So what makes this time different?

mandeenicoleb

Is there one single, identifiable factor in your decision to lose weight?

I'm sure this isn't the first attempt.

Personally I had a birthmark on my back which I hated all of my life. I always felt so self-conscious.

This year I spent over $2,000 for surgery to get rid of it forever.

After removing the stitches and healing.....body toning time!

I've always wanted a better body, but without the fear of exposing my back...I'm ready for the kinds of crop tops and backless dresses I've always wanted.

Mosley35

More dedication

Iron_Lotus

I'm ready

mandeenicoleb

I will go out on a limb and say, we can all do it! I know it.

shuntia05

I definitely need some dedication in my life,but I am ready!

elainecroft

Getting older. Realizing that I don't have infinite time to make my body like I want it to be.

demonlullaby

i was working on a film and saw myself in a video clip.. it literally made me so disturbed. i guess it was the push that i needed.. i have tried to lose weight SO many times in the past. but this time i'm actually doing it.

LuHox

I've been trying to answer this question for myself, but I'm not sure I've come up with the perfect reason that THIS time is different, yet.

I think it's that I've literally tried everything else at this point, and MFP and similar online food diaries are the only way I've successfully lost weight in the past. I know that it's going to take a long time and I'm comfortable with that. I stopped giving myself an end-date. Whether I lose 20 lbs in 6 months, 70 lbs in 6 months, or nothing in 6 months (because I didn't try) that time is going to pass... so I'm okay with the 20 or 70, but not the nothing.

mandeenicoleb

Probably about a week before I started the last pictures I took while out bothered me.

No one else seemed to notice it but me, but that's all it took. I had a loose fitting shirt but I could tell that when I was sitting my stomach was falling over my jeans.

At that point I was 148 which is really as heavy as I seem to get while eating tonsssss of whatever I want but I needed to shed that winter weight.

I've never been so successful so quickly. I lacked guidance. The lowest I've gotten had been 132 with crazy workouts all day long and not eating the things I enjoyed. I don't work out nearly as much now (don't burn out) and I'm shedding a lot faster.

mandeenicoleb

I've been trying to answer this question for myself, but I'm not sure I've come up with the perfect reason that THIS time is different, yet.

I think it's that I've literally tried everything else at this point, and MFP and similar online food diaries are the only way I've successfully lost weight in the past. I know that it's going to take a long time and I'm comfortable with that. I stopped giving myself an end-date. Whether I lose 20 lbs in 6 months, 70 lbs in 6 months, or nothing in 6 months (because I didn't try) that time is going to pass... so I'm okay with the 20 or 70, but not the nothing.

I really like your answer. I think it is important to not get discouraged with deadlines of how much weight by when. It's a nice goal to have but as long as we get there......

no rush

KANGOOJUMPS

go kick some butt

Darius66

I am about to be 30 years old and one day 4 months ago it hit me... I am going to be a single 300lb 30 year old man.

Somehow for the first time in my life I talked myself INTO doing what I needed to do for my health. I have never in my life been more motivated or pushed this hard to get in shape. It is like pre 30 is something I want to forget because this is when my life really starts.

Step 2 will be taking care of the whole single thing.

bcattoes

This time is different because I'm older and it's more difficult to lose now. I'm married now and my free time is not just my time anymore. And I hope it's different in that I don't backslide and stop exercising regularly again, but that is still to be determined.

mandeenicoleb

I am about to be 30 years old and one day 4 months ago it hit me... I am going to be a single 300lb 30 year old man.

Somehow for the first time in my life I talked myself INTO doing what I needed to do for my health. I have never in my life been more motivated or pushed this hard to get in shape. It is like pre 30 is something I want to forget because this is when my life really starts.

That is beautiful to hear how motivated you are now and knowing that you can do it! At the end of the day this really IS for ourselves and the change will make us happy and confident, as we should be.

@bcattoes--I believe it can be different for you. I'm on this super motivated mentality where I am convinced I can get into the best shape of my life and I just want everyone to join me ))))

jim9097

What makes the difference is when you decide that it is no longer for a superficial reason. Most people want a number on the scale or to look better. Study after study show that people who do it for that reason tend to start getting comfortable as they get close and fall offt the wagon. Then they start to think it is a plataeu when the truth is they forgot what got them where they are. The only time it changes is when you finally make the decision to make a true life style change.

With that said there are those who are self punishing and are capable of keeping it up for vanity reasons, if you ask me those folks are just plain crazy. I keep going not becasue I want to lose weight or because I want to look better, it is because I enjoy working out and I like how I feel when I am done. I have accepted that I have a little flab left around the mid section, but I am in great shape and I could care less about that little flab. It is not affecting my health and it is not keeping me from any physical activity whatsoever. So why should I obsess over it?

ethompso0105

"It's not that some people have will power and some do not. It's that some people are ready to change, and others are not."

I wish I could remember who that quote is by, but I have it written on my bathroom mirror as a reminder. I'm ready to change.

Crochetluvr

Probably thinking I was going to be a fat, sickly old woman...I wasn't far from that.

jim9097

I am about to be 30 years old and one day 4 months ago it hit me... I am going to be a single 300lb 30 year old man.

Somehow for the first time in my life I talked myself INTO doing what I needed to do for my health. I have never in my life been more motivated or pushed this hard to get in shape. It is like pre 30 is something I want to forget because this is when my life really starts.

Step 2 will be taking care of the whole single thing.

And this is exactly what I am talking about. This guy gets it and is doing it for the right reason. He decided it was for his health not for vanity or just for the sake of hitting a number on the scale.

majica8

It's the first time I've tried actually. But I guess the reason I haven't tried before is because I just didn't have any motivation. I do now. Besides getting bored of hating myself, I need to try something to get some more confidence because I haven't been living my life. I don't know if/how much it will help if I ever do reach my goal weight, but I know not doing anything would have probably killed me one way or another.

SparkleShine

I'm in my 40's now and for me it's about getting healthy and ....I won't lie...looking better!

My Dad has stayed active and it shows! He played 9 games of softball recently....weekend tournament. He's 65 and is doing AWESOME! My husband's Dad however, has not taken care of himself and drank a lot until 5 years ago. He isn't very healthy at all and it's sad to me.

So for me...I gave up drinking and got serious about my health and weight loss about 7 months ago and I'm feeling AMAZING!

seanpp

I just hit a milestone in my life and realized I wanted to be in shape again. I used to sail, but quit when I went to college and moved away from the water. After graduating, I moved across the country to San Francisco and knew that my life was changing, and I wanted "being healthy and fit" to be a part of those changes.

mandeenicoleb

What makes the difference is when you decide that it is no longer for a superficial reason. Most people want a number on the scale or to look better. Study after study show that people who do it for that reason tend to start getting comfortable as they get close and fall offt the wagon. Then they start to think it is a plataeu when the truth is they forgot what got them where they are. The only time it changes is when you finally make the decision to make a true life style change.

With that said there are those who are self punishing and are capable of keeping it up for vanity reasons, if you ask me those folks are just plain crazy. I keep going not becasue I want to lose weight or because I want to look better, it is because I enjoy working out and I like how I feel when I am done. I have accepted that I have a little flab left around the mid section, but I am in great shape and I could care less about that little flab. It is not affecting my health and it is not keeping me from any physical activity whatsoever. So why should I obsess over it?

I'd be lying if I said vanity didn't play a part, but also my boyfriend and I always talk about how happy I am when I'm working out and eating right. I had moments where I felt like I was falling into a depression (not because of weight issues, but just feeling down and overwhelmed by work, school, and life) but working out seems to be the best way to deal. I've never taken medication nor do I plan to because exercise and a healthy diet has always been enough to get me back to my happy optimistic self.

So I guess what I'm saying is, it's true!

Athena53

I stumbled onto the idea of 5:2 fasting before I even knew someone write a book about it and I stuck with it because it just felt right. I didn't feel bloated all the time. I didn't weigh myself; I rarely do because I just get crazed over day-to-day fluctuations. Over the long run, though, my clothes started getting loose and people started to notice.

The other thing was that I got talked into a sprint triathlon a few years ago and kicked up my workouts a notch because I wanted to survive it. I've done at least one every year since!

I think I've finally hit a plateau but since it's less than I weighed when I graduated from HS 40+ years ago, I'm happy with it.

cjgarcia86

I kept having to buy clothes, because my weight would fluctuate. I wore nothing but sweatpants for two months. I am 26, and I figured if I dont feel good about myself now, I probably never will! I didnt want to live that way anymore.

lacquer_head

I always knew I was big and have made several weak attempts at losing some weight. I would generally give up after a couple days or weeks. I saw a picture of myself sitting on a boat and thought "Holy crap! Am I that big?!" At that moment it was like a light flipped on in my head. It was time to make some moves before there were some serious consequences.

TedStout

Christmas...50 years old, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, tired, etc. Got on the scale New Years...almost 200 lbs (I am 5' 7" and was a Marine for 20 years, always in good shape). Size 36 waist. I HAD ENOUGH.

Today, 30 waist pants. Blood pressure AWESOME. Cholesterol AWESOME. Eating great, feel great. Best weight I have been at my entire adult life, really.

So this time is different because I don't have a whole lot more chances if I screw this up. And I just feel too darned good.

ncmedic201

This time I know that if I don't continue to eat healthy, my blood pressure will go back up and that gives me terrible headaches! I did great earlier this year, lowered my BP and came off all 3 of my meds for it. Now, I am starting to eat bad again and my BP is up and the headaches have returned.

djeffreys10

I actually followed proper nutrition this time, and stuck it out long enough to see results. That made it an obsession. As such, it is now a way of life.

alisonlynn1976

A little over a year ago, I got a job that allows me to have some disposable income for the first time in a long time, I wanted to be able to purchase designer clothes, and I couldn't because I was too big to fit into them. That motivated me enough to really do a lifestyle change. In the past, I've gone on low calorie diets to lose weight, and they work, but I've always quit after losing 15 pounds or so because being hungry all the time put me in a bad mood and it just wasn't worth it. Now that I'm doing this the right way, it's easy. I've lost 28 pounds so far, and that's the most I've lost at a time, ever. I just know I'm going to follow all the way through with this. I feel better than I've felt in years.

cwolfman13

Actually, this was my first real attempt. I used to be an athlete and a former Marine. I've been fit and trim most of my life...just let myself go the last 10 years or so. My decision is based on my health and my doctor telling me I needed to make some changes pronto if I wanted to hang around to watch my kids grow up.

I dropped my 35-40 Lbs pretty easy and have completely changed the way I eat. That's not to say that I don't indulge from time to time, but overall my diet is all about lots of veg and fruit, lean proteins and healthy fats. I don't eat at restaurants often...maybe once or twice per week and I make most of my food from scratch...I can't be 100% clean, but when I eat processed it's minimally so. I've found that eating a lot of whole foods has made weight loss pretty effortless. To boot, I've completely reversed all of my bad blood work and I'm more fit than I've been in years.

I've been maintaining for the last couple of months as I had reached my goal of 19/20% BF but have recently decided to cut another 5%. This is pure vanity and a desire to get my athletic body back. I'm going really slow with about 1/2 Lb per week cut. I figure I'll drop 10 Lbs and that 5% by October/November.

Tiff050709

I guess what changed is that instead of wanting to lose weight to look good to other people, I decided I wanted to lose weight and be healthy for myself, first and foremost. I do want to lose it to be a good role model for my kids, especially my daughters.
I have no health problems, but I don't want any. I see my mother and grandmother, who are both overweight, and I don't want that to be me in 20+ years. I feel like I have not really been living my life for awhile now and I want to reclaim it.