Sunday, August 1, 2010

Wrong Way Weigh-In

Weekly weigh-in: 208.7
Weekly weigh-in: 215.2
Loss: +6.5
Total loss: -76.8
Emotion: Not as happy as I was all last week

On January 1, 1929, the California Golden Bears football squad faced the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. Midway through the second quarter, Cal center Roy Riegels picked up a fumble by Tech's Jack “Stumpy” Thomason. Just 30 yards away from the Yellow Jackets’ end zone, Riegels somehow got turned around and ran 65 yards in the wrong direction.

Teammate and quarterback Benny Lom chased Riegels, screaming at him to stop. Lom finally caught up with Riegels at California's 3-yard line and tried to turn him around, but he was immediately hit by a wave of Tech players and tackled back to the 1-yard line. The Bears chose to punt rather than risk a play so close to their own end zone, but Tech blocked the punt and Georgia Tech scored a safety, giving them a 2-0 lead.

Speaking of going the wrong way, I had a mighty big slip-up on the ol’ weight-loss front. It was vacation eating run amok… baked brie and crackers, brew pub pints, ice cream with freshly picked raspberries, homemade huckleberry ice cream, pizza and tempura sushi for Heaven’s sake (and speaking of “sake”, I think there was a couple of large sakés in the mix as well).

I thought long hikes might minimize the damage, and it’s a little bit scary to think that maybe they did. If I had laid around like a lump, I shudder to think what the scale might have said…

Anyway, “Wrong Way” Riegels (as he came to be called) was so distraught by his mix-up that he had to be coaxed into returning to the game for the second half. He turned in a stellar second half performance, however, including blocking a Tech punt.

The example of how the distraught Riegels was persuaded to pick himself up, return to the field and play so hard during the second half is sometimes used by motivational speakers to illustrate overcoming setbacks.

Unfortunately, “Wrong Way” Riegels' team wound up losing in that national championship game.

I plan on losing next week, too.

32 comments:

  1. Looking forward to seeing you get back on track :)

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  2. It will come off fast. With one good week of healthy living, you'll be righted. THAT'S the part that makes this different - that you come back and right yourself, instead of continuing down that wrong path . . .

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  3. Good.

    Cause you need to dude.

    You've got this. Read some of your uber focused posts. You'll see.

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  4. If you go on to gain 50 pounds by, say, Halloween, the rest of us will hang ourselves. I have no doubt that you'll be very focused this week and you'll be back to where you started before vacation. I think that's how the "normal" people do it.

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  5. We had a kid who did that on our 7th grade basketball team. Scored one for the other team. We called him "Wrong Way Wakefield" for years.

    Turn around and run, Jack. You know what to do.

    (And next time, don't tempt me with all that delicious food listing...makes me hungry right now!).

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  6. This was the perfect story for me to read today. You can visit my blog for details, but I actually avoided the scale for the first time this week. After reading this, I'm thinking perhaps that was a bad idea. The scale could be just like Benny Lom....chasing me down to tell me I screwed up! Maybe I need to listen instead of running faster. ;)
    Rae
    xo

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  7. I do feel your pain, Jack, but share your hope for a return to the straight and narrow.

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  8. Roses are red.
    Carnations are pink.
    Vacations are fun!
    But the weight gain? It STINKS!

    You know what to do, Buddy! And I have complete faith that next week, you will make that scale your b*tch. Fo shizzle ;)

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  9. Turn around and get back to doing what you know works!! Vacations i find are really hard to stay on track.

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  10. Hey Jack - glad you had a great vacation, although the weight gain's a pain - sounds amazingly similar to my skiing in January - I assumed hitting the slopes every day all day would counteract all the food and wine - 7lbs says otherwise. Just don't do as I do, and not quite get back into it - it's taken me til now to get it sorted - you're better than me - get on it straight away and don't regret it ;o)

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  11. So glad to read this today. We just returned from a week's vacation as well and my scale was really not happy with me. But I got back on plan yesterday and it was a little friendlier this morning. The key is that I got back on plan. A year ago it would have meant the end of another weight loss journey. This time it's for ever. I'm learning to deal with vacations, celebrations etc and I still get back on plan after, no matter how hard it is. This time I will get to goal and stay there... And so will you!

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  12. Thanks for being human, Jack, and showing it to all of us. Sounds like a pretty tasty list of "treats" you enjoyed, which is part of life. You'll be back to your sveltest best fast - you men drop pounds like rabbits drop...whatever. You got the post vacay bloat. At least you had a vacay - I get it with no fabulous excursion to blame.

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  13. No problem, could have been worse! At least half if not all of that vacay weight will be gone in a week! What would life be like without huckleberry ice cream?

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  14. As Raegun above mentioned, your post this morning couldn't have had better timing (for me personally). My eating habits have been all over the map the last week or so and I can't even claim that a fabulous vacation inspired it!!! I'm blaming heat, hormones, and honey (with peanut butter). Unlike Roy Reigels who was clueless as he continued to go the wrong direction, with each step we KNOW when we're going the wrong direction. Let's reach deep down, get our attitude and will-power back in gear & turn this puppy around! You'll be able to "high five a hobo" before you know it! ;-)

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  15. Huckleberry ice cream nuked me this past week too -- we were in Glacier in Montana.

    Okay, the fries might also have had something to do with it.

    On the plus side, I managed the High Line trail (11 miles of interestingness). On the minus side, it rendered me unfit for any but the most smooth of walks for the rest of the trip... which in that area of the country are in short supply.

    I haven't weighed myself yet. Thursday should be interesting.

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  16. What a great, inspiring way to look at things. You went on vacation - you enjoyed yourself - now it's time to focus on getting back to the "real world".

    Only 3 days in to reading - and I'm already hooked on your blog. :)

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  17. Love today's post and what a nice way of looking at it! I went back to the beginning and started reading your blog the other day. Loved the post about the wolves and feeding the good one, very inspiring! I remember you said that this was a life style change...so true. Glad to hear you enjoyed your vacation and food :)

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  18. mmm, tempura sushi & sake, favorites of mine... so happy I didnt encounter them on my vacation.

    Rebound time friend, time to block the next brie n beer n ice cream n huckleberry pizza that comes your way.

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  19. Way to turn it around!

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  20. Tha was some vacation!!!!!!!!!!!!! I usually lose weight on vacation.. maybe casue I am usally in a bathing suit! :-)

    Back to it or else I am coming at ya! ;-)

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  21. It just makes you seem like a real person. You can lose that sh*t in a week :)

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  22. well, good luck next week Jack..no more vacays...I am on it over here as well...tired of puttering around. well, except at walmart...where puttering is a national sport.

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  23. I'm so glad to see that you *are* normal... well, sort of... you know :)

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  24. Makes me not want to take a vacation. Cuz that's what happens every time to me, too!

    You will lose it, Jack. That's just what you do. And why we all come back here to cheer you on.

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  25. Well crafted, my friend. I just linked to this one on my blog.

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  26. you can do it!! excellent post, on the real.

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  27. This reminds me of a quote on my wall
    "part of my journey is going the wrong way"
    It doesn't seem that inspirational but it helps me keep things in perspective. Like me, it's time to get back on track! Your normal working out and eating will get rid of that weight quickly.

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  28. I've just started to read your blog, but now it is one of my favorites. One bad week won't derail you. You were on vacation, for goodness sakes! From the former posts and seeing the success you've already experienced, I know you'll pull it together and get back on the wagon.

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  29. I'm sure you will be able to report a great loss next week!

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  30. You can do it, Jack! Just put your eyes on the "correct" goal post, and run like hell for it. We'll be here to cheer you on! Go Jack go!

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  31. I screwed up too. Er, I sucked too. Frustrating, ain't it?!?!

    Vee at http://veegettinghealthy.blogspot.com

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  32. With 3 vacations this summer and lots of exercise and eating on all of them I can assure you that a good week after vacation will see you down on the scale next week (I can almost promise it *almost*). Sometimes we need that little time out, we just have to make sure it isn't long. I'm now trying to recover from a week in New Orleans so you can imagine lol. Here's to a great week for both of us.

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