What was your "moment"?

Cherie0622

My school was holding a Biggest Loser competition. I knew I should lose some weight, so I went to check it out. I got on the scale thinking I was probably at 220 lbs. As the needle moved past 220, 225, 230, 235 and finally rested on 239, a tear rolled down my cheek. That's when it hit me. Take care of this now, or the needle will continue to climb.

7sky

My moment was at a friend's wedding on the 16th of this month. I knew that I had been gaining weight, but I never really acknowledged it until I had to take pictures. I didn't recognize the woman staring back at me. I was still cute, but cute for a big girl. Not a good feeling at all :-(

fitmomhappymom

I didn't have a MOMENT per say, it was just a constant voice in my head nagging me that if I needed to cut the crap and face up to the fact that I was out of shape. Granted my largest size was a 6 and I have PCOS, I knew the way I ate, and the fact that I didn't work out meant I was going to continue to gain weight.
Its still more of a struggle than I'd like to admit 2 years later, I gain back a few pounds and then lose them again. But my habits have changed A LOT. It used to be I would go months without working out, now I work out at least 3 times a week. My eating still sucks most of the time, but I hardly eat fast food and I havent drank a soda in years. I still have a lot of work to do, but I'm proud of how far I've come.

Just_Ceci

Somewhere around the end of June 2012, I was helping my in-laws at a yard sale. I helped my husband move a sofa, resulting in a strained back. When I went to the doctor, he said, "This will continue to happen as long as you are carrying around the extra weight. You are borderline morbidly obese." At the time I weighed just over 200 lbs.

I found the mfp app and started logging my food on July 1.

I could barely walk around my block, but it was a start. My niece had an old bicycle that I started riding (couldn't make a mile without thinking I would die!) Within a few weeks I decided cycling was for me and bought a new bike. I gradually added more distance and recently completed a 50 mile ride!

Around March 2013 I had hit a plateau and decided I needed to change things up, so I started Couch to 5k, running 3 days a week and cycling in between. (Couldn't run 1 minute without thinking I would die!) It did the trick, I reached my ultimate goal weight a couple of weeks ago and ran my first 10k on Saturday!

I will be 50 next week and am more fit than I have EVER been!

bookworm_847

In December 2012, I had two moments. My "big" pants were getting tight, and I stepped on the scale at the doctor's office only to find that I was 11 pounds heavier than the heaviest I swore I'd ever let myself get.

Lisa_Rhodes

Wow, where to start. I guess the large part of my weight gain all started in 2009. I got married in Nov 2009 and was laid off in Dec 2009. People say your first year of marriage is the hardest and we had unemployment to throw into that mix! Top that off with making the decision of getting pregnant becuase surely in 9 months time one would be able to find a job... Well Dec 2010 rolls around and still no job.

This does a lot to a man, especially one who was raised with the idea that a man should be a leader (not as in tell your wife what to do, but more of an example setter) and a provider. I felt like I was failing at both of these and all I really did was sit at home look for a job hide away into some video game and eat. Depression set in pretty hard and in the midst of everything going on my mind went to some pretty dark places. Suicide was something I thought I would never ever think about, but when you feel like a complete failure in everything and you think that death would be the best escape for the people you love it begins to some how seem to make sense. The only thing I kept thinking about though is my child that was on the way and how very much I wanted to be a father, I hung in there depressed and gaining weight.

I admit once my beautiful baby girl got here I was in love, and although I was still jobless being able to be a stay-at-home dad was pretty cool and I started to find happiness again. It was about 3 months after my daughter's birth that my old boss (the one who had to lay me off) called me and said they had a new position opening up and asked if I was still unemployed. I jumped at the opportunity and took the position. Things started to look up and about a year after being employed my wife and I decided to make the jump and bought our first house, got another dog (we got our first dog while in our old house) and things were moving forward and life was pretty good.

One thing though, I was 6'3" and 250 lbs and in pretty bad health. My doctor told me I was hypertensive, my cholestorol was high and I needed to be put on medication. He gave me some samples and told me to come back in a few months. High blood pressure!!! I was at the time 26 years old, how the hell do I have high blood pressure??? I have a wife and a child who needs their husband/father to stay around for a while. I had a daughter who needed her dad to be able to get outside and play ball and tag and dress up in pink tutus and dance ballet with her across the living room, paint nails and wear makeup, eat pretend foods and be king of the castle. I needed to stick around so I could ease her first heart break and walk her down the aisle. 160s/120s was unacceptable and being on medication was not an option for me!

So the decision was made, it was time to lose weight, be healthy and set an example for my child (soon to be children) that would last a lifetime! So the journey began, in Feb of 2012 I decided to lose weight, get fit, be healthy and strong. Not only for my kids but for my wife. I didn't want to be the kind of spouse that got comfortable with the way he looked and stop caring. I wanted my wife to look at me each and every day and think that I still got it. Two things I started, first I started counting calories and noticed that my weight started coming off, but I didn't want to be just skinny, I wanted to be in shape. So in May 2012 I downloaded the 5K runner app and worked my way up to that 5k mark, but I didn't stop there soon I was running 10ks, then a 10 miler and soon I hope to complete my first Half marathon. But running wasn't enough, sure I had some amazing cardio capacity but that came with a downside, I lost muscle as well as fat, so about 5 months ago I started weight lifting and have fallen in love with it!

With that all being said from 25 years old when I got married to 30 years old now I have seen some amazing changes in my weight, my mind set, and my life. I had lost from 250 to 194 and since have gained some weight back due to the lifting but I'm sitting comfortable at 210 and am probably in better shape than I have ever been! My BP is in the normal ranges and life is great! I'm sorry for the very long story, if you read it then a cookie for you! If not... I don't blame you

This sounds exactly like my hubby and I. We got married in May 2011 and his contract ended for a position in Nov 2011 (thought it would be longer), was unemployed until March 2012 and got laid off from that position in Aug. 2012. We struggled, had to move back in w/ my parents bc w/ my salary alone we couldn't pay off all our bills (majority student loans) and in Aug. 2013, we found out we were pregnant... and he landed a job w/in a few days of us finding out. Talk about being blessed two-fold! Now we have to stay w/ my parents until we can get some bills down a lot lower and save to buy a home. But he was very depressed, applied to jobs and hid behind the video games as well. He felt like he was holding me back, but I told him when I took those vows, I meant every word. Been down that road.. not pretty. Glad everything worked out for you and your family.

gobraves47

Mine happened a year and a half ago--I was morbidly obese and was diagnosed with diabetes, high blood pressure, and uterine cancer all in the same week. It made me realize how much I wanted to live and live well. I do not want to die young or have some of the horrible diabetic complications if there is anything I can do to prevent it. These things continue to motivate me and keep me committed to making the changes I need to. The weight is coming off really slowly now, but I'm still working at it.

Poofy_Goodness

I was completely unhappy with my life, depressed, with suicidal thoughts.
I decided I should change what I have control over, and the thing I have most control over is my energy intake and output.

mulecanter

Found out I was in size 42 waist pants--my wife had cut the tag out so I wouldn't get upset. That was when I hit bottom.

StephanieBertels

I weighed 172 and was a size 12 when I started my first paralegal job in September 2012. It's sedentary work and I was eating as though I were still able to get out and bike every other day. After I had been at that job for a little over 8 months, I started noticing that I wasn't fitting into my work clothes the same. I even ripped the seam out of a pair of pants by squatting to pick up a box! I started buying size 16 pants.

Shortly after that, I somehow managed a lumbar strain. I was 23 at the time. While I have scoliosis, I had only thrown out my back once before, and that was while chopping wood. I went to an urgent care clinic and was shocked and horribly depressed when the scale tipped in at 196. That combined with the fact that my mother died due to complications associated with colon cancer (a largely preventable cancer!) in 2010 when she was 48 made me decide that I need to start eating healthier.

I started eating healthier after that and tried to scale back portions, but I didn't seem to be getting anywhere, so I started walking on my lunch break. When I still wasn't seeing even a pound of progress, I decided to try MFP.

Since I started in July, I've lost 22 pounds and am nearing a size 10, which I haven't been since before my daughter was born! I often get compliments on how much happier and healthier I look.

StephanieBertels

WOW. Inspirational! You can do this!

jblackjr

This sounds exactly like my hubby and I. We got married in May 2011 and his contract ended for a position in Nov 2011 (thought it would be longer), was unemployed until March 2012 and got laid off from that position in Aug. 2012. We struggled, had to move back in w/ my parents bc w/ my salary alone we couldn't pay off all our bills (majority student loans) and in Aug. 2013, we found out we were pregnant... and he landed a job w/in a few days of us finding out. Talk about being blessed two-fold! Now we have to stay w/ my parents until we can get some bills down a lot lower and save to buy a home. But he was very depressed, applied to jobs and hid behind the video games as well. He felt like he was holding me back, but I told him when I took those vows, I meant every word. Been down that road.. not pretty. Glad everything worked out for you and your family.

You sound like my wife, that is what she would tell me whenever I would suggest she deserved better than me. Those moments usually ended in tears from the both of us and me realizing how incredibly blessed I was/am to have such an amazing woman to be my strength during those times.

AddieOverhaul

For me a few things happened within the span of a few months:

1. Me and my (very overweight) brother got in an argument (which is very rare) and he said that I was "proportionally as big as" he was (not quite but in hindsight I was getting close) and he commented on my double chin and roll over my pants. I was very angry at the time and in denial about how much weight I had put on.

2. Right after that my stepbrother's wife posted some photos on Facebook from their daughter's birthday party and I couldn't believe how big I looked.

3. So...I went and bought a scale. When I stepped on it I was 190 pounds. I hadn't stepped on one since I was somewhere in the 160's. I did not want to hit 200 so I started to make some small changes and fairly quickly dropped 10 pounds.

4. Then, my boyfriend at the time had major anger management issues and one day he got mad and told me I was fat and looked pregnant. He later said he didn't mean it, he just wanted to hurt me. I dumped him (for that and many other reasons) and have lost an additional 30 pounds since - and still going!

carmentownes

We had a weight loss challenge at work. I am a pretty competitive person so i did very well in the challenge. I never thought i could diet and exercise but when this challenge happened it showed me i was capable and could do it. I was tired of being fat. I have been this way since 4th grade. Tired of being uncomfortable and also, have just a pretty face....not a pretty body.

smelius22

I'm still going through my moment I think. I want to get thinner so my thighs dont rub together and so i dont have a spare tire around my waist. but i also want to lose weight for my wedding in 6 months. so it's an every day thing for me, feeling the need to lose weight and working hard at it but not seeing any results. I can't say i've had one moment of clarity that changed it all and that i've been a machine ever since. but im trying!

LiftHeavyWeights

My moment was when I couldn't sleep comfortably on my side because my belly fat would slide downward making it uncomfortable. I realized I could either learn to sleep on my back which would be a challenge because my butt sticks out or I could do something about it.

I chose to increase my fitness intensity and use better portion control for my food. It has worked and I'm continuing to improve my fitness level.

AndreaMerrill

two things:
first my fiance took a picture of me and my daughter. I was leaning over with my hand on a large tree stump. I didn't realize how large my back side/thighs were! I had him text me the picture and I blew up the portion of me as my screen saver on my iphone. Now I look at it every time I eat and it helps me realize where I am and where I want to be.

second: I checked my progress on my fitness pal - I first started logging over a year ago but stopped for awhile. I happened to check this and realized I've actually gained about 15 lbs in the year.

Oh - AND - I have to fit in my wedding dress in three months!!! It zippers - but I can't sit or dance yet :-)

AngFries

when 3 months after having baby i weigh more now then i did then. I have no excuse. I just ate and ate and ate.

AprilMae1975

When everything except stretchy clothes fit me. I hadn't really looked at myself in a mirror and when I did, I was disgusted and disappointed. That moment is my reminder and motivation each and every day.

Now I have another problem....everything in my closet is too big!!!!

scottyg70

My moment took years! I had always been skinny and could never gain weight. Even into my 20's. I hit the weights really hard when I was 24 and managed to go from 125 to 143. I did it again a few years later and got up to 162 and was in probably the best shape of my life. What I didn't plan on was age catching up to me. My metabolism slowed when I hit my 30's but even still I wasn't worried. It happened so gradually I don't think I even noticed that I was putting on weight and certainly nobody around me said anything. My moment came in 2012. My oldest son graduated from Marine boot camp. I went to visit him in San Diego and all the pics from that trip shocked me. I couldn't believe how big I had gotten. That was my moment. I started making changes soon after.

cajun_qt

I decided I no longer wanted to die.

I wanted to live, instead.

So I have spend every day since then, proving I meant it.

kellybellyjellyn

I started a private blog in April 2011. Sort of an online diary where I wrote things along the way and here is my first entry.. I think this was my "moment"

It's really embarrassing to post but whatever.

here goes.. first entry

"This all started roughly 48hrs ago when I got horrible bug. I didn't wanna even think about or be near food. Eeek. Greasy horrible chunky garlic cheese chips all over the toilet bowl, that horrible sick desperate sweaty feeling. Having to drag my 19st *kitten* off the bathroom floor away from said toilet bowl and back to bed. Enough enough !!


I wouldn't feed my worst enemy all the crap I feed myself.

I DESERVE TO HAVE A BODY I'M PROUD OF!!"

Jerrypeoples

the moment i saw this picture in 2011 (obviously on the right) the pic on the left is about a month and a half old. i always knew i was a fatty and worked just hard enough not to get bigger and continue eating fast food 4-5 times a week.

once i got back from vacation and saw this pic with my family that switch just went off

kittykat1994

When I finished breastfeeding my triplets exercise became a way for me to get out of the house and have some me time. I've never looked back.

Wow, that's awesome! I know hard work, but still kinda cool. Grats!

Agreed!
I've breastfed three children, but not at the same time and that was hard enough haha :P

I'm one of a triplet. I can remember my sisters and I running my mum around in circles! I imagine me time for you is a struggle! Good luck

kittykat1994

I have always been overweight. I lost a couple of stone all of a sudden (I didn't try?!) a couple of years ago and I felt it wasn't enough. I have been on here for a good couple of years off and on. I first joined just when I lost weight as I was trying to lose half a stone. I first joined i was 140lb trying to get down to 133lbs. I'm 5"2. All of my family were over weight and I was scared I'd be the same. I've always had a beer belly and I hated it.

I soon realised I was a healthy weight and to stop worrying I disappeared from here for a while. I came on here briefly and tracked a day or two saw each time I'd way a little more. Over the years I have gotten too comfortable and gained over three stone. Mostly since I started university just over a year ago. I gained 10 pounds in the last month from the ridiculous amount of takeaway I eat.

Now I am moderating what I eat and going to the gym. I may still have a domino, but instead of having a pizza and sides, I had a wrap and cookies today which I have tracked (and not gone over my calories!) and I now ALOT healthier. I'm not looking to be super thin with muscles, I just want to be able to wear a bikini on the beach next summer and not feel a whale. I've got stretch marks yet I have no children which is embarrassing for me.

My moment is very recent. I am determined to get it off and be 140lbs again! I

bobkat80

I had looked at MFP before and even signed in, but never followed through. My "moment" came seven weeks ago when I was almost crying because it was so hard to get dressed and I was struggling to tie my shoes. I had to ask my husband to tie them for me! I started on MFP the next day and have lost 20 lbs so far. I have a long ways to go, but I think I can stick with it this time because of ALL YOU PEOPLE who support me and each other. Thank you, thank you! Just hearing about others who are going through the same things I am is so encouraging.

ModernNerd

For me it was a particularly bad breakup. When I ended things, I was told by even my closest "friends" that I wasn't supposed to be the one doing the breaking up, that I wasn't pretty enough to be dating him in the first place, and that I should have enjoyed the opportunity to date a hot guy while I had the chance. My "moment" wasn't so much about a number on the scale as it was about perspective. I realized I had become passive about far too many things in my life from my nutrition and general health to the people I was choosing to surround myself with.

I started running as a way to relieve stress and remove myself from the temptation to go back to aforementioned boyfriend. At the nudging of a close friend I started incorporating weight training as well and educating myself on nutrition. The goal was always to just get out of my head a bit, but the physical results turned out to be fabulous perks:) I now am healthier, happier, and have consistently managed to find myself dating D1 athletes and models since then so a big HA! to the naysayers :drinker:

Aggrazel2

My grandmother passed away.

I had always before worried about my weight problem in terms of how it affected me. How I looked, or how I thought people looked at me, those were always my primary concerns really, a sense of vanity. I can't really say that I cared that much about the lack of mobility I had, or the inability to do certain things. Maybe that's a matter of depression, I wanted to get up and move and excercise and go out and have fun but the fact that my obesity caused me to be unable to do those things didn't really bother me as much as it should have.

I failed on those diets. I failed on my goals. But it didn't bother me, because at the heart of it, I didn't really care about it. I had dealt with being obese all of my life, pretty much, but I didn't care because I thought the problem was just my problem and I could deal with it.

But then I watched my grandmother die. You have to understand, I loved her very, very much. She was a very strong woman, and a very powerful force in my life. However, toward the end, it felt like she was giving up on herself. Now, I don't mean to say she was a bad person for this. Its just, well for example, buying a "lift" chair for herself instead of doing more physical therapy to make sure she retains the strength to get out of a chair on her own. Refusing to do her physical therapy because she was "too tired".

She was a very old woman, I do not blame her for those things. But she was giving up on herself and it was so painful to watch. I loved her so much, but what do you say to someone who is resigned to the fact that they will not walk again instead of trying as hard as they can to gain back their mobility.

But she was 88. Maybe at 88 that is the natural way of things. Maybe she just simply did not possess the ability to continue. She was a very strong woman and she fought breast cancer and beat it, she fought sexism in her industry and still came out ahead. She raised 5 children mostly by herself. I say all this because I admired her so much for how much she fought against things.

I am 38. I have struggled my entire life with obesity. But it was always my fight, and a fight that I lost over and over again. My grandmother made me finally realize that this is not about me. I fight for myself for those who love me. Always before I had looked for inspiration from within. That works for some people, but it didn't work for me. I had to look outside of myself, and see how me being obese adversely, even indirectly, affected those who love me.

I look at my wife and son, who have always accepted me for who I am. Never have they pressured me to diet, or been embarrassed of my size. They accept the fact that sometimes I can't do things with them, like ice skating or bike riding. But they shouldn't have to do those things. They love me and I owe it to them to take as good of care of myself as I possibly can.

It may sound silly, but until my grandmother I never thought about it in those terms. It's been 7 months now and I'm still fighting every morning. I refuse to give up on myself anymore.

thatgirlkellib

Well, "My moment" was when I didnt even want to wear a bathing suit to my own pool in my own backyard at my own party!
I had a party with family and friends and everyone was going to lounge and swim at the pool and I didnt want to undress to a bathing suit because I was ashamed of my body! Had my first child at 22 in feb 2013. September 25 2013 I decided to make a change! I weigh 17lbs less now and I am still on track-- losing 1- 2-3lbs per week. I have been 45-60mins walking 4-5 times per week and some areobics at home. eating no junk processed foods / less refined carbs.
I want to feel free in my own body again! im only 22! 53 lbs to go and I will be at my goal of 140 lbs.

melncuj

Hi!
My moment was....

I was just sitting at home talking to my sister online and I took a photo to send to her saying "good morning" and when I looked at the photo I noticed that a double chin was starting. I knew I had gained a lot of weight, none of my clothes fit. My jeans wouldn't even come close to going over my butt lol. That was the moment I said enough is enough. I have to do something about this no matter how much it hurt. I started doing fitness at home and walking lots!
I have always been a tiny person with the exception of a weight gain once before. My whole family is pretty much over weight with diabetes and I just didn't want to become that way if I could do anything about it.