2017 One year No S Challenge

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.

Moderators: Soprano, automatedeating

Amy3010
Posts: 1282
Joined: Thu Apr 05, 2012 9:48 am
Location: Belgium

Post by Amy3010 » Thu Dec 14, 2017 8:18 am

Oh no! Hope you son is doing better, Maggie. Don't beat yourself up too hard over that cookie.

Chotzinoff
Posts: 35
Joined: Thu Oct 26, 2017 6:41 pm
Location: Austin Texas

Will this happen in 2018?

Post by Chotzinoff » Fri Dec 15, 2017 3:34 pm

I just read through this whole board and I think it's my favorite and I want to sign up for 2018.

oolala53
Posts: 10059
Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2008 1:46 am
Location: San Diego, CA USA

Post by oolala53 » Mon Dec 18, 2017 1:00 am

We welcome you and invite you to start right now.
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)

Chotzinoff
Posts: 35
Joined: Thu Oct 26, 2017 6:41 pm
Location: Austin Texas

Post by Chotzinoff » Tue Dec 19, 2017 2:22 pm

Accepted. 12 more days of 2017 and all of 2018. I have been no-S-ing since the last week of October. My husband has, too, which is really unusual. Until this, we disagreed so fundamentally on anything diet-related that we might as well have been different species. We have both fallen into a nice rhythm. Neither one of us has lost any noticeable weight. He doesn't have much to lose, really, just a fit-guy-getting-older slight belly. I have yo-yo'd all over the place my entire life. about ten years ago I got down to a very pleasant normal weight (I don't know exactly what, since I'm paranoid of scales) but I was a size 8 or 10 and had no problem maintaining for 5 or 6 years. The catch is that I lost the weight because I had been put on a perscription drug that killed my appetite. After five years or so, my appetite came back, along with menopause, and now I'm probably somewhere between 170 and 180 pounds. It's all very vague, because I'm afraid to weigh myself, but I'm pretty sure that I haven't lost much weight since starting No-S. I FEEL very much better, though, and not just emotionally--my clothes are all size 12s, but they fit and I don't have to be scared that a run through the dryer will have caused them to magically shrink! (As opposed to me magically expanding.) Nevertheless, I can tell that the real challenge for me is going to be the occasional searching around for the buzz that comes with the promise of dramatic weight loss. I'm old enough to know that the buzz comes just from the promise, not the reality. But I still wake up disappointed in the lack of drama. Will today be the day people notice my radical transformation? No. Will today be the day my clothes hang on me and I get to get smaller ones? No. Will I ever lose weight? I don't know. Is it possible to lose weight after menopause? I don't know. Is it time to start tweaking and refining my No-S to be sure I'm not consuming too much food? NO!!! It's only been two months, and every time I start thinking about restricting, counting, non-Reinhard dieting, I remember the deprivation mindset that made me miserable for so many decades and trapped me in years of binge-eating and frantic dieting.

Much as I wish for something shinier and more exciting, I am committing to one year and 12 days of No-O WHETHER OR NOT I LOSE WEIGHT.

What do you long-timers think? Am I A: being reasonable, because the weight loss will follow the habit, or B: kidding myself, because I should have lost weight by now and it's time to face up to that somehow?

oolala53
Posts: 10059
Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2008 1:46 am
Location: San Diego, CA USA

Post by oolala53 » Tue Dec 19, 2017 4:58 pm

I don't want to harsh anyone's mellow, but No S has never been about weight loss to me. Weight loss, or fat loss, depends on a calorie deficit for YOUR body. The body can do a lot to resist that, i.e, it can change the rate at which it burns calories and ramp up urges to eat, though they aren't really based on real need. There MIGHT still be a specific diet that would make it all easy. If you don't lose, are you going to keep looking? It sounds like that's not an option.

I lost all my weight after menopause, but I had gained most of it after adolescence, about half of it after age 40. My bodyfat is higher than it was when I used to weight this amount. Loss wasn't fast, and it did involve letting go of more and more manufactured foods, so that now, my plates at home look "healthy," as one of my colleagues often points out, but it's been an evolution. It also involved some very light S days by choice. I don't know if I could have gotten to the same place by just eating less of pre-SAD. I'll never know because I had started changing what was on my plate before No S, and I almost wouldn't know how to go back.

Loss will depend on a lot of things, and the fact you haven't lost yet is not an indicator that you won't. But it doesn't really sound like you're ready to make more of the changes that would influence that outcome. Holding out the hope while not being willing to do anything differently usually leads to unproductive suffering! Usually through self-flagellation. This rarely improves morale. :twisted:

So, just keep going. As you continue and ponder the costs and benefits of your pattern, you may be willing to experiment with the size of your plate, changes on your plate, or meal timing. But I'd guess you are getting the willies just reading those choices, so put it all on the very very back burner!
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)

Chotzinoff
Posts: 35
Joined: Thu Oct 26, 2017 6:41 pm
Location: Austin Texas

Post by Chotzinoff » Tue Dec 19, 2017 5:18 pm

I was hoping you would reply, oolala. Thank you. So, I don't eat a lot of processed food and I grow and cook most of my own meals. These changes took about 25 years to make, but happily coincided with raising our daughters, so that they both turned out with a very healthy hedonism where food is concerned. I've also been pretty physically active since I turned 30. I am now 59. There isn't a big elephant in the room I am unwilling or unable to acknowledge. All the body-positive/intuitive eating philosophies I've dabbled in would suggest that what I weigh now is probably my "natural weight" and my energy would be better spent in learning to accept myself. Well, yeah, but I gave that whole philosophy at least a year and I didn't get anywhere near the kind of peace I have found with No-S. You accurately noted my fear around making any changes other than straight-up No-Sing. My fear is basically that if I go on anything resembling a restrictive diet, I will end up bingeing and gaining the weight back, plus some, and there are plenty of studies that back up that fear. HOWEVER, if I set aside this fear for a moment, I can think of a couple of changes I could make that would probably result in slow, eventual weight loss:

less alcohol: I never drink more than 2 drinks in a day, but I seldom miss those two drinks. I take the month of January off, but that's just one month, plus a lot of empty calories.

more sweaty activity, more consistently. I have a routine of circuit training with friends 4 times a week for 30-60 minutes, I walk, go to the occasional yoga class and very occasionally cycle. I've fallen out of the habit of benchmarks for how much time or how many miles or how often, and although I recommend "carpool accountability" to others, I haven't really used it myself for the past few years. I've really taken to Reinhard's 14 minutes of anything, but if I were to get more than 14 minutes, it would definitely make a difference. at different times in my life I've gotten WAY more exercise than this, and I was never sorry.

consciously devoting half my plate to fruit or vegetables. Right now, it looks like that, but not always, and I can see myself trying to get more of the dense stuff without technically breaking any rules.

I'm very skittish when it comes to making resolutions, because I have such a lousy track record. I've been self-employed for 30+ years and still agonize over my deadlines and daily schedule. The question is: if I try something new and fail, does that have to lead directly to binge eating? I haven't done that in a long time. I'm still afraid of it, but I haven't done it.

I feel like I have SO MUCH TO LEARN about habit-forming.

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Merry
Posts: 1658
Joined: Mon Sep 22, 2008 2:14 am

Post by Merry » Wed Dec 20, 2017 4:25 am

Chotzinoff wrote: It's all very vague, because I'm afraid to weigh myself, but I'm pretty sure that I haven't lost much weight since starting No-S. I FEEL very much better, though, and not just emotionally--my clothes are all size 12s, but they fit and I don't have to be scared that a run through the dryer will have caused them to magically shrink!
The thing is that weight-loss on No-S is typically slow and subtle. Without weighing yourself, you have no way of knowing whether you have truly lost anything or not. But in some places you sound like you are sure you haven't lost and are wondering if you should tweak--yet here you sound like you may indeed have those very modest losses of 1 or 2 lbs. per month (I generally lose 1 or 2 lbs, though I've had months recently where I simply maintained).

So...all this is not to say that you need to change something and weigh yourself--but it doesn't sound to me like it's time to tweak and change how you are eating either. Continue. See if your clothes continue to fit well. I don't know how much you have to lose between sizes--I often have to lose 15-20 lbs. to change pant sizes or bra sizes. It took me a year to lose 22 lbs--so, know, it's not sudden or noticeable for quite awhile, but that doesn't mean it's not slow & steady or that you aren't headed in the right direction.

If your size 12's start to "shrink," then think about tweaking!
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

Chotzinoff
Posts: 35
Joined: Thu Oct 26, 2017 6:41 pm
Location: Austin Texas

Post by Chotzinoff » Wed Dec 20, 2017 4:02 pm

Thank you Merry. Good to hear.

oolala53
Posts: 10059
Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2008 1:46 am
Location: San Diego, CA USA

Post by oolala53 » Wed Dec 20, 2017 7:59 pm

Bingeing after curtailment is NOT a given. The desire might be, but following through is still a choice. And trying to maintain or lose beyond a certain point that the body likes is probably going to entail some hankering after more food than it will take to keep that body.

That being said, do what you need to at this time to keep the balance.
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)

oolala53
Posts: 10059
Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2008 1:46 am
Location: San Diego, CA USA

Post by oolala53 » Fri Dec 22, 2017 8:58 pm

BTW, all. If my searches were right, we have about 10 people of 22 on team 2017 still hanging in there. Several of us, maybe the majority, "started" No S more than two years ago. I'm sure we are way ahead of most diets out there, which probably have a few successes who do the same thing: try, fail, give up for awhile, then realize it's the best bet and surrender. I think our tribe is even more impressive because the competition often sold multiple times the books that Reinhard did, no insult intended. He himself admits No S probably isn't flashy enough to be diet porn.

Yay for us!
Last edited by oolala53 on Mon Dec 25, 2017 4:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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)

User avatar
Merry
Posts: 1658
Joined: Mon Sep 22, 2008 2:14 am

Post by Merry » Sat Dec 23, 2017 6:52 am

Cool!
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

freeandeasy
Posts: 49
Joined: Thu Nov 10, 2016 6:29 pm

I'd like to join the one year commitment

Post by freeandeasy » Mon Dec 25, 2017 9:07 pm

Hi there,
May I join you for a 1 year 2018 No S committment?

I almost joined you all for the 2017 full year No S challenge, but I didn't. And then I didn't stick with No S, so I'm wishing I had.

Like many of you, I was tempted by "sexier" sounding diets (keto, IF, all that stuff). Then I am unable to stick with it and just feel kinda crazy and hectic when it comes to food and eating.

I'm ready to commit to sticking with No S for all of 2018. It sounds like a relief, it's sane, sustainable, and I am curious and interested to see what it will be like to stick with this way of eating for a full year.

I have modified my No S after doing it on and off for a little over a year.
My mods are that I eat 3 meals a day and no snacks or seconds 7 days a week. I can eat sweets any day, but it has to fit on my single plate. Of course holidays (like Christmas today) are exceptions that I plan on my calendar.

I have found that I genuinely do not like snacking an truly prefer and enjoy sticking with three meals a day, so I prefer this mod. I know it's not for everyone.

I've also chosen to abstain from alcohol for 2018. I don't need the extra calories, and for me it lowers my resistance to eating in ways I don't want to. Plus, my triglycerides are better when I don't (I tend toward high triglycerides and am working to keep them in a healthy range). I also have a large amount of weight to lose. I don't know if I will on this or not, but I fel like the stability will eventually pay off in better health and weight, even if it's slow. Everything else I've done has only made me rebound at a higher weight. (Oh, to turn back the hands of time and not do that first diet at age 14. I KNOW I would not be fat now if I had just left things well enough alone!)

Because I have been practicing No S to some degree this last year, not snacking has become easy for me. Now my biggest challenge is not going so vertical on my plate! As in, my portions have been way too big. And therefore I have been too
:lol:

I'm looking forward to this No S journey with you all and hope to give and receive lots of good encouragement and support. Thank you so much for considering letting me join you!
Kathryn

ladybird30
Posts: 1118
Joined: Sun May 07, 2017 10:41 pm

Post by ladybird30 » Mon Dec 25, 2017 10:09 pm

Dear Kathryn - I too have found that after practising No S with some success and some failures for a year, changing to 3 meals a day 7 days a week is liberating and much easier. I had to do the year first tho before I could accept the 3 meals a day bit.

I'm a long term non drinker, and life can be just as good without.

All the best for 2018.

Ladybird
Three meals a day - not too little not too much, but just right

oolala53
Posts: 10059
Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2008 1:46 am
Location: San Diego, CA USA

Post by oolala53 » Tue Dec 26, 2017 5:49 am

Welcome to officially making your declaration, Kathryn. When I finally committed, I said for one year, but secretly I aimed for two. But focusing on the year was pivotal. I was not going anywhere. I knew my sanity depended on it. Best wishes for finding the "formula" for what and how much goes on your plate. That might not become clear for quite awhile. Unless you have health issues, you can let that unfold. Just keep going!
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)

oolala53
Posts: 10059
Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2008 1:46 am
Location: San Diego, CA USA

Post by oolala53 » Wed Dec 27, 2017 12:51 am

P.S. late reply to MaggieMae's post about having to take her son to two different urgent care's and ending up eating a cookie left in her purse. I think you were doing well not to have stopped and bought a package of cookies or something along the way! It's amazing to me how I can feel old feelings to get some food when I'm rushed. And to wolf it down, as if it's part of the excitement to eat the food fast. Thankfully, I know the song for what it is.

Hope things have been better. No matter what, there's always the rest of today and tomorrow...
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)

freeandeasy
Posts: 49
Joined: Thu Nov 10, 2016 6:29 pm

Post by freeandeasy » Thu Dec 28, 2017 12:03 am

Ladybird, thank you so much for your kind words and encouragement.

freeandeasy
Posts: 49
Joined: Thu Nov 10, 2016 6:29 pm

Post by freeandeasy » Thu Dec 28, 2017 12:05 am

Oolala 53,
Thank you for the welcome. Like you I feel like my food sanity depends on this.
And given the success you've had by sticking with it I'd say you're a good example of what's possible with this way of eating with consistency and commitment.
Thank you for the encouragement.

oolala53
Posts: 10059
Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2008 1:46 am
Location: San Diego, CA USA

Post by oolala53 » Thu Dec 28, 2017 12:45 am

Love you signature line, freeandeasy!
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)

Bluebell
Posts: 633
Joined: Thu Sep 29, 2016 7:17 pm
Location: Hampshire UK

Post by Bluebell » Mon Jan 01, 2018 1:46 pm

Well that’s 2017 done! Goodness me how quickly a year goes by. I have had my ups and downs along the way but No S has been pretty much a constant in my life, even when its felt hard or i have gone wrong. The mark it and move on ethos has been the biggest help to me.
Here’s to a fantastic 2018!
"You'll know where the North Star is ⭐️" - Oolala

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threewhales
Posts: 56
Joined: Sat Mar 26, 2011 6:31 pm
Location: Texas

Post by threewhales » Mon Jan 01, 2018 4:42 pm

I meant to get on here yesterday. Obviously posting online is NOT my strength. Thinking about 2017, I realized I maintained my weight and learned a lot about why No S just makes sense for me. Sure, I had times I ate too many sweets and ::gasp:: ate seconds and had popcorn as a snack. But, I always turned back to the No S way of life.
For 2018, my goals are to Move more and Keep No S going strong!
Vanilla No S ReStart 12/26/16

Things should be as simple as possible, but not simpler.
~Albert Einstein

freeandeasy
Posts: 49
Joined: Thu Nov 10, 2016 6:29 pm

Post by freeandeasy » Mon Jan 01, 2018 7:34 pm

Happy 2018 everyone!
Congratulations to all of you who completed one year of No S!
I'm excited about 2018 and completing my first year No S challenge too.
Three cheers :D

User avatar
Merry
Posts: 1658
Joined: Mon Sep 22, 2008 2:14 am

Post by Merry » Tue Jan 02, 2018 7:07 am

woo-hoo! Great year everyone--let's do this again for 2018!
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

This_is_it
Posts: 66
Joined: Fri Aug 05, 2016 9:04 am
Location: Netherlands

Post by This_is_it » Tue Jan 02, 2018 10:50 am

Still here. First months of 2017 i did very well. But then i lost track. Not that i forgot about NOS but i could not get myself to comply anymore :? .

But NOS is the only way (for me) that makes sense. So 2018, here i am :lol: .

Traci0829
Posts: 160
Joined: Mon Sep 23, 2013 1:52 am

Post by Traci0829 » Tue Jan 02, 2018 10:53 am

Will there be a new thread for 2018? I’d like to join in the fun!

oolala53
Posts: 10059
Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2008 1:46 am
Location: San Diego, CA USA

Post by oolala53 » Tue Jan 02, 2018 11:17 pm

Anyone can start that thread. I'm "family," so I'm holding back.

BTW, I was obsessed enough that I did some loose reviewing and found that there were about 10 people who had a good presence for most of the year. Given that we started with only 22, that's an excellent participation rate. Most diet forums lose most of the participants pretty darn soon.
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)

oolala53
Posts: 10059
Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2008 1:46 am
Location: San Diego, CA USA

Post by oolala53 » Wed Jan 03, 2018 3:36 pm

The 2018 team sign up thread is up and running!
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)

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