Everyday Systems

Hi Amy - You and pinkhippie both raise some really interesting points. Thank you for sharing your perspective as someone who has focused on No S for some time. Best regards, WINhappy

Hi WIN! I think there is something about sticking to this longer term, it becomes ingrained, even when I'm not doing it perfectly it is still my framework. I still struggle with bouts of overeating (stress, celebratory eating, and being out of my routine all trip me up sometimes!) and have to mark lots of days red. But my baseline is always there for me, and helps me keep things from getting too out of hand for too long.

There are a lot of things we can do, and might have to do, in addition to No-S to help us get to our desired weight, and my experience has been that what worked a few years ago might not work as well in the present - our circumstances change, our metabolisms change, etc. But when it feels like nothing else "works", focusing on just three one plate meals is the one thing I can always do.

I have a very busy September coming up this year and I really want to take the rest of the summer to solidify my habits and focus on getting more green on my Habitcal. You know, have fun with the "fence around the law" and being "comically strict" for a time

Hi amy!

I think you're really on the right track with focusing on having fun with the "fence against the law" and "being comically strict". Isn't it wonderful to include the concept of "fun" when thinking about how we are going to eat? Not one of my past dieting attempts ever had even a tinge of fun about them, only some variation of teeth-gritted, white-knuckled, grumpy, resentful subservience - against which I rebelled within hours!

I predict great success in your future with your focus on enjoying the process.

I am sending you cyber-encouragement! Best regards, WIN

Thanks so much, WIN!

Once a month I do a night shift for my volunteer work, and the day after I am very tired and end up overeating, not so much out of hunger, but just because I am so loopy from not having slept, and often count it as a Non Weekend S Day. I had my night shift for July last night and I want to commit to making today a green day regardless of how tired and snacky I feel today. I am going to come here and report how it went tomorrow (with the hope that committing to reporting it to you folks will help me stay the course). Thanks in advance

Yesterday was green!

I am going for another green day today. Will have to do some virtual plating as I have a housewarming to go to this evening.

Congratulations on the green day yesterday! That sounds like that would be tough to do with a nightshift!

Have fun at the housewarming party!

Thanks, Pink! The housewarming was fun but the virtual plating threw me off my game and I have to mark a red. Onward and upward towards green today.

You can do it, Amy! I am rooting for you. Best regards, WIN

Thanks, WIN! Phew, got things back under control.

I gave myself a good talking to. The thing I always try to remind myself, when having an urge to overeat, is to ask myself how I will feel about this tomorrow. But sometimes hard to remember that in the heat of an urge.

I think of how life used to be when I gave in, which I inevitably did. Can't go back there, and I know I can wait the urge out. At least until I am properly hungry for the next meal.

Giving in leads to giving up, in the end, doesn't it? And I never want to go back to how I was, or become who I would have become had I not changed my habits. I see people my age and older around me who are physically impaired because of lifestyle factors, and I feel bad for them, but do not want to be in their shoes. This is my motivation every day.

My thoughts too

Hi, and thanks for posting. It's nice to have the board still active.

I so agree about having some kind of baseline eating in place, something to come back to for sanity, or from mods for whatever reasons. No S is so reasonable for that.

Regarding giving in: I once read someone, who I think was quoting someone else, write that one of her mantras was never give in to a craving. A craving is for a specific food and I'm assuming she wasn't talking about pickles or something light. I'm sure she meant the common craved foods, often flour-y, sweet, or fatty salty. A craving is not hunger. It's signaled by anxious feelings. It's jonesing! Someone here on No S used that term years ago and boy, does it fit. It doesn't even mean I can't eat the craved foods. It just means have it only when it's not the anxious jittery desire is there. When I give in, it's just reinforcing the pairing. I can still decide to have the food at a meal or at a specific time on an S day or in a time window, though most of the old craved foods don't play much of a role anymore. Turns out the experiences aren't as fun or satisfying as I used to think they were. When that gets clear, a lot of the effort drops away, but never giving in to a craving in the moment can sure help.

Kudos!

Thanks Oolala and Ladybird! I like the idea of "never give into a craving".

A big part of what we have been working on all these years is weakening the link between eating certain things and a perceived emotional comfort. And every time we can stop ourselves from giving in to the craving, the link gets weaker...

Hi Amy - It's wonderful that you've improved so much that a desire to avoid returning to how you used to be is an effective tool. I'm very impressed, inspired, and frankly, a bit jealous, all at once! Best regards, WIN

Hi WIN! It is definitely an effective tool, but that is not to say that I am perfect at No-S, not by any means! I have red days every single week.

But I know if I hadn't been here working on this the past ten years or so, I would still have a BMI of 30 (or probably higher by now), because I would probably still have habits that supported that weight.

Another way I look at it sometimes is that my current weight (BMI 25) is a direct result of my current habits. If I want the weight to change, then I need to change the habits that are supporting it. If I notice my weight creeping up, that means I have slipped back into habits that support a higher weight.

At the moment I am about 5 lbs higher than I would ideally like to be, so I know there are some habits that need tweaking. It is a continual work in progress. But beating myself up for not doing it perfectly is not going to help me in the long run! I get up every day, mark my Habit Cal for the day before, and begin again with a clean slate. Remind myself of my reasons for doing this, get my exercise in and practice No-S the best I can that day.

That is how I think of it too. What habits are supporting my weight? It really helps to break it down like that. Sounds like you are doing great!

Amy3010 wrote: ↑

Wed Aug 09, 2023 6:02 am

I get up every day, mark my Habit Cal for the day before, and begin again with a clean slate. Remind myself of my reasons for doing this, get my exercise in and practice No-S the best I can that day.

Any day I get my steps in and don't overeat gives me that little feeling of accomplishment when I go to bed.

Was a holiday here yesterday, we had a big party at my sister-in-law's, which always translates into a bit of a wild S-day. Time to reign things in and go for green for the rest of the week.

One of the things that really helps me is planning out what I am going to eat ahead of time in the morning, and write it down. Then it is settled in my mind and I don't really have to think about it too much throughout the rest of the day. Just follow my plan. Now that I think about it, I do the same with my exercise. Today will be yoga and a walk.

That sounds like an excellent plan, Amy. Great job planning everything out. I can see how that could lessen the energy you have to devote to decision-making on the fly, which is often a good thing. Wishing you best of luck with your plan! WIN

Thanks, WIN!

I am starting an FMD (Fasting Mimicking Diet) five day plan today. It feels a bit scary to think about eating such limited food for five days but the DIY plan I am going to use (Robin Murphy's) is all based on whole healthy foods and is mostly stuff I eat anyway, which appealed to me. And I have a very quiet weekend and manageable days at the beginning of next week, so it felt like the right timing. And I do enjoy a challenge from time to time to shake things up a little when I am feeling a bit stuck.

What am I hoping to get out of it? Well, there are all the longevity and general health benefits that FMD is supposed to generate, but I think for me the main goal is to reset my appetite, kickstart some more moderate eating and nudge the scale a bit downwards.

I did 5:2 fasting a couple years ago for several months and it really helped to reach those goals, so I have high hopes. I will update here how it goes.

Two days in on FMD and it is going well. The meals I am making are really delicious - it feels like a lot of food and is surprisingly satiating. Three more days to go.

Day 3 done and dusted. Not feeling very hungry at all and I have been sleeping well. Two more days to go!

The FMD sounds interesting what have you been eating? Presumably calories are restricted. Do you follow any time restricted eating protocols too?

Jx

Day 4 done - today is the last day and I am not going to lie, a slice of bread sounds really good right now!

But this has gone much better than I expected. I am eating yummy meals with whole foods I enjoy. I have not felt overly hungry at all. I am roughly following a DIY version of FMD with real food (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IpR_uu ... qvTax/view) - I used this template as framework but input all my own meals into MyFitnessPal with slightly different ingredients. You are supposed to have 1100 calories the first day with certain percentages of macros, and then 800 calories days 2-5 also with specific percentages of macros.

I also got a copy of Valter Longo's book from the library yesterday, which gave me a mental boost for the last two days - the health benefits he cites are impressive. I could definitely see myself doing this a couple times a year (which is what he recommends for people in generally good health and at a normal weight for health maintenance and longevity) - it feels like I am giving myself a reset. And it easily fits with No-S!

Soprano, I don't follow any strict time restriction protocol, but I do generally try to have 12-14 hours of overnight fasting every day, just by starting with breakfast around 8, lunch around 12:30, and dinner by 6 and then shut down the kitchen for the night.

Wow, I have not heard of fasting mimicking. Glad it is going well for you! Just get through the day!

Wow, this sounds challenging! I am glad to hear you are feeling good about it!

Well done on sticking to it.

Jx

Thanks for the encouragement, Pink, Ellis and Soprano!

Day 5 felt hard towards the end, I had no energy yesterday evening. I think also because we went for a bike ride and it was hot and I think it took a lot out of me in combination with the low calories. But I stuck to it, I didn't want to mess up the very last meal. Weight is down 2 kg and I lost a few centimeters around my waistline. I feel like these five days helped me interrupt some unhelpful habit energy I had going around overeating. Now it's back to normal No-S programming. I am looking forward to a banana and toast with peanut butter for breakfast and not having to weigh and measure every single thing on my plate. But I think I will definitely be more aware and mindful of how much is going on those plates.

Hi Amy, I am late to the encouragement party so just want to say "Well DONE!" on sticking to the plan you mapped out for yourself. I am VERY impressed with your discipline. I hope you are still doing well as you transition back to your moderate approach. Best regards, WINhappy

Thanks, WIN! Yes, I am back to usual programming with No-S and reasonable plates. Reflecting on FMD and previous 5:2 fasting I did, I think one of the biggest benefits is the way this kind of short term fasting seems to reset my appetite to being satisfied with a bit less.

It feels very similar to how doing a night shift once a month resets my sleep - I can be sleeping poorly for a while, but if I do a night shift, the next few nights I sleep really well...

Hi Amy, interesting to read your experiences with the FMD.

Thanks, Ladybird!

Hi Amy!

I have had similar experiences with my appetite being reset after fasting as well. Glad it was a positive experience for you!

Yeah, it's not what you'd expect but a nice side effect, right?

Amy, I was wondering: is today your birthday? (because of the 3010 in your name) - if so: HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Aww, thanks Amerie! The 30th isn't my birthday but the 20th is, so you're not too far off - thank you for the good wishes
3010 is actually my postal code

Today is an S day here - All Saints Day - as usual we visit my in-laws and there is always a piece of MIL's sponge cake... Talk about getting the month off to a good start I always stick to one slice, and after all these years she is used to that fact and is okay with it. As long as my husband has two slices, that is...

Hi Amy, I hope you enjoyed your mother-in-law's pound cake. Great job setting a historical precedent of only one piece - and for enjoying the one piece so she gets some warm, happy feelings too No S seems great for just this kind of balancing act. All the best, WINhappy

Thanks, WIN! Yes, it is a balancing act, isn't it? In some circumstances, food really does express love and care. Have a good weekend!

It's really great you could stick to one slice! There are a few things that make me want to eat a lot of until I am sick...

I can totally relate to that, Ellis...for me that food is potato chips...

I just started a new job this week, so it's been a challenge to adjust to the new routine, also with regards to my meals...

How's the new job, Amy? I hope you are adjusted to the new routine!

Thanks, Ellis! I'm three weeks in and getting used to things... I work M-F mornings, leaving at 8.30 and getting home about 1. So I am eating breakfast a bit earlier and lunch a lot later than before, which has been fine to get used to. Having a later lunch actually makes me less snacky in the afternoon! So meal-wise it has worked out better than I thought.

Exercise-wise I am still trying to figure out how to fit in everything I used to do (I exercised pretty much every day in the mornings) which, combined with the winter weather, has been a challenge. This week I managed to get up early enough on three days to make time to do a 20 minute workout. I figure 20 minutes is better than nothing, and I do walk to work every day (but it's only a 10 minute walk )

My goal for December is to finish out the year with a positive green vibe

Hi Amy,

sounds like you are handling the change in routine really well! Exercising in the mornings has been tricky for me too. Good for you with making time for 20 minute workout 3 times this week! That is hard to do and it's great that you have accomplished it!

Thanks, Pink! I notice I feel more energetic and self confident if I get that workout in before I leave for work. So this week I made sure I did one each day - yoga on M-W-F and strength training on Tu-Th.

Hi Amy!
I'm so pleased for you that your job is going well and the adjustment hasn't knocked your routine out of whack. Great job on the morning exercise, too! Twenty minutes is not only "better than nothing", it is awesome, stupendous, and valuable, especially if you sustain it pretty consistently over time.
Best, WIN

Congratulations on the new job and morning workouts. I much prefer to exercise early if I can. Not so good heading for the gym at 6.15 if the car is frosted up though

Jx

Thanks so much, Soprano and WIN! I totally agree that having to get to the gym on a frosty morning by car makes it a much bigger challenge! I stopped going to the gym with the Covid lockdowns, and never went back - I have a few Youtube channels that I use for my workouts, so I don't have to leave the house, which definitely lowers the bar.

Sometimes I do miss the gym, though. Once you get there, you can focus on your workout without any distractions. Plus all the variety in equipment! And I did enjoy using the treadmill when the winter weather got nasty...

Hi Amy!

How has it been going? Still, keeping up the 20 minutes in the morning? That's an awesome habit you are building!

Thanks for checking in, Pink! This past week, I got three morning workouts in, which made me very happy, and additional walking and biking throughout the week for errands.

My food is a little bit all over the place, though. I am aiming to focus on getting solid green days in next week. I have to work on Wed-Thu-Fri, so that should help me stay in my routine. It would be nice to end the year on a positive note!

HI Amy, I just wanted to reach out and say "Hi" and that I hope you are doing well this week. Wishing you the best as we head into 2024! WINhappy

Thanks, WIN! I too am looking forward to a fresh start after this weekend