Moment or situation you realised things needed to change

debbash68

I was just wondering what was happening in peoples lives or what was the seminal moment or situation that made people realise it was time to change to a more healthy lifestyle approach ?
For me it was something so shallow but nevertheless, it was this type of thing!
I was dismissed out of conversations with other women about things like clothes/ men / dieting I suddenly realised I was no longer taken seriously because I was overweight! I'm just interested in others stories!

britttttx3

The moment I realized I needed to change was when I was driving my brother to the airport because he was going on vacation. He's always really blunt and just told me that he was really concerned about me, and the path that I was going down, and for my life because of my lack of care about my health. A couple days later I just started to completely change my lifestyle and food choices, and everytime I feel like giving up I think about it.

(:

TheEffort

The moment I realized I needed to change when a co-worker said that I was going to need a clothing allowance.

_noob_

For me it was series of events starting with my uncle's passing in 2000 of an enlarged heart/ sleep apnea. But it wasn't until my dad's second heart stint procedure and grandfather's funeral in 2005 that I got serious. I knew that it was to be me if I didn't do something.

I stayed in good shape until 2007 and then fell off the wagon. I had the classic "all or nothing/orthorexic mindset". I tried too hard to be perfect. I would just say **** it some weekends and go nuts. It caught up to me when I got sick and had to miss 2 months of working out.

I recommitted in 2012 after a year on blood pressure pills. I'm just too young and intelligent to accept that. I got control of my health and my eating habits this time around. I've not had an epic binge that wasn't planned since before 2012. I've got a much more healthy mindset towards food and accept that I can work certain treats into my diet without overindulging.

2stepscloser

When I looked at vacation pictures and didn't even recognize myself.

onwarddownward

I was applying for an autism service of or my son, had to video record a talk about why he needed one. The video was horrendous. I looked like Jabba the Hut.

Alyssah09

Quite a few things. I gained 100 lbs with my first baby and never lost any of it. I met a new man (who is now my fiance) and he was a health nut and he was 50 lbs lighter than me. Also I hate having to tell my 3 year old that I cant run and chase him because I am too out of shape to do so. I NEED to change. And now that I have just had my second baby I need to be healthy for my boys.

Bucky83

A couple of things:

* My aunt who was a good 15kg less than me had developed diabetes. Yeah, that kicked me up the butt.
* I'm 30 and never had a relationship. I would like to be able to get married and have babies...and at the weight I was, there was no chance in hell I was attracting any nice guy.
*I struggled getting into an amusement park ride (mainly cos I was short, but it was even more upsetting as I'm a resounding 'fatty fat fat' with my stature).

red0801

When I looked at vacation pictures and didn't even recognize myself.

This exactly! I saw some pics of a vacation to the Carolinas, & all I could think when I saw the beach pics was "push it back in!"

Then I realized "it" was me. :sick:

KeepCalmNGetyaSweatOn

Not this past winter but the one before I came to my epiphany. My fiance and I love to snowboard. Well, the winter of 11-12 I was 200 lbs. I couldn't put my snowboarding gear on without huffing and puffing. Going down the slopes was almost a joke. I'd have to stop and hit my inhaler every few hundred yards because I couldn't hardly breathe & once I actually had to break out the nebulizer. I realized that if I got any bigger I wouldn't be able to board any more. So here I am. 50 lbs lighter and a lot more fit I hardly ever need to use my inhaler anymore! I can't wait for this next season. Hopefully by then I'll be able to fit into my old gear!

JRSchumaker

Not only was I heavier than I'd ever been, but I spent most of a year flat on my butt due to a pelvic issue. I swore when it was resolved that I'd never take my mobility for granted again. It resolved, and I delivered on my promise to myself. There are NO pictures of me at my heaviest.

Derpes

Well, from 2000-2012 I gained over 100 pounds.....in the back of my mind I knew that that I needed to lose about 80 of it, but I kept putting it off.

Shortly after I turned 30, I was rearranging furniture; I was winded from moving a dresser and a few other items.

That was the wake up call, I could not believe how far I had fallen........

TheFitHooker

A photo of me on Halloween of 2009. Then ended up pregnant and was determined that I would not reach 300 lbs. Reality hit me in the face when the doctor scale read 250 lbs at my first visit of my pregnancy.

CycleGuy9000

When I had severe acid reflux that made it feel as if someone was ripping out my esophagus and I thought I was dying, that was my motivation.

DYfive

The largest tornado to ever touch earth came within a mile of me a couple months ago. At one point I was pretty certain I was going to die, but it took a strange path, and all I got was some (GIANT) hail damage, and a new outlook on life.

Been much more positive ever since. Trying to live my life more to the fullest. And working on having a healthy and better looking body.

mestacy010

My husband and I broke up, and I pretty much just felt like doing what I wanted to do. I wanted to make myself happier, and taking care of myself was the place to start

stephyy4632

Pic of me at my daughters 4th birthday party just watching the fun instead of having fun with them woke me right up.

anemoneprose

moment of realization: a birthday photo, taken from the ground up (until then had instinctively avoided cameras, even though i was in denial of reflection and actual pant size. photo = no room for error! no room for anything but my voluptuous face!)

moment of *action*: breakup. not just because i was angry etc (which i was), but bc i had more time to think things through, plan, etc, and less mental/emotional distress obstructing constructive action

Maxbert_SA

I was on a winery tour with a bunch of friends, saw the photos when I got home. Disgusting.

How did I let myself get like this?

melb_alex

The moment I realized I needed to change when a co-worker said that I was going to need a clothing allowance.

Even though you made the change, that is quite mean

melb_alex

My husband and I broke up, and I pretty much just felt like doing what I wanted to do. I wanted to make myself happier, and taking care of myself was the place to start

This is why break ups can be a blessing in disguise

seltzermint555

This moment for me came in November 2008 when I was 32 and on a business trip. I was with my boss who was normal weight, and I was at my lifetime heaviest (307 I believe). I'd been having some problems with my feet and ankles swelling which worried me about my health, and despite a pretty good checkup at the doctor (with just the usual comment about weight loss being wise), I was nervous. My boss and I were taking Amtrak and had to rush up about 3 flights of stairs, and I could barely keep up with her and I was really out of breath and dizzy. I'd been overweight since childhood but I always seemed to be in fairly decent health, able to move quickly, etc...and that was the first time I ever found myself so desperate to breathe well and keep up others' pace.

The day I returned from my business trip, I went to look at bicycles but I was scared that I would weigh too much and break the display bikes in the shop. Instead I started walking every night, about 0.5 mile and then got up to 2 miles per night. I did not change my diet at all, though. It took me about 2 years but I got back down to a more "normal for me" weight of 272 and felt 100% better physically.

Last year I got a divorce and met the love of my life soon after. He collects and restores vintage bicycles! So now I have two bikes I ride, even though I'm still not great at riding (it had been over 15 years when I started up again). I go walking and swimming etc, and I've become pescetarian. I was around 260 when I started MFP at the end of March 2013. Now I am around 230 and all of a sudden people are really noticing my weight loss and increased fitness!

maryepowell70

I have had a couple of those moments; but the most recent 2... July of 2011, about a month after our son was in a car accident that he didn't survive. I knew I did not want my husband and daughters to have to go through loosing me, just because I couldn't make the decisions to eat better, cook more healthy and move more. At that time I joined WW, but was having a difficult time making the right decisions- as my husband and daughter that is still home were not really interested in eating right and our budget was suffering. SO, I quit paying WW. Then, this past January- I felt like I should start trying to sell the baked goodies I make. That makes it very difficult to eat right, as well. SO, I was told about the mobile app for MFP- and when I weighed in to start it, I had gained all I lost while doing WW back (but thankfully nothing more than that!) I've been using MFP for a little more than a week and I've lost 2 pounds! Yay! I am excited about that and looking forward to getting in better shape to be able to finish all that I still have to accomplish, from helping my girls, supporting my honey and being here for my grandkids!

daisyeyes

For me it was seeing other girls in the same mirror. Like, I would think of myself as skinny, but when I saw my reflection at stores and stuff I'd be like "woah, you do not look skinny...".
I took a while for it to really sink in though. But my family didn't tell me I needed to lose weight until I started asking them If I was chubby. They would say "well, you're not exactly 'skinny'."
And, of course, when I got out the scale..... and took my measurements.

seltzermint555

Quite a few things. I gained 100 lbs with my first baby and never lost any of it. I met a new man (who is now my fiance) and he was a health nut and he was 50 lbs lighter than me. Also I hate having to tell my 3 year old that I cant run and chase him because I am too out of shape to do so. I NEED to change. And now that I have just had my second baby I need to be healthy for my boys.

hehe this kind of happened to me, too. My fiance's a health nut and he was almost 400 lb in his teens, and now at age 32, and 6'3" he weighs exactly the same as me (~230) but he's so much more fit. When we started dating I weighed 35-40 lb more than him.

jennyrebekka

hitting the age my Dad and Gpa both were - when they had their first heart attacks.......and realizing that being 300+ lbs is probably not the best way to treat my own heart.......

marcy_76

A series of things happened. I was used to barely being 120 pounds, and had recently weighed in at 156. I told myself, "Eh, that's not too bad." Told my boyfriend that and he had said, "If you're happy with yourself right now, I am too. Will you be happy if you hit 160? 170?" Told myself, nah, I'll be fine...

A month ago, my two sisters completed a 5k together. I joked with them, "Hey... we should do a sister run!" Just joking around.

Had a birthday a couple of weeks ago. I looked at pictures of myself from 10 years ago. I look completely different. I used to be toned and small, and now here I am sporting a pear-shape.

For my birthday, my sister signed me up for a 5k for the middle of August.

Had a dream a couple nights after my birthday. I'm 500 pounds and have melted into my couch, while I am watching my sisters on TV running their marathon. And I say to the TV, "Eh, 500 pounds? Who cares?"

Woke up realizing that *I* am the one who needs to care.

sadshah

When my daughter said mom eat less you r too fat ,its embarassing for me

andysmom

I have had a couple of those moments; but the most recent 2... July of 2011, about a month after our son was in a car accident that he didn't survive. I knew I did not want my husband and daughters to have to go through loosing me, just because I couldn't make the decisions to eat better, cook more healthy and move more.

I'm so sorry for your loss. So glad that you found MFP. It can work, and we can be successful at this! Hang in there, feeling better and being around for your family are great motivation,

kevin3344

Not sure if I can call it my moment as much as for my family. My sister-in-law called me crying because she stepped on a scale at GNC and it read 171 lbs. She's 5' 3 and it was the highest she had ever weighed. When she married my brother she was a size 2 and barely 115 lbs soaking wet. I told her I was going to find a program to help her log her food, and I found MFP on my iPhone. She initially lost 17 lbs in 3 months but got busy and while she doesn't log on every day she is more aware of what she eats.

Personally, I'm a runner and thought I didn't need to lose any weight but I've vastly improved my eating habits just by tracking my food. I've also done more circuit training work to shape my body and my running times have improved dramatically. For example, my half-marathon time dropped from a 9 minute mile to a sub-8 minute mile.

I'll always log onto MFP because I want to set a good example for my family and hopefully they will see the importance of it one day.

Fithealthyforlife

It was actually when I asked a girl out. She said no; she needed a hot, fit guy.