Why Did You Decide to Change?

KellyGettingHealthy

I am curious to hear from folks about what lead to their decision to change their lifestyle and get healthy? Was it an "Ah ha" moment, a last straw, or a slow build up over time? Why did you decide to change?

ElvenToad

For me it was the fact that I just couldn't take feeling so miserable in my body any longer. After 20+ years of being morbidly obese, and using food as my best friend.. I was just desperate to break the cycle and stop feeling so depressed every day. Physical pain, being uncomfortable, not being able to walk around the house for 10 minutes without feeling exhausted. I just had enough of living my life that way. I got to a point where food was no longer more important to me than the way I felt. I knew nothing about calories, or nutrition in general so I had to educate myself and take control of my health. Stopped all my excuses and feeling sorry for myself. Found mfp and lost 135lbs by calorie counting. It's amazing what you can do when you WANT something bad enough and are determined to reach your goals

louisepaul16

A few reasons....I turned 30 a few weeks ago. I gave up smoking in September, and I think it was the realisation that I'm not a teenager any more, I can't keep putting this junk into my body, and 30 is a proper age where the things I do now are going to start affecting my health long term.

I have an old ankle injury that has flared up in the last few months, i also have plantar fasciitis in both feet, my knees hurt, and I had chronic reflux from November until about 2 weeks ago. My body is telling me it's enough.

I am not necessarily aiming for skinny, I'm aiming for healthy. I love travelling, backpacking, and am tired of being THAT person who snores in a hostel, THAT person who can't do the hike because I'm too unfit, THAT person who ends up falling in the river because I'm too chunky to balance properly on a wooden plank onto the river. You don't meet soooo many overweight people travelling (all inclusive holidays yes, but not out in Thailand with a backpack, or on a boat in Botswana!) so yeah. Another reason.

JeromeBarry1

For me it was just a single doctor report. "You HDL is low". The only solution is exercise and weight loss.

Carnhot

Too many people around me not living to draw their pensions and a significant family history of a condition exacerbated by excess weight.

chickwoo69

Well I've tried this before and was very successful but last year I had to have a major surgery that put my journey on hold. Now my diabetes is out of control and the Dr is on my case; so it's time for a change. Besides I want to live a long healthy life.

ldowdesw

I've had a nagging thought in my mind for a couple of years that if I was told I needed surgery to save my life, I'd probably be told I was high risk due to my weight. I've got 2 kiddies, and without me and hubby, there really isn't anyone else who'd look out for them or that I trust enough to have my babies. I want to show them that I'm mentally strong and that I'm changing myself for all of our sakes. Xx

Zombella

I just got sick of being sick and tired and feeling crappy all of the time. That plus low self esteem for as long as I can remember. It is hard at times but never give up.

TxTiffani

I've been on the weight loss roller coaster since I was 20 (13 yrs) and I'm just so sick of losing & gaining & losing and feeling like a failure because I don't stick with it. I was on the last pair of fitting jeans because i had thrown the bigger ones away the last time I lost. Saw a picture of myself and was bigger than I thought in my head...it was a lot of things I guess:)

Lesley2603

My son announced the date of his wedding. I didn't want to look awful in the wedding photos. Something "switched" on in my brain. The wedding is 3 months away but i now have a new lifestyle and will continue for the rest of my life

rldeclercq4

10 months ahead of my 30th bday and I learned I was almost 370lbs. It was a reality slap in the face as I knew I needed to make changes. I have a lot of things I want to do in life, get married, have kids, travel the world, enjoy a long career. So here I am now in May, six months before I turn 30 and I'm down almost 80 lbs already. Looking and feeling better than I have in a really long time and can't wait to turn 30 in November and be healthy

Dana_E

I was checking out after a physical at the doctor's office. The medical assistant was rattling off my diagnoses to a receptionist for my next blood work panel. It was then I realized that I was only one diagnosis away from full-blown metabolic syndrome. I knew that nearly all these problems were related to lifestyle. As an RN, I knew where I was headed if I didn't change how I lived. I kid you not, I worked with patients who would rather die long, slow, painful, expensive deaths than drink water or eat vegetables! But sometimes you have to hit a wall to find a door, so here I am. And I have reversed everything!

Sinistrous

Fancier clothing.

asgentr

A family history of diabetes and becoming a Mom at an older age. I want to be around as long as possible for my daughter. I kept rationalizing the weight gain as pregnancy related, but then it went up more in her second year. My goal is to be back down to my pre-pregnancy weight by her third birthday and then lose another 10 or so to be safely within a healthy BMI.

agzram

I married in my late 20's and spent the entirety of my 30's struggling with infertility and secondary infertility. After our first arrived after three long years of treatments and drugs and then 2 successful rounds of IVF...my 4th daughter was a 40th birthday miracle! Those years took a major physical toll on my body so I decided to do something about it once I was done breast feeding my surprise!!

My 40's are dedicated to me! So I can show my daughters a positive example and so I can live a nice long, active life watching my beauties grow up! Plus I wanted to look as young as my hubby does he was still looking as hot as the day we got married and l was looking old and haggard!!

Diana_GettingFit

I've been a type 2 diabetic since August 2008 and was on Metformin. In December 2014 I went for a check up and my A1C was 7.2 which was still high. The doctor wanted to put me on a second medication. This one is strongly linked with causing liver problems. I decided enough was enough. I started running, joined MFP and now here I am 1 year later 35 lbs lighter and off all medication! My last A1C in October last year was 5.5.

tomw86

rldeclercq4 wrote: »

10 months ahead of my 30th bday and I learned I was almost 370lbs. It was a reality slap in the face as I knew I needed to make changes. I have a lot of things I want to do in life, get married, have kids, travel the world, enjoy a long career. So here I am now in May, six months before I turn 30 and I'm down almost 80 lbs already. Looking and feeling better than I have in a really long time and can't wait to turn 30 in November and be healthy

This ^ almost exactly this, turning 29 at 308lb and realising that the next year would pass one way or another. Now down 77lb and the lightest I've been my entire adult life, lots more to go but I can't wait to start my 30's.

markrgeary1

Had tachycardia last May, scared the crap out of me. Doc thought weight loss would be a good idea. He was right, tachycardia gone, high blood pressure too!

LoveEpifanie

Last year I had worked really hard and lost almost 40 pounds. I was really proud of myself but I had a long way to go still. Something happened and I slowly got back into my old habits. I had regained 30 pounds. When I saw 200 pounds back on the scale again I was so sad with myself. So I started it back up and I will NOT let myself do that again. I am changing so I can have the confidence to do all the things that I want.

fidangul

Wanting to start a family and then wanting to be there for my family. I didn't want to be on the side lines and most importantly (for me) I want to be good/positive visual role model for my children not a person that's only preaching at them.

CandehMandeh

I was just unhappy with myself. I had always been overweight as a kid and as a teenager and thought that it was time for a change. I think I started at the end of February in 2014 at 196 pounds and now I'm exactly at 146. Somewhere in 2015 I gained back about 20 pounds but lost it again and am doing even better now XD Though I'm still trying to lose a few more pounds!

Adc7225

I always knew the day would come that I would have to lose weight. I was on HB meds and the doctor offered me a second pill to counter the effects of the first pill. All I saw was the supersized pill caddy my mother has and I knew I did not want to be like her. I had a friend that was going to the gym, one day he invited me to come take a look and that was about it. I didn't sign up that day but the next day there was the offer with no initiation fee and I did it. That is when all the hard work really started, the realization that I was fat and out of shape (not really true I never thought I was fat, just overweight).

mikebooker1

I watched the scale go up and up year after year starting in my late 20's. I always thought to myself, "i can loose it whenever i want". I would loose 10-15 pounds or so but gain it all back plus 5 pounds. I also watched the clothes sizes go up and up. First 2x then 3x and before I started this journey most recently I was teetering on 4x shirts. It was the same story with with pants sizes. I watch 38 come and go as with 40, 42, 44, and most recently flirted with the 46 inch sizes. I get physicals every year and I've watched the numbers creep up there too.

In October I finally decided to have a surgery to fix a problem that was directly related to my lifestyle. The recovery was terrible. I managed to make through but the doctor emphasized that if I don't change my habits I could be right back under the knife in the future. So really it was/is out of fear of re-occurrence that I initially changed my life. I'm still far from perfect but I haven't felt this great since my mid-twenties.

Aries648

My ah ha moment came when I realized that my 21st birthday is coming up so soon and I am drastically overweight for my age and height at 220 lbs and it hit me that if I'm going to make a big life change now is the time because this is the most optimal time for my body to function and easier to lose the weight so I decided it was now or never

rebeccaahopkins93

My dad began getting very ill because of his weight and I realized that I need to change my lifestyle now so my future kids don't need to worry about me the way that we are worrying about my dad.

soufauxgirl

Being diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes was the final straw for me. It was the kick in the butt that I sorely needed to get my priorities in order and do something about getting it reversed (which I have done yay!)

Feeling trapped in the never ending vicious merry-go-round of gain/lose/gain etc etc and wanting to get away from that craziness so desperately.

That I have a husband and three daughters that need me to be healthy and strong- my hubby has told me that I am the glue that holds our family together and keeps us tight-knit, ironically becoming a more healthier me had nothing to do with ME if that makes sense.

mangrothian

Two reasons:
1) If I became any bigger I'd be at the largest size in the only decent Australian plus size brand that catered to a younger age bracket (I didn't want to have to dress like my mother)

2) I would rather eat less than live with chronic back pain a moment longer.

honeyui

i'm 29 years old this year and still single/virgin but my period never end for two month so i decided to check with doctor specialist maternity & gynaecology centre, he's said my womb is ok but my hormone imbalance because of obesity T_T so i realized i need to change my life asap.

natalie3505

I have 5 kids and one of them has special needs. When I was talking to his special ed teacher about how great he was doing, etc., she said something to the affect of I wonder how he will be as an adult? Will he be able to go to college, live on his own, get married, etc. etc. I always assumed he was just behind and would overcome all the obstacles he faces and that he would become a self-sufficient adult one day. He turned 7 this year and still behaves like a 2 or 3 year old in many ways, so her comments really hit me hard. I decided that I had to do something to make sure I can take care of him as long as humanly possible if that is what he will need. And I wouldn't be able to do that if I continued with the way I was living - unhealthy food, alcohol, no exercise, etc. I've lost 10 pounds and still have about 20 to go (maybe 25), but I've cut out alcohol for the most part, exercise 5 days per week, unless I am ill, and I'm eating healthier. I am making this lifestyle change so I can be prepared for whatever life throws at me - and a sexier body never hurts either.

CaptainJoy

Lesely2603 wrote: »

My son announced the date of his wedding. I didn't want to look awful in the wedding photos. Something "switched" on in my brain. The wedding is 3 months away but i now have a new lifestyle and will continue for the rest of my life

Congratulations on your son's upcoming wedding! Keep up the new lifestyle after the wedding. My ex and his wife lost an enormous amount of weight for our son's wedding but they've since put it all back on plus some. Their diet was extreme though. A lifestyle change is the way to go!

Purplebunnysarah

I was tired of having to buy bigger and bigger clothes. I got a bit detailed by 2 pregnancies but I'm done having kids and almost done breastfeeding, so I'm picking up right where I left off.