Everyday Systems: nosdiet: message 1527 of 3212

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Hi Reinhard,

>Set your goals to the nearest possible milestone so as not to feel=20
>overwhelmed. Don't worry about years and months or even weeks, that'll 
jus=
t=20
>make you despair. You have the strength to make it to the next meal. 
Stay=
=20
>focused on that and soon meals will become days, days weeks.

Okay. I'll consider just making it to the next meal my goal for each day.

>>It's the people with the *least* willpower and self-discipline who 
benefi=
t=20
>>most from this system: because they get some. Yes, it's hard. But there 
i=
s=20
>>no easy. Hard makes easy.

I agree. My way of dealing with the =91hard=92 things in life has been to 
=
avoid=20
them. As a result, I=92ve developed a pretty undisciplined lifestyle that 
=
has=20
hurt me in the long run. I am very concerned about it because I am passing=
=20
on bad habits to my 10-year-old daughter. And because time is slipping 
awa=
y=20
=96 I don=92t want to look up 10 years from now and still have all of the 
s=
ame=20
bad habits. So NoS is my opportunity to learn how doing the hard thing 
now=
=20
makes life easier later.

>>make your meals sufficiently large so you don't get that hungry. 
If=20
>>they're a little excessively large to begin with, don't sweat it, 
that's=
=20
>>much better than the alternative.

Yes, I=92ve already figured this one out. Conventional =91dieting=92 wisdo=
m says=20
to do the opposite =96 but I see where =91conventional dieting wisdom=92 
ha=
s=20
gotten me (fatter). I think most of the strategies of conventional diets=20
exacerbate the food obsession instead of alleviating it.


>>Drink before you get hungry. Thirst is often confused for hunger. 
People=
=20
>>have posted a lot of
helpful finesses on this theme, have a look through the archive.

I=92ve heard this one before. I=92ll take a look through the archive.

>>Do what Lee did: post to the group every day while you're struggling.=20
>>You'll care more if you know there are a few hundred people reading 
about=
=20
>>it. Your private little slip ups will become front page news, so to 
speak=
.

Okay. It goes against my nature to ask for help or publicize my slip-ups. 
=
=20
I guess I=92m no different from many people in that respect. I think I=92v=
e=20
posted more to NoS than to any other group I belong to =96 I=92m mostly 
a=20
lurker. But I believe in the NoS approach enough that I am willing to shak=
e=20
up the status quo.

>>If that sounds too awful for you, keep a calendar. Slash out every=20
>>successful S day. Every day you make will make you care more about 
not=20
>>breaking your streak. Don't let yourself think for a moment that 
you're=20
>>not officially on this.

I don't think posting will be too awful; but I think I=92ll keep a calendar=
=20
anyway. It'll help to 'see' daily progress.

It=92s so easy to tell myself I don't HAVE to stick to the rules because 
I=
=92m=20
not =91officially on this.=94 To tell myself I'm just testing it, just 
try=
ing=20
it out, so it doesn't really matter whether I actually do it or not. In 
th=
e=20
past, I would have long since given up. But I really feel there is=20
something to this NoS =96 so I=92m sticking with it.

>>Hope something here helps.

Reinhard, Lee, Deb, and N =96 all of you have really helped me and I=20
appreciate it very much.

Valerie



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