What Motivated You to Finally Lose Weight?

Bundyman

I'm sure many if not all of you have a similar story to mine. Overweight / obese my entire life and could never stick with a diet.

It's depressing to fail time after time. We always want the quick fix to turn our health and lives around. Unless you have some form of surgery to jump start the process it's a struggle to succeed and there is no real quick fix.

For me, my wake-up call came when I was diagnosed with diabetes in 2013 at the age of 45. I weighed nearly 450 pounds and knew if I didn't make some serious changes, I'd likely be dead before long. At the very least I'd start losing body parts.

My doctor wanted me to have Gastric bypass surgery but I knew I was strong enough to lose the weight on my own.

Long story short, I've lost over 160 pounds so far and I'm no longer on any diabetes medications. I was able to lose the weight simply by making some lifestyle changes. I exercised every day by walking and I cut back on my calorie intake limiting myself to 2000 calories a day. A far cry from the 7000+ I had been eating. I've gone from a size 60" waist to now wearing size 42" pants.

I have never and will never use any wraps, shakes, pills or gimmicks of any kind. Every day is a struggle and there have been plenty of bumps and plateaus along the way but I continue to count calories and hit the gym 4 or 5 times a week. I no longer have joint pain and I'm proud to say when I golf, I only rent a cart when the course makes me.

Diabetes and the very real likelihood of an early death is what finally ended my excuses and failure and I have my life back.

Tyler2020Mike

Congratulations, Bundyman!

With me, it was constant headaches I would get, along with being out of breath doing the simplest of tasks.

Bundyman

Tyler2020Mike wrote: »

Congratulations, Bundyman!

With me, it was constant headaches I would get, along with being out of breath doing the simplest of tasks.

I can relate to that as well. Tying my shoe laces would have me breathing heavy. And anyone that has been obese knows about plenty of other routine daily tasks which are anything but routine when you are that size. It can be very embarrassing.

xxx_Pink_Princess_xxx

Similar story to yours (kind of). Both my parents and grandparents (and a lot of uncles) have diabetes so I have a yearly check. I have been obese my whole life too. I hadn't weighed my self for a long time and I went to the nurses office to have my check. I stood on the scale and I was 15 1/2 stone. I decided there and then I was gonna lose weight. It has been a battle. That was back in 2011 - I did really well 2011 and 12 then kind of lost it. My life style has totally changed - I run, I teach zumba and kettlebells and go the the gym. BUT when my eating isnt good I go backwards. I will get to my GW one day. and you will too, we just gotta "keep truckin'" xxxx

Tyler2020Mike

Bundyman wrote: »

Tyler2020Mike wrote: »

Congratulations, Bundyman!

With me, it was constant headaches I would get, along with being out of breath doing the simplest of tasks.

I can relate to that as well. Tying my shoe laces would have me breathing heavy. And anyone that has been obese knows about plenty of other routine daily tasks which are anything but routine when you are that size. It can be very embarrassing.

Thanks for the quick reply. You can add me if you want. Yes, the bending over to tie the shoes was a worrisome task back in the day. I used to dread when things had fallen over in public. Just keep at it, and you'll be able to run about without breaking a sweat.

stepea83

wow man that's very inspiring. kudos to you!

i hit 240lbs just before Xmas 2015, felt crap all the time, for the first time ever found myself breathing heavier when doing little things like tie shoe laces. i was still active playing football (soccer) but my performance and endurance was way off which would leave me annoyed with myself knowing its my fault for the state of my fitness and appearance. another reason was the lower back ache i was experiencing. with having an office based job and doing no activity outside of work, my back was in bits all the time. it would effect my running and give me an excuse not to workout.

i wouldn't say I'm massive, however its clear i am very over weight with a big beer belly (slowing getting smaller). Since the new year Ive curbed my calorie intake, usually have 1500 to 1800 a day (before i was closer to 3000) and i make sure i workout 4 or 5 times a week. (football twice and circuits or bike at home, get out for walks)

Ive lost 19lbs since Xmas and within a short space of time my fitness levels has come back. Seeing the results on the scales help but at the same-time that's only a motivation tool, its the fact the clothes are getting looser and I'm running out of belt notches which gives me the most satisfaction.
i also bought a fitbit to gauge my running stats whilst playing football. i noticed at the start of January my resting heart beat was about 62bpm its now down to 51bpm meaning my heart isn't working as hard as it was. win win situation there.

anyway i've rambled on there, Well done on your lifestyle change and of course your results. keep it up.

kdtesoriero

Congratulations on your weight loss. I am also diabetic so I understand.

WendyLaubach

The threat of diabetes was the trigger for me, too. My blood sugar finally crept up high enough to scare me. Down 45 lbs. since last November.

"other routine daily tasks which are anything but routine"--boy, I hear you. Now everything is slowly getting better, little unexpected gifts nearly every day.

PlantBasedRnr

Good for you man! I had the Diabetes wake up call on July 29th 2015 - my body was revolting against me big time so I figured it was time to make some changes... decided to change the way I was eating and start exercising... I am down 70 lbs. and am running between 3 - 15 miles a day... never felt better only wish I had done this sooner.

Proud of your hard work and accomplishments!

advisingwench

I had to walk a new faculty member across campus to pick up his keys and was unable to maintain a conversation with him because I was breathing too hard. We weren't even walking that quickly. It was mortifying to be huffing and puffing and sweating the whole time; I hated how I felt and how horribly unfit I was and vowed to change it. That was the end of June 2012 and I started my transformation on July 1 of that year.

Rockmyskinnyjeans

I've lost the weight before, but after battling thyroid cancer, I became depressed. The medication changes and the metabolism shift didn't help, and I found myself with 1/2 the weight I've lost back on and over 1/2 my clothes currently packed away because they no longer fit. I'm only 4 days into getting my mindset back to losing, but I'm as determined as I've ever been.

cwolfman13

Some bad (like really bad) blood work motivated me to take measures (like cleaning up my diet and exercising regularly) to be a healthier person which is important to me because I have two small boys at home that I would like to watch become men. A nice bi-product of getting my *kitten* together was dropping some weight...about 40 Lbs.

aub6689

I felt like a hypocrite. I grew up wanting to work in something related to health, but I was an overweight child and got to over 220 by the time I graduated with my B.S. I found myself with low self esteem and felt like I was too much of a hypocrite to pursue graduate school in health sciences. I also knew a lot, I started lifting at a young age, reading about diet, took classes, had certifications, but failed to follow through. So I got mad. I realized that people were giving me crap advice just because I was heavy they assumed I didn't know things and I realized my weight was stopping me from pursuing my goals. So I lost about 60 lbs, ran two marathons and a Spartan beast, enrolled in graduate school and I am graduating with my master's in May at a weight lower than what I was at age 14. I also work on diabetes research, so I feel motivated not to have the risk factors for diabetes and the other diseases I spend my time researching.

Side note: enjoyed reading all your stories and congrats to you all for prioritizing your health.

Deena_Bean

My heaviest was after I had my twins. I lost some weight when they were born, but quickly gained it all back and then some. I know you would think that having twins would keep you busy and moving enough to lose weight - it's not. It takes effort regardless of how many children you have. You can easily eat any calories you burn chasing them just by finishing their leftover cheetos and pbj's. Trust me. I did. When they were about 2 I was my biggest (235, 5' 7.5" tall). I was teetering on size 20 pants...18 was getting tight. I got out of the shower and grabbed my towel that didn't wrap around me and walked in front of the mirror (you know, bathrooms always have those pesky things). I bent down to pick something up and when I stood back up I saw myself from the side, like really, I noticed what I looked like. Generally I was so tired or busy that I paid little attention to my usual mirror views. But this time it fell on me like a ton of bricks. My giant stomach stuck out further than my chest...dimples everywhere, sagging bottom, etc. I felt instantly disgusted by myself and that disgust, within minutes, transformed into anger. That anger drove me to loss. I bought a generic version of WW on eBay because I was too broke to go to anyone for help with weight loss. The word document that had lists of point values also included the formula for calculating points. I carried a calculator around with me everywhere to calculate the points of what I was eating. It took so much effort on my part, but I was so done with how I looked. It worked. It took about a year and I lost about 50 pounds getting me to 185. Still too much on my frame, so I've been poking at the rest for about a decade now...yo-yo style. I'm somewhere around 170 at the moment for a grand total loss (over a decade) of 65 lbs. I would like to lose about 15 more or so, but I'm really doing pretty good overall. I know I didn't have nearly as much to lose as some, but it doesn't matter if you have to lose 50 or 300 lbs - the struggles are similar. For those who lose 50 lbs, it's still hard. It's time consuming, it takes dedication, it doesn't just melt off towards the end anymore. I'm ready to be done with this phase - the 'loss' phase - and move into the maintenance phase, and the continuing building on the athletic side of things. When I can get this last 15 off, which I PROMISE will be this year, I'll be ready for a new chapter. I think spending a decade trying to lose weight is sufficient!! Good luck, everyone! Cheers to you all for being here and fighting the fight

kristysaurus

I have spent my entire life bouncing from extremes. I was a heavy child and used food to cope with how I felt but later went polar opposite and develop anorexia in my early teens. I had a rocky recovery from anorexia but in University I fell back into patterns of using food as a coping mechanism and gained a ton of weight. My weight went up and down a lot and finally when I hit my highest weight I had enough. I was tired of hating myself and being ashamed of my body. I've only been doing this since October but it feels so different this time and even though my losses have been pretty small I'm happy with my slow and steady progress.

ermontoy

A Doctor's Visit near Austin, TX changed my life. Check out my page, read my blog, add me as a friend.

1Nana2many

At 57 I retired 1 1/2 years ago and gained 25 extra pounds on top of the 50 extra I was already carrying around. I'd already decided I needed to get serious about losing weight, but when running the vacuum gave me a dizzy spell and exhausted me, enough was enough! I had just found out about MFP before that happened and I started logging daily on January 4th of this year. I have so far lost that extra 25 pounds and will continue to log daily, maybe for the rest of my life. I've read and own so many weight-loss books over the years that I could probably open a book store on the subject. Reading about it and doing it are two entirely different things. MFP makes it easy to log and see the calories I am eating. What an eye-opener! I am so grateful I found this web site and this great group of people! My goals are simple: log every bite every day, honestly, and move a little more every day and I'd really like to incorporate some weights as I go forward. The important thing for me is just to keep moving forward.

jenilla1

I've never actually technically been overweight, but about 5 years ago I found myself heading towards the top of my desired BMI range. I think old age is setting in...

My sister had signed up for MFP and wanted an accountability buddy, so I joined too. This was my first time attempting to manage/lose weight, so I didn't know what to expect. But I'd seen too many of my peers let themselves go over the years, so I was eager to be proactive about keeping my weight in check.

I found this method extremely straight-forward, simple, and even kinda fun. It's almost like a game to me. I dropped about 18 pounds (slowly but surely) and I've been here maintaining ever since. Good luck everyone!

jennichavi

I am so proud of you Bundyman. All of us really. I've been trying (more off than on to lose weight for about 9 years now. I've ranged from being 30-50 pounds overweight. I tried my fitness pal by itself, and didn't really get results. now I'm doing my fitness pal with my jaybird reign, (that gives me a goal to reach everyday) I finally lost 10 pounds in a week. It feels so good to see my belly shrink some, and to have the energy to make my bed without it exhausting me. In the past I have been so good at running like hell for something, and fizzling out after a few weeks or months. After meeting my goal on my jaybird a few days in a row, I made the decision to never not reach my goal. That's kept me going. I don't want to break my streak, because if I do, I'm afraid the whole weight loss thing will fall by the wayside again. I do not want that to happen, it's almost summer, and I can't wait to be able to wear some cute clothes again! I'm 39, I know as I get older it will be harder to lose the weight. Plus I don't know if I'll be able to find this motivation again. It is easier to stick with a routine, than to establish a new one. God Bless you all, keep fighting the fight! Also, I love The Biggest Loser! I am so proud of all of them as well.

Bundyman

Loving the different and honest stories you're all posting. Be it big changes or little, as long as they're positive changes that's all that matters. I look forward to hearing more stories and I thank everyone who has been so kind with your congrats and kudos for me as well. Keep fighting the good fight and be healthy and happy.

endlessfall16

Keep it up, Bundyman. Good health is priceless!

What's helping me is the thinking that I'm too deep in the journey to quit/fail.

Numer1ca

I saw a picture of what a obese person looks like from the inside. The fat around the knees, things like that.

The person who posted the picture expressed only empathy for how the person must feel physically with all of the extra weight being carried around and effecting the body. No judgement, only empathy.

Then I switched off of WW and onto MFP. I think that WW must have some inherent guilt or shaming or something that I don't feel on MFP. I feel empowered by MFP. I felt resistance to WW.

ashbashsweets

If you would like some motivation I am starting a challenge group for the countdown of 100 days until summer! Anyone can join!

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/112780-100-days-until-summer

taniamusic

I looked at myself in the mirror and didn't recognise myself anymore... I felt like I was in the wrong body.

Jbell0213

Going to DC the summer of 2014. You have to do alot of walking to get to all of the sights there. I was gasping for breath. I thought this is crazy. I spend the entire spring of 2015 walking every night to build up my endurance, we went again in Summer of 2015 and we walked 14 miles in one day. I felt amazing. This Christmas I decided that I needed to work on the food side and calories. I started Dec 19 2015 and I'm down 16 pounds. It feels good to be inspired by everyone else.

Presleykay22

I want to be more confident when it comes to shopping.

Bundyman

Interesting to read both the similar and different reasons for motivation to lose weight. Thanks for sharing.

MattReeceCPT

Great work! I genuinely thought I wasn't going to see 35 (while at 30). I knew I needed to change something, but I just didn't care. At 25, I was 6'3/264lbs and working at a gym. I started drinking and eating fast food 3-4 times per day. I shot up to 395lbs. I had a close friend pass away from complications with diabetes. That caused me to try giving up soda... but I wasn't able. Two months later, another close friend died from a preventable cause (drugs). Now, I was really seeing the big picture. I knew I didn't want to be next. I still did nothing. Finally, my best friend came to me with a product and forced me to try it. I jumped all in and haven't looked back. Today, a little less than 15 months later, I am down 125 pounds and have gained muscle mass. My goal is 250 and I hope to be there soon (currently fluctuating between 272-276).

murp4069

Great job Bundyman, it was inspiring to read your story and all the stories that came after it. Like a lot of people above, I've yo-yo'd the same 20ish lbs over and over for about a decade. I've never been extremely heavy, but 170 on a 5'6" frame is very noticeably overweight. In December 2015 I saw a photo of myself from my office Christmas party and was mortified. My face was huge and my stomach was sticking way out both in front and the sides despite use of a pretty strong pair of spanx under that dress. My arms looked enormous. And I'd thought I looked so good when I left the house!! I decided the next day that I needed to get my health (and life in general) in order. The next day I got back onto MFP and started logging my food and walking daily after dinner with the goal of trying to make 10,000 steps/day.

I'm now down to 148 - a 22 lb loss in about 3 months. I haven't been 148 since early college, when I started packing on the pounds to begin with. In previous years I'd lose that much in half the time and stop. Not this time - I'm tired of the up and down, not to mention all the money I've spent on clothing due to my changing size. I've got about another 10 lbs that I'd like to lose, and I'm hoping to get there in the next few months and then start maintenance. Now that I've developed healthy routines (as opposed to "dieting" like I've done previously), I'm more confident that I won't pack on the pounds again in the future.

BellaChantal

Bundyman wrote: »

I'm sure many if not all of you have a similar story to mine. Overweight / obese my entire life and could never stick with a diet.

It's depressing to fail time after time. We always want the quick fix to turn our health and lives around. Unless you have some form of surgery to jump start the process it's a struggle to succeed and there is no real quick fix.

For me, my wake-up call came when I was diagnosed with diabetes in 2013 at the age of 45. I weighed nearly 450 pounds and knew if I didn't make some serious changes, I'd likely be dead before long. At the very least I'd start losing body parts.

My doctor wanted me to have Gastric bypass surgery but I knew I was strong enough to lose the weight on my own.

Long story short, I've lost over 160 pounds so far and I'm no longer on any diabetes medications. I was able to lose the weight simply by making some lifestyle changes. I exercised every day by walking and I cut back on my calorie intake limiting myself to 2000 calories a day. A far cry from the 7000+ I had been eating. I've gone from a size 60" waist to now wearing size 42" pants.

I have never and will never use any wraps, shakes, pills or gimmicks of any kind. Every day is a struggle and there have been plenty of bumps and plateaus along the way but I continue to count calories and hit the gym 4 or 5 times a week. I no longer have joint pain and I'm proud to say when I golf, I only rent a cart when the course makes me.

Diabetes and the very real likelihood of an early death is what finally ended my excuses and failure and I have my life back.

This is an inspirational story. Thank you for sharing!

Jenfromtheblock84

For me the change was my children. I realized very quickly as they started walking how unhealthy I had become. At my daughters third birthday party (5/18) I saw pictures of myself and I just sat down and cried. How had I let myself get that far. At this point I bought a scale and almost had a heart attack when I saw 280lbs. Previous high was 268. I started with MFP on 5/26 and haven't given up since. The weight didn't fall off like it had done with previous "fad" diets but I have had consistent weight loss with the amount of effort I put in. I fell off the wagon October and November but jumped right back on the trail on my birthday (12/9) when I realized I was sliding into my bad habits. Great job with your loss and keep up the hard work everyone!