What was your aha moment that made you finally start a weight loss journey?

Watch_Me_Rise

Like a few people, it was the doctor saying, "if you're still struggling losing weight, our next option is prescription medications..." Yeah that's a big no. That and I just want to be healthy for me and my family.

Knitwif

I've been trying off and on to lose weight for 30 or more years. I yo-yo like crazy. Food is my comfort. Then my husband had several attacks of acute pancreatitis. I found the entire medical process really aggravating and realized that I would be a miserable patient if I were to have to go through the same thing. It was then that I knew I needed to really take care of myself so that the next time one of us had an emergency (and that happens to everyone sooner or later) I'd be starting from a place of health. So I thought I would start logging, because statistically people that log are more successful at weight loss. I'm now down 44 pounds. It's been 18 months, so it's a sloooooow process, but I never deny myself something I really want, so I've been able to stay on track.

eyer0ll

grinning_chick wrote: »

Hair loss.
....
I figure the only way I can legitimately demand an endo consult beyond an outdated and archaic "thyroid panel" that won't get ignored is if I drop the weight first so it can't be silently judged/assumed to be secondary to obesity and the hair loss persists.

@grinning_chick This makes me so *kitten* angry. I second the PP who said to kick that doctor to the curb immediately. I'm sorry about your hair loss.

The moment I decided to lose weight was about 3 am one morning when I'd been lying awake in bed for hours and couldn't get back to sleep. I hadn't been sleeping well for weeks; my hips hurt; my ankles hurt. I decided I had to lose weight so my body wasn't under so much physical stress and could perform basic functions (like sleeping).

oregonlady

my hubby died unexpectedly.
i was not the person i wanted to be.

KrunchyMama

oregonlady wrote: »

my hubby died unexpectedly.
i was not the person i wanted to be.

I'm sorry for your loss

tracyd73

Turn 44 on the 7/15th...It came today with a phone call from Dr.
Year of stomach issues weight gain.
Test, show dairy allergy, wheat, barley, malt, and BEEF of all things. 30 day glutten, dairy diet no beef. I also have MS.
I guess my body has had enough. Need to change diet and lose weight or die miserable. *sigh*

AliNouveau

I had agreed to do something I hadn't done in many years and knew I'd do it better if I were thinner and in better shape so I bit the bullet and worked really hard

DChelseaNYC

I saw a video of myself, singing with a friend at a benefit for a cause I care very much about. I never saw myself as "fat" because I've always been pretty comfy, but lately felt that comfort begin to slip... I had come really close to hitting 200 and for someone who's 5'2", that's a problem. I made the decision that day that I needed to make a healthy change.

mangrothian

Mine was a culmination of a whole rang of things that happened over about a year, with the last 3 weeks being the straw that broke the camels back.

Over a 3 week period back in 2014:
- Had to buy a dress in the largest size available at the only decent plus size clothing chain for women in Australia. Cried in the dressing room, wondering what I was going to do once their clothing didn't fit anymore. I was 160 kg / 350 lb at 186 cm / 6'1 tall and had a BMI of 43.4
- Had my sister in law post a picture of me with my nephews on Facebook. They were standing behind me in a dark restaurant. My hands looked like they were floating on their own way in front of me, when I knew they were resting on my extensive belly. I also had no neck, only chin. I wanted to untag myself from her post
- bought a matcha latte from Starbucks. It was really sweet, and randomly I wondered how many calories were in it. Searched online, found the calories on mfp. browsed through the forums a bit and thought about the beginner sticky threads and if weight loss was actually possible.
- went for a walk with a friend around the local botanic gardens. The walk is just over 3 km (2 miles), and it was only my stubbornness and refusal to embarrass myself that stopped me from asking for a break. I was in pain for 2 days with my sore back and swollen feet. Me, who ran 5 km multiple times a week through uni. I refused to stay this way, and swore to get fitter
- when my weight was hindering my progress to get fit since it wasn't letting me get over a back injury caused by osteoporosis, I remembered MFP. I made an account, put in my stats, read some of the beginner stickies on the forum again, and the rest is history.

I'm 65 kg / 143 lbs down, ran a half marathon last year, and will never look back. Dunno about these Cruella De Vil cheekbones I'm getting now though

millerdan1

At the end of 2014 I came down with the flu. Went to the doctor and learned I weighed more than I'd ever weighed in my life. At the same time I realized that 2-3 pairs of pants with a larger waist size I'd bought only a couple months earlier were starting to get tight. I started walking, added in an elliptical trainer, and progressed to running. I also began using MFP to track my calories and weight. Hit my goal weight about 7 months later. Since then I've run 3 half marathons and am currently training for a fourth. Went from 214 to185lbs and have more less maintained for 18 months now.

Wysewoman53

Interestingly enough, I didn't start out to lose weight. Don't get me wrong, I needed to get some pounds off for sure but that's not how it started. For 10 years, I had been walking with a cane due to a deteriorated hip. I could barely move and walking was so painful, I pretty much just stopped moving because every step hurt to the point it just wasn't worth it, even with pain pills. I had high blood pressure, thyroid problems, vertigo, depression, anxiety and high cholesterol, all of which were being treated with one pill or another. My father passed away in May, 2014, and of course, pictures were taken at the funeral (I usually avoided pictures if at all possible) and I got even more depressed at how I looked. My whole family felt sorry for me because I couldn't walk very far (hip and cane) and I was exhausted all the time. All I did was sleep and I was still tired. During the late summer of 2014, I was able to obtain insurance and the first thing I did was go to the doctor to find out what was wrong with my hip, once and for all! So many doctors had told me throughout the years it was arthritis due to my 'advanced' age...I was 60 years old! I finally convinced a doctor that it wasn't just arthritis and all I ever wanted was an x-ray and she finally ordered one. I think she just wanted to shut me up and I finally had coverage so why not, right? Fast forward to Oct. of that same year and I was finally getting that hip replacement that was all in my head. There were still medical and mental issues even after that but it wasn't until Nov of 2015 that it finally happened! I was rushing around, getting ready for work and I fell. Between being off balance, the vertigo and just plain being out of shape, I had fallen and dislocated my shoulder to the point I needed to go to the ER. I stepped on the scales and saw that number...218 pounds! I was shocked but not enough YET to do anything about it. I still wasn't moving and learning to walk again was painful and difficult after 10 years. I felt like a toddler or something. In fact, I was afraid to do anything at all! My anxiety had me to the point of if I fell again, I might 'break' my new hip and then where would I be? I had asked for an activity tracker for Christmas of that same year and my wonderful husband got me one. I was out to prove a point to my middle daughter that I did walk more than 5,000 steps a day! In fact, I was sure I walked at least 7,000. Wrong!! I was barely doing 3,000 steps a day and I was working in a school! So, I increased my steps, again, to prove a point, not to lose weight. I was sitting around on the computer one day and noticed MFP was connected to the Garmin I had gotten for Christmas and thought I'd join just for the heck of it. I had already lost 10 pounds by this time, just by increasing my activity level. Again, I didn't start out to lose weight so the only thing I changed was my portion sizes. Amazingly, between just doing that and moving again, I lost some more weight. I started paying more attention to what others were eating and counting calories (1200 a day) and started changing the way I was eating. More weight lost! I got even more active, now that I could walk again and then it hit me! Duh! Increasing activity, watching my calories, changing my lifestyle (what I was eating) all added up to losing weight! Imagine that!! So, here I am today, 80 pounds lighter and loving myself and my life again. No more depression, some anxiety still but not nearly like it was and my thyroid, cholesterol and blood pressure meds have been cut in half. I am working full time again for the first time in years and yes, I am a happy woman these days. I am going to be 64 this year and I feel half my age!

bossyfairy

Main reason is I don't feel healthy / good about myself and I am getting pretty close to being 40.

But stupidly on Friday I asked my boyfriend (of 8 years) why we didn't sleep together any more (I've tried to talk about this for the last couple of years. But never quite plucked up the courage. I asked if it was because of my weight and he didn't deny it. So I a, taking that as a yes. He doesn't find me attractive since I have put weight on. I am a U.K. size 16. I know I need to lose weight but I am heartbroken. He says he loves me and I am lovely but I obviously repulse him. I thought he loved me unconditionally but turns he doesn't. I am heartbroken.

Niki_Fitz

I completely lost my whole self and realized I needed accountability and some support to really change.

My strength, shape, and drive all dissipated after having my last baby and I didn't "bounce back" as I expected with injuries and post-partum depression. So the self-hate every day just had to stop.

Also, I noticed I was getting a double chin!

kingleahnidas

bossyfairy wrote: »

Main reason is I don't feel healthy / good about myself and I am getting pretty close to being 40.

But stupidly on Friday I asked my boyfriend (of 8 years) why we didn't sleep together any more (I've tried to talk about this for the last couple of years. But never quite plucked up the courage. I asked if it was because of my weight and he didn't deny it. So I a, taking that as a yes. He doesn't find me attractive since I have put weight on. I am a U.K. size 16. I know I need to lose weight but I am heartbroken. He says he loves me and I am lovely but I obviously repulse him. I thought he loved me unconditionally but turns he doesn't. I am heartbroken.

Hi there, maybe you didn't post this for advice but I just wanted to say something in case you did. You are not the problem. You are wonderful and lovely and you deserve someone who wants to be with you.

ashbabe25

My favorite clothes didn't fit anymore and I became really, really unhappy with myself as a whole.

jayemes

When I pulled out my "fat" summer clothes from last year and they were tight.

changeconsumeme

I went to get a tattoo and my friend took a picture of me while it was getting done. I was appalled. I looked as big as a house!

I was trying to get answers for my low energy and crazy weight gain for two years. It took three doctors before one took me seriously and did all the necessary tests. I was diagnosed with hypothyroid/Hoshimoto's and I finally had the answer I was desperately searching for. So many years of beginning to eat well and exercise and then dropping off due to motivation loss/literally zero energy! So many years wasted feeling and looking like I did. Since October 2016, I've lost 46 pounds.

The 6 I lost without changing or trying anything different other than medication. The 40 I lost with Weight Watchers and a hardcore gym class 3x a week since January 22nd 2017.

changeconsumeme

bossyfairy wrote: »

Main reason is I don't feel healthy / good about myself and I am getting pretty close to being 40.

But stupidly on Friday I asked my boyfriend (of 8 years) why we didn't sleep together any more (I've tried to talk about this for the last couple of years. But never quite plucked up the courage. I asked if it was because of my weight and he didn't deny it. So I a, taking that as a yes. He doesn't find me attractive since I have put weight on. I am a U.K. size 16. I know I need to lose weight but I am heartbroken. He says he loves me and I am lovely but I obviously repulse him. I thought he loved me unconditionally but turns he doesn't. I am heartbroken.

A man that loves you will love you regardless of your size, your changing styles and looks, through differences and illnesses and the whole 9 yards. Just my two cents.

locadeatar

I was miserable for years, depression, low self-esteem, etc...
Looking around for a way to feel better, be happier, I decided to start loving myself: wholly, completely, extra lumps and all. It was a process that took me years, but part of loving yourself is taking care of your body...almost as a side effect, I started losing weight.
Noticing that I was feeling happier than ever, I made a conscious effort to look after my health, counting calories and working out more. Slowly, but surely, the pounds are coming off and now I'm at my lowest weight in years.
Still have about 15 pounds left to lose to hit my goal, but I'm proud of myself for sticking to it and never giving up.