushing through the difficult moments!

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Post by eschano » Thu Sep 04, 2014 9:27 am

It looks like you ate very little - no wonder it was hard to stay green!

Hope you made it.
eschano - Vanilla rocks!

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Post by worth it » Fri Sep 05, 2014 2:23 am

Week 4, Thursday-N Day

B- coffee with cream and sugar; Egg Mcmuffin

L- Peanut butter toast with honey; left over soft pretzel

D-1/2 grilled chicken salad; a few pretzel chips and some popcorn

Crazy days continue at work, but thankfully I did not turn to my old ways and eat.

Thanks Linda, CG and eschano for the encouragement. I was able to make it through yesterday and still stay green- phew! Although today was emotionally more difficult, for some reason it was easier. Sigh- will never figure out my subconscious mind!

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Post by eschano » Fri Sep 05, 2014 9:34 am

Yummy day worth it!
eschano - Vanilla rocks!

July 2012- January 2016
Started again January 2021

worth it
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Post by worth it » Fri Sep 05, 2014 11:43 pm

Week 4, Friday N Day (FAIL)

B- Sausage Mcmuffin; coffee with cream and sugar

20 min walk

L- 1/2 small ham sandwich; a few crackers and a few bites of cheese; single serve pack of Doritos; watermelon

D- (fail) 4 Pierogis; red cabbage salad; leftover pizza and watermelon from my kid's plate; decaf with cream and sugar

Ugh. I feel really full from my dinner. It has been a rough week and we had a grouchy dinner together. I could tell I was mad but couldn't stop myself from eating the leftover pizza on my son's plate. Truth is, it's been hard to stay green today and I couldnt hold out! Oh well. Marked and moving on now.

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Post by clarinetgal » Sat Sep 06, 2014 5:46 am

Sorry you had a bad day. :( Yes, it's definitely good to mark it and move on. I hope tomorrow is better for you.

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Post by worth it » Sun Sep 07, 2014 3:07 pm

Week 4, Saturday- S Day

B- Sausage egg and cheese croissant; coffee with cream and sugar and raspberry flavoring

walked around for 2+ hours at the zoo with the family

L- Cheeseburger, a few fries, and small soda

Small DQ Blizzard

D- (lots of) crackers and a little bit of cheese

Snack: Chips

Overate at dinner...ate lots of crackers, then ate chips later on. Can't fail on an S day, right?

CG, thanks for your support. The crazy week seems to reflect in my eating habits starting on Friday night. I wonder if there will come a time where this won't happen. We shall see. Still, this S day hasn't been as they were in the earlier No S days. That's encouraging.
Last edited by worth it on Mon Sep 08, 2014 2:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Post by worth it » Sun Sep 07, 2014 3:08 pm

Week 4, Sunday S- Day

B- Coffee with cream and sugar; 2 bowls of sugary cereal (agrh! I'm starting where I left off yesterday!)

50 min walk at the Forest Preserve

L- Roasted chicken with gravy, mashed potatoes, stuffing, broccoli

2 slices freshly baked bread; watermelon

D- 2.5 brownies, cheese and crackers

Wild weekend. First one in awhile. I find myself feeling restricted for some reason. I know this is the case when I'm eating something just because I know I can't have it for a week (i.e. 2nd brownie). I think the crazy week paired with my limited clothes selection has me down. I have many upcoming fun fall weekends planned, but no cute clothes to wear. : - (

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Post by worth it » Mon Sep 08, 2014 2:15 pm

Month 2, Week 1, Monday- N Day

20 minute walk

B- coffee with cream and sugar; 2 over easy eggs with sourdough toast

L- 1/2 ham sandwich; single serve Doritos; a few pretzel chips

D- Cheeseburger mac n cheese

Happy to be back to an N Day.
Last edited by worth it on Tue Sep 09, 2014 8:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Post by clarinetgal » Tue Sep 09, 2014 4:27 pm

I'm sure the N day will help you get back on track.

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Post by worth it » Tue Sep 09, 2014 8:50 pm

Month 2, Week 1, Tuesday

B- coffee with cream and sugar; egg white flatbread

L- 1/2 chopped salad; iced coffee

D- 2 small slice of pizza; salad with oil and vinegar
Last edited by worth it on Thu Sep 11, 2014 1:44 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Post by lpearlmom » Wed Sep 10, 2014 6:05 am

Sorry about your wild weekend worth. Do you think it's because you're making a conscious effort to put less on your plates during the week? If so I'm sure the wild weekends will die down once you adjust to smaller amounts.

Just a thought or could be something else?

Anyway, yay for the sanity of N days!

Linda
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by aspencer27 » Wed Sep 10, 2014 1:26 pm

Agreed on the sanity of N Days! I am trying to not worry too much about the S Days, but I definitely want more sanity on those days. It can be hit or miss - sometimes I am an angel on an S Day without even thinking about it, and other days I'm not! :lol:

Looks like your N Days are going great this week, keep up the good work!

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Post by Amy C. » Wed Sep 10, 2014 7:32 pm

worth it wrote:Wild weekend. First one in awhile. I find myself feeling restricted for some reason. I know this is the case when I'm eating something just because I know I can't have it for a week (i.e. 2nd brownie). I think the crazy week paired with my limited clothes selection has me down. I have many upcoming fun fall weekends planned, but no cute clothes to wear. : - (
I found after my Sunday pig out that I felt really uncomfortable and I didn't like that. The discomfort ran until the next day.

I am now enjoying being hungry. I am relishing enjoying my meals and feeling satisfied afterwards. When I cook for a couple of hours, I want to enjoy my efforts.

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Post by worth it » Thu Sep 11, 2014 1:42 am

Month 2, Week 1- Wed N Day

B- Egg mcmuffin; coffee with cream and sugar

L- peanut butter toast with honey; single serve Doritos

D- Cheeseburger and fries

Decaf coffee with cream and sugar

Linda,

Thank you for your thought- OMG, I think you are right. I have been STRUGGLING this week to stay green. It's been almost unbearable, and I think it's because I'm really trying to cut my portions... I need to somehow find a balance. It's so hard for me because I've been so bummed out with my appearance lately. Sigh. Don't know what to do, but will see if I can layoff the portion cutting for a little and see what happens.

A27 and Amy C,

Thanks for your thoughts on S days. It's been awhile since they were like this. We'll see what next weekend holds.

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Post by Amy C. » Thu Sep 11, 2014 1:44 am

worth it wrote:Month 2, Week 1- Wed N Day

B- Egg mcmuffin; coffee with cream and sugar

L- peanut butter toast with honey; single serve Doritos

D- Cheeseburger and fries

Decaf coffee with cream and sugar

Linda,

Thank you for your thought- OMG, I think you are right. I have been STRUGGLING this week to stay green. It's been almost unbearable, and I think it's because I'm really trying to cut my portions... I need to somehow find a balance. It's so hard for me because I've been so bummed out with my appearance lately. Sigh. Don't know what to do, but will see if I can layoff the portion cutting for a little and see what happens.

A27 and Lucy C,

Thanks for your thoughts and support!
You have lots of will power! You eat very few calories - I would never survive. I wonder if you are not eating enough....

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Post by lpearlmom » Thu Sep 11, 2014 4:20 am

Oh boy worth I see we are in a similar place. I'm pretty sure I'm not going to lose weight at this point without drastic measures but I'm worried it's going to backfire on me. It feels like I can't win sometimes & I'm guessing you're feeling the same.

I guess the answer would be to cut back in a less drastic way? I just don't know either!

Looking forward to seeing what you decide.

Linda
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by aspencer27 » Thu Sep 11, 2014 3:41 pm

For me, adding veggies adds a lot of bulk and filling without adding many calories. I like most vegetables cooked, so there is some fat and calories added with however I cook them.

You did a great job with pushing through and getting all of your hard-earned successes! Be proud!

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Post by clarinetgal » Thu Sep 11, 2014 8:43 pm

I'm in the same dilemma myself, trying to figure out a way to cut back, without it being too drastic. I second aspencer's suggestion about adding more veggies. It does help.

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Post by Amy C. » Thu Sep 11, 2014 8:48 pm

clarinetgal wrote:I'm in the same dilemma myself, trying to figure out a way to cut back, without it being too drastic. I second aspencer's suggestion about adding more veggies. It does help.
I try to have 4-5 servings of veggies each day, along with a couple servings of fruit. I don't eat too many carbohydrates - like bread, rice, pasta - and try to eat some of the root veggies like sweet potatoes.

That fills me up.

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Post by worth it » Thu Sep 11, 2014 8:57 pm

Month 2, Week 1, Thursday- N Day

B- coffee with cream and sugar; 2 over easy eggs with buttered toast

50 minute walk at Forest Preserve

L- 2 slices PB toast with honey; single serve bag of Doritos; Small cafe au lait

D- Pizza and salad with oil and vinegar

Things are already easier today just knowing that cutting back somehow equals depriving myself. I have decided to stop trying to "cut back" for now and just consider this one for awhile. I notice I'm also forgetting about the all important pleasure principle in my meals and try and figure out how I can put all of these puzzle pieces together.

Thanks all for the suggestions. I'll keep everyone posted. This moderation stuff is HARD! ha ha
Last edited by worth it on Fri Sep 12, 2014 6:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Post by lpearlmom » Fri Sep 12, 2014 3:18 am

Glad easing up a bit helped today go better. Definitely doesn't looked like you piled your plates though either so maybe you're finding a good balance!
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by eschano » Fri Sep 12, 2014 8:37 am

worth it wrote: I notice I'm also forgetting about the all important pleasure principle in my meals
That's probably the key worth it. You'll figure it out!
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Post by clarinetgal » Fri Sep 12, 2014 2:10 pm

Amy C, I do something similar. I've been having fruit and/or veggies with each meal, and I limit (but don't deprive myself of) starchy carbs. Worth It, Yes! I think it's very important to have some pleasure with your meals.

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Post by Amy C. » Fri Sep 12, 2014 2:14 pm

clarinetgal wrote:Amy C, I do something similar. I've been having fruit and/or veggies with each meal, and I limit (but don't deprive myself of) starchy carbs. Worth It, Yes! I think it's very important to have some pleasure with your meals.
I actually don't want starches anymore. Give me a sweet potato over a few pieces of bread.

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Post by worth it » Fri Sep 12, 2014 6:07 pm

Month 2, Week 1, Friday- N Day

B- sausage egg and cheese croissant; coffee with cream and sugar

50 minute walk at Forest preserve

L- Ham and salami sandwich on a pretzel roll; cheese crackers; granola bar

D- 1/2 patty melt; coleslaw; 1/2 mai tai

Linda (loving your signature quote!), eschano, CG, Amy C. Thanks again for your comments. I really will consider veggies as "fillers" and am also thinking about how to provide myself with easy and pleasurable meals. The problem I sometimes face with the pleasure principle is that my husband and I have very different tastes. Some days it's a chore to try and figure out what will be good to both of us and I probably just give in or make something that "will do" rather than what I would find really yummy. This is an area where I need to spend some time thinking through and determining how to handle.
Last edited by worth it on Sun Sep 14, 2014 3:35 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Post by lpearlmom » Sat Sep 13, 2014 3:20 am

That's hard when family members like different things. We have trouble eating out because Zoe likes burgers but not Mexican and Talia loves Mexican but not burgers. Luckily we all love Chinese!

What kinds of things does DH prefer?

Linda
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by worth it » Sun Sep 14, 2014 3:35 am

Month 2, Week 1, Saturday- S Day

B- Pancakes and bacon; coffee with cream and sugar

50 minute walk

L- small Starbucks mocha

D- 1/2 patty melt (leftover from last night); beer cheese soup; pretzel crackers

Snack: 4 homemade chocolate chip cookies; Cheese crackers

Oh boy... So, I started off the day by looking for some easy, healthy recipe ideas that could work for my entire family. I found some stuff that could work and then transferred the info into a meal plan and a shopping list for the week. After spending at least an hour to two hours doing this, I started to wonder if there was an easier way...and started looking for already created meal plans and shopping lists... which eventually led me to trolling weight watchers sites again. Once I clicked on the "join online", I snapped out of it and got the heck outta there!

Today was a lesson in how lost I am on this journey. I have been at No S for a year now (with 2 breaks) and I'm disappointed about the lack in my progress... which equals no weight loss... which equals eroded self-esteem. Why can't I figure this out already? Why do I have to spend hours on food planning? Why do I even have to worry about this now? I long to have food simply equal energy for my body and pleasure.

I will try out my healthy and satisfying meal plan this week and see how it goes. Perhaps it'll be worth the time and will take away some of food drama during the week for me. Nothing else to do but try. The one piece of progress I have made is that I know I can't do any other diets anymore. I will try and focus on this.

Linda, to quickly answer your question- my hubby is a total meat and potatoes man- no interest in veggies except the occasional grilled asparagus with steak and a side salad every so often with pizza. I, on the other hand, have a well-developed, adventurous palate- probably due to my extensive travels and my "off the boat" parents. It's hard to navigate sometimes. I will say that one of the items on my healthy meal plan this week is beef stroganoff which was inspired by one of your recent dinners. I'll let you know how it goes.

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Post by lpearlmom » Sun Sep 14, 2014 6:49 am

I know what you mean. I really hate that this weight stuff has to take up so much of our time & energy.

Just wanted to recommend 2 books real quickly. The first one is by Ellyn Satter & is full of great info about recovering from diets & feeding families. It has a 3 week rotating menu with the shopping list included. It's nothing fancy but pretty tasty.
http://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Feeding-H ... lyn+satter

The next one is just a cookbook but for every recipe it shows the basic recipe for simpler tastes and then stuff you can kind of add to the final product for more sophisticated tastes.
http://www.amazon.com/Mom-100-Cookbook- ... 0+cookbook

Anyway good for you for not getting pulled back into the dieting game. I hope you figure out a good plan for you & your family!

Btw, hope the beef stroganoff comes out okay for ya!

Linda
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by worth it » Mon Sep 15, 2014 2:06 am

Month 1, Week 1, Sunday- S Day

B- 2 Eggs over easy, 2.5 pieces of toast; 2 pieces of bacon; 1.5 cups of coffee with cream and sugar

50 minute walk at Forest Preserve

Snack: 1 homemade chocolate chip cookie

L- meatloaf with mushroom gravy, mashed potatoes, tomato salad

Snack- 1 brownie; 1 piece of freshly baked sourdough with butter

D- 1 piece of deep dish pizza; 1 hostess cupcake; slice of apple; 1/2 glass of milk

Snack- single serve bag of Doritos; a few Ritz crackers and a few pretzel chips

Crazy weekend again right on my 1 year anniversary of No S. Ugh. I have to get out of this funk.

Linda, THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Your suggestions are perfect for me. I have ordered both books and they will be here in a few days (gotta love Prime!). I absolutely LOVE Ellyn Satter. I read Child of Mine awhile back because we were doing the tug of war thing with my little one. We used most of her advice and have made some significant progress with our son. Hopefully I can use this book to help me to feel better about my role and responsibility in feeding myself and my family. Even if not, just the recipes alone will help. While I have described myself as an adventurous eater, what I need right now is simple and yummy food that is satisfying for my whole family. It's not just me anymore and the old days of eating out every night (I lived in the city for many years) has been over for a long time now. I need to move on and accept the pleasures of family meals vs. trendy/fancy restaurant excursions. Wow. Didn't expect all of that to come out- maybe it holds something interesting to think through. Anyway, thank you again!!

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Post by lpearlmom » Mon Sep 15, 2014 5:37 am

Yay no problem worth! I love satter too & have been reading her books since my kids were first born. I think you'll really love this book because it addresses a lot of adult issues too. I found it very enlightening. She's very anti-grazing so feel her ideas go with nos a little bit although she'd be against the no seconds, no desserts rules.

I really love her meal plan because some of the recipes double for a meal later in the week. Like on a Monday you make a double recipe of Swiss steak and then on Wednesday you add sour cream to the leftovers , serve it over noodles and viola beef stroganoff. My family loves her broccoli soup recipe and I make it regularly.

I have a rotating 6 week menu plan based upon her meal plan framework. I needed a few more weeks to make sure everyone's favorites were in the rotation. I really think it's smart to have a rotating menu because you start to get really good at making the recipes which means faster as well as tastier (w the inevitable tweaks that happen). Also it's cost effective because you're using the same basic ingredients over & over and there tends to be less waste.

DH & I are big foodies and love to try new stuff but for home cooking I just shoot for the comfort of regular familiar meals maybe about 75% of the time and then fun, new recipes the rest of the time. It sounds like you might be coming round to that idea too. I can't remember how old your kid(s) are but I'm sure as they get older they'll be more open to different kinds of foods. My kids continue to amaze me with their willingness to try new foods.

Anyway looking forward to hearing your thoughts on the books--yay amazon!

Linda

Ps thank you for the lovely compliment on my thread about my pictures. It really means a lot to me.
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by eschano » Mon Sep 15, 2014 9:28 am

Hi Worth it,

Linda's suggestions sounds brilliant. I have a kind-of-meal-plan. I use a recipe app called paprika on my iphone and it lets me download all kinds of recipes from the internet and manually add some from cookbooks. I can create a meal plan with it and most importantly for me a grocery list. But once you have lots of recipes (which you can rate) it's really easy to change the meal plan around every week and get a new grocery list for each meal plan.

Might be worth trying it out as I spend 5 minutes to plan my meals and get a grocery list each week.
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Post by clarinetgal » Mon Sep 15, 2014 8:14 pm

Worth It, I can certainly understand and empathize with your frustrations about dieting. I hope you are able to find some good dishes that everybody in your family likes. I'm going to also check out the book links from Linda, because they sound interesting. :D

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Post by worth it » Tue Sep 16, 2014 12:48 am

M2, W2, Monday- N Day

B- Overnight oatmeal with almond butter and grated apple; coffee with cream and sugar

L- Sesame soba noodles with chicken; green tea with a spoonful of honey

25 minutes of kettle bell

D- Beef stroganoff (sooo good and hubby approved! Thanks for the inspiration Linda!); green salad; black tea with a spoonful of honey and splash of milk.

All in all, a good day. Yummy food, a great workout and I am deliciously (pun intended) tired and satisfied. Ok, so how did I not know that moms (or those responsible for feeling their families) used prepared (in advance) menus to take off the pressure of last minute meal planning?? Well, maybe I did know, but just didn't seriously consider it or didn't want to take the time. After today, I'll say that was the best spent 1.5 hours of my weekend. Now, since I have "people" (I mean you Linda and eschano!) that give me awesome suggestions, I hope I can cut that 1.5 hours down... Overall, I am feeling much more optimistic, probably because I feel organized, prepared and back in control... in a way I haven't felt in awhile. I was especially excited to hear about the rolling menu (I'd be happy with a 4 week menu right now!) and how the repetition it will help me in preparing the meals more quickly and also help against food waste. I am really looking forward to getting my books and doing this prep work since I know the reward will be less stress on the back end.

I also had an epiphany during my workout today. I realized that I miss strength training. After a major surgery I had last year, I was not allowed to do any strength training for a long time. So, my attempt to get back into exercise was walking (and the wayward yoga class, where I found myself being self conscious for the entire class). While walking is my preferred cardio, it has been the only exercise I have been consistently getting and I realize it's not enough for my aging body. During my workout today, I actually listened and concentrated on what the person on the dvd was instructing me to do with my kettle bell and could FEEL the impact on my muscles. I enjoyed the focus and concentration vs. the zoning out effect that I have when walking. It was nice to reconnect with my body again (even if I will be really sore tomorrow).

It was good to have a day like this since I've been so down. I hope this will help me get some positive momentum. Thanks to all of my No S "people" for helping me along.

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Post by lpearlmom » Tue Sep 16, 2014 3:45 am

Oh I'm so glad you had a good day & you're feeling better about the whole meal planning thing.

I find that weight lifting helps with my body image even more than cardio for some reason.

Sounds like a great day overall--yay!!

Linda
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by eschano » Tue Sep 16, 2014 11:05 am

I am exactly where you are with the walking - it's not quite enough. I do Tribal Yoga with Misty Tripoli at home. It's a bit over 30 minutes and makes me sweat. It probably is a reflection on how unfit I am but working on my strength with my body weight and getting more flexible at the same time is great.

I think you can get it at iTunes. I bought it ages ago and it came as a workout pack with a video and instruction booklet. I love it and it doesn't require me to go to a class full of super-yogis. However, I only recommend it if you have a good understanding of basic yoga postures (mainly the sun salute) as you will have to correct yourself.

Delighted you feel in control with the meal plan!

Also, do you mind sharing your soba noodles recipe? It sounds delicious!
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Post by aspencer27 » Tue Sep 16, 2014 12:39 pm

I am trying the meal planning thing, too. Although I don't really cook much and I don't really enjoy cooking... So it is a chore. Planning and prepping on the weekend helps.

I love strength training, too! Especially with kettlebells!

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Post by worth it » Thu Sep 18, 2014 3:07 am

M2, W2, Tuesday- N Day

B- Coffee with cream and sugar; shredded wheat cereal

L- low carb BLT wrap; 2 bags single serve Doritos (it all fit on one plate!)

20 min walk

D- 1/3 Bacon cheeseburger; chips and guac; small cup of chicken tortilla soup


M2, W2, Wednesday- N Day (FAIL)

B- Egg Mcmuffin; coffee with cream and sugar

Fail: Small slice of co-worker's homemade pumpkin roll

L- PB toast with single serve bag of chips

D- Jimmy johns sub; chips

Fail: 2 choc chip cookies; pretzel chips and crackers

The 3.5 hour drive home from work strikes again. This time with a flat tire midway. Sheesh. I was a nervous wreck by the time I got home. I guess old habits die hard and food was my calming mechanism today. Marked and moving on already.

Eschano, I will send the recipe tomorrow- I doctored it... a lot, but it was sooooo good. Good suggestion on the yoga.

I will check in with everyone tomorrow...going to sleep soon.

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Post by eschano » Thu Sep 18, 2014 11:04 am

Thank you!
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Post by worth it » Thu Sep 18, 2014 3:56 pm

M2, W2, Thursday- N Day

B- sausage egg and cheese croissant sandwich; coffee with cream and sugar

L- (Will be) Chickpea salad

D-(Will be) Baked fried chicken fingers with oven fries and salad

Eschano,

Here is the recipe that "inspired" me:

http://damndelicious.net/2013/06/17/ses ... a-noodles/

I omitted the following:
Sugar
Cilantro
used a little less than 1/4 rice wine vinegar (mine was garlic flavored)
Egg

I added:
Steamed sugar snap peas
Grilled chicken
Cabbage
Extra clove of garlic
(I used toasted sesame oil and also toasted my sesame seeds)

Sooooo good!

Enjoy!

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Post by eschano » Fri Sep 19, 2014 8:54 am

Amazing! Thank you so much! I will make them next week :)
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Post by eschano » Fri Sep 19, 2014 8:57 am

I should have also said: what a great site! This will inspire me to cook more again :)
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Post by clarinetgal » Sat Sep 20, 2014 12:27 am

I'm glad to see that you're in a better place with your meal planning, and with your exercising! :D

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Post by worth it » Sat Sep 20, 2014 1:56 am

M2, W2, Friday- N Day

B- Shredded wheat; coffee with cream and sugar

L- Left over chickpea salad; beef stroganoff

25 minutes of kettle bell

D- (Panera you pick two) Chicken soup; grilled chicken caesar salad; piece of french baguette

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Post by automatedeating » Sat Sep 20, 2014 3:29 pm

I hear you on the meal planning thing...... constant struggle for me.
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8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
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6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
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Post by worth it » Sat Sep 20, 2014 9:51 pm

M2, W2, Saturday- N Day

1 hour walk in the Forest preserve

B- 2 cups coffee with cream and sugar; sausage,egg and cheese croissant

L- hot dog with bun; cheeseburger with no bun; 2 single serve bags of Doritos

Snack: choc chip cookie; granola bar

D- 2 pieces of thin crust pizza; a dove ice cream bar

So, after one year on No S, I have started to consider trying a modification. My perfectionist nature has never really had me looking at any other way than what the rules state, as I like to be in "compliance" and do things the "right" way. Well, I have not lost weight while following vanilla No S now for a year, so perhaps a mod could help?

As I think about why I love No S, I would say that the 3 meals a day concept has taught me how to eat again. Additionally, the ability to eat whatever I want has ensured I am not "lusting" after a particular food that I would later binge on...with the exception of sweets. (The "seconds rule" is a moot point for me, as I usually don't go back for seconds anyway.) So that leaves me to consider a mod that will allow sweets as a part of my plate, if I want them.

A couple of things have led me here. 1. the other day, a co-worker made a sweet that I desperately wanted to try-pumpkin roll. I hemmed and hawed over having a piece for a long time. When I finally decided that it was, indeed fail worthy, I had it right away, without waiting until I was hungry . I suspected that if I had waited to have it with my meal, I would have enjoyed it all the more. 2. This incident led to a WTH situation later in the day (which has happened countless times on No S for me) since I was out of compliance. If I make sweets a part of "compliance", perhaps I could stop the WTH affect. 3. Finally, I feel like if I have a taste for a piece of chocolate, I should be able to have it, especially since it will take the place of something else on my plate (a little influence from Ellyn Satter here).

So, I have decided to try this modification during the upcoming week. I'm not yet sure what my S days will look like, but I suppose I'll just cross that bridge when I come to it- which is totally out of character for me! I'm curious to see how much/many sweet foods I will actually have and if it helps or hurts my efforts. I figure, what have I got to lose?!?

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Post by lpearlmom » Sun Sep 21, 2014 4:26 am

Worth I definitely think it's a fine mod. I always said that if sweets were a big issue for me, I'd just include them on my plate. I mean other dense food are allowed so I don't see why not especially if it's triggering binging.

I know it's hard to have been at this so long without results. I'm right there with you but with a few tweaks, I'm sure we can make this work for us.

Hang in there. You're doing great!

Linda
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

worth it
Posts: 458
Joined: Tue Oct 01, 2013 1:47 pm

Post by worth it » Mon Sep 22, 2014 3:13 am

M2, W2, Sunday- S Day

B- Sausage biscuit with cheese and hashbrown (left a few bites); coffee with cream and sugar

25 min kettle bell workout

L- Chicken noodle soup; cheese and pretzel chips

D- Fondue! (cheese fondue with veggies and bread); glass of wine

Snack: Choc covered twinkie (had to try it!); 2 squares of ghiradelli chocolate; a few bites of thin crust pizza

Great weekend. I have been in organization mode... organization with meal plans, with the house, etc. It's been cathartic for me and has also given me a lot of time to think.

There is a saying in business that says "What gets measured gets done." As a result, I have set a 1 month goal weight loss of 5 lbs. I have no idea if I will be able to achieve this goal, but I'm sure as heck gonna try. My husband and I were reminiscing (while organizing) and I had another "aha" moment. We were remembering how we used to eat Panera Bread about 50% of our meals and my go to meal was also 1/2 salad and soup (back when I was thin). This got me thinking about how my food is so much heavier nowadays and I just added another piece to my puzzle. Perhaps I just spent the past year reacquainting myself with forbidden or "fattening" food....and, I'm sure I needed that time. Well, now that we've been reacquainted and I know I can have this kind of food anytime I want, it's time for me to MODERATE these heavy meals with some lighter fare. Another something to try- only time will tell if it changes things.

Linda, although I have MUCH TREPIDATION about it, I have to see my friend (I'm already committed to taking her and her hubby around town on Friday night), so I will remember your words and try to make sure I feel the best I can. : - )

eschano
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Post by eschano » Mon Sep 22, 2014 9:18 am

Hi Worth it, seems like there's some progress with all these insights and your plan. Moderate dietary defaults make a big difference! When I lost most of my weight on NoS I ate lots of soups and salads. More by accident than anything but still.

As for meeting your friend I have something to consider for you: all your fear about it is actually how YOU feel about yourself, your own judgement, your own inner critic. Your friend will never think as harshly about you. Personally, I know a friend who went from normal BMI to very much obese and I thought "She got a lot bigger" and then forgot about it and never really thought about it again unless she brought it up. I'm sure your friend will notice it and I am just as sure that she won't waste another thought about it afterwards. So what there is to do is really to find peace with yourself, tell your inner critic to "*******" and know that no one will judge you as harshly or to be concise: no one;s judgment will hurt so much as your own. You're beautiful at any size!
eschano - Vanilla rocks!

July 2012- January 2016
Started again January 2021

worth it
Posts: 458
Joined: Tue Oct 01, 2013 1:47 pm

Post by worth it » Tue Sep 23, 2014 12:47 am

M2, W3, Monday- N Day

B- Greek yogurt with almonds and piece of buttered toast- left a couple of bites; coffee with cream and sugar

L- Roasted veggies with lemony lentils

D- Doritos taco bake; tea with honey and milk

Eschano, thank you SOOOO much for your post! It reminds me even more than I need to focus on the good and make sure I'm looking as cute as I can (so I can be confident). I really believe you are right and I will probably read your post again before I run to meet her!

Another thing- I didn't eat any sweets today, even though I can have them with my new mod! Don't even want one (or care about not having one). This should be interesting...

eschano
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Post by eschano » Tue Sep 23, 2014 8:54 am

I'm delighted I didn't overstep! :oops: (I have a tendency to)

And well done on not eating sweets! Maybe you'll eat less overall now you can have them any time.
eschano - Vanilla rocks!

July 2012- January 2016
Started again January 2021

worth it
Posts: 458
Joined: Tue Oct 01, 2013 1:47 pm

Post by worth it » Tue Sep 23, 2014 11:31 pm

M2, W3, Tuesday- N Day

B- Shredded wheat; coffee with cream and sugar

50 minute walk at the Forest Preserve

L- Ham and salami sandwich on pretzel bun; LARGE handful of Doritos; fresh peach (I was STARVING!!)

D- (to be) Slow cooker pork chops; mashed potatoes; salad with vinegar and olive oil.

Eschano, no overstepping here!

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

Post by automatedeating » Wed Sep 24, 2014 12:52 am

Your meals look yummy (and I'm hungry right now, I'm waiting for dinner!)

How's the menu going? Last night was hard at our house because I had planned to use up the last of the breaded fish and some salmon burgers (from the freezer). My hubby was not exactly delighted, but I plowed ahead and I must say--it was a very satisfying meal.

Tonight is date night!
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

clarinetgal
Posts: 1709
Joined: Wed Jul 01, 2009 4:16 am
Location: Western Washington State

Post by clarinetgal » Wed Sep 24, 2014 6:04 am

Worth it, I have done the mod of having some sweets with a meal, and as long as I stay disciplined with it, it works great. The problem sometimes (at least for me) is allowing one sweet treat to turn into several during the day and then totally overeating. That hasn't been as much of a problem for me lately, however, so maybe it won't be a problem for you. I'll be interested to see how it works for you. I totally agree with you about eating lighter foods!

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lpearlmom
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Location: Arizona

Post by lpearlmom » Thu Sep 25, 2014 5:20 am

I used to eat much smaller portions too. When DH & I would go out, I'd never finish a whole burrito or get the large subway sandwich like I do now. Not sure when I started eating as much as him but I got the body to prove it.
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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lpearlmom
Posts: 4812
Joined: Fri Aug 02, 2013 4:59 am
Location: Arizona

Post by lpearlmom » Tue Oct 07, 2014 3:51 pm

I hope you're doing okay worth!
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

clarinetgal
Posts: 1709
Joined: Wed Jul 01, 2009 4:16 am
Location: Western Washington State

Post by clarinetgal » Wed Oct 08, 2014 4:55 am

Me too!

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

Post by oolala53 » Sat Nov 19, 2016 9:32 am

It's been a couple of years Did you find something else?
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)

worth it
Posts: 458
Joined: Tue Oct 01, 2013 1:47 pm

Post by worth it » Mon Nov 21, 2016 3:53 pm

Wow. It was so weird to read this post last night- in fact, I'm chalking it up to divine intervention, oolala!

So here's where I have been: Just prior to looking at the No S Daily Check In board last night (which I read often), I was on the Saxenda website. For those who don't know what that is, it is a weight loss drug that you have to inject. Yes, you read that correctly- inject. I was actually considering it after reading all of the reviews, etc., but the nagging feeling of injecting a drug into me and also thinking that once I stopped using it and the weight would just come back, kept me from looking up doctors in my area that prescribed it. So, I did what I always do, troll the No S site and consider starting up again, SERIOUSLY. And then I worried that once Monday came, I would probably start No S with good intentions, just to have a fail on a Tuesday afternoon and decide No S did not work for me, I never lost weight on it, etc, etc. and go on to try some other weight loss program including:
-Jamie Mendell- Intuitive Eating program (didn't actually buy, but read her entire website)
-Normal Eating (Sheryl Canter's version of Intuitive Eating)- Tried this multiple times and failed
-Women Food and God (Geneen Roth) LOVE this book and tried her version of "Intuitive eating" multiple times and failed
-Low Carb diet- tried this multiple times and failed
-Eat 100 calories every hour (250 at lunchtime and 300 at dinner)- lasted 2 weeks. Lost 10lbs, but gained it all back + some
-Gluten Free diet (I have no intolerance to gluten)- only lasted one day
-Sugar-free diet- only lasted 2 days
-Took Qsymia (weight loss drug) for 1.5 weeks and promptly stop because I felt drunk all day AND started to lose my hair in CLUMPS. Didn't lose any weight either...

Reading back through this list makes me so sad, embarrassed, and wonder why I continue to put my precious effort, energy, and time into something that ends up making me feel terrible. Which brings me back full circle where I was last night reading the Saxenda website. I guess it seemed to be my last option since I've been failing with different Intuitive eating methods (again) for the past 1.5 months. Then when I realized that injecting myself with any drugs horrified me, I went to No S and saw oolala's post on my 2 year old thread! Two days ago, I had just been asking God/the Universe for some help with my ever increasing weight, and if this wasn't a sign, I don't know what was.

Now, for a second "sign" this morning:

I have been using a free trial of the Headspace App, which is a program to help teach meditation. I have been using for about 5 days or so to help with my anxiety and to hopefully help with being more mindful (in all things, including eating), and the message this morning echoed some other thoughts I have been having over the past few days. I have been thinking a lot about consistency in my efforts with just about everything. It was interesting for me to look back on all the goals I have been able to achieve. I realized that all I really did was have a vision/goal in mind and then made CONSISTENT steps to achieve that goal. So why then could I not do the same with my eating/weight loss? I was completely baffled about this.

I was also thinking about a passage I read through my research saying that being somewhere in the "middle" with your weight loss efforts (between having too much free reign with eating what, where, whenever you want or being restricted) would work for people. This immediately made me think of No S, and that while it restricted sometimes (i.e. no sweets all week), it allowed whatever you want to eat (including carbs, fat, processed food) at any time. It made me think that No S is simply a large, fenced (safe) area that I could roam freely in, not a bunch of strict guidelines to make me feel pain.

So, imagine my surprise when the Headspace App showed a short story about how to better your meditation technique and used an analogy of showing a horse in a large fenced area, with a very long rope! The message was that if you try too hard (over-focus), you will likely fail. I believe this is exactly what I have been doing with trying to lose weight so desperately, and is likely the message that Geneen Roth talks about in her books; once she made the decision to stop dieting, she ended up getting to her normal weight. While I suppose we could consider No S as a "diet", I believe it is more of a true way of life- a REAL balanced approach to eating. So I am stopping dieting today and putting in the consistent effort towards No S.

Ok, I think I have all the information I need to restart No S. This time around, I will focus on the following:
1. I need to realize that this is a balanced approach- Not too strict, not too loose (like Intuitive Eating). I already enjoy eating only three meals a day (I've kept that approach these last few years), so now I just need to focus on the two other habits: No Seconds and No Sweets (except sometimes)
2. I need to be ok with RED days
3. I need to realize the scale is a trigger point for me. I think I know about where my weight is (+/- a few lbs), but I'd prefer to not even think about losing weight for now.
4. I need to give myself the gift of consistency. I'm able to do this in any other area of my life except in the area of self-care. I'd like to be back here in a year fully immersed in the habit of both No S (and meditation).

Ok, I know this is was an extremely long post, but I wrote as a gift to myself. I will be posting as much as possible, both successes and fails and hope this will be the last time. I've read somewhere on this board that it takes some 12 times to get No S down. I'm thinking I'm around that number (including my one-off stops and starts for a few days/weeks here and there). Here's to some much needed self care, starting TODAY!
:)

debventure
Posts: 27
Joined: Tue Nov 01, 2016 2:29 am
Location: Florida

Post by debventure » Mon Nov 21, 2016 4:20 pm

I think your name -- Worth It -- says it all. I think it is worth it to provide myself with some rules so I can gently and safely reach my goals. To have no rules means I am a slave to every impulse and to have strict rules means every slip is the start of a massive rebellion. I like it in the middle here just fine (after 3 weeks) and I really enjoyed reading your post. Look forward to seeing your success!
Started No S as written 11/1/2016

worth it
Posts: 458
Joined: Tue Oct 01, 2013 1:47 pm

Post by worth it » Mon Nov 21, 2016 5:24 pm

Day 1; Week 1 (Restart #12?)- Green

B- Scrambled eggs with feta cheese; sourdough toast with butter; two pieces of bacon; a few blueberries.

L-small chicken pot pie; a tablespoon of peanuts

D-homemade bacon cheeseburger; a few bites of tomato soup; cheese fries

Thanks Debventure! It's nice to hear reinforcement about needing some "rules" to ensure I don't act on every impulse I have! It's been hard to reason through that on IE.
Last edited by worth it on Wed Nov 23, 2016 3:17 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Merry
Posts: 1658
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Post by Merry » Wed Nov 23, 2016 12:17 am

Welcome back!
Homeschool Mom and No S returnee as of 11-30-15.
2 years and counting on No-S.
29 lbs. down, 34 to go. Slow and steady wins the race.
Respect Moderation

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

Post by Whosonfirst » Wed Nov 23, 2016 12:48 am

Hello worth it. Love your honesty. Hope to see you here often.
https://twitter.com/SipeEngineering
Current weight(9/2020)-212 lbs.
Goal Weight- 205 lbs.
NoS Goal: >= 80% Success days

worth it
Posts: 458
Joined: Tue Oct 01, 2013 1:47 pm

Post by worth it » Wed Nov 23, 2016 3:16 am

Thanks Merry and Whosonfirst!

Day 2; Week 1- Green

B- Sausage egg and cheese sandwich; coffee with cream and sugar

L- 1/2 sandwich; salad; piece of baguette with butter

D- Cheeseburger and fries (fast food), diet coke

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