Roxy's Check In

[NoSRocks]

Hi! I'm 5'7" female, 47 yrs old. Have been on the No S Diet since Monday 15 December 2009. I started at 170 lbs and to date have lost a total of 10 lbs. Without a doubt, I'm very happy with this .
However, I lost the weight fairly early on in the No S Diet and it seemed to come off pretty quickly at the time. For the past couple of months however, the trend hasn't continued and it seems I have hit a plateau. Sometimes even, my weight goes up by a pound or two but never DOWN. (sigh). Ideally, I would like to lose at least another 10 - 15 lbs to get to my goal or wherever my body decides to feel comfortable at.

As I stated on an earlier thread, my main problem is with S Days and going slightly overboard. I won't say I go mad and eat everything in sight (like I used to do every 2 - 3 days after being on restrictive diets), but there is definitely room for improvement. My brain still hasn't got round to the fact (yet!) that just because it's an S Day, I DON'T HAVE to have a dessert etc. every 2 hrs or so. Said half in jest, if only I WERE that structured, it might be the key to get me on a losing (winning) streak again.

Anyway, I've decided to try checking in/logging in my food intake for a while to see if it helps to get things moving again. Not sure if I'll post every day or not yet. Nor if I'll record my weight on a daily/weekly or monthly basis either. I don't always like to weigh myself every day.... but I'll see how it goes. It may be helpful to have some kind of record to look back on and see what progress I have/may not have made regarding my weight & eating patterns. As my main 'problem' seems to be with S Days, I'm thinking (hoping!) it may be helpful to record my eating on those days in particular. We'll see how it goes....

Just wanted to add - I love logging in and reading others' check ins, so thank you ALL for doing so. Please feel free to offer any advice you can with regards my eating habits etc. All comments/ideas very much appreciated!

Okay enough rambling for one post

It's Tuesday so counting this as a DAY TWO:

DAY ONE was a SUCCESS;

Here's what I ate today :

BREAKFAST:

1 Granola Bar (1.5 oz)
1 ff yogurt
1 small bowl unsweetened grapefruit segments

LUNCH:

2 x Ritz crackerfuls
4 oz strawberries and 2 tsp sugar

DINNER: (not eaten it yet)

Tend to eat Frozen Food Meals with a serving of vegetables so that's what I'll be having this evening.


DRINKS throughout day: Diet Lemon and Lime Soda; a little water

EXERCISE: Walking 1 hour



BREAKFAST:

[NoSRocks]

Just checking: my signature doesn't appear to be showing up.

[NoSRocks]

Success !

[NoSRocks]

Decided to post what I'm eating on the weekends (S Days only) since I pretty much eat the same stuff on N Days. It's the S Days I have the most problems with anyway and wouldn't want to bore you all with the same old, same old on the N Days

So glad the weather has picked up recently which means I can get back to my only mode of exercising - or at least the only one I can stick with - walking!!

I listen to music whilst I walk too which helps. My basic walking regime is 1 hour per day, typically Mondays - Thursdays; sometimes Fridays. Weekends I tend to take off or do a little less. I'm fairly consistent so again I won't bother writing this down every time I post.

[NoSRocks]

Saturday (S DAY)

Here's what I ate so far:

Breakfast:

large chunk of cornbread with butter spread
1 yogurt
1 cup mandarins

Lunch:

large fruit scone and butter spread
1 tub Trader Joes Greek Full Fat Yogurt with apricot flavor
Nibbled on homemade fudge (approx 1/4 lb - this stuff is my downfall!

Dinner:

Pork loin roast and roast potatoes
Not sure if I'm having a dessert or not yet.

Not too bad for an S Day, I guess. Normally I wouldn't eat so much stodgy food in one day. However, my freezer is stocked full with leftovers from baking etc. I thought I'd try to use it up rather than throw it away. Not sure it's a great idea.

[gratefuldeb67]

Welcome and congratulations on your success so far!! Very inspirational!!
Debs

[NoSRocks]

Thanks, for your nice message, Deb! Very much appreciated and good to know that others' are getting some inspiration and encouragement from my posts just as I have been and continue to do so.

Well, last night I was a bit of a naughty girl.... ate a few more pieces of fudge when I was putting it in the tin. As mentioned, it is my downfall... unfortunately, I can't avoid it since my daughter likes it from time to time for her school projects/cook sales etc. Perhaps that is a bit of an excuse??

Anyway, I am pleased to report that today my eating has been far better, in fact one of the best, most controlled S Days I have had since starting. NB:
I wish to add: I am not seeking nor planning to control my S Days; just taking them as they come and enjoying them but trying NOT to binge/go overboard. However, just wasn't particularly hungry today. In fact, I ate less than I normally do on a N Day since I didn't get my vegetables in. Today, the thought of veggies with my evening meal kind of turned my stomach... not sure why. I will make sure to eat them tomorrow though... I don't really like missing them out... they're not my favorite food but I do realize they are good for you and help fill you up. Okay here's what I ate today:

BREAKFAST:

Large slice cornbread and butter spread
I full fat vanilla yogurt
1 cup grapefruit segments

LUNCH:

Cheeseburger and apple dippers (McDonalds)
1 med black coffee

DINNER:

I individual spinach and mushroom quiche

Extra Drinks throughout day: Diet lemon and lime soda.

No exercise today although I walked around the mall at lunchtime.

[NoSRocks]

Saturday (S DAY)

Breakfast:

large slice cornbread and butter spread
1 large bowl full fat greek yogurt with honey, 1 tsp flaxseed, 1 tsp cinammon
1 cup mandarins

Lunch:

1 snack wrap mcdonalds
1 parfait
1 black coffee

Dinner:

2 x crackerfuls and 2 roast potatoes (I know! kinda weird combination - wasn't overly hungry but still eating for the sake of it cos its an S Day

1 serving fruit crumble and greek yogurt
2 squares fudge; 1 bar milk chocolate

[NoSRocks]

SUNDAY (S DAY)

Breakfast:

large chunk pudding cake and carmel topping (rather decadent, I know! trying to use up leftovers in freezer !)
1 ff yogurt
orange segments

Lunch:

1 cheeseburger and parfait (mcds)
1 black coffee

several nibbles of dry cereal/spoonfuls of low fat yogurt throughout day

Dinner:

Ham and cheese pasty

[NoSRocks]

Saturday 27 March (S DAY)

Breakfast:

large chunk cornbread and butter spread
1 bowl greek yogurt with honey and flaxseed and cinnamon sprinkled in
1 small bowl mandarins in juice

Lunch:

2 x crackerfuls and a handful dried fruit
1 bowl greek yogurt

Dinner:

1 slice spinach feta pie
1 small dish carmelized onions
1/2 lb fudge (overindulged on this again!!)
1 small cream egg

[NoSRocks]

Sunday 28 March

Breakfast:

medium slice cornbread and butter
1 medium bowl greek yogurt (full fat) with honey and cinnamon
half grapefruit

Lunch:

Cheeseburger and parfait; black coffee (McD;s)
small bowl greek yogurt (mid afternoon)

Dinner:

macaroni cheese; chunk of gruyere cheese; few squares fudge

[NoSRocks]

Forgot to add! Weight still stuck around 160 - 160 lbs... wish I could shift another 10 lbs at least.

However, despite the lack of weight loss, I'm v happy that my diet obsessions seem to have disappeared and I'm not piling on the weight!!

[NoSRocks]

Saturday 3rd April

Breakfast:

cornbread and butter spread
1 greek yogurt with honey
1 cup mandarins

Lunch"

1 bacon and cheese snack wrap and parfait
1 black coffee (McDs)
1 turtle candy

Dinner

1 scone with butter and jam
1 thick slice meatloaf
red peppers and onions in balsamic vinegar dressing
several nibbles fudge (about 3/4 lb worth
)

An odd choice for dinner I know! I wasn't feeling particularly hungry this evening and couldn't be bothered with meat, veg etc. however I got to feeling a little peckish later on in the evening and that niggling feeling of:
" Oh its an S Day - come on and make the most of it!" finally got to me as I was clearing away the supper dishes. Just nibbled straight out of the tin and didn't even make the most of it as I should have done. Feeling blah and a bit fed up with myself.

[NoSRocks]

SUNDAY 4TH APRIL 2010

Breakfast:

cornbread with raspberry jam (jam was runny like a sauce - yummy!!)
1 greek yogurt with honey
1 cup orange segments

Lunch:

1 McDs cheeseburger and apple dippers (without the caramel)
1 medium black coffee
1 large slice NY style cheesecake with cream

Dinner:

Still to decide - probably meatloaf sandwich.

[sophiasapientia]

Roxy! Just popping in to say "Hi!" and I hope that your week is off to a good start! The Greek yogurt sounds really yummy. Do have a special brand that you like?

[NoSRocks]

Hi Shannon!

All the best to you for the coming week also. I'm sure you'll do great!! Looking forward to reading your posts.

As for the brand of yogurt: I've been experimenting with several kinds including Trader Joe's and Fage. Before No S, I'd only eat the fat free versions but now I usually have the full fat kind. Though its hard to tell the difference to tell you the truth since they have improved the non fat versions over the years. Ive also been adding cinammon and/or honey which is very nice. I also read somewhere that a cinnamon and honey combination can help to speed up the metabolism. We shall see!@!@

Meantime, I think I might try taking the focus of off weight/goals and just focus on the habits... as another poster suggested recently and I think - hope - it might help me for a bit. However, I as I have been so impressed by your daily log ins and weigh ins, I'm also thinking I might try doing so myself. Again, not sure if it'll work for me. I guess I might experiment again and see what works best.

Anyway, thanks again for your nice message and have a great week.

[sophiasapientia]

Mmmmm ... I'll have to give the Greek yogurt a try sometime. I've been toying with the idea of making my own yogurt but haven't been that ambitious yet. I understand it is pretty easy, though.

I think that focusing on Habit and not on the scale is a great idea, especially if you have any concern that seeing the inevitable flux would derail you or stress you out. My primary focus is on Habit. For me, the daily weight is a data point for informational purposes not unlike keeping track of my exercise or what I've been eating. I'm kind of a nerd in that regard and like having the data. But I'd ditch the scale and weight tracking if it was a hindrance in any way.

Have a fantastic week!

[NoSRocks]

Hi again Shannon! Hope you're having a great weekend.
Think I'll be ditching the full fat greek yogurts for a bit, btw. I'd added a couple of lbs on at the beginning of the week but seemed to be back down at 160 lbs again on Friday (once I stopped eating them for a few days!)

Today I have been very naughty even though it's an S Day. Lots of nibbling at fudge/candy inbetween meals. I haven't even had dinner yet and don't really feel like it because I've filled myself up with garbage. UGH! I'll never get past this plateau at this rate... no doubt I'll have put on a couple of pounds again and it'll take me a week to get back down. So it goes on. Still, I'm not as depressed as I might sound, thank goodness. Love the No S Diet way of life. If I could just get a handle on my S Days.... doubt I could and should eliminate them altogether. Just need something to get the scales moving in the right direction. I said I wasn't going to weigh myself but sometimes the lure of the scales is too strong.

Maybe I;ll do better tomorrow even though its another S Day. We'll see. Have a nice weekend everyone.

[sophiasapientia]

Hi Roxy -- Have you listened to Reinhard's "S Days Gone Wild" podcast? I found it to be very helpful when I was struggling with S Days. It is definitely worth a listen if you haven't heard it already ...

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

[NoSRocks]

Thanks Shannon! Yes I have listened to Reinhard's podcast and agreed - it is indeed very helpful. I think it's about time I listened to it again. Thanks for reminding me, hon.
I have had a particularly bad nibbling/binging day of "eating" today and for once in a looong time, I even found my mind wandering to other diet and eating plans! Crazy I know for a fact none of them will work for me long term. This has been the best, most sustainable way of eating to date...at least as much as my N days are concerned. Sometimes I find myself just buying junk on or for S Days for the sake of it. This evening I was shocked to open my freezer and find all the stuff I'd frozen for a rainy day. There was stuff from a couple of months ago when I first started on No S I got ruthless and tossed it all into a big garbage bag. I knew there was no way I'd get through it all. Or if I did, I'd have to deliberately set myself up for a major binge . I still don't eat/binge the way I used to since starting No S. I find I need less junk to fill me up. Definitely a good thing! I need to find more structure on my S Days as well as eating less. Oh well, tomorrow is another day as the saying goes. To be continued.....

[NoSRocks]

Sunday 11 April 2010 - S Day

Breakfast

The usual
large slice cornbread (heated in the microwave - yummy) ; didn't bother with the butter spread this time since it was so moist and delicious on its own
1 greek Non Fat yogurt with honey, cinnamon and flaxseed sprinkled in
1 tub grapefruit segments

Lunch

(McDs) Angus snack wrap with bacon and cheese
1 parfait
1 black coffee

Dinner

Large serving mac n cheese
nibbled on small dish of pickles and half an iced bun whilst waiting for dinner to heat in micro
1 slice NY style cheesecake with cream

[sophiasapientia]

Hi Roxy! Just wanted to check-in and see how everything is going. Hope that all is well ...

[NoSRocks]

Hi and many thanks for your message. Sorry I haven't had the chance to check in till now..... It took me ages to find my previous posts !
:LOL:

Well, here we are on a Friday morning and I feel quite a bit better than I have for a few days as I weighed myself and despite my 'fears', I haven't gained any weight on the No S Diet. Still stuck at the "magic no." of 160 lbs though.... AAARGH! I was sure I was going to put on weight since I had been eating slightly bigger portions this past week or so than when I started No S. Also, I went shopping yesterday and bought a big chocolate cake at the store, telling myself it was a treat for the weekend. Well you should have seen the size of the cake ... it would feed the 5000.
PS: This impulse buying for weekend treats happens a lot!

Got home - cut cake into 4 huge slices and put it in the freezer. Needless to say, in the process there was plenty icing and buttercream filling to spare... all of it went into my mouth!! Embarassed!! I also 'stole' a few morsels that had broken off whilst attempting to shovel the very gooey cake into the freezer bags. Have you ever tried putting an iced cake into a freezer bag and managing to keep it intact?? Rolling Eyes say no more! Smile Smile
of course, by the time I'd realized what I'd done, I felt very guilty and thought about changing my (so far) Green N Day to an S Day. Despite nibbling here and there on N Days, I have to admit this is the first major Red Day I have had since starting No S. Felt very bloated and fed up with myself.
However, just as I was about to throw in the towel and help myself to a big slice of the cake with cream (!) my husband came in from work and I joined him for a long, brisk walk around the neighborhood. Not only did I get my much needed exercise for the day, but also managed to take my mind off of the mini binge for a while.
I felt a little apprehensive this morning but decided to weigh myself anyway to see what damage had been done and I am pleased to report that fortunately, I haven't gained. It's still frustrating to say the least that I haven't managed to crack the 160 mark. It's as if my body likes being this weight. I am certainly not complaining but even if I saw the scale nudging down slowly by a pound a week.... or even a month, it would make such a difference to the way I feel. I'll reiterate it again though - I am extremely happy with the No S Diet and the effect it has had on my body to date. Not to mention my state of mind (MOST of the time); I don't even think to look at diet books/magazines any more whereas before I used to 'torture' myself and swing from one diet plan to the other with plenty of binges inbetween. To be 'cured' from this kind of mentality is a huge bonus in itself as many of us No S'ers have testified to. So Reinhard as a crippled serial dieter (wonderful expression) I can't thank you enough for creating this wonderful eating plan!

Okay until the weekend.... all the best and thanks for reading my posts. Sorry this one went on so long. Felt like venting today for some reason!!

[NoSRocks]

Just to keep you updated on what my eating patterns have been like this past week or so: a friend of mine had a couple of boxes of meal replacement shakes and bars left over from a diet that she passed on to me. I normally don't go for this kind of thing and I've read Reinhard's thoughts/opinion on meal replacements in the book. However, rather than waste them or throw them away, I thought I'd use them up. It was thoughtful of my friend to give them to me (she knows I'm on the No S diet by the way so I wasn't offended that she'd offer me diet food )

Anyway, for breakfast and dinner, I've been having one of these AWFUL shakes or bars along with a yogurt and piece of fruit. At dinner, I'm having my usual frozen food meals with or without veggies (I'm kinda lazy at eating vegetables sometimes ). Not sure if it's a mental thing or a result of these meal replacements, but finding myself hungrier mid afternoon and in the evenings after having eaten dinner. I also feel more tempted by the desserts and chocolate aisles in the stores and have been buying huge cakes etc. telling myself that I'll freeze them for the weekend. Haven't done anything like this since starting the NO S diet. Not sure whether the meal replacements are to blame as it could all be psychological. However it does seem coincidental! Whilst it was kind of my friend to pass on her "freebies," I'll certainly be glad when they are finished so I can get back to real food for a change. I do still have my McDonald's at the end of the week/when I'm out shopping. I sometimes go to Panera bread for their fantastic soup and breads. PS: on the subject of Panera, anyone tried their cuban chicken panini? I had one last weekend but was a tad disappointed. Didn't care for the strong 'herb' flavor (rosemary?) that permeated through it. Disappointing since it was one of my S Day treats. Wasn't able to finish it.

[sophiasapientia]

Oh, those yucky meal replacements. BTDT. Among various other crazy diet plans, my husband watched me try Slim Fast at one point and Nutrisystem at another, neither of which I could stick with for very long. (Suffice it to say that my family loves No S and is perfectly happy that I've adopted this way of eating.) Is it possible to toss the stuff you have left? Life is too short to eat "food" you don't care for, IMO.

I haven't tried that cuban chicken panini at Panera but we were there last weekend and I was so thrilled to see that they now post the calorie info for most items on the overhead display board/menu. Yay! Calorie counting isn't my thing in general but I do like having that basic info for eating out whenever possible since my family does enjoy eating out on a regular basis. I've been shocked in the past to learn that I was consuming a whole day's worth of calories with one meal at some of our restaurants of choice ...

[NoSRocks]

Thanks for the great heads up on the calorie count information, Shannon! Much appreciated I hadn't noticed the calorie counts on my last visit but will be sure to look out for them in future. Like your good self, I also don't care too much for calorie counting (I've enough problems as it is ) but it is indeed useful on occasion to get some kind of guideline as to the calories in a certain meal. Then you have the choice of limiting your consumption or better still, keeping those meals for S Days only. Again, the 'beauty' of No S is that (in my humble opinion at least) you don't have to worry too much about fat content, calorie content etc. of meals unless you really feel like it.

[NoSRocks]

S DAY (Saturday 24th April 2010)

Breakfast:

large slice cornbread
1 bowl full fat greek yogurt with honey, flaxseed and cinnamon
1 bowl mandarin segments

Lunch:

McD's wrap with bacon and cheese
1 parfait and black coffee

Nibbles: 1/2 choc bar, 2 candies (salt water taffy)

Dinner:

Haven't eaten yet. Not particularly hungry but intending to eat something. Will post later this evening or tomorrow morning what I decided to eat...including any additional extras.

[NoSRocks]

...continued from yesterday (Saturday)

Dinner:

Chicken cordon bleu and oven fries
1 lb of my daughter's fudge (surprise, surprise
)

1/2 tub full fat greek yogurt...sooooo yummy!!

S DAY 2 (SUNDAY)

Breakfast : the same as yesterday/every S Day so far!!
Lunch: PB & J sandwich, yogurt, chips, coffee
Dinner: Sweet n sour chicken with rice, fudge, couple of marshmallows, half bar of chocolate

[NoSRocks]

Sunday (contd)

Okay so I'm not hungry in the least, but because its an S Day and I know "I can", I'm afraid I overindulged this evening! I ate a whole (litre sized ?) carton of Full Fat Greek Yogurt with Honey. It must have been about 1000 calories' worth! But it was so creamy and yummy that I kept spooning it into my mouth until it was all gone before I knew it! Feeling very bloated again this evening. Thank goodness for N Days, huh?

[NoSRocks]

Well guys, I don't normally post during the week... but I am starting to get very frustrated since the last couple of days I have been weighing in at 3 lbs heavier than I usually do. (approx. 163 - 164 lbs) ! I think the reason for this is down to those meal replacements I have been substituting for breakfast and dinner. I know I had eaten quite a lot during my S Days last week but by now, I am normally still at 160 lbs. It seems like a waste, but I really think I will have to throw out those meal replacements (or give them back to my friend). I am kinda surprised by this because aren't meal replacements supposed to be calorie counted in order to make "dieting" simpler?

Anyway, as of today I am giving them up and going back to regular foods again. I was getting fed up with them anyway. I'm also not going to make any promises, but this weekend, I'm going to allow myself one or two planned treats on my S Days and see if it makes a difference.

Fingers crossed....

Will keep you updated,

Roxy

[NoSRocks]

Not in the best of moods today.... very 'keyed up' about re-gaining those pounds. I think in total, I've gained about 3 (depends where on the bathroom floor I put my scale; it even looks like it could be 4!

I'm unhappy because this seems to be causing me to slip back into the old diet/panic : what shall I do? mentality. Husband says I shouldn't have weighed myself but I want to keep tabs on where i am. I have been fairly stringent with myself today. I have eaten breakfast and dinner but not had any treats. I haven't really felt like anything today fortunately but I don't like this 'ban' I seem to have imposed upon myself. I'm feeling resentful and as said, uneasy about my eating habits again. I was surprised to see the scale had gone up at the beginning of the week when I weighed but I expected (complacently?) that it would go back down again. Perhaps I should lay off the scales for a bit. I'm waiting/praying that it will go back to 160 lbs again and this is only a temporary blip i.e. perhaps I've been eating too much salt or (sorry if TMI) I just need to go to the bathroom more often!!

I am soooo envious of you guys who are losing 1 lb a week ....even a 1lb a month would be great! At this rate, I'm thinking it won't be long til I'm back where I started again. I don't think I'm doing anything particularly different. Except the meal replacements which I haven't had for a few days. Sorry for the rant people, just feeling frustrated and a bit down right now.

[sophiasapientia]

((((Roxy)))) I'm so sorry that you are struggling. It sounds like your DH has some good advice about staying off the scale. Sodium from meal replacements or frozen meals could very easily cause a gain and it could take your body a few days to recover from that. Maybe focus on drinking water, eating healthy, fresh stuff, getting in some exercise and staying off the scale for a bit? And do treat yourself to something yummy on your S Day ...You deserve it and without most of us No Sers would feel resentful or diet panic. I hope that things improve soon.

[NoSRocks]

AWWW Shannon! Thanks so much for your nice message of support! After reading your kind words, no kidding - I feel much better already

I said to hubby that the reason I weighed myself and kept ridiculously and pointlessly stepping on and off this morning, praying that it would go down was I was 'scared' if I didn't weigh, my weight would continue to pile on/creep up before I could do anything about it. He just laughed (albeit kindly) and said "Just do what I do: don't weigh at all. If your weight gets out of hand, you can just tell by your clothes!" Very sensible and calm way of looking at it but sometimes when one gets into that negative way of thinking, it isn't always easy to convince!

Anyway, hon, thanks again for your nice message - it really did cheer me up. I will also be sure to treat myself to a nice dessert or snack after dinner tomorrow night. This evening, I had a big bowl of fresh strawberries and cream... and I did feel guilty, if only for a few seconds.
Have a great week and I'll keep you (all) posted on how I get on next week.

Best wishes, Roxy x

[NoSRocks]

STILL weighing 163 lbs!

Going to start wearing my pedometer and taking note of my no. of steps. Should I only include the "exercise" steps or every single step taken throughout the day? I take it they all add up?? Sorry if this seems like a silly or obvious question but I need all the help I can get!

Breakfast:

1 slice cornbread (was going to have something else but then I told myself its an S day for goodness' sake)
1 fat free yogurt
1 bowl mandarin segments

Haven't decided on lunch and dinner yet. Don't think I'll be snacking after dinner but will post later on with what I ate.

[NoSRocks]

Trying to figure out what I'd been doing differently (before the 3 lbs weight gain). Other than the meal replacements, I had also been trying an acai berry supplement, which is supposed to be a weight loss aid! I think I'll stop taking the acai for a few weeks too.

Sorry for sounding like a broken record, folks!!

[NoSRocks]

Oops... forgot to post the rest of Sunday's eating! I had a frozen enchilada pie (healthfood section) for dinner followed by a large slice of sponge cake for dessert. I wasn't going to have the dessert at first but its an S Day after all and i figured it would all get too depressing!

Weighed myself this morning (Monday) and still haven't lost anything. The strange thing was, as I have written in another post - my weight fluctuated by 1 - 3 lbs depending upon where on the bathroom floor I put the scales...AARGH! I had noticed this before but hadn't paid much attention. Beforehand, the discrepancy wasn't quite as noticeable, meaning that I definitely have put on a few pounds somehow or other.

This evening, after dinner, I found myself nibbling: a spoonful of frosting here and there etc. Not good!! This weight "obsession" I have going on right now is the root cause. However, I had a good read over some of the posts this evening, and thanks to all the sensible and helpful advice you guys have given, I feel a lot calmer tonight.

I'm also aiming to do 14,500 steps a day (total 101,500 a week). Perhaps this may help a bit. Have a great week, everyone!!

[dmarie710]

Hey Roxy
Try not to beat yourself up too much. I can truly relate how hard it is to gain weight. The loss of control (at least for me) is almost too much. Try your hardest not to obsess about it, accept where you are right now, and learn whatever lesson there is. This is kinda where I am, as my weight is not going down, sooo, I decided that if this is where my body wants me, than I'm OK with that. I still am following No S, but am going to allow this process to just happen.
I hope this helps. If this comes off wrong, I'm sorry. I hope you have a great week.

[NoSRocks]

Hi denise! Many thanks for your nice, supportive message and for being so understanding. It really, really helps.

Sorry to hear that you have hit the 'dreaded' plateau too! It can be such a drag. Actually, I was very fed up at being stuck at 160 lbs for so long but at least my weight was consistent and I had also thought that if this is where my body is comfortable at, I suppose I will be (somewhat) content since I've lost 10 lbs and at my age (late 40s), height of 5'7" with a medium to large frame, I might not get much lower. However, the sudden weight gain did knock me for six and just seemed to come out of the blue. I really can't think what I have done differently and why it hasn't come back off again. Normally, weight gained quickly tends to be temporary and comes off pretty quickly too. Anyway, I am trying hard not to be so worried about it now and carry on as before. Nothing else you can do! I'm trying to get my steps up throughout the day. Haven't quite got to the 14,500 mark yet. But Ive been known to clock up as many as 20,000 steps in a day (albeit rarely) dependent on what I've been doing.

Thanks again hon for your nice message! All the very best for this week and look forward to checking out your next posts!

Best wishes, Roxy x

[NoSRocks]

Well I made a "momentous" decision today: I tossed my bathroom scales!! Actually, not quite: I donated them to my local thrift shop since I just figured that the scales were not helping me recently! This past couple of weeks, I have not been able to stop stepping on and off the darn things, I guess hoping for some good news! However, all I did was frustrate myself since each time I was getting a different reading...with as much as a 4 lbs difference, dependent upon where I placed the scale on the bathroom floor!!
I even started to question that I had really ever been 160 lbs after all and I started to panic again and feel down in the dumps as a result whereas before when I had been stuck at what I thought was 160 lbs, at least I could pride myself in saying I had lost 10 lbs! Now I feel like I'm all over the place ..in more ways than one!! I tell you, I thought it was going to be very hard to get rid of those scales, but for the time being at least, I'm actually feeling quite relieved. Whether I go into 'panic' mode sometime during the week once it sinks in that they're gone for good, who knows, but for the time being, I am enjoying the freedom.

Today this is what I ate:

Breakfast: fruit scone and butter spread
grapefruit segments
1 diet yogurt

Lunch: cheese and bacon angus wrap (Mcds)
parfait
black coffee

Dinner: Meatloaf; scone and butter; slice brie cheese; 1 WW ice lolly**

**Wasn't sure what to have for dinner; couldn't be bothered with veg/salad so ended up nibbling on bits and pieces. I will have to get back in the habit of eating my veggies again... for some reason, have really gone off them.

Kept note of my steps walked this week; averaged out between 10 and 11 k a day; yesterday only clocked up 4000 and today not much better; weather not so great but I figure I will really have to step up my game if I want to lose anything. Then again, I'm supposed to be forgetting about how much I weigh for now, aren't I??

Have a great evening everyone and will post again tomorrow.

[dmarie710]

Wow, you have had a crazy weekend (scales). Good for you, but I know there are good scales out there. I've had a Tanita for 7 years ($20, walmart) that's been very good. I say, if you feel better not weighing yourself, than good for you.

[NoSRocks]

Thanks, Denise! If I do decide to get another set, I definitely think I'll try those Tanita scales. I'm not sure why those scales decided to play up all of a sudden because until approx 2 - 3 weeks ago (when I first noticed the weight gain), they seemed to be working just fine. Even when I moved them around a bit, if anything they may alter by a half a pound when placed on another part of the floor; but this 4lb difference and 2lb difference that suddenly started to show up between the same two spots was just ridiculous! I figure I have a few options (and this might put my mind at ease once and for all); go weigh myself on another set of scales say at a Pharmacy or some such for an accurate reading. Only "problem" with that is, I will be wearing clothes and will have to take that into account since I normally weigh first thing in the morning, no clothes on and before I've eaten anything. Another option is to buy another set of accurate scales like the "Tanita" brand Denise so kindly mentioned; or continue on this new path of just giving up weighing altogether. Sounds kinda scary though since I had gotten into the habit of weighing on a daily basis again and it might be a good idea to catch weight gain in the bud before it gets outta hand. All well and good; but I'm not sure why I gained the weight in the first place since as far as I can recall, I haven't changed my eating habits nor exercise routines. If anything, I'm probably eating slightly less than before on S Days. Have been avoiding my DD's homemade sweets too. Perhaps being 'over anxious' is the cause! Crazy though it may sound, I have read that anxiety can cause weight gain, which is all I need

Never mind, onto tomorrow and a new S Day. Hey Denise - thanks again for your kind words and helpful advice. Have a great Sunday!

Best wishes from Roxy x

[dmarie710]

Happy Mothers Day, Roxy. One other thought I had is if you have a gym membership you can use that scale. My gym has a good scale, but like you pointed out, weighing yourself 1st thing in the morning w/out clothes seems to be more accurate. Good luck to you this week. Hope you have a super relaxing day.

[NoSRocks]

Hi Denise! Just logging in this evening and read your nice Mother's Day Message!! Happy (belated) Mother's Day to you too and also to anyone else (...moms !) reading this message. Also thanks for the advice re. weighing in the gym. Unfortunately, I don't belong to a gym at the moment but I will certainly think about it for the future. There's no doubt it would help me a great deal in losing weight!

Had a nice, relaxing Mother's Day, thanks for asking, hon. My DD bought me a nice bunch of flowers and my DS gave me a huge box of candy ... of course I had to have one or two!! I also had a big iced cupcake for dessert after dinner this evening. However, the amazing thing was the number of steps I managed to get in today: 19789!! I did a walk around the neighorhood this morning then walked into town with DD later this afternoon so the steps really added up today. Funny how some days are easier than others, hun?

Have a great weekend everyone... still not missing the scales!!!

[NoSRocks]

Well, it has been almost one week since I threw out the scales and so far, so good - I haven't missed them. Well, almost! There were a couple of times during the week when I thought about getting out the scales, then I suddenly remembered that I didn't have them anymore
Instead, I just looked at my profile in the bathroom mirror - to get some idea of how my stomach and hips looked from the side and full on. Okay guys, laugh if you want to, I have to confess, I do this quite often even when I did have scales. Doubt it tells you very much but hey, if it tricks the old brain into thinking I'm doing okay and not piling on the pounds, then that's okay by me.

Another "milestone" this week: for several years, I had a membership to a well known national slimming club (won't name names!). Worked great when I could stick to it, however unlike No S, it was unfortunately not sustainable for me. However, I was kind of addicted to it in a way and always renewed my membership for the year, whether or not I attended the club or not, thinking it would be there as a standby incase I got "out of hand" with my eating habits. Well, my membership was due for renewal this week, (without it, I'd have to pay a weekly/monthly fee to start attending again and lose all sorts of 'privileges') and I will admit to being very torn between wanting to rejoin or just let it go, losing all my 'hard earned' discounts etc. into the bargain.) For a day or two, I was very tempted to renew it - regardless of whether or not I'd actually go - just to keep my discounts etc., making the decision in the end to let it go. I realized that if it was going to work for me, it would have done so by now. Now its too late to do anything about it, but to be honest I don't really care and quite honestly I feel relieved to be free from it. Again, as with throwing out the scales, will I feel regret later on ? Maybe. For now, I am just glad I made the decision and probably saved myself money in the long run. Thanks for listening to my little rant, folks.

Meantime, its S DAY (Saturday) breakfast and I have eaten:

I toasted bagel and butter spread
1 low fat yogurt
1 cup mandarins in juice


Back later to post the rest of the day's eating. Have a great weekend, everyone!!!

[NoSRocks]

Saturday (contd)

Lunch:

Mac wrap with bacon and cheese, parfait and coffee (McD's)
Various nibbles throughout day: inc a couple of candies /taffy

Dinner (evening out with DH)
Shared a large meat feast pizza
1 non alcoholic cocktail (I was the designated driver!)
Diet Pepsi

At home: nibbled on some more candies, scoop ice cream

[NoSRocks]

Sunday (PS: this'll be my last check in for a bit; going on vacation then I want to see how I get on without checking in every weekend. I'll still be here tho - lurking/reading others' messages etc.) May be back sooner rather than later....lol.

Breakfast:

Cornbread and jam
1 full fat greek yogurt with honey
1 bowl mandarins


Lunch:

1 PBJ sandwich and nibbles of candy
Coffee

Dinner:

Slices of salami and cheese on sandwich
More candies/cheesecake/marshmallows etc.

[sophiasapientia]

Have a terrifc vacation, Roxy! Don't be a stranger around here.

[NoSRocks]

I'm baaack! Thanks for your nice message, Shannon. Had a really nice vacation btw. Didn't go too mad eating wise and managed to stick to No S way of eating. Since coming back, I bought myself one of those belly burners (a belt that you wear around your waist when exercising - supposed to help raise the metabolism.) Okay so it could be a gimmick but at this stage, I'm more than eager to get the weight (loss) under control. Bought myself another set of scales a few weeks ago since I couldn't handle not knowing what I weighed...even if it does depress me since I don't care for the results (!) These scales aren't any better/accurate than the previous ones. Again, depending upon where I place them, they can show a 3 - 4 lb difference!!

However, it looked like I was hovering between 160 and 162 lbs this morning instead of 163 - 165 as I'd been getting previously so maybe there is hope on the horizon

Eating-wise: had been tempted to stray onto another diet i.e. low fat eating and NO treats... but that seems waaay too depressing and it just wants to make me eat more. So for now, I'm sticking to the tried and trusted Vanilla No S. After 7 months of eating this way, my body has got used to it and likes it.
Anyway, thanks again Shannon for your nice message. I'm not sure how regularly I will post on here. (I can get a bit lazy sometimes ), I guess if I have some significant news (like I lost 20 lbs ) otherwise I will continue coming here and reading everyone's posts and hopefully it will continue to give me much needed inspiration!

PS: connorcream: you are roughly the same height and age as me and we share similar goals. It has been brilliant to read your ongoing progress. Well done and many congratulations!!