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[Tayster]

Thanks for the response, goblyn.  I may try to NC while drinking a protein drink and see if it works better.  Maybe that's the way I can get the extra flavorless calories.

I'll keep practicing, though.  I really want NC to work.  I admit, it would be hard for me to NC a food I really like.  More power to those of you that can do it.

[Heidi 555]

Okay, so I bought a pair of nose clips at my fitness center and I tried to eat my lunch with them yesterday and thought I was going to die.  My ears kept plugging up, and if my mom was there, she would've smacked me for eating with my mouth open, but it's the only way I could breathe as I ate.

Any tips?

Tayster, there definitely is a learning curve with nose clipping.  To a certain degree it does get easier so it's worth practicing with small snacks.  Some people find nose clipping liquids to be easier than solids.  For me, solids were easier.

Some foods are still incredibly satisfying even though they're nose clipped.  I always flow with my mood.  If I really want to taste something, then I don't clip.  Sometimes flavor is important, but often it's not.  For me satisfaction is really important.  I try to make sure that I feel satisfied at the end of each meal.  This makes long term SLD/nose clipping sustainable.  If I feel hungry, unsatisfied, or deprived then it leads to cravings, guilty eating, and failure. 

[Heidi 555]

These past two months or so, it seemed like nose clipping wasn’t working for me as well as it use to.  I kind of wondered that when I gained the weight while on vacation.  Even though I continued to nose clip 50% of my calories, it didn’t protect me from gaining.  Then since I came home and went back to nose clipping a higher percentage of my food, my weight has remained about 3 pounds higher than I’d like it to be.  Perhaps I just haven’t been patient enough, but there is a feeling like my body has acclimated to all the flavorless calories and AS just isn’t that strong.  I was thinking that I needed to do something more to get back to my goal weight.  I’ve been mulling over different ideas of what to do but up until yesterday nothing felt quite right.

I’ve been inspired by Todd’s deconditioning experiments that he and others have been doing.  I’d been mulling over some of his deconditioning diet ideas and wondering which ones I should try, when a light bulb went off in my head.  I’d already tried a fantastic deconditioning experiment that Tim Beneke had suggested and it had worked amazingly well for me.  However, at the time I experimented with it I didn’t really need it, as nose clipping by itself was strong enough.  So I’m reviving my old thread on Enlightened Tasting and will post my results there. 

(Here's my recent post on that thread: http://boards.sethroberts.net/index.php?topic=5932.msg97862#msg97862  The first post on that thread has Tim Beneke's explanation of Enlightened Tasting: http://boards.sethroberts.net/index.php?topic=5932.0 ) 

My initial results have gone amazingly well and I feel as though this is the right path for me.  However, I’m trying to keep my enthusiasm in check, as I know it’s the long term persistence and results that really count. 

I also have to add that this is an excellent reminder for me that it’s always a good idea to return to what works best for each person as an individual.  I’ve seen this time and time again on this forum.  People have great success when they return to and stick with what has worked for them in the past.  Next time when I’m feeling stuck, I’m going to reread my old posts and compile everything that has worked for me.  Xtine and others have done this and learned a lot from it.   

[nougat]

hello heidi!!

good luck with your new tactics!!

[lyra]

Hi everyone..
I'm a newbie. I own Seth's book since 2007 but never tried the SLD cause was already doing Atkins and South Beach. I lost alot of weight and reached my goal in 2008.

2 years later..after some episodes of anxiety and depression..I gain 20lbs.
So here I am, trying the SLD seriously. I'm on day 3 now. AS was gradual. Today..I only had enoki mushroom soup for dinner because i'm so nauseous my appetite is drastically low.

I tried the sugar water method, then oil also this morning I put a ducktape on my nose when I eat breakfast. My nose clips are not arriving yet..I ordered them and they might be here next week. In the mean time I use the ducktape.

Will report my progress as I go along.

Lyra

[Heidi 555]

Thanks nougat!  As you've probably seen things are going exceptionally well with my new experiments.  I've been posting updates on the enlightened tasting thread.  What a relief after feeling stuck for 2.5 months.  You have been really patient with your weight loss.  I don't know how you do it.

A warm welcome to you lyra.  How is the duct tape working?  I tried clear tape once as someone suggested it, but the tape was fumy.

Wishing you much success on your SLD journey.

[Heidi 555]

So my enlightened tasting experiments led to my developing a new dietary approach.
The Non-Addictive Food Diet:
http://boards.sethroberts.net/index.php?topic=7603.0

I effortlessly dropped the extra 3+ pounds and am back at my goal weight.  Although I am once again thrilled with my body and weight, I decided to lose a few more pounds for a number of reasons.  I'd like to give myself more of a buffer.  I'd like to see if I can lose all of my cellulite.  It's easy for me to lose more weight right now, while before it would have taken enormous effort to go lower.  I'd like to wear a bikini and other summer clothes without any hesitation.  I asked my husband and a close friend to let me know if they thought I was getting too thin.  My husband thinks that I'll look even better if I lose more weight, but he is really respectful of my feelings and decisions. 

After I lose a few more pounds, I'm thinking that I might try to gradually let go of nose clipping.  I'd like to see if I can heal my eating addictions enough so that I can let go of the tools that I'm using to get there.  I'd like to experiment with tools and methods that lead to eliminating addiction and not just muting it.  This is a big long term project.  I'm just going to take things step by step and see how it goes.  I don't mind nose clipping.  But for the first time I see the potential for complete freedom and healing with food and eating.  It's like a door has appeared that is cracked open.  I'm going to try to walk through it. 

[lyra]

A warm welcome to you lyra.  How is the duct tape working?  I tried clear tape once as someone suggested it, but the tape was fumy.
Wishing you much success on your SLD journey.

Thank you for the warm welcome. The nose clips already arrive. They feel so comfortable to use. No duck taping anymore!

Anyways I am back again as I experienced some personal problems causing me to get depressed & fell off the SLD wagon.
Now i am back & inspired.

[lyra]

sorry for ranting..

But i can't stand using noseclips for a long time while eating bcause i feel so uncomfortable "gasping" for air
Anyone had the same experience too? This time I will try eating smaller portions to cut eating time..

Last time I was using noseclips I had grilled chicken and a soup with a bit of rice it was so uncomfortable I was gasping.
Will experiment with smaller portions and report here.

[karky]

I can't use noseclips to eat because of the feeling I am suffocating.
However, using them to drink a smoothie is no problem, and I drink kefir mixed with oil this way

[lyra]

I can't use noseclips to eat because of the feeling I am suffocating.
However, using them to drink a smoothie is no problem, and I drink kefir mixed with oil this way

Same here Karky
I'm trying with smaller portions/snacks it seems less suffocating..more comfortable
I'm back on the wagon again..day 2 now..the ELOO gave me good AS

[Heidi 555]

I just posted an update on my non-addictive food diet thread.  I thought I'd post the update about my weight here as well:

Also I feel a little bad writing this, but I haven’t been completely happy with my weight.  I’ve been maintaining my goal weight of 120 pounds but my body composition is slightly more fat and less muscle than it was last year.  I haven’t been exercising as much as I use to.  And I didn’t exercise at all for a few months due to exhaustion from what turned out to be the parasites.  Also, I’ve been bloated all the time lately.  It might be from the heat (it has been a hot summer) but I think it’s mostly hormonal. 

I was thrilled with my body and weight for an entire year.  I would love to get back to feeling that way again.  But I want to continue the non-addictive diet experiment without any pressure to lose more weight.  Also, right now I’m enjoying exercising purely for pleasure, not because I have to achieve some goal.  I’m not inspired to push myself to exercise more. 

It’s interesting how easily we forget.  Even though I spent almost all of my adult life being 15-30 pounds heavier than I am now, I honestly can not remember what that is like.  A new standard has been established, and now once again I’m not fully happy with my weight.  But overall things are good enough. 

I also started working on some emotional/spiritual conditioning.  I’m trying to condition myself to surrender more and not overreact to things.  It’s been an interesting process so far.  Perhaps I’ll write more about it when I have more time.

[Heidi 555]

Well, I unfortunately had the opposite of a woosh.  Do we have a name for that?  A womp or a whack???   I’d been feeling bloated and as though I’d gained weight for awhile.  However, my scale weight first thing in the morning remained faithfully the same.  But then all of a sudden (post Tom no less) the scale jumped up 3 - 4 pounds!  Usually bloat gives way to weight loss after TOM, so it was a real shock.  Also, I was eating a lot less than normal, making the weight gain a double shock.  I seriously thought that my scale had broken, but unfortunately my tight fitting clothes confirmed the numbers on the scale.  It’s definitely depressing (and seems so unfair) to be eating perfectly (not consuming any sugar or grains, or overeating in any way) and then to gain weight instead of losing it. 

I think what’s happened is that I no longer have a lot of intestinal worms consuming a lot of calories.  (See this post if you want to learn about my worm saga: http://boards.sethroberts.net/index.php?topic=7603.msg98750#msg98750 ) I’ve done three rounds of deworming and think I could probably use one more.  I’ll spare you the gross and graphic details, but lets just say that I’ve been eating for A LOT more than one, for probably a long time now.  It's intense that I had so many worms and had no idea about it.  Also, chances are likely that perimenopausal hormone fluctuations might be contributing to weight gain as well.

Anyhow, I’m eating less than half of what I use to eat, and am feeling daunted by the idea that I might not be able to eat normal amounts of food anymore.  So I’ve removed myself from maintenance mode once again, and have returned to nose clipping as much as I can.  I realized that gaining back all the weight that I lost would be really devastating to me.  So I’m going to do everything I can to prevent that from happening.  Even if it means not eating very much for awhile.  I’m also going to try to increase my levels of exercise.  I’m thinking that short bursts of exercise throughout the day might help to increase my metabolism. 

I realize that I’m facing psychological hurdles.  AS is good, so it’s not physically that hard to be eating less.  I think that the challenge is mostly mental, emotional, and social.  It’s very hard socially to not be able to eat much.  Plus, I never wanted to become one of those people who hardly ate anything.  Well, I now get to face and deal with that fear.

The enlightened tasting experimentation continues to go well.  I’ve been making regular and noticeable progress.  It doesn’t make sense to me that it would be causing or contributing to weight gain.  But I have mulled over the possibility.  I’m hoping that the combo of enlightened tasting and nose clipping will help lower my set point and bring my weight down once again. 

I had one trouble free year of maintenance.  But this second year of maintenance has been so much more difficult than losing the weight to begin with.  I never thought that maintenance would be even harder than weight loss itself.  I still am confident that I’m making good decisions and moving in a good direction.  I feel like my addiction to carbs has lessened dramatically.  It’s an incredible relief to no longer be craving so many foods that I was seriously addicted to.  Hopefully, down the road this will all pay off.  But it sure is a rocky path right now.

[TalkingRat]

Heidi, at least it's good news that you have AS.  And since you've been eating wisely, it makes me think the reason is nutritional -- thinking of Jon Gabriel's book, that your fat switch is on to protect you against nutritional starvation.  You've been through considerable emotional and physical distress, discovering those invaders, being exposed to their toxicity, robbed of nutrition, and repeatedly enduring the toxicity and physical stress of de-worming, and still they persist!  It has to be frustrating, and it seems a good reason for your body to protect you by holding onto every calorie.   Rather than eating less, I'd say restoring full nutrition is the first priority.  And perhaps some visualization that you are safe and getting healthy again, and winning the battle.  Then hopefully when you get back to weight loss, it can be as easy as it was last time.  Maybe it's time to ask the doc about a different treatment, and what you can do to quickly restore nutrition and gut function? 

[Sanchiaza]

Hi Heidi

Thanks for this post - I can totally relate to the psychological hurdles around food and eating. You were also my inspiration to buy myself some noseclips and noseclipping is working well for me, in addition to oil.

Hang in there! Good AS means that half of the battle is won - it gives you time to recognise and explore your cravings and feelings as communications from your body about whatever. The body is fully streets ahead of the conscious mind when it comes to realising and recognising things and I firmly believe that it does this through food cravings and eating behaviour.

I agree with TR and, I want to add, Are you actually eating enough? Sounds like ol' Famine Brain is alive and clamouring!