What was your final straw?

Goal179

I was helping my brother and sister in law move to their new apartment on a 3rd floor. A lot of stairs involved, up and down, and them making fun of how out of breath I was and that I was lacking exercise. I felt humiliated and ashamed, but provided enough motivation to start my journey to healthy -- only thing I am proud of now of that particular day/moment. Now I am doing Insanity Day 26) and started power lifting squats this week! I am no joke now!

You are NO joke baby girl. Good for you. Weighted squats sounds ridiculously hard. How do you do them?

Goal179

Took "my kids" to Schlitterbahn, a water park. After waiting in line we are about to get on the ride and I read the warning sign for the ride. According to the sign I was too heavy for the ride. I didn't know what to do. I didn't want to leave the kids to ride alone. I didn't want to embarrass them or myself by breaking the ride because I was too heavy. I didn't want to make them skip the ride. So, I pretended like I didn't read the sign and rode anyway. I prayed and worried the entire time. Everything was fine but I decided right then that I would never put myself through that type of stress and anxiety again. That experience along with my realization that as a teacher I needed to be an example of good choices and health for my students set me on my weight loss journey. Went back to that same water park this summer and enjoyed the same ride knowing that I had absolutely no concerns about being too heavy.

That's a tough one. So proud of you for breaking through. You will never have that situation again. Good for you.

rebeccaaa_elizabeth

My final straw was when I realized the number on the scale was 250. Also noticing that I had a double chin when I was looking down at my phone one day, and could feel it. Then the obvious one - realizing NONE of my jeans fit and since I refused to buy the next size up, ended up only wearing sweats/"comfy" pants. That's when I started using MFP & got serious about counting my calories. I'm 2 weeks in and 4lbs down. It's only up (or down) from here

nikki_dw

A lot of it was vanity, but more than that it was watching my mother. She's overweight and diabetic. She doesn't take care of herself and is always in some kind of pain or sick. She's given herself two stress fractures and is only 55. Also, knowing that heart disease, obesity and almost all other health issues are present in my family somewhere helped kick me into gear. I don't want to feel miserable when I'm middle aged.

alienaliens

While I was exercising at home, My belly in the mirror looked like it was going to my knees and it was very round. Last straw.

aarar

My wedding ring getting stuck on my finger.

matchbox_girl

My wedding. I got married last month (I had 11 months to prepare beforehand) and chose not to lose the weight because it just didn't "work out" and I was "too stressed."

Saw the wedding pictures later, and was appalled and embarrassed. So many new people from my husband's family I had met that day and my first impression was when I was at my heaviest. What got me the most was the picture of the father/daughter dance. My dad has never been a big man in height or weight, but it is horrid when you look twice the size of your own father.

And my doc did have a big impact on it, as well. I am uninsured so did not have a primary physician, but after I missed 3 periods I knew I had to get checked out with or without insurance. He was referred to me and the first visit was free. We came to the conclusion it was probably my weight, and he gave me his cell phone number for follow ups so I wouldn't have to pay for office visits. (My hubby and I want children.) I figured if a physician was taking a chance on some overweight uninsured girl then I could make an effort and take advantage of that.

pusheen12

Excellent question: (I'm down 27 lbs.) (Began approximately 50 lbs. overweight) The final straw was being treated super badly at a restaurant by a middle aged waitress named Donna. She wouldn't take my order or bring me anything without me requesting it of her. She asked my two friends if they'd like a drink, etc. and totally ignored me repeatedly. She was over the top friendly to the two other women I was with. It was humiliating. I hadn't asked for anything special or even spoken to bring this behavior on. My friends and I didn't discuss it that night but it was all I could think about on the way home. I called one the next day and she said they had both noticed and were horrified and uncomfortable about how I was treated. The entire experience was incredibly degrading and made me feel terrible about myself. One of my friends is gorgeous and half my age and the other is ten years older and attractive...about the same level as me I'd say. Both are thinner though. I seriously believe that I was discriminated against due to my weight. There is no other explanation in light of all the details (that are too boring to write about). ~ To the fifty something waitress I'd like to say: "Thank you Donna, you miserable heap, I finally started my lifestyle change and am feeling physically strong because I am exercising and eating correctly all thanks to your unkindness. You were the final straw for me, you made me feel really bad about myself and for that I am forever grateful. You as an adult bully were so good at your skill that I decided to finally do what I knew I needed to do. Thank you, I am loving where I am in my life and it's getting better by the day."

writemusic4him

When I couldn't make it just getting out & snapping pics as we were bussed around the Grand Canyon. My feet & back killed, I was completely out of breath, sweating like a pig & completely miserable. I was begging to go home.

Dreaminggg

Excellent question: (I'm down 27 lbs.) (Began approximately 50 lbs. overweight) The final straw was being treated super badly at a restaurant by a middle aged waitress named Donna. She wouldn't take my order or bring me anything without me requesting it of her. She asked my two friends if they'd like a drink, etc. and totally ignored me repeatedly. She was over the top friendly to the two other women I was with. It was humiliating. I hadn't asked for anything special or even spoken to bring this behavior on. My friends and I didn't discuss it that night but it was all I could think about on the way home. I called one the next day and she said they had both noticed and were horrified and uncomfortable about how I was treated. The entire experience was incredibly degrading and made me feel terrible about myself. One of my friends is gorgeous and half my age and the other is ten years older and attractive...about the same level as me I'd say. Both are thinner though. I seriously believe that I was discriminated against due to my weight. There is no other explanation in light of all the details (that are too boring to write about). ~ To the fifty something waitress I'd like to say: "Thank you Donna, you miserable heap, I finally started my lifestyle change and am feeling physically strong because I am exercising and eating correctly all thanks to your unkindness. You were the final straw for me, you made me feel really bad about myself and for that I am forever grateful. You as an adult bully were so good at your skill that I decided to finally do what I knew I needed to do. Thank you, I am loving where I am in my life and it's getting better by the day."

I too had a similar experience, i was also 50 lbs overweight i have since lost 25 lbs.

One night me and one of my friends (thin and gorgeous) decided to dress up and go out to dinner and catch a movie (she was having boy troubles and we wanted just a fun girls night). At the restaurant the waitress seemed to love my friend, giving her excellent service, complimenting her and being super friendly, and to me she was being a lot colder, not really acknowledging that i was there. the difference in the service was astounding. I'm sure my friend notice, she wasnt a big fan of the waitress despite how friendly she was being to her and i assume that was because of me. we never really talked about it though. we both ignored it after that meal. i didnt want to dwell on it or let it bother me. So i'm glad you used it as motivation.


i didnt have a final straw, i had many awful straws. that was one of them, it happened about a month before i started losing weight.
going shopping with some of my friends, and never wanting to go out and party because i hated the way i looked in a dress, hating being in photos and the anxiety of knowing i could possibly be 200 lbs. all of these added up, to a point where i knew i had to change. this past summer i was 20 yrs old and my friends were having the time of their lives and i just wanted to be at home, because i hated the way i looked. it's an awful feeling. i'd never felt like this before i didnt want to ever feel like this again. so i made a change.

kapustakid

* Getting the disc from our photoshoot in September and looking TERRIBLE in all the pics
* Checking out how we can take our horse-mad son horseback riding and knowing I couldn't torture a poor horse
* Winded just going upstairs.
* Forced to wear ugly clothes - seriously, are the buyers at Lane Bryant and Catherine's blind?
* Feet hurt, joints ache
* Feeling miserable as I shoved more garbage in my mouth for solace because I felt miserable - yeah, that old chestnut.

But it was seeing the photos at the end of October that did it, I think. I was a wildland firefighter in my 20s, and played basketball and hockey for years, what in the hell happened to me? :embarassed: I mean, of course I *know* what happened, but you know what I'm trying to say.

Kerriann1083

My final straw was getting on the scale at the doctors office and it was 257lbs!!!! I have never let myself go the way I did this time:-(

magnificent_megan

When my dad embarrassed me in front of the family on Thanksgiving dinner during grace. He said the lord should help me lose weight because boy I needed it!

:embarassed:

I gained almost 30Ibs after my mom and dad separated. So it was just "depression" weight I gained. I am completely tired of it now. I just want to feel good of myself and in my own clothes now!

So let's see what happens this Thanksgiving!

phostose

My Blood Clot.

Ejourneys

A combination of two things:
1. Feeling physically and emotionally off and knowing I had to make that stop in order to function.
2. Needing to wear my largest-size pants again and realizing I'd go yet larger if I didn't turn things around.

maQmIgh

I had/do suffer with bad headaches and migraines. Last year I was getting these excruciating headaches for days at a time (worst case scenario I had a severe headache - Not migraine - for 4 days, it eased to a mild headache on day 5 and turned into a Migraine on day 6, dying back down to a 3 day bad headache, before it finally subsided)
I finally bit the bullet and faced my phobias... I went to my Doctors which is based in the local Hospital.

After months of:
"your headache is due to your glasses not being the right prescription, get your eyes tested" - Had to do this 4 times, no matter how many times I said it wasn't my eyes as Ive had eyestrain before and this was different.. I would get my eyes tested and low n behold - My eyes were fine >:-(
they then decided that my headaches were 'JUST MIGRAINES' :noway: and prescribed migraine tables to me.... taking the tablets would make me nauseous but would not relieve the symptoms of my headaches.
So then the doctors decided 'I MUST BE DEPENDENT ON MY PAINKILLERS' Sheesh
...
I injured my back when I was17 in a Judo accident, the pain was bearable so I got on with life.. At 26 I got into a motorcycle accident (I was ok - no injuries - but it did jar my back into being an issue)

Doctors prescribed me Ibuprofen and Co-codermol, And told me to take one of each when ever my back hurt (which was all the frickin time) I refused to be reliant on the tablets so i would only take on the days the my back REALLY BADLY hurt.. but because my file said 'take 3 times a day' they ASSUMED I had become addicted to the Co-codermol.

The doctors made me go 'cold turkey' on my pain meds for 3 months as they were adamant that is was this causing my headaches.

The agony of those 3 months woke me up... I realised all the added weight was doing nothing for my back and I had to do something if I didn't wanna be on pain meds for the rest of my life.

...

I still have flare ups with my back pain, but haven't taken pain meds in over 8 months
I still have bad headaches and migraines - tho not nearly as often - doctors now believe it to be stress related :noway: Maybe from the stress of seeing them :laugh:

Since losing 2.5 stone my still back aches but now the absolute worst days are about half the pain or what my absolute good days used to be :drinker:

tomandshell

I went on a trip with my wife to celebrate our anniversary, and we had to come in under a weight limit for an excursion with zip lines--I was less than two pounds away from not making the cut. Then we had our picture taken (something I rarely do) and I just didn't like the way I looked. So I've been working hard at increasing my exercise and counting my calories for the last month and a half or so, and so far I'm off to a good start.

I have gradually gained fifty pounds since my wedding and my goal is to get rid of fifteen years of weight in twelve months. Then when we go on our 16th anniversary trip, I will be proud to have my picture taken with my wife instead of embarrassed of my appearance.