Everyday Systems

Hi Dandy - I just stopped by to do a quick check-in myself, after many months of absence! Good to hear that you’re doing well. Congratulations on the ‘little guy’’s graduation! Mine went to college, didn’t like it and came home! She’s working though, so all’s good. Keep up the moderation!

I guess it's my yearly attempt at sanity. At least with eating/weight/self.This past year has not been kind to me. It's been a parade of illness, injury and death. Literally.

I long for simplicity.

Hi dandelion -

I am very sorry to hear of your troubles over the last year. I hope the upcoming year brings you sanity as well as much more peace and happiness. It's nice to "meet" you! WINhappy

Nice to meet you as well! Love your sunset photo!

Welcome back, Dandelion - I hope you find the simplicity you are seeking - so sorry to hear you've had a rough year.

I certainly picked the right name for myself. You start thinking I’m gone, and I just pop up again.
I’ve been kinda NoSing unofficially for a while, so thought it would be good to check in. Maybe make it a bit less unofficial. For some reason it’s easier these days than it used to be. ( I hope I didn’t just jinx it)

Since my last post, my weight seems totally uncontrollable. It has been steadily increasing. Slowly, but definitely. It’s very discouraging.

Of course, stress plays a huge part, I’m sure. But also health issues are starting to play an ever increasing part.

I’m hoping vanilla basics will help set me back on the right track.

Dandelion wrote: Sat Mar 07, 2026 6:06 pm Since my last post, my weight seems totally uncontrollable. It has been steadily increasing. Slowly, but definitely. It’s very discouraging.

Of course, stress plays a huge part, I’m sure. But also health issues are starting to play an ever increasing part.

I’m hoping vanilla basics will help set me back on the right track.

I'm sorry you're dealing with that! That had to be so disconcerting. I hope Vanilla No S can help!)

Thanks, Sammy. I don’t feel like I’m being all that excessive, but I’m up even more today.
Focusing on NoSes for today and not dwelling on other things.

Dandelion wrote: Mon Mar 09, 2026 5:22 pm Thanks, Sammy. I don’t feel like I’m being all that excessive, but I’m up even more today.
Focusing on NoSes for today and not dwelling on other things.

You've got this! For me, No S on its own was not enough to get me to lose (I'm very short). So I had to add 3 mods. So far, my mods are what's helping me lose, I think, whereas No S keeps me sane, if that makes sense.

There may be mods in my future - but I’m trying to implement one thing at a time. I tend to try to do everything all at once all the time and the wheels fall off.

Right now just the ‘no snacks’ part is quite illuminating. I am realizing how much of my eating was habit/ boredom? /Stress? Something to deal with, anyway.

Dandelion wrote: Wed Mar 11, 2026 5:31 pm There may be mods in my future - but I’m trying to implement one thing at a time. I tend to try to do everything all at once all the time and the wheels fall off.

Right now just the ‘no snacks’ part is quite illuminating. I am realizing how much of my eating was habit/ boredom? /Stress? Something to deal with, anyway.

I totally get it. I've been slowly putting in new habits over the past month and a half and it goes so much better if they're slowly implemented. I get it! And omg, my snacking was OUT OF CONTROL. Like seriously. As was my sweets consumptions. It's why I needed my particular mods. And because I'm so short, I knew I needed low calorie density stuff to crowd out more calorie dense stuff.

Today is my third day. I've made it through two days - I know that's nothing - but it's also not nothing.It's two days more than before.

What are your mods?

Dandelion wrote: Wed Mar 11, 2026 7:57 pm Today is my third day. I've made it through two days - I know that's nothing - but it's also not nothing.It's two days more than before.

What are your mods?

Every little bit is a step forward in the right direction!!

Here are my mods - I have 3:

1) No sugar or snacks or seconds unless I'm with other people (family, friends, etc.)
2) No fast food unless I am with at least 1 other adult
3) When at home, I eat by the Harvard Healthy plate if at all possible

I have struggled since I was 13 with orthorexia and then in 2019, I developed Binge Eating Disorder at age 31. I was thin my entire life up until 2019 when I became obese and I continued to weight cycle and balloon up in weight. I'm now 37 and I am FINALLY figuring out what my exact problems are. I am in solid recovery now and am doing SO much better, losing weight, and feeling more like a human being again.

Two days - well done! Just keep taking each day as it comes, you got this

I'm now 37 and I am FINALLY figuring out what my exact problems are. I am in solid recovery now and am doing SO much better, losing weight, and feeling more like a human being again.

I have a similar history - starting when I was in high school. And in the intervening 50 years, If there is a food issue out there I haven't had at some point, I don't know what it is.

At this point, I'm so tired of it all.

Amy3010 wrote: Thu Mar 12, 2026 8:12 am Two days - well done! Just keep taking each day as it comes, you got this

Thank you, Amy!

Another successful day. Well, sort of. My dinner was a bit large, but I stuck to three plates, so for me that’s a win. My main goal right now is to stop the mindless eating. Normally, when it’s my break time, I automatically pick up something to eat. Tough call at work, eat something. Another 140 or so people get laid off, eat several somethings.

On the plus side, pi day is an ‘S’ day, so I’m already planning what pie to make.

You've got a nice streak of green going!

What pie will you make?

That is so fun! Pie is something we rarely have, but maybe we need to plan something!!

A week of NoSes, a weekend of Ses. The NoSes last week went okay. No real challenges so no slip-ups.
The weekend was a bit surprising. Saturday I was aware that things were 'allowed' and so I had a bit of something here, a pastry for afternoon tea, and of course, Pi Day pie for dessert. What was surprising was it wasn't all that 'fun'. I found I didn't care. Sunday I didn't bother. I had the last hobnob in the afternoon, and a small bowl of ice cream after dinner. Nothing excessive.

Yesterday was a tough day and I had a minor slip. I always have a piece of dark chocolate after lunch, but yesterday I was feeling so rotten and tired, I had a second. I have physical conditions that mean I am in constant pain and don't sleep well. Some days are just harder than others. Yesterday was one of those.

This week I'm working on not filling my plate so much. Especially at dinner. I've been too full and it doesn't feel great.

Amy3010 wrote: Fri Mar 13, 2026 6:59 am You've got a nice streak of green going!

What pie will you make?

Thank you for your reply

I made a quiche - not technically a pie, but close enough. We also had Key Lime pie, but I confess, it was purchased

Sammybunny711 wrote: Fri Mar 13, 2026 11:28 am That is so fun! Pie is something we rarely have, but maybe we need to plan something!!

Maybe you said in your thread, but I'm not caught up yet. Did you make a pie?

Dandelion wrote: Tue Mar 17, 2026 9:32 pm

Sammybunny711 wrote: Fri Mar 13, 2026 11:28 am That is so fun! Pie is something we rarely have, but maybe we need to plan something!!

Maybe you said in your thread, but I'm not caught up yet. Did you make a pie?

We ended up buying pre-made little pies that ended up being a disappointment but the ice cream was delicious!

We did some yard work, and between that and the quiche making, I didn't have energy left for the pie I'd planed, but I never make key lime anyway, so it worked out.

HI Dandelion!

The eating/weight thing is so exhausting isn't it? Sounds like you are doing great! As Reinhard says, the amount on your plates doesn't matter for now, just that you have 3 only. So its great that you are sticking to that!

Work sounds incredibly stressful right now. Im sorry. I have a real issue with stress nibbling at work as well. I sort of morphed that into a defaf coffee with creamer in the afternoon and that has helped a lot. Its like a sweet treat but not mindless stress eating. It doesn't always work though!

I hope the rest of your week goes well!

Hi Dandelion - First, let me say that I both empathize and sympathize with your discouragement around steadily increasing weight. It's a miserable situation to be in, especially if you've struggled with weight management and eating habits for a long time. In my opinion, Vanilla No S is a WONDERFUL place to start. From my own experience, I see the best results when I'm consistent with Vanilla No S alone sans additional mods, restrictions, or "lifestyle changes". Which is not to say that I find Vanilla No S easy (quite the contrary, but that's my deal to sort out! ). But I've found it "enough" to make serious progress, when practiced consistently. So, I suspect you're on the right track.
Second, I've been away from the board for some time and am catching up so read your thread from the "last unread post". I was struck by your statement "I know that's nothing...." in a older post in reference to achieving two consecutive days of Vanilla No S and my heart sank for you. Perhaps my perception is colored by how difficult I find Vanilla No S, but I just want to say that ANY number of days of Vanilla No S is a tremendous achievement and something to be proud of. I hope you're doing well and that you have a chance to check in when you're ready. All the best, WIN

Thank you so much for the comments. I can't tell you how much they have meant to me.

I have read some other's threads, and it seems like a lot of us are struggling in one way or another. I had a tiny slip up earlier this week, and by the end of the week, I was totally off track. Again.

It's so hard for me to balance the desire for sanity with the very real need to lose some of this weight for health reasons. My weight has gone up even more - and that's not very sanity inducing, either.

Hey there, I’m just dropping by to show some support! I completely understand your struggles, like most people here. I haven’t read everything, so apologies if you’ve already talked about this before, but have you followed many diets in the past or have you always had a difficult relationship with food? It can take a long time to “heal” from that. Try not to be too hard on yourself — you’ll get there step by step! Good luck!!

The most important thing is to keep trying and one week it will click back in to place.

Jx

So true, we are all struggling in one way or another. It is very hard not to let a tiny setback throw you completely off course, but I think it is a key skill to keep working on. If you can master it, it can help so much moving forward on this journey.

I understand your discouragement, but like Soprano says, keep trying, and little by little you will move in direction you want to go. Hang in there!

Hi Dandelion - I'm adding my voice to Amy's, Soprano's, and Ellis'. Just keep trying, and give yourself tons of credit for every move you make in the direction you want to go. We are here for you! Sending you all the best wishes, WIN