ironchef mostly weekly 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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Post by eschano » Mon Nov 05, 2012 11:03 am

ironchef wrote:And, just for eschano, here is a full list of my Saturday S's!
Breakfast - same as N day, but with a teaspoon of golden syrup on my oats. Sweets.
Mid-morning - 2 dairy free mint slice biscuits. Snack and a Sweet.
Lunch - same as N-day, except with honey on my peanut butter. Sweets.
Mid-arvo - 1 slice dairy free orange and poppy seed cake. Snack and a Sweet.
Dinner - same as N day.
After dinner - mint slice biscuit. Sweet and Seconds!
ETA: and a 375ml can of lemon squash. Sweet!
Hi Ironchef,

Thanks a lot, this was actually very helpful. I think you're doing wonderfully! It also helps to put my S days into perspective (I still have like double of what you eat but it's not quite as bad as I imagined) :D
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Hey

Post by tobiasmom » Mon Nov 05, 2012 1:39 pm

You're doing awesome and continue to inspire me week after week!

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Post by ironchef » Sat Nov 10, 2012 5:25 am

A completely green week, even though friends were here on Thursday afternoon for coffee and cakes. No S really feels effortless now, and I rarely feel hungry except at meal times. Even then, I generally just feel pleasantly peckish 30 minutes before a meal.

My trend calculation tells me that I'm now 59.6kg, which at 172cm gives me a BMI of 20.15. So, I don't really want to lose any more. However, I'm eating decent sized meals, and not skimping on the fats (avocado, peanut butter, etc). I don't feel hungry between meals, and when I do snack and eat sweets on S days I often feel a bit sick after. So, I'm going to stick with vanilla for now, but perhaps in a few months will need to look at some mods if my weight doesn't stabilize.

Things may change over the next few months, as my son starts solids in a few weeks (he's 24 weeks now). Once he is getting more from other foods, not just nursing, then perhaps the energy demand on me will be lower? Anyway, I'm not going to get concerned yet.

Hope everyone had a great week and enjoys some fun this weekend.

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Post by Sweetness » Sat Nov 10, 2012 8:06 pm

Congrats on the green week! several of us also did well! :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
Patty

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Hey

Post by tobiasmom » Sat Nov 10, 2012 11:10 pm

Awesome! Losing weight is a "problem" I hope to have when I start breast feeding in a few weeks!!

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Re: Hey

Post by ironchef » Sat Nov 10, 2012 11:59 pm

tobiasmom wrote:Awesome! Losing weight is a "problem" I hope to have when I start breast feeding in a few weeks!!
Thanks tobiasmom! To be honest though, I didn't start losing until about 10 weeks post partum, after starting No-S. So, not sure the nursing alone would do it?

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Post by eschano » Sun Nov 11, 2012 8:37 pm

Ironchef, you're such an inspiration for having a healthy BMI and still eating well on NoS - it makes me believe that I will make it someday too! Thanks for sharing!
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Hey

Post by tobiasmom » Sun Nov 11, 2012 10:04 pm

Oh, I meant nursing AND No-S for sure!

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Post by ironchef » Fri Nov 16, 2012 1:06 am

Thanks guys - really appreciate the positive comments, it always gives that little boost I need to stay on track!

Almost finished another green week, so pretty excited to hopefully have my first ever green month in November...we'll see.

Today I am taking an S event for lunch, as my husband and I are celebrating our 14th anniversary (of our relationship, not marriage). He's taking me to a beautiful restaurant on the river for lunch and my MIL is taking the baby for a few hours. I decided this will be an S event, as I would like to be able to do two courses, or a dessert, if there is something that takes my fancy.

I realized that apart from my vacation in September, this will be my first non-weekend S day since starting No S. Weird.

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Post by Sweetness » Fri Nov 16, 2012 3:24 am

Iron chef,
Happy anniversary and congrats on all the green! I'm also having a green week. :mrgreen: [/b]
Patty

Anxiety in a person's heart weighs him down, but an encouraging word brings him joy. (Proverbs 12:25 NET)
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Post by eschano » Fri Nov 16, 2012 10:35 am

Yes, happy anniversary and a big hurray for your green month-in-the-making!
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Post by ironchef » Fri Nov 16, 2012 10:34 pm

Thanks you guys, it was a beautiful day.

We went to a very fancy restaurant, you know the ones with huge plates (and prices) but small serves! We shared a seafood tasting plate, then I had some duck and mushroom risotto. We shared some hazelnut crepe dessert. I was so super full, I was glad we'd shared those extra courses.

I was so stuffed all afternoon, I ended up just having a banana and some blueberries for dinner. I wanted to keep the three meal structure though, which is why I ate the fruit. It's amazing to me how much less it takes now to feel truly decadent!

I've got a slice of non-dairy turkish orange cake in the freezer for Saturday treat, but I'm thinking of leaving it to Sunday now so I can be really hungry for it.

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Post by ironchef » Fri Nov 23, 2012 11:00 am

Another week down. Really, really hoping to keep my green streak to the end of November, which will make it my first completely green month.

I've lost another 1/2 pound this week according to my trend calculation.

Really looking forward to this weekend. I've started slowly introducing goat dairy (cheese and milk) to see if I can eat these and not affect my son's skin. So far it seems to be working. The great thing is that baking with goat milk is far closer to cow dairy that using the almond and oat milks. So, I've got a banana cake that I baked today, and I'm excited to try a piece tomorrow!

We've got a birthday party tomorrow for my niece, so that will be an S event.

I've also found some dairy free chocolate, so I'll try some this weekend as an experiment. A lot of dairy free stuff is gross though.

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Post by eschano » Fri Nov 23, 2012 1:14 pm

ironchef wrote:A lot of dairy free stuff is gross though.
:D Unfortunately I agree. My dad uses sheep milk. In chocolate I think it's especially nice.
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Post by milliem » Fri Nov 23, 2012 6:23 pm

Brilliant job on the ongoing green streak! :) I loooove goats cheese, hopefully it'll work out for you.

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Post by Sweetness » Sat Nov 24, 2012 2:25 am

I'm impressed at the green streak with a new baby. You should be very proud of yourself! :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
Patty

Anxiety in a person's heart weighs him down, but an encouraging word brings him joy. (Proverbs 12:25 NET)
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Post by ironchef » Mon Nov 26, 2012 11:03 am

Thanks for the comments and support all :)

Yeah, the dairy free chocolate was fairly ho hum. I won't buy it again. I also tried a brand of dairy free biscuits which I've decided I don't really enjoy. As a result of these treats being a bit blah I overate them. I know that sounds counter-intuitive, but I find that if I have a treat that isn't that great I end up eating more and more, like I'm waiting for the next bite to be really great. As a result, I didn't sleep well on Sunday night (sugar headache). A bit disappointing, I haven't had a crappy S day like that for a while.

I think baking for myself with goat milk, or getting naturally dairy free treat (nougat - yum!) will be the way to go.

Actually really relieved to return to N days today, and really looking forward to my chicken schnitzel for dinner!

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Hey

Post by tobiasmom » Mon Nov 26, 2012 2:44 pm

You're doing great!

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Post by freegirl » Sat Dec 01, 2012 12:12 am

Congratulations on the green month, Ironchef!
Last edited by freegirl on Sun Dec 02, 2012 3:15 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by snapdragon » Sat Dec 01, 2012 3:16 pm

You really are doing great!!!!
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Post by Sweetness » Sun Dec 02, 2012 12:04 am

Congrats on the green month :mrgreen: :o :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
Patty

Anxiety in a person's heart weighs him down, but an encouraging word brings him joy. (Proverbs 12:25 NET)
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Post by ironchef » Tue Dec 04, 2012 11:40 am

Thanks for the support guys, it means a lot. I'm really excited to head into my first No-S holiday season :)

The past week has been a bit harder, as my son has had a cold and cough, and so sleep has been a little bit thin(ner) on the ground. I just keep thinking "sleep, not sugar"!

I misjudged today for the first time in a while - I had a smaller than usual lunch earlier than usual, without the amount of fruit and veg I normally include. I was starving by 4pm. I toughed it out until dinner time, but it wasn't a lot of fun. A good reminder that I need to keep my meals balanced.

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Post by ironchef » Thu Dec 06, 2012 11:11 am

Wednesday 5th - red

Same mistake I made a few months back - ordered my mocha and forgot to say no marshmallows. Take away cup, so they'd melted in, and I drank it anyway. Sickly sweet, so definitely a red. Ah well, December's colors are red and green ;) Kept the fail to just those marshmallows though, so pleased with that.

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Post by Sweetness » Thu Dec 06, 2012 5:50 pm

I had my first red yesterday too, but it was a conscious decision. :oops: you could at least claim it wasn't on purpose, and we both kept the rest of the day green which really is a success! :mrgreen:
Patty

Anxiety in a person's heart weighs him down, but an encouraging word brings him joy. (Proverbs 12:25 NET)
I'm a glutton for encouragement.

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Post by ironchef » Mon Dec 10, 2012 5:35 am

My "social" S day goal is not really working out. Hanging out with a small baby doesn't really lend itself to leisurely social treats, and I get a bit grumpy if I have no treat at all on an S day. I'm going to have to think about it a bit more.

I did have one great moment this weekend though. I bought some Turkish delight to share with my DH. I had a piece and it really wasn't that great. I had put three pieces on my plate, so I put the second piece in my mouth. Then I thought "hey, this is a bit gross, why am I eating more of it" and spat it out. Didn't eat it and gave the third piece to my DH. I never thought I'd see the day where I rejected sweets for not being good enough!

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Post by eschano » Mon Dec 10, 2012 11:35 am

ironchef wrote: I never thought I'd see the day where I rejected sweets for not being good enough!
Brilliant! Well done, and hopefully there'll be many more such days to come.
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Post by Sweetness » Tue Dec 11, 2012 12:58 am

eschano wrote:
ironchef wrote: I never thought I'd see the day where I rejected sweets for not being good enough!
Brilliant! Well done, and hopefully there'll be many more such days to come.

:idea: 8)
Patty

Anxiety in a person's heart weighs him down, but an encouraging word brings him joy. (Proverbs 12:25 NET)
I'm a glutton for encouragement.

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Post by eschano » Wed Dec 12, 2012 9:34 am

ironchef wrote:Wednesday 5th - red

Same mistake I made a few months back - ordered my mocha and forgot to say no marshmallows. Take away cup, so they'd melted in, and I drank it anyway. Sickly sweet, so definitely a red. Ah well, December's colors are red and green ;) Kept the fail to just those marshmallows though, so pleased with that.
Ironchef - I thought of you for my whole commute into work. I ordered a Latte at my local Starbucks like every morning and somehow ended up with a Hazelnut latte. I bring my own cup in so I definitely didn't get someone else's. It was extremely sweet but I didn't have time to get another one. I drank it anyway. It was delicious.

I had to laugh because it reminded me so much of your story. Hilarious.
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Post by ironchef » Thu Dec 13, 2012 11:10 am

Ha, eschano, love that you had the same mess up. I adore hazelnut lattes by the way!

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Post by eschano » Thu Dec 13, 2012 11:54 am

:wink: It definitely goes on my S day under-consideration-list from now on. :D
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Post by ironchef » Fri Dec 14, 2012 6:48 am

Green week this week, very pleased.
I've decided to add one S event to my December calendar. I have been invited to lunch with my old work colleagues next Thursday, so I think I'll make it an S event in case I want multiple courses or a sweet. It's pretty rare for me to go out without the baby, and it is a Christmas party :)

I've lost another pound or two, so according to my trend calculation I'm now 58.7kg (129.4lb) and my BMI is 19.8. It's rather strange, now that I'm past my goal. I'm just kind of floating along, doing No-S and wondering where my weight will "settle out". I've started running a bit more, and I'm considering training for the Rottnest marathon: this is the marathon I came within 5 weeks of running last year, and had to bow out because I fell pregnant.

If my BMI (using my trended weight) gets below 19.5, I'm thinking I might need some kind of mod, but I'm not sure what? I eat what I consider well filled dinner plates, and I don't steer clear of dense foods - I eat nuts and nut butters, non-lean meats, pasta, potatoes, etc.

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Post by eschano » Fri Dec 14, 2012 9:46 am

Good idea. And great to hear that's possible. My goal was very much only to be in the normal weight range but maybe I should set another one. Otherwise I'm pretty much in the same position :)
If you consider a mod let me know how it goes! wosnos has I believe considerable success with mods.
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Post by ironchef » Tue Dec 18, 2012 3:57 am

Monday 17th December - RED Day

My MIL took care of our son while my DH and I went on a date to a Gold Class movie. We ordered some sparkling wine for during the film, and my DH decided to order a tasting plate of olives, bread, cheese and marinated mushrooms. I had some olives, bread and mushrooms, so therefore failure. I was very aware of making the decision, partly because I was feeling celebratory (out on a date) and partly because I wanted some food in my stomach because I was eating. However, since it was not planned in advance, that makes it a No-S failure. I did keep it to just that snack, and kept the rest of the day a normal N day.

So, marking it and moving on! Shooting for Green the rest of the week, except for my planned S event on Thursday.

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Post by eschano » Tue Dec 18, 2012 9:23 am

Ironchef, maybe that can be your mod? Date nights are extra S days (I might be wrong and you get loads of them but if you're like many of us, probably not more than one or two a week :) )
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Post by Gepetto » Tue Dec 18, 2012 11:56 am

Hi ironchef, just read through your past few entries, and am thoroughly impressed with your ability to resist the "WTH" monster! It's so easy to throw in the towel after a fall, and you steered clear beautifully.

Your wonderment about where your weight will settle seems natural - having to eat more to maintain a healthy weight might be a good problem to have! :-)
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Post by Sweetness » Tue Dec 18, 2012 5:00 pm


I've lost another pound or two, so according to my trend calculation I'm now 58.7kg (129.4lb) and my BMI is 19.8. It's rather strange, now that I'm past my goal. I'm just kind of floating along, doing No-S and wondering where my weight will "settle out". I've started running a bit more, and I'm considering training for the Rottnest marathon: this is the marathon I came within 5 weeks of running last year, and had to bow out because I fell pregnant.

If my BMI (using my trended weight) gets below 19.5, I'm thinking I might need some kind of mod, but I'm not sure what? I eat what I consider well filled dinner plates, and I don't steer clear of dense foods - I eat nuts and nut butters, non-lean meats, pasta, potatoes, etc.
This is a good problem to have. I wouldn't set a new goal, but just wait and see where it all settles out. Congrats on meeting and passing your goal! If you run marathons, you certainly will need a mod to replace some calories... I'm thinking marathon training programs have all kinds of advice about that! 8)
Patty

Anxiety in a person's heart weighs him down, but an encouraging word brings him joy. (Proverbs 12:25 NET)
I'm a glutton for encouragement.

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Post by ironchef » Thu Dec 20, 2012 10:53 am

@ Gepetto - thanks! Knowing that I'm going to check in here makes all the difference in resisting the urge to "crash the car" after that first dent.

@ Sweetness - I think you are right, I'll just float along a bit longer and see where I end up. I don't expect to lose anything over Christmas anyway, with a bunch of S days coming up. Marathon training will be interesting, I will try to schedule my long runs on weekends, so I can just have S's :)

@ eschano - good idea. We probably get out for a date once a month or so, so making them S days wouldn't really break the bank. I'll have to think about it.

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Post by ironchef » Tue Jan 01, 2013 10:17 am

Phew, pleased to be back to a green N day today, after so many S days in a bunch. I feel so much better.

Very pleased to get through December with only 2 reds, and neither of them was a "car crash". I've maintained my weight (I was losing about 1/2 pound a week) over the holidays, probably due to all the extra S days. I'm pleased though - maintenance is actually what I'm aiming for now.

We are in a crazy heat wave here at the moment, with a week of days over 38 deg C (100 F). Ugh.

I haven't really kept up my exercise at all over the holidays - it's been to hot for walking outside with the baby, and I've been busy when I'd normally be at the gym. I think in January my main focus will be getting back to an exercise routine.

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Post by ironchef » Sat Jan 05, 2013 11:46 am

I just had my first ever S day where N day habits REALLY took over.

Maybe it's that I've had lots of S days over Christmas and I'm sick of them, maybe it's that I've finally been doing this long enough?

I had my usual S day breakfast treat of cocoa powder, peanut butter and brown sugar with my oats. Then I was off to church to be godmother to my best friend's little girl (so cute!). I got back and had lunch with my mom and then we played with the baby and took him with us while we picked out a blouse together.

My lunch was all arranged on one plate, with no sweets. And when we were out at the shops, my mom got a coffee and muffin. I ordered (without thinking) a mocha with no sugar or marshmallows. I didn't get a muffin because, well, I don't do that. It wasn't until just now (dinner time - one bowl of soup) that I realized "hey, it is Saturday, I didn't have to have a one plate lunch, and I could have had that muffin". Now, obviously I didn't really want the muffin, or I would have remembered, but still!

I am just so excited that this has finally happened (at least for one day). I kept believing the idea that "N day habits will eventually spill over", but after 5 months I was wondering if I needed to introduce something else to curb S days. I would read posts from people like wosnes saying sometimes they wake up on Monday and realise they didn't have any S's on the weekend and think "wow, that will never happen to me". Now I am thinking I can see how that would happen.

Pride goeth before a fall, so I expect Sunday will be a eat-fest. Anyway, just wanted to share, as I'm really excited.

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Post by Sweetness » Sat Jan 05, 2013 5:47 pm

That's wonderful! You should be excited! My S days are definitely tamer, but this has not happened to me! Happy for you! Lets color it green :mrgreen:
Patty

Anxiety in a person's heart weighs him down, but an encouraging word brings him joy. (Proverbs 12:25 NET)
I'm a glutton for encouragement.

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Post by ironchef » Fri Jan 18, 2013 1:13 am

Thursday 17th - RED

My sister and her fiance came over and cooked me dinner: delicious cisoul and salad with berries, home baked cookies and ricotta to follow. So, I ended up eating seconds and sweets. If I'd known in advance they were going to cook for me I might have made it an S day, but instead it is a pretty big RED - lots of food!

I've lost another pound or so, taking my total to 15.5 pounds lost. I'm now 128 pounds. As long as I don't have too many reds or S days, the slow downward drift appears to be continuing.

I'm back to walking about an hour a day, with the dog and baby in the late afternoons. My son seems to be dropping to two rather than three naps most days, and the long walk is a good chill out time for him.

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Post by eschano » Fri Jan 18, 2013 9:25 am

Seems it was a very worthy Red :wink: Life would be awfully bland without those kinds of reds. I think it's the emotional eating/unworthy reds we all have to look out for.

Also: amazing how the drift continues!
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Post by ironchef » Thu Jan 31, 2013 11:18 am

Jan 28th (Monday) - Red day

My husband is back after a week in Melbourne and then a busy week at work. He looked after our son for an hour so I could take a book to a local cafe and have some time out. I caved and tried their black rice pudding with coconut milk, because it looked AWESOME. And it was. I should have come back on Saturday, but I didn't.

The rest of the week has been green, so just two reds for January. I'm pretty happy with that.

Looking forward to all green for Feb, after all it is a short month!

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Post by ironchef » Thu Feb 07, 2013 10:54 am

Tues 5th Feb - RED

I visited a friend who has recently had twins. She was so proud of finding the time to bake for my visit, that I didn't have the heart to turn down a piece of the cake she made. It was a very nice pumpkin and raisin cake. I did keep it to just that slice.

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Post by SpiritSong » Thu Feb 07, 2013 2:50 pm

That sounds like a good sacrifice to make. A mother of twins who made the time to bake is not someone to be messed with! :wink:

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Post by jld141 » Sat Mar 09, 2013 3:31 am

Hi ironchef! I just read your daily/weekly check in and was truly inspired! You are such a good example of how No S is supposed to work, and I really want it to work the same way for me too. I'm starting out at a similar weight as you did (although I am a lot shorter so I have a little bit more to lose). I noticed that you also wrote down exercising a lot in your check in. I was just wondering how long/often you actually exercise? Also, what is a typical No-S day look like for you food wise? I want to get an idea of how a successful No-S-er eats.

Any other tips you have would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!!

ironchef
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Post by ironchef » Mon Mar 11, 2013 6:42 am

hi jld, thanks for stopping by, glad to be of encouragement! I hope you enjoy No-S as much as I have!

I walk my dog every day with my baby, but since it has been very hot here this Summer, I haven't kept up the strength work that I was doing. I do work two nights a week at the gym, but that is me training people, not me working out. At present, I walk about 30 - 60 minutes a day, and "swim" with my son about twice a week (this is mostly me water walking with him). I take "Mums and Bubs" yoga once a week. I think Reinhard's recommendations on exercise (small time slots, Urban Rangering) are great.

As far as food goes, my typical N day goes:
Breakfast: Small bowl of steel cut oat porridge with sultanas (3 tbsp oats, made with milk and water), plus a fruit (e.g. banana, apple), plus a slice of grain bread with PB.

Lunch: 2 - 3 slices grain bread with ham or cheese or tuna and salad, or PB, or some scrambled eggs. Fruit or cut up veggies. Yoghurt. Sometimes I make a soup for dinner, and have that for lunch with a slice of bread.

Dinner: Almost anything, as long as it fits on a plate. I try to make most meals at home, and almost everything I cook either has veggies in it or I make veg or salad on the side. So, last night we had roast leg of lamb, with pumpkin, sweet potato, peas, corn and potatoes. The night before I made a lasagna (with lots of veg in the sauce), and we had steamed broccoli on the side.

That's a typical day, however if I'm out at a restaurant, or happen to feel like a beef and mushroom pie from the local bakery, I'll have them with no guilt. I do feel best when I include some fruit and veg in my day though.

Every person is different, so don't be discouraged if your path turns out different from mine, or others here on the forum. I'm still breast feeding, so that means I use up an extra 300 cal or so each day. The beauty of No-S is that it can be tailored to you. It can take a while, but you'll find the exercise and food combination that makes you feel good and satisfied while helping you lose. If you have a few false starts, that's totally normal, and you can use that experience to help you plan ahead.

Very best wishes - have fun!

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Post by jld141 » Tue Mar 12, 2013 12:56 am

Thanks so much for the info/encouragement!! You're an inspiration!

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Post by ironchef » Tue Mar 19, 2013 10:47 am

Still chugging along here. Had a red day last week, which I didn't report at the time. My DH is working in his parent's bakery, and brought home a custard and apple donut for me. I ate it. It wasn't worth it, and I was disappointed in myself. I've asked him to please only bring home treats from work on a Friday, so I can enjoy them guilt free on Saturday mornings.

I'm having a hard time lately with plating, mostly due to my son's meals. We introduced solids, and I'm currently giving him a bunch of finger food at breakfast lunch and dinner. Veggies and fruits mostly. I'm also trying to eat with him at the dining table, so we set up the idea of meals as a family thing, sitting at the table, etc. The problem is that sometimes, especially in the evening, I eat a small serve of veggies as "finger food" with my son, and then the main part of my meal later with my DH. This virtual plating is of course very easy to take advantage of and start playing fast and loose with the rules (i.e. just eat two dinners, one small and one normal sized). I'm still not really sure how to deal with this, but just something I'm working on at the moment.

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Post by ironchef » Sat Apr 06, 2013 1:04 am

Friday 5th April - RED
I made a simple egg custard for my son and husband, and ended up having some after dinner. It was pretty good though...

Still trucking along, doing ok. I've started proper running training again, with a view to a 1/2 marathon in August.

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ironchef checking in

Post by ironchef » Fri Feb 07, 2014 12:02 pm

After a long time just pottering along on No-S I got a bit cocky / lazy over the past few months. With a bunch of special events in my life I let myself drift too far away from vanilla and need to get back on the No-S track. I also stopped weighing myself regularly after my bathroom scales stopped working, which I think makes it easier to delude myself that the cheats "here and there" are not adding up!

Checking in and being part of the community here was so brilliant when I first started this journey, so I thought it was a good place to gain support and advice as I try to I "tune up" my No-S habits.

So, this week is green, except for Monday when I was still sick. I'm aiming for green the rest of Feb.

What are my current downfalls? I'd say mainly not being strict about N days - i.e. eating a snack after cycling to work, even though I already had breakfast, and then justifying it retrospectively as part of breakfast. Yup, only cheating myself there. My other problem has been allowing too many S days. Ok, so not my cousin's hamster's birthday, but just too many loose "oh, my work friend brought cake for his birthday" or "my sister's rehearsal dinner has nice dessert". From here on out, if a NWS day is not thoughtfully planned in advance, it's a red.

Overall I think I've gained about 4 pounds from my low last year, partly due to finishing nursing my son and partly from getting lazy with my No-S. I'll weigh myself sometime in the next few weeks (maybe at the gym) to get a baseline.

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Post by Sweetness » Fri Feb 07, 2014 3:09 pm

Ironchef, Welcome back and thanks for stopping by my thread. It's cool that we are starting back at the same time. I was slipping too, and don't know how much I gained. I'm back to Mexico and my scale here is innacurate, but I'm feeling and looking better since I got back into exercise, and have been trying to do NoS again. I am actually releived to get back to Vanilla yesterday. Let's support each other.
Patty

Anxiety in a person's heart weighs him down, but an encouraging word brings him joy. (Proverbs 12:25 NET)
I'm a glutton for encouragement.

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Post by ironchef » Mon Feb 10, 2014 3:33 am

Thanks Sweetness!
Yes, I agree there is a relief to getting back to Vanilla No-S. I feel like part of my brain is somehow cleared and relaxed, knowing that when/how much to eat is not a decision I need to make dozens of times a week.

This was my first weekend of being properly back to No-S. Saturday was a really nice day - I had a muffin and coffee morning tea with my husband and son, and really enjoyed the strawberry and white choc muffin. The rest of the day was pretty much the same as an N day, except I found the muffin filled me up so much that I didn't want any lunch.

Sunday I ended up more "permasnacking" just because I could. And I realised, for the 1000th time, how unsatisfying I find it. Never being really hungry for a meal, and never really eating a meal, felt really wrong. I was so put off by the day of snacks that I held off for a later dinner, and had a proper plate with veggies. Much better!

I'm happy to be back to normal on Monday. I remember this feeling from when I first started No-S!

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Post by eschano » Mon Feb 10, 2014 11:31 am

ironchef wrote: Sunday I ended up more "permasnacking" just because I could. And I realised, for the 1000th time, how unsatisfying I find it. Never being really hungry for a meal, and never really eating a meal, felt really wrong.

I'm happy to be back to normal on Monday. I remember this feeling from when I first started No-S!
Hiya Ironchef!

I completely know what you mean. The same thing happened to me as well this Sunday. After a month of mostly tame S days I had a permasnacking one. Not a big deal in the grand scheme of things and a good reminder why I don't like it.
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Post by Sweetness » Mon Feb 10, 2014 8:24 pm

Eschano, Ironchef, I agree about the permasnacking. Even at that party last night, snacking and nibbling for an hour or two was much less gratifying than if I had loaded one plate and sat down and enjoyed it. Glad to get back to an Nday today.
Patty

Anxiety in a person's heart weighs him down, but an encouraging word brings him joy. (Proverbs 12:25 NET)
I'm a glutton for encouragement.

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Post by ironchef » Tue Feb 11, 2014 5:31 am

I'm glad to hear I'm not the only irrational snacker :wink:

Yesterday (Monday) was red. IMy son didn't finish his lunch, and I mindlessly put a strawberry in my mouth while I was packing the dishes away. I stopped at one, but since I'm going with the "fence around the law" for a while as I get back to strict No-Sing, I'm going to call that a red. Snacking on my child's left overs is a habit I want to break early, as it seems like a very common trap for parents and an easy way to overeat without noticing.

The good news is, I felt odd as soon as I put the berry in my mouth, so the no snacking habit is starting to strengthen again.

Today is green so far!

Tomorrow (Wed) I have decided is a NWS day. We have tickets for the theatre and then dinner after. The play is performed by a cast who are all deaf and blind, and the dinner is at a Blackout restaurant where there is no light at all and all the wait staff are blind. As I'll have no control over the dinner at all (and in fact won't even be able to see it!) I have decided to make it an S event. I won't take an S day though, as the rest of the day is a normal Wednesday at home with my son.

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Post by ironchef » Thu Feb 13, 2014 5:05 am

A successful GREEN Tuesday, and a good S event Wednesday night.

The Wed night Blackout Restaurant dinner was amazing. It really was completely pitch black - even after your eyes adjusted there was no way to see anything at all. Just finding your water or wine glass was a tricky exercise!

Eating without vision was an excellent way to really focus on the texture and flavour of food, without any visual cues. Sometimes it was hard to say exactly if we were eating soft cheese or a dip, even though we all would claim that "taste" is our driver to eat. I wonder what this kind of exercise would be like for portion control? Would it be easier to stop once you were full if you couldn't see the serving size or the other items on the table? It is certainly easier to focus on enjoying a flavour when you're not interpreting the event with your eyes.

I'm pleased that I made yesterday an S event, not an S day. I was really hungry at the dinner, and the experience was heightened as a result. I think if I'd had a bunch of other S things during the day it would have taken something away from the main event. I'll definitely consider S events rather than NWS days in future.

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Post by eschano » Thu Feb 13, 2014 9:58 am

Sounds like a great experience! Thank you for sharing it.
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Post by ironchef » Mon Feb 17, 2014 5:34 am

GREEN Friday with my husband. Lovely Valentines dinner together, but no need for any S's to make it special.

Nice weekend, still a bit too much snacking, but better than last week. Had a gorgeous nutella crepe fresh from the hot plate on Saturday, very satisfying treat.

Monday green so far, and pleased that I turned down morning AND afternoon treats offered at work.

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Post by eschano » Tue Feb 18, 2014 10:49 am

That's pretty impressive to have a Valentine's Day without an S. My boyfriend and I decided to have date nights on Thursdays so I'll see how that goes but I'm encouraged from reading this.

Thank you for your kind words on my thread!
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Post by ironchef » Thu Feb 20, 2014 5:03 am

Thanks eschano, and hey, any time.

GREEN Monday & Tuesday. Wednesday was a FAIL, totally mindless: my good friend and I met up with our kids to play at the park. She had made a semonlina dish that she used to eat as a child and brought it for our boys to share. When my son was done, there was about 2 teaspoonfuls left, which I ate. It was delicious, and then about 2 minutes later I thought "woah, was that a snack?". Seriously, it was so mindless I almost didn't catch it. Just shows how quickly getting slack with my No-S has turned into a serious snacking habit.

This was early morning, so I spent all the remainder of the day noticing sweets, snacks and seconds and resisting the WTH effect. After dinner my husband had seconds of yummy lasagna, and the only thing stopping going "come on, it was a fail anyway" was knowing I'd have to check in here and admit what happened. This is why I needed to come back and post on the boards - accountability is awesome!

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Post by ironchef » Mon Feb 24, 2014 7:25 am

Thursday and Friday were GREEN. Thursday was a really tough day because I had a day-long workshop at work, and they provided donuts, muffins and other sweets and snacks all day. I was proud of myself for just filling one (savoury) plate for breakfast and one (savoury) plate for lunch.

The weekend went ok, but Saturday was a bit gross. I had morning tea, afternoon tea and birthday cake after dinner at a party. I really felt quite sick. Bleurgh. Sunday was better (just some cake at a birthday party in the morning), but I still was relieved when Monday came! Hoping to finally LEARN from these experiences that overdoing the S days isn't much fun.

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Post by automatedeating » Mon Feb 24, 2014 2:07 pm

Good self-arrest about the lasagne! :)

And it so very British-sounding that morning tea and afternoon tea are actually desserts!
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

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Post by eschano » Mon Feb 24, 2014 2:46 pm

Ha, yes, I'm relieved about it being Monday as well! To a great week ahead.
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Post by Sweetness » Tue Mar 04, 2014 12:27 am

Ironchef,
Thanks for your support on my thread! Hope this week went well for you. 8)
Patty

Anxiety in a person's heart weighs him down, but an encouraging word brings him joy. (Proverbs 12:25 NET)
I'm a glutton for encouragement.

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Post by ironchef » Tue Mar 04, 2014 5:09 am

Mon to Friday last week were all GREEN. I am really pleased to end the month with that! Especially as I spent Friday at my parent's house, and my mother just loves to offer you "a little something" any time you have a cup of tea or coffee, or finish a meal.

A great long weekend at my folks, with bub. Being around people meant that I enjoyed some sweets, but without the less-enjoyable permasnacking that can set in when I'm home alone on a weekend. Sunday was over the top - we visited friends in the afternoon and didn't realise they were cooking early dinner to have with us and the kids. Then we got back to Mum's, but the baby to bed, and my Mum had made dinner for us! So, in effect, 2 dinners (although they were 4 hours apart). Lucky it was a Sunday, but whoa, was I stuffed! I feel like it has taken until now (Tuesday) to feel normal again.

Monday and Tuesday GREEN. I'm really proud of that, because Monday was a public holiday, and we visited friends with my mother and they had baked a big array of goodies. I thought I'd be pressured, but there were so many people there that no one noticed that I just drank a coffee and didn't actually snack. Just shows me once again that a lot of my ideas about "social pressure" are in my head.

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Post by eschano » Tue Mar 04, 2014 10:35 am

Ironchef, thanks for challenging everyone on the Feb challenge to have a last green week, that really helped me to pull it off.

Well done on the public holiday!
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Post by automatedeating » Tue Mar 04, 2014 1:54 pm

Love your insight about how easily we can (often) forgo the sweets without calling attention to ourselves.
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

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Post by Sweetness » Wed Mar 05, 2014 1:57 am

Wow, good job on the green week and green holiday and green today!! Thats lots of green!! :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: 8) :lol: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
Patty

Anxiety in a person's heart weighs him down, but an encouraging word brings him joy. (Proverbs 12:25 NET)
I'm a glutton for encouragement.

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Post by ironchef » Mon Mar 10, 2014 1:10 am

A bit of rubbish week last week - two reds!

The red on Wednesday was less problematic - we had 4 friends turn up for dinner with no notice, so I had to throw together a meal for 6! I made spicy wings, luckily had a bit pot of soup for mains, and then baked a banana honey bread for dessert. I had some dessert, just because it was a dinner party. If I'd known they were coming in advance, I might have called it an S event. But, since it was a surprise, it's red.

Friday was red and that was all on me, no special circumstances. My husband and I were sitting at home after dinner, and there was left over banana honey bread and macadamia icecream from the dessert on Wednesday, and I just caved in and we shared some. There was absolutely no reason that couldn't have waited for Saturday.

I was also pretty disappointed with how the weekend went. I had some treats, but didn't really enjoy them. I think this is partly the red week - i.e. had sweets during the week, so they weren't "special" anymore. Also, I think my weekends just have too much food, so I don't really have an appetite for my treats. I need to think more about this.

I'm also starting to think about adding some exercise goals. I cycle to work on my three days, so that's a start, but I'd like to add some kind of "14 minutes of something" at some point.

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Post by automatedeating » Mon Mar 10, 2014 3:46 am

Hi ironchef,
I also would like to add '14 minutes' to my exercise routine, but I just can't seem to find a simple, sustainable, unobtrusive way to fit it in to my busy days. I'll be watching your progress with interest! :)
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

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Post by eschano » Mon Mar 10, 2014 11:24 am

Ah well, mark it and move on. I've followed your thread very closely and in the grand scheme of things: gold star for NoS! And thank you for being such an inspiration.
eschano - Vanilla rocks!

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ironchef
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Post by ironchef » Tue Mar 11, 2014 12:49 am

Thanks eschano, that means a lot coming from you! I've got a Green Monday under my belt now, so already feeling better about everything.

automatedeating - yeah, my problem is finding a way to make exercise into a dumb habit the way No-S makes eating. My weeks don't have a consistent "shape" anymore with part time work, child care, etc, so I'm not sure exactly how to schedule. It isn't that I don't have 14 minutes, it's that it is unlikely to be the same timeslot from day to day, so it needs conscious effort and planning to remember and fit it in (if that makes any sense?).

On the days I work (Mon, Tues, Thurs) I cycle to and from work, so that's a step in the right direction. I also try to cycle or walk if possible when running errands.

Options for 14 minutes are: during my son's midday nap (on days I don't work) and after he goes to bed (on days I don't cook, or go out). Perhaps I need to set up 2 "routines" - 14 minutes as soon as my son goes down to nap on home days, and 14 minutes straight after bedtime in the evening on work days? On the days we go out in the evenings...well, not sure.

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Post by eschano » Tue Mar 11, 2014 11:41 am

Or you could use the cycling for your 14 minutes and just do 14 minutes on your days off? It might be easier to start with that and then take it from there in a month or so :)
eschano - Vanilla rocks!

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Post by automatedeating » Tue Mar 11, 2014 12:48 pm

Yes, I was just thinking that same thing, eschano.

Could you make it the same time of day on your days off as the usual time that you cycle to work?
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

ironchef
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Post by ironchef » Wed Mar 12, 2014 5:21 am

Thanks automatedeating, eschano - I think you're both onto something there. I'm forgetting that it's ok to start small (and sustainable!).

Alright, here's my commitment: I will do 14 minutes of at home strength work on all my non-work days. I don't have any equipment, but I'm sure squats, lunges, planks, sit ups, dips, push ups and leg lifts will be challenging enough! If I am home, I am responsible for a not-quite-2 year old at the time I normally cycle, so I'll have to leave it until the start of his midday nap. I've started today - did 14 minutes as soon as I put my son down in his cot. Woohoo!

Tuesday - GREEN, Wed - well, GREEN so far :)
Exercise - Mon, Tues cycling, Wed - 14 minutes

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Post by ironchef » Wed Mar 12, 2014 5:29 am

Morning tea at work - little pies. Resisted. Later...put one little pie onto my plate at lunch (it fit right next to my sandwich)! I love No S! The only diet with approved party pies :)

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Post by eschano » Wed Mar 12, 2014 11:16 am

Oh, first 14 minutes done - that's great! And is sounds so much more sustainable now :) Some of the fittest PT's I've worked with (mind you, not the steroid kind of fit) only worked with their own body weight so I'm sure you're on to something. Shape.com has some good exercises if you get bored.

And yay - for party cakes and pizza (my dinner last night) on NoS!
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Post by ironchef » Mon Mar 17, 2014 2:00 am

Thurs & Fri GREEN

Thurs - cycling
Fri - 14 minutes (just fitted it in before dinner, as my mother was over during bub nap time!).

Had a lovely S night on Saturday at a friend's birthday party. I made the birthday cake (flourless chocolate hazelnut cake), and enjoyed my slice a lot. I've decided I really prefer homemade S's on the weekend. Last weekend I bought a piece of coconut & apricot cake and it was very dry. At least if I bake myself, I know I'm getting quality!!

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Post by eschano » Mon Mar 17, 2014 10:57 am

Lovely weekend ironchef! I completely agree with you on Ss. It's ok when they are baked by someone else I know but the store-bought stuff doesn't do it for me.

Your cake sounds yummy. Any chance you'd share your recipe? (unless it's a family secret of course)
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Post by ironchef » Tue Mar 18, 2014 12:47 am

Happy to provide the recipe. It's a bit more complicated than most cakes and muffins I make and the ingredients are expensive, but worth it for a special occasion. I'm so delighted to be on a "diet" where sharing this recipe is no issue!

Flourless Hazelnut Chocolate Cake
For the cake:
200g dark chocolate, chopped (I use 70% cocoa v. dark)
150g butter, chopped
6 eggs, separated
2/3 cup caster sugar
1 1/2 cups hazelnut meal

For the topping:
300g dark chocolate, chopped
2/3 cup pure cream


Preheat oven to 170°C. Grease a 6cm-deep, 20cm (base) round cake pan. Line base and side with baking paper. (I use a spring form pan so it is easy to get the cake out).

Combine chocolate and butter and melt in pan on stove, or in microwave. If microwaving, stir at intervals. . When melted, set aside to cool slightly.

Place egg yolks and sugar in a bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat until thick and creamy. Add melted chocolate mixture. Beat to combine. Add hazelnut meal. Beat to combine.

Place eggwhites in a bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat until soft peaks form. Using a metal spoon, stir one-third of eggwhites into chocolate mixture. Gently fold remaining eggwhite through chocolate mixture.

Pour mixture into prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the centre has moist crumbs clinging. Stand in pan for 10 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool.

Chocolate icing: Place chocolate and cream in a saucepan over low heat, or melt in microwave. Heat and stir until melted and smooth. Spread over top and sides of cake.

I serve this with berries and fresh whipped cream. Raspberries are especially good if you can get them. You could use double cream instead.

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Post by eschano » Tue Mar 18, 2014 9:15 am

Thank you so much for typing this out for me. It sounds delicious! I hope to get a chance to make it soon.

Yummy!
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Post by Sinnie » Tue Mar 18, 2014 1:08 pm

Oh my that does sound delish! I must try this one...

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Post by ironchef » Thu Mar 20, 2014 2:06 am

No problem! Hope you enjoy :) It was pretty crazy putting 500g of dark chocolate into one cake (200 in the cake, 300 in the topping). You do not need big pieces of this cake!

No-S: Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs - GREEN

14 minutes: GREEN as well. Mon, Tues, Thurs - cycling; Wed - 14 minutes strength at home.

14 minutes of at home strength is working in well - only on my 2 non-cycling days for now, but if I can work on that habit for a month or two I might expand to other days.

For my 14 minutes at home, I am doing the following:
12 squats
12 tricep dips
25 second "plank pose" (some people call this a hover or a bridge)
12 each side bent leg lifts
20 crunches
12 push ups (on knees - hope to move up to on toes soon)
10 each side lunges
12 back extensions

I get through that about 2 and a bit times (usually get through to the plank on the third run) by the time 14 minutes is up. My goal is to eventually do the whole lot 3 times in 14 minutes, but that will probably take a while. When I've been particularly tired, I've only done it twice, then spent a few minutes stretching.

automatedeating
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Post by automatedeating » Thu Mar 20, 2014 4:07 am

I like that routine!!
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

ironchef
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Post by ironchef » Thu Mar 20, 2014 4:13 am

Thanks automatedeating. The areas I find hard to do at home without any equipment are the back and shoulders. I don't have a pull up bar. I realise that the shoulders are part of the action for dips and push ups, but it would be nice to do some lateral raises etc.

How are you going with working out where 14 minutes fits for you?

megran
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Post by megran » Fri Mar 21, 2014 6:13 pm

eschano wrote:
ironchef wrote: Sunday I ended up more "permasnacking" just because I could. And I realised, for the 1000th time, how unsatisfying I find it. Never being really hungry for a meal, and never really eating a meal, felt really wrong.

I'm happy to be back to normal on Monday. I remember this feeling from when I first started No-S!
Hiya Ironchef!

I completely know what you mean. The same thing happened to me as well this Sunday. After a month of mostly tame S days I had a permasnacking one. Not a big deal in the grand scheme of things and a good reminder why I don't like it.
SAME! I gained 3 lbs in the past few months since stopping nursing, too! I was getting away with snacking/sweets/etc breaking ALL the rules ... and then I wasn't. And I'm so tired of never feeling hungry. I MISS IT! People who don't get it don't get it. I'm back to vanilla no-s, too, for the same reasons.
Every day you do one of two things: build health or produce disease in yourself. -Adele Davis

no s started June 27, 180 lbs
Goal (155) reached 8/7/12
Surpassed goal and am 145 as of June 24, 2013

ironchef
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Post by ironchef » Sat Mar 22, 2014 5:00 am

Hey megran - I know! What amazes me is how many times I seem to have to learn this lesson before I, you know, stop permasnacking on weekends. Sigh. And yeah, adjusting your eating when you stop nursing takes a little time.

A green week last week for No-S and for 14 minutes :) Also, I got through my routine 3 times on Friday (just!) and was absolutely wiped afterwards. I don't know how often I'll manage it, but it is a good goal to aim for.

Saturday - enjoyed a small piece of carrot cake out at a cafe with my family. I've got a Cherry Ripe bar for sometime this weekend (maybe share with my husband after dinner tonight) and my mother left me a piece of her apple cake (probably for Sunday treat). Apart from that I had jelly on my lunchtime PB sandwich and I'm hoping to leave it at that. The past few big S days have left me feeling a bit sick, so I'm hoping some planned quality treats and normal meals will be more enjoyable. We'll see how we go :)

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Post by eschano » Mon Mar 24, 2014 10:24 am

Hi ironchef,
Thank you so much for your vote of confidence on my thread! It means a lot.

Your weekend sounds absolutely lovely and well done on your green week of NoS and on establishing a great 14min habit!
eschano - Vanilla rocks!

July 2012- January 2016
Started again January 2021

ironchef
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Post by ironchef » Mon Mar 24, 2014 1:24 pm

Thanks eschano! It was a lot more enjoyable than the last few. And I made your chicken and couscous one pot meal on Saturday night and my husband and I loved it - thanks!

Green for 14 minutes (cycling) and green for No-S today. A bit heavier today (hot dog at lunch), but I stayed away from three (count them, 3!) types of homemade cupcakes at work morning tea. I brought two home - one for my husband, and one in the freezer if I want it on the weekend.

I've got my routine sorted now for work morning tea: I go to the kitchenette, make a coffee, everyone else has a treat, I drink my coffee, chat and catch up with everyone. Then I go back to my desk. And NO ONE ever notices that I didn't actually eat the treats. Spooky :)

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Post by eschano » Mon Mar 24, 2014 3:35 pm

Hahahahaha! I had to laugh so loudly when I read the part of noone noticing that you actually never eat the treats.

Delighted you tried the recipe and that you and your husband liked it!

Also well done on your day so far. Good one! 3 cupcakes- that's boardering on sabotage.
eschano - Vanilla rocks!

July 2012- January 2016
Started again January 2021

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lpearlmom
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Post by lpearlmom » Wed Mar 26, 2014 3:31 pm

Sounds like you're doing great iron chef! Good for you for staying away from the treats. I give my kids dessert pretty much every night and nobody seems to notice I don't eat any.

I guess since they see me eat sweets on the weekend they don't think of me as someone that never eats sweets. I like that I can model normal eating behavior for my kids while doing NoS.

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

ironchef
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Post by ironchef » Thu Mar 27, 2014 1:41 am

Thanks eschano, Linda, I did feel a bit of pep in my step after turning down those cupcakes (one of them had a marshmallow topping).

Tues & Wed: GREEN for No-S
Tues, Wed, Thurs: GREEN for 14 mins (Tues - cycling, Wed - home strength, Thurs - cycling)

Last night was a tricky one - I went out with the girls for a drink and dinner, which almost never happens these days. Before dinner we had a drink at a bar that does special tapas, and everyone else ordered some. It was so tempting to say "a night out with the girls is an S event" and start nibbling, but as I hadn't thought about it in advance that would have really been a red. In the end, I just had a beautiful cocktail (mint, lime, oh my!) and waited for my nice Thai dinner of rice with spicy chicken and cashew. So much better.

I am getting really excited, if I stay all green today and tomorrow I will FINALLY be back in the 21 day club. After all my wishy-washy half efforts over December and Jan, I am really pleased. Now, to avoid getting overconfident...

I also realised that in July I will have been No-Sing for 2 years. Time really has flown.

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Post by eschano » Thu Mar 27, 2014 10:12 am

I'm rallying for your 21 day club challenge to come through!

So we must have started around the same time :) 9th July for me. I'll celebrate it like a birthday, haha!
eschano - Vanilla rocks!

July 2012- January 2016
Started again January 2021

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.

Post by Strawberry Roan » Thu Mar 27, 2014 9:13 pm

Hi, just wanted to stop by and offer my encouragement as well. Your thread was great to read, you showed great restraint while out having a drink with your friends. It is so easy to mindlessly snack when sitting around and chatting - ESPECIALLY if others are. Way to go !

And good luck on the 21 day club. You can do it...
Berry

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Post by ironchef » Sat Mar 29, 2014 5:24 am

Thanks for the encouragement eschano and Strawberry!

Yay, GREEN Friday, so that's 3 weeks all GREEN. *happy dance*

Friday Green for 14 minutes (strength)

Just got back for a birthday brunch, with Bliss Balls & cake, so won't be needing lunch :)

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Post by jw » Sat Mar 29, 2014 1:12 pm

Happy 21! Well done! (I am afraid to ask about Bliss Balls . . .)
"The second you overcomplicate it is the second it becomes the thing for which it is a corrective." -- El Fug

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lpearlmom
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Post by lpearlmom » Sat Mar 29, 2014 1:54 pm

Congrats iron chef!

Lol JW :lol:
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

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Post by jw » Sat Mar 29, 2014 8:10 pm

The laugh is on me, Linda -- I googled Bliss Balls and they seem to be the Australian paleo answer to truffles! Ironchef, they look amazing!
"The second you overcomplicate it is the second it becomes the thing for which it is a corrective." -- El Fug

automatedeating
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Post by automatedeating » Sat Mar 29, 2014 9:30 pm

Too funny!
Month/Year-BMI
8/13-26.3
8/14-24.5
5/15-26.2
1/16-26.9; 9/16-25.6
8/17-25.8; 11/17-26.9
3/18-25.6; 8/18-24.5; 10/18-23.8;
3/19-22.1; 10/19-21.8
6/20-22.5; 7/20-23.0; 9/20-23.6
4/21 - 25.2

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