What made you decide to take back control?

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  • ajbeans
    ajbeans Posts: 2,857 Member
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    Combination of a lot of things for me. I was outgrowing my clothes, and bought bigger jeans... and then they started to get too tight. Argh! I noticed that even though I look all right from the front, when I saw myself from the side I look 5 or 6 months pregnant. And then I noticed that I can't pull my knee up to my chest to put my socks on -- I have to cross my ankle over the opposite knee. Then when I took my son to the doctor and decided to weigh myself on a whim while we were waiting in the exam room, and I saw that the number was higher than it had been two weeks before, and I finally added it up and realized that I had gained over 30 lbs. in 2 years, I decided enough was enough.
  • runs4zen
    runs4zen Posts: 769 Member
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    I too have a "ton" of reasons I made that decision!

    1. I was diagnosed with a fatty liver and the technician had written on the report that because I was so big it was hard to get a clear picture of certain areas with the sonagram machine.
    2. I had asthma, anxiety and depression and couldn't walk a set of stairs without being winded.
    3. I weighed 148ish on my wedding day and 255 14 years later when I decided to pull myself together
    4. I saw pictures of myself and couldn't begin to accept that that was me!
    5. My belly was constantly in my way--everything was strenuous other than sitting
    6. I went from being a fashion maven to a fashion disaster--I had three loose fitting outfits and refused to shop in the 2xl range
    7. I was on all sorts of meds to control issues that ultimately had to do with obesity
    8. I was cutting myself out of my family's life--avoiding outings and pictures and gatherings because I was so ashamed.
    9. I kept getting sick--with all sorts of ailments
    10. I wanted to be in control of my weight, not the other way around

    So....I...

    1. analyzed all the diets and yo-yoing I'd done over the years to determine why they hadn't worked.
    2. made a commitment to get healthy, thin, off all meds and back into a normal family routine within one year
    3. Did my research relative to weight loss, weight loss methods, weight loss surgeries, etc. and picked what was best for me
    4. I didn't get anyone elses input into my decisions...I knew what I needed to do and everyone else be damned. The goal was for the improvement of not just me but my family and I was seeking long term, one last time, kind of change. Just because something did/didn't work for another person, didn't mean it was/wasn't good for me.
    5. I respected myself enough to adhere to my committments and the rest is...success!

    Good luck to one and all! You deserve to be the best you can be!
  • bekdavis
    bekdavis Posts: 290 Member
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    I am so proud of ALL OF US for taking back control of our lives. Reading these stories is such an inspiration to me to stay focused.
  • kpepper07
    kpepper07 Posts: 41
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    I am taking control because I am tired of being stressed and nasty all the time. I needed to find a stress out so I would stop yelling at my family. It is not their fault! So I am starting slow with my workouts and know I can go to the gym to get stress free! Well at least for the most part. I also wanted to feel sexy as I think it will help the "love life". We all have different reason for taking control I am just glad we all started! Be good to yourself and have fun!!!

    :tongue:
  • ironmule2042
    ironmule2042 Posts: 103
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    I had a couple of different reasons but the catalyst was seeing a picture of me at a gathering and my stomach was stretching the XL shirt I was wearing. I knew I was heavier than I should be but that just kinda hit hard. It was right after my ex-fiance had left me and I was feeling like crap as it was and that picture kinda drove it home.

    I made a choice then and there to change. I didn't want to be overweight, unhealthy and alone. As much as it can be self destructive to think that way I constantly thought no one would want me the way I was. I was determined to get healthy thin and be a better person so I wouldn't be alone.

    I had a couple of false starts and slips in the process but a lot of us do but I started walking every other day and eating healthier. I got to the point where my walks were 6-7 miles. When I weighed myself after that summer I think the final tumbler clicked and I realized that I could change and be happy. That final click was just over a year ago and I will never go back to what I was. From now on I'm healthy, happy, lighter and the vain part of me says much better looking. ;-P

    The bonus. I've found a tone of new hobbies that I love. Hiking, geo-caching, racquetball are my favs so far. :-)
  • runs4zen
    runs4zen Posts: 769 Member
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    I am taking control because I am tired of being stressed and nasty all the time. I needed to find a stress out so I would stop yelling at my family. It is not their fault! So I am starting slow with my workouts and know I can go to the gym to get stress free! Well at least for the most part. I also wanted to feel sexy as I think it will help the "love life". We all have different reason for taking control I am just glad we all started! Be good to yourself and have fun!!!

    :tongue:

    YES! The stress and nastiness from being overweight and ashamed of it is powerful! I felt sorry for my family too! So glad we're riends now and can support each other here on all these sorts of issues!
  • runs4zen
    runs4zen Posts: 769 Member
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    okay, one more thing...I'm really proud of everyone here for really opening up and saying some very, very powerful things. A couple of you have even caused me to tear up...and I'm not a crybaby! It's not easy being this raw and honest in writing so kudos to you all.

    Know this too: we're all in it together and we can all do it! When you feel yourself sliding, come back and look at these posts for your motivation!

    Go get 'em tigers!
  • Janfit
    Janfit Posts: 7
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    Take Pics Now Melly so you can see not only how beautiful you are now but how beautiful you will be and feel when you reach your goal..It will inspire you to keep losing..... Then you will realize you dont want to go back there ever again !!! Believe you are beautiful just as you are but keep your dreams alive and succeed at your goals....
  • Janfit
    Janfit Posts: 7
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    Wow Chocolate you lost some amazing weight Congratulations to you .. You are beautiful....
  • runs4zen
    runs4zen Posts: 769 Member
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    Wow Chocolate you lost some amazing weight Congratulations to you .. You are beautiful....

    :blushing: awww...thank you!
  • That_Girl
    That_Girl Posts: 1,324 Member
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    I think I was in denial.

    Then today, (TMI....) we were having sex in the daylight (my husband loves my curves) and I repulsed myself.

    I want to take care of ME. I take care of everyone else...time to take care of myself.

    These comments made me tear up. Y'all are some nice people :)
  • That_Girl
    That_Girl Posts: 1,324 Member
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    I am tired of going places and not taking pictures because I hate the way I look. I love photography, but hate pictures of me. I want to document my life and the events I enjoy with pictures so I can create the photobooks I enjoy making for others to look back on these wonderful memories with my husband and my dogs!
    We took pictures of my dog's graduation (okay, we don't have kids.. they ARE our kids!) from the advanced class for his Canine Good Citizenship test and I just hated it. I wanted to hide behind my cocker spaniel! I don't want that for my life anymore. I want to take pictures with my husband and look good and feel good about myself.
    Thanks for posting this topic! Makes you look back on why you really want ths and why you need to put one foot in front of the other and keep working for this!

    I feel this way. I can't fool the camera with angles anymore. I find myself not wanting to be filmed...and it's taking away from my children's memories. They'll have tons of pictures of themselves but none of their mother. No good.
  • That_Girl
    That_Girl Posts: 1,324 Member
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    Seeing old photos of yourself when you were thin!!

    An ex of mine from 15 years ago sent me pictures of when I was 19.

    I was about 110 pounds then.

    I about died. I burst into tears and realized, I gotta get this weight off.

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