The No S Diet (it's not exactly a diet)

[holmessweetholmes]

I just found this and I think it's awesome. The most sensible thing I've read in aaages about how not to be overweight.

The No S Diet rules:

No Snacking
No Sweets (puddings, sugary stuff)
No Seconds

... except when the day starts with an S (Saturday, Sunday, Special days).

That's it.

I am sooo fed up with thinking about carbs / no carbs / fat / low fat / fasting / superfoods / G.I. blah blah blah. I think I might actually be able to stick to this.

I lost another lb last week so it's still happening. I pigged out a bit over the weekend and am going away next weekend so that might slow down things a bit further but this is something I feel I can do as a habit long-term unlike diets where I have to count anything.

I wonder if a slow cooker would help in your situation, antimatter - can't get on with them myself but a lot of people seem to like them.

llo all. I know I'm a bit late to the party (so to speak) but could I join you guys?

I really want to try (and succeed at!) a "sensible" diet i.e. healthy food & eating habits and more exercise. Aiming to lose maybe 1lb a week. I've had issues with food in the past so want to steer clear of anything too drastic like cutting out food groups or vlc.

That said, i definitely need to do something because otherwise I am only going to get fatter. As of this morning I'm 10st 2.2lb & 29.1% fat. Ideally I'd like to lose almost a stone, but mini aim is 9st 10lb by 31st August. I know what my downfalls are.. stress eating, snacking to help myself get started with a task (can totally relate to stillearnin's post) and most of all grazing in the evening when feeling tired and disconsolate.

Right, enough wittering and moaning. Now I just need to get on with it.

Hello and welcome helen! I was late to the party myself, just started my second week. But even though it's early days, a week is pretty good for me!! Today was difficult - back to the weekday diet after too many several treats at the weekend. Being starving for dinner is the worst - I think I need to eat no later than 6pm or I'm a wreck!
I read that chromium helps with blood sugar levels (and therefore carb/sugar cravings) so I've ordered some tablets, hoping that might help!

Well my first N-day has gone ok. I succumbed to finishing off DD's nectarine at about 4pm, and I've just had a glass of chocolate milkshake (mainly milk), but other than that I am pleased. Sugar and snacks are always my downfall.

How has everyone else's day been?

AnotherEmma I'm also a cider drinker! Alcohol does have sugar in it, so save it for S days. I had the same experience with chocolate cake at the 60th birthday party last week - it looked so gorgeously gooey I thought I must have some, but after one mouthful I thought it tasted like a Betty Crocker mix cake, total let down.

Anyway, been at a festival all weekend, so despite it being S days, didn't snack, as it was much easier to just eat at meal times. This saved time as I didn't have to queue so much! Hoping I've lost a little weight this week after all the walking and dancing I've been doing. Did drink though. Will weigh myself in the morning.

Gah! As the person who started the thread, I am embarrassed to say that I am not doing very well so far ! It's harder now that it's the holidays - as dh and I are both teachers, the whole family is in holiday mode, and there's no obvious difference between weekdays and weekends!

I am determined to get in the No S habit though, however many false starts I have. So tomorrow is a new day...

cheapskatemum
" I had the same experience with chocolate cake at the 60th birthday party last week - it looked so gorgeously gooey I thought I must have some, but after one mouthful I thought it tasted like a Betty Crocker mix cake, total let down."
Ahahaha, I love Betty Crocker chocolate fudge cake! I have been known to eat the icing from the tub Each to their own eh But given the choice between that and a proper homemade cake made from scratch, I'd obviously pick the latter!

PS Good luck with your weigh in tomorrow morning - I plan to do it then as well! Let's report back

Thanks AnotherEmma

holmes - this diet is harder than it seems (and I say this after day 1!). My main problem yesterday was remembering not to wander into the kitchen and open the fridge door

So my day was:

B - protein bar
L - huge plate of food from the salad bar, diet Pepsi (which I ordered before remembering that fake "sweets" are also out )
D - salmon, nut & grain salad, loads if veg. Blueberries & natural yoghurt.
A couple of glasses of wine (which I'm not counting as an s)

Visiting my (super slim) parents this evening which can be a bit of a trigger as I feel like my mum is disappointed that I've put on weight and that makes me want to eat more just to prove I don't care (if that makes sense?!). Lots of deep breaths called for i think!

Helen, that sounds like a good day, although maybe a bit low on complex carbs? I'd feel starving without carbs. (Just ate a bowl of porridge with blueberries!) Good luck tonight - you can do it!

I weighed myself this morning and have lost 1.1kg (2.4 pounds) in my first week! I'm amazed! I did eat quite a lot but cutting out sugar and snacks in the week must have made a bigger difference than I thought it would. Or maybe it's just beginner's luck?!

I agree, it's harder than it looks- which shows just how much extra eating I do. It has to get easier but I didn't do great yesterday at all - weekend I treated as non s so maybe I was due a break?!

I am at a festival every weekend from now until the end of the school holidays. I find that hard as the next one is 24 hour party and I just get so tired. And when I say weekend I mean Thursday to Monday of course. Then working feverishly in between!

Helen - do you have any evidence of them judging. My mum is lovely and non judgemental - it is my eagerness to please her that makes me feel like I've disappointed her - not anything she says does or thinks!! We revert to child mode though don't we? My mum had ED when I was little though and that skews things a bit. She is in great health now though. She eats well and is super fit!

Hello, I've just been catching up on this thread. I'm terrible for sugar and snacking, and there's so much evidence coming out that sugar is dreadfully bad for you. I want to set a good example for my 1 year old DD. So it begins today. We had a good filling breakfast and I've stopped taking sugar in my tea. My main problems will be hunger (which I've blamed on breastfeeding for the past year, DD still loves her milk) and only eating 3 meals when I'm working an early or night shift.

I like this way of thinking- and am trying to cut down on the snacks - I am terrible if I'm hungry though. But have had no sweets since sun eve. And making conscious decisions instead of unconscious habits through the day

AnotherEmma - I managed to squeeze a fair few carbs (complex and otherwise) on to my plate of "salad"

stillearnin - ha! no evidence that would stand up in court, no. She has mainly shot herself in the foot by heaping on the praise when I have lost weight in the past, thereby implying criticism now that I have put it back on. The poor woman can't win, I know! She is lovely really, and would never be intentionally judgey or critical. You are totally right re falling back into child (or stroppy teenager) mode.

And congrats in your weigh in AnotherEmma!

I'm on week 2 of this and I'm finding it absolutely brilliant.

I'm not restricting myself at all when it comes to mealtimes. I have what I want - and consequently finding myself eating less than ever.

For example, this morning I got up and DP had made me a bacon butty, so I ate it. No agonising, no worrying - I just enjoyed it.

That was at 8:30am and I didn't feel hungry again until 3pm

I'm the type of person who can resist sugar until I have ONE biscuit - and then I have to have nine, so the abstinence during the week is fine. What I've found more difficult in the past is calorie counting and only having one mini-mars bar/two chocolate fingers. None is easier than a little bit.

I haven't weighed myself since I've been on it because we moved house two weeks ago and I haven't found the scales yet but I definitely feel that my jeans are looser.

helen Thank you I doubt I'll lose that much every week but I'm enjoying the success while it lasts!

stevie COMPLETELY with you on none is easier than a little bit. Having said that, after a week of no sugary treats, I was satisfied with one portion of cake/dessert, whereas before I would usually have eaten two (maybe more if no-one was looking!)

Stevie - glad you're finding it brilliant! That's me too - all or nothing with the sugar! I think I've finally recovered from my foot injury, so I'm tentatively going to start some gentle runs from tomorrow. That tends to make me better, not worse with my eating, so hopefully it will help!

I'm wondering about keeping a sort of calendar - put a star on the days I've managed to stick to the No S. He recommends that on the website.

Glad to see there are quite a lot of us now! I'm just pleased that you all agree with what a good plan it is (even if I'm not setting a very good example so far ).

Holmes a bad example can be very instructive tho . The diary thing is a good idea. Maybe you can do something on your phone.

Today was easy - I feel a bit shocked posting that! Not even sure why as yesterday was not to plan but it's nice to know it's possible!

Made it through yesterday.

B - protein bar
L - jacket potato & tuna Mayo
D - big mix of salads with bread & humous and an orange for pud (declined homemade ginger cake!)

Working a late shift tonight so having dinner at work. The challenge will be not having a snack grazing while standing in front of the fridge when I get home.

Winkly - what time do your early shifts start? I'm lucky now as mine only start at 8 but in the past I've found 5 or 6am starts really hard diet-wise. Even if I wait to have breakfast at 7am I'm starving again by 11am and it messes up the whole day! (Sorry, no good advice on how to deal with it so a bit unhelpful I'm afraid!).

Still - well, if my bad example is helpful...

So far so good today. We have quite a lot of visitors during the holidays, as we've recently moved a long way away from friends and family to the Lakes - so we've become a bit of a holiday destination! This doesn't really help with the eating. So I need to stop regarding every visitor as an excuse!

Anyway - fruit and yoghurt for breakfast, lunch will be home baked ham and salad, and dinner will be fish that dh and his brother caught yesterday!

I have identified a 4pm dip! Not sure how to deal with it. Today I am at work and trying my best to resist the biscuit table. But other than that it's not as hard as I thought it would be, even with my ridiculous sugar habit. I agree, none is easier than some as once I start it is hard to stop.

I'm a bit scared of my first weigh-in though, in case I haven't lost any weight. I've only been going 5 days though, so I might leave it another week or two!

Helen I have to be in by 6.45 to start at 7 on an early. I find that I'm ravenous by the time I get to eat, plus there's no lunch break so by the time I get home it's so hard not to eat crap.

Well yesterday I came down with d&v, so I had no dinner last night and have eaten one slice of toast today. I have drank a few glasses of sugary squash but Sick days are S days and I needed something!

TheOriginalWinkly sorry to hear you're sick, hope you feel better soon. But meanwhile, yes Sick days are S Days, so eat whatever you want/need!

As for the 4pm slump. I definitely get that. I've decided to cheat ever so slightly in that I'm going to allow myself a very small, very healthy snack. Apparently the best for blood sugar levels is a mix of carbs and protein eg oat cake with hummus. I also bought a snack bag of mixed nuts and had a few when I finished swimming today (always starving after a swim!) Technically it's cheating but usually I'd have something much more unhealthy. And I'm hardly going to stuff myself with nuts or oatcakes (as I would with chocolate or cake). Blood sugar levels are a real issue for me but I'm hoping the more I do this diet, the more stable they will be, and maybe I won't get so desperately HANGRY if I go too long without eating!