oolala53

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.

Moderators: Soprano, automatedeating

User avatar
lpearlmom
Posts: 4812
Joined: Fri Aug 02, 2013 4:59 am
Location: Arizona

Post by lpearlmom » Tue Jan 10, 2017 5:00 pm

Well my average posts per year is like 1,000 whereas yours is about 845 (yep I did the math).

But seriously it wouldn't be the same without you. You know how painful dealing with these eating issues can be so I don't think you should ever feel badly about trying to help others find peace with that. &#128077;

Linda &#128150;
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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

Post by oolala53 » Fri Feb 03, 2017 6:33 am

Thank you, LInda! Don't know how I missed this. In fact, I'm posting something here now that has nothing to do with food because I saw comments on YOUR thread about it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsKbHXWxNeY

prolly old news to everyone here.
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

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

Post by oolala53 » Sun Feb 12, 2017 2:42 am

haven't been here for awhile and was reading through some posts.

I wanted to say I know I can adopt a new cuisine, but what I'd really like is to live in the whole culture that it occurs in. However, those cultures depend a lot on long friendships and relationships. The Blue Zone authors admit that is a non-food item that is likely a big part of their longevity. That's a little--no, probably a lot--harder to recreate or join in on. What's in it for them to enfold newcomers in? And could I ever completely relate to and feel at home with people who had had such different concerns for their whole lives? I dunno. But it doesn't really occupy a lot of my time. I'm more concerned with trying to that here at home, and it's work even where I know the language and was raised amongst 'em!

Also want to briefly say I feel like some of my experimentation has continued and gotten more comfortable. I feel that a greater variety of meals are now satisfying and I can surf my hunger and lack of it a little better. Which is not to say I haven't eaten a bit more today than I intended since I"m due to leave for a potluck pretty soon. (And the dance class I was going to go to before got cancelled. I was looking forward to a good sweat before food.) But I feel now that I can more easily go back to being moderate.
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
Dandelion
Posts: 696
Joined: Tue Sep 15, 2009 2:42 am

Post by Dandelion » Mon Feb 13, 2017 7:21 pm

I was reading some old posts and you mentioned this:

"There is talk on the web of plate size growing over the years, but I have my parents' china and the plates are as big as my modern ones'

I have my husband's grandmothers old china - the dinner plates are as large as our dinner plates - and I always use one of the smaller salad plates and have for years, otherwise my small portions look so forlorn.
'I do think the way to a full and healthy life is to adopt the sensible system of small helpings, no seconds, no snacking, and a little bit of everything. Above all, have a good time.' Julia Child

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

Post by oolala53 » Sat Feb 18, 2017 3:15 am

Had a wild day after Valentine's on discount candy. Boy it was delicious, but my body hasn't recovered. Actually, it hasn't recovered from the ensuing eating I did in an attempt not to restrict. In fact, I was ultra generous in non-sweet eating to make sure I didn't seem to be punishing myself. I haven't felt hungry for a second, but I ate breakfast in and a lunch out (day off from school.) It's non-canoncial but I am skipping dinner because I am still way too full from two slices of bread, a cup of minestrone, and half a portion of lasagna.

I asked Reinhard about how often weather has stopped him from walking to work and he said it hadn't. In Cambridge! Here in SoCal today, rain was predicted, but it was mostly just windy until about an hour ago. So, by golly, I put on a scarf and a coat, hung my umbrella on my arm, and walked to a local restaurant for lunch. (Day off for long weekend.) It's still only 58 deg. here at 7:15 p.m., and by only I mean not cold. So it was actually warmer when I went walking, but it was so overcast and windy I had assumed it was colder out. (And I have concrete floors, which also connote cold. )

But anyway, I did it. A measly 3,000-ish steps, but more than if I hadn't gone. Not sure I would do it in the rain. But despite our higher rainfall this year, it really is not an issue enough to be a good excuse.
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

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

Post by Bluebell » Sun Feb 19, 2017 10:43 pm

Awesome! :D I think the hardest part of exercising is just getting up and doing it. You gave yourself a reason to walk and got on with it. I need to do the same!

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

Post by oolala53 » Mon Feb 20, 2017 2:51 am

Once a week whether I need it or not!
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

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

Post by Bluebell » Mon Feb 20, 2017 9:34 am

Now that's my type of exercise regime! :lol:

noni
Posts: 613
Joined: Fri Feb 27, 2009 2:01 pm

Post by noni » Mon Feb 20, 2017 4:40 pm

Having a place to go while walking is so nice. I hate walking if there is no-where to go. I do have a bank, about a two mile round trip, but I need warm weather for that.
"Never go back for seconds. Get it all the first time." - Garfield

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

Post by oolala53 » Tue Feb 21, 2017 5:38 am

I actually often like walking in my neighborhood, but it still helps to have a destination.
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
lpearlmom
Posts: 4812
Joined: Fri Aug 02, 2013 4:59 am
Location: Arizona

Post by lpearlmom » Wed Feb 22, 2017 3:36 am

Crazy weather! Great job still walking in the rain!
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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

Post by oolala53 » Wed Feb 22, 2017 4:51 am

Oh, I never had any rain while I was walking for exercise.

Though it's not true to No S, I have continued to experiment with having at least a couple of days a week on which I eat quite a bit less. There is just so much evidence for the value of temporary decreases in energy intake (and for periodic large gaps between meals). I think eventually it will l work into some kind of routine habit. The biggest issue is not allowing relatively inevitable subtle influences to drive up eating on the other days. I don't tend to push to stay low if I am actually feeling real hunger. But it tneds to work out that some days my appetite is so light that it makes perfect sense not to eat much. It's giving me an excuse to cooperate with that. And I do find that I enjoy more of my meals again.

I'm just finishing what I consider to be a successful 2-day cycle of light and moderate eating. I feel very content after my supper two hours ago!
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)

RAWCOOKIE
Posts: 1360
Joined: Thu Jun 18, 2015 9:01 am
Location: Cornwall, UK

Post by RAWCOOKIE » Wed Feb 22, 2017 3:13 pm

Excellent - that sounds like a very positive result.

I read someone's Secret of Success on Spark People yesterday about carb-cycling - it was a helpful blog about the principles of it. I'm considering making some changes in March - mostly around having a carb-free meal at least once a day (that is, the major carbs like bread, potatoes, pasta, rice). I know that's not what you're doing, but it's kind of a similar route to eating slightly less at some meals (snack size!)
I love Everyday Systems :3

13.6.15 124.25lbs
11.11.21 101.00lbs

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

Post by oolala53 » Mon Feb 27, 2017 11:15 pm

I'm doing some "low" eating this week, something I plan to do close to the turn of each season. I did it twice last year. Hope to get in at least three cycles and maybe all four.

I feel like it's a bit of an early Lent activity. It's coming naturally today- I proabably would have done something similar on my own, and I think it will continue. I'm not really worried about it. No social events this week, and certainly no pressure to indulge before Wednesday. Thank you, No S!
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)

bunsofaluminum
Posts: 339
Joined: Sun May 15, 2016 4:02 pm

Post by bunsofaluminum » Mon Feb 27, 2017 11:21 pm

Oh that's right...Lent. Pancakes tomorrow!

I'm interested in your "low eating"...just a low calorie day? Smaller meals, only one meal?

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

Post by oolala53 » Mon Feb 27, 2017 11:48 pm

I never knew of the pancake-Fat Tuesday connection. Just had a big one on Sunday. Doesn't sound appealing now. Glad! There's always next weekend...
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

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

Post by oolala53 » Wed Mar 01, 2017 5:03 am

Since this is not really No S, I'd rather tell you more details privately.

Feeling a bit empty tonight but I know from many experiences that I will often wake up with no hunger after feeling like this, so I'm looking forward to the body tapping into its stores.
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)

RAWCOOKIE
Posts: 1360
Joined: Thu Jun 18, 2015 9:01 am
Location: Cornwall, UK

Post by RAWCOOKIE » Wed Mar 01, 2017 6:51 pm

The junk-food free island sounds very desirable! I wonder if we'd crave those things if we didn't see them all around us? Probably not!
I love Everyday Systems :3

13.6.15 124.25lbs
11.11.21 101.00lbs

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

Post by oolala53 » Thu Mar 02, 2017 3:19 am

I'd bet that the cravings for junk would fade over time, especially if we were getting adequate food consistently.

I'll be honest and say that my temporary routine is a little difficult tonight. I"m so glad I don't believe I have to live like this for weeks and years. But I think I'm getting used to the idea of having some rather light days more consistently. (Have I said this a bunch of times before and don't realize it?) I wish it happened without my thinking about it much, but my S days didn't die down on their own, either. Maybe it's something I'm doing wrong, but I don't want to analyze it much. Better to find something else to think about or do.
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
lpearlmom
Posts: 4812
Joined: Fri Aug 02, 2013 4:59 am
Location: Arizona

Post by lpearlmom » Thu Mar 02, 2017 4:07 am

My S days still haven't really got into a comfortable groove. I think I'm just not capable of having an unstructured day. Well unless I'm super busy or something.

Anyway I don't know if you said before but how did you finally reign in your S days (if you don't mind saying)?

Linda
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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

Post by oolala53 » Thu Mar 02, 2017 4:59 am

I'm not sure they are completely reined in, but adequate.

My two biggest issues were cookie dough and basically way overdoing sweets when alone. So, no cookie dough ever. (That's still hard to say. I still have fond memories!) And no sweets alone. Since I'm alone a lot, it cuts down on what I can have.

I have had slips, but this made a big difference. And it made it more possible to also bite the bullet and not graze so much on weekends, either.

I also sometimes ate just two meals on weekends. Gave myself permission to eat less volume or less often because I was darn full.

The thing is to figure out what the most impactful habit is and figure out how aggressive you can be. Weaning is acceptable but plunging is an option, too.

I still often feel lost on S days but I've narrowed the grazing window, and it's usually just on one day.
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

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

Post by oolala53 » Fri Mar 03, 2017 2:25 am

If you might be triggered by reading about calorie limits, STOP NOW!

Disclaimer: this is not about weight loss.

I am doing a short stint of calorie reduction. I believe it is doing good things for me, but it doesn't mean it's easy. Tomorrow is my last day. It seems to be a bit tougher than I remember from the last two times I did it. I used some packaged foods because I felt like the meal prep was a little too obsessive, but today, I was missing those prepared meals. However, I've also liked not having dishes and the ease. For my next round in two or three months, I might do half and half.

But, Lordy, I feel for so many people who have stuck to similar plans for months on end. How much stronger they have been than I! And likely only to have the pendulum swing.

Am I kidding myself to think I will be so happy when I can eat more again that I will be grateful for a bit smaller meals, so that I won't feel too full too much of the time? Well, we shall see. But I am thinking a lot more of just my regular fare than diving into pizza or such. Rye berries, beans, vegetables and sauce sound really good, as does a peanut butter sandwich.
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

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

Post by oolala53 » Fri Mar 03, 2017 6:49 am

P. S. I was looking at the profile of a woman on Spark who I've watched a bit. She has never officially been a No S-er, but her eating plan has evolved to just three meals a day. She's a lot thinner than I am, despite teh fact that she eats a lot more than I do, but eats quite a limited range, or it would be for me. However, it's been an evolution, and she says she is very happy with her eating. She's also a runner, and if that's what it would take, it just ain't gonna happen.

One thing that struck me is she says she doesn't have cravings anymore, and that in 2015, she committed to never eat when she had cravings.

Never eat when she had cravings.

That sounds so hard and yet it's so... right. THAT is exactly the time not to eat the craved food. That is the way to break the bond. Never have it when you really want it, only when it's less crucial. I assume it means that she may have had craved foods planned food at meals, not in response to a craving. It sounds like she eventually dropped most of those foods from her diet.

I still have a few things that I eat in a way that I'm not pleased with. Does it mean giving them up completely or determining a situation to limit them to?

Don't have to figure it out tonight.

BTW, for anyone who's interested, here are the reasons I'm "eating low" this week. People who followed this protocol periodically "decreased amounts of the hormone IGF-I, which is required during development to grow, but it is a promoter of aging and has been linked to cancer susceptibility. It also increased the amount of the hormone IGFBP-, and reduced biomarkers/risk factors linked to diabetes and cardiovascular disease, including glucose, trunk fat and C-reactive protein without negatively affecting muscle and bone mass."

I especially like the last point.
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)

noni
Posts: 613
Joined: Fri Feb 27, 2009 2:01 pm

Post by noni » Fri Mar 03, 2017 1:53 pm

Oolala, do you have to count calories on this low-cal diet? And is it a 3-meal structure?

I have an older ex-runner friend whose knees are sometimes braced up. Whenever she e-mails me, she always includes a report on how her knees having been feeling lately, what supplements are working or not working, etc...
"Never go back for seconds. Get it all the first time." - Garfield

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

Post by oolala53 » Fri Mar 03, 2017 2:17 pm

I do have to adhere to calorie limits for 5 days. The makeup of each day' calories is also strictly prescribed. The majority of the calories come from fat. The ratios are not meant to be permanent. It's been determined that these limits and ratios are needed to spur the changes mentioned. There is no prescribed meal structure. People can spread the food out however they want, but because of my background, I have not been dribble drabbling it out all day long, unlike some of the suggestions I've seen. The first day has enough food for three distinct meals. On the others, I've chosen to have nothing or almost nothing for breakfast because that's close to my habit now.

Today is the last day. As is so common for me now, I was longing for a bit more food yesterday afternoon and a little in the evening. This morning, I'm feeling things are humming along. It will probably come and go today, but the way I calculate it, I have just three more meal gaps to surf through. Then the body will swing into regeneration of "fresher" cells.

I'm just intrigued by the idea that periodic spurts of this kind of thing can have very similar results to chronic restriction, restriction beyond what most people can happily live with. The body does some incredible things besides get into fat stores when a person does this.

And I feel able to because my hunger levels had decreased naturally anyway, but my desire levels hadn't. I'm not saying this will fix that, but it just means that this wasn't torture, even if there has been some discomfort.

I'm finding the reason behind the behavior makes all the difference.
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)

TexArk
Posts: 804
Joined: Sat Dec 27, 2008 2:50 am
Location: Foothills of the Ozarks

Post by TexArk » Fri Mar 03, 2017 3:24 pm

You said, "One thing that struck me is she says she doesn't have cravings anymore, and that in 2015, she committed to never eat when she had cravings.

Never eat when she had cravings.

That sounds so hard and yet it's so... right. THAT is exactly the time not to eat the craved food. That is the way to break the bond."

This sounds just like Gillian Riley's argument which first worked for her and others with breaking smoking addiction. And it rings true to Guyenet's new book, The Hungry Brain. They also disagree with the idea of distraction (bubble baths, etc.) saying you can't retrain the brain until you break the loop. You ride out the wave so to speak. I personally think heading out the door and getting some fresh air is a good way for me to ride it out...maybe that's a distraction, but I think they are right that a substitute for a craving isn't the answer. Not giving in to a craving over and over and over is what has to be done.

noni
Posts: 613
Joined: Fri Feb 27, 2009 2:01 pm

Post by noni » Sat Mar 04, 2017 1:45 pm

I've taken note of your age, and I find that as I also get older I need more drastic measures, because I still need to lose weight. That's why I went to even smaller plates.

I remember some years ago reading about people on WW that would cycle their calories during the week. The total weekly point count for the individual remained the same all week, but they shook it up some to break a plateau.
It wasn't a WW approved move, though.

Is this the same idea for your program?
"Never go back for seconds. Get it all the first time." - Garfield

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

Post by oolala53 » Sun Mar 05, 2017 5:33 am

The program is not about losing weight or affecting the metabolism. It's a modified fast to mimic complete water fasting, a practice which triggers first protective and then regenerative mechanisms that counteract internal aging. To do this, the calorie counts need to be pretty low and the nutrient ratios rather precise, or the process can backfire. It is definitely not meant to be continued for more than those five days at a time. It can benefit unhealthy people to do it once a month, but for those in good health, it can be just a few times a year. Any weight lost during the time is usually recovered quickly because it's mostly water and inferior cells that are lost. The water is replenished and newer, better cells are formed.

Had a good first normal day eating.

I was inspired to look at my copy of Eating Less by Gillian Riley. I read it years ago but don't remember it making much of an impression. I kept it anyway because it wasn't a diet or weight loss book. I'm just getting going but a lot of it is reinforcing or expressing what I've though or learned along the way. I agree with her that "weight loss as a principal goal is fundamentally flawed." Another way she says it is "The first step in learning to control your addictive eating is to stop asking how to lose weight." I think Reinhard stumbled on this by targeting moderation as the goal rather than weight loss. If I remember correctly, she recommends no program quite as codified, but she is not just about IE or many of the more commonly known ways of reducing eating. She claims in the introduction that it's also not about unresolved emotional issues but in leafing through, I saw a section on recommending raising self-esteem as a better focus than traditional weight loss methods. I don't disagree completely but I would call not having high enough self-esteem an unresolved emotional issue. Maybe she meant the implication that there were precipitating emotional traumas that resolved would defeat the eating, but she rightly points out that people eat when they're happy, too.

Anyway, it should be interesting, especially when I see how much I've forgotten.
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)

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

Post by Amy3010 » Sun Mar 05, 2017 7:27 am

I have her book, too, and I agree with you - her ideas have a lot in common with the No-S approach. Her "plans" and "times" can almost be seen as a kind "as you go" approach to limiting eating the way we do on N days. It's interesting to see someone else's take on a very similar method. I guess that's why I still have her book, too!

Kathryn Hansen, in the book Brain over Binge, is very formal in the idea that it doesn't help to avoid the craving (what she calls the "impulse to binge") - those impulses can only be diminished by having them and actively dismissing them. Consciously riding them out, so that your brain lays down new neurological pathways of different response to the impulses. Gillian Riley says this, too. Of course, it's simple but not easy, especially when those impulses often arise at a moment when it's hard to be aware enough to let your higher brain take over the reigns, and do something different in response. I think going out for a walk is probably a good response to deflecting a craving - you could say it's distraction, but it's also allowing the impulse to happen without giving into it, which is what has to happen, over and over again, until it calms down.

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

Post by oolala53 » Mon Mar 06, 2017 1:34 pm

As I mentioned above, Schwartz found that the brain changed in those with OCD when they distracted. Perhaps it's a different change than Riley thinks happens with her process. I believe anything you do that is NOT eating is in effect a replacement, whether it's actively doing something else or just sitting with it. Riley even quotes Schwartz, but I think I understand her worry that a person can then become dependent on the distraction. Yes, it's true that sometimes, a person needs to just ride out the discomfort of desire. Or maybe that's not what she's talking about at all. I'm still reading.

Walking I would put in the category of being either a pleasurable or productive (Schwartz) distraction. Riley is in favor of exercise, but I think she might still call going for a walk a distraction, if it's not done for its own sake. What happens if a person hurts her leg and can't walk as a distraction? But I'm not against distraction. For me, walking is often delay. I can have the jonesing feeling either during or just under the surface during the walk. But it is a better option than eating before the walk.

Having read some more, I think I see her distinction. I think her premise is that the element of choice is crucial. I make the choice to either eat at meals, and go for a walk if I get the desire to eat outside that structure. I know there are consequences either way, I and I choose because I want a consequence I associate with that action. I don't do either because someone else said to do it or to rebel against their saying not to do it. I do one or the other because I've determined that it's what I choose to do, even if I feel conflicted. I may not be able to choose whether or not I have a desire to eat, but I either believe there is a compelling value in eating at any one moment or not, or I don't. I also have to know there is a consequence that I must accept. Otherwise, I'm in denial.

I like Hansen a lot, too, (haven't read the whole book, mostly her site); I was already using a lot of her outlook. I had read her inspiration, Jack Trimpey, before No S. But I take issue with the idea that it doesn't take willpower. If it takes any effort at all to ignore the urges, that's willpower, and the experience of millions shows it does take effort. Maybe it didn't for her, but it seems a lot to expect for others to have her experience. Hansen to some degree was lucky that her case wasn't more complicated, and it does sound like she didn't have a lot of problems with self-esteem and body hatred, which can jumble the process. I am probably repeating myself but I also think her insistence (at least in later writings) that people eat often and to avoid decreasing calories compromises the efforts and health of a lot of people reading her, many of whom I'd bet are quite overweight or obese. She wasn't even overweight! I don't mean that everyone needs to get thin, but it is absolutely natural and advantageous for the body to eating little enough to drain some of the stores it accumulated through periods of overeating. The ability to store fat and then use it is central to our development as a species. I"m probably preaching to the choir here.

Even slim people show great benefit from periods of eating less than normal for them, but that's another story.

Noni, I meant to add that the cycling you mentioned from WW seems to parallel No S and S days, don't you think? In my case, I often eat even less on one S day a week because less food ends up feeling better. I know it's contributed to my weight loss, but it wasn't the incentive. I also say it wasn't easy, as the desire to eat was often there even when I wasn't hungry. I'm finding now that it was actually a beneficial thing to do. But I wouldn't recommend it to anyone just to speed up weight loss, unless they believe there is a medical reason for it. But I believe the actual loss is never the healing part, but the chemical changes that happen, often simultaneously. Sometimes the healing happens without weight loss and doesn't happen even with it.

I agree with Riley that motivation is crucial to long term adherence AND satisfaction, and for most, that motivation cannot be weight loss for appearance.

I'm thinking, though, that there is a small percentage of people for whom vanity loss actually DOES work, just as there are people who quite peacefully eliminate foods or have no big issue with counting calories. They are muddying the issue for the rest of us!
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

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

Post by oolala53 » Thu Mar 09, 2017 2:20 pm

I don't like to give much attention to body measurements, but I did go for a bodyfat analysis yesterday. The fat and muscle ratios in my arms and legs changed from last year, with fat gaining ground, even though my weight isn't that different. However, my distribution is considered quite healthy, and I even gained some muscle in my torso through no effort of mine. I admit I am in denial about needing more consistent exercise. I definitely could make time for it, but I don't- so far. Perhaps dwelling on these changes, without drama, may help me turn the corner. The problem is that I actually don't feel as terrible when I don't exercise as I used to when I was eating compulsively. Not wanting to feel so yucky was a big incentive for my getting a handle on my eating. With exercise, though I know I will feel somewhat better, most of my motivation will need to be mental. I doubt I'll be able to feel any incremental increases in muscle in my arms and legs. I didn't feel the losses!

I can't really see consistently eating much less than I do now, so I can't expect much fat loss. But I could build muscle, and there is real advantage for that at any age, but especially in my senior years.
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)

noni
Posts: 613
Joined: Fri Feb 27, 2009 2:01 pm

Post by noni » Thu Mar 09, 2017 10:04 pm

Oolala said,
"Noni, I meant to add that the cycling you mentioned from WW seems to parallel No S and S days, don't you think?"

Yes, I always thought so. But if one is an idiot on S-days...lol
"Never go back for seconds. Get it all the first time." - Garfield

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

Post by oolala53 » Sat Mar 11, 2017 5:27 am

Yeah, being an idiot on the WW carb cycling wouldn't be sanctioned, though calorie theory says that if you wanted to eat 500 calories one day so you could have 2,500 the next, and have them average out to 1,500, it would work. But I tell ya, eating 2,500 calories in a day sounds awful to me now.

I've been experimenting with eating quite lightly on some days and I'm finding something interesting. The next day after the first meal of the day, I feel fantastic. This will usually be after a very early dinner, too, so there has been a longer overnight fast. This is not canonical No S at all, I know. But I really like that feeling. I'm also starting to like the feeling on the light day because I'm not actually hungry later, and it finally feels good not to eat more out of habit. I used to feel resentful because I wouldn't be hungry but would still want to eat, so I'd feel torn. Now I'm not so bothered by the desire, and get a bit of a kick out of choosing not to eat much. I didn't even feel that hungry for breakfast, but ate it anyway, and did feel modest hunger for lunch and dinner, which was great.

Going to a St. Patrick's Day party tomorrow. Starting early! Always way too much food there. I think I brought flowers last year and will again.

I wonder what it would be like to leave not feeling really full. Can't say I'm curious enough to find out.
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)

Elizabeth50
Posts: 187
Joined: Mon Feb 08, 2016 12:05 am

Post by Elizabeth50 » Mon Mar 13, 2017 12:14 pm

oolala53 wrote:I've been experimenting with eating quite lightly on some days.
I'm going to start practicing this, as well.

I love all the tips from you and others. I hope to follow in the footsteps of those of you who have done this successfully over a long period of time!
No S Restart 05/22/19

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

Post by oolala53 » Mon Mar 13, 2017 1:41 pm

I hope so, too, E50!

Now don't get triggered by this entry.

I have been coming to the conclusion that there is substantial advantage to eating a LOT less food, as long as most of it is very high quality. I think it would still be an advantage even if the body did not lose weight. The loss make s it seem that it's the loss that is the advantage, but I suspect it's not. It's the actual decrease in the processing of food. So thin people who eat a lot might actually be at a disadvantage because their bodies are revving all the time. We are led to believe that being able to burn up a lot of fuel is a good thing. Maybe not. We know underweight people have the same morbidity as the morbid obese and many of them can burn a tremendous number of calories. I wonder if anyone has ever broken down thin groups by their calorie intake and compared the results.

This doesn't mean it's easy to pull off, and may not be worth the trouble for most. Certainly if my hunger was as robust as it was a few years ago, I wouldn't even have considered it.

I don't want to go to work.
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)

Elizabeth50
Posts: 187
Joined: Mon Feb 08, 2016 12:05 am

Post by Elizabeth50 » Mon Mar 13, 2017 2:27 pm

Now, that would be an interesting study.

Like you, I also have a robust hunger and not sure how much I can cut back for now. I am definitely going to do some trimming back, though. I'm going to make small changes at a time. I know myself, and I will start feeling deprived if I try to cut back too much at once. I do look forward to eating a little healthier for now.

I hope you have a great day at work. Just keep smiling and make them wonder what you're up to!
No S Restart 05/22/19

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

Post by oolala53 » Mon Mar 13, 2017 10:45 pm

I HAD robust hunger for a few years, but it ebbed and I have been feeling annoyed at the edges for a couple of years.

I am now doing some rather non No S stuff, and it feels at least temporarily like I've slipped into a higher gear. I have no idea if the other shoe will drop, but this feels the best I've felt in a long time. I hope to hell it's not my metabolism winding down. But it feels like the opposite, like things are humming, and even though I'm not completely forgetting about food, I feel almost as if I'm on an appetite depressant. Could my body be in ketosis while I'm still eating carbs? The feeling is good enough that it is becoming easier to keep the protocol because I'm anticipating the reward. I wouldn't say it's as easy as Vanilla used to be, but I feel even better, which I wasn't anticipating. It feels very similar to the old honeymoon stage of a diet used to feel, except I've been experimenting without the honeymoon for over a year. Yet I can't call it a marriage yet. I'll just enjoy it while it lasts.
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)

Elizabeth50
Posts: 187
Joined: Mon Feb 08, 2016 12:05 am

Post by Elizabeth50 » Mon Mar 13, 2017 10:52 pm

Well, whatever it is you're going through sounds wonderful, Oolala! I hope your body keeps the suppressed appetite. Please update us as things go along! I'm very happy for you! :)
No S Restart 05/22/19

noni
Posts: 613
Joined: Fri Feb 27, 2009 2:01 pm

Post by noni » Tue Mar 21, 2017 12:29 pm

Oolala, is this cycling regime from Jason Fung? I recently viewed something recently online from him, and it sounded something like what your doing. It was for brain power. At least I think it was him.
"Never go back for seconds. Get it all the first time." - Garfield

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

Post by oolala53 » Wed Mar 22, 2017 5:12 am

The regime I've been "regular" with- 3 cycles in a year- is based on the protocol of Valter Longo. I almost feel funny talking about it here because it's so not No S. It's short term, only 5 days at a time and rather extreme. though with my appetite, it's not that hard from a food intake stance. It's just how to fill the time, but that's often my problem anyway. I don't feel weak at all. I wish it would make me want to sleep more, but it doesn't.

But the euphoric feelings have receded. Oh, well. I'm still fine. I eat a bit of a weird diet compared to the average bear, but it's just convenient. Lot of cooking simply in batches and then assembling at meal time.

Did I say I've put a temporary moratorium on buying protein or starches until I use up most of what's in the larder? Just freggies and coffee fixin's. I've been wanting to experiment with eating even less meat. It will be close to Blue Zone eating with a little protein powder thrown, just because I have it around and it's taking up space, in for awhile. I've wanted to see if I'm as satisfied when eating a higher ratio of carbs, though I'm going to adjust the fat slightly upwards, too.

This really doesn't sound like No S. But I just don't eat standard fare anyway or cook much out of standard cookbooks. It's probably all in my head and I'd do fine with grandma fare, but it wouldn't be any less trouble than what I do make now.

Oh, I did soak two different grains for 48 hours. It's supposed to be like a sourdough bread version, to break down some of the supposedly troublesome stuff in the grain. I really like how they turned out. A nice tang! It takes some forethought but other than that, is pretty similar to cook after the soaking except that it takes even less time. I've got days and days worth in the freezer, and still have uncooked grain. You'd think I live on a remote farm and can't get in to town often for supplies, so I had to stock up. But sometimes it's because there are bargains, and I like to think it's part of the reason I can afford a mortgage.
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

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

Post by oolala53 » Thu Mar 23, 2017 6:02 am

Some thoughts on sweeteners in response to a question on another thread . Copied here.

I doubt many people could feel the harmful effects of artificial sweeteners until it was too late. That's the nature of degenerative disease.

Unless you count still feeling caught by sweets. I still feel attracted to them, still sometimes eat more of them than I intend, still have some fond memories of the pleasure of eating A LOT of ice cream or A LOT of Costco chocolate cake with frosting--and still feel that is worth it to put up with it. I know on Spark, a small number of low carbers or people who have completely given up sweeteners of any kind say they don't crave or miss sweets at all.

It's a funny thing. Sometimes, I'll be in a supermarket and will pass by a kryptonite food. I can't say I feel no desire for it, but even as I look at it and feel a little thrill of desire, effortlessly remembering pleasure, it is as if there is an invisible force field, and a vague sense that if I reach for it, I'll get a shock, even though that has never happened. But in the past, I've been in that situation, and also remembered how it was going to lead to the struggle again later; that I would have to go through withdrawal again, so to speak. I think that pairing cancelled out the pleasure memory enough and not choosing the food has become the default.

But I try not to test it much by reaching for the food in that situation. It's a useful delusion!

Maybe I like craving them.

Maybe it's like an unbitter divorce. You know there were good times, and you might even cherish them, but you also know there were other things that just would never work out. You're civil and maybe even friendly at specific events, but beyond that, you keep your distance. (I'm going to double post this on my thread.)
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)

Larkspur
Posts: 438
Joined: Mon Mar 06, 2017 3:30 pm
Location: Pennsylvania

Post by Larkspur » Thu Mar 23, 2017 1:26 pm

Oolala53, I'm interested in your fasting mimicking protocol. Is there a website? I have been a bit worried about protein intake for a while-- I do use a little whey powder in the morning, about half a serving, because I like what it does for my hair and nails, but I'm not convinced it's the best choice. I still get very hungry, alas. I'm hoping in the summer when I have more time (I work in a school, as well) I will be able to move around more and space my meals more naturally, instead of 7, 12, and 7, which has not been easy and I think I tend to eat too much at meals because of it.

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

Post by oolala53 » Tue Mar 28, 2017 6:58 am

What happened to the post I thought I responded with? I'll have to write tomorrow, Larkspur, on your question. It's almost midnight.

But I wanted to report quickly that I'm going to start tracking my food and my sleep meds (and sleep) because I've had some stretches of interesting good feelings, including unusually clear sinuses such that I didn't have any concept that my sinuses weren't perfectly clear before. I don't have any idea if any of it is related but I'm going to track to see if there is any correlation.

Won't go into tracking details too much today, but it happened to turn out to be mostly vegan, except for butter on garlic bread at dinner.

1/3 trazedone tablet and 1 dphm lights out midnight
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)

Larkspur
Posts: 438
Joined: Mon Mar 06, 2017 3:30 pm
Location: Pennsylvania

Post by Larkspur » Tue Mar 28, 2017 1:45 pm

Sleep is a mystery now that I have arrived in midlife. I used to hit the sack tired, sleep soundly, and wake up refreshed. Not so much now, though when it does happen, I really enjoy it :)

I do think less meat/dairy is probably a wise plan. Some people do vegan before five, but I find some protein helpful to get through the more demanding part of the day.

I find I sleep better on days where I move a lot-- not a shocker. Sounds like it is not so simple for you.

I looked at Valter Longo's protocol. I tend to have a terrible time with fasting (insulin resistant) but I wonder if I could manage this with vegetable soup as my prop :)

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

Post by oolala53 » Tue Mar 28, 2017 11:16 pm

The first two cycles of FMD, I used recipes from sites on which the person had tried to mimic the ratios Longo recommends. I was feeling a little like it made me too "concerned" about the process. It's not possible to get Longo's sanctioned program, as it's meant to be used under a doctor's care, and is quite expensive anyway. (He donates the profits.) Longo has done water fasting and modified fast eating as a kind of test, I think. He recommends caution for the average Joe. He himself skips lunch and eats only two meals, so he has two rather long fasts, one overnight, a day. I don't think he does the 5-day on a regular basis, but he says a person in good health could do it periodically as a preventative measure. They have found benefits are maintained after a few rounds even if the person changes nothing else. Longo is suspicious of much protein in the diet, and certainly animal protein, because he claims the evidence shows that high protein is correlated with cancer. He has written a book about food but it's written in Italian. But the LCHF people say it's not an issue if you aren't eating carbs.

I almost can't believe I even know all this stuff, but I got led down this path because of lack of appetite but not lack of desire for food. That's not completely resolved, but whadday gonna do? I can't dictate it.

The last time I did the 5-day, I broke down and used a packaged, unsanctioned program. It was fine. It was much cheaper than his program but more expensive than it would have cost me on my own using online recipes. I'm at the point with No S that I can try things and get back to a decently even keel, though not necessarily like the big kids. I bought two rounds of the program. I think the next time, I'll split the days so that I use packaged stuff and fresh food recipes from the online sites. I plan two for sure and tentatively three rounds this year. I would not even try it just cutting down to the recommended calorie count. Longo claims done with the wrong ratios, the process can do damage. Researchers aren't usually the ones out touting diets.

I'm certainly not as carefree as I'd like to be but I'm not convinced anymore that I can get results similar enough to what I want (internal aging delay, especially brain) by being that way. I could be wrong and my efforts get me only a little of what I would like. I still want to feel I can find satisfying food just about wherever I go, but I"m not as willing to be as lax as I once was. I doubt I could have forced myself to be as limited as I am now in the beginning, but I had no real health issues. (My blood pressure and cholesterol has actually gone up since I lost weight! But I'm not going to go back to eating more...)
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

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

Post by oolala53 » Wed Mar 29, 2017 5:05 am

Today, I went for an introductory session with a former Russian kettlebell champion- and he IS Russian- and boy, am I going to feel it tomorrow. He even asked me if I was willing to be a little bit sore. It was way more expensive than I thought it was going to be, but I'm on vacation! Cheaper than an airline ticket. He had me do several different kinds of movements. Only one was with a kettlebell. He claimed I had more coordination than most people off the street. He did only a slight bit of selling, which I was impressed with. He recommended buying only a few sessions to see if we click. I have to admit I was intrigued, though I left without buying anything more. A colleague has been using a personal trainer for a couple of years and is very pleased. But I also just love the DIY ethic. Dang Reinhard and his excellent results without spending more than a sledgehammer costs! I love that idea, too, but I also know that this old body might need someone with a good eye to correct some problems that I might end up making worse. He zeroed in on my posture right away. I'm going to try a couple of other places to compare. Maybe they'll all say the same thing.
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)

noni
Posts: 613
Joined: Fri Feb 27, 2009 2:01 pm

Post by noni » Fri Mar 31, 2017 10:08 am

This sounds interesting, Oolala, and I was curious to see if your blood pressure and cholesterol go down with this diet.
"Never go back for seconds. Get it all the first time." - Garfield

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

Post by oolala53 » Fri Mar 31, 2017 10:27 pm

I guess I'm on a diet?

My cholesterol is still climbing. It's at 201! (It was lowest when I was almost at my heaviest, crappiest eating years.) But my HDL is at 84, so the ratio is 2.39. Stats say the ratio should be -1-3.5. But all except trigylcerides have gone up, though I have lost weight this year and am eating less sugar, less meat, less manufactured food, less fast food, and fewer refined starches than ever and am maintaining just about the lowest weight of my adult life.

Overweight sister has no cholesterol issues.

I'll email my doctor.
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)

Larkspur
Posts: 438
Joined: Mon Mar 06, 2017 3:30 pm
Location: Pennsylvania

Post by Larkspur » Sat Apr 01, 2017 8:21 pm

I don't know, I tend not to freak out too much about cholesterol. I think it's one of those things that is associated with things that matter, without being a very good measure in itself. I don't mean you should be cavalier about triglycerides of 400, but I would not change an otherwise healthy and enjoyable lifestyle in order to chase a number. My numbers are always low, which I actually don't love, because low seems to be more associated with early death then borderline high numbers. I could try to raise my cholesterol in the hope of diminishing my risk, but honestly I think my time is better spent enjoying my life and living in a way that feels healthy and makes me feel good.

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

Post by oolala53 » Sun Apr 02, 2017 4:52 pm

Thanks for the comforting! I know what you're saying and have conducted most of my years on No S with pretty much that attitude. But I think some numbers may be worth chasing, if the circumstances are right. I certainly think anyone on No S who has diabetes or CVD or other illnesses can't afford to conduct themselves as ones who don't are able to. This might be the incentive for me to get regular exercise, if nothing else. I just hope I trust my doctor's take on it. I have a feeling she'll say given other factors, it's probably fine, but... get regular exercise. I was coming to the conclusion that that's my best next step anyway. On that note, I'm going to go to a free yoga class in a park near my house in about a half hour!
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

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

Post by oolala53 » Mon Apr 03, 2017 12:42 am

Walked to the class. Had a pancake lunch at the local 19th Hole. Beautiful view and breeze. Still pretty full, but will have a concoction I've come up with that I really like in about an hour. Will likely be staying up late doing work I've procrastinated on, but we really need to hit the ground running. And I can recover. I have to accept that I've enjoyed the time doing as I wished, and reading those papers was not what I wished.

I"m pretty sure I've decided to work half time next year, just one semester. I'm not telling anyone for sure, but my plan is to retire next June. I think I have to officially stay until then to get full retirement benefits. If so, they will have to let me sub, and I might do that a couple of days a week for the spring semester. This is instead of working half days the whole year, which I had originally planned to do, until I remembered the one-semester option. Suddenly, the idea of being pretty much done by next December became very attractive, even though I haven't worked a full schedule for three years. It will be challenging, but it's temporary! I counted the days, which might change because next year's schedule is not approved yet, but that's okay.

132 work days left. Spring subbing won't count.
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

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

Post by oolala53 » Mon Apr 03, 2017 2:29 am

Felt in the spirit of full disclosure, I should post about a fake food I am enjoying these days. It's partly because I'm using up the larder, so I started using some protein powder that's been sitting around. I had also bought some guar gum (can't remember why) and glucomannan because on ex-No S er had become a Trim Healthy Mama convert and I taken several looks at the program for various reasons I won't go into now and tried a few things.

Anyway, I stumbled on a recipe that mimics melted ice cream, which I had a love/hate relationship with, though that was not my intent at all. I just found that when I use some water, a scoop of whey protein, some stevia, some cocoa- that seems to be crucial as the vanilla one did not turn out- some guar gum AND gluccie, it whips up into a creamy, fluffy concoction that is spoonable and fun. At least to me. I thought it would just thicken it slightly, but it got almost like whipped cream, a texture I love. I know some health people think guar gum isn't the best, but I've never said I was a purist.

Gluccomannan has actually been used in China as a medicine and there and in Japan as a food for centuries. It's the source of the true low carb noodles some may know about. I tried them a couple of times because they had some at the discount grocery I go to. I didn't like the texture. It's being touted in the West as a weight loss aid because it makes people feel full, but that's not my main interest. Not being full is not my problem! It's been found to help keep glucose and insulin levels down, as much fiber does, so I didn't mind using it. It's supposed to help lower cholesterol, so it's lucky I stumbled on my protein whatever-to-call-it. It's a nice way to top off a meal or have a light one when I'm not so hungry but feel I need some balance, as I do today after my pancake/syrup brunch.
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)

Larkspur
Posts: 438
Joined: Mon Mar 06, 2017 3:30 pm
Location: Pennsylvania

Post by Larkspur » Mon Apr 03, 2017 4:31 pm

Best wishes on the planned retirement! How thrilling!

What did you make of the THM diet? I've read some things about fat + sugar being tough weight-wise, but it seems to me the caloric effect alone would be enough to account for that. I get lower carb being good for weight loss. I'm just not convinced high protein/low carb is that great for those of us with a family history of cancer. I am trying to follow my own advice about not fussing too much-- I do think quite a lot of this is sort of the luck of the cosmic draw, and apart from supporting general health, there's not a whole lot you can or necessarily should be doing.

Now I will have to look up gluccomannan :)

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

Post by oolala53 » Thu Apr 06, 2017 1:33 am

THM just basically tricks people to limit their portions even though they're always saying that you can eat to fullness, and clean up their acts because they're against frankenfoods, unless they sell them. It's possible all the protein could be a detriment in the long run. We won't see the results of that, I don't think, until some of the low carbers get old enough to have the protein effect kick in. Who knows, maybe ketones are protective, though I don't think THM's are in ketosis much. I realized that most of the time on No S, I've been eating what they would call a Crossover meal, because I have starch and protein at the same meal. I actually do play with components now, partly because I like feeling I can be okay with options.

I do not like all the cutesy titles of all the foods and dieter types, etc., but the public seems to, pardon the expression, eat it up. And it looks like they can hit a target market that could use the help. I think it might actually have some staying power because it's also family-oriented. It seems to give women an outlet for cooking and baking and fussing about food, which is fine. Hey, if it actually gets a percentage of the population off a lot of fast and convenience food, that's not all bad.
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)

TexArk
Posts: 804
Joined: Sat Dec 27, 2008 2:50 am
Location: Foothills of the Ozarks

Post by TexArk » Thu Apr 06, 2017 3:47 am

I know you are ready to retire. Hope it works out for you. I started teaching at 21 and retired at 63 because I had to take care of elderly parent and my husband was able to be the breadwinner. My retirement benefits are not much because I did 20 years in one state and then switched to another. It is a mess. Social Security won't pay full because of teacher retirement in one state. Anyway, sounds like you have thought it all through. My husband is finally retiring at age 71 this May. Of course he has never taught in public school which is why he could last. Even so, the term paper grading load plus all the student outcome assessment paperwork has changed even college teaching. I moved to college teaching after 14 years in public school and I don't think I could have made it 42 years otherwise. Enough about me. But just wanted you to know I can identify. Freedom is on the horizon.

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

Post by oolala53 » Thu Apr 06, 2017 4:07 am

TexArk, I didn't start with public school system until I was 46 years old, so I will have only 18 years in. Hardly made much money before that but I did earn my quarters for soc security, though yes, it will be cut quite a lot. I'd actually like to think I could do something else and get some more quarters in, but don't know what it would be. I'm no more qualified to do anything else than I was before I surrendered to teaching to join the middle class. But it isn't as if I'd HAVE to. I'd just like to. Something different.
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)

RAWCOOKIE
Posts: 1360
Joined: Thu Jun 18, 2015 9:01 am
Location: Cornwall, UK

Post by RAWCOOKIE » Thu Apr 06, 2017 6:57 pm

Just noticed that little exchange about THM - and agree with your observation that it seems to provide women with a reason to mess about baking and making special food. Seems to me, from what I've seen, that they have a lot of 'substitute' food items that need to be purchased, not least, their own brands. It seems like fake food to me. It really surprises me now that there are so many recipes going around for substituted baked sweetened things.
I love Everyday Systems :3

13.6.15 124.25lbs
11.11.21 101.00lbs

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

Post by oolala53 » Fri Apr 07, 2017 12:44 am

There are actually some basic things that are just eggs and beef, etc. But everything has a name. I guess recipes from other countries have names, too.

I think the baking craze is pretty common in the paleo crowd, too. Hey, I've got some coconut flour in the freezer. But I don't claim that the urge for carbs is gone like they do. I have cut down on flour-based items in general, though I also have some sprouted grain bread in the freezer, partly due to YHM influence. I'm more of a stove-top cook with a few exceptions in a small glass oven with the heating element in the lid. I think it came from coming of cooking age when I lived in Iran in my early 20's and then a macrobiotic cooking class in my 30's. Iranians buy their bread fresh-baked from neighborhood bakers, or did when I was there. I don't think I ever had a baked item at someone's home.

I have not bought starch or protein since at least the end of February because I have so much on hand in dry stores or in freezer. The freezer is just starting to look like it's thinning out. I still have several weeks of uncooked grain. I will buy beans soon and I do eat out some. But I don't eat as often as I used to, so it takes longer to go through stuff. It's been an inadvertent elimination of dairy, except what I put in coffee. I also "ate down" my veggie stores before the last time my maid came just to have the fridge pretty clear for her to clean. That was a few weeks ago and I"m still eating some of the replenishments I stocked up on after she finished. Just replaced greens today.
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

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

Post by oolala53 » Mon Apr 10, 2017 1:56 pm

I forgot I had already talked about the grocery thing. Boy, my life is just riveting!

I'm a little more peaceful these days with my lack of appetite. I have some days I bend to it and others I just go ahead with regular meals. It's becoming a bit of a rhythm of its own, though I still plan approximately what I will have and the times. I rarely leave it open-ended, as IE dictates and which I found unnerving. II'm aware it's a mind thing, but I like this better.

Saw a bit deflating movie about a young teacher in Germany who can't connect with her students or new neighbors. She tries hard to be pleasant but can't ask for help or warm up to people who do try to relate to her. I felt I saw some of me in her, right down to sitting at home by myself watching the movie. I know I"m whining, but I get so tired of connections being situational. I am involved in different things and know the people there but most of our interactions revolve around that center, instead of us as persons. But it's on me as well. Ah, this is so much harder than food.
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)

Larkspur
Posts: 438
Joined: Mon Mar 06, 2017 3:30 pm
Location: Pennsylvania

Post by Larkspur » Mon Apr 10, 2017 2:16 pm

Oolala, Rule 1, stop watching deflating German movies! Gosh! ANYBODY knows that! (Can you tell I'm teasing you?)

I get the impression you are really smart. And I wonder if that can make it a little harder to find your tribe, because your tribe is clustered on one end of the bell curve. Not necessarily recommending Mensa or anything like that, but you might have a bit narrower selection to choose from generally, if that makes sense.

It is hard to cross the boundary and make new connections. I tend to get all shy when I think of reaching out to certain people I like. It does help to have a common interest like gardening or something. Anyway, Linda's doing it! What's your secret, Linda? :)

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

Post by oolala53 » Wed Apr 12, 2017 2:05 pm

I've been tracking and am having a bit of a love/hate relationship with it. One part of the hate is that I like to have such a variety of things at a meal or include leftovers. I had a quinoa concoction that a friend made that had four different things in it and there I was estimating how many tablespoons of this and that there were in the end of the batch that I added to my breakfast that was already five things. How do people do this for years? How do they go out to dinner? Do they end up just narrowing their choices and going with the familiar? I could make groupings except that I don't always have the same things. I already tend to codify the buidling blocks of my lunches and dinners but I want to be able to vary what kind of "brick" in each block. I think this will be my last week until I shop for protein and starch again when I want to compare. But I may just list foods here.
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

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

Post by oolala53 » Fri Apr 14, 2017 9:36 am

Awake. Oh, well, it isn't as if I haven't been through this. But I did take a sleeping pill. Should have been knocked out for another couple of hours. Just practiced Weil's breathing technique and here I am. Wish it was Saturday tomorrow! I had some incredible nights of sleep during break. Just happened. I would feel SO GOOD for the whole morning. Is that what life is supposed to feel like? But I don't remember feeling like that even way back when I used to sleep through the night and I would have scoffed at being awake at 5 a.m., never mind at 2.

Going to try again.
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)

Larkspur
Posts: 438
Joined: Mon Mar 06, 2017 3:30 pm
Location: Pennsylvania

Post by Larkspur » Fri Apr 14, 2017 5:22 pm

Hope you slept! That's the worst!

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

Post by oolala53 » Fri Apr 14, 2017 9:20 pm

Thanks! but it's pretty much my life, though last night was a bit extreme. I had been awake an hour when I wrote that. I usually last until at least 2, more often 3. (This can happen if I got to bed at 9 or 11.) In mid-afternoon I get tired enough for a short nap, but not as often as you'd think. The pattern during work breaks has started to change-meaning I get more sleep when I'm not working every day-, but it's been 20+ years since I slept though the night for more than 4-5 hours, though I can get another hour or so some nights. But eight hours? Just doesn't happen. When I was younger, I would actually feel like getting up and accomplishing things, or, if I didn't wake until 4-ish, I would get up and exercise, but now I just want to lie there. I do often do self-hypnosis or meditative techniques, but they don't really correct the problem. They're more like insulin for a diabetic.

But it's not debilitating pain or digestive problems that might have me living in the bathroom, etc. I do feel sorry for myself sometimes but try to put it in perspective. When I go for checkups or tests and see the other people in the waiting room, some of whom look the same age as I am, in a lot more trouble than I am. Some of the ones who aren't there are dead!
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

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

Post by oolala53 » Sat Apr 15, 2017 9:25 am

I realized yesterday, I think, that I haven't thought at all (until now) of the fact that Easter candy will be discounted soon. Even with all my years in, that old memory would crop up every year, even though I haven't acted on it for a few. But I mostly forgive myself, so to speak, for still feeling vulnerable at times to the desire to overeat. I don't really think I can control what I desire. Maybe I could do some brainwashing but I can live with it as is for now.
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

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

Post by oolala53 » Mon Apr 17, 2017 3:42 am

IF YOU GET TRIGGERED BY CALORIE TALK, BETTER STOP READING NOW.

I've been tracking for a reason that I realize now doesn't really fit my real needs, but it's been interesting. I didn't track yesterday because it was just too complicated. When I go to Temecula, I have the snacks. There are so many little things and I go back over and over. I enjoy it and am not ready to eat less, though I might next time because sometimes people go out to dinner afterwards and I wasn't hungry at all. I did have three tangerines from my tree for dinner.

I tracked for the hell of it today. I swear, I was hardly hungry for any of the meals and certainly ate enough, yet my count came to only about 1200 calories. I'm not purposely aiming at that number. It's actually about 100 calories under my RMR. After yesterday's generous cashews and some sweets, I wasn't in the mood for much fat or any sugar today. There have been several days like that over the past couple of weeks; more often it's closer to 1500, but not much above that consistently. It scares me a bit because it feels like I'm sentencing myself to relatively low intake forever, but I'm not longing to eat a lot more or differently, so it's not really a sentence. I"m sure if I ate out more, the totals might go up some, but at this point, even when that happens, it feels a lot more natural now for it to balance out with less eating before and/or after because that's the only way to enjoy what I do eat. I used to feel somewhat like that but I wouldn't actually always let myself do it because I didn't want my body to get used to so little. But it seems to be working quite well without more. When opportunities come up for more sumptuous fare, and I really want it, I go ahead. But I don't want that consistently.

But even after all this time, it is still not completely automatic. Actually, it mostly is, but there is this little vestige left over of leaving myself the option of allowing old "bad" foods. Like, is this grain really what I want to be eating or do I want a white flour biscuit? Am I kidding myself that I prefer eating less refined food? Am I denying myself? but it's just such a habit now; it's my routine to buy and prepare these foods. I think if I were traveling and couldn't have my staples, I'd be okay, but this is the way that fits now. I may be wrong about my biases, but they're worth it to me for now.

And I'm pretty sure I'm at nearly the lowest weight of my adult life, except for right before I came home from India in 1979, when at the end of my trip I was hungry for only two meals a day and had walked for miles everyday as a tourist for months. My bodyfat, however, is 10% higher than my lowest bodyfat. Sitting on the couch these past years has apparently not been a very good idea, but with my mental state, I let myself off the hook. It's doubtful that % will ever go down to as little as it was, and I would never aim at that level again. I was a mad woman then. It wasn't fun but work and fear. I do imagine as I get more regular with my exercise, the % could shift, but I think it would take a very purposeful effort to remove 10%, and that kind of effort I am not willing to do. I just don't believe that it's necessary, though at my age, i do think certain habits are very advantageous, and they could make % changes as a side effect.

Will pack my lunch in the next hour.

Have been reading a loooong novel about the lower classes in India, and boy, does it make me want to put my troubles in perspective. Not to mention that at my philosophy meeting yesterday I saw a woman I had met at the same place a few years ago. Even then, she had been through hell, having gotten terribly sick after she lost a big corporate job, had no health insurance, and had to spend most of her assets to pay her bills. Then she went on a trip to Portugal, got very sick again, came back to California, got T-boned in a car accident and had a broken back. She went from big job with assets to now, renting a room in a house, driving a $6,000 car, and living on disability, in pain a fair amount of the time. Guess what. She feels grateful to have what she has.

Do I need to have some big terrible lesson?
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)

Larkspur
Posts: 438
Joined: Mon Mar 06, 2017 3:30 pm
Location: Pennsylvania

Post by Larkspur » Mon Apr 17, 2017 11:51 pm

Hm, I read that more as, humans have enormous resilience. There's quite a bit of research out there that seems to indicate we eventually bounce back to baseline pretty well from a variety of dreadful events. so that's kind of comforting. I do think we have a certain amount of brain devoted to fretting and our worrying kind of scales as needed. Are you feeling good physically?

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

Post by oolala53 » Tue Apr 18, 2017 11:30 pm

TX for asking! All my problems are mental, though some of them might be made milder if I were active more consistently. Catch-22.
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)

noni
Posts: 613
Joined: Fri Feb 27, 2009 2:01 pm

Post by noni » Wed Apr 19, 2017 1:12 pm

Sometimes I feel the same way, Oolala. Do I need some catastrophe or tragedy to make me more grateful? It's an unsettling feeling.

This new eating regime will probably settle in for you, much like No S did after a time of getting used to it. And I certainly understand the mindset of, "I'm older now, who cares about my percentage of body fat!"
"Never go back for seconds. Get it all the first time." - Garfield

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

Post by oolala53 » Wed Apr 19, 2017 8:11 pm

I have to admit that I am a bit intrigued to think I could drain off some of the fat. Believe me, I could go a long way before I'd approach low bodyfat. It stings a bit that it's gone up nearly 11% from its lowest. I gained fat this year and lost a little muscle! But just as back when there was no use fretting about my weight when I wasn't willing to eat less, there's no use fretting about my muscle mass if I"m not truly committed to resistance work.

I do want to get stronger.
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

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

Post by oolala53 » Fri Apr 21, 2017 2:15 pm

Something's happened that I didn't think would, though I don't for think it's going to stay this way, but today I weighed LESS (by 6/10 of a pound) than what is considered ideal BY MY PEERS (not a medical scale). FULL DISCLOSURE; I am modifying No S, but I consider it having been essential to get me to the point at which I could institute these temporary mods and to keep me on an even keel in between. As I've said before, I didn't do them for weight loss, so I don't recommend them for that. Trying to do what others have done for health just to lose weight is usually an exercise in frustration and self-approbation. Without the same motivation, the risk of rebelliousness and resentment is too great to juggle, IMHO.

I know I've said on previous posts that I couldn't imagine getting to this point because I was happy with eating more and more widely and reluctant to enforce eating much less, and it entailed a loss of over 15 lbs, which represents QUITE a sustained calorie decrease. But it's evolved. However my recent eating has been a bit artificially narrow, so I'm not expecting sustained loss, but I'm also not longing to bust out and eat more. Maybe I'm on another honeymoon? No need to predict now. But it does seem that even with some regain, I'm down about 10+/- pounds over two years ago. And 50+/- from the start officially Jan. 2010.

I never intend to lose weight for events, but I have to admit that it is a bit gratifying that I will be attending a wedding with people I don't see much next weekend. I will see my sister and I can tell that she is not happy with her eating or weight, but she will never let me coach her. It's too bad since it could be a nice bond for us, and would be so nice for me as she has always been the older sister with the cultural props in place. But that may be asking a lot, since I'm not asking for her counsel on those things. They are much more elusive than moderate eating for me.
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

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

Post by oolala53 » Sun Apr 23, 2017 8:50 pm

My weight loss has always gone is stages, except for the first 10 lbs in that first couple of months. I marvel at people who lose steadily, week by week. I keep thinking this last drop is going to bounce back up to previous heights, but it's gone up only about 3 lbs., which makes perfect sense. How do I even know? Yeah, I keep getting on the scale. But I really want to get to the point at which I don't weigh as much. It's a teeny bit of an obsession because I almost can't believe it. And I don't want to get stuck with longing for something that isn't sustainable. It doesn't feel especially hard now, but things have a way of changing. Cross that bridge when I come to it.

Am nursing a cold. Got to get better before my 2-day trip to day hike with old high school friend and then a day to attend my grand niece's wedding.
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)

Larkspur
Posts: 438
Joined: Mon Mar 06, 2017 3:30 pm
Location: Pennsylvania

Post by Larkspur » Tue Apr 25, 2017 2:31 pm

I'm curious, Oolala. I'm trying to determine how you established what your peers think is ideal? As in, oh, a 5'8" woman should weigh X? Or, someone said, "Stop right there, you're 6/10th of a pound too slim!"?

Hope your cold is better soon!

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

Post by oolala53 » Tue Apr 25, 2017 8:05 pm

I used this site. If you put in stats, it will come up with an ideal. If you put in that ideal, it will often come up with a new, lower one until you finally hit the one at which peers are satisfied. These weights are dang low and are nothing to aim at.

For instance, when I barely got into my normal BMI range, at 149 lbs., I weighed in the 22%ile, so less than 785 of my peers. I had weighed about that in high school, with rather poor but not terrible eating habits. So I figured that was reasonable and maintainable. But that was at age 59, and on the "ideal" site, when I put in 149 lbs, peers who weighed that thought they should weigh 136. Peers who weighed 136 thought they should weigh 131. Peers who weighed 131 thought they should weigh 129. Peers who weighed 129 thought they should weigh 128. (ONE pound less to be ideal! Geesh!) Only peers who weighed 128 were content. Only 5% of peers actually weigh that. So 95% of women are unhappy with their weight, though likely to different degrees.

When people think that the ideal is what only 5% of people have or are, there's a disconnect in life. I think. It's a set up for constant dissatisfaction.

IMHO, they reflect the way we've been affected by media images, with women at the very low end of the BMI "normal" range or even lower idolized. After I got into the normal range a few years ago, it sounded crazy to me that I would ever get even close to one of the ideals because I couldn't imagine then eating little enough to get there. But I'm not far off. I haven't done it with No S alone, and I didn't get to it on purpose. The changes I made were for other purposes. It was kind of a surprise recently that my weight has dropped as much as it has, and I won't be too surprised if it's ephemeral. But I'm just going to keep my eating habits as they are.

http://halls.md/ideal-weight/body.htm

I anticipate the weight going up because I WANT to put on some muscle and do plan to get more consistent with exercise. :roll:

I can't see myself eating fewer calories, so there shouldn't be much fat loss. Maybe a little from more muscle, but it's often overrated how much more you burn. But I'd be glad to weigh more and have a lower fat percentage because of increased muscle alone.

But it's not a huge goal in my life. In our culture, it's basically a convenience to fit the image, IMHO. I think there are other facets of life that supply much greater satisfaction. But they are more complicated than just not eating too much.
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)

Whosonfirst
Posts: 538
Joined: Thu Nov 16, 2006 12:32 pm

Post by Whosonfirst » Wed Apr 26, 2017 1:47 pm

Thanks oolala. Now I'm 16 pounds above my ideal weight...lol. Not sure I understand the author's premise; it's based on what people think their ideal weights should be? I guess it makes some sense since my ideal weight in my mind is only 4 lbs. above the calculator. With exception of the time on Atkins and now NoS, I've gone a year or more without ever stepping on a scale. And during my maintenance mode with Atkins and in the hopefully-near future for NoS, maybe it's once a month at most.
https://twitter.com/SipeEngineering
Current weight(9/2020)-212 lbs.
Goal Weight- 205 lbs.
NoS Goal: >= 80% Success days

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

Post by oolala53 » Sat Apr 29, 2017 4:22 am

BIG S day staying with my friend and her husband. They are real snackers. I had little bits during the day but just chowed down on nuts after we got home from the movies. Ah, well. I enjoyed it and it helped me take meds I have a hard time swallowing with liquid.

Going to wedding reception tomorrow. We've been told it will be a very modest affair. There will be a few hours between the actually wedding (which I can't go to, as it's in a Mormon temple) and a ring ceremony/reception later and we were advised to go get something to eat in between! But the way it's getting timed for me, I'll be able to eat light before that because I'm supposed to have dinner out with sister and brother-in-law later. I'm hoping they will want to go light. I have a feeling I'll still feel the effects of tonight and cake at the reception. It's fun to have some extras but I just can't have as many nor recover as easily these days.
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
lpearlmom
Posts: 4812
Joined: Fri Aug 02, 2013 4:59 am
Location: Arizona

Post by lpearlmom » Sat Apr 29, 2017 5:56 am

Enjoy the wedding! I didn't realize you had to be Mormon to go inside a Mormon temple.

I almost never see you take an extra S day (me either).

Hope the family stuff goes well also.

Linda
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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

Post by oolala53 » Sat Apr 29, 2017 12:54 pm

Not only do you have to be Mormon, but "Only select LDS members can attend ... Generally this means four to 25 people. The ceremonies are short, do not involve decorations, music, rings or ritual and they generally occur in the mornings." Apparently, it takes only a few minutes. This part of hers is happening at 11 am, but the public ceremony and reception aren't until 2:30 pm.

I'm puzzled and surprised that after two days of more eating than usual that I'm actually hungry for breakfast. I haven't been hungry in the morning for a few years, including when I was eating bigger breakfasts. Will just go with it.
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

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

Post by oolala53 » Mon May 01, 2017 9:00 pm

Well, what a fantastic welcome back home. My neighbor called me just before I was going to leave for work to tell me my water main had broken and there was water rushing down the hillside on the other side of his house. He was trying to shut off the city water valve and it was covered with mud and debris from who knows what. He did finally get it off. (The city workers later told us they don't like it when people shut it off themselves, but also admitted that they would have done the same thing.) My neighbor had seemed frantic and I later saw what he had been too panicked to say. A part of the hillside has collapsed from being wet as well, with a big patch of dirt exposed instead of covered with weeds and plants that usually help keep the hillside up. I just got an estimate of 300 bucks just to repair the broken pipe. Don't know what it will be to shove some of the dirt back up and off the easement below me so the two residents there don't have to drive through a few inches of mud to get to their houses. There is someone nearby who is supposed to get back to me about using his backhoe, but I'll go down there myself to at least shovel off the driveway/easement if I have to.

Then I also saw next year's tentative master schedule at my high school. It looks like they are shoving off the coteach classes in 9th and 10th grade (I usually teach the coteach 10th grade English) to an open slot, meaning no one on staff has been willing to take it on and it will go to a new teacher who isn't even at our site yet. From previous year's experience, those slots often don't get filled until several weeks into the school year, and often with a brand new teacher. This is NOT in the students' best interest. And it will certainly make my life hell. Not that I make my coteacher's lives easy, if they can't control their classrooms. I have a reputation for being difficult to work with, but the people who are easy to work with are also known as people who do almost nothing. I guess I could accommodate that, if they prefer it. Fall was going to be my last semester! I was hoping it would be a pleasant one. And it's worth about $80,000, if I live 20 years, which odds are I will. But I could say that about staying on another year, too, and I can't see that happening for love or money. Even though that would HAVE to be my last year, per an agreement with the district to let me reduce my hours, pay full time $$ into the system, and get the retirement pay I would working full time.

Oh, these thoughts just keep going round and round.

I guess anything can happen between now and then, though.

I guess I also have to remember: “The foremost reason that happiness is so hard to achieve is that the universe was not designed with the comfort of human beings in mind.”
&#8213; Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, Flow
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

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

Post by oolala53 » Mon May 01, 2017 11:41 pm

But I ate my breakfast and lunch pretty much as usual. Allowed myself some cafe au lait in between, a habit I had given up about 15 months ago with good effect. Actually, it makes it much more effective to use if very judiciously like this.

Now bummed because I am missing a stress reduction class for the second week in a row because I am waiting for the repair person to return since there is still a small leak. Hoo, boy. Talk about irony.
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)

Larkspur
Posts: 438
Joined: Mon Mar 06, 2017 3:30 pm
Location: Pennsylvania

Post by Larkspur » Mon May 01, 2017 11:43 pm

So sorry about the flooding! How awful. Water situations are the worst.

Re the yucky work problem, can you give it some time? I've had the experience of things that seemed intolerable either changing, or my reaction changed. I hope when the earth turns a few times this will seem less distressing. Best wishes.

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

Post by oolala53 » Tue May 02, 2017 12:31 am

Hugs, Larkspur! I'll send one on your thread, too.
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)

ironchef
Posts: 1630
Joined: Mon Jul 30, 2012 10:12 am
Location: Australia

Post by ironchef » Wed May 03, 2017 1:39 am

So sorry to hear about your flooding damage - I hope your contractor could sort it all out for you. What a nasty "surprise".

Nothing but sympathy on the work front. My husband is only 8 years in to his public highschool teaching career, but oof, sometimes the system just bites.

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

Post by oolala53 » Wed May 03, 2017 2:23 am

Here's a blurb from Brad Pilon.

"Three groups of people, all overeating, but overeating different ratios of protein, carbs and fat.

Each group overate by around 900 extra calories per day for 8 weeks.

Over an 8 Week period:

*Group 1 gained between 6.2 and 9.9 pounds of fat

*Group 2 gained between 5.9 and 9.3 pounds of fat

*Group 3 gained between 5.7 and 9.6 pounds of fat

The difference in their diets?

*Group 1 was only eating around 47 grams of protein per day (That’s really low)

*Group 2 was eating around 140 grams of protein per day

*Group 3 was eating around 230 grams of protein (Pretty high by non-bodybuilding standards)

The lesson from this study is despite the differences in protein intake the driving force in fat gain was the calorie intake."

These differences were really small.

Interesting to me: I did the math and people SHOULD have gained over 14 lbs. Brad didn't comment on it here but he has said in the past that metabolism rises when we gain weight, so just like we need less to maintain a loss, it looks like it takes quite a bit more to put on and maintain once the pounds go up. Which means I was eating even more in the old days than I thought.

I'm feeling peckish tonight. Doing my tactic of promising a big breakfast. We'll see if I"m hungry. I had been after my "vacation days of eating, but this morning, nuthin'.
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

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

Post by oolala53 » Wed May 03, 2017 2:28 am

P.S. Won't go into the details of why but I walked a lot in stages today and it turns out it added up to over 10 miles! It's amazing what you can do when you split it up. But it took time I don't usually have.

Reminds me of a guy named Covert Bailey who wrote a book called Fit or Fat years ago. He claimed that if he were obese, he would find a way to walk four hours a day until he had lost the weight. It is true that my lowest adult weight was after I had been a tourist in India and Nepal for months, walking a lot just about every day. But it's not a repeatable lifestyle for a working person.
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

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

Post by oolala53 » Fri May 05, 2017 1:12 pm

Had a pretty big fail yesterday. AT the teacher lunch, they had bags of snack things, which I don't usually have, but I decided I would have one. Then it turned out they were all hot versions, like hot Cheetos, instead of the plain ones. I decided that after work, I would get myself some on a virtual plate. Checked the bargain offerings of the market across the street. First mistake. Ended up getting a bigger package of something else because it was cheap and ended up eating the whole thing over the course of the rest of the day. And it was so easy to do. The scariest part is that I didn't get very stuffed. That bag was the equivalent of about 75% of a whole day's eating for me. The power of particle foods!

But I tell you what. I was able to nap when I got home in a way I often can't, and boy did I feel better. I'd be suspicious that eating fewer starch servings than I used to was affecting my sleep if I didn't know I used to scarf on them all the time and still had sleep problems.

Ok, that's over. I think there is no meal offered today for Teacher Week. I think there are two receptions after our shortened day. If there are, I will declare this an S day and enjoy both.

After today, three more weeks of instruction, then 3 days of exams and a final day.
Last edited by oolala53 on Mon May 08, 2017 11:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

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

Post by oolala53 » Sat May 06, 2017 7:46 pm

Took an S day yesterday and honestly, I was a bit of an idiot. It happens.

I did not eat ALL the bag of goodies given us. Won't tell you what was left at the end of the day, but just for the heck of it, I totaled up the calories, whichit was easy to do since everything was packaged. 1170 calories all packed into a space smaller than a lunch bag. The magic of manufactured food!

I hope I'm done, but I can't promise. I'm kind of stuck near home because of water issues and possible rain that might compromise a recent fix. That's no real excuse but it does help me sometimes when I am wobbling to be able to go out and see a movie, shop, walk in a park, etc. I'm just less likely to buy crap out than I am to sniff around at home. Oh, well.

I'm kind of infatuated with cooked sour grains, a twist on sourdough I stumbled on a few months ago. It takes about 48 hours of soaking, so you do have to plan ahead, but since I end up freezing most of what I cook anyway, it's not that hard to be having some soaking while I still have an alternate at the ready. I'm trying to keep red cargo rice, which I still have left from a discount purchase months ago, and rye berries on hand. Just finished rye berry soaking and cooking this morning. I like the tang of the grain, but still add a little sumpin'. Two dry cups makes a lot of servings for this single gal.

The flour-based products are almost gone. I'm going to try to use the whole grains even more often to stretch out the tortillas and bread. Got a few servings of pancake mix left, too. Oh, I forgot there's other flours in the fridge.

No one in this house is in danger of starving...

Just for fun, an excerpt about Ikarians, residents of a remote Greek island who live pretty long lives without degenerative disease:

"Older Ikarians eat a diet rich in greens and other vegetables, beans, and fruit, which together account for 64% of their daily food intake. Fat accounts for more than 50% of their daily calories, but more than half the fat energy comes from olive oil..."

It's not my intent to completely copy them but it's interesting how high the fat content is. I guess the 64% means in volume, since 64 + 50 adds up to more than 100! I wonder what the other fat energy is.

Funny that an article on them from goes on to say that their diet is rich in seafood, when seafood hadn't even been mentioned before! Turns out they have it twice a week. I don't call that rich, but it's more than many Americans. They often eat bread with honey and drink goat's milk for breakfast and dinner. And have a few glasses of wine, sometimes even at breakfast.

So much for low carb. But I'm not saying low carb hasn't saved some people's lives.

I might be repeating myself.
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)

Larkspur
Posts: 438
Joined: Mon Mar 06, 2017 3:30 pm
Location: Pennsylvania

Post by Larkspur » Mon May 08, 2017 1:38 pm

It is easy to get lost in various dietary recommendations, isn't it?

The one that I find most difficult to reconcile is the high (usually animal) protein recommendation you see everywhere-- it's supposed to be good for satiety and weight loss, but it's also supposed to be implicated in cancer development. Also (and this one I haven't researched as much) I am troubled by the Bob Harpers who eat lots of egg protein every morning and then suffer a widowmaker heart attack at 53 in spite of being perfectly slender and fit. (Fortunately he's all right.)

Understanding that most of this stuff is may not be mediated by diet or necessarily preventable-- I personally don't feel too drawn by paleo or low carb. But then I'm not thin or likely to be. At this point if I can get down to a BMI of less than 27, I'll be thrilled :)

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

Post by oolala53 » Mon May 08, 2017 2:05 pm

RE: protein. I agree. Maybe I've just been looking at a scientifically incestuous group, but in looking at the longevity issue as related to lower energy intake, it doesn't sound to me like any of the researchers advocate a lot of protein. I don't think any I've read were into LC. But what's a lot of protein? The LCHF groups tend to keep it at 30% or less, so that's not really high in comparison to many recommended diets.

I think the LC group would say that it was the protein sources (grain and hormone fed animals) that caused the problem.

Lordy, I know too much about this stuff... But I haven't found much else that's terribly more compelling, except going round and round on my difficulties at work or inability to find an alternative. Ahhh, looking at food. Much safer.

:shock:
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)

Larkspur
Posts: 438
Joined: Mon Mar 06, 2017 3:30 pm
Location: Pennsylvania

Post by Larkspur » Mon May 08, 2017 3:07 pm

Start a novel? You're already slim & fit-- next project! (Don't stop helping the rest of us, though!)

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

Post by oolala53 » Mon May 08, 2017 11:45 pm

I tried writing short stories years ago. Way hard! They just devolved into sappy stuff more like a teen after-school program.

Creativity is hard! You have to be willing and able to sit rather patiently and let stuff come to you, with many hours not really netting much. Pros make it look easy. But who knows?

Our district is claiming a $5 million dollar short fall and using that as an excuse not to grant a 3% pay raise. This is nearly a year after the contract has expired. For older employees, this can make an appreciable difference in retirement, or so a colleague said. I guess over 20 or 30 years, yeah. But I'm going to the rally. He also said a nearby district claimed something similar but it was a ploy and then offered a golden handshake. You wouldn't have to use a ploy for me to go for that in a heart beat. In fact, I was thinking if it looked like we might strike--we voted during the last long drawn out negotiations to strike, and then the district finally gave in on a couple of little things-- I would be so torn. If we struck and then ended up caving, I'd never make that lost pay back.

First world problems.
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)

Whosonfirst
Posts: 538
Joined: Thu Nov 16, 2006 12:32 pm

Post by Whosonfirst » Fri May 12, 2017 2:57 pm

One of our local school districts has not had a contract for 2-3 years now. And it's a fairly affluent area by mid-Pa standards. Get to your retirement and start a new career, even if it's just writing short stories. Or in your case some kind of blog, in which you'd be pretty good. Nothing beats retirement for stress reduction and being able to do whatever without worrying about schedules, job pressures, etc.
https://twitter.com/SipeEngineering
Current weight(9/2020)-212 lbs.
Goal Weight- 205 lbs.
NoS Goal: >= 80% Success days

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

Post by oolala53 » Sun May 21, 2017 7:51 pm

Well, I have been on a bender apropos of nothing. There really is no good explanation to me. All I know is that I let myself go check the bargain shelves at the supermarket across the street from work Monday, and that led to the full week of doing it, with escalating refined carb intake bought there and other places. Have had a food hangover just about every day. I don't feel completely lost, though I had memories of those days come back, but

This S day has been sane. Got a Shakespeare event this afternoon where there will scones. I will have one. Also have a boomer event with a cover band, so lots of dancing in store. The sponsor group is plugging the restaurant, but I'll play it by ear.

Got decent freggies for the week, though Costco didn't have the spring mix I prefer. I had just gone to the competition last night but assumed C would have what I wanted, so I didn't buy there. Got enough to tide me over. And still living off my starch/protein stores since Mar.
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)

Whosonfirst
Posts: 538
Joined: Thu Nov 16, 2006 12:32 pm

Post by Whosonfirst » Sun May 21, 2017 8:29 pm

Being on a bender has a different meaning where we live. On a bender here, you don't remember what you ate or did; haha.
https://twitter.com/SipeEngineering
Current weight(9/2020)-212 lbs.
Goal Weight- 205 lbs.
NoS Goal: >= 80% Success days

Larkspur
Posts: 438
Joined: Mon Mar 06, 2017 3:30 pm
Location: Pennsylvania

Post by Larkspur » Mon May 22, 2017 1:49 pm

Think of it as "carb cycling." Reset the thermostat.

Back on the true path :)

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

Post by oolala53 » Tue May 23, 2017 1:54 am

I guess I'm a lightweight at benders. Lucky.

Good one, Larkspur. 8)
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

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

Post by oolala53 » Wed May 24, 2017 1:16 pm

Had a red, but much improved, day yesterday, so much so that I feel like it was green. I allowed myself an afternoon snack. I also allowed myself to eat out of the pan instead of putting the food on a plate! Oh, the little rebellious things that placate us. The portion was what I would have had anyway.

I don't usually look for reasons why I eat, that having not helped me for decades before, but it will be interesting to see if I have the same problem with afternoons during my break.Not going to speculate now.
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

Eileen7316
Posts: 140
Joined: Thu Jul 14, 2005 10:59 pm
Location: Florida

Post by Eileen7316 » Wed May 24, 2017 1:41 pm

Oolala, maybe this is backlash from the reduced calorie period you had recently.
Eileen

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

Post by oolala53 » Wed May 24, 2017 2:20 pm

Well, I can't know for sure, and I do intend to go back to my previous eating because I actually did feel better, so I'd like to think that's not it. I really think it's mostly just that we have these old grooves that are normally kind of filled in but if something disturbs the filler, we get whooshed in for a bit. I'm working on filling mine back up. The remedy for me is the same no matter what the cause: meal-based 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)

ironchef
Posts: 1630
Joined: Mon Jul 30, 2012 10:12 am
Location: Australia

Post by ironchef » Thu May 25, 2017 7:09 am

Well done on dialing it back down - much improved sounds great!

I totally agree with the "old grooves" idea. It is why I have to be so much more mindful in order to eat moderately when I'm at my parents' house - the old grooves are there, and it's easy to fall into those familiar patterns.

Post Reply