Last week I reiterated my theory on how a successful weight loss plan is under the complete control of The Switch and that you have absolutely no say over The Switch’s position. In spite of that, fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on your point of view) flipping The Switch on can be greatly influenced upon finding yourself stricken by some life-altering event such as diabetes or suddenly having to buy yourself an entire row of airline seats when traveling. Once that happens, you find it much easier to spring into action, and thus the illusion of control is created. But who cares if it’s an illusion if it’s working, right?
I’ve had this happen to me several times over the last couple decades and each time it’s always led to a period of spectacular weight-loss. What a great story this would be if it ended there, but as we all know, once I meet my goal and stay there for a few months, weeks, or even hours, it’s immediately followed by a period of spectacular gain-it-all-back.
The last nine months or so have been a bit difficult. While I’ve hoped The Switch would flip itself on several times, I’ve instead found myself flipping it off in anger and disgust. That said, I have a feeling—and it’s just a feeling, mind you—that I might have fixed that this past weekend. And unlike other times, it wasn’t just one thing that got me. Here’s a list:
- I’m all out of clothes.
- My back is starting to hurt (again)
- My knees are starting to hurt (for the first time)
- I can’t walk two flights of stairs without feeling winded
- I got a blood sugar reading of 148 after losing a valiant battle against a bucket of buttered movie popcorn
- I’m back up to 39% body fat
- And more…
Funny enough, not a single one of those is enough to pull my hand out of the Cheez-Its box. And collectively they’re still probably not enough to flip The Switch. No, there’s one more thing I left off that list and it’s almost certainly the straw that broke the camel’s back. For the first that I can ever remember: the top part of my back is touching the lower part of my back. I can feel it when I walk around. I can feel it when I sit. I don’t like it. I don’t like it at all.
Hence: enough’s enough. Now, whether this truly turns into a flipped switch or not, only time will tell. But I’m keeping my fingers crossed.
So how about you? Feel free to leave any stories about what straw broke your own weight loss log jams. Feel free to mix metaphors.
on June 22, 2010 at 12:51 am
Since reading about your ‘switch’ last week I have been doing good. I forced myself to go to the gym and for some reason that first day back I just had an awesome workout…I was just feeling it, ya know. It was great. Of course it has been harder each day after that…but I am still doing it. I’ve been the last 5 out of 7 days, but that is pretty good for me 🙂
Good luck Charlie – that switch will get stuck back in the ‘on’ position, but sometimes you gotta flip it a few times first to get it going 🙂
on June 22, 2010 at 5:19 am
I think I always spur into action when enough is enough too! The last time was when I could feel my tummy touching the steering wheel when I was driving!
Then there’s a picture that I hate or a dress I need to buy. And I absolutely refuse to go up a size!
Although I’m not slim, and probably never will be now, these triggers have kept me from being the house I was born to be!
Your back touching your back sounds awful! Sounds like enough is enough Charlie.
Now where’s that skipping rope!
Tusc 😉
on June 22, 2010 at 6:36 am
Usually for me it’s when I physically feel fat and the affects on my body become unavoidable. Recently that’s exactly what’s been happening. I’ve developed several medical issues that are a direct result of my weight. I also hate the sight of body in pictures, especially when standing directly next to a person of average weight. Having said all that, I was on a roll for a month then BAM hit an emotional wall and gained the 10 lbs back I lost in that wall. Each day is fine until I put my son to bed at 8 and turn into a rabid animal eating 800 calories at a time.
Enough is enough and your post has inspired me. My goal is to be at my healthy goal weight by this time next year. Slow and steady.
Thanks for your words.
on June 22, 2010 at 7:46 am
Someone saying, “I didn’t know you were expecting!” then asking me when I was “due.”
Sigh.
on June 22, 2010 at 9:34 am
Oh, I’m sorry. That’s the worst (or so I’ve heard!)
on June 22, 2010 at 8:15 am
Go get ’em Charlie. Those sound like a full house of motivating reasons to me. C’mon, I need your great inspirational, humorous posts again!
on June 22, 2010 at 11:25 am
Eeek! I always worry about both you and Jenn with diabetes – the further you can stay away from that the better!
I’d have to say my 101 days of summer challenge is helping me – I feel like I have to “represent” considering I have 50 people looking to me for motivation.
And guess what? I’ve become a morning person – I know! I always hated working out in the morning – well guess what, I hate working out as soon as I get up!
I got up at 6:00 (went to bed at 11:00), did my blog post and by 6:45 I was awake and ready to do Jillian’s 30 day shred.
I looked back on my journals when I was 139 and a size 8 – I worked out at least 90 minutes a day – usually a 45 minute exercise class before work, 30 minutes on the elliptical at lunch and taking the dog for a 15 minute walk.
Maybe if you just break up the exercise that will help??
I love you Charlie!
Love, your prettier sister Biz
on June 22, 2010 at 11:52 am
I think this last time of being back on (since January now!) is when I had a pair of pants on, I bent down to tie my daughters shoes and my pants TOTALLY split in the back!! Luckily it was in my home or else the embarassment would have magnified by a million! That’s when I became FED UP! Now I have lost 25 pounds and hope to keep it going.
You can do it Charlie!
on June 23, 2010 at 7:32 am
I left a comment yesterday – not sure where it went!
Sending some cheerleaders your way hopefully today Charlie. I wish there were a way to say “just get to it!” But you have to decide that. And those damn Cheez-Its are like crack!
Hang in there Charlie!!
Love, your prettier sister Biz
on June 23, 2010 at 9:38 am
Akismet apparently thinks you’re spam. Not sure why. Comments approved and visible.
on June 23, 2010 at 8:24 am
I know how frustrating it is to think you have it all figured out only to backslide and have no idea how to get back on track. It’s such a mental game. Sometimes I have to stay off the scale and just focus on doing the right things (working out and eating healthy foods) and not worry about the numbers. Hang in there and you’ll find that switch again.
How did I not know you are Biz’ brother. Lucky guy 😉
on June 23, 2010 at 8:29 am
I had that moment this weekend…I thought about death and my family without me…hopefully this will be the last time I have to flip the switch.
on June 23, 2010 at 9:43 am
And where are all these new Cool Kids coming from lately? Welcome, MB and Al (losingharry).
on June 24, 2010 at 7:07 am
Of course I asked this question before Biz’s comment came through. Now the answer is obvious!
on June 23, 2010 at 10:03 am
I was directed here by your sis and I’m always looking for good funny blogs. For me, my switch happened when a patient came in and said, “Thank you so much for helping me lose weight. I’ve lost 70 pounds by walking 3miles every other day and eating right.” I looked at myself and I thought, “If she can do it, so can I!” While I am only just beginning, I just know this time for me is different. So I guess that switch finally got flipped for me. Now it’s your turn. Come away from the dark side and into the light. Toss those cheez-its!
on June 23, 2010 at 10:17 am
Hang in there! I know this journey is a tough one! We are worth the fight! 🙂
PS BIZ sent me! 🙂
on June 23, 2010 at 10:26 am
Before I read a single word. I saw the Fed Up Tee. Oh I so need that t-shirt. Heck I need towels, sheets and pillow cases too. Yes this can be a hard journey, as I have now “flippd the switch” again. I know that we all can do this …we just need to keep powering that switch. Love the blog and plan to add it to the ones I read daily. Good Luck!
on June 23, 2010 at 11:10 am
I love the FedUp Tee shirt!
That darned switch! I hate when it keeps flicking around! The switch first flipped when I was diagnosed with diabetes. I had been living in denial for my whole life and all of a sudden, it became clear and I actually did something about it. I lost about 100 lbs, still had plenty to go but then the switch flicked back and it got stuck. I’m finally trying to keep the switch in place but it keeps flickering. I am loving these online encouragements, me giving them and getting them both is helping SO MUCH! Thanks for the awesome read, I’ll read more later, thanks!
on June 23, 2010 at 11:57 am
Charlie, I am new to your blog. I am a follower of Biz’s blog. I popped over to say hello, become a follower and show you this post. It was easier this way then taking up all your comment space 😉
http://katiejweightlossjourney.blogspot.com/2010/05/why-i-do-this-here-width.html
on June 23, 2010 at 12:41 pm
Hope it click’s ‘on’ soon 🙂
Biz sent me too 🙂
on June 23, 2010 at 1:26 pm
Hi Charlie,
“PUT DOWN THE CHEESE-ITZ AND STEP AWAY FROM THE BOX!”
Work for you? Nah, didn’t think so. That didn’t work too well for me, either.
For me, it took the big ol’ stick of a type 2 diabetes diagnosis. I charged on down the scale, hit the mid-180s, bounced back up to the low 190s, and have been here for the past 8 months or so, regaining and losing the same 3 pounds or so, by the sweat of my browie-brow-brow. Now that my health numbers are looking good, I’ve lost some of the steam for losing those last 30 pounds. I would probably have regained it, if it hadn’t been for the following things: diabetes is forever; I’ve come to enjoy regular exercise (which happened by getting in the habit of doing it, switch position regardless–it’s what I have to do to help manage diabetes); and the mental support of blogging.
You mentioned diabetes running in your family, and the symptoms of hyperglycemia really work against that switch turning on. (High blood sugar symptoms include feeling tired and “foggy” and feeling hungry, which can lead to being sedentary and eating when we don’t need more food, which leads to more high blood sugar.) How about taking the “live-as-if” you had it approach? Why wait until diagnosis makes you do the things that will help you truly feel good?
And I can’t say enough good stuff about exercise. Try the “Big Blue Test”: take a blood glucose reading, exercise (even just a walk) for 15 minutes, and test again. Most people (not everyone) see a drop, and it’s cool to have concrete proof of the power of even gentle exercise.
You’re an awesome blogger, Charlie! Hope you’ll keep fighting the good fight. I’ll be thinking “switch on!” thoughts for you.
on June 23, 2010 at 3:10 pm
Re: How about taking the “live-as-if” you had it approach? Why wait until diagnosis makes you do the things that will help you truly feel good?
That’s exactly what I did on my last successful Return to Onederland trip that everyone followed right here on this blog between 2008 and 2009.
So why don’t I just do it now? Well, that’s really the crux of the matter and entire philosophy behind The Switch. Last time that was enough to motivate me. This time, it’s not. If I had the answer for that, I’d be King of the World. Everyone — and I mean everyone — who has ever struggled with this understands it’s never as simple as the Nike slogan would have us think!
on June 23, 2010 at 5:09 pm
So true. 🙁
Well, there’s always the old cheer my dad taught me, since Biz requested cheerleading:
[Shakes dust off of old pom-poms. Cheerleading fun fact: did you know that when you first get pom-poms, the strings are all completely straight, and that you have to crinkle them all by hand to get the big, puffy pom-poms?]
Rah rah REE
Kick ’em in the KNEE!
Rah rah RASS
Kick ’em in the…
OTHER knee!
(Never did find out who ” ‘ey ” were, but I guess ” ‘ey ” needed a good knee-kicking.)
on June 23, 2010 at 2:49 pm
wow what insight… My first time here, and I am loving the honesty. You are a veteran of the war, so I have nothing to add to what you already know. I am making a difference from cooking nearly 100% of my meals. No eating out, so i am more able to control what i eat.
BTW, in the past, I would eat two boxes of snack crackers in a day. Now I make my own, I still eat a whole batch, but only one batch
on June 23, 2010 at 3:01 pm
I haven’t been here in a while – Biz sent me today. Hope your switch gets flipped soon. One thing that is working for me is running (and I live in College Station so I know what heat and humidity you are looking at) – what about getting back out there? And hey, there’s a half marathon in Galveston on November that all the cool kids are doing…join us? 🙂
on June 23, 2010 at 6:28 pm
Fight on! You CAN do it!
on June 24, 2010 at 6:13 am
Hope you get your “switch” flipped to on soon!
Biz sent me too! Her and I have a challenge going on to do the Shred by Jillian Michaels 3x a week so far I have done it twice it may kill me but I plan to do it once more this week it is hard but worth it!
13 years ago I got married saw the pictures and was horrifed by how fat I looked. That was my final wake up call I’ve been on the journey ever since…
Baby steps help too take one thing work on it before adding more steps in you can do it! Good luck on your journey.
on July 4, 2010 at 4:34 pm
Been struggling with “the switch” myself. The thing that seems to help, at least it keeps me from going *all* the way back up to my highest weight, is just getting into good habits.
The more I fix nice, healthy and also tasty meals for myself, the more I find that I return to that quickly after a day or week or even a month of bad eating. Next, I need to develop some exercise habits. The switch hasn’t turned on for that quite yet, sigh.
But we know we can do it! You did it before, I did it before. Take it a step at a time.
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