Why did you get FAT & why did you decide to turn it around?

edwardkim85

Obviously if you joined MFP, you have the drive and motivation to lose weight and stay fit.

Why did you get fat (initially) and why did you decide to lose that weight ?

What was the turning point?

TaraRichardson913

I gained a lot of weight going on medications.Although I recognizedthis, I didn't do much to offset it.
Honestly I thought it meant I had to be this weight...but it does not!
I joined mfp awhile back but was never really consistent nor did I lose weight.
Now I'm determinef to get this weight off of me---especially after seeing recent pics and fitting into clothes

alechua

I gained weight because of lack of discipline, and obsession to foods. Last May 2013, my jeans and clothes were becoming tight again though the size is already big. I thought instead of buying new larger clothes, I need to lose weight to fit into nice clothes.

MelissaPhippsFeagins

I don't know why I got fat initially. I remember being fat when I was 5 and my doctor trying to put me on a diet when I was 7. I know (now) that even though he meant well, that put me on the road to an ED in my early 20's. I know that deciding NEVER to diet again rather than go back to the ED, then having 4 kids made me fat (196 in June 2013).

I decided to turn it around because while obese was healthier than bulimic, it wasn't healthiest and I don't want a knee replacement, at least not yet. I don't want it ever, but my left knee will likely need it anyway. It's a hot mess inside according to MRI. I also think my insurance rates are going to be based on my BMI and lab numbers eventually. They are already based on my participation in an employee wellness program. So I searched for a calorie and exercise tracker for my phone, picked MFP because I know a friend had used it with real and continuing success, and here I am 32 pounds later (I was 192 the day I logged here): 10 pounds from my goal of 150 and 4 clothes sizes smaller.

rella_1003

I've never been particularly fat, my body's quite slim, but all my fat goes straight to my belly! Before starting MFP my waist size was 35 inches and according to the NHS that gives me a lot of health risks. So the NHS helped me to decide to turn it around now my waist size has dropped by 2 inches

FlirtyB430

I got comfortable and lazy. My health needs to be improved.

Thorbjornn

I gained weight because of lack of discipline

This.

I had back and shoulder surgery over the past three years. It messed with my head as far as working out and letting myself go to hell. I had very long gym layoffs, and just ate whatever I damn well pleased. I lost 32 lbs on WW, and 10 before that. Not only did I not reach my goal of losing another 20-25 lbs, but I let myself gain 12 back.

Aine8046

For the lst few years I was eating my stress away. And I was lazy, so i got to 175 lbs. I decided to turn it around after my new friends did not recognize me on a picture made three years ago when I was 140 lbs.:frown:

twixlepennie

I was always a normal weight (135-140, which is right in the middle of a normal bmi for me), until I had three pregnancies, within a short period of time. With the first two I had non-stop morning sickness and actually lost weight. So I stayed thin after the deliveries. But, with the third I didn't have the sickness and gained the normal 20lbs. And then after I had my son I kept some of it on and then the pounds started creeping on. I did not change my eating habits, but I was no longer able to keep my weight steady for the first time in my life.

Over the next 4 years the pounds slowly added on, until last fall I was at my highest weight in the 170s and I had to buy my first pair of size 14 jeans. But, that wasn't the turning point for me-getting a blood test done and showing I had a glucose number in the pre-diabetic range was. My grandfather died from T2 and my only living grandparent is now losing the battle with it (a three time cancer survivor, T2 is what will kill her).

So I knew where I was headed and decided to screw that, and went in a different direction. I had never tried losing weight /dieted before and I had no idea what I was doing. But, I made the commitment to lose the weight and get my glucose number int he normal range and then I got at it.

I'm now over 50lbs lighter, am the thinnest I've ever been as an adult, have a bmi below 20, a bf% in the 18-19% range, and my last fasting glucose test number was an 89. This is my life now and I'm never going back

JONZ64

I got lazy during recovery from surgery

Murphy0126

I was "FAT" my entire life before I joined the Armed Forces, and then I became a lean, mean, fighting machine! LOL

But, with the military, you see certain things, that errrr.... require you to self medicate. I became and alcoholic and addicted to morphine, so the weight continued to stay off because I was too busy using to actually eat. But, on February 13, 2010 I decided enough was enough (after an event that made me reevaluate my life), so I went to Detox, and then Rehab, and I've been clean and sober since that date (WOO WOO!).

BUTTTTT, since I didn't have alcohol and drugs to self medicate with, I started self medicating with food. And quickly soared right past "FAT" and went straight to "Morbidly Obese". I started seeing counselors to help me come to terms with what I saw, and the things I had to do, and once I finally did I realized that I COULD lose the weight, and be happy simply by being happy. Not needing anything to "help me" become happy!

Now, it's time to get things done!

Rob

morndove52

I grew up as a slim girl and started gaining gradually from my mid-twenties on. I am blessed that I have no health problems at my age....I take no medications. I love sweets, and over the years that has put the weight on. I have never tried counting calories, so now I will try it. I have done low carb in the past, and it worked. But it is hard depriving oneself of all foods containing carbs -- for so long. Now I'm in my fifties and back in college. I am very overweight and going to school to become a registered nurse. I need, and want,to lose weight because I will be on my feet a lot. Also, I need to set an example to those I am serving in the health field. I do not want to be an overweight nurse. This fact is what's driving this desire to turn it around!

vickylhutton

I was always a larger child at school and didn't make sensible eating choices. In my late teens I slimmed down with exercise and weight watchers. Got to my recommend bmi, got married have since had 3 kids within 6 years and ended up back to where I was, partly due to comfort, pregnancy and pure lazyness. Hubby kept mentioning my weight, I hated clothes shopping and want to get somewhere close to what I acheived before. I have so many nice clothes that I have hardly worn and really want to get back into them. This time I hope it stays off for good.

ritoosh

it all started for me when I was a senior in hs. spent all day in school easiest was fast food. then I started losing people out of my life which I turned to food. I have a deep relationship with food. because food will never leave me. the more I started getting hurt by people the more I turned to food. I tried several times losing weight and while I was doing good I would always just give up. but now I cant. I became my heaviest (heavier than when I was doing well beginning of the year and gave up in may) gained about 20" in my waist. cant wear a lot of clothes started shopping at those xl 2xl 2xl stores, and I thought to myself **** this. I need to stop. plus I got my brothers wedding in 2015 I need to look good lol

summerrose36

I'm going to make a very long story short. I was always heavy throughout life and I thought it was due to overeating, yet I was active . When I was 26 yrs old and I was ready to have a child with my husband, My GYN confirmed to me I have PCOS. I had no clue what that was but doing a lot of research on this condition it is a reason why I always had a hard time losing weight. I was insulin resistant. I was immediately put on metformin to control the insulin in my body and it did helped for a bit, without the nasty side effects. This is a reason why I was always heavy and had a hard time losing weight because other doctors refused to see my symptoms or check my insulin levels to see if I was resistant.
What broke it was a couple weeks ago, I went to the doctor and I saw the highest number on the scale, in my entire life. I was so ashamed and humiliated. We talked about my health and my doctor suggested I go on MFP for logging food intakes per day. She refereed me to see a dietitian as well.
I've been on MFP for 2 weeks and been exercising 4-5 days. I feel great and I hope I can reverse my symptoms before I become a Type 2 diabetic.

mccindy72

I've been thin most of my life - the two times I was heaviest were with my first pregnancy and then with surgery. I gained 70 pounds with my first child because I was 17 and my mom told me to feed my cravings. So I basically ate whatever I felt like eating and got pretty big. After I had him, I got pregnant again five months later and still hadn't lost much weight. I only gained 35 pounds with that pregnancy but when I went to buy jeans after I was recovered I would have had to buy a size 14. I said absolutely not! And spent the next year working out to home aerobics tapes a couple of hours a day. I got actually too thin for a while. Then, years later, I had back problems that forced me into a wheel chair for a year. I gained about 20 lbs. After I had surgery, I started walking on the treadmill and lost that weight. Four years ago I had more back problems and gained that 20 lbs back. After surgery again, I was able to start working out again and lost that 20 lbs again. Now, I make sure every day I exercise and monitor my calories. This past year I had an IBD flare and found out I have multiple food intolrances and have to battle the other way - fighting to maintain my weight without getting too thin. I never thought that would be the case in my 40s.

GradatimFerociter

I was always big but I lifted weights almost daily throughout my teens and played various sports so I was pretty fit and, due to being young this all mitigated to some extent what was a horrible diet. I moved out when I was 16 and stopped doing much exercise but carried on drinking fairly heavily and eating horribly so gained a little weight. Then I had a personal tragedy, became depressed and gained around 100 pounds (and ultimately around 150), drank very heavily and did no exercise.

I tried to break the cycle several times in the intervening years between then and now and have always failed but now, about to start a new job and having been witness to my situation ruining almost every aspect of my life, I finally feel like enough is enough. I can't spend my whole life feeling sorry for myself. I cannot reclaim everything I have lost but hopefully I can reclaim something of who I was.

It is going to be a long battle.

forevermaryb

As a child, I was stick-thin. In pictures, I was all arms and legs. Then puberty hit along with being very unhappy in high school, I turned to food for comfort. I was also not very physically active. By the time I was 16 or 17, I was in the 180's. When I went to college, I found my niche, became happier and more active and the weight just fell off. I maintained in the 140 range for a while (I am 5'9"). After my first 3 children, my weight stayed around the 150's (+/-). Then I had my 4th child (in my 30's) and barely lost any of the 35 pound gain after he was born. Then I had back problems which lessened my already limited physical activity and my weight just ballooned and stayed around the 200 mark. Back in 2006, I had enough. I had cortisone shots in my back, which worked wonders. I followed a diet that was loosely based on the South Beach diet and exercised. After 6 months, I lost 55 pounds. I felt fantastic and kept it off for 3 years by being careful with my diet and continuing to exercise. However, I started to get lazy. Less exercise. My children were now teens and I kept up with their eating. It was a gradual gain. So gradual, I hardly noticed until I had put on 20 pounds. Being tall, 20 pounds really isn't terribly noticeable. Then I came down with Lyme's Disease, followed by 3 bouts of pneumonia which required steroid treatment. Not only did the sickness contribute to the gain, but I gave up at that point. Next I knew, I was in the 210 range. I couldn't stand myself. I went on a trip and could barely fit in the airplane seat or really enjoy my trip because I was huffing and puffing just walking around. In January 2013, when I would no longer look down at myself in the shower or look in the mirror, something just clicked in my brain. I had enough of feeling the way I did. I decided there were too many variables in life that I couldn't control, but my weight was not going to be one of them. It's taken since January (and was much harder to do this time around. My body just didn't seem to want to let go of the weight), but I've lost around 65 pounds (depending on the day). I have a couple more pounds to go, but I feel great. No back problems, lots of energy. Eating well makes me feel better. I am committed to making this loss stick. I remember that feeling of failure after gaining all that weight I had lost and I never want to feel that way again.

Annie_01

Issues in life...too numerous to get in to...

To make a long story short...one day I went to a Pity Part and for over 20 years I didn't leave the party. Staying at the party so long caused a lot of other issues...so I left one Pity Party and went to another. A few months ago...the party got old...I no longer wanted to attend that party...nor do I ever want to go back to it.

A Pity Party got me here...a Pity Party won't get me out...at least that is what I say.

mwalle09

I got into college and started making poor choices, beer, late night pizza, snacking on junk, overeating at most meals. Sports also stopped and I became extremely lazy. My gf broke up with me and that was the final straw, I began to eat my feelings. Now I'm 26 and in poor health and I want to change it for good. Being told you can have serious health problems at so young is a big motivator!

southerndream24

I was never technically fat. I'd been no bigger than a size 4/5 my entire life. That was with me eating like crap and being an athlete. I was never happy with that size because it looked big on me since I have a tiny frame. Same habit through half of my college career when I decided to change my eating. Stopped eating fast food, cut out juices, and started cooking. I was amazed when 8 months later I put on a size 2 and my size 4 shorts were sliding right off. My body changed even more when I cut back on drinking and pushed my running distances.

With injury earlier this year I gained a little weight. I decided I needed to balance out my running with strength training if I wanted to achieve my goal of running marathons. So now I run and strength train. I've also learned to have a healthy relationship with food. I am now a happy, healthy size 0 (in some cases size 00) and I know I can enjoy things like cookies and pizza as long as I'm smart about it.

harleyjax

I gained weight after high school because I wasn't in athletic things anymore, then in 2009 I got pregnant and got pregnant again in 2010. Yeah, 2 years of being pregnant got me pretty big! Saw pictures of myself when my youngest was 5 months old and I looked like I was 5 months pregnant and still had to wear maternity clothes. So I changed that!!

60x60

For a little over 20 years, I added about 5 pounds a year to my total weight. Gradually also added slightly high blood pressure and slightly higher cholesterol. Apparently also was adding cancer. Subsequent to cancer diagnosis, surgery, chemo, radiation was told the best thing I could do to attempt to prevent reoccurrence was diet and exercise. That was over six years ago -- cancer free, blood pressure and cholesterol normal, over 100 lbs lighter; more fit and flexible than when I was normal weight several decades ago. I am taking off 10 more pounds by June 2014, along with meeting four key fitness goals.

acpgee

I retired from being a fashion model at age 25 and resolved to never give another thought to my appearance again. I didn't care about my weight and put on 2 kg a year, every year, for over 20 years. Now 2 kg per year is not so extreme, it represents an average surplus of only 40 kcal per day. Shouldn't have really let it go that long though.

In August 2012 I was diagnose as type 2 diabetic. So it became a health issue, not a vanity issue. I've lost enough weight to reverse my diabetes, and am off the meds. Would like to lose some more because I think it would be fun to enjoy fashion again. Will have to get down to size UK12/US8 to buy something trendy and age inappropriate at Top Shop. That's a UK retailer that targets trendy teens.

bentobee

I was always a normal healthy weight through childhood and as a teen was pretty slim. College started out okay, but at 22 I was married and working full time and finishing up a post-bac degree. To say I was busy and stressed is an understatement. My job kept me pretty active, but I was eating fast food almost exclusively. And not "healthy fast food" either. I started gaining weight steadily. At the time I blamed the birth control pills I had started taking. And maybe they didn't help, but my food choices were terrible.
A few years later I had my first baby. While I didn't gain a huge amount of weight while pregnant (30 pounds, and I'm 5'11", so that was on par) I never bothered to try to lose any weight after he was born and just steadily continued to gain slowly. Add kid #2 a couple years after that… and kid #3 a few years later… Yikes.

The worst part is I was in such complete denial about my weight. I just didn't allow myself to even think about it. A few times I tried to lose weight, thinking I knew just how to do that, but I would end up eating way too little and we all know how that ends up working out.

edwardkim85

Great stories! I forgot to write mine.

I was a chubby kid but not exaclty fat. Played football and rugby throughout high school and college and was always a big guy, but was qutie muscular due to heavy lifting and lots of cardio. Had decent success as a print/commerical male model in highschool/college so I worked hard in the gym.

After I stopped playing sports, eating habit stuck and became bff with pizza pizza . lol

Put on around 90 pounds and stayed at 280 lbs for 6 years or so.

I had trouble walking and I blamed it on asthma and hookah smoking, not my weight. I put on size 42 jeans but couldn't close the front; however I refused to purchase a size 44. I just left the front button open

I decided in September 2013 after going through a series of blood test and sleep apnea test in fear of my own health to switch things around.

Started with walking, then bootcamp, and now I'm doing crossfit. Lost about 25 pounds in 4 months, which I didn't think was a lot for my weight(6 lbs/month). I thought I would lose a lot more at first; however I went from a size 44 waist --> 38 and my cardio/strength improved significantly so I decided to not just rely on the scale!

Feels great to workout and have a supportive mfp community. I wish I found out about mfp years ago!

hottamolly00

Obviously if you joined MFP, you have the drive and motivation to lose weight and stay fit.

Why did you get fat (initially) and why did you decide to lose that weight ?

What was the turning point?

I got fat because I had an insatiable appetite for Swiss Cake Rolls. Like, I would down an entire box at least once a week (in one sitting.) I also was too lazy to work out and was in complete denial that eating healthy would not only make me lose weight but feel better, too. (I had GERD and anemia until recently...)

kittenful

I gained weight with my pregnancy. Didn't mind that, it was good for my daughter. I had gotten rid of more than 2/3 it before a poor choice in birth control packed it all back on. In a month. I was in serious denial, until I saw a scale. I honestly thought the scale was broken, until I finally realized that my clothes weren't fitting anymore. After that, I got depressed. I hadn't done anything extra to lose the weight in the first place and had no idea where to begin, so I just gave up. I walked around weighing more than I did when I was 9 months pregnant, and I hated myself for it.

After 4 1/2 years, I finally got sick of my pity party. I got tired of seeing myself in pictures, 60+ lbs overweight. Never without a corset. Ever. I've always loved corsets, but it made me uncomfortable to the point of panic just thinking of going out without one (not everyday, mind, but out to social events with friends and the like). I was tired of hiding behind corsets and dreaded seeing any picture I was in. I decided that had to change. I lost about 10 lbs before I found MFP by attempting to eat a bit better. I found MFP and here I am today. 1 lb away from my original goal weight.

Edited for typos. Bah.

Jessica11221

I have always had issues with food. I eat based on my emotions. I gained a lot of weight during pregnancy (3 kids in the last 5 years) and have kept making excuses about changing my eating/exercise habits. With my last pregnancy I weighed the most I have ever weighed and decided instead of buying new bigger clothes I am ready to get motivated lose the weight so I can reward myself with smaller/cute clothes.

DawnieB1977

I was overweight as a teenager, not sure why really as I walked everywhere, did sports at school, didn't eat junk. My parents didn't ever take us to McDonald's, KFC etc, and I don't try a take away until my 2nd year of university. I would hardly eat while I was at school as I was aware I was bigger than my friends, which probably ruined my metabolism a bit.

I lost weight at university though and carried on losing until I moved in with my now husband and did my teacher training. The combination of the stress of that, and eating bigger portions made me gain weight. Then I lost it all for our wedding, and after that pregnancy made me gain weight. I was good in my first pregnancy with gym sessions and eating reasonably healthily, but still gained weight unfortunately. I lost it all, got pregnant again, was bad in that pregnancy and didn't exercise and ate too much, and gained loads of weight. I lost lots in the first year after my 2nd child, then discovered MFP, and lost even more. I realised that I could eat more than 1200 calories a day!

I'm currently 24 weeks pregnant with my 3rd and keeping up with logging and exercising and hoping I won't be in a position where I have to lose tonnes of weight next April!

I'm pretty vain, to be honest, and don't want to look fat, so that's mainly why I exercise. I also don't particularly like junk food (apart from chocolate) so that makes it easier. I didn't put on weight in the past through junk, just too big portions of good, homemade food and not enough exercise. Now I think I'm pretty addicted to exercise. Plus having 2 young kids I rarely get to sit sill!

cwolfman13

I've been relatively active most of my life. I played all manner of sports when I was growing up and joined the Marine Corps out of high school where my life was pretty much training. Afterwards in college I remained relatively active though I didn't workout per sei...I was just generally active and road my bike and walked pretty much everywhere as I didn't have a car most of that time. My hobbies also tended to revolve around being active and outdoors...hiking, skiing, backpacking, etc. I put on a little weight during this time, but it was actually a good thing...I was pretty scrawny.

I graduated college when I was 30 and started my first "real" job sitting on my *kitten* in front of a computer all day. I worked a ton of hours and was often on the road for business as well so just not as much free time as I used to have. My outdoor hobbies sort of fell by the way and I didn't really exercise. I essentially went from being quite active to pretty much sedentary but I continued to eat and drink like I always had....which wasn't necessarily bad, I've always enjoyed good, healthy foods...but I could eat a lot.

From 30 - 38 I ballooned from 180 Lbs to a high of 220. Last year when I turned 38 I went in for my checkup and came back with some really bad blood results. I'm back down to my 180 and have greatly improved my blood work and am "normal" on all accounts save for my triglycerides and my LDL is only one point in the green. I do have to take BP meds and the doc just put me on a statin as well since my dad recently passed away from a massive heart attack at 61...I guess that put me into a higher risk category and the doc wants my LDL below 100.

I am disappointed somewhat that I haven't been able to correct things fully with my diet and exercise but I have a lot of heredity going against me and I've been doing all I can and will continue to do so. This was and always will be more about my health than it is about my weight or physique or fitting into some particular sized pants or whatever. Health is the most important thing and when you're striving towards better nutrition and fitness, weight and body composition are the bi-products of those endeavors.