Stay Off the Sled: Why Relapse Feels Like a Clark Griswold Crash
What National Lampoon taught me about food addiction and losing control
There’s a scene in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation where Clark Griswold proudly unveils a new kind of kitchen lubricant—an experimental, non-stick cereal varnish. Naturally, he applies it to a saucer sled and launches himself off a snowy hill for a little family fun.
And in the next moment?
Clark becomes a human rocket. Sparks flying. Trees blurring. Fences crashing. Parking lots screaming past.
It’s hilarious. Ridiculous. Uncontrollable.
And honestly, a perfect metaphor for food addiction.
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The Calm Before the Crash
As food addicts, we rarely “plan” to relapse. We plan to manage. To tweak. To justify. “Just a taste.” “Just one bite.” “I’ll get back on track tomorrow.”
That’s the greasing of the sled.
Everything seems calm at first. We’re at the top of the hill—grinning, confident, maybe even smug. We think we’ve got this. We’ve done this before.
But that sled doesn’t care about our good intentions.
Once we push off—once the break happens—addiction takes over. The descent is fast, furious, and unforgiving. All sense of control disappears. The brain checks out. The body takes over. The shame sets in. The chaos begins.
And we’re left screaming downhill, clutching to what little dignity we have, wondering how the hell we got here again.
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The Addict Brain Is a Greased-Up Sled
Let’s call it what it is. The addict brain doesn’t want moderation. It wants ignition. It wants the chemical hit. The dopamine. The thrill. And the second we loosen our grip on the guardrails—whether through a lie, a skipped call, a secret snack—it whispers, “Just one push. Just a little ride.”
But there’s no such thing as “just a little ride” once the sled is greased.
That’s the lie.
And the worst part? Half the time, we don't even realize we've launched until we’re halfway down the hill—already burning through our boundaries and crashing through our values.
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The Way Off the Hill
The solution isn’t more willpower. It’s surrender.
Pause before the ride.
Pray before the push.
Call someone before the slide.
Remember the last crash.
Stay off the sled.
Use the tools. Tell the truth. Feel the feelings. Eat your food. Call your people. Don’t believe the voice that says “just this once.”
Because you know where the sled goes.
You’ve ridden it. You’ve crashed it. You’ve hated yourself for it.
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Final Word from DeeBo
I’ve been Clark Griswold with a fork in my hand more times than I can count. Grinning like an idiot. Telling myself, “It’ll be fine.” And five minutes later, I’m face-down in an empty casserole dish wondering what just happened.
This disease is fast. It’s slick. And it doesn’t give second chances without a fight.
So today—I’m choosing not to grease the sled.
And if I even start reaching for it, I pray to God someone I trust is close enough to grab my hand and say, “Hey buddy, maybe just walk today.”
Love ya’ll,
DeeBo