Everyday Systems

My name is Jasper and I am a slothful glutton.

Or a genetically hospitable person who hates sport and likes to cook and eat for friends and potter around at home. Same thing, really . That's my release from being a worn out wreck with a difficult and responsible job and three small children.

For those who care about numbers, I am 5'4" and currently weigh a lardy 178 pounds. I am 48 with a 44 inch chest, which frankly looks ridiculous. When I lie on my back my chin and my chest jostle for position. If I keep up with the sweets and snacks and shiraz I'm going to turn into one of those people who have to sleep propped up because their own lard threatens to restrict their airway. Ok, I'm exaggerating ( but not about the chest )

I've always tended towards being a fatso but kept in in check till about 15 years ago, since when my weight has gone up and down but mostly up. There is no mystery to this. I eat too much.

Four years ago my lovely mum got pancreatic cancer and died 4 months after diagnosis. I responded by drinking up to a bottle of wine a night and experimenting with every sort of cheese and bread combination I could think of. I became an expert on chutney. As a short term coping strategy it was second to none and I recommend it highly. As a long term lifestyle choice, less so.

I probably gained about 30 pounds in three months, but I was too sad/ drunk to weigh myself or even care.

I have been very sad about mum for four years, but it's true what they say about time; it does, slowly, get less sore .

These surplus 40 - 50 pounds of "sad" fat need to go.

Thank you Reinhart for devising a plan that is beautifully simple , if not easy. You also have the coolest name of any diet guru I have ever heard.

I'll give it my best shot.

Welcome Jasper! Sorry about your mom! Best of luck to you!

Jasper, your post made me both laugh and feel sad. I'm so sorry about your mum, as I couldn't even imagine the horror you must have gone through. Your writing style is great and made me have a giggle All the best in your No S lifestyle!

Welcome to NoS Jasper! I am a fellow bread and cheese lover, I could live on cheese toasties, brie and cranberry rolls, cheese pizza and baked camembert for months

(Un?)fortunately all of these things are allowed on NoS hooray! Also fortunately, doing NoS has helped me to be a bit more moderate and reduce the amount of cheesy delights I eat. One tip I'd give is to not be too strict on WHAT goes on your plate for the first few weeks, give yourself a chance to start building the habits of 3 plates a day, no snacks and no sweets. You'll probably find yourself naturally making more healthy choices as time goes on.

Good luck!

Welcome jasper!

I love to cook too, hence my handle (plus I love the Iron Chef TV series - who wouldn't want to cook with the special ingredient of sea urchin!).

I'm so sorry to hear about your mum. What a horrible time you've been through. I'm glad that things are getting easier and I hope that eventually the happy memories will coexist with the ache.

I really look forward to reading about your journey here

my goodness, what lovely welcomes. You really are a kind , civilised lot!

I look forward to sharing my quest for slimness. Because that, frankly, is my goal. I absolutely will not be happy with just more healthy eating patterns/ attitude towards food if I don't shrink.A lot.

I'm in no rush before any of you kind, civilised noS -ers jumps in to give me a row.

We should start a bread-and-cheese support group - lol!


Welcome to the group! I wish you luck on your journey.

Welcome Jasper! Sorry to hear about your mum - glad to hear it is becoming a bit easier with time.

I, too, otherwise found your post quite humorous and fun. Might as well have a sense of humor about this while we're struggling on through, eh?

I wish you the best of luck on your No S journey. This is a great group of people and I'm sure you will find that their support is so very helpful.

Have a great week!

Welcome Jasper! Sorry to hear about your mum. I think it's admirable that you can pinpoint the reasons for your gain that clearly and that you're taking them on. Best of luck with your journey and looking forward to reading more.

jasper wrote: I look forward to sharing my quest for slimness. Because that, frankly, is my goal. I absolutely will not be happy with just more healthy eating patterns/ attitude towards food if I don't shrink.A lot.

I'm in no rush before any of you kind, civilised noS -ers jumps in to give me a row.

There's nothing wrong with having a goal I sometimes think that half my problem is that I refuse to set myself a weight loss goal, so I have nothing to aim for (except NoS compliance of course, but that in itself doesn't seem to always motivate me to stick to the habits!)

Hi Jasper,

Welcome - I look forward to reading your posts!

Thanks everyone for the kind comments about my mum.

She left a great legacy - growing up we only ever ate healthy food prepared from scratch. And snacking between meals was not on!

Sounds like following No S would be a nice tribute to your beautiful mum.

I'm going to be one of those people. I didn't start out with a weight loss goal, though Lord knows I could have used weight loss (I was in low obese range.) I had tried and failed at that so many times. I just knew I couldn't keep eating the way I was eating and be happy. I was a binger and it had gotten worse over 38 years. I felt too full and rotten a lot of the time, but I didn't know how to rein things in in a rational way. I grasped on to No S for dear sanity. I've lost some weight each year, so that now I'm down 18% of my weight and am in what is considered a healthy weight range. I recently bought new pants another size smaller. And it gets easier. I don't long to be able to eat more or fear food, either. I can be around it, enjoy the look of it, and be content not overeating it. But it took a lot of practice.

I also determined to give up other things that hadn't worked, such as excessive guilt, rather than calm observation, and a lot of self-criticism after the fact. My new motto was to be tough on (not mean to) myself before the slip and gentle afterwards, if it happened. Seems paradoxical, but it has worked. (It actually fits in with psychological principles. Turns out the guilt and self-flogging are part of the cycle of overeating and actually make it more likely to repeat it.)

I did all this after menopause (not applicable, I know) and with no consistent exercise.

Sounds like you have good reasons to do this to your utmost. I have the highest hopes for you and your family.

oolala, thank you for that. I do relate.

20 days in and I feel calmer, happier already. I don't know which came first - feeling happier and calmer and therefore being ready to face my eating demons, or facing up to them and adopting the eminently sensible structure of noS is making me feel calmer and happier. Of course one feeds off the other, once you get the ball rolling.


It's early days but I am very hopeful. My clothes feel looser!

I will weigh in on the first of every month.
Blessings to you all

That is fantastic news!

I've been giving noS some thought - but not too much , because therein lies the madness - and I think it is a bit like a wayward child's behaviour and happiness improving if they are given firm boundaries.

And actually noS boundaries are firm but not onerous.

jasper wrote:I've been giving noS some thought - but not too much , because therein lies the madness

Excellent. Seems like those of us (ME) who overthink this like crazy seem to have the most trouble with it. Just following the simple rules and moving on to other things keeps things the way Reinhard meant them to be. Must remind myself of that often!

Glad to hear you are having success with No S! No matter what the number on the scale says at the beginning of each month you are succeeding.....as you are forming good habits and are happier because of it. The rest of it will naturally follow in due time. You know, I've read more than once on these boards that losing weight is the initial goal for most but most often becomes an added bonus, as later people are more content and happy with the other outcome this diet brings (no more struggling with food issues, etc.)

Keep up the great work.

jasper wrote:20 days in and I feel calmer, happier already. I don't know which came first - feeling happier and calmer and therefore being ready to face my eating demons, or facing up to them and adopting the eminently sensible structure of noS is making me feel calmer and happier. Of course one feeds off the other, once you get the ball rolling.

I'm so pleased to read this. You are right - it doesn't really matter which is chicken and which is egg, as long as the virtuous circle is pulling you in the right direction.

I will weigh in on the first of every month.

Just a suggestion, perhaps weigh yourself for a few days (e.g. on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd) and take the average? My weight fluctuates a lot up and down (up to 3 pounds at times), so watching a trend or average rather than a single number helps me see the wood for the trees as it were.

I agree. You never know if you've hit on one of your high days when you weigh.

thanks for the weigh in averaging tips,but I want to step on the scales as infrequently as possible , namely the first of the month.

Start weight 2/1/13 178.2
today 169

9 pounds lost.

Thank you Reinhart for the gentle shove in the direction of sanity

Congratulations, Jasper!

I like that attitude even better.

You're doing such a great job!!

jasper wrote:thanks for the weigh in averaging tips,but I want to step on the scales as infrequently as possible , namely the first of the month.

Start weight 2/1/13 178.2
today 169

9 pounds lost.

Thank you Reinhart for the gentle shove in the direction of sanity

Brilliant - well done jasper

Really my suggestion was only for those who see a small gain over a month (say 1 pound) and are discouraged, not realising that it is likely a fluctuation and they've actually maintained or lost body fat.

How nice to meet you, jasper. Your posts are just delightful. I, too, extend my sympathies on the loss of your dear mum. I also echo the thought that you taking care of yourself and living a long, healthy life is the best tribute you could pay her. Best wishes on your journey in that direction. Congratulations on your success thus far.

It really is a mind game, not a body one. But I am sure you know that.

Hi Jasper:

Congratulations on your significant weight loss already! I suspect No "S" agrees with you .....or you are agreeing with No "S".

Sorry to hear about the loss of your dear mum.

Looking forward to following your journey (& entertaining posts!) on this thread!

First of the month weigh in as promised


start weight on 2/1/13 178.2
current weight 165.4 ( 3.6 pounds lost in Feb)

Reinhart, thank you

jasper wrote:First of the month weigh in as promised


start weight on 2/1/13 178.2
current weight 165.4 ( 3.6 pounds lost in Feb)

Reinhart, thank you

Congrats, Jasper. That's fantastic.

Way to go!

Congratulations! That's great progress

jasper wrote:My name is Jasper and I am a slothful glutton.

I see by your recent outstanding successes that you need to add the word "recovering" to your earlier statement!

Good job! Congratulations on all your hard work, Jasper!

Today 163.2

That's 2.2 in the right direction in April

Congrats, Jasper!

Nice work jasper!

Wow, inspiring losses and calm demeanor.

I too am sorry about your loss. I lost my mother when I was 20 and still have hard days with it on occassion.

start 178.2 on 2/1/13

now 157. on 1/7/13

21.2 lost in 6 months.

I feel officially cured of my desire to overeat. long may it stay this way .