4th CDCC Update--feeling groovy and relaxed...a quote about choice for food addicts...and asking for courtesy from challenge-mates should "life happens" happen...

Challenge dress now:
fits up to knees.

Haven't left the house in 2 days due to a ton of rain. The whole day yesterday was a stormfest. I like to read when it's rainy, and watch anime, so that's what I did. I must say, a few lazy days in a row are nice, but tomorrow, I'm back to moving.

Tanita-san, same as yesterday: 179.6

For the week, a loss of 0.8 lbs.

I suspect had dinner not involved Chinese egg drop soup and chicken chow mein, I might be a bit lower and meet a full pound loss for the week. My portions were discreet. I asked for minimal sauce in the chow mein, and they complied. BUT...Chinese places are sodium blasts. Yeah, yeah. I know. :) I had fruit for dessert to get potassium, which helped lots. Or I'd be super bloated.

In the last couple days, I saw lower numbers than today's, but, I am happy. For me, a week with a loss is a week to partay! In a new decade, too,  which is a psychological boost like ya wouldn't believe!

CHALLENGE UPDATE:

Fluids: a cinch
Calories: harder earlier part of week, easier latter. Appetite zen is back, though I had to fight like the mother to get back here.
Exercise: minimum met, then lazy days....which are restorative, so no guilt or regret at all. I seem to have reached a new level in Pilates, and even the instructor commented on that, which made me feel super. Two of the intermediate exercises felt downright EASY.
Books: Reading WILLPOWER! and parts of THE END OF OVEREATING for continued assistance.
Support: I've commented on several blogs, though by no means all. The minimum for the challenge is 3 blogs at least a week, and I've well surpassed this. Mood is GREAT. And for the record: STILL NOT QUITTING!!!

I was disappointed that one of the challengers just went silent. I hope it's not, like, a medical emergency or something grave.

Frankly, I'd rather it be laziness or binge-ing or shame or disinterest than a terrible family or personal event. Of course. I've had those and wouldn't wish them on anyone, even though life does this to us from time to time. I do hope LueLue is all right and her loved ones, too.

But when I create a challenge and say that I don't want folks to participate if they plan to quit, I mean it. Emergencies happen and all, but in the days of smartphones and such, how easy is it to send and email or post a bloggy comment to say, "Life interfered. Sorry, excuse me from the challenge." or "I can't update for a while, as my appendix came out,  but will be back updating as soon as life allows. Say hi to the crew." That's fine. These things occur.

Just courtesy, in my view, to communicate with a need for a break or to abstain altogether.

So, to my fellow challengers, should "life happen", just email me or post a comment tot he challenge blog or this blog to say you're out. Don't leave us hanging. Let us KNOW. Ya don't even have to explain the why, if it's too private or painful. Just do the simple courtesy of letting we, your fellow challengers, know you had to back out. Happens. But I would appreciate the courtesy of an "adios, thanks."

After reading some of the updates, I can see it's been a tough week for many. This too, happens. Few people have perfect dieting streaks. Setbacks occur. Regains can happen. It's the BIG picture , the long-term journey, that will see if you succeed or not. NOT QUITTING is the most important component of this. Bad week...fine. Move on. Have a good week. Hungry? Eat foods that decrease hunger. Binges? Get a book on eating disorders or overeating and work on it. Get counseling if you need it. Back away from sugar. Stay the hell out of fast food restaurants. Don't buy crap that triggers a binge. If you cannot eat JUST ONE SERVING...don't buy it. Period.

Here's a quote from WILLPOWER for food addicts:

If you continue addictive behaviour, start to choose it. Let yourself know that at least for now you are choosing the addiction--and that you can continue to do that for your whole life and never stop. Then, you begin with a sense of choice. Then, you can start to make the choices you really want to make. If you don't acknowledge choice first, you're still operating as if you're a captive slave with no will of your own.

Sometimes, I see posts like, "I binged and I was eating and didn't even know why."

I say, "Accept that you WANTED to eat that and you CHOSE to eat it and start from there." Accept responsibility. It was NOT out of your control. That's like saying, "Yeah, I cheated on my spouse, but it was beyond my control." No, it's not. We always choose to do things like this. It is steps. We have to buy the food. Hold it. Open it. Warm it. Chew it. Swallow it. That's totally IN OUR CONTROL. No one is OUT of control completely. We can be partially out of it cause the brain can set us up in a habit pathway, a desire loop, and that's hard to resist. BUT..in the end, we have will. We CAN resist.

You and I just don't always CHOOSE to resist.

If you can't stay in control at buffets or fast food drive-thrus, choose NOT to go to buffet restaurants and drive-thrus. Simply choose not to.

Would you walk in sexy lingerie down a dark alley known to harbor rapists? No?

Well, then why the hell do you go to a place that you know leads to your self-destruction? Stop making stupid decisions like that. CHOOSE SAFETY when it comes to where you eat!!! You make that choice. No one else.

You can excuse yourself when others go to junk food places, if you think you can't stick to the safer foods. You can make a suggestion to go to a safer eatery. Be assertive and choose your health.

AND....fundamentally...basically...absolutely....Accept that you choose to overeat when you do, and it's the first step to figuring out how to stop when you want to. To exercise will, you must realize the choice is always yours..and mine.

Whatever setback you had, it's done. Another week is here. Another day to make progress. Another HOUR to realize your dreams. Learn from the bad. Focus on the good. Keep going...going...going forward. You are the only one who can make it happen.

It's hard. It's worth it.LET'S ALL OF US GET A MOVE ON!

I pray a blessing over you all. May grace be upon us.

And may we be very well, indeed, this week...