I am not one to enjoy labels. I don't like them on my food and I don't like them on my personality. But our nature as critical thinkers tends to funnel our thought processes down this road. Sometimes those labels can be useful. An observant person thinks, "Every time one of the animals eats that red berry, they get sick. Therefore, I should avoid those red berries, just in case." May be sound reasoning or may just be the fact that animals can't eat them, but humans can. No real harm in that reasoning. Then, there is the Monty Python and the Holy Grail sort of reasoning:
BEDEVERE: What also floats in water?
VILLAGER #1: Bread!
VILLAGER #2: Apples!
VILLAGER #3: Very small rocks!
VILLAGER #1: Cider!
VILLAGER #2: Great gravy!
VILLAGER #1: Cherries!
VILLAGER #2: Mud!
VILLAGER #3: Churches -- churches!
VILLAGER #2: Lead -- lead!
ARTHUR: A duck.
CROWD: Oooh.
BEDEVERE: Exactly! So, logically...,
VILLAGER #1: If... she.. weighs the same as a duck, she's made of wood.
BEDEVERE: And therefore--?
VILLAGER #1: A witch!
So, one thing is labeled "potentially problematic" and another "a witch" via our thought processes. I am not here to discuss the scientific method, nor do I care about logic, per se. I would like to briefly (who said "Amen"?) talk about your head and my head in all this. Your head isn't just the place where food is inserted (or, in many of our cases, poured), it is where the idea for everything was hatched in the first place. You, perhaps, were told about "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead" by someone? Maybe you stumbled upon it via serendipitous circumstances? Regardless, it planted a seed in your head. That seed shot out shoots and roots. Some may have been, "That is the stupidest thing I've ever seen!" Some could have been, "What a film. I am motivated to change my life just like him!" Other things may have gone in between. I'll wager that another batch of roots were, "I wish I had the discipline to do that!" Or, "I could do that too!" Then out went the vines that created myriad scenarios and plans. On that vine could have been those prickly barbs known as "What if?" In the end, you are here and you are reading this and you are probably doing something (other than falling asleep). That means your roots are in good soil. That means you've already won. It doesn't matter if you stop earlier than you wanted. What matters is you tried. Failing only comes from trying. That means you can try, you will try and you'll likely try again.
Regarding "labels"... I am an introvert. That means I attend to the internal part of my life more than the external. It doesn't mean I'm shy (I'm not) and it doesn't mean I don't like people (I do). It means I gain energy from that internal and personal space more than the external and public space. I can work a room like a Borscht Belt comedian, but it takes energy. Related to that is an introvert's thought process. Introverts like to think things through, research and then think some more. An extrovert may ask one or more people their opinion on something. They like the give and take and they like the human interaction. An extrovert might even just walk up to a bunch of people and say, "I'm going on a juice fast for 90 days!" The extrovert may not have even thought it through, but out it came. Now, this doesn't mean the extrovert is wrong. Not at all. Some would say that sort of thinking is good, in a way, because it puts your feet to the fire. You already put up, now shut up and do it. Me, when the words "I am going on a juice and smoothie fast" came out of my mouth, it was already a done deal. In reality, those words didn't come out of my mouth. The words don't matter to me. What matters is I decided. I worked it out in my head. I "discussed" it with myself, as it were. I've water fasted in the past, so I knew I could do it. I already have a Vita-mix and a Champion juicer. This wasn't a test of will. This was me being reminded of what needed to be done. I'm no stronger-willed than any of you. Some of you might be struggling. That is alright. Maybe, like an extrovert, you need to keep working through it "out loud." I can't tell you the right thing to do. I can tell you that regardless of the activity (stopping smoking, starting exercising, begin night school, etc.) you can't do it until you decide to do it. And by "decide" I mean mentally understand the cost and then go do it. You come to a place of rest with the idea. That is hard. The tough part of going to the gym isn't the workout, it is getting off the couch. The hard part about this Reboot is, likely, moving past the donuts on the counter each day and moving toward the juice. Today was my fourth day. It was a piece of cake. It was a piece of cake not eaten. The day was easy, but those few fleeting seconds of mental arguing, they were tough. What are a few seconds of decision in the scope of a whole day?
If you are struggling, ask yourself, "Would anyone looking at me know I am struggling?" The struggle is in your mind. The moment you realize you have control of that process and can simply say, "no, thank you", then you'll have discovered one of the many side-benefits of the Reboot. Once you start to see results, it takes on momentum and gets easier. When you realize you can do this (and you CAN), then you'll realize that you can do anything. Heck, you are fighting eons of evolution. You are awesome!
Now, I am not talking about physical issues with a Reboot. If you are following the program as outlined, you know that it is best to do it in conjunction with a doctor. Blood sugar, pre-existing conditions, medications, etc are not mental issues. Those are actual difficulties that should be addressed as difficulties, not pushed aside in a moment of machismo. But you all know the moments I mean. If I can make through day four, so can you. I know I can make it to day five because some of you already have. We are proof that we can all do this.
Apart from the above tripe, there is nothing of consequence to report other than I have to go to the store to buy more fruit and veggies. That is a good problem. I am still going down in weight and I am wondering if I should up my calories a bit? I'm not worried, but a tiny bit concerned. I'm hoping a lot of it is just water loss from no chips and salt. I'll keep a close eye on my body and see.
Resolve, my friends.
Progress:
 |
| I am 5% through the 60 days. |
Weight: 163.7 lbs.
Food: Fruit/Veg smoothie with Hemp Seed
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