This is a piece on yo yo dieting inspired by the phrase, “You got comfortable.” 

Started my summer receiving a tank top I ordered which ended up fitting like this, a huge dress like thing.

“YOU GOT COMFORTABLE”

Here is the “You got comfortable,” but damn you are still flexible lady

Woof! I have heard that before and I know what it means. It means I swung up in weight again, in size again, in fat again, etc. It means you are in a new relationship and “You got comfortable.” Comfortable eating, comfortable lounging together, and just comfortable with your body and weight gain.

Yo Yo Goes up Yo Yo Goes Down 

This is in fact the life I am used to and so, I have had to really reframe to be okay with this. In fact, I heard it today…

Follow @meandmyed.art on Instagram

So I checked it out. I haven’t exactly avoided the scale, but I have ignored it for some time.

Here is the scale today- March 23, 2021  

Here is the scale before a bit this past summer 2020.

THE SWING

7-8 months and a +30lb swing

See, that is a slow burn. That is the kind of gaining that you may not notice, because though it happens slow over time; it also happens kind of fast. You see it in bits and pieces. You don’t really see the gaining on yourself and so yea, you think you gained just a little. Then all of a sudden, nothing fits.

YO HO! YO HO! THE YO YO LIFE FOR ME 

My name is Michie Smash and I am a yo yo dieter. 

I am certainly an active human and avid athlete. I also just happen to love food to an excessive exponential degree. 

Funny, enough when I gain weight rapidly:

A) When I am the absolute happiest! 

March 2021, happy and a wee bit chubbier than normal

B) But ALSO the absolute opposite. THE SADDEST! 

A very internally sad Michie, and a chubby one at that

The pits of despair brings me to the land of Oreos, which I also indulge in at the height of good times. In fact, my favorite summer pastime is hiking and getting fat. I could hike all day, but the amount of BBQ I can consume on that same day just takes the cake.

Also I eat cake the cake, which I am somehow figuring out how NOT to burn #MichieChef
OH OH and the Oreos. I eat the oreos. Please let me save you and say don’t eat the Lady Gaga ones even though they look so gay and fun. Brookie-O is a go.

SWING SWING SWING FROM THE [PICNIC] TABLES OF 

I have swung approximately 120 pounds give or take in the last decade. Before that, I probably swung much the same, but it wasn’t until I was older that I started tracking. Basically I have (very recently) hit a low of 185 lbs. 2020 MC (Mid COVID), I had hit a recent high in 2020 BC (Before COVID) of 240 lbs. Being stuck inside with nothing to focus on except how horrible I was at being an online teacher, I started working on portioning not torturing myself. I ate delicious food, but the precise amount I needed, no more and no less. 

Also- Dessert is life. 

I chose to eat 12 peanut m&m’s rather than none.

It was and is a good life. 

REFRAME AND LOOK FOR SILVER LININGS 

Okay back to reframing in order to be “okay” with this, or more than okay really.

Proud of the body you have. Let’s work on proud. 

First of all, it is SOOOOOO much easier for improvement when you get chubby again. I am going to drop weight so fast now that I am noticing. I was plateaued anyway so whatever. Let’s just get moving again.

Secondly, It just means I have to get back at it, which I already know how to do. I have said time and time again, the second time is easier, third even easier– and so on and so on. This is the infinity times a millionth time I have personally swung so watch out! Olympian loading… 

Thirdly, boobs. You get your boobs back. That part is a silver lining and a curse I suppose. The only real reason I realized I was gaining the weight back was the bras I own started to suffocate me, which if you have met me- I DO NOT LIKE. Emphasize that in your head more than normal capital. So that is annoying. Once I pulled out the fat Michie bras though, WOWZA! Where have these ladies been?

I am 31, so I am definitely not putting a picture of my boobs here, but I am telling you 185lbs versus almost 220lbs feels like the weight goes directly to the chest.

What I’m mostly trying to say is, embrace the body you have right now. Embrace the curves.

Honestly, I got all weird and kind of weak feeling at 185 and though it was cool to see my runner’s body, I like my rugby body a lot a lot.

Loved this Runner’s Body– July 2020

 

But I love love this rugby body too.

Math scale rule: Whatever operation you do to one side, you must do to the other

MATH TEACHER LADY PLANNING BASICS– JUST A SCALE

It is just like an equation. To get back to the equilibrium for the size I want to be, I have to add back in the exercise and nutrition things I know. Subtract some stress and get back in the game. The scale will balance out again. It just takes time like most annoying things in life. I am not concerned though. Just a little bit a day and I will get back. 

HAPPY HAPPY IS FINE FINE 

Listen, new relationship weight is real.

Did I mention this sweet man of mine made me a beef wellington? 

 

New Relationship Weight: Just remember this is perfectly okay and obviously normal if there is a term for it, right?

It is okay to lose yourself a little and “get comfortable” [Woof! That phrase still stings!] As much as it isn’t fun to hear that you got a little bigger again, it really is alright. As the lifetime yo yo dieter I am, I can say there are so many worse things than gaining weight for one.

AND ALSO THERE ARE SO MANY WORSE THINGS TO MAKE YOU GAIN WEIGHT.

Enjoy the food, Enjoy the time together.

Relationships aren’t that wild new-new forever. You’ll get back on the wagon together, eat normal again, prep your food again, etc. Just please don’t focus on the wrong things. Nutrition and fitness is important, but y’all know love comes first. And food, and the love of food. We must live for the essentials.

Big Picture: Love and food are THE BIGGEST essentials. 

The life you want is healthy, but happy-happy is healthy-healthy.

Getting back on board together can also be really fun.

Running together– goals squad, Knicks Run Club

Look at these cuties running. When you get chubby again, people cheer for you on the streets to SUCH a high degree! MORE SILVER LININGS! 

I am always like “OH MY GOODNESS!! FOR ME?! THANK YOU” and act like I have never ran before. Feel good time for everyone. They like how excited I get too, I swear. I like to get wild when I’m running because why not? Don’t be boring– that’s why you hate running still. *Picture an emoji with a tongue out, not sure how to do that here*

SAD SAD IS OKAY TOO, GOOD OLD COMFORT FOOD 

When you get sad and gain weight, that is okay, too. When you’re sad, you need love, especially self love. Putting yourself down for something as trivial as weight gain when you are already down will just add to the process. It will make it worse, continuing the cycle. 

Give yourself some space and time. Also enjoy the food. It is called comfort food for a reason. Have the half gallon ice cream. Watch the movie with the popcorn, the good one with the butter.

Once you are healing, get moving again slowly. Once you are healing, you will start eating better slowly. 

Once you are truly healed, you’ll move on back to who you were and day by day get back there.