What Finally Motivated You to Lose Weight?

Machka9

I settled ...

I've been slender most of my adult life. In about 2007/2008, in the last couple years of my most recent Bachelor's degree, I put on a little bit of weight, but still well within my normal BMI range. Those years were unsettled because I was living in two places and regularly driving 300 km round trip between then, attending uni full time, and working part time. I also got married ... my long-distance fiancé travelled from Australia to Canada for about 3 weeks, we married, and he headed back to Australia.

In early 2009, his place and most of what he owned was destroyed in the Victorian bushfires, and in June, as soon as I had graduated, I moved to Australia to live in a small shack out in the middle of nowhere with him. One of the few remaining buildings left standing in the area. Very rustic ... no running water, electricity or anything. We lived there for a year ... talk about a learning curve! Among other things, I learned to bake with a cast iron dutch oven over an open fire. And I developed DVT on my flight over so I was hospitalised for 2 weeks, and then put on Warfarin for a year which drained me of all energy. And I gained a little bit of weight, but still just within my normal BMI range.

2010 we moved into town (running water, electricity ... how exciting!) and we kind of settled in that house for 2 years. The minute I came off the Warfarin, I became more active, and lost some of the weight I had gained.

2012 we started planning and packing and making arrangements ... June 2012, we set off for an 8-month trip around the world. Although we cycled quite a bit ... brought our bicycles with us ... we also ate quite a bit. Lots of good food all over the world!! Yeah, OK, we basically ate our way around the world. And I gained enough weight to put me over my normal BMI by a few kg.

That Christmas we "settled" for a month near my parents in Canada, got a gym membership, and lost some of the weight ... but I was still just a tiny bit above my normal BMI.

February 2013 we were back where we started, but the unsettled continued ... we lived in a couple different places there and jobs were on-contract only. Busy applying for work elsewhere. Then packing up and moving. New place, new job. Then moving again and shipping our stuff and unpacking and not focusing on eating or exercise. And I gained enough weight to put me over my normal BMI by a few kg.

Dec 23, 2014, I was informed that I needed to have urgent surgery ... the possibility of cancer. Surgery was scheduled for Jan 12. About a week later I got a call ... I needed to come in for further testing and a biopsy for another matter I was having checked ... a second possibility of cancer. They'd like to see me as soon as possible. So two surgeries a week apart in January ... one was all clear, thank goodness. The other they will continue to monitor for several years.

But I packed on the weight in January ... to my highest weight ever. I realise now that some of that was probably water weight from the surgeries but it startled me!

So ... settled in the job, settled in the new house, surgeries complete and pretty much all clear ... I decided to set about losing weight. I joined MFP in February 2015.

allenpriest

Simple

I got sick and tired of being sick and tired.

zira91

I cant fit into my clothes anymore. My knee hurt. I cant walk far.. My back hurt. I feel unhappy..and not feeling confident with myself at all..plus, All the sneering and harsh comments from my own family and friend, every step of the way..

Its difficult since im alone in this journey, but MPF friends helps a lot and give such a great encouragement. Im 34lbs down with 20 to go..I feel healthier, no more pain and lots of my friends actually realize how i did look happier and im literally glowing..all the previously small clothes is actually a tad too big for me now too..

Its important for you to love yourself every step of the way because you are strong! dont be too hard on yourself and don't forget to enjoy and have fun every step of the way ..