Ugggh! Help and Advice

[locoAllie]

I have been on vanilla NoS since May 11th. That was a Wed. and I completed that week without any slip ups. The next week, I had one day during the week where I had a small mistake (I finished the rest of my son's frozen yogurt). Then the following week (last week) I had one day where I failed because of having friends over (this day was a pretty bad one). Anyway, all in all, I feel like I have been following the program pretty well. I have also been exercising about 15 min a day Mon-Fri. I am also a pretty active person because I have kids.

My S days have been pretty crazy but I wouldn't say I've been binging all day during those days. Anyway, all that to say, I have been doing NoS for about 2 1/2 weeks and really haven't noticed a change in my weight at all. I know the scale isn't necessary my friend and I also had female issues (sorry guys) during one of those weeks but I still feel like I should have lost at least a pound or two. My family is going to the beach, and I know I would feel so much more encouraged going there, if I had just lost a couple of pounds. I really only have about 5-10 pounds to lose, but I can't understand why I haven't seen any changes.
I keep wondering if it is possible to lose weight on NoS even if you don't have a lot to lose. I would think anytime you cut out your sugar intake, no matter how much you have to lose, that you would see a difference, but now I am not so sure. I really want to continue doing NoS but I wonder if I will ever see changes, or if it's possible that I might even gain!
I really like the sense of control that NoS gives me and how I feel like I can tell myself "No". I have also noticed changes in my complexion now that I am not eating so much sugar. The program is great and I love it and really want to continue it. I guess I am just feeling a bit discouraged and wondering if anyone else has done NoS with only about 5-10 to lose.

Thanks!

[wosnes]

The less you have to lose, the slower it tends to come off. Also, it's not unusual not to lose too much the first few weeks unless following No-S is a major departure from the way you're used to eating.

[Sienna]

Here at NoS, we don't count calories. But that doesn't mean that calorie logic doesn't come into play. While there is debate over whether or not certain calories "count" more than others, on some level it still comes down to creating a calorie deficit.

The heavier you are, the more calories you burn. So, assume that you need X calories a day to maintain your goal weight. If you've got 100lbs to lose and start eating X calories a day you'll lose pretty quickly - because your calorie intake is considerably less than your calorie burn. But if you've only got 5 pounds to lose, and you eat X calories a day you'll lose very slowly. Because the deficit you are creating is very small. It could take weeks to lose a pound.

Hypothetically, you could calorie restrict to well below X calories per day to speed weight loss. But that's not how NoS works. NoS is about moderation rather than restriction. This means slower weight loss, especially if you are close to your goal weight.

I had a lot of weight to lose when I started NoS (75+pounds). I'm now only about 15 pounds away from my goal weight. When I started, I was losing about 1.5 pounds a week. I'm now losing about .5 pounds a week. Which is incidentally so small that from one week to the next, I often show a gain despite the overall trend down. I fully expect my rate of weight loss to continue to decrease. The only reason I can track the trend is that I weigh daily and plot all sorts of fun linear regressions (because I'm a bit of a math geek, and while it would drive some people insane, this keeps me motivated and on top of things).

It's disappointing not to see immediate results. But two and a half weeks is a very short time in the grand scheme of things. Especially because it can take a little while for S days to calm down.

Keep enjoying the sense of control. Don't stress about the number on the scale and see what happens in a few months. You'll get there.

[jellybeans01]

when you are at your last 5-10 lbs it is a lot slower. This is my situation, In order for me to be the thin 125 I love to be I have to be a good no s'er with only one s day and regular workouts.

[sophiasapientia]

Hi! I just wanted to chime in with the others and say welcome! =)

I agree, too, with the input others have given. Many of us with "less to lose" have found that we need to be a little more intentional in order lose weight or maintain a lower weight on No S. I keep things in check by using smaller plates (9" or less) for all meals at home and by staying active (I wear a pedometer and shoot to get over 10,000 steps everyday and typically walk for 45 minutes to an hour 6-7 days a week.) I've found through trial and error that this is enough for me to create a calorie deficit and lose weight even with 2 S Days. Everyone is different but, if you give it a chance, you'll find what works for you. No S is such a simple, enjoyable and sane WOE and it can work.