Have you had you "aha" moment yet?

Newfiedan

Ok so I am sitting at my desk recovering from my workout last night and sore but happy. I like to take a bit of time once a week to reflect on the events that have transpired since my journey started and how this time around it has been so much easier for me than all previous attempts and it dawned on me, like a lightning bolt to the skull from zeus himself. The differene for me was what I call the "aha" moment, the point when you decided that your health is not just a "nice" thing to have (and by health I mean diet and exercise regimen as well as your mental well being) to becoming an absolute necessity for you. It was no longer optional for me to be healthy, it became a mission for me. I started out at a plump 198 pounds at my 35th birthday, and up until that point I had not really cared nor paid attention to what I ate, I was more of the mind that if I felt fat that I would simply work it off and back when I was a young pup at 22 I was working out, had muscles but never really had or came close to a 6 pack. I knew diet was important but never really put the effort in there to make the right choices.

So a day before my birthday I was sat in my lounging chair watching tv with my wife (whom had already started her journey and had my support) I was on facebook looking at pics from last summer when I came across the one of me holding my son and my god I looked terrible, there I was in my glory muffin top/beer belly and all. I thought holy hell I really let myself go. This was the trigger for me but here is where I put my own spin on it (and I wish the women would do this instead of coming down on yourselves) it is not about how I looked now but how unhealthy I looked, but how unhealthy I felt. Its not about body image or confidence its about being at your best, being in control of your own well being. For me this is what got me motivated to finally say to myself, "I am not where I want to be but I am going to get there and its no longer optional, end of story, no excuses, no escape. Its do or die". Thats what it boiled down to a no nonsense, no finding ways to make excuses or reasons to cheat. In the end you are only cheating yourself.

Does that mean giving up all the joys of food? Hell no, it means making the switch to good healthy eating being the norm 90% of the time and the unhealthy 10% of the time (not the other way around which has landed you in your current state) or as I like to call them the minicheat days. You are still going to enjoy some foods that are bad but once you get on the path to eating right you find yourself not wanting those unhealthy things much if at all. I love how I feel now and I do not crave junk. Crap diet=crap results end of story, no bull, no excuses. So for those who say "I am addicted to junk" I say then you are not at that point where its no longer optional for you, you are going to have moderate success at best but most likely end up failing in the long term. just like junk food healthy food becomes addictive to you, but for the right reasons. It nourises the body and the weight loss happens naturally, metabolism increases naturally, and energy with it.

Working out demands a strict eye on the diet to nourish the body to get the results, if you turn a blind eye to it then expect it to kick you square in the junk with no or low results. I like to look at it like a spoiled kid, give it what it wants and its happy, and it rewards you with results, give it what it does not want and it will kick up a fit and likely reward you with nothing more than a kick in the shins. The longer you do not give it what it wants the worse it gets, but turn that around and watch what happens.

I have had the greatest results of my life by following what I believe in I am down almost 28 pounds from my start weight in 3 short months, I feel sooo much better and healthier, I have energy to spare and most of all I give my body what it needs. So I encourage you to do the same and make it not just optional but a must to get yourself on that track and stay the course. Moments of weakness are fine so long as you make them rare. On a final note for the men and the ladies, its not about the f**king scale, toss it out or only get on it once in a while, it does not tell you the whole story, the scale to me is "the greasy car salesman" of the weight loss world. It only tells you part of the story measurements are a must have as they will tell you the real story when the scale does not. I only do the scale once a week at most, I go more by how my clothes fit and how I feel. I encourage you to do the same. Feel free to post your comments as feedback is always good.

polo571

June 15th 2010. Im in the emergency room and the doctor tells me im 375 pounds and my A1C is 8.9 and I have a mass in my bladder. I quit chewing, I changed my eating habits and I worked out. Thank god the doctor was wrong about the mass but that scared me into what I have become

audjrey

I absolutely love this story. It's so brutally honest, even if some say it's only your opinion. I, however, see much truth to what you've said and thank you for this post.

Congratulations on your altered mind-set, your commitment, desire and determination. Congratulations on your weight loss and improved health. Congratulations for being an example your son can look up to. Congratulations for having the courage to change.
You are a true inspiration!

slainger

Very true! I gave up sugar (for the most part, I'm not super strict, but have laid off the candy, baked goods, etc) on a lark Nov 1, 2010 and while it was hard the first 10 days or so, now I'm so fine without it! The first week I started using MFP I was hungry all the time, but this too passed. I've realized, or had my "ah Ha" moment, that if you tackle little things and make them a habit, rather than tackle and change everything all at once, it is so much easier to sustain. Then you can tackle a new problem, and have success because you've learned how to succeed. I've found now I only eat when I'm hungry, not just because something is there to be eaten. Its a big change! Good luck on your journey, I'm sure you will succeed!

justsummie

I was at McDonald's with my daughter and a couple other family members and their son. The kids were playing in the play-place. My relatives were taking turns going in and playing with them but had gotten pretty worn out because they are in poor shape too (even though they may be smaller than me). Normally I join in on the playground too but this was one of those playscapes with all the tubes you have to crawl through and they are at a really steep incline. Well, my daughter lost a shoe and I decided to suck it up and go in after it. This is when the family gives me the "Oh, gee we can get that" because they figured I was too big to get through the tunnel. It REALLY pissed me off to be thought of like that....especially by people who aren't much better off than I am. To make matters worse the first tunnel I tried was too steep to climb in the clothes I was in and by the time I made it to the other side the shoe had been recovered by another child. I never want to be made to feel like a "lesser parent" again! I vowed to take charge of my life that day.

On a side note, my daughter and I went back a few weeks later and I DID climb through the tunnel maze with her.

anakinlover

Hi there!
I can appreciate you words. I am a 39 year old woman who has struggled with my weight my entire life. I never knew I was chubby or fat as a kid until other kids told me so. That kind of behavior continued throughout my entire school year, and caused many, many painful memories. I lost a lot of weight in my early 20's, and kept it off until I got married at 28. After my son was born, I lost most of the baby weight. Three years later I had my daughter. I went back to school while she was an infant, and kept my pregnancy weight and added to it. There was not a day that went by that I did not beat myself up about my appearance, but was not dedicated enough to do something about it. I have a wonderfully, supportive husband who is very fit and active, and works out at the Y 5 days a week. He has never made me feel less than beautiful, and gets upset with me for putting myself down. He got a family membership for us, and up until about 2 mos ago, was the only one of us who used it. My kids are 11 and 7. My 'aha' moment came a few months ago, when my beautiful daughter did not want to wear a certain shirt to school because "she looked fat in it." I did not realize that my kids were learning poor self image through all of my self-defeating comments. I actually cried about it. She is gorgeous and the thought of her viewing herself as anything else broke my heart. I decided to change my self destructive ways, and go from putting myself down, to building myself up. I no longer go for beauty, I go for healthy. We ALL use our family Y pass now. I started to take aquacise classes, deep water workouts, and water Zumba two months ago. I love it and I actually look forward to working out everyday. The weight is coming off. I of course am proud of that, but I am most proud that I no longer set a bad example for my kids. I can only pray I caught it in time, and that my daughter will respect and care about herself for the wonderful child that she is. Good luck to you on your fitness journey! God Bless!
Nik:bigsmile:

callipygianchronicle

So much of these words could have been my own. I thank you for them. For me, unveiling a smaller body is just an added bonus of this journey. I am here because I have spent a year having vertigo and being winded at the smallest exertion. On my 35th birthday (January 26th) I found myself in the doctor’s office after having had another attack of vertigo (this time on the yoga mat, as I had just started my journey a few days earlier, but didn’t understand the true emergency I was in).

The doctor told me my blood pressure was dangerously high and that it was about 20% hereditary and 80% the result of too much sodium in my diet and too much weight. My lifestyle choices were killing me, and the huge waves of sodium hitting my body when I repeatedly ate out at restaurants were causing my vertigo episodes.

I have done a fierce 180 since that day, but I am still very early in this process. I still have around 68 pounds to lose. But the number I’m trying to knock down is even more important than the one on the scale: 174/120, my blood pressure reading on January 26, 2011.

tweety170

Best post I've ever read on here, thank you.

Newfiedan

ty for the comments guys, I sincerely hope that it reaches even 1 more person other than myself and keeps them moving or better yet gives them the "aha" moment.

Dan112358

My "aha" moment can in a similar fashion, in early December, 2010. I was approaching my 34th birthday and decided that I was done being overweight. For years my wife had tried to convince me to make my health more of a priority but I was too stubborn to recognize the truth in her words. I had always been a heavier guy and was at my heaviest at 230lbs. My clothes didn't fit properly, my kids were running circles around me and coffee was providing energy to get me through a day. Fast forward three months and I feel like a new person. I am not where I want to be yet but this morning I weighed myself and was 200.4lbs. Even better than that, the pants I bought in January because of my 15lb weight loss are now dangerously loose. My co-workers are approaching me and asking what I've been doing. I like the comment that you take time to reflect on your joureny becuase I think that is a very improtant part of the process, being honest with yourself and looking at where you were and where you are now. I don't consider what I'm doing "weight loss" or a "diet". What I've done is change my life, my attitude, my expectations. Wasting precious time is no longer an acceptable option. I did not have the medical scares that some of you mentioned but I also know that they are around the corner if I'm not dedicated now.

Newfiedan

What I've done is change my life, my attitude, my expectations. Wasting precious time is no longer an acceptable option. I did not have the medical scares that some of you mentioned but I also know that they are around the corner if I'm not dedicated now.

I agree 100% I did have some long standing health issues, none that were lifethreatening but 1 that had me surgery bound, since I made the change I am totally free of all health issues, and the positivity is there in bunches. You need to the change your sig from I think I can to I know I can dan lol. I am glad to count you among my friends on here.

outersoul

My 'aha' moment was when I found myself floundering in life late last year. I knew I was overweight, I had vacation pics to prove it. But I was struggling personally too. So around November I decided to changes things.

I decided to leave my job for a new one. Mind you, I had 7 years or so at my job at the time and I was in a really good position and making good money. But something was missing. I was spending so much time working, in traffic, and generally stressed. So I decided to look for a more quality life.

I did some job hunting and came across a posting. I applied, interviewed, and got an offer. The first offer was really good money wise but my commute would be hell. I turned that down. They came back with a lesser offer, but still more than I was making at the time and it was really close to home. I took the second offer and dumped 7 years of grinding for more time with my kids.

After the new job I thought to myself, 'Why not get in shape now? Let's make this a wholesale change.' So I did some searching and came across this place. That was January 3rd. I haven't looked back since. Here I am 19lbs lighter and enjoying life so much more. I'm even running a 5k this year.

Did I think I would ever be here? Yes. Did I ever try? No. I'm beyond that now. I'm not trying, I'm doing.

Newfiedan

Well said soul, again I agree totally, I had the chance to make great money but never be home with my family and I have done my time working away from family. Now with a son of my own I took a job where I am home every night with my wife and son still making decent money and happier for it.

Giovanni_P

I was initially drawn to this question, thinking you were refering to "ahi tuna" (for which I have a severe addiction!)
My aha moment occured in early April last year, when I had a very mild stroke. I was 232lbs, smoked half a pack a day, drank about a bottle of skyy vodka a day, and my only exercise was raising my son, and sitting at home daytrading on the internet.

SabrinaJL

On a final note for the men and the ladies, its not about the f**king scale, toss it out or only get on it once in a while, it does not tell you the whole story, the scale to me is "the greasy car salesman" of the weight loss world. It only tells you part of the story measurements are a must have as they will tell you the real story when the scale does not.

My husband would agree with you. As I posted in another thread, when I first started working out, I was weighing myself every few days and getting very discouraged. My husband stole my scale batteries and said he'd give them back once a month. Told me to focus on getting stronger and healthier. I currently have no idea if I've lost any weight at all because he hasn't given them back yet, but I do know that the first day I started, I could only do half of Jillian Michaels 30 day shred Level 1 and I felt like I was going to die. It's still not easy for me, but I can do the whole thing. Also, I started c25k on Monday and did way better than I thought I was going to do.

My "aha moment" was a few days ago and it's going to sound kinda stupid. It was when I realized exercise was NOT going to kill me. My mom died of a heart attack when she was 46. There's a history of heart problems in my family. I've always been overweight and I've had this irrational fear that if I worked out and got my heart rate up too high, I'd have a heart attack (having GAD and panic attacks doesn't help that feeling). After doing the 30 day shred and starting c25k, I realized that I am getting stronger and my endurance is getting better and that's good for my heart. When I'm exercising and my heart is pounding I still have twinges of worry, but I don't let it stop me.

outersoul

Bump for a good thread.

Newfiedan

I am glad that you reached that point sabrina, and I think you should thank your husband for doing that, he sounds like a smart man.

Dan112358

Bumping up an oldie but a goodie for any newer mfp members.