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?

Thanks stand, and here, have a hefty from me (in the nicest possible way). I think I need one too, to stop feeling so bloody miserable about how I look and actually do something about it!

Yesterday's menu
B-1 egg, mushroom, tomato, 1 slice toast & jam (forgot I probably shouldn't have jam!)
L - salad with beans and egg, popcorn
D - fish pie & veg, rambutan (sp?!), plain yoghurt.

Also drank 2 packs of coconut water, some diet pop and loads of milk before bedtime.. Just couldn't face water for some reason (because of the miserable weather maybe).

Oh, and bed by 10.45

Well done re: your healthy eating yesterday Heron.

And thanks for the beautifully administered boot !

helen
You are the true queen of sensible bedtimes and I am envious.

I manage 11:30 if I am knackered or not feeling well. Other times I try to force myself to go at midnight but it's often half past by the time I get in. Later on the weekend.

:( Bad body clock. Always sleepy in the morning and grumpy (although that's not the reason for my name!)

Waves back to stand and anyone else who's there

What is the general view about a glass of wine on the S diet?
I've been pretty good on the food, not so good at avoiding wine!

Lots of them don't begin with S :)

Morning all!

Yes, Helen you are doing really well with the early bed times

Grumpy (Another owl here, def not a lark!) Well the author of the book says he has two glasses of wine a night as far as I remember (but will re-check when I have more time later).

Ohh I don't know ... lots of sauvignons, sauternes, shirazes ...

Ha ha thanks grumpy. It is NOT coming naturally - I have to tell myself to "go to bed" at least an hour before I actually make it there!

Re wine, I think strictly speaking it is not an s and therefore ok, but obviously it has a lot of calories so good to cut down. I have to admit that I do drink a few glasses of wine most evenings. I am trying to cut down but it is very nice!

The author has another system called "the glass ceiling" which is basically a rule never to drink more than 2 alcoholic drinks a night. Will try to post a link.

<a class="break-all" href="https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=www.everydaysystems.com/glassceiling/&ved=0CBsQFjAAahUKEwiH5ZC67q_IAhUE1hoKHf2_AWM&usg=AFQjCNHXkv126LR99ZGwD-maftkioxlHGA&sig2=00nP6Lfh7iphbh5ZzvEbvA" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=www.everydaysystems.com/glassceiling/&ved=0CBsQFjAAahUKEwiH5ZC67q_IAhUE1hoKHf2_AWM&usg=AFQjCNHXkv126LR99ZGwD-maftkioxlHGA&sig2=00nP6Lfh7iphbh5ZzvEbvA

Yesterday was ok:
B - oats, skimmed milk, handful of nuts
L - salad (veg, feta, beans, pasta), veg soup
D - spinach & ricotta canelloni, loads of veg, banana & yoghurt.

I will shut up now.

Just back and see ¨HelentheHeron has very kindly beaten me to it with regard to wine drinking advice!

I'm personally trying not to drink on school nights (failed twice so far this wk!) and only one day of the weekend, but cannot tolerate much anyway (one and a half glasses of red my top limit nowadays, sad person that I am).

Yesterday:
B banana and cup of tea
L turkey and salad sandwich (two rounds of wholemeal bread cut in half, no mayo)
D fish, leek and potato pie with peas

Day before:
B toast and marmite and cup of tea
L small bowl pasta with bacon lardons and broccoli
D cold pork with garlic mash, cauliflower and broccoli
(too many carbs there)

I feel I am getting more of a handle on the snacking, but finding I am still eating much more quantity wise than I should because I am so starving with not snacking... oh dear ...

Oh dear, it has not been a good couple of days . Worked late shifts Wednesday and Thursday so bedtime went out the window (especially Wed night when I got home at 1am, then sat up for another few hours "to relax" - when will I learn that I should just relax in bed??!) and with it the diet. Aim for today is to at least stick to it for one day before the weekend. I know that a colleague will be bringing in doughnuts for her birthday so already steeling myself to turn them down.

Onwards and upwards..

Stand: it looks like you are doing really well. I wouldn't worry too much about how much you eat at mealtimes but maybe experiment a bit to see how much you need to eat to keep you going until the next meal. A good mix of protein, fat and fibre should keep you going for longest.

Thank you for the encouragement Helen! I have felt extremely tired this week for some reason which hasn't helped.

Yesterday:
B: toast and marmite, cup of tea
L: 2 boiled eggs, half bread roll, apple
S: veg noodle stir fry

Did eat one Chinese foldover (tiny) chinese pancake thing that a colleague had in the office and one (tiny) speculoos biscuit. Portions were too big again; I find I am starving all the time. And you are right, when I don't plan properly and have the right balance of food groups, the hunger is much more difficult to manage.

Your week sounds v demanding. Can understand how difficult you find it to "switch off" after late shifts. Good luck resisting those doughnuts today!

Hope everyone else is doing ok!

I have been having a bad week, I tend to be good up to 4.30. Wednesday was particularly bad I had 3 toffee crisps. But at least they aren't in the house anymore.

Hoping things will go better tonight as Dh is out so eating with the kids.

Eltish bless you for posting that!!

remains silent on the subject of ham and cheese toastie for lunch followed by choc matinette

I think I have put more weight on this week

Seriously considering giving up eating supper altogether.

I had a (compulsory) catered work lunch yesterday which was pretty much all carbs and which ended with coffee and chocolate cake. Bad.
Today better, but currently snacking on a couple of carrots and plums before heading off from work (I volunteer at Beavers on a Friday and definitely need energy for that - they are a boisterous group - also I would be as grumpy as my name if I was hungry)

stand your meals don't sound very big to me - toast and marmite, 2 boiled eggs (unless it was a loaf of toast and ostrich eggs!)

What is a choc matinette? Actually if it's really delicious, maybe don't tell me.

Do you think we have lost the people who were participating at the beginning (before I got here)?

Had a terrible week and definitely put on weight. It's really the evenings that are doing it. I'm going to try cooking all my meals this weekend and freezing them in single portion sizes so I don't have the option of over eating. (I can't seem to cook a single portion no matter how tiny the suacepan is).

I am on my way to bed mostly to stop myself eating more, 2 bars of chocolate and a bag of microwave popcorn.

Well it's almost a new week and I did my monthly online shopping and didn't buy any sweets so the chocolate binges will end.

Shall we all draw a line under this week and start again on Monday?

Good idea Grumpy!

Hope you survived Beavers tonight!

My breakfasts and lunches aren't very big but my evening meals definitely are. I need to change that around don't I?

I shouldn't be doing this but here is a chocolate matinette. They are the thinnest, crispest pieces of delicious chocolate (about the width and double depth of a playing card). I know it sounds wierd, but here in Belgium, they are traditionally eaten between two pieces of white bread with black coffee for breakfast (bread here also delicious unfortunately) hence their name. The bread and choc are sometimes dipped in to the coffee too .

Today I ate the choc without the bread I hasten to add!

Yes, I was wondering that about all the other posters. I wonder how they are all getting on? Hope we haven't lost them all!

eltsihT Well , it's good you have "decluttered" the snack cupboard . Have you considered an eating curfew in the evening ie no food after 8pm or similar? [SC makes note to follow own suggestions]

Rivier sorry your week has been tough too. The freezing of separate portions sounds like a good idea. Nigella recommends that in her book 'Eat' where she has an interesting section on weight loss btw: replacing fat with flavour ie adding spice or heat. It's worth a look.

Enjoy your weekends everyone! Onwards and upwards and all of that!

[Sorry - tired - that was meant to read "replacing the flavour given by fat with spice or heat" if that makes sense.]

I did better yesterday and stuck to no snacks (and no doughnuts!)
B - 2 poached eggs on 1 slice toast
L - salad with beans, anchovies etc, beetroot crisps
D - fish with bean & chorizo stew (and about 5 chips off dp's plate)
I did have a large bailey's after dinner which must count as a sweet

It sounds like everyone has had a tough week and I like grumpy's idea of drawing a line and starting again on Monday.

EltsihT I really feel for you. I had a big binge on Wednesday night which left me feeling really crap. It's horrible. Do you have any idea what sets you off? For me it's often a case of wanting to block out uncomfortable feelings (inadequacy, feeling unsure of how to progress with something, feeling out of control) often compounded with tiredness which saps my will power. Sometimes I can snap myself out of it by going for a walk/having a shower/talking to someone or indeed going to bed (the best of all solutions imo!), other times it just kind of takes over. I really hope you have a better day today.

Wednesday, it was frustration with the kids 2 and 4 not listening (I hid in the pantry and ate) on Friday night it was boredom, need to do something to keep my fingers busy, can't go out as no one would be home with the kids.

Had a better day today, so far.
B - toast, marmite (only one slice as DC stole the other piece) and coffee
L- baked potato and tuna
D- home made pulled pork and coleslaw

Going over to a friend tonight so will end up drinking too much.

Well done Helentheheron sounds like a good day!

Thanks Stand, I'll have to see if I can find the book. Funnily enough, we are in the same country.
Strangely I maintained this week. ANd today has been quite good for a S day.

I did wonder when I saw your name Rivierliedje! I find the delicious food here very hard to resist! Well done for maintaining this wk!

Well done for resisting the snacks yesterday Helen! And for your healthy menu!

Eltish I can really identify with the child-stress-related-eating (even though I only have 'one'!) Sounds as though you have your hands full! Glad you could get out tonight anyway; hope you had a good evening!

B was up at 7.30am, no time for breakfast, so ate ham and cucumber sandwich at 11.30
L small bowl of feta, raw cabbage, pearl barley salad concoction thing
S cod with parsley mash and carrot puree

Did have snack of smoked salmon sandwich somewhere around 5pm though but fortunately supper was light and resisted white wine!

Keep going everyone! Not looking forward to weighing in tomorrow.