automated eating tracker

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

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Thursday, week 14

Post by automatedeating » Fri Nov 29, 2013 3:43 pm

At in-laws
Coffee with milk
B: Coffee cake muffin, peanut butter cookie
L: Chips, mandarin orange, turnips, carrots, broccoli with ranch, several deviled eggs, egg nog
D: mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, more of these things.....
Dessert: apple pie with whipped cream, wine

Ok, yes, it was a feast, no two ways about that. However, I gorged less than in past years, believe it or not! And I skipped the turkey (which I've never really liked!) because I am more mindful of what I like and actually want to eat these days.

By bedtime I felt normal, but I was uncomfortably full after dinner for awhile.

Now it is Friday morning, and I want a minimal snacking day..... I'm good with delicious big leftover meals, and pie for dessert, but I want to avoid grazing all day.
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

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Friday and Saturday, week 14

Post by automatedeating » Sun Dec 01, 2013 3:02 pm

Weight? Are you kidding me?!
Ok, I will do my best to record the past two s days:

Friday
Coffee with milk
B: Scrambled eggs, bacon, 3 orange rolls
L: mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, roll, stuffing
Chai latte
D: Turkey crescent roll
Wine

Saturday
Coffee with milk
B: Poached egg, cinnamon toast, bacon
L: mashed potatoes/gravy, stuffing, turkey crescent roll
D: chips and salsa, celery/carrots/broccoli with ranch dip
Dessert: apple Betty

Big sigh. Wow. That was a lot of eating. True hunger was completely absent for the past three days. I'm home now, and today is another s day, but we didn't bring leftovers.... So hopefully things won't be too crazy today.
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

herbsgirl
Posts: 432
Joined: Sat Aug 20, 2011 4:08 am

Post by herbsgirl » Sun Dec 01, 2013 4:51 pm

Yeah, I have been eating more than normal too around these holidays, but we wont be eating this much on a normal basis! :D Thanksgiving and Christmas only comes once a year!
SW 218.2 10-14-13
1 mo 193.4
2 mo 178.8
3 mo 162.8
4 mo 151.4
5 mo 146.2
72 lbs lost in 19 wks 5' 6.5" 31 years old BMI 23.1
counting bites go to: countyourbites . blogspot . com

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Sunday, Week 15

Post by automatedeating » Mon Dec 02, 2013 2:01 pm

didn't dare weigh
coffee with milk
B: maple bar, bacon and egg mcmuffin
L: pizza, lots of it

The end of my 4 S days in a row. Wow, I've had almost a week of reverting back to my old grazing and overindulging habits.

But it's over, and it wasn't awful. I actually really enjoyed grazing on Friday, not so much on Saturday. Sunday was a fairly typical S day for me, with lots of food but confined to meals.

Definitely these S days have reminded me that grazing is my most detrimental food habit when it comes to moderate eating. I can graze without ever becoming overfull, and without ever really enjoying my food. Not a good combo.
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

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Monday, Week 15

Post by automatedeating » Mon Dec 02, 2013 2:03 pm

137.9 (forced myself to do it, I was just praying.... not over 140, not over 140, so I was pleased with the actual read-out!) :)

Just wanted to get this entry started, back to a normal week.

walked to/from work (90 minutes)
coffee with cream
B: oatmeal
L: pb&j, chips, apple, mandarin orange
D: lasagne
Last edited by automatedeating on Tue Dec 03, 2013 12:15 am, edited 1 time in total.
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

Imogen Morley
Posts: 1022
Joined: Sun Mar 21, 2010 1:11 pm

Post by Imogen Morley » Mon Dec 02, 2013 3:35 pm

I second what you said about grazing. I firmly believe that snacking is the most detrimental contemporary eating habit. Sweets can be your downfall, but, as Kevin posted somewhere here, "it's snacking that will kill you".

jw
Posts: 844
Joined: Fri Jul 05, 2013 7:27 pm
Location: PA

Post by jw » Mon Dec 02, 2013 4:19 pm

Me three! And it happens almost unconsciously. I haven't weighed in yet -- automated, you were brave and your results were really good!
"The second you overcomplicate it is the second it becomes the thing for which it is a corrective." -- El Fug

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

Post by lpearlmom » Tue Dec 03, 2013 3:39 am

Awesome post-thanksgiving results automated!
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Tuesday

Post by automatedeating » Wed Dec 04, 2013 1:23 am

walked to/from work (90 minutes)
B: whole milk latte
L: beef and barley soup and salad
D: burger and fries
Last edited by automatedeating on Thu Dec 05, 2013 12:24 am, edited 1 time in total.
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

cbecker
Posts: 22
Joined: Fri Nov 15, 2013 12:12 pm
Location: Texas

Post by cbecker » Wed Dec 04, 2013 3:53 am

You are doing so well!! I'm inspired by your slow and steady weight loss.

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Wednesday, Week 15

Post by automatedeating » Thu Dec 05, 2013 12:23 am

136.6
walked to/from work (90 minutes)
B: coffee with cream
L: lasagne, apple slices, orange
D: salmon burger, Doritos. Was still hungry/wanting something so made myself a cuppa warm milk and leftover coffee. :)

Thanks, cbecker, for your encouragement! I know that my weight will come off very slowly, and I'm also somewhat mentally prepared for plateaus, based on scouring these forums for awhile. I have a tentative goal of losing 12 pounds (total) by August 25th of next year. But for the most part I am trying to take it one meal at a time and not look too far down the road..... that is tempting for me, and I believe somewhat counterproductive (for me personally anyway).

I've noticed something on my walks. Over the past 3 months, a different part of my body has ached, or been tight, or even painful while walking. Nothing serious, but it's as if there is a roving health patrol on all my joints. The first few weeks were the worst....I would get killer headaches that, looking back, were probably from muscle strain of starting to exercise again. Then my knees hurt for a week or so, then my hips, in different places, for several weeks (that's been the most persistent issue). And now I've noticed my back is aching, and also my abdominal muscles. What's amazing is that it wasn't all at once. I wonder if, as one part gets a little healthier, more is required of other parts to "bring them into the fold", so to speak. Fascinating to think about. The beauty of walking is that it is gentle enough to continue on through mild discomfort, and I typically don't feel like I'm making the issue worse by walking. What a difference from the more intense workouts I have tried over the years! Those always ended up with me hurting badly enough in one place or another that I stopped. In fact, even my ballet 5-minute routine hurt me a few weeks ago, so I stopped. I would like to pick that up again, once my body is overall a little stronger.
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

kccc
Posts: 3957
Joined: Fri Oct 27, 2006 1:12 am

Post by kccc » Thu Dec 05, 2013 2:48 pm

Interesting post on the joint issues.

I have always had issues with repetitive stress and muscle/joint pain. When I was younger, I could handle it through exercise; as I got older, I have been in physical therapy, and currently see a chiropractor and massage therapist regularly. (And do yoga or Pilates a couple of times a week...)

Two things I've noticed:

1) The body prioritizes pain/discomfort. It's not unusual to have one part get better, and another part start "yelling". I notice it during massages - when the therapist works on the "bad" shoulder, as it relaxes I start to feel the tension in the other one, un-noticed before.

2) Sometimes you're dealing with "layers of an onion" when identifying sources of pain. A couple of years ago, my left shoulder was so frozen I could barely move it. After therapy, we got it loosened up... and then my neck began hurting (same side). After working on my neck, the jaw hurt... and then we got to the TMJ that was spreading through the body. But we couldn't go there first... had to deal with the "layers" of symptoms even to identify the root cause.

Didn't mean to hijack, just to affirm your observations about the "roving health patrol." (And all of this makes me sound like a cripple, which I am NOT at ALL... I just have to manage this stuff in order to stay active and healthy.)

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

Post by lpearlmom » Thu Dec 05, 2013 10:48 pm

Definitely interesting how our body adjust to getting back into exercise. I'm not feeling a bunch of joint issues (although did twist my knee) but boy am I tired. By the end of the day I'm just bone tired and have to lie down.

Do you remember experiencing this at first? I'm hoping it's just a temporary thing.
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Fri Dec 06, 2013 1:03 am

137
walked to/from work (90 minutes)
B: oatmeal
mocha! yum, special treat from a student. I couldn't turn it down, and it isn't technically red..... :)
L: lasagne, apple slices, orange
D: beef chimichanga, rice and beans, chips and salsa, sour cream, guacamole

KCCC, if you call chiming in with great discussion points "hijacking" we are all going to have more boring threads! :) Thanks very much for your thoughts--they exactly are the kinds of things I want to consider as I keep exercising. Your analogy about peeling back the layers of an onion seems to really fit what I am experiencing. I think this is a part of my journey that I will want to look back on in my daily check in. What part of my body will "talk" to me next? :)

Linda, yes, I sure felt more tired when I first started exercising. And I've only JUST realized that I am not more tired from exercising (notice I'm still not saying I'm more energized by exercise). I've always been annoyed when people tell me exercising will give me more energy, because that has not been my experience. But maybe it was because I was exercising too intensely too soon; and that I couldn't keep it up long enough to start getting the "energy boost" that some people describe.
Last edited by automatedeating on Sat Dec 07, 2013 4:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Friday

Post by automatedeating » Sat Dec 07, 2013 12:56 am

137.1
Coffee with cream
L: lasagne, chips, mandarin orange
D: chicken Caesar salad

Ok, I just successfully helped my 4 yr old frost and decorate a giant gingerbread cookie and managed to NOT lick my fingers of frosting. That's gotta go in the WIDRT category.
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

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

Post by lpearlmom » Sat Dec 07, 2013 8:24 pm

Great job on the frosting avoidance automated! It probably helps a lot knowing you can have some the next day if you really want.

Glad I'm not the only one experiencing exhaustion after taking up exercising again. I was SO tired yesterday I actually sort of broke down when my daughter wanted a snack. Luckily my oldest daughter jumped in & made it for her but I just needed to sit! I think when I was younger I'd feel more energetic from exercise but definitely not feeling that now!:)

Hope you have a great weekend!

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

jw
Posts: 844
Joined: Fri Jul 05, 2013 7:27 pm
Location: PA

Post by jw » Sun Dec 08, 2013 12:41 am

LOL, automated, I remember doing that with my nephews and nieces when they were that age and there were so many hot cinnamon candies and fingerprints in play, I really kind of lost my appetite . . . But I have to admit it was fun!
"The second you overcomplicate it is the second it becomes the thing for which it is a corrective." -- El Fug

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Sun Dec 08, 2013 4:12 am

well, that's a good point, jw. Maybe it wasn't as much temptation to eat gingerbread cookies with my kids as I frosted them after all! :)

Saturday, Week 15 (I think....)

coffee with cream
B: 2 bowls frosted mini-wheats
L: cake and ice cream; bite of corn dog; 1/2 of giant pretzel, diet coke (kid b-day party!)
D: sausage and noodles; salad; lemonade
wine

Overall, a decent S day with somewhat challenging circumstances. I did enjoy the cake and ice cream, but not the corn dog and pretzel. Dinner was good.
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

User avatar
NoSnacker
Posts: 1481
Joined: Sat Jun 11, 2011 12:40 am
Location: Buffalo, New York

Post by NoSnacker » Sun Dec 08, 2013 2:27 pm

Gingerbread cookies....oh one of my favs!!!

Hope you are having a great weekend..

cookiemonster :D
Age 56: SBMI=30.6 (12/1/13) CBMI 28.9 (2/2/14) GBMI-24.8

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Sunday, Week 16?

Post by automatedeating » Mon Dec 09, 2013 2:26 am

coffee with milk
B: 2 bowls frosted mini-wheats
L: eggs, toast and bacon
S: mocha
S: latte
D: 2 pieces pizza
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

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Monday, Week 16

Post by automatedeating » Tue Dec 10, 2013 2:09 am

thanks, NoSnacker. :) I did have a great weekend!

136.5
walked to/from work (90 minutes)
coffee with cream
B: oatmeal
L: PB&J; chips; apple; orange
whole milk latte (ergh, sometimes I get on a kick where I buy these too often.....-- I most definitely wasn't hungry)
D: steak and mashed potatoes

Might snow a little tonight (that's a big deal in my state!) :)
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

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Tuesday, Week 16

Post by automatedeating » Wed Dec 11, 2013 1:19 am

walked to/from work (90 minutes)
coffee with cream
B: oatmeal
L: leftover mashed potatoes and meat and a diet pepsi
D: fish and chips

It didn't snow last night. I was actually looking forward to walking to work in the snow!

I was feeling a little bummed for some reason that I haven't lost more weight (probably it's all herbgirls fault since she's lost 37 pounds in 2 months!!) :)

Anyway, then all of a sudden I thought...... I've lost 5 pounds in 3 months. That's great! I was really gaining weight when I came to NoS, and it has completely halted my weight gain. I am thankful every day for that.....it was a scary, out of control feeling to become overweight and feel helpless to stop it. Now I just feel grateful for my body, and thankful that food doesn't rule my days.

Ah, that brings me to another, related topic. I have generally thought that I have some serious body hang-ups, focusing on my flaws, etc. But either that is changing, or I've recently been having conversations with a lot of (beautiful, healthy, well-dressed) women that are way-over-prioritizing their bodies (making me realize I'm not as hard on myself as a lot of women are). The other day I actually sent my mother an email thanking her for not making food a big issue in our house growing up. We didn't have 50's style routine, but there was also no censor about enjoying food, and my mother never made a big deal about how I looked (or my dad, for that matter).

I like having balance. I want to be healthy and strong. I want to be attractive to my husband. But I want to have balance in the amount of focus I put on what I eat, how much I exercise, and how well I dress. I want to make sure that I am spending plenty of time on hobbies (reading, drawing, researching/teaching), and talking/playing with my family and friends.

All of this to say: NoS is such a great fit with my philosophy in life. I think its principles can apply to parenting, to work, to housecleaning, and to budgets!
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

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

Post by lpearlmom » Wed Dec 11, 2013 4:44 am

Yay great post & so glad things are going well for you! I noticed my body image is so much better since starting NoS. I think when we feel out of control with our eating it completely messes with our self-esteem no matter what we weigh.

So nice that you thanked your mom. I love my mom but she didn't do great in the eating area. I think I'm doing much better with my girls. I never talk about dieting & we often talk about weight prejudice. Of course I'm sure I'm messing up badly in other areas!

Anyway keep up the good work. Btw how do you apply nos to budgeting? I'm terrible w budgets!

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

User avatar
NoSnacker
Posts: 1481
Joined: Sat Jun 11, 2011 12:40 am
Location: Buffalo, New York

Post by NoSnacker » Wed Dec 11, 2013 10:04 am

Thank you so much for replying to my post about my past attempts..I posted a reply to the 2 questions :)

You are doing fantastic! And most important you don't seem to have that much to lose so you won't see numbers like others.

If you lost .5 lbs a month...think of how that adds up over time.. this is truly a learning experience for us and habit building amongst other things. So to me I think you are right where you need to be at the moment.

Yes I"m one of those women who has ditched the body image thing..my goal here is heath and to feel comfortable in my own skin. When one dumps the body image thing, it is so freeing..but then again I'm 56 :)

Have a great day!
Deb
Age 56: SBMI=30.6 (12/1/13) CBMI 28.9 (2/2/14) GBMI-24.8

jw
Posts: 844
Joined: Fri Jul 05, 2013 7:27 pm
Location: PA

Post by jw » Wed Dec 11, 2013 2:32 pm

What a great post, automated! I think your down to earth approach to No S and body image makes you a real star! Love that you thanked your mom -- I am sure she laid the groundwork for your good attitude.
"The second you overcomplicate it is the second it becomes the thing for which it is a corrective." -- El Fug

joasia
Posts: 1105
Joined: Tue Aug 22, 2006 3:22 pm
Location: California

Post by joasia » Wed Dec 11, 2013 4:11 pm

just remember, the reason you are losing slowly is because you are so close to goal. Weight comes off fast, when you have a lot to lose. As soon as you get close to where you want to be, it slows down. You are doing great, and 90 min of walking! that is awesome! I need to start walking, today is the day
The destiny of nations depends on the manner in which they feed themselves. Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin

Imogen Morley
Posts: 1022
Joined: Sun Mar 21, 2010 1:11 pm

Post by Imogen Morley » Wed Dec 11, 2013 4:31 pm

You are my hero, seriously! That's exactly what I needed to read to pick myself up. Success on NoS should be measured by the number of green days, not by some arbitrary (and VERY changeable) number on a scale. If you are consistent and your habits are strong, the rest will slowly fall into place, and more peace of mind will show up in the process.

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Wednesday, Week 16

Post by automatedeating » Thu Dec 12, 2013 2:26 am

Thanks everybody for your encouragement!

136.6
walked to/from work (90 minutes)
B: oatmeal
coffee with cream
L: California Burrito, chips and salsa
D: steak, potatoes and avocado on toast

You all are going to think I'm Polyanna if I keep up this good cheer, but I have something else to report that I'm pleased about.

On my way home from work, there is a fairly steep stretch. 3 months ago, I would slow to a crawl and plod up the hill. I remember feeling sleepy, super sleepy, trying to go up that hill. It didn't bother me too much, though, I figured I'd either feel sleepy at home with my kids or sleepy while I plodded up the hill! I would chant to myself, "7 minutes of uphill, 7 minutes of uphill, what's 7 minutes, 7 minutes is nothing....".

Well, TODAY, I realized I was almost looking forward to that stretch, and that it's been a while (???) since I felt sleepy going up that hill! My body has adapted and can do it! And the funniest part? I'm still a chanter (what can I say, I talk to myself....) And today's chant? "I'm busting up this hill, bustin', bustin', I'm bustin' up this hill!" and I probably had a silly grin on my face.
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

idontknow
Posts: 814
Joined: Tue Feb 26, 2008 9:43 pm
Location: UK

Post by idontknow » Thu Dec 12, 2013 10:04 pm

Well done on the hill - that must be such a good feeling! You can be Pollyanna all you like - you have every reason to be! :D
53 years old
Average weight loss:
May 18 - 2.45lbs

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Thursday, Week 16

Post by automatedeating » Fri Dec 13, 2013 2:33 am

137.4
walked to/from work
B: whole milk latte
L: leftover steak and potatoes; apple; whole milk latte (again!?)
D: cheese and avocado quesadilla; apple; orange

Pride goeth before the fall: today on my walk home that hill seemed interminable! I was sleepy again! Ah, well.

I'm rereading the book. So many others have done so with good results, thought I'd give it a try, too.
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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NoSnacker
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Location: Buffalo, New York

Post by NoSnacker » Fri Dec 13, 2013 9:26 am

Hi there...I think having a calendar and marking with green, yellow and red is a great tool as well. I will print my habit cal sometimes..

Glad you are re reading the book, I'm almost finished with it again, and have highlighted different things this time. Like they say, you learn something new each day.

Thanks for stopping by my check-ins!
Age 56: SBMI=30.6 (12/1/13) CBMI 28.9 (2/2/14) GBMI-24.8

jw
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Location: PA

Post by jw » Fri Dec 13, 2013 11:05 am

Oh, automated, I read about your triumph over the hill at work yesterday, but didn't have time to respond -- and now the hill has won again. :-(
Maybe some things will always be up and down (get it? get it?)! Seriously, that is one of my big challenges -- mustering the energy of mind to walk. You just do it, in all weathers -- I so admire your persistence!
"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 Dec 14, 2013 12:16 am

I'm happily re-reading the book. And yes, jw, it is what it is. I go up the hill whether it feels good or not. I guess that's the important part. Maybe someday my pants will fall down while I'm hiking the hill! :) :) :)

coffee with cream
B: oatmeal
L: lentil soup and buttered toast
D: chicken and rice
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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NoSnacker
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Location: Buffalo, New York

Post by NoSnacker » Sat Dec 14, 2013 10:31 am

Oh I love lentil soup, I make a large batch and freeze individual servings..very good for you..low glycemic as well which I try to follow.

I just read the section in the No S book on emotional eating...and strictness..his book is awesome...

Have a great weekend..for me I'm aiming for 3 squares and one sweet snack-moderate..as I fell on my face two times past from WTH "food days gone wild"...no pun intended.
Age 56: SBMI=30.6 (12/1/13) CBMI 28.9 (2/2/14) GBMI-24.8

automatedeating
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Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Sun Dec 15, 2013 5:36 am

Just finished rereading the book. Short and simple, that's why I love it.

137.2
Coffee with milk
B: frosted mini wheats
L: minestrone soup, chips, apple/orange
D: pizza, salad, cookie, frozen yogurt
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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NoSnacker
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Post by NoSnacker » Sun Dec 15, 2013 10:06 am

Hi there, I'm on the last chapter...I surely highlighted a lot of areas in the book that particulary interested me.

Looks like you had a good S day yesterday!!! Whoaaa!!!

:mrgreen: :P
Age 56: SBMI=30.6 (12/1/13) CBMI 28.9 (2/2/14) GBMI-24.8

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Sunday, Week 17

Post by automatedeating » Mon Dec 16, 2013 2:36 am

coffee with milk
B: 2 donuts
L: chips, juice, chocolate cake (another kid's birthday party! Sheesh)
D: none
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

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Monday, Week 17

Post by automatedeating » Tue Dec 17, 2013 1:08 am

137.5
walked to/from work (90 minutes)
coffee with milk
B: oatmeal, latte
L: oatmeal (stuck working on a project)
D: leftover pizza
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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NoSnacker
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Location: Buffalo, New York

Post by NoSnacker » Tue Dec 17, 2013 9:55 am

So nice that you can walk to work..how many miles is it...both ways? what a great way to get into shape!
Age 56: SBMI=30.6 (12/1/13) CBMI 28.9 (2/2/14) GBMI-24.8

automatedeating
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Post by automatedeating » Tue Dec 17, 2013 9:58 am

5.2 miles!
The nice thing is there is a bus I can catch on the way home if I need to get home in a hurry for kid stuff on certain days. Luckily that hasn't been necessary most days, and luckily the bus only leaves once an hour, so it is not a big temptation.... so easy to miss it when I get focused on my work.

I didn't consider walking a "good enough" workout for many years, and I now realize what a pity that was. It kept me on the couch....thinking someday I'd find the perfectly efficient workout or something. Classic case where I let the perfect be the enemy of the good.
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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NoSnacker
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Post by NoSnacker » Tue Dec 17, 2013 10:42 pm

Impressive! 5.2 miles...

I love walking and miss it when the sidewalks are full of ice and snow...I use an elliptical which I like, but surely get bored fast..

:)
Age 56: SBMI=30.6 (12/1/13) CBMI 28.9 (2/2/14) GBMI-24.8

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Tuesday, Week 17

Post by automatedeating » Wed Dec 18, 2013 5:14 am

136.2
coffee with milk
B: 2 eggs, 1 piece of toast, orange
L: oatmeal
D: Beef chimichanga, chips and salsa, guacamole
wine
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

jw
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Location: PA

Post by jw » Wed Dec 18, 2013 1:31 pm

No S -- the only "diet" where a chimichanga, chips and guacamole are "allowed"! One of my favorite meals! Gotta love it!
"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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Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Wednesday, week 17

Post by automatedeating » Thu Dec 19, 2013 4:16 am

walked to/from work (90 minutes)
B: bowl of cereal
coffee with milk
L: oatmeal
D: lasagne, garlic bread, and salad

There were christmas cookies of all varieties available today. Wasn't too bad a temptation--I didn't dwell on it once I noticed them and thought--nope, it's not an S day.

Leaving tomorrow to spend time with relatives for the next 4 nights. Friday is an S Day, the first of my 4 non-weekend S Days this month.

Edit: thought it would be good to write down about last night's Christmas party. There was junk everywhere: brownies, christmas cookies, chips, soda, fruity drinks, pretzels, and on and on. I knew ahead of time someone was bringing lasagne, so I waited for that. I brought garlic bread myself and then someone brought a green salad! So when I heard a salad was coming, I left room on my plate and then virtual plated. Somehow I felt satisfied, full, and not tempted by the other foods. This really was a great success, that in the past would have been a massive overeat..... I love free food and I hate cooking, so I would have loaded up several plates and loved every minute of it. Then later I would feel sorry for myself for gaining weight.

So the successful strategy most-definitely included planning ahead for this event. Getting dropped into this kind of situation while hungry would have been tough.
Last edited by automatedeating on Thu Dec 19, 2013 2:14 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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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NoSnacker
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Location: Buffalo, New York

Post by NoSnacker » Thu Dec 19, 2013 10:19 am

Enjoy your time with your family!
Age 56: SBMI=30.6 (12/1/13) CBMI 28.9 (2/2/14) GBMI-24.8

automatedeating
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Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Thursday, Week 17

Post by automatedeating » Fri Dec 20, 2013 12:42 am

B: bacon, eggs, toast
coffee with milk
L: burger, fries, latte
D: pulled pork. Potatoes, salad
Last edited by automatedeating on Sat Dec 21, 2013 5:05 am, edited 1 time in total.
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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NoSnacker
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Location: Buffalo, New York

Post by NoSnacker » Fri Dec 20, 2013 10:24 am

Stopping by to say hi! :mrgreen:
Age 56: SBMI=30.6 (12/1/13) CBMI 28.9 (2/2/14) GBMI-24.8

automatedeating
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Friday, week 17

Post by automatedeating » Sat Dec 21, 2013 5:08 am

S day-- visiting relatives

B: English muffin, bacon
Coffee with cream
Walked 2 miles, did quite a bit of stretching
L: taco salad, iced tea
D: lasagne, bread, salad
Small piece chocolate cream pie...... Didn't really enjoy it, kind of regret it, but oh well, it's a good learning experience that just because it's an S day doesn't mean I truly want to have a dessert.
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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NoSnacker
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Re: Friday, week 17

Post by NoSnacker » Sat Dec 21, 2013 11:04 am

automatedeating wrote:Small piece chocolate cream pie...... Didn't really enjoy it, kind of regret it, but oh well, it's a good learning experience that just because it's an S day doesn't mean I truly want to have a dessert.
This is so true, I have trouble not eating something even if not tasting all that great....I'm from the clean the plate club....glad you had the realization!

p.s. you truly inspire me, and I love the questions you pose at people..get's us all thinking.
Age 56: SBMI=30.6 (12/1/13) CBMI 28.9 (2/2/14) GBMI-24.8

automatedeating
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Saturday, Week 17

Post by automatedeating » Sun Dec 22, 2013 5:28 am

B: breakfast casserole, peaches
coffee with milk
walked 30 minutes, then did quite a bit of stretching
L: beef soft taco, 12 oz vanilla latte
D: 1 piece of pizza (big piece), salad
few bites of my son's birthday cake (not tempting at all, I just didn't want to hurt his feelings
wine

Thanks NoSnacker for being such an encourager to everyone. :)
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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NoSnacker
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Location: Buffalo, New York

Post by NoSnacker » Sun Dec 22, 2013 10:31 am

Hi there, I just bought a Mr. Coffee Latte machine with Christmas money from my dad..truly amazing...was like $50 on Amazon.

I have lowfat milk and bought some sugar free sweeteners...and Starbucks espresso coffee...yummy!! Definitely a weekend treat. My first one so far was MUCH better than any of the commercial ones, like Starbucks, Tims..

Do you make your own??? I was buying a medium from Tim Hortons but I think they use 2% milk, I'm used to 1%.

From the look of things seems you had a great Saturday. I had trouble, but that is okay...I feel positive today and plan to move forward :)

Have a great Sunday!
Age 56: SBMI=30.6 (12/1/13) CBMI 28.9 (2/2/14) GBMI-24.8

Diligence
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Post by Diligence » Sun Dec 22, 2013 6:21 pm

automatedeating, I've looked a bit for something from you but haven't found it yet. I've been looking for a greater explanation of your signature. Would you be willing to expand on your signature with us?
I have been freed from mindless snacking and eating when I'm mad or sad.
It doesn't have to be here, but you're faithfully posting on this thread, so I thought I might get your attention here. Was it just through No-S that you became free, or were there other factors? I've noticed that when I've felt mad or sad, I, too, have felt inclined to eat. I'd like to have some tools/plans in place for the next time that inclination to eat because of how I'm feeling hits. Thanks so much for considering sharing. :)

automatedeating
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Sunday, Week 18

Post by automatedeating » Mon Dec 23, 2013 4:12 am

S Day
B: 2 pieces rye toast with butter
coffee with cream
L: chicken noodle soup and salad
fritos with cheese dip
1 White Russian and 1 glass wine
2 chocolate covered pecans; 2 caramelized pecans
bowl of ice cream with chocolate syrup

Well, my S day is over. I enjoyed myself with my family and I feel very relaxed! :)

Diligence, I will expand on my signature..... but it's getting late and I have kiddos to get to bed soon.
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

oolala53
Posts: 10059
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Location: San Diego, CA USA

Post by oolala53 » Mon Dec 23, 2013 11:01 pm

You are doing great!

At the same time, I think you are discovering that this is not a linear experience-for most people. (Just like the effects of exercise. We're not necessarily stronger every time.)

I've had some challenges just recently and this is my 4th year! I hope that doesn't discourage you. I assumed when I started that it would take 5 years before I could really call it an ingrained habit.

Roy Baumeister found that changing food habits rates right up there with some of the most difficult-to-change habits known to modern science. It's possible to have things go really well for periods of time and then to have struggle. If we're struggling because something is unfair or unreasonable to ask of ourselves, well, maybe that's something to let go of. But No S- or something very like it- isn't unreasonable, so it's worth it to surf the waves.

No matter how we try to be moderate in our eating in this culture, we are to some extent going to be creating our own "culture" to do it. This doesn't mean it's impossible. It just means we can't depend on a lot of support out there.

That's where your own mind and WE come in!

Thanks for being part of the process.
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)

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Monday, Week 18

Post by automatedeating » Tue Dec 24, 2013 1:35 am

Back to an N Day!
coffee with cream
B: oatmeal and orange juice
L: burger and fries
whole milk latte
D: Mozarella cheese sticks and a cheesy potato skin with bacon bits
Wine
30 second plank

We just drove home today, so we are back to our house, bearing lots of new presents and toys. The Christmas tree is lit up, we have turned up the heater, and I am looking forward to curling up with a book I have heard good things about: Map of Time.

NoSnacker, I have considered getting an espresso machine......maybe this is the year! ;)

Oolala, thanks for the encouragement. I am indeed learning A LOT about myself as I work to change my eating habits. I have been seeing a counselor in the summers for the past 2 years and it has been really amazing for me. Who knows, perhaps that's where some of my courage to start changing my eating came from. And I love this forum so much. I use it as an emotion diary, for sure. It's a place for reflection for me, and I believe that is so critical to my growth as a person.

Diligence, I know this is pathetic, but I'm not sure how to answer your question about my signature. I'll just be honest, but it might not sound like much to you. When I joined NoS, I had just realized that when I was mad or disappointed, I'd march over to the counter and start eating whatever happened to be sitting there.....apples, chips, rolls, leftover sandwiches, it didn't seem to matter whether it was "healthy" or not, I just ate the food I saw. So my initial signature said, "Free me from mindless snacking when I"m mad or sad". After 12 weeks on NoS, I knew I had found the solution to this problem. Don't eat when it's not mealtime. So NoS has cured me (as long as I am paying attention to NoS, that is!). If I only consider eating an option at mealtime (and that means sitting down to think about it and enjoy it) I have COMPLETELY stopped the bad habit I had of eating whatever was on the counter during emotional times. Really, I believe what oolala says (just can't articulate like she can!): snacking is not an option, so eating for emotional reasons is not an option. It simplifies my life.

For some reason, my weekends have never been too wild on NoS. I think my poor eating habits had more to do with lack of structure to mealtimes than binging or needing sweets everyday. I just needed structure, which perhaps makes my case an "easier nut to crack". On the other hand, I am very psychologically resistant to being "strict" about how much I eat, or how "healthy" my eating is, and I have not begun to tackle those bad habits yet. That might very well be the difference between me and some of the successful NoSers that actually get thin. I don't see "thin" on my horizon, mostly because I don't want it that badly. I DO want moderate eating, that is very highly prized by my heart and mind. And NoS is the perfect lifestyle for these needs of mine.

I love this journal forum, I really think the journaling and the support of others is just phenomenal on these boards.

I just saw Linda posting about how after 4 or 5 months most posters leave off the forum a bit, and that may happen to me. On the other hand, I consider NoS a pathway to moderation in many aspects of my life, and I see myself needing structure in many other venues for years to come.

I've always wanted to be a journaler, but NoS is the longest I've stuck with it. :)

Merry Christmas everybody!
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

oolala53
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Location: San Diego, CA USA

Post by oolala53 » Tue Dec 24, 2013 6:14 am

"snacking is not an option, so eating for emotional reasons is not an option. It simplifies my life."

I dunno; that sounds pretty articulate to 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)

idontknow
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Joined: Tue Feb 26, 2008 9:43 pm
Location: UK

Post by idontknow » Tue Dec 24, 2013 7:37 am

Love that quote!
53 years old
Average weight loss:
May 18 - 2.45lbs

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lpearlmom
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Location: Arizona

Post by lpearlmom » Tue Dec 24, 2013 7:40 am

Don't get me wrong automated. I still come here pretty much everyday but the need to check in everyday has greatly eased up. I was extremely diligent about checking in every single day & writing down my food no matter what. I was afraid if I didn't I'd start getting red days.

I'm really glad I did it because the diligence paid off along with the strict diligence of nos rules. Now it feels like a real habit though and I know that weekly check ins are probably enough.

I hope that you do keep up with your check ins though because I really enjoy reading about your journey and also you seem to be greatly benefitting from it as well.

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

automatedeating
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Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Tuesday, Week 18

Post by automatedeating » Tue Dec 24, 2013 10:55 pm

S DAY
135.4 (First fluctuation into normal BMI territory!)
30 second plank
30 second lower abs hold

Christmas Eve Breakfast at a neighbor's house:
mimosa (OJ and champagne)
1.5 homemade cinnamon rolls
1 piece turkey bacon
coffee with milk

L: Frosted mini-wheats
D: tuna melt, chips and dip, wine
Snack: more chips and dip

I can't remember if I wrote this anywhere, but I am going to add in a 30-second plank every morning before I walk to work. For now, since I'm not working, I'll just be doing the plank to get used to it before heading back to work in a couple weeks. I'm also trying to do more stretching, but I'm not going to commit to that as part of my "habits" yet. Eventually I'd like to do my 5-minute ballet routine in the mornings, but I'll work up to that gradually.

Tomorrow is another S Day, then normal Thursday and Friday. Then my 4th non-weekend S Day will be New Year's Eve.
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

wosnes
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Location: Indianapolis, IN, USA

Post by wosnes » Wed Dec 25, 2013 3:33 am

Tell me about your 5 minute ballet routine. Please.
"That which we persist in doing becomes easier for us to do. Not that the nature of the thing itself has changed but our power to do it is increased." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

"You are what you eat -- so don't be Fast, Easy, Cheap or Fake."

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NoSnacker
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Location: Buffalo, New York

Re: Tuesday, Week 18

Post by NoSnacker » Wed Dec 25, 2013 10:12 am

automatedeating wrote:S DAY
135.4 (First fluctuation into normal BMI territory!)
Congrats!!!!!
Age 56: SBMI=30.6 (12/1/13) CBMI 28.9 (2/2/14) GBMI-24.8

automatedeating
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Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Wednesday, Week 18

Post by automatedeating » Thu Dec 26, 2013 12:51 am

S Day
coffee with milk
B: 2 homemade cinnamon rolls, 1 small orange
1 bite of reese's peanut butter cup
L: turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, green beans
1/2 of a homemade cinnamon roll
D: 1 apple, 1 orange
Wine

30-second plank
30-second lower ab leg hold

wosnes, Kira's ballet barre and pilates workouts are great! You can learn more about her videos online. I bought 2 of her apps. Each has about 8 lessons. Each lesson is about 20 minutes long. I was just doing the first 5 or 10 minutes of each lesson (the ballet part), but even that strained my (evidently) extremely tight and weak hip flexors. So I am waiting to get into better shape (and I've been working on more stretching) to start it again.

I highly recommend them. I am currently happy with my walking routine, but look forward to adding in Kira's workouts again in the future.
Last edited by automatedeating on Fri Dec 27, 2013 8:20 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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

middleager
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Post by middleager » Thu Dec 26, 2013 2:27 am

Congrats on the BMI :D

I can see these systems would be good for keeping up an at home exercise programme- something I have always found very hard to do.
Longest run so far: 22 days

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lpearlmom
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Location: Arizona

Post by lpearlmom » Thu Dec 26, 2013 2:38 am

Congrats from me as well. I bet those size 10s aren't feeling so tight anymore! :wink:
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

automatedeating
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Post by automatedeating » Thu Dec 26, 2013 3:14 am

Been doing thinking about NoS principles in other areas of life (can't wait to read Reinhard's new book about habits).

Electronic use (TV, TV games, ipads, kindles, and laptops are all in my home) are a constant issue for me and my kids. How much to use, when, how to earn time, how you lose time, and on and on and on. All of this drains my energy. I need a simple system.

Here's one idea (and feel free to offer suggestions):

No electronics Monday-Friday at 5pm. 5pm-7pm electronics Friday OK
Saturday and Sunday 10am-5pm electronic use allowed.

Notice that 7pm is cut-off time. That is for two reasons:
1. I try to read to my kids from 7-8pm
2. I'm sure we all wind down and sleep better without electronics later than 7pm.

Believe it or not, my husband is on board (he's the one home with the kids in the mornings, so that was essential to the plan). The easy control to this system is: I will hide/confiscate the TV remotes, ipad and kindle throughout the week. Then even in moments of weakness, we will hopefully stick with this plan. It is so NoS: freedom on the weekends allows the possibility of "binging" on electronics, but the hope would be that habits of N days would eventually straighten that out....but even a binge would only be 16 hours a week of electronics, which isn't ridiculously high these days. Also, the electronics are just NOT an option (insert: snacking is NOT an option).

I don't know if the plan is livable. We have agreed to give it 4 weeks of the quarter to see how it fits for us (roughly through the end of January). Stay tuned....also, I'm open to other ideas.
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

jw
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Post by jw » Thu Dec 26, 2013 2:20 pm

I will follow this with interest, automated. Last year at Christmas time, I went unplugged for a week and it was very refreshing!

It is so easy to get sucked into electronics -- I got rid of my tv back in the 90's because it was eating too much of my time; but computers have that dual work/entertainment role, which makes them more difficult to just ditch. I have to use facebook for marketing for my job, for example. And netflix streaming is both a blessing and a curse!

Good luck!
"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 » Thu Dec 26, 2013 3:21 pm

This post may be long, but I felt I needed to put some of these ideas on "paper" (ha) as I try to formulate further use of NoS principles (that is, habit-living) to other areas of my life.

My previous post discussed the actual method we will be implementing for January (I would start today but we will be traveling once again).

Now I would like to put out some thoughts about NoS and
*exercise
*finances
*discipline
*housecleaning

Exercise
This one I'm pretty much already doing. Exercise on N Days, no excuses, keep the exercise practical and moderate. Avoid overcomitting and setting myself up for failure. In practice, this means: walking to work, and doing 5-15 minutes of other exercise in the home before I leave in the mornings. Note: I am not yet committed to anything more than 30-second plank for the pre-walk exercise. Weekends are "off". All of this due to finding NoS and Shovelglove priniciples

Finances
Hmmm, mulling it over. The idea I am considering may sound crazy and anything but moderate.....but it might just work:
*Cash only except for Costco (I have tried this rule off and on with varying success over the past 7 years)--it can be very difficult to have cash on hand, it can be annoying to carry it, it can be frustrating at a restaurant to use cash instead of a credit card that earns money back, and so on.
So, what about this WILD idea?
SPEND NO MONEY ON N DAYS. Is this possible? Let me think about it:
*eliminates mid-week lattes, but does not ban them from the weekends
*eliminates impulse-purchases on my ipad for games for kids or books for me or other amazon-related purchases
*eliminates any (small) temptation to buy lunch rather than bring it
*eliminates mid-week grocery/household shopping trips

I anticipate there being some very tricky problems to this situation....but some that may bother others won't bother me. For example,
*I work M-F so rarely do grocery shopping then anyway.
*My husband is technically responsible for the household shopping--doesn't always work out that way....but it does mean that I shouldn't be going to the grocery store anyway!
*Since I walk to work, filling gas weekdays is not a problem. One fill-up at Costco on the weekends should do the trick.

I would need "Special" days for this plan. I normally pay bills on the 10th and the 25th, whichever days they fall on. Easy enough to shift them to the nearest Saturday morning (when I do lots of chores and things like that anyway). But a trip to a fair or other outing with the kids could qualify as a non-weekend S Day, and I could aim to have no more than 2 of these in a month (same as eating principles).

Okay, everybody, where are the massive holes in this plan? Do you have other suggestions to help me curb my spending? I am looking for SIMPLE, HABITUAL, and MODERATE.

Well, what do you know? Writing about that kind of discipline exhausted me. I can't face trying to design a similar system for child discipline or housecleaning now. Interesting that just thinking about not spending money M-F wore me out!

I'll have to come back to this on a different day.
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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lpearlmom
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Post by lpearlmom » Thu Dec 26, 2013 5:01 pm

Hi auto

I struggle with budgeting and the electronics big time so will be interested to see what you come up. I follow a modified version of flylady for cleaning but I think you're already aware of her.

For budgeting I'm thinking about using cash more often now too especially after the target scare. In the past I've used an envelope system where I had my budgeted amount of money for each thing in the envelope--groceries, entertainment etc. when it was empty I was done for the week. I may go back to that as our spending has really got out of control since our move.

I'm not sure about no spending during the week but what about only on tues/Thurs or something. That might be more sustainable but still help cut down on expenses?

I'm terrible about electronics. My technique has been to try to keep them busy with other stuff but when we have down time at home, I often cave. I finally get tired of it, make them turn everything off and go outside!

Okay keep us up to date on your final plans. Have fun with it!
Linda :)
:twisted: SW: 210 lbs
CW: 172
GW:160

middleager
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Post by middleager » Thu Dec 26, 2013 7:14 pm

Interesting! If i have read this right, you won't be using electronics at all monday to thursday, so you won't be posting anything?

Just for interest, our system is that the kids have to do their jobs before they can have their screen time. They are allowed up to an hour on weekdays and two hours on weekends. We don't count watching movies together as a family and things like that. This system still works for the 11 y old, but broke down completely for the eldest once he went to High School and was expected to do his work on a laptop for school.

We set a bad example though - both basically grafted to our devices.

The no spending rule sounds possible for you. Will be interesting to see how it goes.
Longest run so far: 22 days

automatedeating
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Post by automatedeating » Thu Dec 26, 2013 7:25 pm

Thanks for the post, middleeager.

The rule doesn't apply to me. :) I am at work much of the day, however, so I have time during breaks to post for NoS, etc. BUT, I am thinking that I will have to decrease my screen time too, since the kids won't be occupied with their own electronics. I have a feeling it will be good for me, too--as you said I am setting an example by how "glued" I am to my ipad. I think I'll need to give myself a daily window, but I haven't gotten that far in testing out this system yet.

We had the same system as you, but I was losing track of who had earned (and lost) what time. I think I was overcomplicating it. I suspect that the easiest for me to implement will be a "window" during which I am off their case about electronics. We'll see!
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 NoSnacker » Fri Dec 27, 2013 12:01 am

Did I read that there is another book in the making?
Age 56: SBMI=30.6 (12/1/13) CBMI 28.9 (2/2/14) GBMI-24.8

automatedeating
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Thursday, Week 18

Post by automatedeating » Fri Dec 27, 2013 1:28 am

137.5
coffee with milk
L: minestrone soup, egg on toast, toast with butter, orange
D: pizza, diet coke

NoSnacker, I think Reinhard is working on a book about habits in general, but I'm not really sure.
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 NoSnacker » Fri Dec 27, 2013 10:07 am

I had pizza last night for dinner as well. My son stopped over with my grandkids..it is so freeing to eat what you want for a meal without feeling guilty.

Have a great day!
Age 56: SBMI=30.6 (12/1/13) CBMI 28.9 (2/2/14) GBMI-24.8

automatedeating
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Friday, Week 18

Post by automatedeating » Fri Dec 27, 2013 7:02 pm

137.7
(that's what pizza does to me NoSnacker--almost every time! It's just water-weight but it's very predictable to me now)

30-second plank
walked to/from work (90 minutes)
I've been traveling and off from work, so I felt SO sluggish walking in. Good stuff, though.
B: whole milk latte, oatmeal
L: PB&J, chips, apple, orange
D: turkey slices, baked beans, and 1 piece toast with butter

OK, so I think I have a launchable plan:
12 weeks of No Spending Except on S Days.

I think it's fairly beautiful. I had my husband play Devil's Advocate and tell me all the reasons this won't work...ha ha.... and I think we have a game plan.

At first I thought...how can I do this, I know I will fail some days....and then I thought--I'll just mark it and move on! I would have never had the courage to try this without the principles NoS is teaching me. And I still remember oolala (I think) encouraging me my first or second week with the words, "what have you got to lose? give it 12 weeks". So that's what I'm doing with this, too.

Then the other "experiment" is electronics. As I've detailed in a previous post, the kids will have no electronics M-F. 5pm Friday until 7pm Sunday electronics are allowed. Chores and mandatory outside play time come before electronics even on these days (this is not a new rule). This experiment is only for 5 weeks. Our family will reevaluate February 1st.

I still am contemplating any moderating of my own electronic use......!
I'm starting to question my reading of books on the ipad. I don't read them as thoroughly, and I'm more likely to not finish. Might be time to reintroduce a weekly library time, and not read other books unless I'm willing to order a hard copy and wait the 2 days for it to arrive in the mail! Sheesh, whatever happened to my delayed gratification?!
Last edited by automatedeating on Sat Dec 28, 2013 2:34 am, edited 1 time in total.
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

jw
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Post by jw » Fri Dec 27, 2013 8:12 pm

I love the no spending experiment, automated! I tried a no money challenge years ago -- you go about your daily life but you don't carry any money, checks, or cards with you. It really cleans up the impulse spending -- if you have to go home and get your bank card or cash or wait until a designated shopping day before spending, you think twice and when you think twice, you often realize it's not really something you want/need anyway.

I think you'll enjoy this challenge!
"The second you overcomplicate it is the second it becomes the thing for which it is a corrective." -- El Fug

oolala53
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Post by oolala53 » Fri Dec 27, 2013 8:29 pm

auto, responding to your post on Deb's thread, saying that you have repeated desires to snack pop up, but that it's just easier now to say no: Thanks for the info! And I'm a little glad to hear it. I sometimes think my thoughts still go to food so often because I don't have as much going on in my life as other people who live a more mainstream lifestyle. But experience here on No S seems to disprove that.

I don't know how old your kids are. I know nowadays, other high school teachers and I give homework that requires using the internet, and my impression is that that is even more true for younger students. Next year, all 9th graders will have iPads and NO textbooks. That's the way it is for the middle schools students who come to our school. I guess that's not true for your kids? I know that would throw a wrench in your goal for your kids because it would demand monitoring. I don't even trust myself not to veer off important internet tasks to do other stuff-- like this. :roll: I'm better at work now because the district sent out a request that all personnel agree that they would not use the internet for personal use except on their own time. I hate to admit that it took that for me to curtail my trips to my personal email and even No S!

Otherwise, it's a laudable endeavor, I think. And as you say, it's an experiment.
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)

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lpearlmom
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Post by lpearlmom » Sat Dec 28, 2013 6:16 am

Sounds great auto! I'm sure you will fine tune it as you go.

Let us know how it goes.

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

automatedeating
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Post by automatedeating » Sat Dec 28, 2013 3:27 pm

Yeah, I'm pretty excited about this opportunity to reign in my spending with the simplicity of NoS principles.

Oolala, my 4-yr old goes to preschool, and luckily they are still not buying all the kids ipads... ha! Mine begs to play on mine, though...

My 8-yr old (2nd grade) is homeschooled, so I don't have to worry about that yet. I'm sure the day is coming, though. He's already learning how to type. Wow, I was in high school when I learned to type.

Hey, oolala, this is off-topic but I was wondering what grade (English?) you teach? And I suspect you don't get to teach the Honor's or AP classes, based on the students' attitudes? I think high schoolers would like, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. It's about a teenage boy, although you'd never get that from the cover. I have so many fond memories of my English classes in high school--here are some favorite memories of reading and class discussions (teenage sex jokes were always part of the memorable discussions):
Romeo and Juliet
The Cask of Amontillado, the Telltale Heart, the Pit and the Pendulum
The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber
Metamorphosis
Hamlet
A Separate Peace
Lord of the Flies
Candide
A fabulous Unit on Greek/Roman Mythology (one of my favorite school projects of all time)
Midsummer Night's Dream
The Glass Menagerie

I loved my high school English teachers, too. They really pushed us and I can still only imagine how much time they spent lovingly editing/commenting on all my writing.

You know, there ARE the students that you reach. It's just that even one bad apple can sour a classroom, and you are probably dealing with a dozen bad apples in each class!! yikes, I feel for you.
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 lpearlmom » Sat Dec 28, 2013 3:45 pm

Just curious how you homeschool when you work or does hubby do it? Something I've toyed with on & off with my girls so curious how different people manage it.

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

jw
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Post by jw » Sat Dec 28, 2013 4:32 pm

SOUP (cont) -- I don't want to hijack 4island's thread so I am moving over here. Here's a foolproof starter recipe that uses a lot of stuff you might already have in the cupboard:

jar of salsa, 1/2 an onion, can of red beans, some cut up sausage or beef -- put in crock pot, fill up with water, cook for a couple of hours, add a packet of ramen.

Once you feel comfortable with the concept, you can add whatever you want and experiment! You don't need to start totally from scratch, though you may want to eventually.

Wow, automated -- money, electronics, home schooling, soup -- this is turning into the most interesting check-in on the board!
"The second you overcomplicate it is the second it becomes the thing for which it is a corrective." -- El Fug

oolala53
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Post by oolala53 » Sat Dec 28, 2013 9:20 pm

I did teach IB English 12 for three years. At our school, the students are rather bamboozled into taking the class, so a lot of them are doing it against their will and are looking to do the least amount of work possible. I would typcially have half or more of the class not do the reading assignments day after day, and I resented them enormously. I felt shafted by them because if I let them participate in discussion groups with others who had read, they wuolld be able to pick up just enough for their purposes; if I didn't, I had too many students sitting there, needing to be monitored. Believe me, I tried all different ways to get them to work, and thre was a lot of pressure to not let them drop out of the program. It was very demoralizing. I finally saw that I was not able to cope with it, not because of intelligence, but because of anxiety and the sense that it wasn't actually worth my time to try to deal seriously with the work of students who weren't going to try to change. I'm just not reinforced by the few bright faces in the crowd. BTW, I had about 105 students in 3 classes and taught two classes to students on the opposite range of the spectrum the other hours of the day.

Now I'm the Spec Ed coteacher in English 9 and 10 and in World History and US History. Can you believe that's better? It is to me. The gen ed teachers don't really want me to take over too much, and for the most part, that's fine with me. I feel bad that I can't reach all the students, but their on their own paths, too, and many of them do poorly in other classes, too, so it isn't as if I'm the weakest link. Public school is tough because it's the public! That's just a fact.
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)

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Saturday, Week 18

Post by automatedeating » Sat Dec 28, 2013 9:30 pm

S Day!
136.5
30-second plank and 30-second lower abs hold
coffee with milk
B: life cereal
L: apple slices, orange pieces, 2 pieces leftover pizza
D: hot dog, potato salad, chips, watermelon, lemonade
2 pieces hard candy, 1 frosty

jw, thanks for the soup ideas. I will consider..... it does sound doable (for normal women that can cook and don't get a panic attack wondering what to fix for a meal).

Linda, my family is a group of acrobats--if you count schedule juggling acrobatic! Let's see if I can summarize how we do this for you (keeping in mind it changes quarter to quarter based on our teaching loads):

M, W: I leave for work at 6:30 and come home by 1:30. My husband takes the 8-yr old to a district-run homeschool co-op, and then he takes the 4-yr old to a babysitter's house. Then he works until 10pm! At 1:30 I pick both kids up. We do math, grammar, spelling, handwriting, and a reading lesson. Our goal is to be done by 3pm so we can read out loud until 4pm, when the schoolkids in our neighborhood get off the bus and my kids play until 6pm, when we have dinner. 7-8pm I read again out loud, but this time it's any book(s) they want me to read from.
T,Th: I leave for work at 6:30 and come home by 4pm. My husband doesn't work on these days, but they both have either preschool or the homeschool co-op classes again. When I come home at 4pm, if my son hasn't finished his workbook assignments (with nice handwriting) he gets to do it over before he can play with the neighborhood kids. That does not happen very often! :)
F: I drive to work so I can be home with family for breakfast. I drive home between noon and 1pm and finish schoolwork then.

The homeschool co-op is a great place for my son. I make sure to sign him up only for fun (and messy hands-on) classes: art, science, craft-based history, and PE classes.

I love homeschooling because I love learning and teaching. I have wanted to homeschool since I was in college, believe it or not. I just couldn't imagine missing out on the joys of learning that my kids would get to experience. And you can probably tell, to me education is so closely linked to reading great literature, so I really try to prioritize that above everything else.

All that said, homeschooling has been a gift for our family, and I treasure each year that we've been able to do it (only on our 3rd year right now). With our changing schedules, we know that it might not last, but I am grateful for what we have been able to do so far.
Last edited by automatedeating on Sun Dec 29, 2013 5:57 am, edited 1 time in total.
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

automatedeating
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Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Sat Dec 28, 2013 9:36 pm

oolala, we crossed posts again! :)

I taught middle school and then high school for 6 years. I've been teaching community college for 7 years now, and I am much happier!
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

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

Post by oolala53 » Sat Dec 28, 2013 10:07 pm

I considered going for teaching community college, but getting a Masters just didn't sound attractive on its own OR for a career in which (at that time) only 11% of the teachers were full time with benefits. Plus, I felt so done with work that I had to be piecemeal about. I'll never know if it would have worked out. Maybe I would have been one of the lucky few. But I know I ran into a former colleague from a curriculum writing job I had, and he, with a Ph.D in English, was working at three different community college districts and driving all over creation to eke out a living. Six of one, half a dozen of another? It's certainly wouldn't be my dream job now, so I don't think seriously about changing. Maybe I should look into tutoring after I retire, although I'd like to get more involved with working with people with eating issues. I just don't know if I could make any spare change at that, nor if I'd feel right about it since I've gotten so much from here and the internet for free!
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)

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Sun Dec 29, 2013 6:04 am

I say follow your passion! You are obviously good at helping people with eating issues, and many people need the face to face accountability. I think of people on this forum that were obviously struggling, and then disappeared. I'm sure in your years on this forum you have seen many people struggle and fade away from this support group. So sometimes paying for a little more face to face contact (or even phone-based support) is well worth the financial investment. And once they had their habits firmly in place, you'd no doubt be directing them to the free help on the internet. :)
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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lpearlmom
Posts: 4812
Joined: Fri Aug 02, 2013 4:59 am
Location: Arizona

Post by lpearlmom » Sun Dec 29, 2013 6:25 am

Awesome automated. Sounds like you have a good, albeit complicated, system in place and most importantly are really enjoying it.

When I was in teaching school ( yes, I used to be a teacher too) a group of us were assigned to do a presentation on homeschooling. At the beginning we all took the stance that homeschooling was generally a bad idea. As we got into our research we could only find benefits to homeschooling so had to revise our original point of view. Definitely an eye opener for me and have been curious about it since.

I probably don't have the right personality for it but think it's really pretty cool for those that do.

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

middleager
Posts: 90
Joined: Fri Dec 20, 2013 11:13 pm
Location: New Zealand

Post by middleager » Sun Dec 29, 2013 9:43 pm

So much interesting stuff! I found I wasn't sleeping so well when I read the ipad in bed at night. So now i have books on the go on the ipad but I have print books on my bedside table.

Oolala, my 15 y old has chosen "english with shakespeare" for next year, mainly because he wants to be in a class with other people who actually want to do english. I was quite interested to see the variety of english options they have for the senior school - "english for historians", "english for scientists".

I hope I am not annoying all these teachers with my inconsistent capitalisation - blame the ipad keyboard!
:oops:
Longest run so far: 22 days

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Sunday, Week 19

Post by automatedeating » Mon Dec 30, 2013 7:24 pm

S Day
138.2
Visiting relatives
30-second plank
B: life cereal
coffee with milk
L: (don't laugh!!) bowl of chex mix, 5 different kinds of christmas cookies
Dessert: small bowl of ice cream mixed up with milk to make a shake
whole milk latte
45 minute walk with relatives
D: bowl of beef stew, garlic bread
1 more cookie
wine

well, that was a pretty yummy S day, I have to admit!
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

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Monday, Week 19

Post by automatedeating » Mon Dec 30, 2013 7:37 pm

Still visiting relatives
Moderate Eating NoS Diet
B: eggs, pancakes, bacon
coffee with cream
L: tuna fish sandwich; apple slices; orange slices; chips
D: pot roast, potatoes, and a salad
Wine

Moderate Exercise Urban Ranger
45 minute walk (took some creative determination to fit this in)
30-second plank and then later a 1-minute plank!

Moderate Spending No Spending on N Days
Green

Moderate Electronics No electronics on N Days--Kids
Green/red? My 4 yr old is watching a movie right now with other cousins, but the 8 yr old is playing a board game with older cousins. Honestly, I did succeed at keeping them away from ipad and kindle games on an N day. So I don't feel bad, they have played hard all day. Mark it and move on.
Last edited by automatedeating on Tue Dec 31, 2013 3:17 am, edited 3 times in total.
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

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

Post by oolala53 » Mon Dec 30, 2013 11:14 pm

How did you distinguish what was lunch (5 kinds of cookies) from dessert (small ice cream shake)?

Sounds like many S days I had early on. Actually, it's rather tame by comparison.

I never have been able to record what I eat on S days. I guess I can't handle the truth!
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)

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Post by automatedeating » Mon Dec 30, 2013 11:58 pm

Hi oolala, even though I ate junk for lunch yesterday, I did actually just pile it all on one plate! So I called it a meal. For some reason, I like to do that, even on S Days. The dessert was after I'd finished the plate. :) I guess it's all somewhat arbritrary: what we call a meal, a snack and/or a dessert.

I didn't feel too gross on Saturday, but I think I had one of my first "calm curiosity" food realizations. I had a good breakfast today (bacon and eggs and just one small pumpkin pancake), but I was SO hungry by lunch. That is not normal, but I think I have recognized a pattern: eating a lot of carby sugar foods as I did the day before seemed to mess with my blood sugar regulation a full day later.
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

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

Post by lpearlmom » Tue Dec 31, 2013 3:11 am

Looks like your plans are going well so far. Great job!

I'm trying out your spending idea. I'm going to have no spending days on Tues, Thursdays & Sundays. Will be hard especially with kids home for the break. I may start Sunday actually. Anyway thanks for the idea.

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

User avatar
Over43
Posts: 1850
Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2008 9:15 pm
Location: The Mountains

Post by Over43 » Tue Dec 31, 2013 4:15 am

Auto I like the way you eat, like me, much of the time. In fact, I could be reading my journal. 8)
Bacon is the gateway meat. - Anthony Bourdain
You pale in comparison to Fox Mulder. - The Smoking Man

I made myself be hungry, then I would get hungrier. - Frank Zane Mr. Olympia '77, '78, '79

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NoSnacker
Posts: 1481
Joined: Sat Jun 11, 2011 12:40 am
Location: Buffalo, New York

Post by NoSnacker » Tue Dec 31, 2013 10:06 am

Mmmm maybe I can do that on my S days, eat my snacks for a meal this way I'll stick to 3 plates as anything outside of 3 plates I tend to binge eat...:(
Age 56: SBMI=30.6 (12/1/13) CBMI 28.9 (2/2/14) GBMI-24.8

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

Post by oolala53 » Tue Dec 31, 2013 4:33 pm

I hope you didn't feel you had to defend yourself regarding "dessert." It makes perfect sense to me! It's a very civil distinction. ) :D

But I'm still curious. Was it bad to be SO hungry at lunch? It sounds good to me these days. I don't experience that pattern. I haven't been willing to go beyond 7 hours to wait to get hungry much these days, but I used to experiment on S days. Once it took 36 hours before I got legitimately hungry. I'm not willing to take the experiment that far anymore. I still get antsy to eat around meal times. I sure don't forget to eat! I wish I could! If I could find more compelling alternative activities to fill my time, I might be doing IF on weekends spontaneously.

auto, what do you teach at the community college? It sounds like you must get all your work done there: prep, classes, and evaluating student work, because you sound pretty darn busy at home. What does your husband do?

If this is all too personal to share on the internet, please don't feel bad telling me you'd rather not say.

Happy New Year's Eve!
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)

middleager
Posts: 90
Joined: Fri Dec 20, 2013 11:13 pm
Location: New Zealand

Post by middleager » Tue Dec 31, 2013 8:57 pm

I like to be hungry for the meal, but not so hungry for two hours beforehand that i can barely talk to anyone...I think I have noticed the same thing automatedeating, that the high sugar high starch foods can have an effect over a couple of days. Worth it sometimes though!
Longest run so far: 22 days

automatedeating
Posts: 5305
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2013 2:16 pm

Tuesday, Week 19

Post by automatedeating » Wed Jan 01, 2014 3:25 am

S Day, at relatives
B: pumpin pancakes, 2 eggs, celery/carrot juice
coffee with milk
L: yogurt, apples slices, whole milk latte
D: beef stew, potato chips
1 small plate of desserts/snacks for New Year's Eve Party--wanted more at first, but told myself I would actually prepare a "plate" of my favorite things. Then once I had eaten those sweets I realized I didn't need any more......I tried to stay away from the table with all the food on it. Reminded myself I'll be glad later for not over-doing it. Reminded myself that a lot is not necessarily more satisfying than a little.
wine

30-minute walk
30-second plank
1 time up a "medium-hard" climbing wall!!! Sheesh, that was tougher than it looked.

Spent: money on one latte, and a few things to bring to the New Year's Eve Party, paid a relative $10 for my husband's fantasy football league (don't ask): ~$30total for day

Kids: played a little on my ipad, mostly played hard again with cousins

Oolala, I do get most of my work done at school. I try to be a master of efficiency! :) I have to do some work at home (usually between 4 and 5pm) and I have to work the occasional Saturday, but I am pretty lucky with my job. I do love it, and believe me, I am grateful for my job.....it is very flexible for raising kiddo-s. I teach science. My husband teaches math part-time.
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

jw
Posts: 844
Joined: Fri Jul 05, 2013 7:27 pm
Location: PA

Post by jw » Wed Jan 01, 2014 4:56 pm

Just looking in to wish you a fantastic 2014, automated! You've invented a few new everyday systems -- can't wait to see where you go with all this! Happy New Year!
"The second you overcomplicate it is the second it becomes the thing for which it is a corrective." -- El Fug

middleager
Posts: 90
Joined: Fri Dec 20, 2013 11:13 pm
Location: New Zealand

Post by middleager » Wed Jan 01, 2014 8:16 pm

Impressive sensibleness at your party!

Happy New year!
Longest run so far: 22 days

LoriLifts
Posts: 996
Joined: Fri Jan 11, 2008 11:02 pm
Location: new mexico

Post by LoriLifts » Wed Jan 01, 2014 10:02 pm

Walked over from my blog to wish you A Happy, Healthy No S 2014!
Habits are at first cobwebs, then cables.

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