what made you realize, " okay , I need to loose weight?"

libbimurray

My fat clothes were too tight and I was buying even fatter clothes. I saw myself in family pictures and I was horrified!

_dixiana_

The muffin top is hard to ignore. Tight pants are not especially fun to wear so it was either lose the weight or buy bigger pants. Well, I'm cheap so I lost the weight

mrsgrace518

I went on vacation and came home and the scale hit 300. It devastated me.

Myrnlvr

I'd had a history of chronic back pain, but one day I woke up and could barely walk. So, I started. Small and slow, but little by little I got (almost) to my goal, after about 8 months, and stabilized. Every month or two I would relate my loss to something real in my life (my dog, both my dogs,...). When I lost more than my 7 year old nephew it was pretty easy to see why I had been in so much pain. Not that it got better with the loss, but I'm sure my spine thanks me for not packing that extra weight around. I had back surgery a year ago, and in the last few months I have not only hit my goal but dropped an extra 6 pounds.

nossmf

Knee pain, tired going up a single flight of stairs, and a side pic which showed my college six-pack had morphed into a father-keg.

pedermj2002

Same story as is on my profile, actually: I went to a corporate retreat. One busy/active day, and I was in pain for a few days afterwards. The place had swimming, I went swimming, but wouldn't go without a t-shirt on because I was embarrassed about my body. I saw pictures afterwards and realized that I had hit a point where I had to do something.

Started with super light workouts, but wasn't making much (if any) progress. Found out about MFP, counted one day's calories, put my eyes back in their sockets after I saw the results, and began logging in earnest. As of now, I've lost as much weight as the bike I use for all my cardio work. That feels awesome. Can't wait until spring, when I can actually show off the results

CSARdiver

I wanted to get my son into scouts and signed up as the den leader. I immediately realized that I had to lead by example and started moving more and eating less. I signed up on MFP and amazed at all the misinformation I received over my life about weight management.

CafeRacer808

When I realized my slim jeans were giving me a muffin top.

Kristi26

Two things happened. My jeans were way too tight to wear comfortably anymore and I got on my bff's scale. The number put me in the overweight category. I was not okay with either of those things.

dbienz

I saw the picture on the left. I was bigger than all 3 other people in the picture by a lot! I had worn that dress to my Masters graduation and it was beautiful. When I put it on before the wedding that picture was taken at, I couldn't zip it up all the way. That was my wake up call. The next month, I ran my first 5K. The picture on the right is EXACTLY one year later.

mdsalisbury

A couple of things - I caught a reflection of a fat old man in the window, realized it was me. Took my kids to the amusement park and couldn't fit into the roller coaster seat, had to let my then 13 yr old daughter ride it alone while I walked back past the line of people to the end of the ride. Stepped on a scale and realized that at 6'-1" and 330lb that I WAS twice the man I'd been in College, but not in a good way. Walked up the flight of steps that I used to be able to take 2 at a time, and was flat out of breath 1/2-way up.

JaydedMiss

Honestly not sure....Was like a switch flipped overnight....Absolutely everything in my life changed course all at once XD

knelson095

I was having terrible back and hip pain. I got out of breath very easily and I couldn't keep up with my fit husband anymore. I was sick of shopping in the plus size clothing section, trying to find anything flattering was a huge chore. I also want to have a baby and I have fertility issues that are made worse by being overweight.

Plus my husband and I moved 2500 miles away from home for his job and I needed something to focus on besides the crippling homesickness. I made losing weight my job and so far I've lost just shy of 65 lbs and I've been logging here for almost 500 days. I am really close to a normal BMI now.

btrsun10

My back had been killing me, my bras were so tight but I did not want to spend money on new underwear when I have drawers full of good, nice stuff.
I went to a BBQ at my boss's house. We were sitting on the veranda with a glass enclosure. I glanced in the glass and saw my reflection except it was not me looking back. I did not recognise that person, I was shocked and very very upset. My head morphed into my shoulders....I had no neck. My stomach was spilling over my trousers. I was so uncomfortable.
I went home and cried but the next day started logging on here.
Best wake up call ever.

Verity1111

I was over 200lbs and over the 10s (into the 220s) which is bigger than I had ever been - even while pregnant.

kellansmommy11

I was at a routine doctor appointment and they weighed me like they always do. I was shocked at the number on the scale. It was the highest number I'd ever been. I decided that I was done. So later that day I came on this app and started my journey. That was six months and 38 pounds ago. I still have away to go to hit my goal weight, but I'm getting there! I see progress all the time. And I feel better.

tthoma5201

I had a back pain issue and was diagnosed with Sciatica. The only thing that helps me is exercise and weight loss. I have to do it for my health. I have been one of those people that was fat but what I considered healthy. Perfect blood work, could still play sports and never had any blood pressure issues then this happened.

tress29

Saw an awful picture of myself in April. Renewed my use of MFP. Was starting to lose weight when I got sick and spent 3 days in the ICU. I found out I'm a Type I diabetic. Getting my sugar under control and counting carbs, I'm 35# lighter than I was in April!

Mary_Anastasia

I've been obese since age 7, so, I've just always tried. But my slaps in the face have been:

When I was 7 and too heavy (100lbs+) to play in a bouncehouse with my friends
When I was 8, my mom tucked me in, I pretended to be asleep and she complained that my face was so round
When I was 12 and looked at my pants size for the first time: 18 Plus
When I was 17 and ate 3 entrees at Planet Hollywood
When I was 21 and realized I was eating 5 microwave personal pizzas a day
When I was 25 and my boyfriend said he couldn't love me unless I were thinner (I was a sz14)
When I was 27 and broke up with that boyfriend and said I'd attract a better man
When I was 30 and couldn't fit into my favorite rides at the theme park anymore
When I was 31 and still in love with my ex and had never attracted another man....

That last one is this year. It's a huge motivator, I'm desperately single, and I don't want to be with someone who is complacent with our health- I want to model what I want in a partner. I also was diagnosed with RA and OA, and I don't want it to get worse.

rachelr1116

I do living history and re-enactments and all of my historical clothes starting getting too tight. I sew all of them myself and really didn't want to have to make a whole new historical wardrobe since I'd already invested a lot of time and money in what I had. The last straw was going to a re-enactment and my corset almost didn't fit. I started on MFP the next day. I've lost 41 lbs. since then and now I do need a new historical wardrobe but it's because everything is too big! I'm trying to make do with altering what I have though since I still have at least 20 lbs. to lose.

Spliner1969

Being put on blood pressure medicine did it for me. I've been released from the medication since last summer, and still have normal blood pressure at my current weight so that's a win!

dmwh142

After I turned 50 my doctor sent me to get a bone density analysis done. That revealed my BMI was to high and I couldn't blame it on my "Big Bones". My son was already doing MFP and that helped encourage me. MFP helped me more than any other thing I had tried.

dhockenberry1980

I used to be a personal trainer, was super fit, no health issues... and then I changed jobs. Over the years I got married had kids, and know am having health issues. I few months ago when I was having trouble putting my socks on our playing with the kids, and hated the way I look, I decided enough is enough

jbtaylor892

For me it's seeing how active and athletic my 3 year old daughter is. I'm only 24 but I've gained about 75 lbs since she was born. I just don't want her growing up with a dad that's over weight and thinking that it's ok to not take care of yourself. I've not been at it long but I definitely feel healthier and more energetic!

McShorty7

It was more about being ready to love myself enough to allow it to happen and to stop self-sabotaging. I got real with myself.

Cashley12

For me, it was getting dressed for important events and thinking I looked fine. Whereas in reality, I looked a lot heavier and shaped differently than what I used to be. It hit me hard because for the longest time a lot of people told me I still looked fine when I gained weight so I had stopped worrying until 6 months ago when I hit 200 lbs and it really started to show on my small frame and people kept asking me how did I gain so much at a weeding I attended.

thelovelyLIZ

I could feel back rolls starting to develop. Also a bit of a double chin. NAAAH.

Mike_take2

Lost my mom to diabetes. Watched her take her last breath in my arms and that was my wake up call, I was morbidly obese at the time and more than likely heading down the same path. I guess in a way this was a case where triumph and happiness came through tragedy and pain.