Everyday Systems: nosdiet: message 1164 of 3212

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Thanks to everyone for their encouragement on my big starting day.
Reinhard, you have a very friendly and helpful group here (as I'm sure 
you
know)!



From: "Alison PB" <alisonpb@...>
(By the by, I'm also on the Low Carb UK list and saw your reference to 
this
site there - thanks!)

Oh--ahem--you're welcome! I was wondering if anyone from there would see 
me
here. =) I'm sort of "going over to other side" but it was time to 
admit
that what I was doing (or not able to stick to) wasn't working. I hope 
my
posts on these two lists don't appear too contradictory or hypocritical! 
At
least low-carbing has given me some healthier food preferences, but I just
can't keep to the really low levels that seem necessary for progress.



From: "Kate Ann" <kateann@...>
My question is....about eating in the car.....what kind of car do you have
that has a refrigerator and stove so that you can fix food and eat during 
a
30 minute drive? LOL



Very funny! =P As I'm sure you could guess, there was a bag of potato
chips in the back seat, and the car has a predilection for turning into
drive-through's. Thanks for your ideas. I love accomplishing two things 
at
once, so I will try combining (isotonic?) exercise and breathing with
driving...when I can spare time from drinking water, making phone calls, 
and
cleaning out my purse. ;-) (No, I'm not really that scary on the road.)



From: Reinhard Engels <beautiful_idiot@...>
(Re: taking S's one at a time...)
Sorry it didn't work. It was an intriguing idea.

I had trouble figuring out why I gave up the idea, but I think it's because
during the past weeks when I was paying more attention to my habits, I
realized (subconsciously until now) that my "bad" snacks are always 
sweets.
Since I was LC-ing, I tended often to go find a piece of cheese or some
nuts, but I would mainly do that if I was really hungry. When I was bored
or annoyed or avoiding work (!), I'd want a comforting cup of tea or coffee,
and something sweet with it. I've always been a cookie monster, and though
I've trained myself to be content with only 1, 2 or 3 (if small), it would
be better to have none, or one after a meal. The trouble is, I enjoy sweets
much more between meals, with a hot drink. I don't care about dessert after
a meal. And I don't like sugar in tea or coffee--I want the sweet on the
side.



I haven't quite resolved this cup of tea problem. I love tea, but I don't
really enjoy it by itself. I think I'm learning, though. For one thing, 
it
needs to be really GOOD tea, and then I can appreciate the flavor alone.
Well, anyway, it might just come down to whether I'm more determined to
satisfy my taste buds or to fit into my clothes. =) Only I can decide
that.



Thanks for your other insights into hungry/full and mealtimes. I have known
for a long time exactly what started my snacking and weight problem. When 
I
was a kid, coming home from school was the time to drop the books, change
clothes, get comfortable, and HAVE A SNACK. As I recall, I was rarely
hungry, but it always sounded like a good idea--a sort of reward after 
a
long day. My mother, excellent in every respect--cooking healthy, not
allowing junk or sodas, etc.--may have steered me a bit wrong here. She
would ask us, "Would you like a snack?" to be nice, I'm sure, and maybe 
9
kids out of 10 could handle after-school snacks without having a weight
problem later, but if I ever have children, the question will be different.
Perhaps, "How about a glass of water?" =P



Well, I started typing this days ago but was too busy to finish, and now 
I'm
a week and a half into the project. I'm doing so-so. I have avoided
outright snacking, have no potato chips stashed in the car, and have been
more hungry at proper mealtimes, but as I might have expected, skipping 
the
small sweets has been more difficult. I started well but began making
exceptions after about 5 days. So maybe I am taking the S's one at a time
after all! I don't have a very "absolute" personality--I am generally 
nice
to other people and constantly making allowances for them, and I am "nice"
to myself as well: "Yes, dear, I suppose you can have a small
something--you've eaten moderately all day. One little treat won't hurt."
I'd rather have two chocolates every day than a hot fudge sundae on the
weekend! It's a continuous learning process but I do think I'm making
progress.



I was thinking that the oft-used joke "No thyself" is a very 
appropriate
saying for this plan, and considering how much we learn about ourselves
while trying to change our habits, it would be equally appropriate to use
the original, "Know thyself"!



Thanks again for the input and other people's progress reports. I'll be
back with a final wrap-up in 10 days!



Diane


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