What Got You Motivated?

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kgool
kgool Posts: 177 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I am just curious about people's motivation and what got it sparked. Please share if you want.

Mine is kind of funny.

I got divorced in 2007 and became the sole provider for my then 6 year old son. I gained more weight.

I had a stroke in 2008 (not necessarily weight related), & was told as part of the rehab to lose weight. I gained more weight.

In 2009 I got big enough that my knees and ankles started hurting during normal activities. I gained more weight

A female friend told me that my man boobs were getting as big as her girl ones. I decided to lose weight.

I would like to think this was not vanity because that went out the window a long time ago. It is weird though, that such and odd and offhanded remark sparked this trip for me.

What's yours?
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Replies

  • bmontgomery87
    bmontgomery87 Posts: 1,260 Member
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    I had a nasty breakup after a 3 year relationship.
    I decided instead of destroying myself with drugs and alcohol, I was going to better myself.
  • Karleyyy
    Karleyyy Posts: 857
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    I had a nasty breakup after a 3 year relationship.
    I decided instead of destroying myself with drugs and alcohol, I was going to better myself.

    You look great.
  • suzksell
    suzksell Posts: 48 Member
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    I am only 41 and I am already having to replace my hip (it's pure degeneration, but extra weight isn't helping the daily pain). I want DESPERATELY to be more active and to have the body that I know is inside there somewhere. 10 years of being sedentary because of my pain has made weight loss nearly impossible. So...when my insurance company finally agreed with my surgeon and agreed to replace my hip, I decided that taking off some extra weight before the surgery will help motivate me to work hard to bounce back faster afterward.
  • Fleur933
    Fleur933 Posts: 156 Member
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    I have a few...
    My dad is a diabetic who had recent heart surgury (not a future i want).
    Nieces and Nephews to keep up with at the park (maybe my own kids someday).
    Turning 30 soon (It's never going to be easier).

    But truly what got me really started...this past fall I went on a mtn hike with my bestfriend and her family. I LOVE the outdoors...i thought it would be so much fun. I embarassed my self. I couldn't breathe...had to take soo many breaks....their 5year old was up the mtn twice as fast as I was. I pushed it to the top...I had to....but that day, that feeling....really is what kicked me into high gear.
  • Amandac6772
    Amandac6772 Posts: 1,311 Member
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    I got sick with kidney infection that wouldn't go away and finally decided I had to get a grasp on my health. Feel the best I have ever felt and, knock on wood, haven't been sick even with a cold since. I didn't realize how bad I felt until I felt better...lol!
  • anubis609
    anubis609 Posts: 3,966 Member
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    I had a nasty breakup after a 3 year relationship.
    I decided instead of destroying myself with drugs and alcohol, I was going to better myself.

    Opposite for me...I decided to better myself after destroying my body with drugs and alcohol.

    Oh, and almost dying from an unexpected, sudden diabetic coma.
  • kgool
    kgool Posts: 177 Member
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    I am only 41 and I am already having to replace my hip (it's pure degeneration, but extra weight isn't helping the daily pain). I want DESPERATELY to be more active and to have the body that I know is inside there somewhere. 10 years of being sedentary because of my pain has made weight loss nearly impossible. So...when my insurance company finally agreed with my surgeon and agreed to replace my hip, I decided that taking off some extra weight before the surgery will help motivate me to work hard to bounce back faster afterward.

    Great, I have a friend who had hip replacement at 40 last year and he had lost some weight before and is very glad he did. He is going pretty well now and re-habed pretty fast.
  • kgool
    kgool Posts: 177 Member
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    I have a few...
    My dad is a diabetic who had recent heart surgury (not a future i want).
    Nieces and Nephews to keep up with at the park (maybe my own kids someday).
    Turning 30 soon (It's never going to be easier).

    But truly what got me really started...this past fall I went on a mtn hike with my bestfriend and her family. I LOVE the outdoors...i thought it would be so much fun. I embarassed my self. I couldn't breathe...had to take soo many breaks....their 5year old was up the mtn twice as fast as I was. I pushed it to the top...I had to....but that day, that feeling....really is what kicked me into high gear.

    I understand you on that last part. We took my son's Cub Scout pack camping in November and another dad (who was already the cool dad because he is ex Special Forces) had to help me up a spot on our hike. Embarrassing!
  • LuluGirl140
    LuluGirl140 Posts: 364 Member
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    I guess there wasn't just one thing that made me decide, it was alot of little things. 1. I was the biggest in my family and was always looked upon as the fat sister. 2. I wanted to feel sexy again. 3. I wanted to feel like myself again. 4. I decided 2011 was going to be a great year, and realized that I am the only one with the power to make it a great year. So, I started working out in January. I have slipped up a little here and there, and am back and going strong. I'm starting my 3rd week of Insanity and trying to make good food choices. I lost 2 lbs last week and I know I can do better. Plus, I really dislike my sister in law and when everyone started complimenting her weight loss I knew I couldn't let her outdo me. :tongue: Nothing like a good competition to get your butt in gear, even though she doesn't know I'm competing against her. LOL
  • Yocum1219
    Yocum1219 Posts: 400 Member
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    I've been fighting my weight since I was 14 yrs old, my mother has been fighting it for me since I was an infant. I wasn't overweight as a child, she feared I would be, so she always limited my food. Once I got "old enough" to decide for myself, I ate the wrong things, and didn't exercise enough. I was always a "big" girl, but not fat. So I never let it worry me.

    I got married, had 3 kids. I got fat. Still, not worried. In the past 3 years though, my dad, his sister & mother, & my mom's dad & brother have all been diagnosed as diabetic. They're all overweight, just like me. I refuse to have to live my life on medications & with needles later in my life because I didn't wake up sooner. Plus my kids need a better example. My hubby has one of those "skinny" metabolisms, but even he realized we weren't healthy eaters, so it's a family change and it's for the better!
  • Nomomush
    Nomomush Posts: 582 Member
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    What got me motivated...the flippin' mirror. It doesn't lie like friends who tell me I looked just fine weighing 170 lbs on a 5'1" frame. :noway:
  • kgool
    kgool Posts: 177 Member
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    [/quote]

    Opposite for me...I decided to better myself after destroying my body with drugs and alcohol.

    Oh, and almost dying from an unexpected, sudden diabetic coma.
    [/quote]

    I had a bit of the first part myself. It is odd/good how this health thing gets addictive for those with addictive personalities and I had my first workout endorphin high last week which is awesome. Good work, your total is kick *kitten*!
  • P90XCertifiedCoach
    P90XCertifiedCoach Posts: 369
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    I met a female in weight watchers after I had lost 40 pounds and then I went to hell. drinking partying gained my weight back. She too gained a ton of weight. we broke up after a rocky time. I started doing low carb on 04/04/11. As of 05/01/11 I have lost 20 pounds.
    I am happy to say I am back on track where I wa sbefore I met her. I am not doing this to spite her but it has motivated me to get my butt back into shape. I am working out for no less than thirty minutes a day. So thank you Allison.
  • kgool
    kgool Posts: 177 Member
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    Oops, messed up my quote.
  • kld4239
    kld4239 Posts: 186 Member
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    I almost lost my husband and best friend of 14 yrs because I had given up on the possibility of ever being able to get healthy or to feel good and I started to self-destruct and basically gave up on life. I thought that was it and that I had let myself go too far and that I was a hopeless cause. The moment I realized that I could lose my husband I started to change.
  • Triquetra
    Triquetra Posts: 270 Member
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    Go divorced in 2008 and have sole of my children, one is special needs and will probably need care for a long time, I want to make sure I have that time....also dad is being a deadbeat as far as seeing the kids (he does pay though)....
  • bmontgomery87
    bmontgomery87 Posts: 1,260 Member
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    Opposite for me...I decided to better myself after destroying my body with drugs and alcohol.


    Well same here kind of. Spent a lot of time drinking and partying and thats why my relationship didn't work. She had a major drug problem, and I had a drinking problem.
    I decided to take the break-up as a chance to get away from that lifestyle and live a better life. Probably the best decision I ever made.
  • BamBam1113
    BamBam1113 Posts: 542 Member
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    On Friday, March 18, 2011, my girlfriend and I were on our way back to the apartment from the grocery store. Her younger sister was visiting us from Alabama for the weekend. About a half mile from the house, I came up on a traffic accident where a pedestrian had been struck. I am a firefighter with medical training at a Paramedic level, it was in a neighboring department's district, so of course I stopped. I could tell it was bad. I've seen my share of bad, and this was one of the worst. As I get to her, out of nowhere, a fellow friend and paramedic comes up. I don't know how he was right there because he didn't live in the area. No emergency units were on scene at this time. We both just happened to be driving by at the right time. As we are working on this girl I hear 2 more nurses come up and ask if there is anything they can do. As the emergency units start rolling up, CPR is being administered, and we work to get the girl in the ambulance. As my adrenaline was on overdrive, I only have snapshots of the chaotic scene remaining in my mind from that night. I found out later that we actually nad 3 nurses, 2 paramedics, and an anesthesiologist that happened to be at that spot in those few minutes. I have never seen that happen.

    What motivated me about that night though, was the fact that this girl that got hit was only 15 years old. She did not make it that night. I could see that night she probably wouldn't. You see enough of them and sometimes you can tell. She was 15 years old, and hadn't had a chance to live her life.

    That motivated me to live mine. To live mine better and healthier. Friends....you never know when this life will be taken from you. Live each day to the fullest, love your family and friends. Everyday is a new day. Everyday is a good day.

    Good luck to you all.
  • amandapratt
    amandapratt Posts: 177 Member
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    I bit the bullet on a camping trip and told myself I didn't care how I looked, I was going to wear a bathing suit (and no cover up) on the beach. I took one look at a photo of myself with my thighs spilling over the chair seat and haven't looked back since.
  • kennysrush
    kennysrush Posts: 124
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    Aside from high blood pressure / and a history of heart disease on my Mother's side of the family, I am 45 business owner who sits at the desk 10 hours+ each day, suffers from sleep apnea, takes Lipotor for my cholesterol, and medication for hypo-thyroidism.

    The growing gut and the threat of high blood pressure was my last straw. Now I'm shooting to get within 10-20 lbs of my calculated BMI - watching what I eat and working out 6-8 times per week.

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