Everyday Systems

JustAnnie

Junk food freedom is a remarkable thing, isn't it? It is enpowering to know that food does not control your life.

JustAnnie

I tell people I'm not dieting. I've just reacquainted myself with how to eat like a normal human being.

JustAnnie

Congrats Susie!! I'm glad you reacquainted yourself with your waist. I'm sure it will stick around now that you have dedicated yourself to NOSing for life.

JustAnnie

Blamey - I had to blink when I looked at that last picture of the plate with its portions defined on it. I had just finished eating a pork chop, red beans and rice, small dinner salad and split an orange with my DH. Swap out my chop for the chicken and it would have been the same dinner!!

JustAnnie

People who are not carb sensitive may not understand your post, Cajun. I truly believe that carbs are an addictive substance for some people and the more refined they are......the more addictive they are. So when you are away from sugar for a whole five days your body starts to drop the craving for ...

JustAnnie

BTW.....my sugar actually does better on "No S" days where I eat three times a day then when I eat many snacks throughout the day. By testing your blood sugar several times a day when you first start No Sing, you will be able to determine if this is true for you too.

JustAnnie

(RAISING HAND) Greeting Suzie! I am diabetic (Type 2) and if you look at my join date you will see that I've been doing this for a couple of years now. YES, it works. My doctor is very happy with the 32 pounds I have dropped and my blood sugar levels are much better too.

You do, of course, have to ...

JustAnnie

Feel better fast. The flu bug is no fun whenever it bites.

So how cold does it get in winter in South Africa? Just curious.

JustAnnie

If the special day calls for some really special food that will make me feel deprived if I dont partake of it.....like DH's annual birthday pineapple upside down cake.....then I'll declare it a NWS day. If it's just someone's birthday with a plain old cake, I can skip it without feeling deprived so ...

JustAnnie

We have two chain restaurants in town.......only two. One is McDonald's and the other is Sonic. You CAN find some good food at either if you are careful and ask for them to hold the salt shaker. I now like the Barbecue Grilled Chicken Wrap with a side salad and an unsweet ice tea. That is my ...

JustAnnie

I agree about the hidden salt in restaurant and processed grocery items. I think those two sources are the biggest reason that we have such a sodium problem in this country. People who cook fresh foods at home don't seem to have such a problem with this, even if they add a little salt to their own ...

JustAnnie

I think there are people who are truly carb addicted......I am one. They are the ones who will understand your original post in this thread because once they get started on a carb feeding frenzy it just goes on and on and you end up dreaming about your next sweet treat and you end up making yourself ...

JustAnnie

I'm a Type 2 Diabetic and have big blood sugar issues. I was scared to death that my blood sugar would go too low between meals but I agree with LauraAnn. Eat good, balanced meals and you should be fine. And, btw, I DO eat oatmeal some mornings. Normally, this wouldn't work for me because of the ...

JustAnnie

My advise is don't try to think too far ahead. Just take it meal by meal. If you eat breakfast at 8am, keep yourself busy and just think about making it to lunch without snacking. Don't try to think past that until your lunch is finished, then tell yourself, "I can make it to dinner without eating ...

JustAnnie

We understand you here. You are not alone. I've had a love/hate relationship with food for most of my adult life and I always felt like a weirdo who had no control of what I put in my mouth. Well, now I know two things. I'm not alone and I CAN be in control if I choose. It's great just to feel ...

JustAnnie

Congrats!! I always say if you stick with the program then the scale will take care of itself!! I weigh myself very seldom.

JustAnnie

mmmmmm........pizza and ice cream (drools like Homer Simpson). Those are my two biggest trigger food. I do not allow them in the house. When eaten I eat them in public and in preset amounts. You have MUCH will power Rheba!

JustAnnie

I'm still hanging around. Mother's Day was pretty food filled and I am detoxing today. Right now I'm right on target and intend to stay that way until bed time.

JustAnnie

Commenting from a Type 2 Diabetic's perspective, I know that eating frequent snacks tended to keep my blood sugar levels high throughout the day which, of course, is not a good thing. On the days I eat three good meals and no snacks, my blood sugar stays more level and at much lower levels, which is ...

JustAnnie

Your hot flash reduction interests me. Have you an opinion about what you have stopped eating that has reduced them?

JustAnnie

I seldom sit and drink a glass of milk but I do incorporate it into many of the foods I eat, ie: oatmeal, pudding, casseroles, even some soup. It's a fact of life that women need calcium, especially those contemplating having a family or older women. I always use skim milk though. I don't need the ...

JustAnnie

I am Type 2 Diabetic and very carb sensitive. The issue with me is not if carb calories and fat calories burn at the same rate but rather how I feel after eating them. If I were to eat all carbs my blood sugar would rise and I would become ravenous. When I eat fats my appetite is surpressed but I ...

JustAnnie

Yes, I love salads when I'm feeling the need to crunch and munch a lot of food. They are also a good thing to order in the restaurant if you with a bunch of people who plan on eating HUGE meals followed by desserts. You can make a salad last a long time and not feel a bit deprived.

JustAnnie

Eating lots of carbs, especially the highly processed ones, can send me into a feeding frenzy. I know that when I eat a "balanced plate" with not more than 1/4 of my plate containing carbs, that I'll be ok until my next meal.

My two cents worth.

JustAnnie

I love that you can stay on this program and still eat out with friends and family and not have it be evident that you are on a "diet" or "eating program". I don't tell anyone I'm doing it, unless I think that they could benefit from it too.

Sometimes I stay away for a month or two but when I feel ...

JustAnnie

I am still a bit heavier than you, but I find it intriguing that we are running so close in our weight loss!

Let's keep up the good work, eh?

JustAnnie

This is a great thread. I think I'll bookmark it for any day I'm feeling low. My advice is similar. I use to have a love affair with food. I woke up in the morning, jumped in the shower and the first thing I'd think about is what I was going to be eating all day and when I could run out to the ...

JustAnnie

I can really drain the diet soda. If left unchecked, I could probably drink about a dozen cans a day. I now only allow them on "S" days and drink water, black coffee and unsweet tea on "NoS" days. It took a while to train myself to do this, but knowing I can have my soda on the weekends helps to get ...

JustAnnie

Hey! I just read your complete signature. You and I began this journey about the same time and I've lost 32 pounds! We're pretty darn close in weight loss too!

JustAnnie

Not a bad idea, but I'm a chicken. May I copy your idea in permanent ink instead?

JustAnnie

Jayhawk - Congratulations on beginning this new way of life. I guarantee you that if you stay with it for a month that you'll feel better, look better, and be proud of your new found self control. Welcome.

JustAnnie

Somebody on this board (was it Reinhard?) once said something like, "There is absolutely no reason why garbage food has to make it's way through your body before it is permanently disposed of! Eliminate the digestive process and just throw it out!" When my father's "Waste not, want not" warning ...

JustAnnie

Nope, you made a very good decision.

I am older, with grown children. My father grew up during the Depression and he wouldn't let us waste a drop of food without ranting. My poor mother had to find ways of disposing of unwanted food without his knowledge. I, too, have problems throwing food out ...

JustAnnie

You'll note that my avatar is "Never Give Up".

I guess it's different strokes for different folks and whatever mind set works for you. The "do or die" mind set is too rigid for me. When I think like that I tend to throw up my hands and walk away the first time I stumble, but I can understand where ...

JustAnnie

I think the balance plate proportions are key here. If you divide your plate into 4 quarters, only allow 1/4 of your plate to be carbs. Give 1/4 to protein and the remaining 2/4 to fruits and veggies. You can't go wrong with these proportions.

Also, get some exercise in every day you possibly can ...

JustAnnie

"Trying" leaves some room for making mistakes and being human. If you say "I Will Do This" and you stumble and make a mistake, then what? You're a failure? It's over? I prefer to say, "I Will Try To Do This To The Best Of My Ability". That way, if I make a mistake, I don't have to beat myself up ...

JustAnnie

I always thought "Eat What You Want Day" was known as "Thanksgiving".

JustAnnie

Mother's Day is not only for those women who give birth, it's for those who have adopted children, pets or who generally care for and make life better for others!!

Happy Mother's Day Ladies!

JustAnnie

Jayhawk - Welcome!!

I love it. You know I can see now why I didn't have trouble keeping my weight down while I was in a college dorm. We couldn't eat in our rooms or keep food there. We only ate when we were in the dorm cafeteria.....three square meals a day, but on the weekends we would go a bit ...

JustAnnie

Wow! It's been a year since I used this feature but I kind of fell off the wagon a bit and I think I need to use it again.......at least once a week or so. This has been a good week and I'm back in the groove again.

JustAnnie

Mondays and switching gears to be good again.

JustAnnie

This shouldn't just be about losing weight......yep, I just said that. It should also be about eating healthier, being healthier and feeling good about having some self control. Stay off the blasted scales and focus on doing this right. The weight will slip off in good time. And if you want it to ...

JustAnnie

One Suggestion.........PAPER PLATES You can buy them the size of a dinner plate and then toss them.

JustAnnie

I think it's sad how "weight conscious" some EIGHT YEAR OLD girls are now. It's a society trend that is hard to fight when it is getting reinforced by skinny, bulemic starlets. Sigh.

I think "No S" living is a very healthy life style for kids. It's the way we use to eat back in the olden days when ...

JustAnnie

I've been away from the board for a while but I'm back again and have just ordered your book! Congratulations and I can't wait to read it!

JustAnnie

Very cool and CONGRATS! I just put in my pre-order at Amazon. Let me know when you come to Nashville to do a book signing!

JustAnnie

I weigh myself once a month now. In a month's time I always see a little bit of a loss when I'm "No S"ing. I'm older and I don't lose as fast as when I was younger, so weighing more often than that, can be disappointing.

JustAnnie

Welcome Matt! You know, I've noticed that a lot of people think that exercise has to be going to the gym or jogging or some sort of scheduled exercise that requires dropping everything else and ONLY exercising. I've found that moving your body is what is important and it doesn't HAVE to be formal ...

JustAnnie

This system does more than make me lose a little weight and it does more than steer me to make mostly healthy choices, it makes me feel NORMAL. What do I mean by that? It makes me feel like I can sit down with family and friends, still be in control and not have to eat rabbit food or count every ...

JustAnnie

I've been away from the board too but felt the need to return. I need a little structure back into my eating habits and this works for me!

JustAnnie

I can deal with the hunger when I'm going about my day, but it's much tougher at night when I'm trying to go to sleep. A little milk sometimes helps then, other times I just can't deal with it and have to eat something small or I just can't sleep.

JustAnnie

You might want to try putting some restrictions on your "S" days if you are having trouble handling the freedom. Like only allow yourself two planned treats during the day at a specific time. Some of us can't shut the flood gates as easily as others.

JustAnnie

Keep in mind that I have a lot to lose yet. I'm finding that my S days are becoming more and more like my No-S days. After several months my body is kind of on a schedule and I eat breakfast, lunch and dinner at approximately the same time each day. It's liberating to know that if I come across ...

JustAnnie

No-S is a way of life that frees you from couting calories and over thinking the whold "diet" thing. It works too!!! I've lost 25 pounds.

JustAnnie

I am sugar sensitive and most fruit juices.....grape juice, orange juice, apple juice IS like drinking liquid sugar to me. It revs up my appetite and makes my blood sugar levels climb. I am drinking tomato juice some mornings though and I really like it. It gives me a full feeling and doesn't set ...

JustAnnie

I haven't been around the board for a couple of months. I thought my new way of eating was a learned habit, and it WAS a habit for quite a while. Strange things happen though. The change of seasons with warm weather somehow seemed to send me back to old bad habits so I'm back again for a refresher ...

JustAnnie

I bounced back here again. I've been living No S almost Daily but felt I was starting to falter so I'm back again for some needed chatter and support.

JustAnnie

I wonder if those would work with Splenda instead of sugar. I have a relative who can't have sugar who would love those.

JustAnnie

I officially check my weight at the beginning of each month. I know that what I'm doing now is making me feel healthier and I know that my clothes are getting looser so why do I need to obsess about the scale?

JustAnnie

Well, at least I'm not alone!! The problems I had with some diets came when I was looking over some of their diet menus and they looked so foreign to me. A tilapia or salmon filet with cajun spices is about as wild as I get!!

JustAnnie

Plain Jane eater like I am?

Wow......I perused some of the diet logs of people in the daily check ins and I feel like I'm living in an earlier century. They're eating all kinds of exotic veggies and meats prepared in gourmet type ways and I'm sitting here eating stuff like:

Cereal and banana ...

JustAnnie

I wouldn't beat yourself up about that! Your virtual plating may have gone out the window but you certainly ate healthy. Don't let your perceived "failure" throw you for a loop. Get back to the system and keep on going!

JustAnnie

OK, so I'm not checking in daily but I am still living No "S" and I'm down about 20 pounds so that's not bad. I'll stop in here as I can.

JustAnnie

Vacation season is upon us. 8) Some of the northeners have already taken or are soon going to be taking spring trips. We will probably be taking a trip in a few weeks with another couple. Right now I have really rigid meal times and, for us, vacationing always means eating tons of good food whenever ...

JustAnnie

I think I would qualify as a binge eater. I use to do really well with a diet during the day and then go nuts after dinner. I beat a path back and forth from the kitchen to whatever I was doing. I'm surprised there are not wear marks in the floor!! All the dieting I did during the day would be ...

JustAnnie

The "trickier" version of virtual plating is not one that I am prepared to do yet. Everyone chuckles at me because I gather all food in front of me before I begin to consume it. For instance, I don't have the salad come BEFORE the sandwich or the soup BEFORE the chicken fingers in restaurants. I ...

JustAnnie

Jenn - Welcome! It's liberating not to be stressing over what you should and should not eat all the time, isn't it? Sounds like you've found a good plan for you. I know it's working for me. I've got a lot more to lose but I'm down a little over 20 pounds now and it's like it's just falling off by ...

JustAnnie

I tried Atkins a few times without much success, plus I had a horrible time with not getting enough fiber so I was miserable alot. Not going back there.

JustAnnie

Sham - It's tough being a mom with young kids......been there and done that. It's also harder to find ways to soothe yourself when you have young ones under foot. A cookie is a quick self soother that make your mind happy for a few moments, but does nothing for your body or your chemical balance. I ...

JustAnnie

Milczar - Personally, I really enjoyed your first post to this thread. It made my day! :D

Dieting that restricts certain foods is NOT a natural state for any living organism. Animals in the wild rarely,if ever, are overweight. It's only our domestic animals and animals kept in captivity that are ...

JustAnnie

I took an S day. We went out to a Mexican restaurant. You know, I enjoy the holidays much more than now than when I was eating junk 24/7.

JustAnnie

What part of "S" days are you having the most trouble with?

JustAnnie

Welcome Janine. This system really works so if you make your mind up to stick to it, you'll do great! Glad you found this site.

JustAnnie

Real life has kicked me in the butt, but I'm still living the NO S life. I think it is really becoming ingrained, so even though I may not be checking in daily. I AM doing this.

JustAnnie

Tomorrow, Feb. 7, I'm going to start a check in for a second 21 days. I was trying to wing it but I think I need to keep checking in here to stay on track, so as of tomorrow.......I should be here daily.

JustAnnie

Thanks for the information. It sounds good. I love eggplant and try to get some olive oil into my diet when I can.

JustAnnie

OK, so I'm ignorant, but I have no idea what baba ganoug is??

JustAnnie

Before I go to bed I usually have a good idea of what I'm having for lunch and dinner the next day. This is more because I have to thaw something for dinner and often eat dinner leftovers for lunch. Breakfast is what I feel like when I get up in the morning.

JustAnnie

I was a kid in the 50's and 60's too. Another thing people use to do is sit down as a family and have their meals. I always insisted on my kids and spouse sitting down every evening and at least having dinner together. We took our time with our food and ate home cooking. I can't believe the way ...

JustAnnie

We finally got our first snow fall on Feb. 1. That is the longest I've ever gone into winter without seeing snow!

JustAnnie

I finished my 21st day successfully but then caught a nasty case of flu so I haven't been posting. The cold weather has hit here too, with a vegence. I hadn't seen a flake of snow until Feb. 1 and now it's all around. Sigh. Anyway, the good news is that 10 lbs are gone since Jan. 2!!!

JustAnnie

I finished my first 21 days successfully on January 24. I then got a nasty case of the flu that is ravaging this area. Our schools have been closed all week because of it. Altogether I have lost 10 pounds to date and am very happy!!

JustAnnie

I lost 7 pounds on NOS and another 3 pounds from having a bad case of the flu since Jan. 2.

JustAnnie

Tomorrow will be my 21st day and I'm feeling pretty comfortable with this plan now.

Days 18 & 19 & 20 Success

JustAnnie

I like oatmeal with a handful of frozen blueberries stirred in. Yum. If I know it's going to be a long time until lunch I stir a scoop of protein powder in. It holds me for hours with no hunger and 90% soy based protein powder & only has 1 gram of sugar.

I also make my own muffins from Rasin Bran ...

JustAnnie

When I was in Europe, the thing I noticed most was the small portions that were eaten routinely in restaurants and at family dinner tables. I think the "Super Sizer" portions here are what is making us so fat. Most Americans go for the mega meal. I saw Europeans eating very small snacks nearly every ...

JustAnnie

There is an alternative to juice now. Some women feel that drinking cranberry juice is healthy for them and I subscribe to that. Ocean Spray and even Walmart have "Light" juices now. They cut out a lot of the sugar and calories but still give you mega doses of Vitamin C plus some of the juice you ...

JustAnnie

Still hanging in there.

Day 15 & 16 & 17 Success

JustAnnie

Day 14 = Success

JustAnnie

Reinhard - I've got to echo what the others of said about "simple" being best. Your system has done something for me that no other diet has done, it has made me feel like a "normal" person again. Every other diet I have ever been on has ended in an unhealthy obsession about every type of food that ...

JustAnnie

Your star system IS a great idea. It lets you achieve a partial victory for the day even if you slip and make a mistake. I like that idea. Sometimes I think I would have the tendency to say, "oh, I blew today so I might as well eat what I want until tomorrow!" But, with the possibility of still ...

JustAnnie

Pangelsue, thank you for your comments and your warm welcome!! Both are much appreciated.

Yes, I think I am getting a handle on this system of eating now.

I made today a No-S because I made Friday an "S" day. I was a bit worried about getting back on program today but I'm here and so......

Day ...

JustAnnie

My mind just made a previously unthought of connection......when I am No-Sing I eat all of my food at a table, sitting in a chair, with my feet on the floor. All of my snacks and mindless eating are done away from a table, usually in front of the tv, at the computer or running around doing other ...

JustAnnie

I took S-Day for Friday and Saturday so

Day 11 - Success
Day 12 - Success

This will make tomorrow a No-S Day. Hopefully, I'll get back in gear without a problem.

JustAnnie

I know when I gained I went up a shoe size, so that makes sense. Congrats!

JustAnnie

Weight loss commercials are out there because why? Because someone wants to make a ton of money off of someone else's misery!! One of the reasons I was attracte to "No-S" is because it's free and Reinhard isn't a big company who doesn't care and he is not just looking to separate you from your hard ...

JustAnnie

I often wondered how they could ship you a whole month of unrefrigerated food and have it edible all month. YUCK!! Sounds like it is embalmed!! My other question was how does Jenny Craig teach you to cope in the real world with real food? I guess they hope you buy your food from them forever.

JustAnnie

WAY TO GO!! Did you do this without feeling very deprived?

JustAnnie

Congrats! I tend to grab food when faced with problems too. Glad you were able to break the cycle. Not allowing myself to eat between meals is really helping me with this problem. I am drinking more tea and coffee though.

JustAnnie

Wow Bee. Day 5 didn't have many calories at all. Are you eating enough? Don't starve yourself. If I ate that I'd be starving. Are you close to your goal weight already? Just being nosey, and a bit concerned.

Everyday Systems

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Shamrockmommy!

Thanks For Letting Me Be "Normal"!

Is Anybody Else A........

Dealing With Vacation Trips?

WHERE Do You Eat Your Meals?