Newbie

Lib-erated · Post by **Lib-erated** » Sun Feb 28, 2016 1:06 pm

Hello,
I have been reading through alot of posts on this forum and you are all so helpful and supportive of each other, it really is inspiring.

After what feels like a lifetime of yo yo dieting and being obsessed and out of control around food I decided to give No S a try. I set myself little goals to eat my breakfast, lunch and dinner at set times of day and from day 1 it felt like a weight had been lifted (no pun intended). I no longer spend my days obsessing over what I can and cant eat, arguing with myself about if I am actually hungry or not because I am trying intuitive eating for the millionth time and then beating myself up because I shouldn't have eaten something then trying to eat away the bad feelings.

For the past week I have only thought about food 3 times a day, breakfast, lunch and dinner and it really is absolutely liberating.

Yesterday was an S day, but shock horror, I didn't enjoy it one bit. I actually craved the structure of my S days and how much they make me look forward to and enjoy my meals.

Its only been a week but the biggest difference has been in my head. Because I am not fighting with myself and obsessing about meals and food, I have so much more space in my head for other things, enjoying time with my daughter, planning family time and just generally letting myself be relaxed and happy.

Anyway because of yesterday, today is a self imposed S day and I feel 100% better already and on that note I am off to make myself something delicious for lunch.

So glad I found No S and hope to share my success and get lots of tips and advice from all you lovely No S'ers!

Kittson · Post by **Kittson** » Sun Feb 28, 2016 1:29 pm

Welcome!! I feel like I could have written that all myself, because I've had the same experience. IMO, NO S is the best diet recovery there is. Glad to read that it's working for you and you are feeling peace. My life has changed so much in the last year, following No S. With less time spent focusing on food, I have gotten involved in several volunteer activities (adopt a highway, community park board) and even joined an artist co-op. You will be amazed what opens up to you with less focus on food.

lpearlmom · Post by **lpearlmom** » Sun Feb 28, 2016 1:32 pm

Hi and welcome! The freedom from constant obsessing seems to be a common theme around here. For me it was definitely a huge relief not be thinking about food/diets 24/7. It literally was the first thing I thought about in the morning and the last thing I thought about before falling asleep. And don't even get me started on intuitive eating! Ugh--I'm not sure for whom that is actually working but for most people it seems to just cause more problems not less.

Anyway welcome and if you think it might be helpful, you might want to start a check-in thread. I know its been invaluable for my NoS journey.

Btw, hope your S day goes better today. It's normal to crave N day structure. I'm still figuring out my S days but I do know they're important to long term success so I continue to take them.

Linda

Merry · Post by **Merry** » Sun Feb 28, 2016 11:51 pm

Welcome, Lib!

Bullisaba · Post by **Bullisaba** » Mon Feb 29, 2016 12:23 am

Hi Lib,

I'm quite new too. I also like the n days.

I went wild during the last two s days and felt terrible. I will learn moderation eventually.

Welcome.

Saramelie · Post by **Saramelie** » Mon Feb 29, 2016 2:35 am

I'm right there with you about the feeling of liberation. Not having to decide daily if I'm going to have that snack, that second helping, that desert. I don't have too, it's already set. (I'm new to NoS but followed a similar plan of eating in the past to deal with binge eating/overeating). It feels great to be back on that wagon!

cedar · Post by **cedar** » Mon Feb 29, 2016 5:29 am

I also agree..it's not just the hope of weight loss but just having a fair and clear plan to follow that hopefully won't feel like a 'plan' after some time but just a natural way of living and eating. All the best with it x

LuxJones · Post by **LuxJones** » Tue Mar 01, 2016 5:06 pm

Hi, I've been reading about NoS and am starting today. I like that people are able to stick with it long-term. One of my main dietary goals has been to keep eating to three meals a day, but I often fall off the wagon on weekends and get discouraged and go overboard because of that 'off the diet' mentality. As if, come Monday morning I will be able to banish desire for any extraneous food forever. It is frustrating because I'll do well for a few weeks, and slowly my weight will come down a pound or two, then one weekend will bring back four. Or hormonal cravings will get me. So, I'm hoping with the built-in S days, I will become free from that whole on/off rollercoaster. I'm really glad there is this support system, too.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Tue Mar 01, 2016 5:40 pm

Sounds like several newbies here. Welcome to the way you would likely have lived if you had been born a hundred years ago. Only with indoor plumbing. Isn't it great?

If things get bumpy, comb the board for threads of people who feel they gave up too early and come back with more weight and new resolve. I see them every month, if not every week, it seems like. Maybe I'll start a thread, though I never left. I knew what my odds were!

chilipepper130 · Post by **chilipepper130** » Wed Mar 23, 2016 1:52 pm

I am on my third day and already I feel like a load has been lifted off my shoulders. I have been counting calories and/or on some kind of diet (or thinking about the next diet) for pretty much my whole life.

I've read through a lot of posts on here and I've decided to go 100% vanilla and not modify anything because I know that with my personality I will modify myself right back to how I was before.

I've never eaten big meals or had seconds but I did eat more than half my daily calories in snacks, especially sugar.

I can't wait to one day post my amazing testimonial. I'll be happy with losing weight or losing my disordered eating habits or both.

You can see that I originally joined this site in 2008. Yup that is how long it has taken me to finally really truly decide that I was going to do the No S Diet. I've tried before (at least 20 times) but never made it past day 1.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Thu Mar 24, 2016 6:12 pm

Eight years is a long time, but at least you came back! I think time makes a difference. You get more clear what your options are.

chilipepper130 · Post by **chilipepper130** » Thu Mar 24, 2016 9:36 pm

The worst part is that I first read about and tried the No S Diet in 2005.

I'm on my fourth day, which is a record for me so we will see how the weekend goes since it's Easter Weekend.

I already know that one of my S treats this weekend will be a Boston Cream Donut from Tim Hortons (Timmy's). Only a little more than a day away!!!

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Thu Mar 24, 2016 10:19 pm

I first heard about the three-meal structure (without S days) nearly 30 years ago!

Just try to think that you want to give this a really good chance, say for a year, because you don't want to be coming back in a year or two saying you wish you had never left. What ever you end up doing, you're going to be doing a lot longer than a year! You might as well start now. And learning moderation is an excellent foundation for any further discipline needed.

Merry · Post by **Merry** » Fri Mar 25, 2016 8:41 pm

chilipepper130 wrote:The worst part is that I first read about and tried the No S Diet in 2005.

I wonder if we crossed paths in 08. I first tried NoS back then too! Hey, better late than never, right?

oolala53 wrote:I first heard about the three-meal structure (without S days) nearly 30 years ago!

LOL! And I grew up with my mom saying, "don't spoil your dinner!" Sometimes I just think, "sheesh, shouldn't I know this stuff already?!" It shouldn't be so foreign, but it is!

chilipepper130 · Post by **chilipepper130** » Sat Mar 26, 2016 4:02 pm

I know right? I think deep down we all know this stuff.

I am not a good snacker, once I start I can't stop, so it's better to get rid of the option completely.

I made it through my first week so I'm pretty happy about that. I broke my old record of 1 day.

Better late than never indeed. I'm trying not to think about how much agony, time, money, clothing and calorie counting I could have saved had I started in 2005 or again in 2008.

Merry · Post by **Merry** » Sun Mar 27, 2016 4:30 am

chilipepper130 wrote:I know right? I think deep down we all know this stuff.

I am not a good snacker, once I start I can't stop, so it's better to get rid of the option completely.

I made it through my first week so I'm pretty happy about that. I broke my old record of 1 day.

Better late than never indeed. I'm trying not to think about how much agony, time, money, clothing and calorie counting I could have saved had I started in 2005 or again in 2008.

Ah, but think now about the future agony, time, money, clothing, and calorie counting you will be spared from! Congratulations on your first week and breaking your record! Onward and upward! Er, or should I say downward?!!

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Mon Mar 28, 2016 9:15 pm

Or as Gandhi supposedly said, Even God can't change the past.

I'm really convinced we could not have done anything different at any moment in the past. Our actions were the sum total of our previous ones and fit situations that had come together from countless other influences. But we have a part of our brain that likes to spin these things. It can be useful, but it's the work of our lifetime to develop "the wisdom to know the difference." And the lessons can be implemented only in the now. I know, sounds woo woo, but...

Everyday Systems

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Three days in!!