What caused you to have to lose weight in the first place?

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Replies

  • angelahammon
    angelahammon Posts: 114 Member
    My clothes were getting tighter and tighter and could no longer get into a pair of shorts i liked, and knew they junk and binge eating was getting worse
  • RockinTerri
    RockinTerri Posts: 499 Member
    First time around - I had lost a bit of weight with some medication, and felt a little better. Then some medical issues reoccurred, so the pounds came back on.

    This time around - I just started eating healthier and exercising, and realized how great I feel. More energy, less health problems, the ability to do more. And my daughter is certainly an incentive - at 5 she likes to do a LOT, and have the ability to do things with her AND get my own stuff done is a great bonus!
  • mandasalem
    mandasalem Posts: 346 Member
    A combination of factors... change of job to a more sedentary job, metabolism slowing with age, working with more friends (so more eating out for lunch every single day), family members with bad eating habits, etc. I was an event planner, which often meant grabbing food wherever and whenever I could, and it wasn't always the best or healthiest food.

    I got married after all that, and regular meals-- and bottles and bottles and bottles of wine-- took their toll, as well.

    I honestly have no idea what pushed me into actually taking action this time. Always before I'd go to the gym several times a week but keep eating like a lunatic and wonder why it was all going so wrong. One day I just decided I'd had enough.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    Buddy of mine called me fat.
  • raebels
    raebels Posts: 45 Member
    It was a number of things for me. I gained a little weight after high school and then I met my fiance and I got a little too comfortable and just didn't eat right. Fast forward to getting pregnant. I was overweight when I got pregnant. After having my son, I realized I needed to be in better shape so I could keep up with him and I also wanted to set a good example. Now I am getting married in October so I want to look my best on the big day! :bigsmile:
  • aliceclutz90
    aliceclutz90 Posts: 151 Member
    I was just sick of being fat. I was a teenage girl and image conscious and aware that I was bigger than most people. I saw a picture of myself on a night out and was sickened. However, now I'm a more normal size, I just get a buzz off feeling healthy and am not that bothered about the number on the scales or my clothes size. As long as I am healthy and fit, I'm happy :)
  • SirBonerFart
    SirBonerFart Posts: 1,185 Member
    I wanted to go on a journey
  • TLCorsini
    TLCorsini Posts: 78
    WELL In the beginning it was because I wanted to lose weight and be skinny again, so material right? Then one day I found out my husband and I were going to be parents! I freaked and was SO excited at the same time. We were a little cautious and only told family and close friends because ppl would certainly notice when I didn't drink alcohol :drinker: and I needed some allies to keep my secret. We were registering for our wedding at Target and I couldn't contain my pregnancy excitement so we took a look at the baby stuff so we could get a feel for how much stuff was, i.e. cribs, strollers etc. Well, to cut to the chase, I ended up having a miscarriage right in the middle of the baby section of Target and was rushed to the ER. I was 21/2 months pregnant. We were scheduled to see the ultrasound for the first time the next day. The ER took an ultrasound and seeing an empty uterus and hearing static when I should hear a heartbeat is literally the most horific (lack of ) sound I've ever heard in my life. :cry: :brokenheart: Well now that the sob story is over, pretty much my husband and I have decided to try again, but this time on purpose in a year or so. I want to make my body healthy for this baby, and honestly, baby bumps look way cuter on people who are at a healthy weight. Sorry if my story is tmi, but this is a place for honesty right?
  • raebels
    raebels Posts: 45 Member
    I refused to buy more clothes in a bigger size. I already had plenty, just needed to fit into them. Hate shopping.

    I hear you loud and clear on that one! :)
  • cmcollins001
    cmcollins001 Posts: 3,472 Member
    All the fat I had collected over the years.
  • raebels
    raebels Posts: 45 Member
    WELL In the beginning it was because I wanted to lose weight and be skinny again, so material right? Then one day I found out my husband and I were going to be parents! I freaked and was SO excited at the same time. We were a little cautious and only told family and close friends because ppl would certainly notice when I didn't drink alcohol :drinker: and I needed some allies to keep my secret. We were registering for our wedding at Target and I couldn't contain my pregnancy excitement so we took a look at the baby stuff so we could get a feel for how much stuff was, i.e. cribs, strollers etc. Well, to cut to the chase, I ended up having a miscarriage right in the middle of the baby section of Target and was rushed to the ER. I was 21/2 months pregnant. We were scheduled to see the ultrasound for the first time the next day. The ER took an ultrasound and seeing an empty uterus and hearing static when I should hear a heartbeat is literally the most horific (lack of ) sound I've ever heard in my life. :cry: :brokenheart: Well now that the sob story is over, pretty much my husband and I have decided to try again, but this time on purpose in a year or so. I want to make my body healthy for this baby, and honestly, baby bumps look way cuter on people who are at a healthy weight. Sorry if my story is tmi, but this is a place for honesty right?

    I'm sorry that you had to go through all of that. I can relate (I have had 2 ectopic pregnancies). Getting yourself fit and ready to try again is an amazing reason to get going. I wish you the best of luck and I'm sending lots of prayers your way for a healthy you and a healthy baby in the near future! :flowerforyou:
  • Joannesmith2818
    Joannesmith2818 Posts: 438 Member
    I went to uni skinny.....ate a lot of takeaways.....drank a lot......and came out 2 stone heavier
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  • Joannesmith2818
    Joannesmith2818 Posts: 438 Member
    WELL In the beginning it was because I wanted to lose weight and be skinny again, so material right? Then one day I found out my husband and I were going to be parents! I freaked and was SO excited at the same time. We were a little cautious and only told family and close friends because ppl would certainly notice when I didn't drink alcohol :drinker: and I needed some allies to keep my secret. We were registering for our wedding at Target and I couldn't contain my pregnancy excitement so we took a look at the baby stuff so we could get a feel for how much stuff was, i.e. cribs, strollers etc. Well, to cut to the chase, I ended up having a miscarriage right in the middle of the baby section of Target and was rushed to the ER. I was 21/2 months pregnant. We were scheduled to see the ultrasound for the first time the next day. The ER took an ultrasound and seeing an empty uterus and hearing static when I should hear a heartbeat is literally the most horific (lack of ) sound I've ever heard in my life. :cry: :brokenheart: Well now that the sob story is over, pretty much my husband and I have decided to try again, but this time on purpose in a year or so. I want to make my body healthy for this baby, and honestly, baby bumps look way cuter on people who are at a healthy weight. Sorry if my story is tmi, but this is a place for honesty right?


    That Is heartbreaking. But what a great reason to get healthy again. I wish you all the luck in the world and send you all my love :):)
  • jogglesngoggles
    jogglesngoggles Posts: 362 Member
    Fun thread! I was very fit and active until after I had my first child, I lost all of the weight from being pregnant, but then stayed home all day with baby and started eating, eating, and eating...got pregnant again, lost it, ate even more, got pregnant again, gained even more weight, broke bones, had surgeries and just kept eating, until one day....I saw a picture of myself and was hysterical!!! I joined the gym, and 2.5 years later have never looked back! I used to say skinny me was just trapped inside that fat suit, in my head I was still small...I take a lot of pictures now to make sure I don't ever get dilusional EVER again!!

    Best of luck to everyone here...we've got this :)
  • Sedna_51
    Sedna_51 Posts: 277 Member
    A thousand things, but one big one is that I was reading treatment guidelines for kidney transplant recipients (of which I am one) and saw that our incidence of cardiovascular disease is many times that of the standard population. And I'll be damned if I'm going to survive kidney failure and successful transplantation at the age of sixteen only to keel over from a heart attack or stroke in my forties or fifties. The irony alone would probably kill me.
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  • TLCorsini
    TLCorsini Posts: 78
    A thousand things, but one big one is that I was reading treatment guidelines for kidney transplant recipients (of which I am one) and saw that our incidence of cardiovascular disease is many times that of the standard population. And I'll be damned if I'm going to survive kidney failure and successful transplantation at the age of sixteen only to keel over from a heart attack or stroke in my forties or fifties. The irony alone would probably kill me.

    OMG!! What a terrible thing to have to go through at such a young age! What a great way to turn something terible into motivation!
  • HerpDerp745
    HerpDerp745 Posts: 223 Member
    Someone has to stop Bane.
  • norahwynn
    norahwynn Posts: 862 Member
    Though I already knew that I needed to, the moment came when I stepped on the scale, it read 160, and my mom said "woooow...".

    Ugh.
  • vs1023
    vs1023 Posts: 417 Member
    This time around it was a high risk pregnancy with hospital bedrest that put me out of shape. Stress from having a child with high medical needs caused me to gain more weight after I had him. My last pregnancy I lost all the baby weight within 18 months (gained 55lbs). Life is much more chaotic now so it's going slower, but i'm ok with that. I've always been active and someone who ate well. Life just got in the way.
  • cicisiam
    cicisiam Posts: 491 Member
    Emotional & Physical Pain @ TILT.
  • BirdyGray31
    BirdyGray31 Posts: 1
    I was put on high dose steriods for about 4 months, and I was depressed, food shopping was a chance for me to get out and I put on almost all my weight in this period, after this I managed to get to a maintaince dose steriods but didnt do exercise so the weight just stayed there
  • Sedna_51
    Sedna_51 Posts: 277 Member
    A thousand things, but one big one is that I was reading treatment guidelines for kidney transplant recipients (of which I am one) and saw that our incidence of cardiovascular disease is many times that of the standard population. And I'll be damned if I'm going to survive kidney failure and successful transplantation at the age of sixteen only to keel over from a heart attack or stroke in my forties or fifties. The irony alone would probably kill me.

    OMG!! What a terrible thing to have to go through at such a young age! What a great way to turn something terible into motivation!

    Yeah, that was not a fun period. Fortunately kidney and I have been doing pretty well ever since. (Fingers crossed!) And it made for one hell of a college admissions essay.
  • ruth3698
    ruth3698 Posts: 305 Member
    Just tired.

    Tired of not having energy
    Tired of not fitting into anything cute or sexy
    Tired of avoiding having my photo taken
    Tired of the blahness in the bedroom due to my lack of confidence
    Tired of people seeing photos from 5 years back when I was thin and saying "No way that is you!"

    Etc Etc....It was all of those things leading up to a "ahh hell no...enough is enough" moment.
  • run2bfree
    run2bfree Posts: 108 Member
    hubby and i were looking at my friend's facebook one day after she did a bikini competition and he commented on one of the girls having a "10" *kitten* and rockin body. Not only did I agree, I was impressed with her transformation. That motivated me. I want to be his perfect 10.
  • BL_Coleman
    BL_Coleman Posts: 324 Member
    Depression, anger and lifestyle change.

    I had stopped working out to enjoy it ( only did it when necessary for AF, Started drinking more ( a lot more ) again related to military I think, just culture. Was drinking 1-2 glasses of wine a night average, but if you take into account a glass is 5 oz...which is the size of tasting glass it was closer to 3-4. ( Now I use tasting glasses which are exactly 5 oz filled to relax after work) and depression... I did not like my last job and my husband and I were having issues...so between that and I am no closer to 30 than 20 I went up to almost 160 lbs.... This was last Sept/Oct....I am now 141...trying to get back to the 120 range...

    Have also switched assignments, husband and I went to counseling ( much better) and started working out 3-5 x a week reguarly...
  • JewelsinBigD
    JewelsinBigD Posts: 661 Member
    I was a dancer in school up to my junior year in high school so I was fit. I broke both my feet my junior year and gained weight in my senior year- maybe 30 pounds. But when I went to college I gained 100 pounds the first year and kept adding to it (at least 20 more the next year) - it was so stressful with no exercise and I had a boyfriend that could eat everything and gain nothing. I eventually lost 100 pounds (still overweight but not horribly so) but gained it back later again when I was in a relationship plus 50 more (at that point being 200 pounds overweight) and then lost 160 of it after that relationship ended. That is when I met my husband. Now I am married and I gained back all but that extra 50 - I stopped myself when I saw I was back where I was at 20 years old - 125+ pounds overweight. I decided my relationship did not have to end my eating - I had to end my eating and exercise 5x a week even if I have a full time job and 4 children and am in a relationship.
  • _Krys10_
    _Krys10_ Posts: 1,234 Member
    beer and wings during football season, clothes were getting tighter.
  • Matiara
    Matiara Posts: 377 Member
    My problem is that I work out sporadically or stop altogether if I'm satisfied with where I am. I don't have a food addiction or issues and I'm aware of calorie counts, proper portions and what have you. I never gain weight as long as I'm consistent with working out.

    I've always been naturally thin. I was a skinny child and a skinny teenager. I ate like a horse and 90% of it was junk food. My family is from the South and there was a lot of fried food on the menu. Also, I literally used to sit and watch TV for a couple of hours and eat 3-5 bowls of sugary cereals with whole milk. Cinamon rolls and snack cakes were also a favorite or mine and it was fast food for dinner several nights per week. And I never, ever gained weight or had health problems.

    I hit my adult height of 5'11" at age 16 and for a reason I can't remember, made the decision to clean up my diet a little and start exercising. I still ate junk, but it was more balanced with "real" food and I really didn't do all that much in the way of exercise. I did something like 20-30 minutes of cardio a few days a week and went from 140 to 125 in short order. I didn't have anything against weights or resistance work, I just didn't know anything about it. When I found out that lifting weights was good for you, I began adding resistance exercises to my routine in my mid 20s. My weight went back into the 140s, but I was still a size 6.

    Since I didn't really have to work much to maintain, I got a bit lazy. I would slack off exercise for a while, gain about five pounds, go back to working out for a couple of weeks, lose the five pounds, and get lazy again. I just took it for granted.

    In 2008, my clothes were feeling tight and when I weighed myself, I discovered that I weighed 160, which is the highest I had ever been and I freaked out. On top of that, I had a trip to San Diego upcoming in 2009. I buckled down and got back to my "nomal" size. However, after San Diego, I started taking it for granted and slacked off again.

    Fast forward to late 2010. Not only had I gained weight again, but I was in the low 170s. That's when I joined MFP. Honestly, I let a lot of the noise around here get into my head and tried many different ways to lose the weight, but it wouldn't budge. The month I tried "clean eating" was a blast. I decided to go back to eat sensibley and go back to the combination of cardio and calisthenics that my body usually responded to and in June 2011, I started doing Turbo Jam exclusively. By the end of September, I was back in a size 6 again.

    Fast forward to late last year. You guessed it. Slacking off again and only working out sporadically. By March of this year, I bought new jeans and they were a *tight* size 12 and I weighed 192. I was disgusted. I didn't even know it was possible for me to weigh that much. I long for the 160 that freaked me out just five years ago.

    In April, I got back on the wagon. Those size 12 jeans now have to be held up by a belt that I have to take in three notches. My other clothes are getting loose as well. And I haven't changed my eating habits all that much.

    Though I've made great progress, I still look in the mirror and get discouraged and wonder how long this is going to take, but I tell myself to snap out of it and be realistic. It took almost two years for me to gain the 35 pounds and it's not going to go away in a few months. It's just always been so fast before, that it's frustrating. I have to remember that I was younger and didn't have nearly as much weight to lose the other times. If I stick to it, I should be back to "normal" by next spring.

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