Everyday Systems

GraceW

Hey, KCCC, I remember you! Good to see you. I rarely check in here anymore for the same reason and I checked back in for the same reason. Great minds think alike!

GraceW

Hi, Rawcookie (love your username!). Thanks for the kind words!

Your strategy is my go-to strategy as well. You can't eat it if you don't keep it in the house!

Here's the weird thing: these days, I can keep candy around and not touch it. I store it on a high shelf in the cupboard so I don't see it ...

GraceW

Outstanding!! Thank you for the inspiration and congratulations on your continued success.

GraceW

Hey, everyone!

I don't check into this forum much anymore, but I consider that a testimonial to how natural No S is. I don't think about it much anymore! It's been interesting reading my old posts here and seeing what I struggled with in the past (a sweet tooth, tons of snacking, a workplace that ...

GraceW

I'm trying to stay positive despite all the red days! In some ways, i've actually improved because the red days represent significantly fewer sweets and rich foods than in previous years, before No S. I've also kept up with my running and weight training program, so that's an improvement as well ...

GraceW

I'm not a vegetarian, but my diet leans that way. For breakfast, i always add walnuts to my steel cut oatmeal to add some good fats and protein. If I'm really hungry, I'll add a hardboiled egg. Maybe try that and see if it helps?

GraceW

LOVE this podcast. I definintely plan to implement this. I already handle my to-do list on paper, but this adds a level of refinement that I think will be very helpful.

GraceW

The tea with sugar is fine as long as you're not heaping on the sugar. Enjoy!

GraceW

I limit myself to 3 meals, even on workout days. If I go 8+ hours without eating, so be it. I consider it a great way to train my body to burn fat.

GraceW

Ah, the holidays. Always a challenge. December will be my sixth month on No S, so I will continue with vanilla No S and save any mod experimentation for the new year. I had an awful November No S wise, so I hope December will be a perfect month! I would love to lose 1 more pound in December too, but ...

GraceW

Just wanted to share how effective these monthly challenges are for me: despite plenty of red days, I lost the 9 pounds I gained at my last job (more background here http://everydaysystems.com/bb/viewtopic.php?p=135019&highlight=#135019). I'm convinced snacking contributed to virtually all of my ...

GraceW

I do the same thing as wosnes.

GraceW

A year will pass anyway. For most people who try to speed up the weight loss process, they will end that year heavier.

Focus on building the habit, not the scale. This isn't an overnight thing. This past year, I've watched three friends go on diets trying to lose weight quickly. I'm the only one ...

GraceW

That is outstanding! Congratulations!

GraceW

I alternate between eggs and steel cut oatmeal with dried fruit and for breakfast. I treat muffins, waffles, pancakes, and even juice and sweetened yogurt as S foods, but that's my personal choice. I purposely set a low "sweet" threshold to keep my sweet tooth under control.

GraceW

Donnadolittlemore wrote:Now I think I need to have a list of healthy vices to go to when I feel the need to mindlessly snack.

My go-to vice is knitting. It keeps both of my hands busy, and I can't snack because it would soil my project.

GraceW

I'm in! These monthly challenges are so helpful to me as my daily check-in. Thank you for setting this up.

Goal: a perfect month on vanilla No S.

1 - S Day (close friend's birthday party)
2 - S Day
3 - S Day - snacking is still a problem on S days, but at least I now put my snack on a plate and ...

GraceW

I love seeing everyone's successes! Even more inspiring, I love seeing how people pick themselves right back up after a failed day. Keep going!

GraceW

You have no idea how helpful these monthly challenges are for me! I'm using these as my daily check-in, and it's so motivating to see other people's progress and little notes by their smiley faces. Thank you to everyone for being such a great support group!

GraceW

The ideal for me is to be hungry for 1-2 hours before the meal, but that doesn't happen as regularly anymore, even though I'm eating a lot less.

Has anyone else noticed decreasing hunger? Last week, I had a busy day where I didn't have time for dinner until 10 pm, and yet I wasn't really hungry ...

GraceW

Happy Birthday, Reinhard! Enjoy your BIG S day!

GraceW

I agree on the tea trick, My favorite is Stash Licorice Spice Tea. It has a sweet aftertaste, perfect for curbing a sweets craving.

GraceW

Thank you for setting up this challenge! I did it -- my first perfect month on No S!!!

GraceW

The monthly challenge was so helpful for me in September that I want to do it again. Goal: a perfect month on vanilla No S!

October
1- :mrgreen:
2- :mrgreen:
3- :mrgreen:
4- :mrgreen:
5- S Day
6- S Day - observation: I overdid these S Days a bit and felt too full. Too many sweets too. I might cut ...

GraceW

Congratulations on your continued success!

GraceW

Wonderful list!

GraceW

No Sers know this already, but it amazes me how so many people continue to look for the complicated answer.

Itâ€™s as if weâ€™re micro-focusing on less daunting and less damning culprits to distract ourselves from the one thatâ€™s most fearsome and difficult to change, which is the sheer volume of ...

GraceW

I'm a fan of the no solitary snacking ever mod too. It removes the kind of S day eating that isn't pleasurable anyway. Focusing on pleasure (S worthiness?) has really helped control my S days.

GraceW

Blithe Morning wrote:The End of Overeating by Dr David Kessler. Good insight into food engineering.

Fat Land by Greg Critser. How policy and culture have wrought our current obesity problem.

Thank you for recommending The End of Overeating, I'm reading it now and find it fascinating.

GraceW

This is great! I haven't had a perfect month yet since recommitting to No S in July. I'd love to have a perfect September.

1 S Day
2 :mrgreen:
3 :mrgreen:
4 :mrgreen:
5 :mrgreen: - Discovered that licorice spice herbal tea curbs my sweet tooth
6 :mrgreen:
7 S Day
8 S Day
9 :mrgreen:
10 :mrgreen ...

GraceW

Mindless Eating by Brian Wansink is a great book that further illustrates how conscious thought is ineffective in portion control. It's a good companion to The No S Diet.

GraceW

I'm part way through episode 2 on BBC iPlayer and I got so annoyed I wanted to write it down. An ex executive of Pepsico was saying how the whole "exercise to get slim" thing is a myth we subscribe to, but that we shy away from the "hard thing" of real dietary change to lose weight long term ...

GraceW

I thought this was interesting and wanted to share.

http://www.yourfairyangel.com/1/post/20 ... ients.html

GraceW

I'm constantly surprised at how following the vanilla No S rules creates positive ripple effects without even trying. Others have mentioned a sweet tooth reduction, which I've noticed as well.

For me, portion control has been an issue because it's easy to overeat when all those bites sneak by in ...

GraceW

You are about the same size/weight as me (I'm currently at the same weight as your starting weight), so this is particularly inspiring because it shows me what I can look forward to. Thank you for sharing!

GraceW

GraceW: I'm glad NoS is working for you again. Do you have to return to that job or is that a one-time thing only?

It was a one-time only job assignment, thank goodness. I'm now working at a place where they have vending machines and the occasional treat, but I've had no problem resisting those ...

GraceW

musiclvr02 wrote:Finallyfull, what is a TPS report?

From the movie Office Space. It's shorthand for BS paperwork.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fy3rjQGc6lA

GraceW

Lady Crimson wrote: When you see bowls of treats and candy, remember it's BAIT. Visulize something cute and furry in a steel trap--that's what happens when you take the bait.

I love this visual. It highlights just how dangerous those office snacks and sweets really are.

GraceW

I love everyone's ideas to make that 1 egg and spinach a real breakfast. Hmmm, I'd fry the egg in a smidge of butter, wilt the spinach, and put both on a piece of toast thinly spread with pesto. Sprinkle a little salt, pepper, and freshly-grated Parmagiano-Reggiano cheese on top.

GraceW

3 pounds down after 1 month away from that job assignment. 6 pounds to go before I get back to the weight I was when I started that job. I guess I shouldn't be surprised at how quickly the weight is coming off because the snacking/junk food opportunities and work stress were truly excessive over ...

GraceW

I recall in Brian Wansink's book "Mindless Eating" that those frequent decisions to say "no" can eventually use up your willpower reserves and make you say "Well, maybe this time." That's what I did.

Is there a way to prevent a "maybe this time"? Or did Wansink say it's inevitable? How to you ...

GraceW

I recently finished a 9-month job assignment where there were free snacks everywhere. There wasn't even the added speed bump of having to get change for a vending machine -- the snacks were just *there* for the taking. I'm not talking about just in the kitchen, either. There were two candy jars when ...

GraceW

My username is @GraceWen, but I don't tweet about my diet. I'd love to use the #nosdiet hashtag to meet other No Sers and occasionally check in for support, though.

GraceW

oolalah, you're not too late. Thank you for the suggestion! I'm going to leave the house to run an errand and get the iced decaf with milk. I like that idea very, very much! I'm also going to continue reading my book, which is due back to the library soon.

This has happened a few times and I ...

GraceW

Arrrgh, I totally miscalculated my dinner and am already hungry half an hour later. Any tips on how to make it to bedtime without raiding the fridge? I've had a perfect August so far and don't want to break the streak. Sooooo close to S day!

GraceW

I tried to have sweets in the house, but they made it hard to stay compliant on N days and moderate on S days. It took too much willpower to resist them, especially if I was mentally drained from other things. Now I keep them out of the house and walk to the bakery on S days. The treats are fresher ...

GraceW

Thanks for all the thoughtful replies, everyone! I'll definitely focus on seeking better quality S foods. Funny, when I first tried No S last fall, my S days were wild. Now they're less so. You guys are right -- they do settle down eventually.

GraceW

Hello, runner and half marathon fanatic here! Like rungirl96, my long runs are on Saturdays or Sundays, so I don't worry about breaking No S. During the week, just keep your meals sensible and healthy and you'll be fine. Best of luck in your training!

GraceW

Dairy creates problems when I overdo it, but small amounts are okay. The pizza hit me much more than the ice cream did. I felt this way last month when I had a few fried cheese curds too.

I like your suggestion to choose my S's more carefully instead cutting back on S days altogether. I want to ...

GraceW

I didn't overdo my S day today, but I did splurge on two slices of pizza (which I rarely have) and a small ice cream at lunch and now feel a bit ill. I've noticed this "ugh" feeling happens if I don't eat healthy foods now. I think this is a good problem to have, but does this mean I should cut back ...

GraceW

Good for you Ruff. Casual athletes chug down way too many sugary "sports fuel" products - marketers havedone a great job. I never needed to eat on the run until I started marathon training. Running through the third hour seems to require a little fuel for me. For a half marathon you'll hopefully ...

GraceW

Don't give in! Avoiding the snack will make that burger and shake more delicious.

GraceW

Judith Beck wrote The Beck Diet Solution, which isn't a diet at all...it's a book that helps you to change your thinking in order to change your behavior (cognitive therapy). I learned about it through these boards from another poster who had success using it in conjunction with NoS.

Thanks for ...

GraceW

This is a brilliant post. I needed the reminder that I can't jump to Phase III/IV right away. I now realize I'm firmly in Phase II right now and that's OKAY. Thank you for sharing this!

GraceW

Heh, like I said, I understated how much I graze on sweets over the weekends. The "no snacking" rule really highlights how sneaky grazing can be. All those little bites add up quickly. It's easy to snarf 1000+ calories worth of sweets when you graze.

Well, I made my "S worthy" list and it's ...

GraceW

Even though we all probably know this information to some extent, a video is much more powerful than words.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBKM3b7phJc

GraceW

"S worthy" reminds me of the "sponge worthy" Seinfeld episode. :lol: I like the idea of making a list! Those tips sound like they will help me be more mindful.

My S days feel excessive because I tend to permasnack on sweets. But everyone's right: I have to give it time. Funny how 6 weeks really isn ...

GraceW

I'm a huge fan of Food Rules and this rule would definitely put the brakes on a lot of my sweets nibbling. Thanks for reminding me about this one.

GraceW

Thank you for the the warm welcome and the advice, everyone! You're right, being patient and letting the habits take hold is the best course of action.

vmsurbat, I find it so fascinating how the S days settled down for you. A friend of mine has been No Sing since October and a similar thing ...

GraceW

OK, I've managed a perfect 6 weeks of No S-ing after two failed attempts and the N days seem to be under control. I've lost 3 pounds (so about 1/2 pound a week). Right now, the only mod I have is using smaller plates (8 1/2 or 9 inch plates) because I'm a pretty small person. Also, I'm good about ...

GraceW

What the others said. Don't give up! I started No S-ing in mid-October, made it to 3 weeks, failed a LOT in December, restarted in earnest the day after Christmas. I'm now at over 5 successful weeks and counting. It might take a few tries before it "clicks." Don't give up!

Everyday Systems

Search found 61 matches

4 years: what a difference!

Hard truths about our soft bodies

A diet consultant apologizes

A small portion control win

Re: It'snot a treat; it's bait.

Re: Dangers of free workplace snacks

Dangers of free workplace snacks

Hungry 30 minutes after a meal - help!

S days making me feel a bit ill?

A 30-second video showing US obesity data from 1985-2009

Struggling with my S day sweet tooth