Everyday Systems

I challenge you to set a goal to meet by the end of the month!
This is for anybody who needs encouragement and daily accountability. We will all keep tabs on each other. Think of this as your own little cheering section.


- Write down what your goal is at the top of your post and then update that post as to how you're doing. It's O.K. to not post daily, but try to keep us updated. Accountability helps!
- *Remember* to only post once at the top and edit that first post all month. It's easier to skim-read and find each other.
- Please re-read that last one, some people don't get it.
- after April 3rd we will continue posting at the bottom for encouragement and fun.
- This challenge is meant for all of us to give support, so let's try hard to do that.
- anyone can start whenever through out the month. The more ~ the merrier!
- good luck and have fun with it!

Going to try the 21 day challenge. Will allow myself a fruit in the afternoon (I know I won't abuse fruits because I'm not a big fan of them and it might help not to eat something high calorie).

April

2: So close -- did really well all day but at 9:30 ended up having a small bowl of cereal.
3: Good NoS day -- even went for a 15 min walk
4: Back to square 1; had bowl of cereal before bed; agree with Reneew -- I have to start being more strict
5: Really having trouble eliminating the 10pm snack
6: Thank you for all the great advice guys! In spite of the regular bowl of cereal in the evening, this has actually been the best week I've had in a very long time -- my meals were reasonable and I didn't have anything sweet -- and this is thanks to the encouragement and advice I get on this site. For now I think I'm going to just post on the daily check-in (and I will try a glass of milk if I'm hungry in the evening). I'll come back on the 21 day challenge when I feel I can have more than a couple of totally green days. Thanks again.

I'm in.

1X - S-DAY
2X - SUCCESS
3X - SUCCESS
4X - SUCCESS
5X - SUCCESS
6X - SUCCESS
7X - S-DAY
8X - S-DAY
9X - SUCCESS
10X - SUCCESS
11 - FAILURE
12X - SUCCESS
13X - SUCCESS
14 - S-DAY
15 - S-DAY
16 -
17 -
18 -
19 -
20 -
21 - S-DAY
22 - S-DAY
23 -
24 -
25 -
26 -
27 -
28 - S-DAY
29 - S-DAY
30 -

Goal is to exercise every day as well as follow No S Vanilla. Exercise will be marked with an X, double XX's for walking on my lunch as well as doing my elliptical in the morning.

Tackle the URGE's head on.....encourage others and myself!

March 19-April 8 marked my first 21 day challenge...on to the next..

APRIL
4/9 M-X - I have to say the weekends cause some slippery slops for the start on Monday...albeit hard, I did it
4/10 T-X -
4/11 W-X -
4/12 T-X - I'll have to exercise after work, was not in the mood this morning Did go for walk after work
4/13 F-X -
4/14 X - Walked 4 miles (food not so good..a work in progress )
4/15 X - Walked 3 miles
4/16 M-X -
4/17 T-X -
4/18 W-X -
4/19 T-X -
4/20 F-X -
4/21 Skipped exercise (medium sized binge day)
4/22-X - Walked 4 miles
4/23 M-X - It sure was hard getting back to normal eating...after such a food fest this weekend...but it feels good to wake up feeling lighter....
4/24 T-X - So much nicer not having bingeful nights.....!!! I feel so much better about myself.
4/25 W-X - Was okay except I wanted to keep eating after dinner, but my mantra is "having something just doesn't work for me anymore...especially when I was so comfortable and satisfied with my dinner" That darn URGE..when will it leave forever if I have my way....
4/26 T-X - my 3 squares were pretty satisifying...but ya know regardless that urge albeit smaller these days still lurks...
4/27 F-X - Fantastic day yesterday, my friend made a really healthy dinner...I went to bad at like 9 and slept for 9 hours..I have been getting 5-6 hours a day..
4/28 - X - Sometimes did not happen
4/29 -X - End of my 2nd round of 21 days WILL THIS BE MY SOMETIMES DAY? HOPE SOOOO..it wasn't, but that is okay...there is always next time

I'm in!! I've been thinking about this all week. This is my first month went really well & I don't want to mess with the rules of noS but since this is a new month I want to work on the habit of "moving" everyday. At least 14 minutes.

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2 not a great start to my first month resolution - oh well mark it and move on... (or get moving!!)
3 Very sick ((stomach flu))
4 Very sick ((stomach flu))
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I'm in!!! Completed the 21 day challenge yesterday. YAY!! My goal for April is NO REDS!!!

1 YELLOW
2 GREEN
3 GREEN
4 GREEN
5 GREEN
6 GREEN
7 YELLOW
8 YELLOW
9 GREEN
10 GREEN
11 GREEN
12 GREEN
13 GREEN
14 YELLOW
15 YELLOW
16 GREEN
17 GREEN
18 GREEN
19 GREEN
20 GREEN
21 YELLOW
22 YELLOW
23 GREEN
24 GREEN
25 GREEN
26 GREEN
27 GREEN
28 YELLOW
29 YELLOW
30

I'm going to bump this up, so I moved my data.

My goal is to complete 21 days of Vanilla No S, no fails or reds only yellow and greens. I started a 21 day challenge on Tuesday March 13 and got to day 14 with only greens and yellows, then the next day was Tuesday Mar 27, and I failed. So I started over. I just transferred this from the other 21 day challenge. ( means success. Any yellow smiley for S days or Special days.)

New Goal-- to finish April with no reds!

March
28 day 1
29: day 2
30: day 3
31: day 4 Was a good day, but I sure ate a lot!!
April
1: day 5 was better, only my dark chocolate for treats.
2: A good day, Homemade chowmein for dinner with lots of veggies!
3: day 7 good day! it helps to have time to cook
4: day 8 challenging day with our 8 hours away from home; trip to Mexico city to teach. I packed a supper, ate dinner at our favorite little restaurant there.
5: day 9 good day enjoying fresh fruits and veggies
6: day 10!!! Another good day, perfect papaya and popcorn for supper!
7: Day 11, Today was better than my normal days before no S, 3 squares of dark chocolate, but actually less snacking than I used to do.
8: Day 12, For a holiday, stupendous! It helps that we have no family here- and no bowls and baskets of candy to contend with. I did have some small treats.
9: Day 13, Success, and a good day! I want to snack sometimes, but just tell myself I can wait till my next meal!
10: Day 14, Success. I wanted more after supper, so I had a healthy hot chocolate
11: Day 15, success!!!
12: Day 16 Special NWS day, kind of a going away party. I feel sated but not miserably full. I only need 3 more greens before I get to re-join the 21 day club!
13: Day 17 a little iffy but Success
14: Day 18 S day. A good day, except at the end I had a super craving for ice cream, found out I was just thirsty!! It's hot here!
15: Day 19, S day. I walked a mile to McDonald's to get ice cream.
16: Day 20...A good day! Almost there!
17: day 21, Success!!! I met my goal!!! Woo hoo!!! New Goal-- to finish April with no reds!
18: NWS day for a goodbye party
19: Good day! Lots of fruits and veggies make me feel satisfied.
20:
21:8)
22: Over indulged, someone gave us a box of candies- I ate 7 or 8!
23:
24: travel day back to Minnesota- Long day from 3 AM, glad I made it an S day
25: Good day! Weather is so perfect here, went for a walk around the lake.
26::mrgreen:
27: Declaring an S Day today starting after lunch, so my No S days will start on Sunday after lunch. It's our date night and we went to a matinee- I love popcorn in a movie.
28: good day, Happy to receive the Beck Diet Solutions book, I think it will help me.
29:
30: Woo Hoo! Success! The whole month of April with no reds!!!

[/b]

My goal is to have plenty of Green & X days..........

X marks exercise days.

1 S (':D')Good day, no solitary snacking, 1 treat
2 X Success
3 X Success
4 X Red--good during day, muffin snacks after dinner, then a "What the hell, I've blown it" binge
5 X Red, not as bad but still red.
6 X Success--finally back on track.
7 S Good day--no crazy eating.
8 S
9 X Success
10 Not enough vanilla. Red
11 X Success
12 X ':?' Exercising going better than the food. Not overeating but no fences around the rules either.
13 X ':?' Exercising going better than the food.
14 S
15 S
16 X Success
17 X Success
18 Success
19
20
21 S
22 S
23
24
25
26
27
28 S
29 S
30
[/list]

Renee...CONGRATS ON YOUR 21 DAYS!!!!! YAHOOOOOOOOOO!!!! We're doing this!!!

I'm in too! I'm carrying this over from the 21 day challenge thread. I just finished my own challenge of 21 days on March 21, so this will keep me accountable until the end of April. Vanilla No S all the way!

March
22- Success
23 - Success
24 - S day
25 - S day
26 - Success
27 - Success
28 - Success
29 - Success
30 - Success
31 - S day
April
1 - S day
2 - Success
3 - Success
4 - Success
5 - Success
6 - Success
7 - S Day
8 - S Day
9 - Success
10 - Success
11 - Success - End of 2nd 21 day challenge - YAY
12 - Success
13 - Success
14- Success - Kept it an N day
15 - Success - No Snacks, sweets or seconds
16 - Success
17 - Success
18 - Success
19 - Success - Day 50 - Whoo Hoo
20 - Success
21 - S Day- Tough one
22 - S Day- Another hard one
23 - Success - Yay for the structure of an N day
24 - Success - Stomach ache all day - uggh!
25 - Success
26 - Success
27 - Success - Wanted chocolate so badly - almost stayed up to midnight so I could legally eat it! - But feel asleep.
28 - S day - w/chocolate
29 - S day - 60 DAYS - YAY
30 - Success


I will be on vacation from March 24 - April 8 so this is such great timing.

Awesome Zippedee - keep on keeping on

Yay Renee! You rock No S. Keep up with all the GREENS.

Ann_48 - I see you found the challenge - good job with your goals

Butterfly ~ Yea! Think strict!

Ann ~ milk is Reinhard's suggestion and fine! Keep going!

no snacker ~ only 3 days! (for 1st round )

mricem ~ get moving!

xippadee ~ we seem to be in sync with the 21 and now a month... lets do this thing!

Oolala ~ I think that 10 min. of ex. might be my next goal... let us know how it goes. We'll be watching you!

sweetness ~ when you color the weekends yellow, there aren't THAT many days left.

jbell ~ we're watching for those greens and Xs.

KL ~ only 6 green days 'til 21!!!

renew, first congrats on completing that first 21 days since you've been back..awesome job...

and looks like you are on a good roll again!!!!!

thanks for acknowledging all of us....thought we should do the same for you!!

you go girl!!!! keep on keeping the going!

ann_48 - oolala once share with me..you can put some vanilla and some sort of artificial sweetner in as well or like I do, i use the coco powder and some splenda, heat it up and have my self a low-fat, tasty drink...drinks are allowed if not sugar based.!!

I use stevia.

My goal is to complete the month of April doing Vanilla No S Diet.

5 success!
6 So good until after dinner. Pick myself up and start again!
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Thanks for the tip on flavoring the milk. I think I have some Splenda in the cabinet now. I've used both Stevia and Splenda and like them both.

Come on Butterfly... you CAN do it! Be strict!! I know for sure you can do it!!!! Show us you can do it!
Find some other thing to do instead... go to bed early? Crochet? Paint? Go online to see who else on no S is havong trouble at that moment? Slam more water than you ever have before and see if you still want a snack? Take a looooong bath? Go for a walk? Tape your mouth shut (Don't laugh too hard, I've done it before). Pay yourself for every 15 minutes that you skip the snack... you can do it! Think of the temptation as your enemy!

Butterfly, I'm with Renee. You can do this! Believe in yourself and say NO to the cravings. Tell yourself that YOU are in control. This might be a cheat, but I love a Dr. Pepper 10 when I have a major craving. It really helps pull me through it. You can do it, I promise you can. Just claim it!

Renee, I had to giggle a little about the tape, but I say HEY!, Whatever works!

Butterfly, have the bowl of cereal but hold the cereal. (Did anyone see "Five Easy Pieces?")

Butterfly, ditto to what everyone is saying....you can do it..I know how hard it is to go from dinner to bed, I go to bed early like around 9:00 so if you are a late owl, I'm sure it is harder...

I like what reneew said, tape the mouth shut ...I might try that myself..the visual and craziness of it might just work...

Did you try a cup of hot chocolate homemade with cocoa powder and splenda/stevia or what ever you prefer, even sugar is allowed. Can be something you can look forward too?

Struggling is not fun as most of us bingers know..but you can do it..ever time you succeed the stronger you will become.

jbell - i hear the pain...hang in there...find your groove, you'll get there..seems you have been with No S since 2009, so i'm sure you have had many successes! dig deep, you can do it!

reneew - you are so funny about the peeps but what a GREAT job on putting them down after a couple and NOT letting them ruin a good day, ya know. all my kids are grown so I don't have to have all the candy in the house..i used eat so much of their chocolate that i did not feel well afterwards...and thanks for being our leader here..love it!

Nosnacker ~ Well... I did say a "few", which technically can be several more than a couple hahaha
Anyway... You did it no snacker! You made it to 21!!!!!!!!!!! Woohoo!

Yahoooooo - you did it NoSnacker - 21 salutes to YOU

Oolala, congrats on the walking see you got some good time in there!!!!

NoSnacker, Let me add my congrats on the 21 days, too!!! That's so wonderful! WTG!

I've been putting in my 10 minutes+ for just one week and I find myself looking for excuses to have one-minute bursts of exercise during the day. Last night I ushered at a theater and back in little corners got in 30-second to 1-minute bursts 4 times. Got in 1-minute simulation of rope jumping twice while waiting for the xerox machine to do its thing today. (Luckily, teachers don't have to look corporate in the xerox room.) I just wanna! and it's all icing on the cake because I still give myself credit if all I do is 10 minutes.

BTW, browsing the net I found a site promoting fitness in children in Australia. The recommendation was for kids to perform 5 minutes of rope jumping twice a day. That was it. Sounds like so little but for our computer kids, that would make more than a dent in their fitness, I'm sure.

I find that when I set a 5 minute minimum of exercise for myself, I almost always go over.

Thanks reneew - Yes, I did it! Boy was it a tough one today - soooo hungry after each meal. But the thought of having to post a fail kept me going for the GREEN - the support here is so amazing

I felt (and am feeling!) the same way, KL.
So eager to still eat, but I should just go to bed!
We can do this!

Hungry after meals? Just curious. Or do you mean later between meals?

I only felt binge-y after dinner really. That time is already hardest but I didn't feel mentally satisfied and was still a tad hungry. I had worked out pretty hard too so I should have accommodated. Oh well it's morn now, my tummy is rumbling, which isn't a bad thing! And no regrets!

Joining in mid-month!! Doing my best to follow No-S while pregnant, but I'm not going to put major pressure on myself!

12: SUCCESS! 30 WATP!
13: SUCCESS!
14: S DAY!
15: S DAY!
16: SUCCESS!
17: AFTERNOON ICE CREAM!
18: AFTERNOON ICE CREAM!
19: SWEETS!
20: SWEETS!
21: S DAY!
22: S DAY! It's a new week!
23:
24:
25:
26:
27:
28:
29:
30:

yea, new people. Feel free to join in anytime. The more, the merrier!

Ann ~ I hope you feel better.

Oolala ~ even God rested after 7 days.

sweetness ~ I get sick form caffeine, but I'd loooooove to come up with a caffeine free healthy hot chocolate. This winter I made an incredible white hot chocolate because my family was driving me crazy drinking the real chocolate stuff. I think I drank 5 bags of white chocolate chips. Any ideas for a healthy and legal one? They don't make powdered white chocolate do they? Ideas anyone?

Thank you Renee, much better as I type this!

Tobiasmom, Welcome aboard!

I'm too lazy to scroll looking for my original post, so I'm periodically going to bump it up. The old post is just an announcement of this now.

Mine is 30 days of 10 or more minutes of exercise.

Sun 4/1 success Mon 4/2 success
Tues 4/3 success Wed 4/4 success + 20 min. walk
Thurs 4/5 success + 40 min. walk Fri 4/6 success
Sat 4/7 success Sun 4/8 success
Mon 4/9 success Tues 4/10 success
Wed 4/11 failure Thurs 4/12 failure
Fri 4/13 aagh! success

~reneew wrote: sweetness ~ I get sick form caffeine, but I'd loooooove to come up with a caffeine free healthy hot chocolate. This winter I made an incredible white hot chocolate because my family was driving me crazy drinking the real chocolate stuff. I think I drank 5 bags of white chocolate chips. Any ideas for a healthy and legal one? They don't make powdered white chocolate do they? Ideas anyone?

Yes, I often have a hot vanilla milk. I use real, not imitation vanilla. If there's a Mexican market near you you can probably get it lots cheaper than the grocery store. You pour about a tablespoon of vanilla into your cup (I use 2 because its really cheap here) add boiling water about 2/3 full, add whole milk to the top. Sweeten with stevia or sugar or honey to taste. Try it, YUMMY!!! If you want it to taste richer, use half n half.

ooooo sounds good. I was thinking maybe I'd try some type of thing like that. Does it taste watery? I was thinking all milk maybe? I found this recipe online and I think I'll go try it now...

Warm milk
1C. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
2 T sugar (but I'd try stevia. How much do you guys think?)
1/4 tsp. nutmeg


Yuck. Do not try that at home. I'm going to try the other one...

Kind of good! I prefer all milk with a tsp. of vanilla and 2 packets of sweetener. I think I'll get some whole milk and try that next time I go to the store. Thanks!

Renee, I use liquid stevia- about 8 drops for a cup. One packet would be enough for me. The whole milk definitely makes a huge difference. I only use it in my hot beverages and occasionally if I eat granola for breakfast. If I had 1% milk I would want to use all milk. I never use the microwave, so my method of boiling water is just more convenient, and I like it.

Joining for the last half of the month (after learning the ropes for the first half )

14 - S day
15 - S day
16 - - success!
17 - - success!
18 -
19 - - success!
20 -
21 - S day
22 - S day
23 -
24 -
25 -
26 -
27 -
28 - S day
29 - S day
30 -

Welcome Amy. I am new to this, too. Here's to a great second half of the month!

Hope it's okay, since it's the mid of the month, but I need some extra encouragement. My goals are;
Vanilla NO S, with 15 minutes of Shoeglove on No S days and 40 - 50 minutes of cardio 4 days a week.

April
16: GREEN 15 Minutes of Shoveglove, WHEW!! I really wanted to go for a run today, but the timing never worked out. I have hopes for tomorrow.
17: Green. Eating was good and I went for a long run/walk. Feeling good
18: FAILURE!! Those darn Hersey Kisses. Went for a walk and felt better. Mark it and move on Karen...dont quit over Hersey Kisses.
19
20
21: S Day
22: S Day
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30

Patty (Sweetness) looks like at the end of today, you'll have completed another round of 21 days...you go girl!!!

day 21, Success!!! I met my goal!!! Woo hoo!!!
New Goal-- to finish April with no reds!

Deb, Thanks!

Yay, yay and another yay for Sweetness - Way to go

how sweet!

KL wrote:Yay, yay and another yay for Sweetness - Way to go

Thank you very much!

Just moving this up to the top....

I will be starting a May challenge soon, so start thinking about a goal!

You're welcome! It helps me just as it might anyone.

Yes, I second that..thanks for being our leader

I'm in for May and will definitely have some challenges ahead of me with being on 2 weeks vacation.....

KL wrote:Thanks reneew for being our cheerleader

I third it!

Ha! I was a cheerleader in highschool. So are my girls. I was showing them a cheer from the good ol' days one day and blew a blood vessel in my hand! Then we laughed so hard I almost kinda maybe peed my pants. I usually like to enlarge and color my words here just to make it more fun, but I don't think I'll do that to what I just wrote.


Only one N day left !


Give me a N...

Thanks for the cheer Renee!
I'm happy that the book I ordered "The Beck Diet Solution" arrived today. I have been doing well on No S, not gaining weight, but also not losing! I came back after 6 months to find I'm at my starting weight. I need to work on portion size.