The No S Diet [title edited by MNHQ]

[Asuitablemum]

I've decided that I finally need to commit to losing my baby weight. I have 2 stone (ideally more to lose). But will just take it half a stone at a time. I am not really into crazy diets. So I've gone for the 's' diet which is basically eat sensibly diet! No snacks, seconds or 'sweets' (includes cakes etc ) except on days beginning with s (weekends and special days). So three meals a day basically. Does anyone want to join me or be my supporter? I lost 1.5 lb the first week, but then gained 0.3. Next weigh in is Monday and today I was 2.5lb lighter so I'm hoping I will have lost something. I am piling up a bit on the meals but figure that I need that to stick to it at the moment. Hopefully as I adjust I can make the meals smaller/healthier too. Looking forward to the weekend for a pudding and some wine!

I was wondering about switching those days as well but it could indeed be a slippery slope.

Welcome eltsih and Champagne! eltsih its good to know that NoS has worked for you before. I'm sure you'll pick it up again quickly.
Well done glum and Ariston. The first few days are the hardest, I know we keep saying it but it really does get easier. It feels like a natural way of eating now.

Stumbly I hate to say it but this is a slow weight loss plan. It is more about addressing your relationship with food especially at first. To give you an idea I have been following it for 3 months and have lost 8 pounds. But I know that losing it this way means I am forming habits I can stick with for life, hopefully!
Lessthanballpark there is a regular poster on the NoS forum called Merry who has her S days on a Friday and a Sunday as this works for her. I know you are not encouraged to swap on an ad hoc basis, if you mess up one day you just mark it as a fail and move on. But if you want to do a permanent swap I think that would be fine.
(Disclaimer I am only going by the book and the forum, I am no expert!)

Thanks....I definitely think the diet is of interest for me but perhaps I need something else for the next six months and then switch to no S to lose whatever I have left and maintain for life.

I'm 18 stone so definitely want to lose more than 16lbs before I get married; if it wasn't for the wedding I'd definitely do this though as it would help with my binge eating.

Good luck stumbly and I hope you have a wonderful wedding, we may see you back here some time in the future!

Anyone mind if I list what's on my three plates every day ?
I've decided to stick to three plates and no snacks on S days as its the eating behaviour I'm trying to sort out.
Those plates on S days will most likely contain sugar !

Anyway.
Porridge and melon

2 quorn fillets , roast potatoes, cabbage , gravy and a bread roll.

Chicken stew , chips , a chunk of Brie and a small slice of bread.

Not much danger of me going to sleep hungry tonight !

This is day 3 for me.

I hate to say it but this is a slow weight loss plan. It is more about addressing your relationship with food especially at first. To give you an idea I have been following it for 3 months and have lost 8 pounds.

Posie, I would be delighted to lose 8 pounds in 3 months. Well done. Fingers crossed it works as well for the rest of us as it does for you. I don't see any point in rapid weight loss. It always goes on again - plus some.

Thanks Posie and yes I imagine it is quite slow but it is better IMO to choose something that you can sustain for the rest of your life.

I tried the Low Carb High Fat and whilst I lost quite a bit it was so hard to sustain. So this is going to be more of a moderate carb high fat with some treats thrown in at the weekend so I don't go bonkers at the thought of a life without dessert!

Good luck everyone.

The time of me starting this diet was a bad one: Serious PMS time! UGH. Well no choc or other S stuff eaten so far, only meals. Whew.

This is making me appreciate the food I actually eat so much more already.
It's not just mindless munching all the time.

Champagne - I'm with you there - except it's period pain for me!

I'm feeling quite good apart from that - clear and positive. I am doing dj too, and I think doing that and no s together is a good combination.

The one thing I can't shake is a feeling of not quite knowing what to do with myself - or that something is missing. That is my snacking habit calling out to me!

PMS and period pain sucks! I'm glad to finally be able to go through this without overeating and feeling worse.

Yes Glum, like something is missing and it is - kind of like a sudden increase in extra time...

Caking thank you I am coming round to that way of thinking although at first I wondered if I would lose any weight at all! But as you say, better to lose it slowly and keep it off, that's always been my nemesis! Maintenance has always been impossible for me, I am very hopeful that this time I will learn habits that I can truly stick with for life.
Well done everyone it sounds as if you are all staying strong! One more day then an S weekend!

Thank god. Dh left a bag of fruit pastels on the dining table, and I'm all tired and a bit dizzy. Roll on Saturday!

I have attached my weight graph for the last 2 years I started no s'ing in October 15 and stopped being as strict in may 2016. I am excited to get refocused again as I think I need it as my weight is starting to creep up again

I found today a bit hard as there are still Christmas chocolates in the staff room at work. But here's for a better day tomorrow

wow eltsihT that's impressive and inspiring. Keep going because you obviously worked so hard last year!

Wow, Thistle!

Glum, what's dj?

Hi all. I've had today

Porridge dates banana and cream
Toast bacon eggs beans and fried onions

Not sure what my third plate will be as I didn't have lunch til 4:30.

I'm finding I'm less fixed on food recently which is nice.

Cheddar - dj is dry January - no booze all month. Quite a challenge for me as I like a drink or three. I did it last year, so I know what I'm in for this time. Also dh is doing it with me, which makes it a bit easier.

eltsihT - that graph is very encouaraging!

I would like to lose between 8lbs and a stone - basically to shift the muffin top that has been sitting there for years now. It has really clicked with me recently how snacking is my main issue. I don't seem to be able to stop once I start, so it's going to be best for me in the long run to stop it altogether. A bit of a light bulb moment.

3rd day completed have to say it's not been too hard yet but I've not been anywhere to be tempted. I'm really looking forward to treats at the weekend though! eltsihT the weight loss graph of yours is inspiring. It's great to see how effective No S can be.

panic, I know what you mean. It's easier when you can control your environment and make sure no snacks are in view but when I go back to work on Monday, with all the free chocolate in the staffroom, that'll be the test

I may need to post for back up then!

eltsihT thanks for posting your weight loss graph. That's really encouraging. I've done three days now and not found it too bad. Have been having quite big plates though. Working at home again today and just had a 2 egg cheese omelette with a big slice of toast and butter and two fried tomatoes. I've been having lunch much later than usual this usual - about 2 or 3 - probably because my breakfasts are bigger than usual. So that's cut down the urge to snack before dinner. Not sure I will lose weight. Hope so.

lessthan you should post for back up if needed and a good week at home will hopefully spur you on to stick to it at work.

I've done 3 days with 3 big plates including bread and cheese. My expectations for weight loss this week aren't high. I plan to weigh every Monday, but I do get obsessed with the scales on diets, so weighed this morning and I've lost 5lbs I'm very happy with this. It's changing my attitude towards this weekend though, as I had lined up some sweet treats which I now feel will undo my efforts. I think I'll still have the treats and if my weight loss is still 5 by Monday that's ok if it's less then I'll probably feel disappointed. I'll try to keep away from the scales in between weigh ins from now on.

panic regarding your S days sabotaging your weight loss, this was something I worried about at first, and when I asked about it on the NoS forum the advice was to most definitely go ahead and enjoy my S days and try not to focus on the number on the scales. This is really important in the early days because firstly your main focus is getting the habits ingrained, which may take some time, and secondly S days are a crucial safety valve when you are just getting used to eating this way. If you try and rein it in at the weekends you could be at risk of blowing it in the week and giving up. Over time you'll find things settle down but bear in mind that Reinhard says 1/2lb weight loss a week is realistic for this diet.
Not meaning to lecture you but don't want you to feel dispondent when you're doing so well!

Thanks Posie you're right about the importance being on forming good habits rather than the scales. It's all about changing my mindset. I've done various diets in the past with reasonable successes but at some point the diet ends and I gain the weight back over time. With this, it is learning how slim people eat. I noticed another thread on here asking what people eat who are a size 12 or below and the majority who answered said 3 meals without snacks. So this has to be the right plan? I'm aware that I am an enthusiastic beginner right now, but I want this commitment to last longer than I've managed before. I hope the simpleness of this plan helps with sticking to it long term.

Panic I completely agree and feel the same as you 3 months down the line. The simplicity of it is such a relief, on every single diet I have ever followed (and there have been a lot!) there have always been snacks. Never before has anyone said to me, just stop snacking! Its so obvious when you start doing it. So glad I finally discovered this way of eating