Starting the no 'S' eating regime today to lose weight, anyone want to join in?

[standclear]

Hi, have got decidedly porky over the past few years.
I feel tired and lethargic, and none of my clothes look good anymore.
I also need to lose weight for health reasons and increase my (currently woeful) level of exercise.

I want to follow a simple and 'do-able' eating plan that is fairly simple and that I will be able to sustain ie hoping to lose 0.5 kg each week.

I'm planning to follow the no 'S' "diet":

book here

A summary of the basic rules is:

no snacks
no sweets (it's an American book so that covers puddings as well as biscuits and confectionary)
no seconds

except on days that start with 's' ie the weekend, and 'special' days ie birthdays and big holidays such as Christmas.

I've got the book so can answer further questions but that is basically it!

I'm going to be using MFP to log calories and I have also found the free NHS weight loss plan (includes exercise) helpful too

see here

I am planning to post my weight here every Sunday too (but that is not obligatory of course).

The other reason for posting on here is that I don't want to bore my family and friends to death about it in rl!! But it would be nice to have some companions along the way .

Anyone want to join in?

Sorry - left out Karoake by mistake - still half asleep obviously!

Good to hear the gym visit went well and that you are planning to go again!

Morning! standclear my waist bands and bra straps are tight too! And I just sat down and discovered I have a new Fat Bulge at the top of my thigh. Yuk!!

Today is my day off work so I need to be really on it with the no snacking. Every time I want to reach for a snack I am going to think about why - am I hungry? Sad? Bored? Then I need to address how to change that behaviour.

Porridge and fruit for breakfast today :)

Thank you for posting that Karaoke [solidarity and all of that ]!! It definitely helps to be going through this with others!

I am at home too. Have had bread with one thin slice of cheese and grapes for breakfast (wierd but it was left over from making my dd's lunch box!).

Have home-made veg soup waiting in fridge for lunch!

Good luck with resisting the snacks today!

We can do it!

Oh dear

Didn't have a very good day yesterday

Was up just before six and ate my breakfast then, which meant I was starving by 11 am but managed to hold off snacking before lunch, when I had soup and a sandwich.

But then started to feel really odd at around 6pm-ish when I was starting to cook supper. Felt really hungry, shaky, faint and ill and at one point thought I really was going to faint (not nice when you are in sole control looking after child). Ate loads more than I probably should have done at dinner and felt a bit better when I lay down afterwards. But then started feeling shaky and wierd again at 10pm so I'm afraid I ate a sandwich then too.

Do you think this is caused by sudden sugar withdrawal? Can't imagine it is as am still having half teaspoons of sugar in (black) tea throughout day.

Bit worried now and wondering if I should revert to GP's recommendation of six small meals a day.

Any thoughts anyone?

And sorry for 'me' 'me' post!

Hope everyone else is having a good start to the week!

(Btw, gp recommendation wasn't because of any particular health condition. Do have health conditions but GP recommends six small meals a day to all her patients who are trying to lose weight.)

Oh dear standclear, sorry to hear you are feeling unwell. Hopefull just a passing thing but maybe pop back to your gp for some reassurance if it persists.

In terms of my weigh-in delighted to report 11st13 yesterday morning so 4lb down from last monday. Delighted is an understatement. In terms of meals then yesterday was:
Breakfast: yoghurt, blueberries, banana, pear
Lunch: tuna and sweetcotn sandwhich on white and ready sted walkers
Dinner: moussaka, salad and coleslaw

Today has been:
Breakfast: almond milk, banana and peanut butter breakfast smoothie (from cafe near work)
Lunch: tuna sweetcorn sandwhich and a bag of walkers (must try harder on the crisp front-definitelt one of my weaknesses)
Dinner to tonight will be mediterranean pasta bake and salad

Thanks Guineapig1 will go to doc's if it carries on.

And that is amazingly well done to lose 4lb in one week!! Congratulations!

I had a ham sandwich, banana and grapes for brkfast (easy when making dd's lunch), home made veg soup, with one piece of bread and two cubes of cheese for lunch, and pasta with tom sauce and broccoli for supper with sprinkling of parmesan just now.

Portions were still too large and I succumbed to a tiny cube of my dd's chocolate this evening too.

Had a better day overall though.

I think I am doing ok so far. Yesterday I was out for coffee and hadn't had breakfast so the temptation of cake was strong but I had a panini instead.

Then lunch was rice and fish, dinner baked potato with beans.

I haven't had enough vegetables today. I'm really hungry by dinner time but have resisted snacking so far (two whole days!)

I'm not feeling well so havent been back to the gym :(

Standclear - it could be sugar withdrawal if you are used to having much more. I'm no doctor but I'd resist the temptation to go with the 6 smaller meals if it were me. I kind of think my body should be able to go between meals and it's just a question of training it! That's just my opinion though.

I find that the key to getting from meal to meal without shakiness or excessive hunger is protein, particularly at breakfast. If I eat a very carby breakfast, even a 'healthy' one like porridge, I am starving by 10 or 11 and often spend the whole day craving more sweet carby stuff.

When I did full-on low carbing, although it was too restrictive for me long-term, I was astonished at how it reduced my appetite between meals. I just stopped finding it hard to avoid snacking. Eggs for breakfast are the answer! And a good whack of protein at each meal. And avoid too much refined carb.

As I said upthread, what I like about No S is that you don't have to get obsessed with what to eat or avoid, but if you are having low-blood-sugar shakiness then it's definitely worth trying the above approach. Hope you crack it!

Hi all! How is everyone doing?

Holmesweetholmes thank you so much for that - it really is much appreciated! My sugar consumption was previously quite high so that could indeed be it + I am trying to be more active and we have a small virus hot/cold/sore throat/stomach crampy thing going around here so perhaps a combination of all three!. Change is always difficult! My sister changed her eating habits 2 years ago (and is now beautifully slim) and she said she found the first few weeks quite hard but said her metabolism adjusted after that. Hoping it will be the same here!!

And you are right about protein - I haven't had time to make myself scrambled eggs for breakfast this week - but must try and make time to do so in future. Will be having boiled eggs and salad (with tuna fish) for lunch!

The only issue here is that we are aware that we are eating too much red meat (we live in a country that worships its pork products!!) and my dh is a bit of a carnivore so I must try and make an effort to introduce lots of protein but not up the red meat content of our meals.

The other thing I have noticed is that on days when I am running around and active I am much less hungry (strangely) than the days when I am sitting at the computer screen. I wonder why that is? You would think the opposite would be true.

How are you getting on this week? How are you finding 4pm temptation time?

Sorry to hear you are feeling under the weather too Karaoke but well done for resisting cake and snacks!

Hope everyone else is doing OK.

I honestly don't know how I am doing. I've stuck to the "rules" all week - except on Wednesday I was out for dinner and drank more than 2 glasses of wine ;) but I didn't have pudding and only had a small tapas style dinner.

I've not snacked or eaten dessert all week. BUT. I don't consider what I have been eating to be "good choices". Yesterday I had a baguette from Gregg's and a packet of Frazzles for lunch, then dinner was a sag paneer from the curry place round the corner. But no seconds or dessert ;)

I will be really interested to see how I weigh on Monday. I'm going to try and stick to the rules at the weekend too, because I know how much I can eat when there are no rules...

Hello all, could I please join you? I was on the old thread but fell off the wagon with work stress etc and have been back at the binging . The old thread seems to have died a death so hoping I can join here (also recognise a few 'faces' ).

Its a bit unfortunate starting on the weekend.. I think I'll try my best to stick to no snacks, just to get back in the swing of things, and only have sweets with meals.

Anyhow, hope you're all doing well, and good luck for getting through (and enjoying!) the weekend!

Hi all

Dashing through - guests this w/e

Karoake it sounds as though you are doing well, and I've found too that the lack of snacks throughout the day certainly makes one focus on 'quality not quantity' in terms of main meals, or makes one more aware of it any way! Keep up the good work! Personally though, I would follow the diet and NOT restrict yourself this weekend, because it will help you focus more during the week! (Obviously you know what is best for you though!) Good luck!

A warm welcome to Helentheheron! Again, I wouldn't try and do anything different this weekend (see reasons from bk below) but start the diet properly on no S days. Maybe just wind down a bit! Good luck with re-starting!! And as you are an old hand, you will be able to give us some tips!! Have a good w/e!

Thanks standclear.

Well, my intentions to stay off the snacks this w/e didn't quite go as planned.. All was gong well until I went to the pub for a friend's moving away 'do' and someone had baked cupcakes with said friend's face on them in icing! I ate two

On the subject of tips, I third the 'protein for breakfast' strategy. I find night protein Greek yogurt (2% fat, rather than completely fat free) keeps me going for ages, especially when dolloped on top of some muesli or porridge. Yum.

Sorry for being awol? How is everyone doing after the first fortnight?

You're allowed your cupcakes Helen on a Sunday!

And I had protein for breakfast this morning but unfortunately it was in the form of a sausage.

Just reporting in (a day late). And since I weighed in last, I have bought a new battery for my much-more accurate kilos scale, so going with this now.

Started two weeks ago at 84 kg (on old innacurate weighing scale)
And am weighing in today at 83.3kg (on new accurate one)

So have lost some which is good, but not particularly spectacular! Need to try harder if I want to reach my Christmas target.

Incidentally, have already given up logging on MFP - just don't have the time!!

How is everyone else getting on?

Guineapig1
Helentheheron
Karaoke
Holmesweetholmes
AnotherEmma
What'sgoingon
Magpiecursedtea
Oliversmumsarmy
Roseforme
Waxybean
Chelle792
dorothymichaels
MrsRisotto
Ledkr
MsMargaretCarter

Would love to know how you are finding the diet. (Obviously, not obligatory to report exact weight loss if you don't want to, I just like the accountability.)

And pls do 'speak' up if I have unwittingly forgotten any one!

Um, should have been 'Sorry for being awol!!' (without a question mark)

Have had guests so lots of yummy food about, but hopefully offset by having to run around after them a lot!!

Hello. Well, I have been on holiday and not paid a blind bit of attention to healthy eating. So, i'm not going to weigh myself for at least a couple of weeks .
I'm back on it now though. Only day 1 so can't say whether it's back to square 1 or not with regards to cravings...we'll have to see. I want to include weekends in this as that's how i've found it has been the most effective before, but looking at my diary, i've got a fair few social events where it's really hard not only to restrain yourself, but convince others that it's ok that you're not having dessert . It takes a lot of restraint to persuade persistent people that you're fine without pudding!

Well done on your loss standclear!

I weighed myself at my friend's house today - I am exactly the same as I was 2 weeks ago, but I only started the no S last Monday, so this really tells me nothing! Am pleased not to have gained as I have eaten a lot this week but stuck to the no S, I didn't go mad at the weekend even (I did have some cheesecake on Saturday but no snacking at all)

Psychologically I feel better, because I have stuck to a "plan" without too much difficulty. I'd like to see results on the scales of course, and hopefully that will be more apparent next week.

I had eggs, bacon and beans for breakfast at 10am and I am only just getting hungry again now!!

Booked in to a Pilates class tomorrow. I keep chickening out (anxiety getting the better of me!) bu determined to go tomorrow...

Good luck with the Pilates class tomorrow Karoake¨!! You can do it!!
And well done on the lack of weight gain and for generally 'gaining control'!
I think the mental part is 99% of this battle to be honest (and the bit I struggle with). Once I visualise some forbidden food in the kitchen, I find it very difficult to get it out of my mind until I've eaten it! (Need this to change obviously.)

Y Y MsRisotto other people do make it really really difficult!! (And can be much more persistent than one imagines).
I'm going to have to try and persuade friends to meet up over something other than meals, because all of our social engagements at the moment involve food and drink in some form or another. I ate a lot this weekend because of entertaining. And the leftovers, gawd the leftovers. Wish I had the courage to just put them in the bin but no of course not, they need "using up" ie demolishing by me!

Thanks for the updates!

We can do it!

May I join please. After long slow weight gain at university, I moved in with some friends last year and used this diet to lose more than the weight I had gained. I kept that off until the end of August, through holidays and stressful placements and graduation parties.
At the end of August I moved out, halfway across the country to start a job. I was very stressed and nervous and have managed to gain everything back again.

So time to get back on the bandwagon. I wanted to start last week, but it was my birthday and I didn't see the point in making it more difficult than it had to be. So day one today.
Breakfast: porridge with peanut butter (of the only peanuts variety)
Lunch: marmite and tomato sandwich, carrot, grapes
Dinner: an absolutely enormous plate of veg and tofu stirfry with pasta (but only one plate!)

And now I'm drinking tea to stop myself having a snack.

Thanks for starting the thread and being inspiring.

I'd like to join in too, i just have a stone I want to loose.

I decided in April just to cut out fizzy drinks, and I have just managed it, it's been a real slog and I haven't seen much change, in weight but have been drinking a lot of fruit juice and eating too many sweets.

This sounds like a great way of making small changes and I am keen to try.

A very warm welcome to eltsihT and rivierliedje!!

rivierliedje great to have another poster on this thread who has already had success with this diet!! I'm not surprised you have found life stressful recently. Although it was all a very long time ago, I found teenage years pretty uneventful but the move from university to first independent accommodation, first 'proper' job, trying to work out who you really are as an independent adult etc etc was mahoosively challenging. Good luck with starting again and many belated happy returns for last week!

eltsihT Sounds as if you have made a great start by cutting out the fizzy drinks! I am also convinced that small, sustainable changes are the way to go!! Good luck with it!

Hello riverliedjr and eltsihT.

Well, Sunday was pretty awful - proper binging (exhaustion induced I think, tough week at work then foolishly went out on Saturday night and didn't sleep till 1 then woke up at 7am. Boo!) But Monday was much, much better. karaokequeen I very much understand what you say about the psychological benefits of feeling in control of what you eat!

B - egg and salmon in a bread roll
L - salad with grains, boiled egg and anchovies, beetroot crisps
D - fish with roasted root veg, apple & natural yoghurt.

On the tiredness/binging issues, I've decided that as part of this "diet" I need to be in bed (with lights out!) By 10.30pm. Only made it by 11pm last night but that is still an improvement for me.

Right, I'll stop wittering. Hope everyone is feeling well. Congrats on your weight loss standclear!

Thanks stand. TOday is the difficult day because I it's my day off work, but I do have a training session in the afternoon and then a looong drive to Guides after that (and back again). I have to make sure I pack dinner this week, so I don't scoff the snacks we'll be having at Guides.
So far so good this morning, read for a while in bed to the oh so late hour of 7.35 and had my usual morning routine plus a quick tidy and now off to the shops to get Veg and Fruit and Bread and no sweets of snacky things. I don't even have to go down those aisles and I won't (very much trying to convince myself here).
Good luck everyone

Helentheheron couldn't agree more about tiredness being a significant factor in influencing our food choices. Congrats on your healthy choices yesterday!

YY, think preparation is key rivierliedje hope you can resist the 'danger' aisles and enjoy your day off!