4 E's

ElenaS · Post by **ElenaS** » Mon Dec 14, 2009 7:39 am

Eastern Europe Ex-chain-smoker Elena here! Hi to everybody! Just bought the book from Mobipocket, had a hard time transfering it to my Hanlin e-reader and read 30 pages. Got scared and stopped. I decided to join the forum because I think the NoS system is really sensible but so is my husband. My husband is Italian and 60 and still has the body he had in highschool. Why can't I eat like him and be slim (again)? Because I have a problem. I stopped dieting 2 years ago when I went from 4 packs of cigarettes a day to none with Allen Carr's method. I am 5,70 ft tall and went from 165 lbs to 213 in the last 2 years. I like walking but I got plantar fasciitis last year when I tried jogging with ankle weigths and I count 7 to 10 thousand steps every day anyway, just from my normal activity. I am fairly active without doing any regular sports and I don't intend to. I have so much to do in my daily life and my weight hinders me, I have so much energy but my feet and back started hurting after I got overweight.

My problem is irregular eating, too much bread and ocasional bingeing on sweets. I'll definitely come to this forum daily to see how others are doing and try to discipline myself into 3 meals a day and only eat when my husband eats ( 3 fixed times a day for 60 years, how's that).

Hope to check in with some pounds less in a month

213 today and for the last 4 months

Elena

Starla · Post by **Starla** » Mon Dec 14, 2009 2:41 pm

Welcome, Elena! It sounds like you have the exercise all taken care of, and it will be nice to have a husband around who reinforces what you're trying to do.

I have one question, but don't feel pressured to answer it - what was scary about the book?

ElenaS · Post by **ElenaS** » Mon Dec 14, 2009 3:45 pm

Hi, Starla! Thanks for stopping by.
The book is not scary, the prospective of change is! The first time I read "The Easy Way to Stop Smoking" I got to the second chapter and put the book away for several years. I was not ready to give up on my cigarettes. This is my first day of No S and I feel nervous. At least one doesn't have to read the whole book in order to start this diet, but snacking really is a deep-rooted bad habit for me...

Starla · Post by **Starla** » Mon Dec 14, 2009 3:54 pm

Ah! I understand.

You know, I think that's a good sign. It means you're taking this seriously, and that the change is real to you.

I started doing No S on September 7th. It was hard at first (and sometimes it still is). It took me a while to figure out my breakfast so that I wasn't absolutely starving by lunch. But I promise you that it gets easier, and it works.

Anyone who gave up smoking can certainly do this!

ElenaS · Post by **ElenaS** » Mon Dec 14, 2009 4:30 pm

Thanks for the encouragement! I see you're doing very well and I am willing to change my life too.

Jammin' Jan · Post by **Jammin' Jan** » Mon Dec 14, 2009 9:34 pm

Hi Elena, welcome to No S!

ElenaS · Post by **ElenaS** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 4:36 am

Nice to meet you, Jammin' Jan!
I cheated yesterday, I was so hungry in the evening that I had to have my 4th meal! My step counter showed a little over 11000 steps, that was for being busy all day as my husband is away and the business doesn't run itself... But hey, life is good. It's 6:30 and I've already been awake for an hour, took out the dog and saw a wonderful if thin layer of snow! I have to lay a snow track for my lazy dog later, just waiting for daylight and the employees to come to work. So yesterday was an S day ...
Elena

ElenaS · Post by **ElenaS** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 4:22 am

I got down to 3 meals a day but I eat a lot in the evening, including sweets. Still adjusting... This summer I used to eat cake or icecream once a week, by my own choice. Now this comes like a rule and even if I am a salty comfort foods person, I have been struggling with an aching sweet tooth these last days. I'm so twisted!

mrsj · Post by **mrsj** » Mon Dec 21, 2009 7:56 am

Welcome, ElenaS. One thing that has really helped me to control my sweet tooth in the evenings is a cup of hot cocoa. Not the instant junk, but real old fashioned cocoa. Check out the thread Cocoa Beach.
Another thing that really helps to control hunger is H2Orange. I buy those bricks of 250 ml. unsweetened Orange Juice and empty one brick in a 1.50 liter pitcher and fill up with cold water. Drink this stuff throughout the day.
Lady, if you can stop smoking, you can do anything!
Go, Girl!!!

ElenaS · Post by **ElenaS** » Mon Dec 21, 2009 8:39 am

Thanks, mrsj! The cocoa thing is awesome, much better than coffee in the evening!
Yesterday was a proper S-day! I had half a piece of cake with my lunch and 3 slices of pizza as my entire dinner! One glass of soy milk and one glass of wine between meals.

mrsj · Post by **mrsj** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 7:23 am

Congratulations!!! Those S days sure do help get through the week. Glad I could help. Do you knit? It helps me a lot to knit socks in the evenings. Did you know that knitting for one hour while watching TV burns 100 calories?

ElenaS · Post by **ElenaS** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 7:32 am

Monday - bad day as to dieting, good from other pow.
Started the 200 squat program, I have sore muscles that tell me it is going to work for me.
BUT after the 3 homecooked meals I had 2 (if small) chocolate bars in the evening. I decided to go on the push-up program as well, but it will be towards spring. I am happily shoveling snow every morning in lieu of other exercises for the upper body.

8688 on the step counter (from normal activity) and 20 minutes on the stationary bike - total 568 calories burned

ElenaS · Post by **ElenaS** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 7:58 am

mrsj wrote:Congratulations!!! Those S days sure do help get through the week. Glad I could help. Do you knit? It helps me a lot to knit socks in the evenings. Did you know that knitting for one hour while watching TV burns 100 calories?

I knit, but I don't watch television.

I read in the evening, and now that I think about it when I was in school I used to eat sandwiches when I had a good book, perhaps it triggers hunger now. I have that disorder that makes me do at least 2 things at a time. For instance, I pace the room e-reader in hand or read on the stationary bike, but generally instead of reading I listen to audio books while I do other things in the house. I have to be really tired to sit down in front of the television. I only knit when I visit my family, in the car, when I am out of town, etc. Knitting helped me alot when I stopped smoking, but then I didn't have the energy I have now.

ElenaS · Post by **ElenaS** » Wed Dec 23, 2009 6:15 am

Tuesday - OK! 3 meals and a cup of hot cocoa in the evening... But i got on the scale this morning and since I started this thread I gained 2 lbs.

Readings: 26 min on the bike and 9215 steps = 629 calories but I also ironed, washed the carpet, cleaned windows yesterday besides shoveling snow - I wonder how much that counted... I have to skip the second 200 squats day because my leg muscles are still very sore.

mrsj · Post by **mrsj** » Wed Dec 23, 2009 7:44 am

Take those 2 pounds on the chin and keep going with No S. Give yourself a pat on the back for doing so well yesterday.
Most women multi task. I have knitted while reading a really good book.

CONGRATULATIONS ON YESTERDAY!!!

ElenaS · Post by **ElenaS** » Sat Dec 26, 2009 6:12 am

Dec 23 - N-day - drove to Bucarest to bring home the other dog, had a wonderful light dinner with bruschette and salmon carpaccio (on 4 half slices of toast at a restaurant called "Cosa Nostra")
Dec 24 - BIG failure - started good, ate lightly on the road and returned home to lots of food my mother had made while babysitting the daughter and the dog
Dec 25 - S - day with moderate intake of chocolate

ElenaS · Post by **ElenaS** » Sun Dec 27, 2009 6:35 am

Dec 26 - SUCCESS A late breakfast is the key!

mrsj · Post by **mrsj** » Sun Dec 27, 2009 10:31 am

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Do whatever works for you. GO, GIRL!!!

ElenaS · Post by **ElenaS** » Sun Dec 27, 2009 7:50 pm

Thank you, mrsj! I wish you a "happy No s", also! I was reading the urban ranger topics and found out you have a cairn terrier! How nice; I had a westie (gave him to my mother, keeps her thin and healthy

) currently my house and yard are taken over by 2 GSDs. Unfortunately I cannot walk the dogs in town because there's this stupid law that says they have to be muzzled...
December 27 : N DAY!
Pedometer says 11456 (and counting)

mrsj · Post by **mrsj** » Mon Dec 28, 2009 8:48 am

ElenaS, what is an GSD dog? I love all doggies, so I'm terribly curious.
Congrats on your green S day!

I seriously Urban Range without my dog, because I like to daydream when walking. You know as well as I that when walking with a dog one must pay attention. I have been pulled on my rear end by my dog because I was so relaxed and daydreaming. I learned my lesson!

ElenaS · Post by **ElenaS** » Mon Dec 28, 2009 3:10 pm

mrsj, a GSD is a German Shepherd (Dog). We own a factory and live on the premises so my dogs are guards and pets (or pets who love guarding). They are also show dogs.

Dec 28 FAILURE - had 4 meals as I had guests in the evening... sob

10544 steps and 25 min on the stationary bike

mrsj · Post by **mrsj** » Tue Dec 29, 2009 2:45 pm

ElenaS, nobody said that you have to have 3 meals a day. Your 4th meal-was it on a plate? Did you take seconds? Was your meal real food or junk? You are far too hard on yourself. Reinhard did say that it's perfectly acceptable to have a small 4th meal in the beginning. Also, look at how active you are. I would count yesterday as a success if you followed the No S rules for your 4th meal. If your 4th meal was on a plate, no seconds, no sweets I would edit your last entry to success.

Now-No more beating yourself up!!!

German Sheppards are lovely dogs. You are so lucky to have them. If you can't walk them in town, can you play with them in the yard? That's a lot of excersize too.

ElenaS · Post by **ElenaS** » Wed Dec 30, 2009 5:02 am

Oh, I ate real food plus some sweets on the 28th, and one beer. I ate more after everyone left, so it was emotional bingeing.
Yes I play with, train and walk the dogs every day, outside town. I get 30% of my exercise just from them.

Dec 30 GREEN
40 min on bike and 6544 steps - must set up my treadmill

ElenaS · Post by **ElenaS** » Thu Dec 31, 2009 7:47 am

DECEMBER 30 GREENISH
9805 steps and 15 min bike

mrsj · Post by **mrsj** » Thu Dec 31, 2009 12:36 pm

Congratulations on your Greens!!!

Elena, have you considered joining the perfect January club? Or maybe the 21 Day Club? I find it's a real motivator. Whenever I'm tempted to snack or have sweets on an N day, I just think 21. Then I do something else.

Happy New Year! Happy shrinking!

Jammin' Jan · Post by **Jammin' Jan** » Thu Dec 31, 2009 12:44 pm

I'm glad to see someone else using a step counter. I have an Accusplit Eagle and try to get my 10,000 steps each day.

ElenaS · Post by **ElenaS** » Fri Jan 01, 2010 8:41 am

Happy New Year everybody!
mrsj, I think my optimism has to very high for I am committed to this program although I have put on 5 lbs since I started, two weeks ago! I guess I'm gonna join the January club and see how it works. I know I'll nail it eventually, I only need some time. Thanks for all your encouragements!

Jammin' Jan I swear to the step counter. Mine is an Omron Walkingstyle Pro and I can connect it to the computer and see my progress and other stuff, but I don't use the computer program anymore as it's become useless. This time last year when i started wearing a pedometer I weighed the same as today but I was a size larger. I was doing 4000 a day on average and just reached 7000 steps occasionally. Then I bought a treadmill and got to 10000 steps daily. Then somehow I got to walk around 10 thousand without doing anything but being restless all day long and looking for things to do instead of sitting around. Even when I read I pace the room. Funny thing is that I get to do more steps when I am at home (I also have a large yard) than when I go for long walks.

ElenaS · Post by **ElenaS** » Fri Jan 01, 2010 8:46 am

Dec 31 S- day 9894 steps
weight: 218 lb

ElenaS · Post by **ElenaS** » Sat Jan 02, 2010 5:48 am

I'm not joining the Perfect January club after all. I blew it yesterday, just before I was supposed to go to bed.
January 1st 2010 FAILURE ate 10 tsp of sugar in the evening
10334 steps and 20 min bike
January 2nd S-day
8111 steps 25 min bike
January 3rd perfect S -day (remembered to eat a piece of cake to make it an S)
7480 steps 5 min kickboxing
January 4 N day
9962 steps and 10 min sack punching
January 5 N DAY
7636 steps and 35 min gym and a lot of boring office work
January 6 N Day
9014 steps, 15 min bag punching
January 7 N Day again
5546 steps ONLY, felt tired - I'm eating too little, have to adjust portions
January 8 N Day
5017 steps
January 9 S DAY
6263 steps
January 10 S DAY
7578 steps
Jan 11 Sick day
10243 steps
January 12 RED
8727 steps
January 13 N Day
5793 steps
January 14 RED
7124 steps
January 15 GREEN
7860 steps + some weightlifting
January 16 N Day
5881 steps and 15 min kickboxed the sack
January 17 S day
3911 steps , enjoyed the day, ate some chocolate, read and watched House and South Park
January 18 N Day
8760 steps and worked till after midnight
January 19 N Day
6236 steps
January 20 N Day
7098 steps
January 21 N Day
6296 steps
January 22 RED
6463 steps
January 23 S Day
6222 steps
January 24 S Day
8024 steps
January 25 N Day
7365 steps

mrsj · Post by **mrsj** » Sat Jan 02, 2010 1:38 pm

Um...Isn't 1 January a holiday? Aren't holidays S days?

I bought a reliable pedometer, thanks to your influence. I can't get up to your amount of steps YET, but I'm trying! Thanks, Elena!

I've posted about it before, have you tried H2Orange? It really helps to control urges for sugar.

ElenaS · Post by **ElenaS** » Mon Jan 04, 2010 2:06 pm

Hi, mrsj! No H2Orange for me, i hate it. I'd rather make carrot and apple juice but I'm lazy. I drink vanilla flavored soy milk when I remember to.
Glad you bought the pedometer, just checking it every now and then makes you walk more, even if it is inside the house.

mrsj · Post by **mrsj** » Tue Jan 05, 2010 7:28 am

ElenaS, know that you are not alone. Yesterday I had a RED day big time.
Please don't give up. Sometimes it takes a lot of tries to form a new habit. To be a little Zen-it's not the result that matters, it's the journey to get there.
3501 steps yesterday. O.K. laugh if you want, but I have to start somewhere! Compared to you, this is very humble!

ElenaS · Post by **ElenaS** » Tue Jan 05, 2010 9:09 am

mrsj, 3500 steps is a good start! Keep doing it!
No, I won't give up, in fact the last three days were fantastic, and I have already lost a kilo. Like you, I tend to get hungry in the evening and my determination is at its lowest. I think I found out what works for me: have my first meal at 11 am, have 4 small meals a day if I feel hungry, the last one at 8 pm. As it's freezing outside now, I have started using my gym a little. Also because of the cold, my 2 big dogs stay indoors with us and sometimes wake me up at 2 in the morning if they hear some strange noise and I have to get up and let them out; school has started and my daughter is home now and her friends also come to play (we have a fairly big house) and there's a huge commotion of dogs and children and things keep breaking

I LOVE ZEN!

mrsj · Post by **mrsj** » Wed Jan 06, 2010 7:08 am

CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR 1 KILO SHRINKAGE!!!

I bought Carr's book on stop smoking. Just like you, it has to age awhile on the bookshelf. 6064 steps yesterday.
I LOVE snow!!! We got quite a bit last night, so guess who is out playing with Thor as soon as it's light!

ElenaS · Post by **ElenaS** » Wed Jan 06, 2010 7:50 am

Carr is amazing! Just look at the testimonial page, it's incredible! I still don't know how he brainwashed me, but I'll be forever grateful. I will get his book "Easyweigh to Lose Weight" in a few days (Amazon has been incredibly slow this time, as I ordered it before Christmas) I'll be trying to combine Reinhard's system with Carr's strange influence on me.
Just don't overdo with the steps! Keep it around 7000 for a while and you'll be fine.
I'll be shoveling snow again shortly, we also got a nice layer last night. Dogs have been out for 3 hours, sometimes it's good to have two as they keep each other company.

ElenaS · Post by **ElenaS** » Sun Jan 10, 2010 7:01 am

I was so stupid as to attempt jogging again and now my plantar fasciitis is bothering me.
I am adjusting to the program and the weight is going slowly down. I know it will be much better in Spring when I can go fishing or ride over the hills on my new enduro bike. I have managed a whole week of No S! I hate the word "diet" so I call it the NO S PROGRAM.

mrsj · Post by **mrsj** » Mon Jan 11, 2010 12:58 pm

Congratulations on your GREEN week! You should be very proud of yourself! I'm hoping to see you in the 21 Day Club!

I personally think of jogging as something that the devil invented. He invented it to destroy the human body. I'll stick to Urban Ranging, thank you. For cardio, I do hard labor in the house. I'm looking so much forward to spring and above freezing temperatures so I can do some heavy duty gardening.

You can and probably do get more cardio than you think by playing with your children and your four legged babies. Shoveling snow isn't easy either!

ElenaS · Post by **ElenaS** » Tue Jan 12, 2010 7:04 am

Thanks mrsj! I'm not joining the 21 club after all, I want to get rid of my perfectionism so a day like yesterday was a success for me: over 10000 steps just because I started work and I had to do 12 hours hard labor and it was also that time of month. I felt lousy in the evening and had a chocolate croissant but I consider yesterday an S Day not a failure.
I don't necessarily need more cardio but I really enjoy running and I'm frustrated that my feet and my weight don't allow me to do more diverse activity. My only concern now is to reduce food intake so as to slowly lose weight without losing my stamina.

mrsj · Post by **mrsj** » Tue Jan 12, 2010 3:57 pm

ElenaS, whatever motivates you and works for you. I'd consider yesterday a success too. When we women have that time of the month, we CRAVE sweets. It's a hormonal thing. Promise me that you won't weigh yourself for at least 5 days after it's over. We can retain up to 2 1/2 kilos of water during that time.

YOU GO, GIRL!!!

ElenaS · Post by **ElenaS** » Sun Jan 17, 2010 6:43 am

Dec 31 2009 - 218 lbs - Jan 17 2010 214 lbs
Started No S-ing a month ago, 213 lbs
Changes: I don't binge on sweets anymore, don't crave sweets actually. Daily steps range 5000 - 8000 instead of 7000 - 10000; started boxing again for the daily sweat instead of watching movies on treadmill. Feet don't hurt anymore.
I'll go for the 15000 steps every other day program when weather is nicer and I really enjoy being outside.

ElenaS · Post by **ElenaS** » Sun Feb 07, 2010 11:43 am

I've lost a little more than 2 kilograms, but I am on the right track. Because I work very long hours now, I won't be able to check in every day so I'll only write the essentials, hoping that reading this back in a year or two I can see improvement.
At the moment:
- I eat three square meals a day plus lots of oranges instead of apples and 3 or four cups of tea.
- I don't exercise unless I don't find anything to do around the house and yard; being a big house I feel more satisfied working with purpose.
- I decided that joining a gym or going to the swimming pool AREN'T the things for me NOW; I'll do those later instead (and I'm looking forward to it) as soon as I find it confortable to show my body. This is the conclusion I came after talking to my best friend who reminded me that I always had a great body and was proud of it so going to the gym or pool will be a goal per se. That will also be the way I will maintain my newly regained shape in the future.
- I won't ever starve myself again or deny myself the things I like, I'll just remember that moderation is my new friend
- I am at an age when I can't afford excess anymore, but I'm glad I commited lots of it while I was younger
I must always keep some of the above in mind.

Elena

mrsj · Post by **mrsj** » Sun Feb 07, 2010 12:29 pm

Congratulations on your shrinkage and in finding out what works for you!

ElenaS · Post by **ElenaS** » Sun Feb 07, 2010 4:51 pm

mrsj wrote:Congratulations on your shrinkage and in finding out what works for you!

Thanks, mrsj! I wish you all the best, also!

ElenaS · Post by **ElenaS** » Fri Feb 19, 2010 1:08 am

97 kilograms
Tuesday, February 16 3438 steps
Wednesday, February 17 9591 steps
Thursday, February 18 10072 steps
Friday, February 19 6571 steps
Saturday, February 20 6588 steps
Sunday, February 21 3847 steps
Monday, February 22 9485 steps
Tuesday, February 23 12210 steps
Wednesday, February 23 8431 steps
Thursday, February 24 11028 steps

ElenaS · Post by **ElenaS** » Sun Feb 21, 2010 6:24 am

I often find myself grabbing something to eat and going on with my work. For the last week I've eaten only fruit in the morning and it has begun to show in my complexion - i got rosy cheeks and a nice glow, or is it because of my new UV printer? I see that other people keep track of what they eat but my purpose is not to; if I jot down everything I put in my mouth I'll be obsessed with food. It helped me last year when I was not aware of the quantity I ingested. Now I am determined to forget about food. Being busy all day and having no junk food in the house is giving me a good feeling. Yesterday was an S day and my husband brought me some cake. I ate cake because it was an S day and I know that if I come across sweets during an N day I'll pass.

mrsj · Post by **mrsj** » Sun Feb 21, 2010 10:53 am

Congratulations, Elena! It looks like you've got the whole No S thing down pat. Isn't it wonderful to be free of food obsession?

Happy Shrinking!

mrsj · Post by **mrsj** » Sun Feb 21, 2010 10:57 am

CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN!!! I just did the math! I just did a happy dance for you. You have shrunk 15 pounds!

WAY TO GO!!! GO, GIRL, GO!

ElenaS · Post by **ElenaS** » Sun Feb 21, 2010 5:17 pm

Just 5

I was 218 pounds in December and I'm 213 now. But I'm good, one kilo a month seems to be my pace. I used to shrink 8 kilos in 2 weeks (17 pounds) in the past but at the end of the year I was always heavier than the previous year. Now I'm at least 5 kilograms (11 pounds) lighter than this time last year and I also have quite an outrageous amount of muscle

And I don't smoke, yay! Mrsj, how long is Carr's book going to sit on your shelf?

mrsj · Post by **mrsj** » Wed Feb 24, 2010 2:21 pm

Carr's book is going to sit on the shelf until I get my weight down. Probably at least a year. I don't want to fight with both nicotine withdrawel and weight reduction at the same time. I just can't face that.

ElenaS · Post by **ElenaS** » Fri Feb 26, 2010 4:56 am

Mrsj, you might be right. I'm now fighting the astounding 30 kg weight accumulated after I quit smoking. I quit after one year of strict no carbs diet, when I was 72 kg (I'm 1.74 m tall, that was a good weight). But my case was uncommon, I mean not everybody smokes 4 packs a day. If you smoke less than a pack a day, I don't think it's such a big problem. I just wish I had found the No S diet before quitting smoking, it would have saved me a lot of misery: I would have done urban ranging instead of jogging with ankle weights and I would have eaten my three meals instead of munching continuously. One year of NO S instead of no carbs and I'd have been a leaner person. Carr talks about dieting and exercise in his book; he says don't diet and don't overexercise, take it easy and just concentrate upon the joy of being a non smoker. That was the only part in his book I didn't pay attention to. I think you're on the right track, No S first and then no smoking. I should repeat though that if you don't smoke more that a pack, quitting is much easier.

mrsj · Post by **mrsj** » Fri Feb 26, 2010 10:18 am

Elena, I probably smoke more than you did. I roll my own smokes and roll one when I want one, so I really don't know how many. I do know that it's somewhere between 70 and 90 smokes a day. Last year I tried to quit. After 9 days I was 8 kilos heavier. I lit up....
My plan is to reduce the weight and in a healthy way to somehow get 4-9 kilos underweight. Then quit. The underweight kilos will come back.

ElenaS · Post by **ElenaS** » Fri Feb 26, 2010 11:15 am

Wow, mrsj! You beat me to it big time. I mean, rolling your own... that's pure tobacco. How on earth did we get to smoke so much? But if I could do it, you can do it. And I'll also show you that after quitting and weight gain going back to normal is a tough but doable job. It just takes time and the determination to take it easy, don't push it.

ElenaS · Post by **ElenaS** » Sat Feb 27, 2010 2:15 pm

97 kilograms
Tuesday, February 16 3438 steps
Wednesday, February 17 9591 steps
Thursday, February 18 10072 steps
Friday, February 19 6571 steps
Saturday, February 20 6588 steps
Sunday, February 21 3847 steps
Monday, February 22 9485 steps
Tuesday, February 23 12210 steps
Wednesday, February 24 8431 steps
Thursday, February 25 11028 steps
Friday, February 26 12570 steps
Saturday, February 27 10735 steps
Sunday, February 28 3786 steps
96 kilograms

mrsj · Post by **mrsj** » Fri May 21, 2010 5:40 am

Elena, I'm hoping that you've just been too busy to post anything and haven't forgotten us.

Just out of curiosity- Has spring in Romania been as lousy as here in Denmark? We're still getting frost at night! Must be the volcano in Iceland...

ElenaS · Post by **ElenaS** » Sat May 22, 2010 7:36 am

mrsj wrote:Elena, I'm hoping that you've just been too busy to post anything and haven't forgotten us.

Just out of curiosity- Has spring in Romania been as lousy as here in Denmark? We're still getting frost at night! Must be the volcano in Iceland...

Hi mrsj, sorry for not posting! I sometimes read other posts and see how others are doing. The 3 meals a day approach made me gain some pounds so I kept studying myself and remembered my doctor suspects me of hypothyroidism so I followed her advice and upped the number of meals. My five meal plan and daily sweat make me feel good and energyzed. My daily calorie intake is 2200 and best suits my lifestyle, and I burn 400 calories early in the morning doing one hour of combined aerobics, light weight lifting and massage. I am now losing an average of one kilogram a week. I sometimes cry when I look at myself in the mirror and see this yeti looking back at me but at least nobody laughs; I asked an honest opinion from some friends I hadn't seen in 5 years and they said that I don't look fat, I look big and scary

My daughter, when bullied at school, tells the bullies she's going to call for her grizzly bear mother!
Weather here is rainy but not frosty. My few flowers are growing, my grass is out of control! I found a 100 year scythe and I cut the grass in my yard and my mothers with it in lieu of shovelgloving, it's such fun! I have my motorcycle licence exam on Tuesday and then I will be able to get my Kawasaki klx out on the streets not only on mountain trails! One doesn't see a big fortyish woman on a motorcycle in Romania, I look like a nut case but hey, why wait till I get slimmer? or younger?
I wish you all the best and please, please give up smoking those who overdo it!

mrsj · Post by **mrsj** » Thu May 27, 2010 7:08 am

Sorry to take so long to answer.

Elena, it doesn't say anywhere how many meals a day. Reinhard even states clearly that in the case of medical problems that 4-5 meals are allowed. Just no snacks or sweets. Most of the time sweets ARE a snack!

You can still be No S! Don't be a stranger...

ElenaS · Post by **ElenaS** » Thu May 27, 2010 7:51 am

You know, it struck me yesterday after the first binge in more than a month (failed my motorcycle exam) that I was NoS-ing all this time in my own way. I'm still in the research phase as I am reading all the books that seem relevant but except for the more frequent meals this is what I'm doing right: no sweets except once a week and the teaspoon of sugar in my morning coffee, no seconds as I only eat one very small plate of whatever I fancy or I find ready at meal time. As for drinks, I have no more than two glasses of beer a week! I'll definitely re-start my daily check-in, thanks for reminding me and for caring!

mrsj · Post by **mrsj** » Fri May 28, 2010 6:26 am

Sounds like you've got it! Congratulations! Looking forward to reading your posts.

ElenaS · Post by **ElenaS** » Fri May 28, 2010 7:43 am

Typical day: 6:00 a banana + 2 Cordy Max capsules, 30 min brisk walking on treadmill - 20 min stationary bike - 10 min boxing or weight lifting - then I use a massager on my abdomen and thighs. An apple an 10:00, soup plus cheese sandwich or 2 eggs at 11:00; a slice of bread or a piece of meat or cheese at 3:00 then oven baked chips with cabbage salad at 6:00. In the evening I eat a handful of nuts or a small bowl of canned corn or a scoop of icecream. I sip water all day long, 2 - 3 liters. I never exercise in the afternoon (I do housework instead) and I never skip my morning workout. I've lost 3 kg since May 1st, isn't that 6.5 lbs? I don't crave sweets anymore. If I crave something I eat it, in very small quantities. I tend to put very small quantities of food in my stomach at a time. If I eat more I get hungry.

ElenaS · Post by **ElenaS** » Sat May 29, 2010 5:18 am

I'm re-reading "The Secrets of Skinny Chicks" by Karen Bridson. It's not a diet book, it's mostly about some women who manage to remain slim "when it doesn't come naturally". I had this huge revelation when I first read it: I ate too much and exercised too little, like the good old saying goes. So these women are skinny but most of them exercise more that 2 hours a day and eat less than 1800 calories. It's all about the in and the out! When I was young I watched my figure like a hawk. I could never let go because one week of good life used to cover me in baby fat and my clothes didn't fit anymore and I didn't have the money to buy a new measure. So now I have four different measures in my closet and I've been staying into the larger one for the last 2 years.
I'm not going to write about my daily reds or greens, because I don't think about food that much. I'll just jot down random things that keep me motivated.

ElenaS · Post by **ElenaS** » Mon May 31, 2010 5:22 am

I jump on the scale every morning, it works for me. When my weight is up it reminds me to eat less; when I see a smaller number it makes my day! Funny thing is that sometimes, when I feel I ate too much the previous day and I expect to see the number go uphill the scale actually shows weight loss. I really enjoy the oddity of the scale, as long as at the end of one week it shows a pound or two less than the previous week.
I bought a very expensive Vichy anti-cellulite cream yesterday...

ElenaS · Post by **ElenaS** » Sat Jun 19, 2010 8:19 am

Lost another kilo. I should have weighed even less but I think I've put some more muscle on my body. I am a biker lady now, because I finally passed the exams and I can ride on the main roads not only on hills and paths

I'm already thinking of buying another bike besides my old street-legal dirt bike, but for now I intend to change the tires and make it enduro-touring. Mud tires are not for speeding on the asphalt. Biking surely is going to slim me down to an acceptable size. When I think back, just 2 years ago I was a couch potato chain smoker weighing 20 kilos less and moving from kitchen to the office and back.
Yesterday was my birthday, I am 43 now. All my life I suffered from low self-image and I was never satisfied with my size except when I was seriously underweight. I am wizer now.

weight: 96 kilos; height: 1.74 m; stamina: peak

ElenaS · Post by **ElenaS** » Mon Aug 02, 2010 4:18 am

I think I don't have a food addiction anymore. I haven't binged in two months! I try not to weigh myself every day but I can see I'm NOT losing weight. I don't care, except for the limited choice of clothes I can find. Every store I walk in stops two sizes below mine. In my free time, when I'm not outdoors doing exhausting things, I knit. I'm making large cardigans for me and fancy ones for my daughter. I think I'm substituting eating with knitting somehow.
Do I finally see food as fuel? YES! At least till winter comes if I don't find some activity to keep me busy. My daughter will be eight soon and is more conscious of her ADD than I am of mine. She already thought of her third extracurricular activity for winter and so made sure she has only the weekends free. I always put on 4 - 5 kg in winter as I eat out of boredom.
So, yesterday I was in a situation when I realized that FOOD=FUEL. After 120 kilometers on our motorbikes, mostly on dirt and mud tracks in the countryside, with only one stop when I had a non-alcoholic beer and nothing to eat for I was not hungry, we were coming home when my husband suddenly left the street on a whim and started up a hill on a very rough tractor track. So I followed and when I got to the top I realized I couldn't go back or continue down the other side of the hill for I was exhausted. It was surreal: the sun was right in my face, it was 7 pm and we were beside a cornfield with three ugly scarecrows guarding it like in a horror movie; there were no roads or houses in sight just other hills with patches of corn and wheat and tracks so narrow and bumpy that I litterally started to cry and dropped my bike. So he made me eat some raw corn and waited for like 15 minutes then I was good to go!

97 kg, strong as an ox and active

mrsj · Post by **mrsj** » Tue Aug 03, 2010 6:21 pm

CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR MILESTONE!!! You have come a long way! If you don't believe me, read some of your old check ins.

Don't worry about not shrinking right now. Sometimes the body just stops shrinking for a while to adjust.

Knitting is a good substitute for food. You produce something, you burn the same amount of calories as fidgeting and it's so relaxing.

Keep up the good work!

ElenaS · Post by **ElenaS** » Wed Aug 04, 2010 5:05 am

Thanks, mrsj! I don't know if this is a milestone, but at least I've made up my mind: I won't EVER diet again. If 97 is to be my new non-smoker weight for a while, so be it.

I'll check in again in a month or so, sooner if I relapse into food addiction and have to go back to vanilla NoS!