Losing it! After falling off track, back in right direction

i'm sitting down to write this column, and the thought keeps running through my mind: "Man, a bacon cheeseburger combo and a chocolate shake sure sound good right about now."

With a Diet Coke, of course.

Thankfully, for my physique's sake, that's not the only thing rattling around my brain. The thought I'm having as I start pounding out this column is simply: "Haven't I written this before?"

I've probably joked before about my stomach daydreaming of cheeseburgers and shakes. It doesn't help that my desk has been moved right next to the lunchroom.

The thing I've certainly done before, and many times, is make a public proclamation about rediscovering my mojo.

Yep, it's back! It took a loooooong time, embarrassingly and frustratingly loooooong, but I've found my wayward will to exercise, to eat well and to pursue important health- and weight-related goals.

The good news — and this is a stretch to call it good — is that I did not gain all of my weight back. Heck, even as good as I am at gaining weight, it'd be hard to rediscover 172 lost pounds in about a year.

The bad news — and this isn't a stretch to call it bad — is that I did gain a boatload of blubber back.

You want numbers, don't ya?

How much?

Seeing as I write a weight-loss and fitness column — and proudly bragged about getting under 200 pounds last spring — I'll be honest: I don't want to tell you.

But (gulp) I will. I gained about 70 pounds between last spring and last month.

Yes, really.

That's hard to write.

Of course, it's even harder to fit in clothes that I wore in 2009 and to move like I used to while doing triathlons the past couple of summers, too.

But, there you go. The truth. It hurts to admit.

It was disheartening to be so close to reaching my ultimate weight-loss goal, only to let it slip away so far.

It was disappointing because I thought I'd finally figured out this whole make-it-a-lifestyle and not a diet approach.

It was depressing on so many levels.