Terre's Daily Check In

Counting carbs/calories is a drag. Obsessive scale stepping is a recipe for despair. If you want to count something, "days on habit" is a much better metric. Checking off days on a calendar would do just fine, but if you do it here you get accountability and support. Here's how. Start a new topic in this forum called (say) "Your Name Daily Check In." Then every N day post a "reply" to that topic as to whether you stayed on habit. A simple "<font color="green">SUCCESS</font>" or "<font color="red">FAILURE</font>" (or your preferred euphemism if that's too harsh) is sufficient, but obviously you're welcome to write more if you want. On S-days just register that you're taking an S-day. You don't have to do this forever, just until you're confident you've built the habit. Feel free to check in weekly or monthly or sporadically instead of daily. Feel free also to track other habits besides No-s (I'm keeping this forum under No-s because that's what the vast majority are using it for). See also my <a href="/habitcal/">HabitCal</a> tool for another more formal (and perhaps complementary) way to track habits.

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TDE
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Joined: Wed Jan 25, 2006 6:47 pm
Location: Iowa

Terre's Daily Check In

Post by TDE » Thu Jan 26, 2006 2:04 am

I'm new here, but I poked around, loved the concept, and began the diet about a week ago. I have had about 7 N days in a row-- even through the weekend days. I have lost 13 pounds so far (not in the last 7 days, but I was cutting back before then, too).

Yesterday was a serious S day, however. It was my husband's birthday, and I made some mean chicken and dumplings, all homemade (I pulled out all the stops, making it with wine, cream, buttermilk...). I realize that a meal doesn't count, even a really rich one, as long as you don't have any "esses" but I did have seconds of the chicken. And he brought home cheesecake from the cheesecake factory (how could I say no?)! And I drank wine!

So, it was a serious S day yesterday.

Today I didn't feel good, and when I don't feel good, I somehow feel better when I eat Mcdonald's french fries. After watching Super Size Me, I am mortified by that, but it's the truth. So today I had Mcdonald's for lunch, instead of my usual Wendy's salad. However, I did not have sweets or seconds or snacks. Just a poor choice of lunch.

Now the cheesecake is calling me, as there is some left, but I am working hard to wait until Saturday to have another piece!

After all that, I can report:

Day 1 - A successful N Day. My weight ends in the number 4. (Wish me luck with that cheesecake calling my name... I have to be strong until Saturday!)

By the way, I am attending my 20th high school reunion this summer, and going on a cruise. I am working hard to lose enough weight to feel great about myself. Part of my psychology is to ask myself before eating something if this potential setback in weight loss is going to add up to regret-- is it really worth it. I turned down a brownie last weekend because I thought hard about it and realized that it would taste good for the 2 minutes it took to eat it, but it wouldn't be so great that it would be worth not feeling good later this summer. Now, the chicken and dumplings and cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory really made my husband's birthday special, and they were worth "blowing the diet" for.

TDE
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Jan 25, 2006 6:47 pm
Location: Iowa

Post by TDE » Fri Jan 27, 2006 11:50 am

I was able to resist the cheesecake! It's still in there, though, but I will reward myself this weekend if I am still craving it.

Day 2 - successful N day

Still one more day to go to resist the cherry cheesecake!

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carolejo
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Post by carolejo » Fri Jan 27, 2006 11:53 am

Hi Terre,

I'm sure you'll do just fine! It sounds like you're off to a rocking great start anyway. :D

Just a quick piece of (unsolicited - is there really any other kind? :lol: ) advice. Watch out with skipping those S days. Did you have 7 N days in a row just because you didn't want anything special on the weekend, or were you just trying to be 'extra good'? The thing is, the S days are there for a reason as your safety valve, and it's part of building a good and healthy, sustainable relationship with food that you should be able to cut loose every now and then and enjoy your treats without any guilt.

Your choice of MacDonalds for lunch every now and then is also fine! In the macro scale of things, if you're eating healthy and delicious food most of the time, the odd junk food meal won't make any difference.

I'm relieved that you didn't lose all of your 13 pounds in the last 7 days! That would be WAY unhealthy and very unsustainable.

Good luck with NoS. Hope it brings you peace and health.

C.
CaroleJo

cvmom
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Location: California

Post by cvmom » Sat Jan 28, 2006 2:51 am

Hey Terre:

I wouldn't worry about overdoing it on your husband's birthday. It was after all, and "S" day and you don't get another opportunity to experience his birthday for another year.

You are very smart to start thinking about your reunion now. I don't know how much you want or need to lose to get your body back into balance but starting in January will give you a major advantage. I'm sure you don't want to be freaking out in May and doing some rash diet.

After you eat according to the No S principles for awhile resisting things like the cheesecake should be pretty simple. In fact, you may even forget the stuff is there.

Best of luck.

Dru (No esser since May)

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