Your 'Ah-Ha' Moment

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Replies

  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,345 Member
    edited January 2015
    Loving this post☺

    My aha moment wasn't particularly eventful! My muffin top was spilling over my jeans and nothing hid it, my boobs were getting humongous, I hated how I looked...hated shops fitting rooms when trying clothes on, everything looked horrible....it was then I realised ENOUGH! Happened upon MFP one day, almost 3 yrs ago!! Was the best thing to happen!!... apart from getting married, having kids obviously! Lol

    Thanks for all the great replies☺
  • DWiz2626
    DWiz2626 Posts: 12 Member
    New to the community, and just happened upon this thread. (Lost 20 lbs since 11/9). Ive battled weight all my adult life. Been on thyroid meds for 7 years (hypo-severely), and went into A-Fib Thanksgiving weekend 2013. Was just taking too high a dosage for too long. We moved so I hadn't found a new doctor yet, so not my previous home town's doctors fault. Cardio doc brought my meds all the way down to next to nothing. New family doc monitored as he raised the level every six weeks. BUT, I had ZERO metabolism. Not losing weight despite my exercising. Finally got to the right level with meds in July '14. I never dieted, but thought I was not a "horrible eater." Fast forward to 11/14, a friend simply told me of MFP, started it, and realized, dam, I was eating bad. That in tune with my thyroid levels being right have me stoked about losing weight. It is a lifestyle change. My motivation is I am turning 50 in May and I am having a big bash at the lake and I want to stun people with my transformation.
  • samspam1023
    samspam1023 Posts: 36 Member
    Mine was less about physical health and more about mental health. I struggled with anxiety and depression throughout my college years. So I guess my "Aha!" moment was when I quit my high-stress job and sought therapy. As a part of my treatment, my therapist recommended exercise to help control my mood and stress. I was skeptical at first, but I've been amazed by how easy it has been for me to control my anxiety without medication. I started on MFP around the time I weaned off my medication, and while I've only lost a few pounds, my fitness and health are greatly improved. A year ago, 30 seconds of running was all I could handle. I've since run two 5k races, and I'm training this year for a 10k mountain run next fall!
  • Spark1it
    Spark1it Posts: 1 Member
    4ever420 wrote: »
    My Aha moment was when I first heard of MFP and decided just to check it out. I wasn't even planning on starting a weight loss journey that day but set up an account just to see. I was playing around with it, entering the foods I had eaten that day when I realized that if I didn't eat anything else that day I'd be within my calorie goal.

    The best way I can describe it is a switch went on in my head. All of a sudden it seemed so simple, I just don't go over that calorie goal and I would be in a deficit and lose weight. 148 lbs and over 2yrs later I am still going and have reached my goal for the first time in my life.

    The main difference from the other times I've tried (and failed) to lose weight was that "switch" hadn't been turned on before. I don't really understand what exactly made my brain switch on but now that I've finally gotten here, there's definitely fear that the "switch" will just turn off one day and I'll spiral out of control again...

    This is so similar to me that when I read it out loud, my husband and daughter both said did you write this?!
  • Teela1357
    Teela1357 Posts: 9 Member
    My doctor coming into the room and giving me a look of disbelief and asking me
    "What the hell happened to you since you last came to see me?"
    I had gained over 80 lbs in less than a year so he tested me for everything and the results were not good. My ah hah moment was being asked if I wanted to be around to see my grandkids.
  • xMrBunglex
    xMrBunglex Posts: 1,121 Member
    I used to sweat while I ate
  • Zinka61
    Zinka61 Posts: 512 Member
    My Aha Moment came when I saw on the scale that in the last 3 1/2 years I'd gained back the same 30 lbs I lost 38 years ago as a determined, 18-year-old teenager. I'd stayed thin with no special effort for all those years, and I couldn't stand the thought that I was back in the same pit I'd crawled out of again.
  • ToddPa12
    ToddPa12 Posts: 61 Member
    My a-ha moment took place a few times before i originally acknowledged it, but it was final when I went to the doctor and stepped on the scale only to see that I was nearing 200 lbs. I knew I was gaining weight, but health problems took so many chances from me until I found out how great biking felt to me and how much it gave back to me in such a short time. I'm not even a year into this, and I'm only about 10 lbs from my goal.

    I never REALLY attempted prior to this outside of missing my normal outdoor activities that I couldn't do anymore. Mainly excuses as I look back now.

    I have always had strong will power, and it's the reason I'm still pushing through my stagnant weight loss right now. I've been hung up (gained a few back) since October last year and it's finally paid off this week with a .5 lb loss. Don't give up! there are too many reasons your body does what it does when you get to this stage so it's a patience game. Look for support: There is a ton of it on MFP and love everyone of them that has supported me!
  • sarahlifts
    sarahlifts Posts: 610 Member
    edited January 2015
    My ah-ha moment came the day I took the left photo in my avatar. It was my sisters Big end of year 35th Birthday bash. She and all her girfriends were having a party 12/29/12 to all celebrate their 35th birthdays together.

    Now, that dress is a size 12 but I was busting out of it. I had to wear spanx, it didnt zip all the way to the top and it was the only thing in my closet that "fit". At the party I looked around at the ladies who turned 35, most looked younger than me. They were in great shape. I always said by the time I turn 35 I will be in the best shape of my life. How was I going to accomplish that simply by saying it?

    Two days later New years eve I joined a gym and started that day and haven't stopped since.

    What did I do differently this time?
    I did the research.

    In the past I low carbed and cardioed with light weight. My (prior) lowest weight was 2007 I was 150 and a size 10

    Now I caloric deficit, no cardio, with heavy weight. I'm currently a size 4, 141 lbs.
    If I get up to 150 now I'm a size 6.

    I'm 5'7 My highest weight was 220 lbs

    My mindset now is not one of a # on the scale or a dress size, its about making gains or getting leaner and getting stronger. Every workout, every meal, every early morning and early night to bed is with a purpose.
  • Maries_wine_calories
    Maries_wine_calories Posts: 152 Member
    My A-Ha moment came on the cusp of taking the Sober for October challenge along with my husband and the friends who suggested we do it- no booze for 31 days, and why not try to eat better while we're at it? So we pushed the "rules" even further at our house and said NO to purchasing any type of fast food/take out for the month of October also. I was pumped to give it a go, but not really convinced we would last all month given our habits. Anyways I thought, best get prepared and appear to treat this challenge seriously-so we went for a grocery shop and I also purchased a scale.

    My devastating weigh-in happened September 29 2014. I joined MFP on September 30th.
    I weighed 203 lbs and it took my breath away. I had never before weighed that much.
    At my OB's office (the day I ended up giving birth to my daughter) in 2002, I weighed 200 lbs and would describe myself in pictures as being "pregnant from my armpits to my butt". Very round, but heck I lost 26 lbs just giving birth so I was "fluffy", new Mom bod-right?

    MFP is helping me with and about this lifestyle change I'm committed to: even though I resumed drinking on November 1 LOL (most days within my caloric deficit). I've stopped visiting the food court while working and can confidently work out what to eat when the occasion presents itself to eat out.

    I'm down 35 lbs and officially back to pre-pregnancy weight- only 12+ years later.

    I'm deciding NO to being overweight every day, and its an easy decision because I can say YES all day long to foods that give me joy while I follow this program. MFP fits my real life!
  • BluFoxxe
    BluFoxxe Posts: 14 Member
    dazwan wrote: »
    Every time I see a photo of myself. Anyone else noticed how a camera adds about 40lbs?

    My moment was when i decided to get dressed up for halloween last year. I put a ton of effort into making my costume (green fairy, made my wings) and the best part was a black corset ive worn in the past that i love. For some reason, i didnt do a dress rehearsal before halloween night and just put everything on 30min before i had to leave. A year ago i could lace my corset almost fully closed. That night the ends barely made it to the sides of my body!! It was a scramble to make a substitution and i had a second realization: most of my nicer clothes didn't fit me well anymore either! The whole night i felt massive and self conscious.

    The icing on the cake was the pictures taken that night...the camera adds a ton of weight, but if i weren't so huge to begin with, the pics wouldn't have looked that bad.

    So now ive invested in an activity tracker, this website, and getting healthy!

  • TitaniaEcks
    TitaniaEcks Posts: 351 Member
    Weighing myself. Seeing how badly all my clothes fit me, if at all. Seeing myself in the mirror. Seeing how fat my arms and face looked in pictures.

    There was never really an "ah-ha" moment. I knew what was happening the whole time I was gaining weight. It's just that one day I finally said "enough!" and went on a diet.
  • Bizurke51
    Bizurke51 Posts: 190 Member
    My ah ha moment occurs at the gym. I was doing an hour of cardio and my mind drifted to how cubby I was. I hadve always been activity but my diet was always terrible, I just ate what I wanted. I then thought ya know, if I ever just ate less I'd drop weight in a snap, so I said let's try it for a month and see what happens, I started that night. Instead of eatting 2 cheesesteaks, I ate just 1, the following day I started logging everyday and eatting healthier. 315 days later I am 56lbs lighter :)

    The difference to me was MFP, it gave me the blueprint I needed and made life easy.

    Motivation was the same as always, I want to look better, it has to happen.

    Now I just need to focus on maintaining
  • cdwhipple
    cdwhipple Posts: 1 Member
    My Ah-Ha moment was when I retired and found that I finally had time for me. My all time high weight was 225, OMG, I had lost the weight before with the WW program but it had been approximately 10 years, I felt so bad and was not happy with myself at all. So I started off NOT eating all the JUNK we use to eat at work and was on my treadmill 1 time per day. I could only walk 15 minutes. But I started losing and that was my motivation. I kept track of my weight here on MFP and 10 and 1/2 months later I have lost 55 pounds and I am walking on my treadmill 2 times a day for 65 minutes each (4 miles each time) I am at the1st goal my Doctor set for me and I am so proud of myself.
  • pkw58
    pkw58 Posts: 2,039 Member
    My biggest Ah-Ha moment was Christmas Eve 2012...I knew I needed to lose weight and get in shape, but when I stepped up on to the altar area to play my horn and a sharp pain went all the way through my hip, I knew it was time. I lost the 46 pounds and have kept it off. My next Ah-Ha moment came in the summer of 2013 when I realized I had to keep moving to not only keep the weight off but get a good nights sleep. I regret every day I don't do both - eat healthy within my calories and move enough to rest soundly. I am strength building with Barre3 and working on a slow but steady routine to continuously build / keep long lean muscle.
  • sunnydays851
    sunnydays851 Posts: 116 Member
    My aha moment? When I found a tape measure lying around (and just my luck, one for measuring body circumference, too!) And I wanted to just mess around with it. Just for laughs. I don't remember what it said, but I knew it wasn't healthy. It took a while after that to find MFP but ever since that day I've been self conscious about my weight, for the first time in my life. I was THE fat girl, and I hated it. I was ashamed that I didn't notice. Every one of my friends were skinny and I was the FAT, UGLY girl who made them look better by comparison.

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