Have you always been overweight?

Eleonora91

Hi all!

I've noticed that a lot of people on the site have been healthy at one time, but have gained weight. Other people have been overweight their whole lives, but most of these people seem to be at the relative beginning of their journey.

It seems like losing weight is more difficult for someone who has never been a healthy weight, than for someone who once was an athlete.

Is there anyone here who has ALWAYS been overweight (like me), but has reached and maintained their goal weight? I would love the motivation!

Thanks guys!

I was underweight when I was like 3 years old? I was plump at elementary school already and I got fat when I was 8 because I catched a bad respiratory disease and they put me under cortisone. I've always been chubby until then but I got very overweight when I was around 18 I think. I've never had the chance to be skinny or normal sized in my life and I don't know what it means, but I've still had different periods. I don't think I could ever see myself skinny and I don't think that I will ever get rid of the consequences of having been fat though

kjg1965297

I have been overweight since I was 14. It has always been the thing that shattered my self confidence and self worth. Not only did it do that but I lost my Kidneys due to high blood pressure and was a type 2 diabetic (start of) I received another kidney from my sister but continued to struggle with weight. I finally joined MFP and I am on my way. I bring tears to my eyes to see my successes. I am now required to take no diabetic medication and I have eliminated 4 more medications for blood pressure.

Kyle

jerber160

YES,. that's part of the reason I'm so frustrated about losing, hitting a plateau, gaining some back in hopes of losing again and remaining stuck at the weight gain

jennybennypenny

I wasn't overweight as a child, but became overweight when I hit puberty. I weighed more when I was 13 than I do now. That's weird to think about. I got down to 131 when I was 16-17 by an unhealthy VLCD, and then somewhat slowly gained it back over college and into adulthood to my high of 178 (or more, but that's the last time I weighed myself before losing). Over the last two years I've been working on my relationship with food and learning more about fitness and nutrition.

RhonndaJ

I have been thin three times in my life.

Before I started school.
Around 11 and 12 when my mother drug be kicking and screaming through WW hell
In my early twenties when I did the alcohol diet

I think suffice to say that I haven't been a healthy weight since age 13.

What I tend to believe is that the longer we've been doing something badly, the harder it is to do it the right way, regardless of what we may know.

cathyg321

I was a skinny kid growing up, and as an adult I was always "average." Never wore anything larger than a medium.
In the early 2000's, I gained quite a bit of weight, but in 5 months time, I took it off. I lost 72lbs, and yes it was a "fad diet" and one I will never go back to again :noway: :noway: Not Atkins, something totally different.

I kept the weight off for some time, until my dad had a massive stroke which nearly ended his life. As an only child, the pressure and stress was put on me. I ended up becoming a care giver for my dad, and now BOTH my parents. Though I am determined to lose this weight once again, and FOR ALL. And get on with MY life. So far I am doing pretty good! Just counting calories, exercising, and watching carbs == though this week for some reason has not been too good for me!! - This is a place I have never been in my entire life, and I promise you, Lord willing, I will NEVER be back here again. I miss my "old life." This life now is so foreign to me, almost like something from the twilight zone. It is so surreal, I can't believe how it happened, I just know that it DID.

EDIT to ask a question to the poster above me ^^ ^^ ^^ "the alcohol diet.." = what was that? I've heard of a lot of programs but nothing like that...

retirehappy

... than for someone who once was an athlete.

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

I put on weight after 30, no one ever accused me of being athletic, EVER, not even when I lost weight a couple of times as an adult, and if you check my diary I am still not athletic. Besides my sinus/bronchitis infections, I have always be healthy, I have a half sister who is a cancer survivor (she has never been fat/overweight) , and another with a chronic colon condition.

Holly_Roman_Empire

No. I didn't get overweight until I joined the military and was forced to work out. That's what you call irony.

Babygi6003

I was always overweight growing up even though I don't remember ever really having too many sweets/fatty food around the house. I got down to 165 lbs during my junior year of high school and that is the smallest I can remember being.

After high school, I got up to 263 lbs and was on high blood pressure meds/pre-diabetic before I started taking it seriously again. I had the Gastric Sleeve performed in April 2011 and I am currently down to 180 lbs. My goal weight is 160 so I have 20 more lbs to go!

teamnevergoingback

I have ALWAYS been at least 10 pounds overweight! Since I was 14 I remember going up and down the roller coast between 164 and 220 pounds. So I have no idea what it feels like to be in great shape! I don't know which one is harder! In my case it's wanting what I've never had or felt, but for those who used to be in shape, they know what it feels like and they probably want it back pretty bad!

Dunsirn

No. I didn't get overweight until I joined the military and was forced to work out. That's what you call irony.

That *is*, *genuinely*, *actually* what you call irony. Thank you for using that word appropriately.

Y'all would have hated me in my teens and early 20's, because I was always skinny, could eat anything and didn't put any weight on.

Then everything went horribly wrong around ages 25-26...

Spiderkeys

Me no. I started gaining weight in my 30s, and thought it was normal to get bigger in your 30s. I didnt notice what was happening until i was 33, by 34 I had increasing difficult fitting in work clothes every morning, mad a lot when my size wasnt available, lost my job that year, and from there my weight increased even faster, it wasn't until I had to sleep on my back, and even waking up just due to the sound of my own snoring, and needing x5 XL shirts to wear and nothing less, I knew then im not just overweight, i'm seriously obese. Now ive lost almost 12kgs, and have belief I can get the weight I took for granted in my 20s. I will turn 40 in few months, but now I feel like 28!

san0322

I have been overweight my entire life. My parents had a sweet tooth, so there were always snacks in the house - little cakes, ice cream, etc. I never went hungry. Fridays were always pizza nights and both of my parents LOVE pasta. My brothers and I were never limited to portions or denied any food.

I was always the fat kid in elementary school. I played sports my entire life, even in high school and in college. At 5'2" in high school I was about 175. College, I don't even remember - but I watched what I ate and definitely was required to work out.

At about 23 yrs old, I went to the doctor and weighed in at 205. That was a wake up call. I decided to cut out the overtime I was working, stop drinking so much and make some time for myself. With some relatively minor changes, and really only working out for like 45 mins/3-4 days per week, I dropped 45 pounds in 4 months and went down to 160.

Then, I went back to school for my master's degree and was working full time and the weight started to slowly creep back up. At about 27 yrs old I was around 185.

In 2010-2011 (28-29 yrs old) my weight really started to balloon drastically for no apparent reason. I watched what I ate and went to the gym and I reached a high of 215. I was tested for thyroid along with a host of other things and "nothing" seemed to be wrong. Since then, it's been a complete struggle to lose weight. Currently, I am 169.

But since I have been overweight my entire life, I can't even begin to imagine what it would be like to even be considered a "normal weight." I'm sure there are a lot of other people on here who feel the same way.

judilockwood

I've been at both end s of the spectrum,;from being normal weight when I was a child, I dropped to between 90 and 100 lbs in my 20s which was probs a bit low at 5 ft 6 ins, but I was exercising a lot and dancing. This went to a healthy 140lbs during my 30s when I took up body building and fitness in a big way and it remained like this until I had a baby by C Section at 42. Since then I've struggled with my weight, gradually creeping to 190lbs- I l lost most of it once about 5 years ago and then broke my ankle, stopped exercising and lost interest. Finally in April this year at 191 lbs I decided that once and for all I have to lose the weight and I'm now 145lbs, much happier, feel healthier, more positive and I'm NOT going back! Now I'm where I want to be I'll take life as it comes but the weight will never be allowed to return-I feel so much better, I feel like I have the old me back and I wont let go. Good Luck to everyone struggling with their weight, go for it, its worth it! x

Mindylee143

I have been overweight my whole life...as a matter of fact, I weigh less now than I did when I was 13. At around age 16, I hit 200 lbs. and hadn't been under 200 at all as an adult. When I started my weight loss journey, I was 255...I'm 165 lbs currently and I'm still working toward my goal of 150!

It CAN be done!!!!

Pangea250

I don't think it's fair to minimize the effort of someone's weight loss simply because they were once not overweight.

bcattoes

I was not overweight or an athlete when I was young. I started the slow creep at about age 30 (or so) but I was so thin before, that I was still at a healthy weight until my mid 40's. During that time my weight bounced around (gain 10, lose 7, gain 5, lose 5, gain 10, lose 5, etc.) but slowly went up.

Then my nest emptied and I got lazy and became overweight, though I was still heatlhy. Luckily I have regular checkups and got up off my lazy bum when healthy markers started to get near the unhealthy zone.

I really wish I'd never let it creep up 30 lbs, though. It was much easier to maintain my weight before.

dmoppy

No, never an athlete, but until college I could eat anything I wanted (loved pizza and French fries - at the same meal) but put a little on once I was in the dorm (freshman 15) and not working a job where I was walking around all day. In pictures I can see my weight grow just a little year over year after that but it accelerated once I was married and my wife became pregnant with our two kids. Once I gained the "sympathy weight" I moved from being “overweight” in my late 20’s and early 30’s to “obese” in my mid 30’s where I “held it” at a stupidly high level for 14 years (208, 5’8”) and thought that was good enough. I only started to address it back in June 2012 when I changed my eating portions, increased my exercise and treated calories like currency - using a "cash only budget" and no more "credit" (thanks MFP!). I'm back in the BMI "healthy range" and at 50 can run faster and farther than I have ever done before in my life - and still looking to improve my distance and speed. I tell people I have the knees of a 20 year old since I wasn't using them until 18 months ago. Next is overall fitness, but I’m enjoying the running and the success I’ve achieved so far.

admegamo

I've always been the fattest kid in the group/class since probably pre-school. Not even just a little chubby but totally fat. Was that way because my family knew nothing of nutrition. But recently since I've been working at a clinic, I've learned a lot and my family and I are getting healthy.

cmeiron

When puberty kicked in at age 11, I went from a lean, coltish little thing to chubster almost overnight. I was overweight ever since, occasionally obese, and yo-yo dieted since age 13. BUT I've finally figured out this "losing weight" and "getting fit" stuff and am now in the best shape of my life. I weigh less now than I did in grade 8 - and I'm bulking! :laugh: (Yes, I'm actually putting weight on on purpose now - what a mind fuark!) It took doing a lot of things wrong for a long time, before I learned how to do things the right way. I guess when you finally realize that doing the same thing over and over is yielding the same bad result, it motivates you to do some research and figure out a different approach. It can be done! :drinker:

aippolito1

I've pretty much been overweight since I was about 7 or 8. I was about 130 when I was 15 which is technically a healthy weight, but started to gain once I start dating around 16 or 17 and ever since then it's been up and down. The smallest I've been as an adult is 150 when I was 19. I was walking 2 miles a day in the morning, then doing circuit training and running intervals, and swimming laps. I also was eating pretty normal and healthy but still crappy stuff every now and then, so not sure how that worked - it doesn't now that I'm older! lol

So now I'm eating very clean, staying at right about 1200 even after working out (I eat my exercise calories - all of them!!), and am doing strength and cardio.

Ldbg289

When I was a kid I was usually in the bottom end of a healthy weight for my height and age. Something happened in junior high and high school though, I gained a lot of weight but it wasn't really all that unhealthy but then after high school, especially in the last ten years I've been not as active, so the weight kinda packed on, finally last year I said enough is enough and decided to do something about it.

wistera

Always been overweight; or at least, since I can remember in elementary school. I don't have a huge sweet tooth and parents cooked relatively healthily, but I think they just didn't quite have serving sizes down when they were responsible for feeding me. Stayed overweight/obese (but still cooking/eating reasonably healthily, just too much) until this year when I started up on MFP. Still overweight, but on the downward now!

vonnybasset

I was always the fat kid that was hopeless at sports and grew up to be a fat teenager as well.I had my daughter when I was 18 and managed to lose a lot of weight by the time she was three.Then over the years my weight increased because of bad eating habits and by the time I was in my late 30's I was well over 230 pounds!
I decided that I would lose weight and was 168 pounds on my 40th birthday.I went on to lose another 28 pounds, met Roy when I was 41 and my life changed.

Over the years my weight crept up again by about 28 pounds.I saw a photo of me at my stepsons wedding and thought yikes!
People on DP were doing a healthy type thread so I joined them.That was 2 and a half years ago I have lost over 42 pounds now and now weigh 125 pounds or just under it and have been this weight for around a year.I am now in my late 50's and weigh less than I did in my 20's.
So I wish you luck and hope that you achieve your goals.

BlueBombers

Nope, got fat after I got pregnant the first time.

admegamo

I don't think it's fair to minimize the effort of someone's weight loss simply because they were once not overweight.

I don't think it's minimizing weight loss if the person were once thin. For those of us who were always fat, we have no idea what it's like to be fit once. It's a scary process because we are going into the unknown. It's what we want but at the same time it's something we've never been.

Since I've been on MFP and reading all the comments I do, people who have always been fat have a different mentality than used to be thin people and the process may come with a lot of happiness but at the same time it may come with a bit of bitter as well.

I've also done a lot of research on it in the past because I was trying to find support groups for me so that I wouldn't let any bitterness stop me from becoming a healthy person.

yelliezx

I had never been overweight until I moved to Canada! This could also have something to do with the fact that I lived with my parents up until that point and I smoked. My mum always used to make dinner for me and I was always broke. I'd rather have bought cigarettes than food/took the bus. I used to walk 3 miles to and from work or college because of smoking. Now I quit smoking and own a car. It's also difficult to cook for myself but I think I'm in a good routine now!

Edited to say: I gained 32lbs when I moved to Canada. I went from 150lbs to 182lbs at a height of 5'9ft.

brraanndi

The earliest pic I can find of me being chubby is 3rd grade. Which would have made me 7 yrold I believe ( right on the edge of being held back a year ).

I don't even remember eating that much but I do remember eating poorly, we were always struggling for money and food. I consistently gained weight, I was up to 180 in highschool. Once I moved out on my own I totally packed on the lbs because I could actually afford to go out to eat and I loved getting all this crazy food instead of living off of hamburger helper lol.

I've now lost almost 50 lbs and have a ways to go but it's been so easy that I don't forsee any problems in being able to go all the way with weight loss.

I just think I had to spend 10 years eating everything I ever wanted but didn't get to so now that I've done that I'm good to get rid of this weight gain hah.

apedeb09

Yeah, pretty much. I've always been on the chunkier side. Although, when I separated from my husband about 3 years ago, I was the thinnest adult weight I've ever been (which was 148) because I lost about 10 lbs when we split up, though I normally stayed around 160-165 at 5'5. I've always saw myself as fat, even though everybody always told me otherwise.

Now I'm 197 and trying to get back to what I used to think was fat, lol!

vytamindi

I've always been fat.

Had three chins in elementary, but then I grew very tall very quickly, and was just chubby. High school came and went, college came and went (and that was a whole lot of weight gain there) and I'm finally able to fit in my old Jr. High band shirt.

It's weird looking in the mirror. Most of the time I look the same (I was in denial of how much I had gained in college), but once in a while when I see a muscle or a collar bone, it takes me off guard.