Write just 1 tip which triggered your weight loss.

EliseTK1

What triggered my decision was getting absolutely plastered on Christmas Eve, then being so sick I vomited bile for eight hours. It made me take stock of my life and my choices, and I realized I’d been slowly poisoning myself for a very long time with both an excess of unhealthy foods and alcohol. I gave up alcohol completely for a while, started tracking calories again, and so far I’ve lost 23 lbs. Most importantly, I feel a million times better.

rwood566

what got me going on my journey was remembering and fearing where i was starting from, knowing if i failed i would be back there. i was house-bound for 1 1/2 years before getting professional help to get things under control. i was 566 lbs and couldn't stand for more than 2 minutes, walk 150 feet or fit into a car. logging has been a huge help, but i haven't logged everything so i have lied to myself. daily weigh ins have helped me keep track of my trends and not fret about weight jumps or plummets. seeing the general arc calmed my fears of failure. today, 37 months later, i am at 222 lbs without surgery or medication and about to have my first skin removal surgery.

justanotherloser007

Lent. Best reason ever! I actually started doing a traditional Catholic Lent, pre 1850 (evidently Fathers starting giving in to their wining children on "please don't make Lent so strict this year" I mean, like every parent ever with who has had whiny kids) Once Lent was over, and I had made some real dig deep changes, then I thought, "Maybe I CAN do this."

aginghealthier

My trigger for beginning this "round" of weight loss began in 2017 when I quit drinking alcohol. Without changing my way of eating, I started to lose weight and I knew that it was the right time to get serious about weight loss. I just reached my goal this month and am working on finding the maintenance "sweet spot". Still no alcohol, but that is a lifestyle choice.

Cindy01Louisiana

I was in a size 10 and they were getting tight. I tried to "watch it" (food) more, but the real trigger was trying on bathing suits for vacation. I simply didn't look like myself. On vacation, I couldn't fully enjoy myself because I was very self-conscious of my body. The day I returned, I got back on MFP and I'm somewhere around 220 days of logging every day. 32 pounds down and 8-9 to go.

shockbishop

It's weird, I ate like crazy and still didn't hit my calorie limit. There must have been some hidden things in there like late night sweat tea, maybe our "party night with pizza" or perhaps some snacks. The first day I ate regular for a baseline, came up short on calories.....yesterday I was aware, not hungry and came up 600 calories short!!

I think awareness is key to my weight loss

AJBusjahn

Approximately 2016 I worked night shift in a very sedentary job. Ate all night to stay awake. Also had a pregnant wife who plated me like she was eating. I hit 195. Sitting at work one night I wondered what's this thing in my lap. It was my gut. Winded climbing a flight of stairs. Our apostle called a church wide 21 day fast. I made it 14 days on just water and coffee. Lost 30+ pounds (highly unrecommended). From there I started tracking everything I ate and used that as a springboard to revamp my eating.

Zinka61

For me, planning balanced meals ahead and not snacking between meals--When I was free to eat at any time, I was constantly thinking about what I could eat next and spending way too much time thinking about food. I'd use up my calories during the day, get too little dinner, and then binge at night. This works way better for me.

Decoy152

Eliminating sugar altogether.

mlrtri

Logging. It has obviously helped me stay on target. But it also helped me realize how many calories I was consuming while prepping meals and cleaning up. Especially at dinner. I would be hungry after work and eat a few bites while cooking or instead of throwing away food eat the last few bites in the pan. I have quit all of that. Mostly because I don’t want to log it. Lol. I have promised myself I would log everything. Good, bad, ugly. That was the only way I could keep this up and also the only way I would have accurate data. I have learned through my logging that I do best with an afternoon snack. That way I am not so hungry while making dinner. And my dinner portions can be smaller because I don’t feel like I am starving. I make better choices. So logging EVERYTHING has been helpful in more ways than one.

Lolinloggen

For me the one thing that helped most is; Stop drinking sugar water of any kind. (tea, coffee, any soda or other 'energy' type drink)

JaysFan82

Swimming laps

mlrtri

I am going to have to write 2. Increasing fiber and reducing added sugar.

Add a little healthy fat and my body is easily satisfied and staying under calorie limit is not difficult.

Before I started this I was staying under my calories but I was frequently hungry. I felt deprived. And that is not something I wanted to be day after day.

Don’t go for those processed “fiber” options like bars. Get it naturally from fruits, veggies and whole wheats. It is good for your gut, slows down rate of absorption keeping insulin response down, and makes you feel full.

This is something I wish I had realized a long time ago. I hope this helps someone.

nsk1951

It was when my brother died that I finally got up the will power to tackle weight loss. He was a 'big man' and I know his size had a great deal to do with his passing away in his 50's. I didn't want to follow suit.

1960yoyo

LivingtheLeanDream wrote: »

Logging calories - it was a game changer!

1960yoyo

Went to try on clothes in front of a 3-way mirror in a dept store. Didn't like what I saw.

frankwbrown

The trigger for me was: I visited my older brother and we took all his kids and grandkids to a water park. But I was in such poor health that he got a wheelchair for me. That allowed me to wheel around with everyone and enjoy the day, but it also made me painfully aware of how badly I needed to lose weight and regain my health. I joined my local gym the day after I got back home.

nicci8187

My mom got very sick and I realized dealing with the healthcare system is a nightmare. I’m 50 and I’ve decided to avoid the healthcare system for as long as possible (control what I can). This meant I needed to get in better shape by improving my eating habits. I have lost 20 lbs. and it feels good. I log in on MFP almost daily. I try to make sure I burn 300 calories/day by exercise. No alcohol during the week and I let myself cheat a little on the weekends so I don’t feel deprived.

michellesz

Drinking more water

justgirl81

Honestly, it was as simple as removing flour and sugar from my diet. After that everything just started functioning better; my brain, my body, my self control, my energy.

brianjconnollympa

I hated my tummy pudge, that swath of land below the belly button that runs from one side to the other. Lol. Mine had gotten out of hand. I just said "Enough". I joined NOOM and Planet Fitness. Then, my doctor put me on Trulicity (I don't have diabetes) for the weight loss. Viola! Three months later, I went from 256 to 212. I log my food and my workouts. Then, I got MyFitnessPal. My journey continues. I want to hit 190, but will be really happy with 200. (There is no way I will hit the BMI target of 156.....BMI is so stupid.) Good luck!

JaysFan82

Just stayed within my calories, got to the gym regularly and took it seriously

justanotherloser007

Lent

88olds

The scale said 285 lbs but I could see that 300 lbs was within easy reach.

BartBVanBockstaele

Unicornsandlove wrote: »

What was the 1 thing which started your weight loss or helped you in losing weight?

A 3-cup Zojirushi rice cooker: one of the best purchases I have ever made. I used it to make reasonable amounts of soup and that helped me lose about 30 kg. I had trouble finding it. North American culture is largely one of big-bigger-biggest and not one geared towards moderation, but it was worth every minute and cent I spent on attempting to acquire it.

CrazyMermaid1

High protein breakfast was a game changer.

mpat81

A piece of advice that has helped me - always eat as though you are hosting a dear friend of an older generation: a balanced meal served properly on a plate, eaten slowly, while seated at a table. No standing at the fridge snacking, no fast food in the car, plate your food neatly so it looks appealing.

BainD7

I got rid of cokes and sugary drinks. I've been on here for 20 days and lost 9 pounds so far.

Mischante

I decided that I don't want to end up with diabetes and high cholesterol / heart problems r/t weight like so many of my loved ones.

Annie42019

A cruise. No not in order to lose weight for the cruise. But 1) The very nice concierge on the ship who was clearly over 200 pounds who had the audacity to suggest (by repeatedly asking where I bought my outfits) that we were the same size……oh wait, um…. 2) All those massively obese people who needed a scooter to get around. I got scared I was heading in that direction. 10 months later I weighed 75 pounds less using MFP ( after a brief try of Weight Watchers which I felt involved too much game playing).