Your 'Ah-Ha' Moment

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  • FoodFitnessTravel
    FoodFitnessTravel Posts: 294 Member
    [/quote]

    Fun questions!

    I'm not sure I really did have an A-HA moment. My goals evolved over time. I started in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu ~3.5 years ago, because I'd moved to a new city, had no friends in the area, and was quickly falling into a pattern of work, go home, drink and watch TV. Not a healthy lifestyle!

    After losing 15 lbs by accident (due to less drinking, more exercise), I started to clean up my diet; Started reading more about nutrition, which lead to MFP/calorie counting; Attempts to gain muscle (still ongoing :P)

    My weight was all over the place in the decade before BJJ, but mostly because I was a "victim" of my own circumstances. I worked night shifts at a restaurant, which was boring, so I'd eat all the time - gained a ton of weight. Lived in China for a while - lost of a ton of weight. Came back to Canada - gained a ton of weight.

    BJJ has been the only thing to make me focus on my health and diet. I never did it for its own sake, but once I started training, I became much healthier and ate better all as a goal of improving my jiu jitsu. Being healthy, skinnier, more muscular are just happy side effects :)[/quote]

    lol i live in china now :) its funny how people lose weight here, i personally don't like Chinese food, at least the authentic kind. But you can imagine the struggle of trying to count calories of ANYTHING here ;)
  • drywall_painter
    drywall_painter Posts: 321 Member
    I don't remember one, it was probably tight fitting clothes, what drives me is wanting to Improve my endurance through the work day and not being depressed about appearance when I get dressed in the morning.
  • RaspberryTickleChicken
    RaspberryTickleChicken Posts: 629 Member
    ilovesweeties wrote: »
    ... The final 'a-ha!' was realising there is no end point. I could take as long as I needed to get to goal. I could change my goal, I could extend my goal, I could add fitness goals along the way. Then, finally maintenance itself becomes a goal. It was so liberating!

    I think you've truly arrived at the #1 secret of success from losing weight to maintaining!

    Bravo to you!

  • ilovesweeties
    ilovesweeties Posts: 84 Member
    RaspberryTickleChicken wrote: »

    Bravo to you!
    Thanks!

  • mikehardin62
    mikehardin62 Posts: 122 Member
    RaspberryTickleChicken wrote: »
    I obviously have far too much time on my hands as another question out of sheer curiosity has been nagging away at me ... so here goes. :D
    • When was your 'AH-HA' moment that made you decide, 'ahhhm okay it's time to do something about this weight?'
    • What made a difference this time which differed from previous attempts to lose weight &/or get healthy? (motivation)
    • How much impact do you feel that a correct mindset has on the level of achievement?

    Here I'll start this one:
    • My 'AH-HA' moment was when I saw that my blood glucose level was 101 mg/dL and the normal range was 70-100 mg/dL.
    • My motivation this time was not about making that silly little # on the scale go down, but it was about fighting off an impending diabetic future if I did nothing. The thought of all the complications that comes with diabetes. ie. kidney functions, amputations, blindness, etc. petrified me.
    • For me, the mindset of 'oh I need to get healthy' rather than 'lose a few pounds' oddly took the pressure of me to 'loose X weight by X amount of time.' I looked at it as I have a lifetime to continue to reach for my goal. So the weeks where I was loosing mere fractions of a pound didn't bother me because progress was progress. <3

    Well Said

  • girlwithLion
    girlwithLion Posts: 8 Member
    My aha moment was when my best friend sized me for a ring she wanted to get for me and a few weeks later when it came, it was "a little snug". I realized I was on that good old weight roller coaster and I wanted to get off of it. So MFP has now become a real pal of sorts. :D
  • beth0277
    beth0277 Posts: 217 Member
    I had two things that happened really close to each other that sort of set me on the right path...

    First, my nephew who is in 1st grade got on his bus and one of the other kids started making fun of him for his "fat mom" (my sister) who was standing there when he was picked up. My son is in kindergarten and I don't ever want him to be made fun of for how I look.

    Second, I had started a new job and there was a morbidly obese lady in another department and I walked past her office a few times a day. Her office was always filled with tons of Styrofoam cups of diet soda and 2 liters on the floor. She must have drank a few 2 liters a day. I had a bad diet soda habit (not as bad as hers) but it just grossed me out so much to see it. It was almost like "Hoarders - diet coke edition". Every time I walked past her office I winced. I gave up diet soda because I just didn't want to have that same problem and seem as sloppy as this person did. After I gave it up and switched to water, healthy food choices came so much easier! (FTR, I'm not saying drinking soda/diet soda makes you gross, just the amount of diet soda this person was drinking and the empty bottles/cups all over her office are what grossed me out).
  • SweetPeasMom55
    SweetPeasMom55 Posts: 3,562 Member
    Seeing me in the pictures at my daughter's college graduation. I realized OMG i will be the fat mom at her wedding if I don't do something. I started immediately and I'm not looking back. :)
  • janisvin
    janisvin Posts: 72 Member
    edited October 2015
    Yea, mine was two years ago in June. We were going to my friend's daughters' birthday party and realized I did NOT want it to be summer because I'd have to wear summer clothes! In public! I just couldn't take another frustrating as heck morning trying to get dressed and hating everything about my wardrobe and my appearance. I'd known about MFP for a while and I just threw up my hands and decided to give it a try. Now two years later I'm maintaining and enjoying the fruits of my labor and dedication. Yeah!! I always tell people, losing weight is just a math problem. Do you want to do some math?!?
  • jessicarobinson00
    jessicarobinson00 Posts: 414 Member
    edited October 2015
    I will share mine. This was my 27th birthday. It was the moment I realized that I had gotten heavy. Weight seems to creep up on you!! - I'm in the purple shirt. :)
    kb1elj3n6pbt.jpg
  • krithsai
    krithsai Posts: 668 Member
    I visited my hometown when my daughter was around 1 and hearing "oh wow, you've become a little chubby" and variations of it was enough to get me started. But what really freaked me out was when 2 months later, my fasting blood sugars was at 101. And I'm all of 28! I decided to take charge once and for all. I've lost 21.5 lbs since that event occurred 4 months ago. I'm determined for my follow up to be a happy one.
  • lindaroto
    lindaroto Posts: 6 Member
    Breast cancer. I had been a yo-yoer for many many years. Essentially I gave up and let the weight win. Then I got breast cancer diagnosis--thankfully, small, had not spread, etc. But I knew obesity was a risk factor for recurrence. There are some things I have no control of, but my weight was the one thing only I could fix. I got started right after finishing radiation and never looked back. I've lost 60 pounds since Jan. 2015, and have about 60 more to go. I feel good and more than anything don't want the cancer to return! Slow and steady is working for me and is sustainable. For me, it is true that internal motivation is the key.
  • srcurran
    srcurran Posts: 208 Member
    When my doctor diagnosed me as a diabetic.
  • jo_m_towns
    jo_m_towns Posts: 27 Member
    [how are you ??

  • lenette88
    lenette88 Posts: 18 Member
    For me it was 2 things. Before the holidays about 5 different people told me I was looking thin. I knew I weighed more than I ever had, but I still sort of believed them and didn't take care of my diet at all. When it was time to go back to work, I realized I didn't fit into most of my pants anymore. The other reason was I've been having lower-back pain, but don't want to go to the dr just to have them tell me I should lose weight. I am 5'4 and started at 162. I now weigh 153 and my goal is to be 135 by july.
  • x311Tifa
    x311Tifa Posts: 357 Member
    I had lots of realizations, but never the "Ah-ha" until this New Years. I couldn't do half a flight of stairs without wanting to die, I reached the heaviest weight I ever had in my life, and my fattest clothes didn't even fit. Now I actively log everything, minus a few fun days on the weekend, and work out most of the week (4-6) from being in fun MFP challenges. This requires consistency (in most cases) and I never was consistent.

    Since 1/1/16, I am down 14.4lbs so far. Grand total to eventually lose is about 120lbs or so, but so far so good!
  • srcurran
    srcurran Posts: 208 Member
    Actually - since maintaining goal weight all my numbers are in range and my doctor is happy. I am on medication but no insulin and I am considered in a "controlled" state. I learned that once you are diagnosed, it never goes away, but doing the right things can delay a lot of the damage that can result. So this is for the rest of my life. Thank you for asking, jo_m_towns.
  • TankTop1231
    TankTop1231 Posts: 8 Member
    My aha moment was two fold. My daughter is a sophomore. I started to realize that my time with her is limited. She will be off to college and on her own before I know it. I didn't want to hide for the next few years and avoid having fun with her. I didn't want to avoid cameras and be afraid to be seen on senior nights, prom pictures, etc... Vain I know, but I want to be comfortable and proud of myself in these pictures.

    It is different this time because I found a program that works for me exercise wise and I have MFP to track calories. I saw quick results and I like the way I look and feel.

    Mindset is everything! It is totally a mental game for me.

  • chrissymfred
    chrissymfred Posts: 47 Member
    Love this thread! Thanks to everyone for sharing your aha moments, it's very inspiring. <3
  • trjjoy
    trjjoy Posts: 666 Member
    RaspberryTickleChicken wrote: »
    • When was your 'AH-HA' moment that made you decide, 'ahhhm okay it's time to do something about this weight?'
    • What made a difference this time which differed from previous attempts to lose weight &/or get healthy? (motivation)
    • How much impact do you feel that a correct mindset has on the level of achievement?

    ]

    My AHA moment was when my bf started tracking his calories and exercising while I just sat there eating sweets. I realised he will soon be slim but I will still be fat. So I joined him. He stopped doing both, unfortunately.
    It is easier this time around because I no longer live with my parents who have terrible eating and cooking habits. And because my bf doesn't mind spending money on food. And because I better snacking habits. Soups account for a sizeable chunk of my meals.
    I remain focused on my goal so yes, one's mindset is hugely important.
  • kristen6350
    kristen6350 Posts: 1,094 Member
    So amazing to see this many Ah-Moments!

    Mine was kinda boring really. All through my 20's I never had issues with my weight. I was never thin, but never overweight. I averaged 165-170 for a 5'11 female over the 14 years since HS. I was always either a 12 or a 14 in pants (which didn't look big on my frame at the time). Something happened though when I turned 30. I had a group of older friends that were a bit larger than me, and one was scarily diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes (went temporarily blind for an hour on a road trip). My pants were getting REALLY tight and there was no way I was ever getting back into those 12's. I KNEW the last thing I wanted to do was buy a 16. You could say my increasing waistline and my friend's diagonsis was a kick in the head I needed.

    I knew I couldn't do a "diet". I needed to find a way to do baby steps. I learned what my portion sizes should be and cut out soda (I was drinking 3-4 cans a day and it wasn't diet). I really don't know what my starting weight was (I say 193, but I didn't own a scale until I was 165). I just starting eating less and the weight melted off. It wasn't until I got to 165 that I joined MFP. Before long I was wearing size 8 pants. Then 6. Then even 4.

    Currently and the last 3 years I've been in the 150-160 range. My lowest was 142 and it wasn't maintainable (I basically just wanted to know I could do it). I feel the best at 148, but in the winter I tend closer to 155. I'll soon start to lose slowly for the summer months again. I never want to have to decrease more than 10lbs again.
  • spzjlb
    spzjlb Posts: 602 Member
    tomteboda wrote: »
    I take care of my mom full-time. She's 59 years old and entirely dependent on other people for almost everything. She has cushing's syndrome and over 100 lbs of nonoperable fibroid tumors in her body, and after she was immobilized by a stroke the weight just piled on, going from a hefty but manageable 350 to 500.

    She has a lot of health problems, with multiple sclerosis, SLE, and diabetes and all the problems that result from them. She's going blind and deaf, she can barely transfer from her chair to a toilet, her feet are absolutely a horror from edema and wounds that wont' heal. We have to wrap her legs every day, and wash and tend for all her sores. Neuropathy ,means she can't feel anything below her upper arms or legs, and she has terrible heart pain as well as random muscle spasms all over her body. She suffers greatly. No person should suffer like that.

    Her problems are not caused by her weight, they're caused by her malfunctioning immune system and the genetic changes brought about by exposure to a drug her mom took in utero. But her weight is making everything A LOT HARDER. I can't lift her, even with my dad's help. When she falls, we have to call 911 to get help. I can't handle her wheelchair alone, so she can only go places when my dad, who is 60 years old, can help! We can barely get her into the car right now to take her to the doctor. She's too heavy for one of those cars that has the lift-chairs, and we can't afford a motorized chair for her. We can't afford one of the expensive motorized recliners for bariatric people either, so every time she wants her feet up or head back, I have to do it for her. You cannot imagine how frustrating that is for her, to be unable to do anything for herself, and she's a very independent person. Its not exactly easy on me either, because she often needs help at least once every hour or two around the clock, and this has been going on for years.

    Ma suffers every single day. It's terrible to watch. NOBODY should suffer like this. And her weight makes taking care of her SO MUCH HARDER. It has a clear and terrible impact on the quality of her life. She'd still be in pain and miserable if she was smaller, because the diseases she has are her body self-destructing. But the weight makes it worse.

    November 2014 I realized I was headed down the same path.

    Like my mom, I have systemic lupus erythematosus. Over the past decade I suffered several serious injuries to my back, including one at the C2 vertebra which completely immobilized me for months. Then my immune system started attacking my heart, making me very sleepy (20 hours a day sleeping!). My weight went up, and up, and up... and I did nothing. 165 turned into 175.. to 185.. 195... 205.. 225... 235... 245... 255... I held there for a couple years until the heart problem. I was hiding from the camera. I knew I was fat, but I was tired all the time and I just didn't have the energy to be active like I always used to be. And then I stepped on a scale and it read 270.

    My heart skipped a beat. 270. What. the. heck. I numbly went back to my bedroom and wept.. and wept... and wept. Because suddenly I knew.. I was going down the EXACT SAME PATH my mom had been on. What happened if my heart didn't get better? What happened if I needed someone to help me? How could I do that to someone else? I always had a functional definition of weight: your weight is fine, unless its preventing you from living the life you want. Lupus changed the equation for me. It took away my ability to do things; and I realized my weight was NOT HELPING one bit. It was putting a lot of extra strain on my heart.

    After a couple days of complete devastation, I logged onto MyFitnessPal. I wasn't ready to commit fully, but I started paying attention to what I was eating. My goal wasn't even to lose weght yet. It was to STOP GAINING. Nevertheless, despite not logging, in the first 2 months I lost 15 lbs.

    I had a doctor appointment in January and was put on a drug to calm my immune system down. That day I started logging everything I ate. In May my heart was strong enough I could go on short (15 minute) walks every 2-3 days, and vacuum my house every 2 days (believe me this was exertion!). Over the summer, I became stronger as my heart recovered from the prolonged attack on it, and the walking increased.

    I've now lost almost 75 lbs. I'm aiming to lose 23 more. Walking is so much easier than it was, not just because my muscles are more conditioned, but because I'm not lugging around a large Irish Setter in fat. My back is getting stronger than it's been in a long time, so much stress was taken off that as well. Everything else that's improved is just gravy.

    Oh, and my mom? She's lost 100 lbs along with me, because I was paying attention to my my diet and by association hers as well.

    That is a very big AHA story and I'm so pleased that you and your mum are doing so well. I love happy endings.... :smiley:
  • 2307dee
    2307dee Posts: 62 Member
    • When was your 'AH-HA' moment that made you decide, 'ahhhm okay it's time to do something about this weight?'
    • What made a difference this time which differed from previous attempts to lose weight &/or get healthy? (motivation)
    • How much impact do you feel that a correct mindset has on the level of achievement?

    My Ah-Ha moment came just over three years ago when our housekeeper accidently shrunk my favourite shirt and pants. In the past I would have simply gone out and bought another but these were a few months old, and expensive. Enough was enough, and that's when my journey began.

    I have lost & gained so many times before but this time I lost about 14kg (31lbs) on my own, then after 12 months I hit a wall. By chance I discovered MFP and haven't looked back, losing another 22kg (49lbs). Using MFP to track daily in/out, being completely honest and accountable, and never making excuses has made all the difference.

    Correct mindset is everything. I either make a change for the better or I don't. Unlike my laundry, nobody else can do this for me. I tell myself this every day.



  • walking2running
    walking2running Posts: 140 Member
    A combination of several factors:
    - I have been overweight or obese for as long as I can remember - starting at the age of 5. I weighed 240 pounds by the time I was 19. I lost 90 pounds and dropped to 150 (I am 5'4") when I was 20. Then, married life happened, and 2 kids later, I gained some of it back (weighing in at 190 after the birth of my second child). I was down to 150 pounds again by last year, and my weight crept up to 160 by December 2015. I had had enough of starving or feeling on the verge of going back to my old ways. I now understand that maintaining weight will be my biggest challenge.
    - I have never been thin or slender in my entire adult life. I don't know what my body/face would look like without the extra pounds. I want to experience being thin for the first time in my life. I don't *have* to accept being overweight just because I am no longer obese.
  • 75in2013
    75in2013 Posts: 361 Member
    edited February 2016
    My "Ah-ha" moment ... my 5 year old son told me that I'm fat and have boobies. He didnt want to insult me or hurt me. He just mentioned it as a fact.

    2nd "Ah-ha" moment. Stepping on a scale an seeing 3 digits (>100kg).
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
    HaibaneReki wrote: »
    my "aha" moment was seeing this picture
    pjl1y92f774g.jpg
    oh and this one too ;)
    09p645ggs2r8.jpg
    one 2009, other 2011

    Interesting jacket. I notice the pockets are unusual for a jacket.
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
    _Waffle_ wrote: »
    Looking in the mirror. That's my a-ha moment.

    a_ha___Take_On_Me_by_scorcher.gif

    Brilliant. I did think of that.

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