WINhappy's Check-in Thread

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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WINhappy
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WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by WINhappy » Mon May 22, 2023 11:52 pm

Hi everyone! I am new here, and looking forward to connecting with anyone who wants to connect with me through these boards. Howdy, howdy!

I can't remember exactly how I came across the No S Diet but am so happy I did. I purchased the book back in November 2022 and have been striving toward Vanilla No S ever since. Unfortunately, I have yet to string together more than 2 consecutive N days but have heartily embraced S days (not good, friends, not good at all!).

Despite solid effort to embrace Vanilla No S over the last several months, I've decided to start a little smaller. I took a hard look at my eating habits, preferences, and lifestyle and have decided on the following plan:

1. No seconds
2. No snacking
3. Maximum one (1) sweet per day (max. 150 calories; anything more becomes a red day)

Having perused the boards as a guest, I recognize that altering the basic framework of Vanilla No S can be a risky strategy. However, after much thought and for many reasons, I think this revised strategy might work for me. I've actually held to this plan for the last three days, so have already beaten my Vanilla No S record.

I have never (and I mean never) lost weight on any diet, not even five pounds. This is likely due to a complete inability to remain on one longer than about a day, thanks to a bad (but possibly also protective) combination of rebellion and hedonism. I've avoided the vicious and disheartening cycle of losing a bunch of weight only to gain it back and then some, for which I'm grateful to my past self. But my weight has also gently drifted up by about a pound every year and I would love to flatten that trend, at the very least.

I am very excited about No S Diet and about this community, which seems to be remarkably kind, compassionate, and supportive. I have lots more to say but this initial post is already long enough. If you've read until the end, thank you! I look forward to checking in again soon.

Best regards,
WINhappy
Sometimes the coolest thing when you were a kid- remains the coolest thing.

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by Amy3010 » Tue May 23, 2023 5:36 am

Welcome to the No-S boards!

My best advice is just to stick with it - if you can live with some imperfection and slow progress, you will find the habits creep up on you over time and will completely change your relationship with food. Good luck! :mrgreen:

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by Soprano » Tue May 23, 2023 6:28 pm

Welcome, sounds like a good plan. Good luck

Jx
Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by ladybird30 » Tue May 23, 2023 9:09 pm

Welcome. Dieting is not necessary for permanent weight loss anyway, and I have lost weight without it on No S by changing my food habits.

Like you, I have never been able to stick to an eating plan devised by someone else or restrict my calories to the usual dieting levels for more than a short time. Nor do I see any point in me trying to do so.

No S doesn't count as a diet to me because it is just going back to the traditional way of eating before eating all the time became the norm.

I have observed after reading many posts that complicated plans tend not to last long, so a simple plan sounds like a good start.
Three meals a day - not too little not too much, but just right

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by WINhappy » Wed May 24, 2023 1:29 am

Hi Amy3010, Soprano, and ladybird30! Thank you so much for the warm welcome and well wishes. They mean a lot! This is the very first internet group I have ever joined and it has taken me many months to work up the courage to reach out, even if only remotely, so I'm gratified that you've taken the time to respond to my post. I am not on Facebook and never will be, so I appreciate Reinhard and all of you keeping this board open as an option.

I did well with my personal plan yesterday and if I go to bed tonight without a snack, I will have five consecutive N days (as I define them). This afternoon was a bit of a challenge as I was stomach-growling hungry but I managed to avoid snacking, which represents a pretty significant change in behavior. In the past, I would have snacked all afternoon and still eaten a hearty dinner plus dessert. I know it's only been four+ days, but one must start somewhere, so I'm choosing to consider this a big accomplishment.

The strange thing about this way of eating is that I really only have to do tomorrow what I already did today, namely just eat a reasonable plateful of food three times a day and stay out of the snacks. Other plans I've tried just seemed to get harder with every passing minute. There was always another rule, another restriction, another hassle, another expectation, another task to add to my To Do list, and another infringement on my time, willpower, and life. Perhaps I'm being too harsh but that's how it felt to me. So far, I like the No S Diet's gentler approach a lot better and am hopeful that I can stick with my plan tomorrow as well.

Wishing all of you a pleasant evening and a great day tomorrow!

WINhappy
Sometimes the coolest thing when you were a kid- remains the coolest thing.

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by Soprano » Wed May 24, 2023 5:36 am

What I love most about nos is its simplicity. It doesn't take any energy to follow. Really sounds like you have got this. You may slip occasionally, we all do but what will make you succeed is just start again right then and there. :)

Jx
Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by WINhappy » Thu May 25, 2023 1:22 am

Thanks, soprano! That is very encouraging.

I am already thinking ahead to the (very likely if not inevitable "fail") and trying some proactive self-talk to hopefully keep myself from going completely off the rails. I will not be able to do the quote justice or even attribute it to the correct poster (apologies!) but I think I read a No S post something to the effect of "denting your fender is no reason to drive your car into a tree". That concept really resonates with me and I've made avoiding unnecessary tree-ramming my goal for future red days. I am working hard to postpone that day for as long as possible but we shall see. Best laid plans and all that....

I learned yet another lesson today, thanks to No S. I ate a less-than-favorite lunch and found myself craving dessert. The meal was perfectly fine - tasty even - just not delicious. I was not hungry after my one plate but suspect I was hunting more sensory pleasure. I didn't snack or eat anything sweet, thanks to my planned safety-valve of two pieces of dark chocolate after dinner, but noticed some daydreaming about dessert. Not snacking all the time is giving me more time to notice this kind of thing, I suppose!

Regardless, today will be another green day as long as I go to bed without a snack and right now, that feels doable. I hope everyone has had a great day!
Sometimes the coolest thing when you were a kid- remains the coolest thing.

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by ladybird30 » Thu May 25, 2023 9:22 pm

Yes, 'fails' are inevitable, just part of learning how to eat sensibly like learning any other habit.
It is just a particularly difficult one to master for many people, including me.

Sounds like you are off to a good start.
Three meals a day - not too little not too much, but just right

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by WINhappy » Fri May 26, 2023 2:23 am

Ladybird, I'm glad you wrote what you did because today ended up red, thanks to a bad combination of a grouchy mood and a surprise offer of a maple cookie.

It was technically only 1 cookie after lunch, but rich enough to make this day red. But overall, I stil ate less in total than I would have pre-No S, so all is not lost.

I will re- focus tomorrow and work towards a green day.
Sometimes the coolest thing when you were a kid- remains the coolest thing.

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by Soprano » Fri May 26, 2023 6:41 am

WINhappy wrote:
Fri May 26, 2023 2:23 am
Ladybird, I'm glad you wrote what you did because today ended up red, thanks to a bad combination of a grouchy mood and a surprise offer of a maple cookie.

It was technically only 1 cookie after lunch, but rich enough to make this day red. But overall, I stil ate less in total than I would have pre-No S, so all is not lost.

I will re- focus tomorrow and work towards a green day.
I'd call that an amber day. :)

Congrats on not letting it derail you

Jx
Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by WINhappy » Sat May 27, 2023 12:34 am

Thanks, Soprano.

I'm pleased to report that today has been green so far, and will remain so as long as I go to bed without a snack. Knowing that I slipped a bit yesterday made me pretty determined to stay on track today. That said, I'm heading into the weekend - otherwise known as allowed S days - and am a little uncertain about how they'll go, since they are coming at the end of the first week I've been successful on No S. I plan to stick to 3 meals a day with no snacking because I like being on the other side of the stomach-growling hunger I used to experience between meals and I don't want to set myself back. But I may let myself be flexible in the hopes of avoiding too much pressure in either direction. We shall see.

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.

WINhappy
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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by WINhappy » Sun May 28, 2023 12:50 am

Today was my first official S day and I enjoyed it to the tune of a doughnut and two glasses of chocolate milk, spread throughout the day. My portions at my three meals stayed about the same and I didn't snack so feeling OK about today. I have no special plan for tomorrow's S day, except to enjoy the day as it unfolds. My attention is already focused on Monday and how I plan to get back on track with my N day habits. I really want the N day/S day pattern to work for me and the only way it will is if I resume N day habits as scheduled.
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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by Soprano » Sun May 28, 2023 6:06 am

Great news re S day.
Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by WINhappy » Tue May 30, 2023 8:24 pm

Hi all -
I have returned home from an unanticipated few days out of town, which encompassed my second S day (Sunday), and 2 N days.

Sunday was pretty tame for an S day, especially in comparison to how I used to eat so feel pleased that I didn't go wild. I had 2 sweets and no snacks but my portion at dinner was more than just a single plate (hors d'oeuvres were served - really tasty hors d'oeuvres!).

Monday I re-focused as I promised myself I would and stuck to my 3 plates with no snacks and only 1 small sweet. Both yesterday and today, I've had the same sweet as I do at home (2 squares of 78% or greater dark chocolate) so that helped keep my N days calm. I did a little virtual plating yesterday and today and felt a little too full after both lunches.

I am back home for the evening but then heading back out for the rest of the week. I do not plan on checking in here while I am on the road (I don't like to log into sites using public/hotel Wi-Fis if I can help it). I plan to focus on keeping tomorrow, Thursday, and Friday "N"; Saturday will be both an S day and a travel day, which should make life easier. In order of descending priority, here are my goals for the remainder of my travel: No snacks, max 1 small sweet, 3 reasonable plates at meals. I will check back in on Saturday. Wish me luck and I hope everyone has a great rest of the week!
Sometimes the coolest thing when you were a kid- remains the coolest thing.

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by Amy3010 » Wed May 31, 2023 5:23 am

Enjoy your trip! Well done on thinking about your eating strategy beforehand and good luck sticking to it! :mrgreen:

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by pinkhippie » Wed May 31, 2023 8:49 pm

Welcome WINhappy! Glad you joined us here! I can't remember when I started No S.. 2010 maybe? But it took me a good few years to really conquer some of the habits. And I left and came back, but each time I did, the habits got stronger. And now, even when I fall away from them, they are relatively easy to jump back to. My hardest initial habit was not eating after dinner and not eating sweets during the week. Now, I almost never eat after dinner. If I have a sweet every day during a special week, then that is the hardest habit to get back onto, but I think it could be the addictive quality of sugar. Anyway, just wanted to give you some encouragement. Even if it feels hard, like you might not ever be able to do it, you CAN! Just keep at it.

Hope you have a great trip!

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by WINhappy » Tue Jun 06, 2023 2:09 am

Hi everyone!

Thank you, Amy3010 and pinkhippie for your well-wishes while I traveled. I am back home now and am excited to get back into my usual routine for a few days (until I travel again on the 14th).

My trip went smoothly and, for the most part, I'm pleased with how well I stuck to No S. I can't claim to have put the healthiest foods on my 3 plates and I filled at least a few plates pretty full. However, I kept to No S on the weekdays, even while traveling. Saturday was an approved S day and I did have 3 total sweets but still didn't snack. Yesterday was also an approved S day but it was basically an N day with one slightly larger and richer sweet than I am allowing myself as my one mod.

Today, I am back on strict No S (well, my version of it at least) and will be able to mark today green as long as I don't eat anything until breakfast tomorrow.

Some things I've noticed so far:

1. I am truly shocked that I've managed to avoid snacking between lunch and dinner, after dinner, and/or in the middle of the night (so far anyway). I still WANT to but so far I haven't given myself permission to do so. I won't do the quote justice but Reinhard says somewhere in his excellent book something like "It's easier and clearer to ask, is it Monday at 4:00am and is this a brownie?" That clarity resonates with me. Snacking is a visible, active behavior so I've been telling myself (among many, many other things) that all I need to do to succeed is to simply "Don't". Don't get up, don't go into the kitchen, don't open the pantry door, etc. Finally, a preference for conserving energy pays off!

2. I've noticed that my "diet head" chatter hasn't subsided very much yet; it's just switched tapes to play No S tracks rather than low-carb, low-fat, eat this, don't eat that, how many calories in this food, etc. The No S guidelines are running through my head pretty much constantly while I'm awake. My plates are substantial because I feel a little anxious about getting uncomfortably hungry between meals and triggering feelings of deprivation. I definitely get hungry between meals so I don't think I'm overeating much at each meal but mentally, I feel anxious. Hopefully, this will lessen as I rack up additional N days and gain confidence but for now, I notice a bit of anxiety and portioning myself "safety blanket" meals.

3. I've felt (and been) more successful with no snacks and controlling sweets since permitting my daily two pieces of dark chocolate mod. I'm pleased by this because snacking definitely contributed the bulk of my extra calories and has been the downfall of every historical attempt to cut calories or eat less. Anticipating that small, controlled indulgence is helping me stay on track and keep rebellion due to feeling deprived at bay. I understand that I won't always be successful, and Vanilla No S remains the dream, but for now, a maximum of 150 calories of dark chocolate per day is saving me many hundreds of calories per day in snacks, which seems a decent trade-off to me.

I am so happy to be home safe and sound, happy to feel I was successful with No S while traveling, and happy to be able to focus on one N day at a time until the weekend. Although No S is on my mind almost constantly, overall I feel it is a healthy focus. It fits so well into the social convention of breakfast, lunch, and dinner and doesn't demand extreme restrictions on the type of food like pretty much every other diet out there.

Thank you again and in advance for your support and encouragement. I hope everyone has a great week!
Sometimes the coolest thing when you were a kid- remains the coolest thing.

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by Amy3010 » Tue Jun 06, 2023 6:36 am

It sounds like you managed to fit No-S into your travel nicely! I think it is quite normal to be thinking about it a lot at the beginning, until the habits just become second nature and you find yourself doing it without the low level anxiety and mental chatter. Hang in there and keep going! :mrgreen:

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by WINhappy » Wed Jun 07, 2023 2:04 am

Thanks Amy3010!

Today will be green as long as I go to bed without eating anything (a theme emerges.....). That said, this afternoon was fairly tough. For some reason I felt especially hungry and really, really wanted to have a snack. I started feeling hungry an hour after lunch so was facing hours before my usual dinner time and definitely felt my anxiety rise. But I had a perfectly substantial and delicious lunch - there was NO WAY I somehow lacked calories so I talked myself into staying the course and stayed out of the snacks. My post from yesterday haunted me and I reminded myself that all I have to do is "don't". I can't say it was the most relaxed afternoon I've ever spent but I certainly arrived at dinner time fully conscious and perfectly healthy so it was a waste of energy to have worried so much about whether I could "make it".

One of many reasons I feel like No S is the right choice for me is the emphasis on discrete but substantial meals, and letting any weight loss come from limiting extra calories from unnecessary snacks and sweets.

For example, I've eaten the exact same breakfast every morning for literally years (old-fashioned oatmeal made with 1/3 cup dry oats and 1 cup of water, microwaved for 2 minutes 30 seconds, with 2 tablespoons ground flax meal, a spoonful of natural, unsweetened peanut butter, a fresh banana, and unsweetened soy milk). I LOVE this breakfast and seek out as close an approximation as I can manage when traveling.

And yet, I can't tell you the angst other diets have caused me to feel about this decades-long breakfast choice. I've agonized over every single ingredient at one time or the other, depending on the diet of the day. The oats and banana were the kiss of death in the eyes of the low carb gurus, the flax meal and peanut butter were evil incarnate in the eyes of the low-fat advocates, the banana was OK with the no grain people but the oatmeal was going to make my gut leak and destroy my life, the entire meal was lacking in phytonutrients and what I should really do is blend and drink a half pound of kale instead according to the nutrient-focused folks, and the entire meal was "just way too many calories" according to the CICO folks. Now I ask you, how sustainable can any diet be that ties one into knots about something so innocuous as a bowl of unsweetened oatmeal with a banana? How is it rational to be scared of my favorite breakfast? No S is such a breath of fresh air.

Anyway, this post went on longer than I expected. Actually succeeding over the last week or so highlights how thoroughly other diets failed me. Thanks for "listening" and take care!
Sometimes the coolest thing when you were a kid- remains the coolest thing.

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by pinkhippie » Wed Jun 07, 2023 2:28 am

Hi WINhappy!

Im so glad your trip was a success! It sounds like you did really well.

I really relate to everything you are saying about the no S guidelines constantly running through your head, the struggle to not snack after dinner or between meals, and diet head still trying to keep a strong place in your head. Oh and the bigger meals so you won't get too hungry between meals. That was the same for me in the beginning.

That WILL fade if you just stay the course. I had to laugh about your description of breakfast because I have SO been there! Every ingredient it seems is demonized depending on what diet you follow. Just another reason I love No S so much.

You can do this! Keep up the good work!

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by WINhappy » Thu Jun 08, 2023 1:16 am

Thank you for the encouragement, pinkhippie. Someday, I will focus on decreasing the size of my plates or the caloric density of my choices but establishing consistent habits will remain my focus for some time to come.

On that note, I must regretfully report that today is red for sweets, although green for no seconds and no snacks (as long as I go to bed without eating anything). In addition to my planned dark chocolate, I enjoyed a single dark chocolate peanut butter cup with my afternoon decaf (it was delicious, but still a step across the line I've volunteered to draw). I wasn't especially hungry or feeling especially deprived - the peanut butter cup was simply available as an option and I took it. I have no good excuse beyond "I just wanted it", which is not a good excuse at all.

So, this gives me an opportunity to practice another piece of excellent advice I've seen on this forum - "Mark it, and move on." After all, tomorrow will be green as long as I "just don't" turn it red.

I hope you and everyone else has had a happy and successful day!
Sometimes the coolest thing when you were a kid- remains the coolest thing.

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by WINhappy » Fri Jun 09, 2023 2:06 am

Ok, so today was tough. I kept it green, but only with great effort of will and an entire pot of decaf coffee over the course of the afternoon (just a small one - 2 mugs worth - but still!). For some reason, I felt especially hungry all day today and came very close to caving on both sweets and snacks this afternoon. I didn't sleep well last night, had another busy day at work, and, when I finally had a moment to myself, my growling stomach felt like just one more hassle - one that I could have alleviated easily with some really tasty snacks before dinner. But I didn't, and I'm proud of myself.

I don't think I really stress eat - or at least I don't overeat in the moments I'm feeling stressed. I seem most vulnerable after the stress is over, after I've been responsible, collaborative, helpful, reliable, dependable, etc. for too many hours or days in a row and finally get a break. That's when I get tempted to cast off being so ADULT all the time and party hearty. Subtle or overt rebellion seems to be a thread for me. I talked myself out of the myriad of snacks and sweets I could have indulged in and just sipped my coffee while giving myself a good stern talking to. But my lesson for today is that I should probably work on self-care, or at the very least, incorporating more and earlier breaks into my day!

Tomorrow's plan: Don't. Just don't. Stay out of the snacks, seconds, and sweets.
Goal: Keep it green.

Hoping everyone had a great day!
Sometimes the coolest thing when you were a kid- remains the coolest thing.

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by ladybird30 » Fri Jun 09, 2023 7:51 am

Safety blanket meals - I've had more than a few of those. It got better.

Two things that helped me get through the 'wanting to eat' afternoons-
having a decent breakfast and especially lunch with enough calories, fats, protein, carbs and volume to feel satisfied and keep me going
Promising myself that if I can get through the next couple of hours l can have an early dinner and eat as much as l liked. Of course, most of the time the food desire had moderated by dinner time and l had a normal sized meal at the usual time.
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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by pinkhippie » Fri Jun 09, 2023 7:26 pm

WINhappy I hear you on the post stress eating! I do that too! In fact earlier this week, work was crazy, the drive home was crazy and when I got home I just wanted to EAT. Comfort eating for sure.

No S can be really helpful for breaking that habit, but its extra hard to do when you are genuinely hungry.

I agree with Ladybird. Make sure that you are eating enough food for breakfast and lunch, to make that post stress time a little easier. And yes self care! Make sure you take time for yourself whenever you are able to. So much easier said than done, I know.

Its the weekend tomorrow! Almost there!

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by WINhappy » Sat Jun 10, 2023 2:05 am

Thank you, ladybird and pinkhippie. Those two tips sound very helpful and I will try to put them into practice.

I'm pleased to report a green N day, and it did not feel burdensome to make it that way (unlike yesterday!). Today was almost the reverse of yesterday - I slept much better last night, had a still busy but much quieter day at work, and even had a few hours to myself thanks to leaving work early this afternoon. Keeping to my No S plan yesterday felt challenging while today felt pretty calm. If I'm honest, it felt a little weird and suspicious. I wasn't even terribly hungry for dinner (this felt very strange!) but ate because the timing fit best into my evening plans. As so many people on this forum have said over the years, No S is life-friendly. It is SUCH a relief to succeed while eating 3 normal meals with my loved ones.

Now we come to S days. Cue the low-level anxiety. I had some red days this week. I'm not counting them up because doing so will demoralize me, although I faithfully record them in my habit tracker (I track no seconds, no snacks, and max 1 small sweet separately). Basically, I feel I've got less leeway in these S days before I erase any progress. I have 2 goals for my S days: 1. Go with the flow 2. Don't be an idiot. As with last week, I will devote 90% of my mental energy to getting back to N day habits come Monday morning as I do agree that consistent N days will be the source of future progress.

I so appreciate your support and encouragement. It really means a lot to me.

Wishing you all the very best of weekends! WINhappy
Sometimes the coolest thing when you were a kid- remains the coolest thing.

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by pinkhippie » Sun Jun 11, 2023 12:40 am

Congratulations on a green day yesterday! I am glad we can all be here to support each other. I have gotten so much support over the years on this board, I am very grateful.

I hope you are having a great weekend and feeling good about your S days!

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by WINhappy » Sun Jun 11, 2023 1:55 am

Thank goodness today is an S day.....

I ate my usual breakfast, a satisfying single plate lunch, and a perfectly reasonable single plate dinner, then went a bit wild. I filled the hours between lunch and dinner with housecleaning and a 90 minute bike ride (low humidity but the sun was still beating down). I think that the extra activity revved my appetite because boy, did I feel extra hungry. Two hours after dinner, I got sick of fighting the feeling and made a deliberate choice to have a glass of chocolate milk (mixed half and half with plain milk), a handful of pistachios, a granola bar, a handful of trail mix, and an additional glass of plain soy milk. Only after all that - plus several glasses of water (before and after) - could I wrench my mind's attention away from my stomach and feel like I had had enough to eat.

At first, I felt like I'd "blown it" but suddenly remembered that it's Saturday, and thus an approved S day. I'm not sure how I could have forgotten that fact but felt so relieved when I remembered. I will still have to problem-solve this situation for the future because housework and bike rides could happen on N days too but I haven't failed completely, and can just keep trying. Come Monday, I will focus on my habits. Even if I slip up, I fail only if I quit striving towards better habits. Thank goodness for that!
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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by pinkhippie » Mon Jun 12, 2023 12:24 am

Sounds like a pretty good S day to me! I know when I go on long rides Im extra hungry for the day too! And the hotter it is, the more your body is working!

It sounds like you were hungry after your activity, and that it was a good thing you ate.

Good luck for your Monday!

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by ladybird30 » Mon Jun 12, 2023 3:20 am

To eat enough to not feel hungry is perfectly normal. I also get much hungrier after exercise.
Part of my anti overeating strategy is to have more energy dense food at meals for a while if I get overhungry. Or an extra meal, but stay with the good eating habits - sit down to eat at the table, dish the food out into bowls/plates, eat at a moderate pace, check in with my stomach to see how full I am. Doesn't feel like a binge then, but just normal eating.

I also finally started calling days with several hours of hiking S days, and allowing myself to have a snack or two if I am hungry.
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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by WINhappy » Tue Jun 13, 2023 12:21 am

Thanks, pinkhippie and ladybird. My average, everyday exercise doesn't seem to ramp up my appetite. But I may adapt just a bit on days when I know my exercise will go above and beyond my base level, especially while I'm still acclimating to the summer heat and humidity. In a way, I feel like it's admitting defeat but it's probably better to make a small, thoughtful accommodation like allowing an extra snack/NWS when I need it than to go completely off the rails and feel like I've failed. Thanks for chiming in about your experiences with hunger and exercise!

Yesterday's S day ended up almost like an N day but I wasn't trying to make it so. I had one extra sweet after lunch (2 chocolate toffee chips, each about the size of a thin domino) and then my two squares of 78% dark chocolate after supper. I didn't snack between meals and kept to single plate meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. This wasn't deliberate; I just wasn't as hungry yesterday as I was on Saturday, despite a long morning walk, a second shorter walk, and washing my car by hand. I can't figure my appetite out.... but I don't suppose it matters as long as I keep working on my habits!

That brings me to today. Status = Red. Root cause = An unwillingness to suffer the minor discomfort of being a little hungry for a couple of hours until my next meal. I was hungry mid-afternoon, someone offered me a snack, and I accepted it. I am embarrassed at both the fail and the reason for it because REALLY? I wasn't willing to toughen up enough to "suffer" until dinner?! I know I'm a bit of a hedonist but this is a bit much. Nevertheless, I promised myself I would be honest in these check-ins and that's the honest truth.

Tomorrow, I strive for green. I hope everyone is having a good week so far.

Week 3:
Sunday: S day
Monday: Red
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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by WINhappy » Wed Jun 14, 2023 1:36 am

Success! I kept my focus and kept today green. Yesterday, I ate a less-than-favorite lunch, whereas today, I ate my favorite lunch and enjoyed it a lot more. Yesterday's lunch was perfectly adequate; I concede that the hunger I felt mid-afternoon was likely a combination of two things. First, I took a smaller portion than usual because I don't care much for the recipe but needed to be polite. Second, the part of my mind that tracks (and demands) pleasure from my meals was disappointed, so revved my appetite. Today, I enjoyed every bite of my single-plate lunch and wasn't too tempted to eat anything else between lunch and dinner. It still wasn't easy or automatic, but easier to ignore the desire to snack today.

Tomorrow, I leave for my trip and will check in when I return over the weekend. I will focus on maintaining N days even while I'm away from home but know it will be challenging (I've been fretting about how and whether I can do it for several weeks now). I really don't want to return home pounds heavier than when I left. But I also want to RELAX and enjoy the company of my traveling companions, so I'm pretty conflicted about devoting a ton of mental energy to how I'm eating. I am nowhere near the point of no seconds, no snacks, and no sweets being automatic. I'll just have to do the best I can.

Week 3:
Sunday: S day
Monday: Red
Tuesday: Green
Sometimes the coolest thing when you were a kid- remains the coolest thing.

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by Soprano » Thu Jun 15, 2023 4:30 am

Have a great trip, it is a fantastic feeling to go away and come back the same weight as you went. Keep that in mind, it may help :)

Jx
Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by WINhappy » Tue Jun 20, 2023 3:03 pm

Hi everyone, I'm back from my trip.

Soprano, thank you for the tip about thinking how good I would feel returning at around the same weight. It really did help. I definitely kept No S in mind throughout my trip, although I did turn Friday red with some extra sweets. I think I wore down my willpower supply keeping Wednesday and Thursday green and just decided to indulge a little bit. But I didn't go crazy, and overall ate much less than I would have if not for No S. I consider the trip a success, even with another red day thrown in.

Saturday's S day meant an extra dessert and a bowl of popcorn but otherwise, I kept mostly to my routine. Sunday's S day was a travel day and even though I could have indulged, I didn't really bother. I was focused on things like navigating to the airport, getting to the correct gate, etc.

I am determined to rack up some green N days this week and I'm off to a good start. I hope everyone is doing well!

Week 3: (COMPLETED - 60% successful with N days)
Sunday: S Day
Monday: Red
Tuesday: Green
Wednesday: Green
Thursday: Green
Friday: Red
Saturday: S Day

Week 4: (In Progress)
Sunday: S Day
Monday: Green
Sometimes the coolest thing when you were a kid- remains the coolest thing.

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by Soprano » Tue Jun 20, 2023 6:45 pm

Souunds like you did good :)
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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by ladybird30 » Tue Jun 20, 2023 10:30 pm

Off to a good start, especially with the traveling.
Three meals a day - not too little not too much, but just right

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by WINhappy » Fri Jun 23, 2023 12:46 am

Hi everyone, I realized today that I missed a day or two of check-ins. I wish I could attribute the gap to having way too much fun doing other things but in reality, I've had a busy week and kept thinking I could sit down and check in "after I just do this one more thing real quick". Time simply got away from me. However, No S has definitely been on my mind and I've worked hard to stay green this week to date.

Here is my week so far:
Week 4: (In Progress)
Sunday: S Day
Monday: Green
Tuesday: Green (hard fought! see below)
Wednesday: Green
Thursday: Green (so far)

Tuesday was another tough N day. I kept it green through gritted teeth and grim determination only. The culprit? Another unsatisfying meal, after which I was SO hungry for three reasons. I didn't eat a large enough portion, I really wanted more sensory pleasure than what I received from my lunch, and lunch was early so I had many hours to get through before dinner. I didn't eat but the afternoon felt LONG.

I've mentioned eating meals I don't actually like a few times, which perhaps seems odd. I do not like to cook and am happy with very simple meals. In fact, left to my own devices, I'm happy with essentially the same meal every lunch every day (just like my standard breakfast). However, my family naturally likes more variety so I compromise. By definition, any meal that is not my favorite meal is less appealing so my portions end up skimpy sometimes.

If I can keep tomorrow green, this week will be the first with a full 5 green N days. Here's hoping!
Sometimes the coolest thing when you were a kid- remains the coolest thing.

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by Soprano » Sat Jun 24, 2023 8:02 am

When I did a lot of reading around intuitive eating what I took away was how important it is to eat satisfying meals. I promise you it is worth the effort. :)

Jx
Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by WINhappy » Sun Jun 25, 2023 1:36 am

You're absolutely right, Soprano. I've made tentative stabs at finding more meals that everyone likes in the past. Two barriers that I need to get past are how much I dislike cooking and an impatient nature (and seriously, I completely recognize that these are not barriers at all - I sound like such a prima donna! I'm really not, I swear). I often vow to "do better" with meal planning and variety, check a quick-and-easy cookbook out of the library, read a few recipes, feel overwhelmed, close the book, and return it to the library..... sometimes all in the same day! Have you ever heard the joke (possibly by Rita Rudner) "I read cookbooks like I read science fiction- I get to the end and say Yeah, that'll never happen."? That's me. And it does me no credit, I know.

However, each meal becomes more valuable when limited to only three per day, as opposed to when I could snack on anything at any time. I believe Reinhard references this in his book and the point is hitting home harder every day I end up wicked hungry for hours. So perhaps it's time to focus on this a bit more. Wish me luck!

Here is my week so far: 100% compliance with N day plan (my first all green week in nearly 7 months of trying!)
Week 4: Complete
Sunday: S Day
Monday: Green
Tuesday: Green
Wednesday: Green
Thursday: Green
Friday: Green
Saturday: S day

Happy weekend, everyone! Win
Sometimes the coolest thing when you were a kid- remains the coolest thing.

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by Amy3010 » Sun Jun 25, 2023 5:14 am

Well done on your first fully green week! :mrgreen:

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by Soprano » Sun Jun 25, 2023 9:38 am

I totally understand re the cooking, working full time kids and every day life gets in the way of. But if you relax and change your view on it it can become a pleasurable passtime. Put some music on, see it as your thinking time. Make it a family activity occasionally!

Also if you can cook double and freeze half, I love having free meals in the freezer for when I really can't be bothered :)

Slo cookers are great too if you can set them off in the morning.

After I have eaten I sometimes prep for the next day.

Jx
Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by Ellis » Sun Jun 25, 2023 12:59 pm

Hope you are doing well! I am not a cooking enthusiast myself, and with no-S I have made it very easy for myself. I have set days for some of my favorite simple meals (yeah for air fryers) such as air-fried potatoes, vegetables from a jar, and meat (for me a plant-based substitute). I enjoy it and it is simple and fast. The other days I choose a recipe from a book or from the internet and I change the recipe to a maximum of 7 ingredients. For example, if a homemade sauce needs to be added (many ingredients), I buy a pre-made one. Is it healthy? Maybe not, but I think that as long as you vary your dishes it doesn't matter if you occasionally use prepackaged sauces. And these days they are definitely not as bad as before. This way I like cooking much more, I am no longer overwhelmed by complicated recipes because I simplify them. Hopefully, this helps you! :D
SW: 65.8 kg CW: 62.8 kg - GW: 59.9 kg

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by ladybird30 » Mon Jun 26, 2023 4:23 am

I am a very basic cook, and don't really do recipes. If I need to make the meat, veg and starch more interesting, I will chuck in some herbs or spices, perhaps some garlic or chili peppers, lemon juice or red wine vinegar. Usually everything is topped with a good quality olive oil. Home grown herbs are great, as is a lemon tree.

Fortunately I only have to please myself.
Three meals a day - not too little not too much, but just right

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by WINhappy » Mon Jun 26, 2023 11:54 pm

Hi everyone and thanks so much for providing such helpful tips on meal prep and thoughts on how I might make cooking less of a drag.

Soprano, I agree that a great first step would be to re-frame how I think about cooking (feelings often follow thoughts). Thank you for the suggestion!

Ellis and ladybird, you've given me food for thought with your helpful responses as well. It's ever-so-slightly possible I am making too big a deal and too complicated. I like the idea of simplifying how I approach meal planning and prep. After all, much middle ground exists between an elaborate meal made with exotic ingredients over the course of hours and a bowl of cold cereal for supper! :)

Amy3010, thanks for your congratulations. I am proud of last week's solid block of green and hope to continue doing well this week.

Week 5 (so far):
Sunday: S day
Monday: Green (as long as I go to bed without a snack)

I hope everyone is doing well! WIN
Sometimes the coolest thing when you were a kid- remains the coolest thing.

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by pinkhippie » Tue Jun 27, 2023 3:51 pm

Congratulations on your green week! That is a great accomplishment! I know what you mean about eating a meal you don't like and then being hungry after it.

Since I started working 10-hour days I have been cooking meals ahead of time and freezing them. It sounds annoying, but I am so grateful when I get home from work and have dinner already made. It also reduces my cooking to ONE day. My family is picky and I don't really like a lot of what they like so I actually eat completely different meals from them most of the time. I make myself one or two recipes to eat through the week and then a few easy meals for them to eat during the week. It's a weird set up but it works for us. Or I should say ME. I also like really simple recipes. One of my favorite cookbooks is a 5 ingredient or less cookbook. Sheet pan dinners are some of my favorites, along with the crock pot. And I write down every meal I make for meal planning and then can refer back to it when I can't figure out what to make for my meal planning week. All these things really help me.

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by WINhappy » Thu Jul 06, 2023 10:36 am

I have had a busy time since my last check-in and kept thinking "I'll check in tomorrow". I also lost 2 drafts posts because I got pulled away before I could submit and the site timed out. However, I've remained focused on No S in the interim.

Last week, I had 2 red days, both thanks to an extra small sweet between lunch and dinner, so was 60% green. This week started on Sunday with an S day, so that was fine. Tuesday was the United States' Independence Day (the "Fourth of July") so was also an approved S day. I turned Monday red because I ate some popcorn as a snack between lunch and dinner at a holiday event (lots of holiday cookouts, live music events, parades, fireworks, etc. - all with plentiful food).

Most of my red days to date have been due to indulging in an after-lunch sweet. I really do have the mindset that eating is supposed to be fun and delicious and not so fraught with angst all the time so seem vulnerable to casual, spontaneous offers of a treat. I'm going to practice making "no thank you" my default response, rather than "that sounds GREAT!".

Anyway, yesterday was green and I've recommitted my attention to keeping today and tomorrow green as well.

I hope everyone is doing well!

WIN
Sometimes the coolest thing when you were a kid- remains the coolest thing.

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by pinkhippie » Thu Jul 06, 2023 6:04 pm

I had a lot of the same feelings that you are describing when I first started No S. I wanted to be able to say yes to afternoon treats or unexpected snacks. I can't remember when or how it changed, but it did. I know that's not helpful really, but I just wanted to let you know that in my experience if you stick with No S long enough, those feelings gradually go away, and your mindset changes. I came to really value the structure of No S. I realized I felt bad when I didn't have boundaries around my eating, and really enjoyed my food more when I was hungry and had the boundaries. But it took a while to get there.

I hope you had a good Independence Day! Keep up the good work!

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by ladybird30 » Sat Jul 08, 2023 2:12 am

It took me quite a while to accept my self imposed limits on food, but I think that acceptance is the key to stopping the internal debates and the angst that goes with them.
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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by Amy3010 » Sat Jul 08, 2023 6:05 am

Hang in there! Learning to navigate around casual spontaneous offers of food is something that takes (IMHO) lots of practice, and I still struggle with this sometimes, mostly when I feel the person offering the food is going to be disappointed...

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by Ellis » Tue Jul 11, 2023 6:18 pm

Oh gosh, I know the struggle! I could never say no to food offered to me. No-S changed that. I can decline easily now without even thinking about it that much. But when I struggled I had this way of rating the food. Like, was it really that good? Was it really worth it to make the day a red day? I started to decline everything that wasn't something special and I promised myself I could get something so good for the weekend. :D
SW: 65.8 kg CW: 62.8 kg - GW: 59.9 kg

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by WINhappy » Wed Jul 12, 2023 1:27 am

Hi everyone,

Thank you for all your kind words and encouragement from my last post. Time got away from me again but I haven't forgotten about No S or posting here; suddenly I'm running out of hours in the day.

I kept last Friday green as planned, both S days were pretty moderate with only a bowl of popcorn on Saturday and some carrots and hummus between lunch and dinner on Sunday, and I kept Monday green. But..... here is my Tuesday.

Week so far:
Sunday: S day
Monday: Green
Tuesday: Green so far but only by the skin of my gritted teeth and as long as I go to bed without a snack (which I'm committed to doing). My head knows that No S is the most sensible eating approach I've ever tried but I've felt very rebellious about all the food I "can't" eat all day. Which is silly because no one is MAKING me forgo snacks, huge portions, and sweets - it's entirely my choice. But it's like all the mental chatter that used to focus on picking the best diet is now focused on convincing me that No S is stupid, won't help me lose weight anyway, is too hard, that I'm TOOOOOO HUNGREEEE TO LIIIIIIVE (wailed dramatically), and on and on and on. On the good side, I have plenty of non-eating activities to keep me busy and my mind away from food but on the bad side, I feel tempted by food I don't need as a reward for all my hard work and a way to have some fun. Honestly, I feel like I'm on a merry-go-round. On one spin, my inner child throws a tantrum about extremely reasonable limits, on the next, my inner party girl wants to whoop it up. It's exhausting....not eating seems as though it should be easy but nope, not feeling it. :)

I hope everyone is having a great week! WIN
Sometimes the coolest thing when you were a kid- remains the coolest thing.

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by pinkhippie » Thu Jul 13, 2023 12:00 am

Hi WIN! I have had days like that, especially in the beginning. That was my biggest challenge in giving up weekday sweets. I felt like I was depriving myself. Or rather *I* was SO deprived! I know about that head chatter too!

I hope you had a less skin of your teeth today! The week is more than halfway over now!

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by WINhappy » Thu Jul 13, 2023 12:45 am

Hi pinkhippie. Thank you for making me feel less alone. Your input really helps me feel better and I'm so grateful for your support, as well as for all the support, encouragement, and helpful tips that others have offered me so far. Everyone talks about how the internet is a vicious place (and it certainly can be!) but I'm glad the participants on this site are the exceptions.

I definitely felt calmer about my chosen No S approach today. I can't figure out why yesterday felt so challenging and today less so as both days were nearly identical from the outside looking in. Luckily, I don't really need to know the "why", I just need to stick with the "what". I'm not looking this gift horse in the mouth!

Today, I enjoyed my usual breakfast, one of my all time favorite lunches, black decaf mid-afternoon to distract me from snacking temptation, and then a delicious supper with my husband. Followed by my two allotted squares of dark chocolate. I'll be going to bed in an hour and feel both physically satisfied and mentally pleased. A highly successful green day!

Week so far:
Sunday: S day
Monday: Green
Tuesday: Green
Wednesday: Green

I hope everyone is doing well! Best wishes to all. WIN
Sometimes the coolest thing when you were a kid- remains the coolest thing.

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by Amy3010 » Thu Jul 13, 2023 6:57 am

The ups and downs are quite normal and good job on really savoring a wonderfully green day. I think giving ourselves positive reinforcement on our really good days helps a lot in gradually achieving more of them :mrgreen:

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by WINhappy » Thu Jul 13, 2023 10:55 pm

Hi Amy. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Apparently, I have a lot to say even to myself! :)

My lunch plans changed at the last minute today and I ended up virtual plating at lunch instead of using an actual, physical plate to control my portions. I don't think I actually overate by a lot but I feel sure that I ate more than would have fit on one plate as I was definitely chasing the pleasure of the meal and they serve large portions. So, as much as it annoys me to have to be honest, I turned today red.

I immediately launched off into this rose-tinted daydream about all the diets that pretend you can eat whatever you want, whenever you want, and as much as you want, as long as you always, always, ALWAYS or never, never, NEVER [fill in the blank here]. But I caught myself pretty quickly. I have two more opportunities to "do it right" today. I can 1. Not snack between lunch and dinner 2. Not eat after dinner. Simple. I just finished dinner and all the dishes, so reached the first mini-goal (go me!). As long as I keep myself out of the snacks between now and bedtime, I will at least have gotten back on track and been successful 66% of the day.

I don't need to drive my car into a tree just because I dented the fender and throwing NO S out because of one meal would be doing exactly that. That said, tomorrow is going to be strict green come heck or high water.

Week so far:
Sunday: S day
Monday: Green
Tuesday: Green
Wednesday: Green
Thursday: Red

I hope everyone is doing well! Best wishes to all. WIN
Sometimes the coolest thing when you were a kid- remains the coolest thing.

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by pinkhippie » Sat Jul 15, 2023 12:02 am

HI WIN!

I am glad we can provide support. It's what we are here for! This community has been such a huge help to me over the years. This way of eating can be tough when first starting out. Creating new habits is hard work! I have trouble with virtual plating too. I think mentally it feels different and even if I didn't overeat, I feel like I did because it wasn't all on one plate. It takes me back to my eating habits where I just ate whatever, whenever and I don't feel good about it.

Good for you for not throwing everything to the wind when you felt you had gone off course! That is SO hard to do! Something I really struggle with when I realize I overate is to not keep eating or eat more at the next meal.

I hope your Friday went well!

S day tomorrow yay! I hope you enjoy your weekend!

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by WINhappy » Tue Jul 18, 2023 12:00 pm

Hi everyone,

Thank you, pinkhippie!

I kept Friday green and then had my 2 S days, which were pretty moderate. I had a bowl of popcorn while watching a movie on Saturday and an extra mini-peanut butter cup with my afternoon coffee on Sunday but that's as wild as I got. Otherwise, I stuck to my 3 meals, no snacks, no seconds, and my 2 pieces of dark chocolate after dinner.

Yesterday was green as well, which is awesome. I had a busy day and this time, instead of making life more difficult, I felt like it made it a little easier to divert my attention from hunger between meals. My lunch ended up delayed so there was a much shorter window between lunch and dinner, which helped a lot. I may try to deliberately shift lunch later if I can, although doing so will impact family routines and other people's preferences so may have to do some negotiating.

Anyway, just wanted to check in. I am still focusing hard on building No S habits, even if I miss posting for a few days. I hope everyone is having a great week so far! Best regards, WIN

Last Week's Final Tally (80% green):
Sunday: S day
Monday: Green
Tuesday: Green
Wednesday: Green
Thursday: Red
Friday: Green
Saturday: S day

This Week (so far):
Sunday: S day
Monday: Green
Tuesday: in progress
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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by pinkhippie » Tue Jul 18, 2023 1:46 pm

Hi WIN!

Sounds like a great weekend and a good week building habits so far! I have noticed late lunch helps me a lot too, so then I do a late breakfast to try to make it easier to do late lunch, but then sometimes it backfires and Im not hungry for lunch until TOO close to dinner. Meal timing can be so tricky!

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by WINhappy » Thu Jul 27, 2023 12:47 am

Hi all. Once again, time got away from me, and it's been far longer since my last check-in than I thought, and would prefer. But I'm back and have been focusing on No S as best I could since my last check-in, although my best has been a mix of green and red. I did well last week until Friday, when I gave myself an inch and took a mile in the form of both an afternoon snack and a bed time snack. So, here is the tally for last week:

Last week (80% green):
Sunday: S day
Monday: Green
Tuesday: Green
Wednesday: Green
Thursday: Green
Friday: Red
Saturday: S day

This week (so far):
Sunday: S day
Monday: Red
Tuesday: Red
Wednesday: Green (so far)

I had a hard time getting back on track from the weekend. I still struggle with feeling hungry between meals and didn't have the flexibility on Monday to push my lunch back the way I'd planned, so caved to temptation around 3:30pm and had some carrots and hummus plus a handful of Wheat Thin crackers (I dearly love Wheat Thin crackers - they were delicious so unfortunately reinforced how wonderful snacking can be in the moment - sigh). Then I didn't muster the motivation to be stern with myself on Tuesday. I blame a whiny case of "well, I've blown No S this week anyway, what difference does it make?" Of course, I know it makes a huge difference (it's the whole "Just because I dent my fender doesn't mean I should drive my car off a cliff" idea) but I guess I just wanted an extra day of "freedom".

That said, I woke up more motivated this morning and today will be green as long as I go to bed without a snack. That shouldn't be difficult as I had a very nice supper and am nowhere near hungry. I've been looking forward to checking in with everyone on this board all day, even knowing that I would have to admit some red days.

I hope everyone has had a successful and happy week so far!

Best regards, WIN
Sometimes the coolest thing when you were a kid- remains the coolest thing.

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by Amy3010 » Thu Jul 27, 2023 5:28 am

Welcome back and hopefully marking those reds will enable you to move on and finish the rest of the week out green. :mrgreen:

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by WINhappy » Fri Jul 28, 2023 1:49 am

Thanks for the vote of confidence, Amy. I appreciate it. Unfortunately, I went red again today. I have no good excuse. Drat, drat, drat.

I shall try again tomorrow.....

This week (so far):
Sunday: S day
Monday: Red
Tuesday: Red
Wednesday: Green
Thursday: Red
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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by Amy3010 » Fri Jul 28, 2023 5:15 am

Hang in there!

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by pinkhippie » Mon Jul 31, 2023 8:39 pm

You can do it! We all have rough days and bumps in the road! What matters is the consistency, not a few blips. I hope your Monday is going well!

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by WINhappy » Tue Aug 01, 2023 12:23 am

Hi everyone!
Thank you, Amy and pinkhippie, for your support and encouragement. I so appreciate it.

I got back on track last Friday, just in time for my S days. :) Better late than never.

So last week ended up as follows:
Sunday: S day
Monday: Red
Tuesday: Red
Wednesday: Green
Thursday: Red
Friday: Green
Saturday: S day
40% green. Not the greatest percentage but I did the best I could.

This week (so far):
Sunday: S day
Monday: Green (as long as I go to bed without a snack)

I am determined to make this week as green as I possibly can. Take care! WIN
Sometimes the coolest thing when you were a kid- remains the coolest thing.

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by Amy3010 » Tue Aug 01, 2023 7:21 am

You've made a good start - keep on going! :mrgreen:

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by WINhappy » Wed Aug 02, 2023 1:36 am

Hi all and thank you, Amy. I'm giving it my best shot.

Just a quick check-in today as I'm wicked tired and ready to go to bed.

This week (so far):
Sunday: S day
Monday: Green
Tuesday: Green

I hope everyone is having a great and successful week so far. Best regards, WIN
Sometimes the coolest thing when you were a kid- remains the coolest thing.

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by pinkhippie » Wed Aug 02, 2023 6:39 pm

Hi WIN!

Looks like a great and successful week so far! You are doing great!

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by Amy3010 » Thu Aug 03, 2023 8:07 am

Keep up the good momentum you've got going! :mrgreen:

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by WINhappy » Sat Aug 05, 2023 12:10 am

Thanks for the encouragement, Amy3010 and pinkhippie!

I've done pretty well since my last check-in - certainly better than last week. I was feeling quite downhearted about how poorly I stuck to my plan last week as few of the recorded fails were for anything especially wonderful. It was just random overeating that I didn't discipline myself properly up front to avoid, and definitely not worth having to mark red on my calendar. However, feeling frustrated might have helped me stay *more* consistent this week, so at least some good came from it.

That said, honesty compels me to admit that I turned Thursday red before 7:00am, thanks to a long, early morning walk followed by an al fresco chocolate-frosted doughnut enjoyed while watching the world go by. Honesty further compels me to admit the experience was actually pretty awesome. However, an N-day doughnut definitely requires a red sticker. :)

I'm treating it with a "that was fun, but don't make a habit of it, missy" kind of attitude. And I did skip my allotted two squares of dark chocolate yesterday in turn - not as punishment but just in recognition that indulgences are not free (especially when they are chocolate-frosted!!).

This week:
Sunday: S day
Monday: Green
Tuesday: Green
Wednesday: Green
Thursday: Red
Friday: Green as long as I go to bed without a snack (and I will!)
Saturday: Future S day

I hope everyone has had a wonderful week! Best regards, WIN
Sometimes the coolest thing when you were a kid- remains the coolest thing.

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by Amy3010 » Sat Aug 05, 2023 6:21 am

Good on you, WIN, for being honest with yourself and more consistent this week. Nope, indulgences are not free, but our brain sometimes tries to trick us into believing this and rationalizing our overeating away. Enjoy your weekend!

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by Soprano » Sat Aug 05, 2023 7:06 am

Hey Win

Sounds like you are doing really well. Being able to have a red day with just one incident and get back on track is a great skill to cultivate.

Jx
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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by ladybird30 » Sun Aug 06, 2023 2:36 am

Keep up the good work WIN. Moderate eating takes practice, which is what you are doing
Three meals a day - not too little not too much, but just right

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by WINhappy » Tue Aug 08, 2023 10:39 pm

Hi everyone,

Amy, soprano, and ladybird - thank you so much for your support. I feel undeserving of it because I went completely off the deep end today and am rather embarrassed about doing so.

I had moderate S days this weekend without even really trying. Yesterday was green but I fought hunger much of the day. I slept badly Sunday night and again last night. I was HUNGRY both nights. Whether I couldn't sleep because I was so hungry, or just noticed hunger because I was awake, I couldn't say. Either way, I've felt MUCH hungrier than usual since Sunday evening, and finally cracked in a BIG way at lunch today. And this was after drinking some milk at 3:00am to avoid snacking and enjoying my usual hearty breakfast.

My morning was full of work meetings, which certainly kept my mind occupied and my hands out of food, but when lunchtime came - wowzer. I was so hungry my stomach was aching. I thought all the thoughts that are supposed to help in situations like this ("take it easy, girl, you'll feel better as soon as you start eating your normal portion", "you don't need to eat a ton just because you're extra hungry", "you've been doing so well, don't spoil it", etc.) I thought of all the reasons why I launched into No S to begin with, and reviewed all the reasons I want to succeed with it. I even reminded myself how lousy I would feel if I overate versus how proud I would feel if I stuck with just one plate! And on and on and on. End result? All that mental effort trying to talk myself out of going too far accomplished absolutely nothing. I ate two heaping plates of food plus a maple cookie.

I'm going to get back on track tomorrow, and am looking on the bright side - at least I'm not hungry anymore! :) I think I need to be much more attentive to hunger, and drink some milk before I get too hungry. I can deal with the level of hunger that makes a meal taste delicious, but there seems to be a point beyond which I just lose all reason (clearly! :)). I zoomed past that point today. Surely I can treat myself better than this.

My week so far:
Sunday: S day
Monday: Green
Tuesday: Red (oh, how very red....)

Thank you for all the wonderful support and encouragement. It means a lot to me, especially when I must report red days. :)

I hope you are all having a wonderful week! Best regards, WIN
Sometimes the coolest thing when you were a kid- remains the coolest thing.

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by Soprano » Wed Aug 09, 2023 4:49 am

Just mark it, learn from it and move on. What Might be useful for you to note is what your meals are prior to getting so hungry were they carb heavy? This can drive hunger. Ensure you are getting sufficient fat and protein:)

Jx
Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by Amy3010 » Wed Aug 09, 2023 5:36 am

When we are struggling is when we are most deserving of support, WIN! It sounds like your body's survival instincts took over - and there is very little one can do when that kicks in. Like Soprano said, learn from it for the future. And keep going! :mrgreen:

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by pinkhippie » Thu Aug 10, 2023 7:26 pm

I have to admit, that donut experience sounds amazing! From an outsider view it sounds worth it.

I have experienced that hunger before, and I have to wonder, are you getting enough food? Or enough protein? If it's physical hunger, maybe you need to tweak the composition or the amount on your plate? I know for myself that if I try to cut down too much, I eventually get that ravenous hunger, and no amount of self-talk will keep me from eating ABUNDANTLY.

I am glad you aren't hungry anymore!

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by ladybird30 » Fri Aug 11, 2023 5:12 am

Only one cure for genuine, urgent hunger, and that is enough food. No amount of self talk will fix that. If you look at the kinds and amounts of foods that you are eating, it may give you some idea of how to avoid such hunger.

For example, because my meals are mostly made from low fat ingredients, I usually add some olive oil. Sometimes I forget, and my stomach reminds me when I am hungry a couple of hours later.

Most of my failures still come from having supper because I'm too hungry to sleep. I try to avoid this, but sometimes I am just hungrier than expected.
Three meals a day - not too little not too much, but just right

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by WINhappy » Tue Aug 15, 2023 1:01 am

Hi everyone!

Once again, time got away from me, and it's been too long since my last check-in. Every day, I kept thinking I would do "just one more thing" before logging on, and you can see how well that worked!

How lovely to log on and see so many encouraging words from so many of you! Much appreciated! You raise some very interesting points as well, especially about the foods that make up my meals. I will experiment and see how things go.

Here is how last week ended up:
Week of 08/07/2023
Sunday: S day
Monday: Green
Tuesday: Red (oh, how very red....)
Wednesday: Green
Thursday: Green
Friday: Green
Saturday: S day
80% green

Week so far (week of 08/13/2023):
Sunday: S day
Monday: Green but by the skin of my teeth.....

I seem to run hot and cold on No S. After my red-painted flop last Tuesday, I stayed green relatively easily. The red day motivated me to do better and that motivation carried me through to Saturday. But today, my resolve felt wobbly, especially around the "no snacking " No S. I actually caught myself rationalizing that a few carrots and hummus wouldn't be THAT bad as an afternoon snack. I turned that thought around and didn't actually eat anything until supper but my mind drifted in that direction. I definitely need to take a close look at what my lunch consists of as I still struggle with hunger around 3:00pm.

I hope everyone is having a great week and thanks again for all the encouragement. Changing my habits is harder than I was expecting! :) Best regards, WIN
Sometimes the coolest thing when you were a kid- remains the coolest thing.

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by ladybird30 » Wed Aug 16, 2023 4:59 am

Changing habits is not easy, after all we get good at what we practice, and we have been practicing our old habits for a long time. But after enough practice, we can become good at new ones.
Three meals a day - not too little not too much, but just right

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by Amy3010 » Wed Aug 16, 2023 6:00 am

I think it really helps to see it as a practice, as Ladybird says - something you are working on getting better at. Hang in there!

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by WINhappy » Wed Aug 16, 2023 11:40 pm

Week so far (week of 08/13/2023):
Sunday: S day
Monday: Green but by the skin of my teeth.....
Tuesday: Green
Wednesday: Red (drat, dang, and darn it all)

Today I went down on an after-lunch chocolate chip cookie. It was homemade, made with whole wheat flour, 78% cacao chocolate chips, only one-third cup of brown sugar (whole recipe), and no oil. It was delicious but.... it was still an unplanned S, and the portion was more than my allotted 2 squares of dark chocolate per day, so the Color of the Day must be red.

Last night I slept very badly due to work worries I couldn't get off my mind. I popped awake at 3:32am, tried in vain to go back to sleep before admitting defeat and getting up at 4:09am. I share this not as an excuse for my chocolate chip cookie diversion but as a possible contributing factor. I am almost positive that at least one of my past red days happened the day after a terrible night's sleep. So perhaps my resistance is lowered when I'm overtired. It's something for me to ponder anyway because my resistance against spontaneous Ss feels tissue-paper thin most of the time already; anything I can do to shore it up can only help!

I hope everyone is having a great week! WIN
Sometimes the coolest thing when you were a kid- remains the coolest thing.

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by Amy3010 » Thu Aug 17, 2023 5:26 am

I definitely notice that lack of sleep really does increase hunger and decreases self discipline! So, while it may not be an "excuse" it certainly is an explanation. Hang in there!

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by WINhappy » Thu Aug 17, 2023 11:13 pm

Thanks for the encouragement, Amy.

I slept MUCH better last night and felt much less hungry today. I definitely felt hungry around 3:00pm but it was the "manageable" sort and I didn't snack.

So, to recap my hypotheses to date, I think I struggle most when:
1. I am overtired
2. I work too hard for too long without a mental break

Week so far (week of 08/13/2023):
Sunday: S day
Monday: Green but by the skin of my teeth.....
Tuesday: Green
Wednesday: Red (drat, dang, and darn it all)
Thursday: Green

Regards! WIN
Sometimes the coolest thing when you were a kid- remains the coolest thing.

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by Amy3010 » Sat Aug 19, 2023 6:00 am

Hope Friday went well! :mrgreen:

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by Soprano » Mon Aug 21, 2023 1:15 am

Hi Win

I hate those nights I can't sleep. This may help you understand https://www.wellessencemd.com/blog/slee ... e%20hungry.

Jx
Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by WINhappy » Wed Aug 23, 2023 1:18 am

Thank you, soprano, I will check that information out.

Week of 08/13/2023:
Sunday: S day
Monday: Green but by the skin of my teeth.....
Tuesday: Green
Wednesday: Red (drat, dang, and darn it all)
Thursday: Green
Friday: Green
Saturday: S day
80% green

Week of 08/20/2023 so far:
Sunday: S day
Monday: Green
Tuesday: Green

Best regards, WIN
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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by Amy3010 » Wed Aug 23, 2023 5:25 am

Looking nice and green! :mrgreen:

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by pinkhippie » Wed Aug 23, 2023 4:20 pm

I definitely have a harder time with snacking and overeating when I don't get enough sleep. I think for me its the desire for an energy boost and also my mood is usually more volatile if I don't get sleep. My emotions run the show and that will more often lead to overeating. I used to REALLY struggle with the 3 p.m. hunger window.

What helps me is making sure my lunch is no earlier than 12:30 or 1( I eat dinner at 5 or 5:30) I also eat breakfast around 9 so I don't have too long to wait until lunch. And I make sure lunch is substantial and has a good amount of protein and fat. Sometimes I need to eat more lunch than it feels like I need. It has been tricky but I think over time I have gradually found the balance.

Congratulations on your green week so far!

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by Ellis » Wed Aug 23, 2023 6:22 pm

Chocolate chip cookies are so tempting! :oops: It's smart you tried to search for the cause! Tiredness makes me crave fast food so bad. I recently got a Fitbit and it's interesting to see my sleep quality. Sometimes I feel fine, but according to the data my sleep wasn't the best.
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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by WINhappy » Mon Aug 28, 2023 12:28 am

Hi all,

Ellis, I'm really intrigued by your mention of your Fitbit. I use a pedometer but I've heard good things about the Fitbit's sleep monitor so am tempted to get one for myself, just to get some data. I am morning lark by nature and will wake up around 5:30am even on mornings when I've slept poorly, so even a small disruption in the quality of my sleep can have a big impact.

Pinkhippie, I like how you time your meals, and am going to try to push my lunchtime back a bit. I definitely feel most hungry around 3:00pm-ish every day so having lunch closer to this time might really help. Thanks!

Thanks for chiming in, Amy. I can use all the encouragement I can get! :)

Week of 08/20/2023:
Sunday: S day
Monday: Green
Tuesday: Green
Wednesday: Green
Thursday: Green
Friday: Red
Saturday: S day
80% green

Friday went red right from the start. It was a classic "Whooo-HOO, it's Friday, we've worked so hard and we're so close to the weekend, let's get this party started EARLY!" approach that started with homemade waffles, and ended with a movie night featuring a large bowl of popcorn and an extra beer (oh yeah.... and a movie :)) The waffles were whole wheat with real maple syrup and the beer was a light one but still.

I really want to stay green this week. I am GOING to stay green this week. There's no reason I can't and every reason I should. Please wish me luck!
Sometimes the coolest thing when you were a kid- remains the coolest thing.

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by Amy3010 » Mon Aug 28, 2023 5:45 am

Fridays can really do that - so easy to get in that celebratory frame of mind! Good luck with making this week green - that is what I am going for, too! :mrgreen:

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by Soprano » Mon Aug 28, 2023 7:34 am

Sending you lots of green wishes :)
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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by WINhappy » Wed Aug 30, 2023 11:19 pm

Thank you, Amy and soprano!

This will be a quick check-in as I don't have much time before I must attend to other things.

Week of 08/27/2023 (so far):
Sunday: S day
Monday: Green
Tuesday: Green
Wednesday: Green as long as I go to bed without a snack

I hope everyone is having a successful and happy week! Best regards, WIN
Sometimes the coolest thing when you were a kid- remains the coolest thing.

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by WINhappy » Fri Sep 08, 2023 12:52 am

Week of 08/27/2023:
Sunday: S day
Monday: Green
Tuesday: Green
Wednesday: Green as long as I go to bed without a snack
Thursday: Green
Friday: Red
Saturday: S day

Week of 09/03/2023 (so far):
Sunday: S day
Monday: Green
Tuesday: Green
Wednesday: Green
Thursday: In process, green so far
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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by ladybird30 » Fri Sep 08, 2023 5:23 am

Lots of green there.
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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by pinkhippie » Fri Sep 08, 2023 6:45 pm

Wow those weeks look great!

You are doing a great job! keep it up!

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by WINhappy » Fri Sep 15, 2023 11:55 pm

Thank you, ladybird and pinkhippie.

Week of 09/03/2023:
Sunday: S day
Monday: Green
Tuesday: Green
Wednesday: Green
Thursday: Green
Friday: Red
Saturday: S day

Week of 09/10/2023 (so far):
Sunday: S day
Monday: Green
Tuesday: Red
Wednesday: Red
Thursday: Green
Friday: Red

I traveled this week, which is why I didn't check in for a few day, and I didn't do as well as I'd hoped. I started out strong and focused on maintaining No S but drifted on Tuesday, ran completely amuck on Wednesday (Doritos made an appearance), got myself back on track on Thursday, then went off track today (this time a handful of Doritos AND of M&Ms - sigh).

I really want to finish September strong and on habit so plan to re-focus on the basics. There is NO reason to keep waffling on the No S habits.

I hope everyone is doing well! WIN
Sometimes the coolest thing when you were a kid- remains the coolest thing.

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by Amy3010 » Sat Sep 16, 2023 4:41 am

Two full weeks to go to turn it around - you got this! :mrgreen:

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by WINhappy » Thu Sep 28, 2023 1:30 am

Hi everyone,

I'm still here and still No-Sing, although I CLEARLY still have some work to do with my work/life balance! :) I have good intentions every day of logging on and posting a check-in but have just plain run out of energy and/or time since my last check-in. That said, I've done well last week and so far this week, with only one red day since my last check-in.

I really love how inconspicuous this eating approach is. I especially like that I can eat regular food at normal meal times, including restaurant meals out when needed. This takes a lot of emotional and cognitive pressure off me, which I really need. It's also so much easier to track how I'm doing than other approaches I've flirted with (but could never sustain) in the past.

That said, I'm still challenged by several things.

First, I continue to get so hungry between meals, which is uncomfortable. It's not boredom, or emotional eating, or mouth hunger, or a desire to procrastinate, or anything other than legitimate hunger - my stomach growls audibly. I'm hoping this subsides soon because the devil on my shoulder keeps reminding me that I don't HAVE to be uncomfortable and that a snack would make the hunger pangs go away. Adding quantity at meals will put my portions WAY over the one plate guideline, and my meals are already pretty calorific, so not sure what to do. I'm holding firm on my version of No S out of sheer stubbornness, but I'd really love my appetite to get with this program! :)

Second (and closely related to the first), I haven't found a good balance between three reasonable plates and exercise because exercise revs up my appetite. I've been timing my workouts as much as possible to just before mealtimes. The effort involved in this (and the impact on my schedule) feels almost as "diet-y" as some of the diets I've tried and failed at in the past. And I've skipped some workouts due to already being so hungry. So, feel like I'm robbing Peter to pay Paul.

Third, I've yet to lose any weight. Perhaps not entirely surprising given my allowance of 2 squares of dark chocolate per day, and a somewhat less than perfect N day record, but it's still discouraging. I've thought about trying to cut down on my portions or the calorie density of my plates but frankly feel an immediate anxious reaction at doing anything that might make me hungrier. I'm riding a fine line with my hunger already, and am 100% sure that my supply of stubbornness is finite.

Anyway, I just wanted to check in. As always, I hope to do so more frequently because just writing out my thoughts helps a lot (as does the sense of community and encouragement I've been given so far). I hope everyone is doing well!

Week of 09/17/2023: Green

Week of 09/24/2023 (so far):
Sunday: S day
Monday: Red (donut)
Tuesday: Green
Wednesday: Green
Sometimes the coolest thing when you were a kid- remains the coolest thing.

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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by Soprano » Thu Sep 28, 2023 2:10 pm

What are you eating at meal times?

A change in composition between fats carbs and protein may be needed.

Jx
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Re: WINhappy's Check-in Thread

Post by pinkhippie » Thu Sep 28, 2023 6:39 pm

I remember reading in the No S book that technically you could have 4 meals or more if needed, just make them smaller. Maybe you need a mini fourth meal on days you work out?

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