I've fallen and I CAN get up

Posted on October 14, 2015

There's a history. A history that keeps repeating itself over and over and over again. For the better part of the past 12-years I've been gaining weight at a rate of nearly 10-lbs per year. (Yes, that's just over 100-lbs.) The history goes something like this:

1. Become incredibly determined to get fit and healthy, and, as a bonus, lose a little weight.

2. Commit to exercise and healthy eating.

3. Enjoy some success as a result of my hard work.

4. Resume all bad habits, gain more weight than I lose at a much more rapid pace and for a much more extended period of time.

5. Go back to number one a little heavier than before.

I started DietBet a little over 2-months ago and have enjoyed some success. So far I've successfully reached all of my goals in each of the Kickstarter and Transformer campaigns in which I've participated. Unfortunately, I think my winning streak is about to come to an end. Not because I've hit some sort of plateau that I can't get past, but rather because I've fallen into the same old pattern listed above. Since my last official weigh-in a mere 5-days ago, I've managed to gain 10.6-lbs, putting me 22-lbs. away from my next official weigh-in that is only 15-days away.

Yes, I realize a good portion of that is likely water-weight. But it's more than that. It's how I got there. I stopped exercising. I come home from my desk job, plop down in the recliner or the couch, and don't move until it's time for bed. I've eaten nothing but fast-food and pizza. When I'm behaving in this way I refuse to get on the scale, having somewhat of an "out of sight out of mind" dillusion. If I don't actually see what I'm doing to myself on the scale it's not actually happening. The poor diet and lack of exercise leads to a lot of negative emotions. What's the cure? More junk food seems to be the only antidote. I'm well aware that exercise is a natural anti-depressant, but, who has the energy to exercise? I certainly can't exercise on a full stomach. Oh yeah, did I forget to mention that not only am I eating horrible processed foods, I'm also eating them until I feel ill. Last night I got to the point where I actually felt physical pain in my abdomen from my stomach stretching out so incredibly far. I'm kind of glad last night happened though, as it seems to have re-ignited the spark I need to get back on track.

So, where do we go from here? Well, it's time to exercise. Not starting tomorrow, not the following day. Today. No excuses. When do I start eating healthy? Right now. I've learned that the positive thing in all of this is that though I've fallen and fallen hard, I'm managing to get back onto my feet much more quickly than I have in the past. If you go back to the history above, I usually do well for a little bit, and bad for a much longer bit. I'm succeeding in reversing that trend. When I do poorly, I want that to be the little bit and my successes to be the longer bit. Despite my massive gain in such a short period of time, I'm still 12-lbs lighter than I was when I started DietBet just over 2-months ago.

Will I hit my next goal? It's doubtful. But it doesn't mean I'm not going to give it everything I've got. Yesterday I was down. Today I stood back up.

Comment Now!

Dioskid15

10/27/2015 1:25AM

AWESOME, Bigksweets! I am glad I finally read your blog post. I hear you on the cycle. I have done some of that, too. I feel great about the progress, and then frustrated about the weight gain. Thank you for sharing! Changing the habits we have had for years CAN be quite challenging in every aspect of our lives. I am SO glad that you have seen, with open eyes, how you used to operate and have been able to break past that to making new, and hopefully, lasting decisions. I am SO rooting for you! SO happy that you decided to get back up and rooting that the stretches of success begin to last much longer than the stretches of being down, like you said. High five to you!!!!! :D

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Lorelei

10/18/2015 12:53PM

I appreciate your honesty and I'm right there with you! Earlier this year I followed a strict diet and was 100% perfect. I lost lots of weight and was feeling so great. Then I "took a few days off" to "enjoy myself" and never got back on the wagon. I gained 30 pounds in less than 3 months, putting me at my absolute heaviest to date. I know exactly what I need to do to lose weight, but for some reason I'm choosing not to. I just can't get started again. I can't figure out how to get motivated! I'm completely uncomfortable with where I'm at now, but when comes time to decide what to eat, I make terrible decisions because "I'm for sure going to start tomorrow". I joined DietBet and started my first challenge, but I've already squandered the first week of it.I'm so glad you're going to keep going, even if you might not meet your goal. That's not what matters. Just know you have people rooting for you! Thanks for the inspiration. I'm going to try to get off my butt now too!

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howfitcanafatguyget

You can do this! I've got myself head back in the right direction and you can too. You've already proven it to yourself with the success you had earlier this year. Once you get back on track you'll remember just how great it really does feel when you take better care of yourself. You'll get that spring back in your step. I'm rooting for you!

Lorelei

Thanks so much! Glad to hear you are back on track! Way to go!

Veronica B.

10/15/2015 4:35AM

Felt like I was reading my own history! I've have lost and gained all of my weight more times than I care to share! The one thing that has helped me this last time around is to remember weight loss is 80% diet and 20 % excercise. Concentrate on what goes in your mouth and don't worry if you can't make it to the gym that day. I know a lot people get stuck on if they can't make a gym day they say F it may as well have that pizza, but in reality they would be just fine missing that work out as long as pizza stays out of the picture.Don't know what diet you are doing but Primal has done wonders for me. Keep fighting the good fight! ;)

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