Sunday, June 3, 2018

Day 40 - The Unofficial End

Day 40!!!  I have bitter sweet feelings about Day 40 this year - let me tell you why.  Sure, it's great to have another SDC officially in the books but I did state earlier in the middle of the challenge that I would be extending the Survivor Diet by one week this year because of the trip that I took to Florida.  However, the trip to Florida was mostly a Survivor Diet supported excursion.  With the exception of a few minor things here and there, I was Survivor Diet all the way when I was away.  Not to mention some of the delicious fish and lobster that I brought back with me from that adventure.  I would not feel guilty at all ending the challenge after today.  But I also feel like I should stick to my word and trek on for another week.


To be quite honest, I have found that the closing week or two of every Survivor Diet has been much, much easier than the first couple of weeks.  I am in a rhythm and my body is mostly detoxified and I have been figuring this whole thing out for several weeks now.  I'm used to eating moderate amounts of food, drinking mostly water and avoiding most sweets and preservative-rich foods.  After 40 days it is not a difficult task to continue on with this lifestyle change.

The difficult, if not impossible, task that lies ahead is the creation and implementation of a complimentary exercise program.  Now this I have tried in the past.  Many times in fact.  I finally get to a good weight and presumably healthy lifestyle through the 40 days of surviving, but then I have a  tough time sticking to some type of work out routine.

Will this year be more of the same?  I hope not.  Today is not the day for me to make this commitment.  However, during the next week of what I am going to call the Survivor Diet Extension, I am going to be thinking long and hard about some type of post-diet work out program that will work out for me.

I am a unique individual and I don't typically respond well to traditional means of exercise - like a gym or, well exactly a gym!  I don't like gyms.  There, I said it.  I was always good at gym class in school and I really loved it.  So why is it that I can't seem to get into the adult version of a gym?  I think what I loved about gym class was the fact that it was a scheduled time on a regular basis and it was filled with my peers.  There was a teacher who made it structured and had a plan for the day - so I didn't have to think about what I had to do.  Just show up and do it.  And the 'show up' part was already in the script because I was already at school and it wasn't like I was allowed to go anywhere else.  Hmm, food for thought.

Most of my recreational exercise as an adult has come from team sports like football, softball, soccer, etc.  These team activities are dependent on everyone showing up.  Without enough members of a team, the game can't be played.  So in a way, I am committing to my team and they are counting on me to show up - for only then can the game be played.

When it comes to individuals working out in the interest of self improvement, there is no team.  If you don't show up, it only hurts you.  If you give up, it's only your loss.

Assignment: During the following week, figure out a way to incorporate an individual wellness program within a team-dependent environment.  Create something that will be difficult to quit because other people will be depending on you to show up.

Ok - enough on that for now.  I am going to celebrate the fact that I have unofficially completed another meaningful Survivor Diet Challenge!  There is really no president for an SDC extension so the plan is to continue along as usual with all previous Weekly Rewards in effect.  In fact, because of a guilty conscience I have actually not been taking my rewards that have been due to me.  (See the link above for more details on the Weekly Rewards)  Essentially, I have given up rewards because of my 'Special Occasion Reward' clause that basically says I may participate in a special occasion meal but give up a weekly reward in return.

Starting tomorrow it's like hitting the reset button.  I will continue this Survivor Diet but I'm going to do it with the inclusion of butter, spices, occasional eggs, Survivor Worthy food that would otherwise be tossed in the trash and an occasional celebratory dinner out - as long as the food is mostly Survivor Worthy.  There you have it.

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