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?

Started well with a boiled egg this morning!

I started the day with brown toast and butter. I'd normally class butter as "bad" and have dry plain toast and not enjoy it at all. Today I really enjoyed my breakfast :)

And... I made it to Pilates! And I enjoyed it! This is quite a big step for me...

Well done everyone managing to stay away from the snacks! I work strange hours so sometimes finding time to eat is hard - snacks come in handy when there is only 20 mins between getting home and doing school run. But if I am organised it is easier. Today I sm not organised and I'm soooo hungry :-/

Well done for getting to Pilates Karoake!! That's really well done!!

I ate far too much today . My dd is at home from school ill, and I couldn't get out and about, and I found myself eating cubes of cheese (mainly out of boredom) and when dd had ice cream (for sore throat) I found myself eating some of that too. Really hopeless!

Need to do much better tomorrow!!

And, meant to say Karoake, if you are hungry it means you are doing it right!!

Well done with the pilates karaoke. I've never tried it - what's it like?

Decent day yesterday:
B - 2 poached eggs & grilled tomato on 1 toast
L - big salad with olives/rice/veggies, mini weight watchers quiche
D - Dover sole with new pots & veg (cooked by do and really rather good), banana & yoghurt
Bed by 10:50 so still working on that!

Meant to say before: rivier - I really feel for you with the new job stress - I just started on a new team a couple of weeks ago and it's terrifying! Managing to hold it together at work (just about!) but when I get home I'm so grumpy and all I want to do is eat to block it out . And thats within the same organisation and without a move across country so I can only imaging how you're feeling. Anyhow, keep strong, and remember that food doesn't have to be your crutch. We are here if you need to moan!

Thanks Helen. Yes it is stressful, as it's my first real professional job too. So I really want to do well. It's also exhausting at the moment and I have to go to education classes as well on most of my Tuesdays off.

Yesterday was pretty good. After doing the shop, I was back home at 9:15, and was having trouble keeping away from the food, but then I got in to planning Guide meetings and suddenly it was lunchtime. Then a stressful drive to the class, and on to the Guide meeting, that went well, but I did eat some of the pretzelsticks we had with my dinner. And then had breadsticks on the drive home (should have put the bag in the boot). Oh well.
Back to worl today.

Sounds like a good day Helen

Pilates was interesting - I really enjoyed it but at the time didn't feel like it was doing much, but it was a nice hour and the other people there (mainly women in their 60s!) were so friendly. It was a lot of gentle stretches and movements.

But this morning... I tried to sit up in bed and ow ow ow my stomach muscles!! My legs are aching too. So it obviously did something!!! :-)

Hi everyone,
Can I join in? I haven't read the whole thread, just the first page, but all looks good so far.

I had shoulder surgery last year, by which time I hadn't been to the gym, swam or even jogged for nearly a year. Now it's better but I haven't managed to get back into a routine and do no exercise except walking to school and back. I've had a slow but consistent weight gain and now weigh 11 stone 11 (75kg). I'm 5 foot 7, but not big built, so I have rolls of surplus flab. Pre-shoulder I was about 10 stone 3 (65kg), so that's my goal.

The S diet sounds a great idea. I need to stop eating the same as teenage DS!

I go back to work on the 19th of October and am really bad for snacking at work, but I discovered yesterday I am bad for snacking at home too!

I feel I did well yesterday, and said no to lots of things, including taking a biscuit when giving the kids one and then remembering and putting it back.

I also went to a gig but that filled in time nicely so had no urge to snack, in the evening but I did have 3 tic tacs on the drive home!

Not sure how today will pan out as dh brought me a box of chocolates back from his work trip.

I am enjoying having this thread as it makes me feel a bit more accountable.

eltsihT well done for putting the biscuit back! I love biscuits. And I can never stop at one...

elishT Amazing self control for putting a biscuit back!
Stopping once started is difficult, isn't it Karaoke? I find the same with breaking any of the rules, once I've technically failed the day, my head just seems to think I should go on breaking the rules for the rest of the day, as it doesn't matter anymore.

So, just to counteract that for me, I've made a little tickbox sheet with the different sections of the day (before breakfst, breakfast, before lunch, lunch, before dinner, dinner, after dinner), so I don't automatically fail an entire day (and give up trying) if I have sugar in my porridge. I think it will also help to see where my problems are.

So far, so good today, but I find it quite easy to be disciplined on work days until I get home. Even though I get up quite early, I stick to porridge. Today the microwave suddenly sparked, so I had to use the stove. And then we all eat lunch together at work and everone brings their own. There's no food hanging around either, so don't really have the option of snacking. I'd have to bring it in and I find it a bit unhygienic to be eating at the desk I see patients at between appointments.
But I am starving when I get in. I've learnt that I'm best off making dinner straight away, as then I don't have to snack during the wait., the after dinner part is harder, but I'm trying to work out a routine (like the one I have in the morning), so that there is something that immediately follows eating and makes an end to it.

I once tried to save time by going shopping after work, but that was a disastrous mistake as I was starving and then you really do want everything in the shop.

Sorry for the essay!

A warm welcome to Grumpysquash! [Great nn btw!] I'm in a similar position to you but heavier (mentioning this to make you feel a bit better ) ! Height 5 ft 8 and a bit. But I weigh 13 and a bit stone . Also slight of frame (was incredibly skinny right up to about a decade ago) and with slim shoulders and hips, all the weight is facing forward ifyswim. Not pleasant to look at, at all! Also need to up my exercise levels as do none except dog walking (and he's adopted, so untrained, so a bit complicated to walk atm with lots of stops and starts!). I'm aiming for under 70kg too!! Good luck with it!

Wow at putting the biscuit back EltishT!!

Helen and Rivier hats off to you for dieting whilst coping with such busy, stressful schedules!

I have opposite problem to you both - cannot work atm (expat tax situation) and not feeling generally v. fulfilled, so cook and eat instead!!

Karoake you are getting me interested in Pilates now!! If 60-yr old women can do it, maybe it is actually something I would be capable of!! (I'm in my early 50s)

rivier that is an excellent tip about breaking up parts of the day with a tick-box!! I also need to combat that "oh well I've failed now, might as well eat some more" destructive psychology!

Agree that advance planning and routines are life-savers!

It's great to be doing this with others going through the same things, as I am really struggling already ... .

Love the Ticky box idea, think I am going to dig a notebook out.

I have had a good day right up till cooking the kids dinner, when I snagged a few chips, and the last spoonful of baked beans, but at least I didn't finish of their dinner tonight.

It's hard cooking for the kids and then not having anything to eat.

Thanks, standclear

My surplus is all hanging round my middle like a massive muffin top :(

I am mid-40s which might be part of the problem!

Are folk generally weighing once a week, or more often?

Yes Grumpy those that want to are weighing-in in on a Sunday (and I think another poster has chosen Mondays). Not obligatory though!

Ditto re: the muffin top! So many newish clothes I cannot get in to

On the positive side: it will only take a small bit of weight loss to make a huge difference initially.

Eltish Could you possibly eat at the same time as the dc?

I have to be honest and say that I had an awful day today. Cooking for my dd got me too - agree it is really hard when you are cooking for others.

Still feeling very shaky between meals. Ate a cheese sandwich before a huge dinner because I felt so ravenous. Going to buy some almonds tomorrow as a friend told me they help!

And definitely eggs for breakfast again tomorrow!

Welcome grumpy .

Love the tick box idea rivier. I might try something like that for weekends as I find the 'sometimes' on special days thing really hard. I just tend to go nuts and eat everything in sight and then feel awful, but it is so difficult as there are no rules. Breaking the day up into chunks/events might help.

stand what sort of dog do you have? Dp and I are planning to get a rescue soon. I've wanted one for ages and am soo excited!

Yesterday was ok
B - 2 poached eggs on 1 toast
L - salad with beans/olives etc, small bag pistachios, apple
D - quorn bolognaise (sp?!) with veg instead of pasta and a little e bit of grated cheese, berries and natural yoghurt

Bed by 1040 pm - need to work on this!

Oh, and yy to almonds (or nuts of any sort) and eggs for breakfast!

The kids eat at 4ish as they go to bed at 6ish. Dh gets home at 7 so I tend to eat with him then.

If dh is away (he often is) I eat with the kids but then I get peckish at about 7/8.

Suppose I just need to just get on top of the cravings, maybe I should try to have a cup of tea when they eat.

Getting a dog sounds lovely, i really want a dog but they boys are to young to be left while I walk the dog and the cats would object.

Thanks both!

Helen Top marks for such a good day yesterday! It is evident you are really determined about this (v. inspiring for everyone on here!)

Eltish I can see how eating at 4pm would be far too early! Difficult one that, I guess your only choice is to drink tea or water as you say. But oh the temptation to snaffle a fishfinger!!

Posting a picture here for you both. He's a long-haired daschund (4 yrs). Everyone warned me about their temperaments and he can bite occasionally (when confused) and we've had to tread v. carefully with him because of his background. He was underweight, with bad teeth, hadn't received proper veterinary care (including vital puppy injections) and had been stood in a garden all day every day Fortunately, we've been able to put the health issues right (he had an op on his teeth) but still working on the behaviour issues!

Oh my God he is so cute!!!

And too intelligent for his own good !!

Hope everyone has a good day avoiding the snacks!

Fell off the wagon a bit. I treated the kids to ice creams afte school and bought myself a dark espresso magnum. Soooo good.

Then for dinner I made home made chicken nuggets and chips in the deep fat fryer for the kids (super healthy day all round lol) and the nuggets were AMAZING and I end up eating three...

So I Snacked and I had a Sweet. A Sweet Snack. Double Oops!

Booked to try a ZUMBA class tomorrow though...

Never mind Karoake I did the same yesterday (or was it the day before, or both?!! ) but managed to pretty much stick to diet today (so you haven't scuppered the entire week is what I am trying to say!)

Tomorrow is another day and all that! Don't feel guilty! It says in the bk to put mistakes behind us and move on!

B - Didn't manage breakfast this morning
L - Ate rather calorific ham (with mayo and lettuce) mini baguette sandwich for lunch - not ideal - with cup of home made lentil soup
S- tray bake chicken with garlic, shallots, mini toms, new pots, peppers

Not too bad!! [glimmer of optimism]

In a rush this morning but yesterday was
B - 2 poached eggs on 1 toasttoast, with very greasy fried mushrooms that I regretted immediately
L - crayfish tails, pickled veg, coconut water (making up for great mushrooms!)
D - (very lazy) selection of m&s salad pots & a bread roll, pear

Bed by 10.10 - woop! Unfortunately had to get up at 5 so still cream crackered

karaoke - wagons are there to be fallen off - the important thing is that you get back on. Good luck today!