Everyday Systems

Hi Anne....

I absolutely agree with TexArk...we are SO much harder on ourselves than others. If you were talking with a friend you'd remind her that she had eleven green days in a row! Eleven! That's a lot...that's a significant string of healthy days together. Then you had a red. One red. Just one.

There's a third option to think about...one that isn't fun. The third option is that you could decide to give up...but in about 3 weeks you could realize that this is really was a wonderful plan to transform your eating from the inside out. Starting over after that amount of time would be more difficult than just picking yourself back up today, dusting off the crumbs, and beginning again. I thought about this option for myself between mid-November & mid-January.

Quitting is absolutely an option...but if you take some time to re-read your earlier posts, I think you'll remember why you're doing this in the first place. This is not a quick fix but a way to control how & what we eat instead of being controlled by it....NOT an easy task...but well-worth the hard work.

Whatever you decide to do, know that we're here for you...if you need to be cheered on....we're here with you....we're in this together...

Hugs to you Anne....janie

Anne,

Be kind to yourself and definitely go with Option #1 . . .you DESERVE to go with Option #1.

These tricky behaviors are called "bad habits" for a reason. Habits are hard to break, and you are going a long way toward breaking yours. We are going to fall down time and again . . .and that's okay.

You've had a whole lotta successful days, and that's what really matters - - success in the long run.

xoxo <<hugs>>

Anne,

Be kind to yourself and definitely go with Option #1 . . .you DESERVE to go with Option #1.

These tricky behaviors are called "bad habits" for a reason. Habits are hard to break, and you are going a long way toward breaking yours. We are going to fall down time and again . . .and that's okay.

You've had a whole lotta successful days, and that's what really matters - - success in the long run.

xoxo <<hugs>>

I feel like a child learning to walk. Each time I fall, I stand up and start walking again until the next fall. Eventually, I will know how to walk

What a wonderful analogy!! I'm so glad you aren't too discouraged and just realize that the "falling down" is part of the learning process. Re-learning eating habits that we've had for umpteen years just can't be easy - - they are so ingrained. So each step we take is really quite an achievement!!

I think that it is very revealing that you have no translation for "comfort food." That shows that we have been taught in our culture to turn to food for comfort.

I don't think we even have an equivalent for (bon appetit)!

I also appreciate your "learning to walk" analogy. That is exactly what we are doing. I watched children in the neighborhood this afternoon learning how to ride bikes and to online skate. One little fellow fell so many times learning to skate that I thought surely he would cry and go home, but he just kept getting up and trying. I am sure in a few weeks he will be flying down the streets with the best of them. And so will we....

FEBRUARY 9: SUCCESS
FEBRUARY 10: SUCCESS
FEBRUARY 11: FAILURE
FEBRUARY 12: SUCCESS
FEBRUARY 13: SUCCESS
FEBRUARY 14: EXEMPT
FEBRUARY 15: EXEMPT

The weekend went very well and today was a success. I cannot believe that I've had only one red day in the past 17 days!

I feel your dilema... but aren't dates a fruit? And fruit is naturally sweet. So. There you have it! Count your successes!

I've been sick since Thursday night. Success all week except on Friday. I barely had anything to eat today (Saturday). I just feel like sleeping.

Feel better Anne!!
Love,
Debs x

Hi Anne,

Back from vacation! So sorry to see you are ill. UGH. Hope you feel better today.

I feel much better today!
This is an S day that was just like an N day. I just didn't feel like having sweets, seconds or snacks, and didn't want to force it.
So far, I've had only 2 red days this month. Even though I feel really depressed each time it happens, I have to admit that 2 failures in 23 days is an amazing accomplishment for me. That being said, I hope this coming week is going to be as green as possible. I am ready for it.

FEBRUARY 16: SUCCESS
FEBRUARY 17: SUCCESS
FEBRUARY 18: SUCCESS
FEBRUARY 19: SUCCESS
FEBRUARY 20: FAILURE
FEBRUARY 21: EXEMPT
FEBRUARY 22: EXEMPT

Way to go Anne!

I am glad you are feeling better and hope you have another green week.

It helps me to know that there are others that share my goals. Other than my husband, I have only told one coworker that I am doing NoS. That just shows how normal this way of eating is. It doesn't look restrictive or strange to others. However, I do think it helps to have this site to report our ups and downs. I look forward to checking in each day to see how others are doing, and of course, it keeps me accountable.

Great week, Anne - - get ready for another one! You are doing really well in February.

It is interesting, but I haven't told many people about No S either (that I'm doing it). I think people are very sick of hearing me talk about diets (ones I've tried) and food and what I can and cannot eat. And I'm sick of talking about it. With No S, it is so much easier to just DO it and not look wierd or rigid or crazy. I'm sick of seeming like those adjectives.

Congrats on yesterday's success. I had a tough one yesterday too! I was HUNGRY.

It's nice that you are seeing some non-scale related benefits to your healthy eating. I've always quite loved fruits and vegetables so I don't have a hard time incorporating them. I just like to incorporate lots of chocolate and ice cream too . . .which obviously now I cannot.

I couldn't wait. I tried the best I could, but failed . Never mind. Only 3 red days in a month is better than I thought I could do.
I cannot resist showing off my progress over the past 3 months. This shows my success rate:
December: 77.4%
January: 80.6%
February: 89.3%

I'm going to take it easy this weekend, and then I'll be ready to start a new week - and a new month .

Have a good weekend and enjoy yourself. You deserve it.

I am debating whether to weigh or not as I begin a new month. I think I am prepared for whatever the number because I am happy with my normal non bingeing eating patterns. But that pesky scale has a way of affecting my attitude sometimes. I think if I have been especially hungry (like you have experienced this week) that I deserve to see a lower number.

Good luck! But don't be afraid that it's not going to workbefore you start...it sounds self defeating. Dive in, be determined and don't give up!
I just started myself and now I am serious about losing weight and getting in a healthy habit. Just the other day, when we were discussing exercise, a friend told me that I needed to get myself under control..no one else will do it for me and where there is a will there is a way.

Be strong!!!!

Look at those stats! Each month you've improved. I see a habit forming .

Fridays are the hardest. We went to Red Robin and movie last night. Red Robin went okay (though my plate was full and certainly NOT healthy), but of course at the movies I wanted a treat - - popcorn, candy, give me sumthin'.

I didn't succumb, but it wasn't easy. I think the only reason I was okay was because Red Robin is a bit of an indulgence to say the least - - so I wasn't hungry.

Keep going like you are going - - I bet you'll be hitting 100% regularly by June.

S-day on Sunday. I had a huge homemade blueberry-banana muffin. I really enjoyed it, and guilt-free too!
I am still eating lots of fruit and vegetables. This week looks exactly like last week, color-wise:
FEBRUARY 23: SUCCESS
FEBRUARY 24: SUCCESS
FEBRUARY 25: SUCCESS
FEBRUARY 26: SUCCESS
FEBRUARY 27: FAILURE
FEBRUARY 28: EXEMPT
MARCH 1: EXEMPT

I hope you have another easy N day. It really surprised me, too, when they first starting happening without much thought or struggle. Could that be a HABIT I see forming?

Are you still using your afternoon tea to hold you until supper? I need my coffee or H2Orange

You are a better person that I am. I would have thrown the donuts away promptly. The alternative being EAT THEM. Congratulations on your strong willpower. Glad the explosives didn't detonate .

Krispy Kremes--You and Anita are both stronger--I would have to have flushed them to keep me from retrieving them from the garbage!

I have thought of you today since you seem to have difficult Fridays. Here's hoping you have a good day, and if you fail, just don't wreck the car after one little dent in the fender. That's what I used to do. Oh well, I have messed up; I am a terrible person; I have no self control; I might as well heap it on--more guilt and more food. Now, I am thinking of your analogy of the child learning to walk. We just pick ourselves up and start walking again.

I bet you make it through this Friday, though, since you are getting stronger and stronger in your habit.

I am going to aim for a 3 plate routine tomorrow to add a little structure to my out of control S days that have been happening lately. Of course I still can have sweets, seconds, or snacks. Your French desserts always sound so enticing!!

Oh dear . . .it's tough when life happens like the way you are describing. I'm sorry.

Try to continue checking in just so food doesn't become a concern during this difficult time.

Our thoughts are with you, Anne.

Anne,

I am so sorry to hear of your sorrow and am thinking of you. You have been a good little friend for me on this board and even though I don't know you personally, I do feel a kinship for you. Please do check in just to let us know how you are doing.

My best to you.

Anne,

It is amazing, but I have found some wonderful friendships on the Internet based on the fact that you can find commonalities with people that you don't have with anyone else. I find it rather astounding actually. I run two online book groups on a platform called Shelfari.com, and honestly some of the folks I've met through doing that are just AMAZING people who have brought a lot into my life. Sometimes I think the connections are deeper in a certain way because they are based on life goals or passions, whereas my face to face friends are usually based more on common circumstance (neighbors, kids the same age, etc.).

At any rate, I'm glad the three of us can support one another in our goals to live happy, healthy, and fit lives. I know that No S is going to be for life for me. I've never felt this happy with an eating plan before. I don't think I've ever had this much success on an eating plan either. While I have lost more weight - - I have been miserable in the process. I still feel confident that the weight will come off - albeit slower - and I'll have lifelong habits that will serve me well forever.

GOOD FOR YOU for having a success yesterday with all the stress going on. That's fabulous news. And I'm so glad you came back to visit us too. Keep up the good work .

Anita

Anne,

You make a good point! My online friends are a lot lower maintenance than my face to face ones, and I'll admit to rather liking that. It's unfortunate though because I do find them very engaging. I never thought of it that way.

If you try Shelfari, please connect with me there (it has a social networking component). My "handle" is againstthetide, and the big group I run there is called "Play Book Tag". I also run a smaller group called "Author, Author". You'll be able to see a picture of me as I have a profile. I LOVE to read so much - - it's neat to know you share that.

P.S. FEEL BETTER SOON!!!!

I am glad to hear you are doing much better. Now let's all have a sensible relaxed weekend!

I, too, am an avid reader and am married to a literature professor. Our favorite outing is to browse used bookstores. However, I am too skittish of online groups--this is the only one I have dared to try--no Facebook, no MySpace, no personal blog. I am probably missing out on something I would enjoy because of my paranoia! Maybe some day.

Have 2 enjoyable S days.

Ok, I find it very interesting that all THREE of us are avid readers.

TexArk - - you must try out Shelfari. Ok, "must" may be a little strong, but I think you would so love it. It can be totally anonymous if you want it to be. There's no need to reveal anything to anyone, and you can set your settings so that no one can contact you without permission (or at all). It's as safe, if not safer, than here. I think you would love it. It's a bit of a reader's paradise as there are a zillion other very avid readers all of whom are so bright and fascinating with tons of great reading recommendations. It's definitely not exposed like Facebook, MySpace, or a blog. Not at all.

It uses a shelf metaphor so you can track your reading on a virtual bookshelf - - and you can see my virtual bookshelf which shows the books I have read and ratings for each of them plus some reviews. And then there are specialty groups, specializing in everything from Tudor literature to a 50 Book Challenge (I made it this year!) to groups dedicated to your favorite author.

I wouldn't be so pushy to you and Anne normally - - it's just brought me a lot of pleasure so I'd love to share it with both of you. I PROMISE not to bring it up again if you decide against it, but I didn't want the concern over anonymity to stop you.

Dare I ask what you are both reading now? I'm in the middle of two books - - Founding Brothers by Joseph Ellis and The Source by James Michener . . .can you tell it is "history" month in the group I run? And I just finished A Man in the Dark by Paul Auster (wierd) and Horse Heaven by Jane Smiley. . But I read everything from chick lit to literary fiction to young adult to non-fiction. Love it all except maybe fantasy -- and even sometimes that is okay.

Ok, back to the normal programming.

Anne, sounds like you are having an AWESOME day today - - the last one of the week. Yeah! I had a luncheon today and did a good job avoiding those desserts. It wasn't as hard as I thought.

More importantly, I'm so glad you are feeling better.

Glad you are doing well. It is interesting to read old posts and see all our ups and downs. It seems that after a few months of diligent work we are settling in to a routine and the hunger is no longer such a struggle.

Did you make chocolate muffins again for your S day treat?

Have a good week.

I hate being so busy! I'm so behing after missing two days at work last week!
I really wish I had more time to write and to read other posts here. If only to stop for a minute and reflect on how I've been doing food-wise.

That being said, I sadly have to report a failure today. I blame it on stress and tiredness. It's nothing major but still, I ate more than I was supposed to tonight.

TexArk, my first weekend muffin was bakery-bought (cranberry-walnut), and I made the second one (chocolate chip). If I may brag a little, I'm lucky to be good baker because whatever I make (mainly for my boyfriend and friends) never last long enough for me to snack on!

Maybe you could teach me your baking skills - - I'm a pretty good cook, but a terrible baker. I try, but nothing I make really tastes great .

So sorry about the failure - - hopefully life will calm down a bit and make it easier to stay on plan. . .

Good job, Anne! Way to go on not letting that little failure get you down.

Have a good Wednesday.

I am proud that your little failure didn't derail you. We may have to mark these and move on, but it is really a great SUCCESS to see a "little failure." In my previous life I would go down the slippery slope after the first bite. It is good to know you can fail and stop. Stopping is good!!

I must agree. I think this is the first eating plan where I've failed and was able to get back on the wagon (so to speak). Usually a diet failure would end up in me eating for days. I think because one taste or two of the forbidden foods would just send me into a tailspin of cravings.

Now, I know I just have to wait until the weekend. Just knowing I can have the food sometime makes it so much easier for me. In fact, it even takes away some of the need to actually HAVE it on the weekends too.

Nice work with the chocolate croissant! You are just "behaving your way to success" on so many of the days now, Anne. Very impressive .

Thanks Anita! I ended up giving my chocolate croissant to my boyfriend . Not to worry though, I'm sure I'll find some nice treat for myself this weekend.

Thursday and Friday were surprisingly easy. Is it the no-S habit finally sinking in, or is it because I've been so busy I didn't really have time to overeat?
I will know soon because I have a 9-day vacation starting today. I'm so relieved to finally be able to rest and relax! I just hope this doesn't turn into a week of sloppy eating

MARCH 16: FAILURE
MARCH 17: SUCCESS
MARCH 18: SUCCESS
MARCH 19: SUCCESS
MARCH 20: SUCCESS
MARCH 21: EXEMPT
MARCH 22: EXEMPT
(I'm skipping ahead to Sunday since the weekend is yellow anyway.)

It looks like you are doing well also. And, thank goodness for vacation time. I am also starting Spring Break this week. Today I worked on income tax prep. Ugh! But I should be able to relax a little.

I think L.A. Loser explained on my "check in" her system. What I am doing is just a separate habitcal for S days-crazy (red) or not crazy (green) Today may be crazy just because I have not had 3 sit down meals. I have eaten unbalanced meals today--too much banana bread!! I much prefer the N day pattern + a little treat. Tomorrow will be better I am sure. And as for N Days, I am not ready yet to differentiate between small failure N days and big failure N days. I think for now I need to be aware of strict compliance even if the slips are small. And I don't mind writing it out on my check in so that I know the difference.

By the time each Friday evening rolls around, I realize that I do still need to be checking in. Thank you for your posts. One more week and I finish 3 months of NoS. I am not sure I would have stayed with it without knowing some others that were sharing the same journey

I think you need some protein in those meals, Anne! lol . . .hang in there, friend. I'm off to Orlando for a few days of vacation without kids. My hubbie has a business trip, and I'm tagging along. It will be a bit more challenging with the eating, but I'm hopeful I can stay on track.

You will too!! I know it .

Glad you are doing well. I am looking forward to my S days. I have no plans yet, but the N days were definitely more difficult off my work schedule. I sure am glad I was Noessing though; otherwise I would have been permasnacking.

Thanks for the encouragement. I feel like we have scored a victory getting through this week. Anita's report will be much more interesting than ours I am sure.

MARCH 23: FAILURE
MARCH 24: SUCCESS
MARCH 25: SUCCESS
MARCH 26: SUCCESS
MARCH 27: SUCCESS
MARCH 28: EXEMPT
MARCH 29: EXEMPT
I had a chocolate craving on Saturday night and ate way too much of it! Sunday was much better (and easier, since I had already satisfied all my sweet cravings!)
Monday was a very good N-day.
BREAKFAST: cereals, soymilk, dried cranberries
LUNCH: spinach eggbake, soymilk
DINNER: cucumber, scrambled eggs, toasts

Hi Anne!

Great to "see" you again and it looks like things went well for you by and large . . .I'm dying to know the brand of the carmel vanilla tea - - that sounds YUMMY!!

I want to say more, but have to run my son to baseball. I will check in with you again very shortly .

Anita

Where are you, Anne???

Hope all is well with you Anne, and you are just busy right now.
TexArk

I've been away from the discussion board, but still keeping track of my no-S progress on the Habitcal. I apologize to those of you who were wondering where I was. Being very busy is the only reason why I haven't been checking in.

MARCH 30: SUCCESS
MARCH 31: SUCCESS
APRIL 1: FAILURE
APRIL 2: SUCCESS
APRIL 3: SUCCESS
APRIL 4: EXEMPT
APRIL 5: EXEMPT

I'm going out of town today, but I wanted to drop by quickly. My Habitcal basically shows one red day per week, and I realize this has been a general trend for the past few months. It never is on the same day, which would make it easier to pinpoint the problem
I'd really like to get out of this habit and be able to do at least 2 green weeks! 14 consecutive success days, that's my new challenge!

I have to get ready to leave, but I will check on other people's board soon. I can't wait to know how everyone's been doing!
Again, I'm very sorry for my silence.

We've missed you, but it looks like you are totally hanging in there! It's so hard when you are very busy. Hope the workload lightens up soon .

This system does make one aware of what is on our 3 plates, doesn't it.
I think that the vegetables will increase and the breads decrease when the fresh gardens come in. I know I am really looking forward to some good veggies soon. Right now they have to come from so far away that they have no taste. I wish I had a garden (without all the work).

Have a good weekend.

Sounds like you are on a roll!!!

I do think that if healthy eating is your goal, that you can readily work in that direction. Maybe you could take some small, but concrete steps to build the habit . . .I'm not so sure you should FORCE yourself, but if you found some really interesting vegetable preparations and took the time to prepare them - - I bet you'd eat more vegetables naturally.

I know that when I take the time to make roasted vegetables or to create a special salad - - I will definitely eat a lot more of it then when I laze out and just steam them.

Anne, please me more gentle with yourself. You are part of the human race, you know. And we are all fallible creatures. You are doing the right thing to look for patterns. Maybe Wednesdays present specific challenges. Sometimes it does pay to try to analyze a failure. And other times, we have to just admit we're human, we goofed, and move on.

All of us overeat at times--sometimes the food is in front of us and it is so tempting; othertimes we have a craving that just won't go away and we give in; and then there are times when something just tastes so good we don't want to stop. However, I think the most difficult times are those when we turn to food to satisfy some emotion whether it is boredom, anxiety, worry, loneliness, etc. You know, it is like the old song says, "Looking for love in all the wrong places." Our mind never really does overeat so we know it is not our mind that is in control when we do this. I think this is the last habit to break--trying to satisfy what is missing by turning to food.

Nevertheless, please don't ever feel too ashamed to post--Perfect people are terribly irritating you know. We really are helping ourselves and others when we can admit failure. And yippee...S Days are nearly here.

See--you CAN get back on track, even on a Monday!

You can do it and I can too!

I'll be thinking about you holding fast this afternoon. Wednesday is also my most difficult N Day. My day is long and heavily scheduled and then I have guests at my house each Wednesday evening which means sweet things. I also have to rush supper before the guests arrive and of course I am trying to straighten up the house. I never can get any exercise in and my stress has built up so I have to be very mindful.

Anne,

WAY TO GO!!! I'm just catching up on your messages, and I can see that last week was a tough one. But you are rebounding gloriously this week. I so admire someone who can hang tough when the going gets tough. And that's you.

I tend to let failures snowball into more failures, but you know you are a great example of how not to do that - - and I didn't let myself do it either last week.

Way to go on an awesome week!!!!! We will miss you when you are in France, but I think if you eat like the French eat, you'll be golden. Can't wait to hear all about it!!

BRUNCH: egg bake, banana-chocolate-chip muffin
AFTERNOON: apple, peach
DINNER: raw vegetables, dip, 1/2 grapefruit, 1/2 tortilla

APRIL 20: SUCCESS
APRIL 21: SUCCESS
APRIL 22: SUCCESS
APRIL 23: SUCCESS
APRIL 24: SUCCESS
APRIL 25: EXEMPT
APRIL 26: EXEMPT

I haven't had dinner yet, but I'm confident today is going to be a success.

BREAKFAST: banana, dried apricots, walnuts
LUNCH: egg bake, crackers, cheese (I was very hungry!)
DINNER (planned): pizza, boccoli

I'm so happy and relieved to finally have over a week of green days. I really needed it!

I will miss you!!! Have an awesome fun-filled trip .