What REALLY inspired you to lose weight?
atypicalsmith
Posts: 2,742 Member
For a very special event in 2007, I was inspired to lose 20 pounds. After the event, I immediately gained it back. Then I gained another 20 pounds. At this point, I bought a dress that I LOVED as inspiration to lose back at least the 20 extra pounds I gained. Instead, I gained another ten. The dress went to the back of my closet and I all but forgot about it.
Sigh. What finally truly inspired me, besides being horrified at accidentally seeing my reflection in a window or mirror, was hitting 169.8 pounds. Whoa! Time to stop this insanity! So I joined the Y and started eating better. Before MFP, it took me about six months to lose ten pounds. Since MFP, I've lost 14 pounds in three months. I still have 36 to go, but I'm in no hurry as I want to lose it in a healthy manner. Half a pound to a pound a week is just fine with me.
Meanwhile, I found that dress and have been trying it on every two or three weeks. At first, I couldn't pull it up past my knees. Then, I could get it around my body, but couldn't zip it up. Then, it could be zipped up about halfway. Next, it zipped all the way up, but I looked like a stuffed sausage and the one button in the middle wasn't even close to the loop where it belonged. Today, I could button it. It's still too small for me, but it's amazing at the transformation even though I still have many pounds to go. Soon, that dress will fit me, and that is when people will notice that I've lost weight. And then, the dress will be too large for me.
It took nearly eight years, but that dress is finally inspiring me!
Sigh. What finally truly inspired me, besides being horrified at accidentally seeing my reflection in a window or mirror, was hitting 169.8 pounds. Whoa! Time to stop this insanity! So I joined the Y and started eating better. Before MFP, it took me about six months to lose ten pounds. Since MFP, I've lost 14 pounds in three months. I still have 36 to go, but I'm in no hurry as I want to lose it in a healthy manner. Half a pound to a pound a week is just fine with me.
Meanwhile, I found that dress and have been trying it on every two or three weeks. At first, I couldn't pull it up past my knees. Then, I could get it around my body, but couldn't zip it up. Then, it could be zipped up about halfway. Next, it zipped all the way up, but I looked like a stuffed sausage and the one button in the middle wasn't even close to the loop where it belonged. Today, I could button it. It's still too small for me, but it's amazing at the transformation even though I still have many pounds to go. Soon, that dress will fit me, and that is when people will notice that I've lost weight. And then, the dress will be too large for me.
It took nearly eight years, but that dress is finally inspiring me!
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Replies
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Being diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis and having the pain get increasingly worse. I knew that I could positively impact how the disease progressed by losing weight and exercising.
I have several other medical conditions and had made the mistake in the past of sort of letting myself become a victim after diagnosis. I wasn't going to do that again.0 -
You have a good spirit! I've seen many of your posts and know you genuinely care about people, and had no clue you were going through this. Thanks so much for sharing.0
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I actually didn't care that I was overweight and steadily gaining. Had a wake up call though when I had blood work done and it showed my glucose number was really high. Fasting test showed my number in the pre-diabetic range. Several of my relatives have died to complications from T2 (my only living grandparent is currently losing her battle with it right now). That was the kick in the butt I needed. Fast forward a few years-down around 60lbs, successfully in maintenance, and my glucose number has been in the normal range for around two years now
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Mine was similar to mama's ( Hi Mama!) last year. I was dignosed with ankylosing spondylitis. Months of high dose prednisone, countless pills plus humira. The breaking point was when I had to have fluid remove from my lungs. I have 3 boys that depend on me. I thought to myself I am never going to get better if I don't make a change to improve my health. I go in a few weeks to the rhemy and hope he starts reducing some pills 31 pounds gone:)0
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After a recent night out with some girlfriends, I saw pics posted of me online...I could NOT believe that fat girl in the pics was ME!
I joined a gym that week and now work out religiously. I also started a reduced calorie way of eating and tracking my food on MFP.
Not exactly sure why THAT particular pic hit me so hard but I'm glad it did!
I've never in my life been so motivated and determined to get healthy and lose the extra weight I've carried for years!!!
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I was inspired by my sister. We met for the first time a few years ago and she looked so beautiful, I thought that if she can look like that and be related to me, then I have no excuse.
I lost 46lb and haven't looked back. 0 -
Mine was similar to mama's ( Hi Mama!) last year. I was dignosed with ankylosing spondylitis. Months of high dose prednisone, countless pills plus humira. The breaking point was when I had to have fluid remove from my lungs. I have 3 boys that depend on me. I thought to myself I am never going to get better if I don't make a change to improve my health. I go in a few weeks to the rhemy and hope he starts reducing some pills 31 pounds gone:)
Hi amwcnw! AS is such a pain in the butt, and prednisone! YUCK! I didn't know you were on that.
You're a hottie now!
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Seeing myself sitting naked on the toilet about a year after giving birth to my son. I could no longer call it baby weight. I decided right then that I never wanted to see that again.0
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I met my future husband, Norman Reedus.....but he didn't propose on the spot...
Later, when I saw the picture of us, I understood why!! Next day? New mfp account. And here I am 8 months later and 50 lbs lighter
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I was inspired last year by my upcoming retirement ... my vision for myself moving forward included being strong and healthy ... 50 pounds down from Jan 1 2014 and working toward being able to DL my weight by my next bday (65) 0
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mamapeach910 wrote: »Mine was similar to mama's ( Hi Mama!) last year. I was dignosed with ankylosing spondylitis. Months of high dose prednisone, countless pills plus humira. The breaking point was when I had to have fluid remove from my lungs. I have 3 boys that depend on me. I thought to myself I am never going to get better if I don't make a change to improve my health. I go in a few weeks to the rhemy and hope he starts reducing some pills 31 pounds gone:)
Hi amwcnw! AS is such a pain in the butt, and prednisone! YUCK! I didn't know you were on that.
You're a hottie now!
Mama! I stop prednisone 6 months ago (about a month after humira started.) I was on 80 mg daily for over 5 months. Thanks honey! You truly have inspired me. We all have our issues but we are accountable for our actions! Thank you for your support!
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When ALL my jeans were too small to wear I started getting serious about losing weight. It feels amazing to be able to just throw on a pair of jeans/ any tshirt and walk out the door vs. having to find shirts that work with your jeans so no muffin top shows!
hahaha, thats my rock bottom. 0 -
I needed to change something and my weight was the easiest thing.0
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I had known I needed to get off my butt and do something about my creeping weight for a while, but was kinda able to ignore it. Then my husband decided to take up photography as a hobby. Suddenly I was constantly faced with pictures of how big I had gotten and how far it was from my mental picture of myself. Then my husband took this picture at my daughter's 3rd birthday party.
I was horrified. It looked like I had a second set of boobs! I thought I looked good in that outfit, then I saw that picture and that's the straw that broke the camel's back. Not long after that I got serious about losing weight. It took some trial and error before I figured out what worked, but that's where it started.
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Been yo-yo-ing for more than 20 years - each high weight getting progressively higher, each loss becoming progressively more difficult... And if avoiding social situations and pictures wasn't bad enough, I started to experience some health issues for the first time (I'm 44). Even at points of obesity, my blood pressure and lipids have always been stellar in the past. However, at my last obgyn visit, my bp was high... She wanted me to have follow-up visits and take me off the pill. Then the snoring started, preventing both my husband and me from getting adequate sleep. I was always exhausted, and just generally felt like garbage. Enough is enough... Time to take off the 45 lbs that I'm over, get healthy, and finally learn how to maintain for life. I'm down 10 so far, and feeling great!0
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I had known I needed to get off my butt and do something about my creeping weight for a while, but was kinda able to ignore it. Then my husband decided to take up photography as a hobby. Suddenly I was constantly faced with pictures of how big I had gotten and how far it was from my mental picture of myself. Then my husband took this picture at my daughter's 3rd birthday party.
I was horrified. It looked like I had a second set of boobs! I thought I looked good in that outfit, then I saw that picture and that's the straw that broke the camel's back. Not long after that I got serious about losing weight. It took some trial and error before I figured out what worked, but that's where it started.
Isn't it funny how when the weight creeps up on you, that you still see yourself as that person you used to be until you see yourself unexpectedly in a picture, or in a mirror, and then get the shock of your life?0 -
My fat, fat jeans were getting tight, and when I stepped on the scale I was five pounds heavier than my previous high weight. That was a good enough shock to make things happen.0
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Being diabetic. I was diagnosed in 2008. My sugar control has always been up and down. On my last doctor visit my A1C was about seven and the doctor wanted to put me on a SECOND drug. No way! I'm already on Metformin since 2008. I've lost 17 lbs since that visit and my fasting sugar is averaging in the upper 70's to the low 80's, down from averaging 120. I go back to the doctor in June. I'm hoping my A1C will be good enough to get off Metformin.0
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TiffanyR71 wrote: »Been yo-yo-ing for more than 20 years - each high weight getting progressively higher, each loss becoming progressively more difficult... And if avoiding social situations and pictures wasn't bad enough, I started to experience some health issues for the first time (I'm 44). Even at points of obesity, my blood pressure and lipids have always been stellar in the past. However, at my last obgyn visit, my bp was high... She wanted me to have follow-up visits and take me off the pill. Then the snoring started, preventing both my husband and me from getting adequate sleep. I was always exhausted, and just generally felt like garbage. Enough is enough... Time to take off the 45 lbs that I'm over, get healthy, and finally learn how to maintain for life. I'm down 10 so far, and feeling great!
Health is the single biggest reason to lose weight. I'm so glad you're doing it! I now feel shallow at using the dress as my inspiration. Truth is, my blood pressure was getting out of control, I couldn't climb a single flight of stairs without getting out of breath, and my joints started aching tremendously. I pushed it all aside as "getting old". Well, now that I can FINALLY cross my legs again, and can easily do several miles of walking, even though I'm old, and even though I still have a bunch to lose, I know deep down that my health is the main reason to keep at it.0 -
Dave_GettingFit wrote: »Being diabetic. I was diagnosed in 2008. My sugar control has always been up and down. On my last doctor visit my A1C was about seven and the doctor wanted to put me on a SECOND drug. No way! I'm already on Metformin since 2008. I've lost 17 lbs since that visit and my fasting sugar is averaging in the upper 70's to the low 80's, down from averaging 120. I go back to the doctor in June. I'm hoping my A1C will be good enough to get off Metformin.
Keeping my fingers crossed for you!0 -
atypicalsmith wrote: »Dave_GettingFit wrote: »Being diabetic. I was diagnosed in 2008. My sugar control has always been up and down. On my last doctor visit my A1C was about seven and the doctor wanted to put me on a SECOND drug. No way! I'm already on Metformin since 2008. I've lost 17 lbs since that visit and my fasting sugar is averaging in the upper 70's to the low 80's, down from averaging 120. I go back to the doctor in June. I'm hoping my A1C will be good enough to get off Metformin.
Keeping my fingers crossed for you!atypicalsmith wrote: »Dave_GettingFit wrote: »Being diabetic. I was diagnosed in 2008. My sugar control has always been up and down. On my last doctor visit my A1C was about seven and the doctor wanted to put me on a SECOND drug. No way! I'm already on Metformin since 2008. I've lost 17 lbs since that visit and my fasting sugar is averaging in the upper 70's to the low 80's, down from averaging 120. I go back to the doctor in June. I'm hoping my A1C will be good enough to get off Metformin.
Keeping my fingers crossed for you!atypicalsmith wrote: »Dave_GettingFit wrote: »Being diabetic. I was diagnosed in 2008. My sugar control has always been up and down. On my last doctor visit my A1C was about seven and the doctor wanted to put me on a SECOND drug. No way! I'm already on Metformin since 2008. I've lost 17 lbs since that visit and my fasting sugar is averaging in the upper 70's to the low 80's, down from averaging 120. I go back to the doctor in June. I'm hoping my A1C will be good enough to get off Metformin.
Keeping my fingers crossed for you!
Thank you!
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They told me that I was at risk for a heart attack because my cholesterol was so high...This was the shock that I needed to FINALLY get my butt in gear and do something about my escalating weight...I have lost forty one pounds since the end of November, and I haven't looked back...Hopefully, I'll be able to lose another thirty more, although it is REALLY slowing down at this point...Haven't given up, though...Am in the "overweight" category for the first time in, about, five years...Am shooting for the low end of overweight...I have been there before, and it is a good weight for me...0
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A few years ago, my dad was diagnosed with diabetes & started tracking his sugar and food intake to control it. He & my mom lost a bunch of weight just from changing their eating habits, which helped me realize that even small changes can make a huge difference. Unfortunately, after my dad got his diabetes under control and was able to stop taking meds for it, he didn't have a reason to keep track anymore & gained all his weight back. Maybe now I can be his motivation to get back on track. :]0
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A few years ago, my dad was diagnosed with diabetes & started tracking his sugar and food intake to control it. He & my mom lost a bunch of weight just from changing their eating habits, which helped me realize that even small changes can make a huge difference. Unfortunately, after my dad got his diabetes under control and was able to stop taking meds for it, he didn't have a reason to keep track anymore & gained all his weight back. Maybe now I can be his motivation to get back on track. :]
Oh, I hope so! He gave you motivation; now he needs it from you. Best of luck to both of you, and to your mom too.0 -
Getting extremely scared when I learned I had a plaque in my left eye and stenosis in my carotid. This puts me at risk of stroke or heart attack.
The fear gave me the motivation to start, but more positive benefits keep me going.0 -
They told me that I was at risk for a heart attack because my cholesterol was so high...This was the shock that I needed to FINALLY get my butt in gear and do something about my escalating weight...I have lost forty one pounds since the end of November, and I haven't looked back...Hopefully, I'll be able to lose another thirty more, although it is REALLY slowing down at this point...Haven't given up, though...Am in the "overweight" category for the first time in, about, five years...Am shooting for the low end of overweight...I have been there before, and it is a good weight for me...
You are doing great! You probably need to slow down as you lose more to keep it healthy. As long as it's going away, you're doing great. Even if it's only a pound a month, it's better than gaining a pound every two months. In this day and age where everything now happens so quickly, weight loss doesn't follow suit!0 -
A few years ago, my dad was diagnosed with diabetes & started tracking his sugar and food intake to control it. He & my mom lost a bunch of weight just from changing their eating habits, which helped me realize that even small changes can make a huge difference. Unfortunately, after my dad got his diabetes under control and was able to stop taking meds for it, he didn't have a reason to keep track anymore & gained all his weight back. Maybe now I can be his motivation to get back on track. :]
That has a nice circular track. He inspired you and now you can inspire him. That's what family is for.
As a fellow diabetic I hope he loses it again.
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My jeans no longer fit me. Pretty much every pair didn't fit. So instead of losing weight, I bought a bigger size. When that size was getting tight and I resorted to leggings.... it just finally hit.
Also, summer is coming up! I want to have one summer where I'm not embarrassed to go to the beach and rock a bathing suit!0 -
It wasn't any single event that inspired me to lose weight, rather several over a few years time. Left shoulder pain (went in emergency room for heart check), pain in legs from veins/bad valves, hurting my back during a small twisting motion, and finally huffing and puffing up 4 flights of stairs. I'm down 46 pounds from my all-time high of 200 now with 9 more pounds to go. It is so worth all the hard work.0
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