What made you see the light?

exmsde

I learned it was a lifestyle change thing about 25 years ago, but the changes only last so long. Fortunately this time there is a pretty good chance they can last the rest of my life.

Anyway, my interest in making this a permanent change probably started when I had foot surgery a couple of years ago. Trying to get around on crutches was just brutal and I realized if I were healthier I would have had a much easier recovery. One of the things that happened as part of recovery is that I tweaked my knee, so it was a constant reminder that I was in bad shape. Early this year I realized that flushing incidents from the niacin I was taking for cholesterol had increased dramatically and I really wanted to stop taking it. But the final straw was when my Blood Pressure crept up and I realized I'd have to go to the doctor and he'd want to put me on a second BP medication. So one day I cut salt, increased potassium, bought a Fitbit and went back to eating the way I've known I should for 25 years. A few weeks later I joined MFP.

BP is now down to the point where I'll soon be cutting the dose on my existing BP medication. Niacin has been gone for some time and blood work a couple of weeks ago confirms my lipid numbers are awesome. Statin dose will be going down soon as well. In fact, my blood work is the best its been in decades as a result of losing weight and going from sedentary to active. Its great motivation to continue with the lifestyle change.

moya_rargh

Having to buy a 38 inch waist pair of jeans when I've been a 32 inch waist since my teens. It was time for a change.

Catiejoy27

When my husband said, "you are always cropping yourself out of the pictures." And I realized he was right.:huh:

twixlepennie

I've only lost weight once and now I'm maintaining-my 'moment' was getting blood test results that showed a high glucose number. One of my grandparents died from complications to T2 and my only living grandparent is now losing her battle with it (after being a three time cancer survivor-the T2 is going to be what gets her). Knew where I was headed and decided 'screw that, I'm going in a different direction'

nickowastaken

I have suffered with back problems for quite a few years. In 2009 I was supposed to go for a discectomy and nerve decompression operation for some severely prolapsed discs. Before the operation I started to get better again (basically the discs moved off the nerves that were causing me a problem). I didn't have that operation and carried on life as normal.

In October 2011 I started to get similar problems, only a lot worse this time. It used to take me 20 minutes to get out of bed in the morning. Once I was out of bed I couldn't stand up for more than 3 minutes before the toes on my left foot started going numb... this would then spread up my leg until I couldn't stand any longer. If I sat down it was very painful to raise my body into a standing position again.

In January 2012 I went back to my surgeon and he ordered a new MRI scan. The news was kind of the same only this time he offered a cortisone injection into my spine to give me up to six months free of pain. I decided then to try and lose some weight first to see if that helped. I did lose weight by dieting and a regime of Pilates which helped my core get stronger and alleviated some of the pain. By June 2013 I was back in a really bad way, sometimes I used to have to lie down wherever I was (at work, in the street, anywhere!). So I booked myself in for the spinal injection and never looked back.

The cortisone killed the pain within hours. I started doing more Pilates and got myself in the gym. I kind of knew that my back problem had not been "fixed" but there was an opportunity to get fitter whilst the cortisone was working.

Six months came and went and I have never looked back. I haven't had ANY of my previous symptoms and now lead a very active life. I'm now fitter and stronger that I was at the age of 20.

There's no way I can go back to how I was (fat and lazy) because with that comes the inevitable pain — so that's a pretty big motivator!

So yeah, that's my (long) story.

bermequeen

I have spent the better part of 2 years going back and forth with weight. On one had hating what I saw in pictures and being super restrictive and then when I grew tired of that going off the other deep end with "I love me just the way I am. I want to be happy." This time I've had enough of being winded climbing the stairs and tying my shoes. This time I know I can't be so restrictive, just make better choices and take one day at a time, I didn't gain This weight in 90 days do I can't effectively lose it in 90.

Littlestandrews

Last Christmas when visiting family out of state, my mother in law (Joann), sister in law (Tracy) and myself were all discussing how we wanted to lose weight in the coming year. At that time I weighed 155. Unfortunately, I couldn't get out of the dieting mindset (instead of a lifestyle change) and so once the holidays were over and my husband got a job offer in another state, packing and moving took precedence over my diet.
Fast forward to July of this year, we went back up to a family reunion that Tracy did not attend. I asked Joann if Tracy had lost the weight she had wanted too and she said "No, she has gained weight too." Ouch. When she said that, it struck a nerve and I knew I had to change my life. She was right; I weighed once I got home...169LBS!
I started my new life the next week. I am now down to 144 and I won't look back!