Alar's 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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Alar
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Alar's check in!

Post by Alar » Mon May 29, 2017 11:40 am

Happy Memorial Day!

this will be my 4th day of no S, only second N day because I started on a Friday. I can see some potential obstacles ahead but feel prepared. Go team go &#128522;

Alar
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5 days in

Post by Alar » Wed May 31, 2017 3:40 am

So far so good. 2 of my 5 days were S days (weekend).

Alar
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First failure day

Post by Alar » Fri Jun 02, 2017 3:30 am

I had a snack between lunch and dinner -- one of those cracker packs and a handful of peanuts. My mistake was not packing a big enough lunch, or breakfast, knowing I would have to stay a bit late at work and be late getting dinner. the plus is I didn't continue to fail. Was tempted to eat a cookie after dinner, because it was already a red day, but decided to keep with it. So, no further deviations. This week, otherwise, is going well.

Alar
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Hooray

Post by Alar » Sat Jun 03, 2017 8:11 pm

So this past Thursday was a failure day but the other days were successes. I was happy about Friday, I went to visit some friends in the evening and was worried about sticking to it in a social setting. It wasn't that bad. No desert was served at all, and it was pretty easy to not get any seconds.

I'm also starting to realize it is okay to be hungry. Well, I guess I didn't do so well hungry on Thursday, but other times it has seemed nice to actually be hungry at mealtime, and know that the meal will satisfy hunger. I haven't been too hungry, just enough.

Today is an s day. So far I had waffles for breakfast -- made with friends and with a waffle maker. I could go overboard and eat snacks all day but don't really want to, at least right now. It felt very special eating a waffle, but not excessive. I have family in town visiting as well, and a sister's birthday to celebrate, so it is a double s day (birthday and weekend). It is nice to know I can partake in celebration without guilt. But I don't feel the need to go and eat everything in sight. I'm hopeful I can stick with this system.

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Merry
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Post by Merry » Sat Jun 03, 2017 8:42 pm

Welcome! It sounds like you're off to a great start! Yes, hungry but not too hungry, that's what you're aiming for. It can take some time in the beginning to figure out what meal size that is. Have a great Sweekend :-)
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.
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Alar
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Post by Alar » Wed Jun 07, 2017 11:38 am

Yesterday was a "sick" s day :-(. Was diagnosed with tonsillitis and have a horrible sore throat. I actually ate very little, cause it hurts to swallow, but cough drops all day and after going to the doctor and getting meds in the afternoon, I ate a "snack" of yogurt so I could immediately take some medicine that needed to be with food. I considered calling it a Green Day but figured I'd be as brutally strict with the rules as possible so exempt sick day it is. Even though I bet I ate very few calories in comparison to a Green Day with three proper meals, I did have a snack (more than one if you count all those cough drops).

I'm already starting to feel better this morning. I went and purchased all sorts of liquid food I can hopefully eat today (yogurts and soups and such), and the doc gave me some steroids in addition to antibiotics, so that helps. I think I'll try to stick to no s today and have a Green Day, but will see how the meds go. I'd rather get better quickly.

Alar
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Post by Alar » Wed Jun 07, 2017 11:39 am

Thanks for the welcome, Merry!

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Merry
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Post by Merry » Thu Jun 08, 2017 5:47 am

I hope you feel better soon! Cough drops are medicine, so they don't count for anything. Will you have to get your tonsils removed?
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.
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Alar
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Joined: Sat May 27, 2017 11:11 am

Post by Alar » Sat Jun 10, 2017 2:35 pm

Finished out the week with successes! Amazing how well medicine works :-). I felt a bit of pressure to eat a cookie last night (Friday), but avoided it and now it is a Saturday! And I found out the cookie I wanted Friday was a ginger snap, which I don't actually like, but had I not had the no s framework I would have likely mindlessly eaten it anyways. So hooray.

Alar
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Post by Alar » Wed Jun 14, 2017 11:53 am

Monday was a failure :-/. I think I figured out one reason. I didn't pick a lunch, and didn't take time to stop and get lunch, so I figured I'd just eat popcorn and count it as a lunch, but didn't take a set time. And it went downhill from there. I got home and was starving. Waited to eat till dinner, but defenses must have been down so I had some m&ms after dinner and then split a piece of cake from my mom. I think had I had taken time for lunch I would have been better situated. Tuesday was a good day, and today I plan on bringing lunch and will actually commit to taking at least some time to eat.

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Merry
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Post by Merry » Thu Jun 15, 2017 6:45 am

Alar wrote:Monday was a failure :-/. I think I figured out one reason. I didn't pick a lunch, and didn't take time to stop and get lunch, so I figured I'd just eat popcorn and count it as a lunch, but didn't take a set time. And it went downhill from there. I got home and was starving. Waited to eat till dinner, but defenses must have been down so I had some m&ms after dinner and then split a piece of cake from my mom. I think had I had taken time for lunch I would have been better situated. Tuesday was a good day, and today I plan on bringing lunch and will actually commit to taking at least some time to eat.
Sounds like you are doing a good job evaluating what happened & how to proceed from here--that's a win!
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.
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Elyssa
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Post by Elyssa » Mon Jun 19, 2017 1:37 am

Hi Alar: welcome and so we are both newbies! I'm finding it really helpful to have an actual plate (not a container or paper plate or napkin) & place my food there and look at it & appreciate it as a meal before starting. It's possible the popcorn simply wasn't a "meal" and that may have tripped you up. It definitely helps to have items on one's plate that feel like a real meal (or else you're cheating yourself and may feel resentful). Hope your tonsils are better & have a great week ahead!!! ;)
Ahh... relief!

"No S" has become the life-changing answer to my agonizing questions around food...

Trust in the wisdom of structure.

Alar
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Post by Alar » Wed Jun 21, 2017 12:48 am

Thanks Elyssa!

Yes, I think plating lunch and actually taking a set time would both be beneficial. It gets hard with my job to do that but I'd likely be better situated if I did.

Finished out last week and this week so far with Green Day's! Monday was my birthday but I'm having a birthday dinner this Friday so I didn't take an s day Monday and will take an s day this Friday for birthday cake &#127874;

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Merry
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Post by Merry » Wed Jun 21, 2017 4:46 am

Happy Birthday!
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.
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Alar
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Post by Alar » Sat Jun 24, 2017 7:49 pm

This past week went well. My Birthday was monday, but due to work and other activities that day my family planned on doing a birthday dinner and strawberry shortcake on Friday, so I was going to take an S day Friday instead of Monday. However, by the time Friday rolled around, I had caught a stomach bug from my toddler, so ended up taking a sick day S-day on Friday and had saltines, Popsicles and gatorade all day :-(. Fortunately I'm doing better now, but the bug is making its way around everyone, so the birthday tacos and strawberry shortcake will likely be put off for another day next week.

Although the work week this past week was all green days, I definitely see my issue being lunch. Which is odd, because I didn't think Lunch was an issue at all, but now I see that whenever I don't plan lunch, the rest of the day is hard. I'm going to try and come up with some plans this weekend for lunches next week.

Alar
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Post by Alar » Fri Jul 14, 2017 1:54 am

Ahh have been slacking off on monitoring. But sticking to principles so yay!

I have decided on a modification: I will allow "snacking" or "tasting" of fruit and veggies while harvesting them. I've spent some time lately picking my grandmas figs, and harvesting stuff out of her garden and you can't just say no to a perfectly ripe cherry tomato or fig while picking. At least I can't. Otherwise what is the point of gardening? Haha. I figure it shouldn't lead down a slippery slope, because it doesn't happen that often, and it just makes sense to me.

I don't weigh myself but I've noticed some of my clothes fitting looser and my suit that used to not fit does now. My folks and boss commented that it looks like I'm losing weight. So, yay!

I am hungry right now, though, and I ate dinner already. Hmmm. I was hungry last night as well. But I'm not typically hungry at night so I'll give another night or two to see what is up

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Merry
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Post by Merry » Fri Jul 14, 2017 4:54 am

Sounds like good progress, good for you! The gardening decision sounds like a good compromise--like you said, it's not harvest time that often!
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.
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