Snacks don't tide you over!

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

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

Snacks don't tide you over!

Post by Merry » Sat Nov 04, 2017 6:54 am

Today was one of my usual S days, and I was going to a friend's house. It made lunch on the later side for me, and I considered having a snack to "tide me over." Then it was like a light-bulb went off. Snacks are not satisfying and don't tide me over. They almost always leave me unsatisfied and wanting more! When I do eat them, I still eat full meals when it's time for the next meal. From that perspective...they're not a very logical concept!

Doesn't mean I won't want or have them in the future...but maybe I'll remember that. They really are somewhat deceptive but our culture relies on them and really buys into that concept. It's work to "unwrite" those thought patterns!
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

Selcazare
Posts: 78
Joined: Thu Dec 03, 2015 10:06 pm

Post by Selcazare » Sat Nov 04, 2017 3:06 pm

*nods* I believe this to be completely true, Merry.

Definitely for me, on a personal level, and after reading Devoured: From Chicken Wings to Kale Smoothies--How What We Eat Defines Who We Are last year, I think it's true for a lot of people. Egan interviewed a lot of people (Americans from young professionals to retirees) and all of them used snacks to continue from one meal until another, with many of them never eating a real meal, just snacks every hour on the hour from waking until sleeping—exactly how I tend to eat without my three discreet meals.

kccc
Posts: 3957
Joined: Fri Oct 27, 2006 1:12 am

Post by kccc » Sat Nov 04, 2017 3:21 pm

This is my first "S day" since coming back, and I am noting how much I have "grazed" already. (In part because of an early meeting with food that was not entirely satisfying, but...)

After I began grazing, it became "procrasti-eating." Because I have stuff to do today and don't wanna.

Time to stop. It's an S-day, so I can eat that way... but why? It's not satisfying.

I'll identify a REAL treat for later, then eat REAL food/meals.

And in the meantime, I'll address the REAL problem, which is attending to the tasks.

User avatar
Over43
Posts: 1850
Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2008 9:15 pm
Location: The Mountains

Post by Over43 » Sun Nov 05, 2017 2:48 pm

When I eat snacks, I eat more snacks. :lol:
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

Brit29
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun Nov 05, 2017 8:15 pm

Post by Brit29 » Sun Nov 05, 2017 8:19 pm

I've had a terrible weekend for snacking! I've been doing so well for about 2 months and find it easy to stick to in the week but this weekend has just been loads of snacks, no proper meals. You're right, snacks lead to more snacks and just aren't satisfying. Thank goodness it's an N day tomorrow! It feels like I need a 'reset' to normal habits.

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

Post by Merry » Mon Nov 06, 2017 4:59 am

Brit29 wrote: Thank goodness it's an N day tomorrow! It feels like I need a 'reset' to normal habits.
LOL, yes! I often feel that way on Sundays after a too-wild weekend--can't wait for the Monday reset! (My mom has been here for 2 weeks, and it's been fun--but I've had 3 red days and an additional NWS day for hubby's birthday, and N days sound great though I'll really miss my mom!)
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

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

Post by oolala53 » Wed Nov 08, 2017 4:30 am

I don't know where it is- in mods somewhere or a podcast, but I remember Reinhard once saying that a new mod for him was giving up those mindless, "joyless" snacks, like plunging your hand into the box of whatever just because you looked in the cupboard. Or even letting yourself look ifor something to eat without even knowing what it is. I think, "Will this do it?" (It doesn't.) "Maybe if I just eat that, I'll be done. (I'm not.) Joyless!
"
I'm looking for something, but it isn't food. It so often has to do with an ongoing disturbing situation that may just be the best it's going to be in that moment. Then I have to just sit like a grownup with some passing discontent.

Or get busy doing something pleasurable or productive.

These days, I'm trying to make discontent an object of curiosity rather than trying to get rid of it right away..
Last edited by oolala53 on Thu Nov 09, 2017 3:46 am, edited 2 times 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)

lin47
Posts: 93
Joined: Mon Feb 16, 2015 8:10 pm

Post by lin47 » Wed Nov 08, 2017 12:22 pm

kccc wrote:This is my first "S day" since coming back, and I am noting how much I have "grazed" already. (In part because of an early meeting with food that was not entirely satisfying, but...)

After I began grazing, it became "procrasti-eating." Because I have stuff to do today and don't wanna.

Time to stop. It's an S-day, so I can eat that way... but why? It's not satisfying.

I'll identify a REAL treat for later, then eat REAL food/meals.

And in the meantime, I'll address the REAL problem, which is attending to the tasks.
I can so identify with this. The only S I really would like to have on my S days is sweets, but I've hesitated to put that restriction on S days because I don't want this to feel like a diet. However, like you, I normally snack when I want to avoid unpleasant tasks (e.g., cleaning my house, working on my computer, etc.). I hate the out-of-control feeling I get when snacking, though. I would much rather have my meals and a couple of a tasty treats on each S day.

lin47
Posts: 93
Joined: Mon Feb 16, 2015 8:10 pm

Post by lin47 » Wed Nov 08, 2017 12:27 pm

oolala53 wrote:We're looking for something, but it isn't food. And we may not even be able to find "it." Then we have to just sit like a grownup with some passing discontent.
These are words of wisdom if I've ever read any. I wonder sometimes of one of the reasons I've always struggled with my weight is that I've never learned to just sit with the discomfort. One of the yoga teachers whose class I take makes us hold poses for longer than I'm used to. She always says that she likes doing that as it teaches us to endure a bit of discomfort, and if we practice holding a pose longer than we did the time before, we start to understand that we can get through it.

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

Post by oolala53 » Thu Nov 09, 2017 3:55 am

Lin, my experience with Zen sitting for several years helped set the stage for using this attitude for No S purposes. The body would sometimes be screaming for me to move but I learned it was rarely helpful to do it. It would start screaming again in awhile. I haven't had near the success "sitting with" with a lot of other disturbing situations and sensations, as I prefer to call feelings. The thoughts associated with them are more complicated and harder to see as being addictive hogwash, unlike the thoughts and sensations that tell me I have to eat when I've had a reasonable meal a few hours ago and will again in awhile, or after I sleep.

I've found that I don't need to have much else going right in my life to stick most of the time to meals, even imperfect ones.
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 » Fri Nov 10, 2017 5:57 am

oolala53 wrote:I think, "Will this do it?" (It doesn't.) "Maybe if I just eat that, I'll be done. (I'm not.) Joyless!
Yes!
oolala53 wrote: I'm looking for something, but it isn't food.
and yes!
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

lin47
Posts: 93
Joined: Mon Feb 16, 2015 8:10 pm

Post by lin47 » Fri Nov 10, 2017 4:43 pm

oolala53 wrote:Lin, my experience with Zen sitting for several years helped set the stage for using this attitude for No S purposes. The body would sometimes be screaming for me to move but I learned it was rarely helpful to do it. It would start screaming again in awhile
This has been my experience in the yoga class I mentioned. Even staying in child's pose too long bothers me, and holding downward dog for more than a minute really gets my arms. I'm getting better at it, though, and I'm hoping that will translate into other areas of my life, like eating.

So far, I've been doing no S for about two weeks now, and it feels effortless, but I know reading others' experiences that this won't always be the case.

In reference to the discussion at hand, I'm really thinking about having no snacks and seconds even on S days as I find those habits are so ingrained that they're the hardest to break. I figure the less I do of them, the better. Besides, I don't enjoy my food as much when I'm mindlessly snacking or not paying attention to whether I'm full at the table.

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

Post by oolala53 » Sat Nov 11, 2017 3:36 pm

Lin, how long did you practice No S before leaving the last time? I'm not up on your whole history. I do know that in 2015, you said that you had been here even before that.
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)

lin47
Posts: 93
Joined: Mon Feb 16, 2015 8:10 pm

Post by lin47 » Sun Nov 12, 2017 11:10 pm

Oolala, I know I've tried it at least twice. I have a terrible memory, so it may have been three times. I can't remember how long I stayed each time, but I do know that i wasn't using common sense. I feel like I am now, so we'll see 😀

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

Post by oolala53 » Mon Nov 13, 2017 12:36 am

If the previous times, you didn't have a lot of green weeks, I warmly suggest that you consider not trying to limit yourself on weekends as a way to discipline yourself. It often backfires because a person loses the sense that they are not trapped. Try listening to Reinhard's podcast #s 21 and 33.
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)

lin47
Posts: 93
Joined: Mon Feb 16, 2015 8:10 pm

Post by lin47 » Mon Nov 13, 2017 9:59 pm

Thanks, oolala. I do need to listen to Reinhard's podcasts. I haven't listened to any. I love his writing, so I'm sure I'll enjoy his podcasts.

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

Post by oolala53 » Tue Nov 14, 2017 2:29 am

I love his voice and delivery. I don't know if I've just gotten used to it, but he sounds to me just like I'd think he would. He makes it all sound so...
reasonable! No wonder he said he thinks he never did emotional eating.
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)

Imogen Morley
Posts: 1022
Joined: Sun Mar 21, 2010 1:11 pm

Post by Imogen Morley » Tue Nov 14, 2017 7:45 pm

Over43 wrote:When I eat snacks, I eat more snacks. :lol:
What a great catchphrase, Reinhard!

Post Reply