asy's thoughts on Deviation...

[asy]

OK...

My turn now Wink

Apologies in advance to anyone I offend.

Recently I've been reading lots of people's deviation comments and excuses. (Seems recently there have been many more than 'usual')

There's one thing you guys need to understand about this programme. It's a little like being pregnant, you either ARE or you AREN'T, there's absolutely NO half way.

What ARE you guys doing to yourselves? There's NO wonder you're finding the programme difficult, it's almost as if some are looking for excuses to deviate so you can post about it. Sort of a Munchausen's of dieting???

Don't misunderstand. I know we're here for support, but, this whole deviation plague is going overboard. Since the Deviators Confession thread was closed down, it seems a whole pack of people have moved over to another thread with the same constant wailing and gnashing of teeth.

The idea of that thread was to beat records of NOT DEVIATING, not to continually make excuses for why you did. There are some who are following it, which is great, but some are seriously searching for ways to sabotage themselves. For example those who had to wait to start the challenge because they "just had to wait until after *insert excuse here*"

My suggestion is to give your BODY a chance to heal, stick to the programme 100% and stop yo-yoing. It IS possible, there are MANY on here who have proven that. I understand sometimes there are inadvertent deviations, I had two during my programme. In a year. I deviated twice. Once in very early days when I didn't realise there was no salmon on the programme (ya really gotta read it carefully) and once during refeed when I picked up the wrong bottle of lemonade and drank the kids' full strength rather than my diet Sad . I guess according to Jeannie's rules as set up in the first post I probably did other non 100% things (time wise, etc) but NEVER did I EVER put anything into my mouth that was not on the programme deliberately. And I did a year on the programme. 4th July 2006 - 2nd July 2007. A FULL year (except the 3rd of July, which isn't that exciting a day...)

Now, I don't want to hear a tirade of "well, just because you did, some of us can't do that..." etc... You're missing the point. I'm not strong. I'm not fantastic. There's nothing special. I just REALLY REALLY WANTED IT. I wanted to be healthy. I wanted to be fit. I wanted to... LIVE.

One other really odd things I've noticed, not sure whether anyone else has, is that those who have the most to lose, who otherwise I'm sure people would have thought had less willpower than others, seem to do the best on this programme deviation wise. Why is that? Is it because we have been faced with our own mortality? Is it because we know that if we don't do it we'll die? Why does that not apply to the people who have lesser quantities to lose? Why do you guys not feel it's worth doing 100%?

I just don't get it. I get really frustrated by it. I'm sorry, again, because I know I've offended SOMEONE out there, but it's taken me a LONG time to post this post, and there ya have it.

By the way, those of you getting the Dancing Fruits in the Deviation Free Challenge, I'm really pleased for you. I'm going to relax the "signature rules" for you, and allow animations in your signatures for those who are DEVIATION FREE. I'll organise with Jeannie the manner of the string you may put into your signature, but I think it'll be GREAT to see lots of dancing fruit all over the forum for a little while.
HOORAY FOR THOSE OF YOU DANCING WITH MANGOES!

asy.