Curiosity - What was your wake up call?

SuperMoniMonk

*My knees would hurt whenever I walked up stairs.

*My jeans didn't fit me anymore and I refused to buy a bigger size, I was a 17/18

* I knew I needed help from myself so I prayed and sincerely ask God to help me - Prayer answered :happy:

*Got tired of the junk food, had it so often that it wasn'tt even tasty anymore,

* I decided at the start of the year that I would not eat frozen or fast foods anymore, instead eat food that was stil alive ..like a fresh salad

Began killing all my pathetic excuses and began living eating and living better no matter what !

MyouTakara

My wake-up call was having a sore and swollen foot. Swollen feet is something that happens to old people, not young women in their twenties. It hurt to walk. My doctor told me I had to lose some weight and recommended MFP to me.

My big thing was changing my attitude about eating and exercise. Growing up, I was only allowed to choose what I ate at my grandmother's house, and she was an excellent cook. At home you ate what you were given, because you weren't leaving the table until you did. My dad's girlfriend was a crappy cook. Grandma encouraged me to stay inside where she could keep an eye on me and read. My dad's girlfriend forced me to go outside and play with her friend's kids, whom I despised. Choosing to eat what I wanted when I wanted and not exercise represented freedom to me. That was an attitude that had to change. Now, eating what I want in moderate portions and exercising for my health is freedom.

angela828

the day I got engaged...I knew I didn't want to be "fat" for my wedding day. I said I was going to start but of course, didn't. The next day, my mom said to me, "now would be a good time to lose a little weight, you don't want to cry and be upset when you start dress shopping"...

Normally a comment like that would make me cry but I didn't and instead I was like, DAMN STRAIGHT! We were about to move so I never started until about the day befor new year's eve and something CLICKED.

Since then I've been exercising regularly and eating welll Hoping to hit the 150s by mid-September when I go wedding dress shopping!

jjgirl76

As much as I like shoes. I am sick of going shopping and only the shoes and earrings fit. I want cute clothes, too. I had fought very hard to lose the 20 lbs I have gained in the last year. I am not at my highest, but I weighed in on Monday at exactly the same weight as the day of my divorce. No, I'm NOT going there again.

It helps me to plan my day. Most all of my food and exercise are added by 10am. This allows me to crush any cravings, my mind already knows what is allowed.

jjgirl76

As much as I like shoes. I am sick of going shopping and only the shoes and earrings fit. I want cute clothes, too. I had fought very hard to lose the 20 lbs I have gained in the last year. I am not at my highest, but I weighed in on Monday at exactly the same weight as the day of my divorce. No, I'm NOT going there again.

It helps me to plan my day. Most all of my food and exercise are added by 10am. This allows me to crush any cravings, my mind already knows what is allowed.

ziathediva

My wake up call was going to the doctors for my serious bad head aches. My doctor thought my headaches could be due to depression because of my weight. He asked me my weight and I was nervous about telling him. He wanted me to go for a MRI to make sure nothing was wrong but he wad unsure if I could fit. I was so upset and angry with myself for letting myself getting so big. He sent me downstairs to see if I could fit into the machine, but I never went. I was too upset.

Before I left, he told me I should go for gastric bypass and pressured me into doing it. I understand why, but I felt like he was forcing me. I did go for all my testing for it and four days before sugar day I canceled because I feel like I could do it myself.

Louiselesley

So many people have so many reasons but I really have no idea what mine was.

I suppose I say ever year that I wanted to make a resolution and keep to it and this year was simply get fit and don't drink fizzy drinks.

Once I'd spent about a month in bed from getting the flu and then a really bad cold a week after (could i be any unluckier?) i found this site via a community i am joined to on livejournal.

i followed my no fizzy drinks one so well that now i can't even drink one without being sick - and my fitness one? well i'm fitter now than i have been in years but i need to do more.

fbmandy55

Going to Dollywood with the family and BARELY being able to fit on a coaster. Like, held up the line trying to get the lap bar down enough but eventually got it. That was a huge blow. I was afraid to try any of the other rides the rest of the day for fear of embarrassment.

Then seeing pics of myself. When i looked in the mirror I didn't see myself the way I did in photos. I was disgusted with myself.

Barneystinson

The real wake-up call was when I was in college and saw a photo of myself at my highest weight (I dunno, gonna guess 175) and looking like a beached whale. I was pretty made at myself for letting my looks go like that in a very short time (1 year).

scarletfever2005

I was peeing all the time and thirsty constantly. Went to the doc who told me I was diabetic. He said it was a warning sign from my body that I was killing myself. And that it wasn't the first sign it was just the loudest so far.

I didn't want to die, I didn't want to go blind, or lose my legs, or end up rolling around in a jazzy chair with pressure socks on so I decided that I'd get healthy and and stay that way. So far so good!

kfitz10103

For me it was my boyfriends family going on and on about how awesome this picture of all of us kids was. And how Mom was going to have copies made and give one to everybody to frame etc. It was a great picture but then when I saw me in it I was so horrified and embarrassed. I looked huge. And then they all said "I looked great ". That means that must be how I look all the time.
I still get sick to my stomach when I think of that picture. I hate it. I wanted to burn it.

My motivation was similar. I saw a pic that was on facebook and everyone commented on how good I looked and I looked TERRIBLE. (Its in my profile here on mfp) and I thought if they think I look good I must usually look worse than that. I was horrified. Plus my baby was 5 months and I was still in my maternity clothes.

Hsanders3961

For me, it was a few different things. I am only 22 and going up a flight of stairs would just practically take all the breath out of me; I hated looking in the mirror and always feeling uncomfortable in my clothes; and when the scales hit 187 and I realized I was only 13 lbs from 200 lbs, I knew I had to do something. I had piled on 40 lbs in about a year and I couldn’t take it anymore. I found MyFitnessPal and have been dedicated ever since!

Lunachic77

-Wearing sweat pants all the time to hide my muffin top

-Hating how I had become to loathe anything sport/exercise related...being so LAZY

-Husband not looking at me the way he used to

-Not recognizing the person staring back at me in the mirror

-Never wanting to go anywhere because then i would be "seen"

-Eating more than most of the men I know

MsQt

My wake up call was when I couldn't fit a extra large shirt and the next size up was in the misses section.

keiraev

Going up to 144lb - the heaviest I had ever been, and my (UK) Size 12 clothes getting tight- I bought a couple of tops in a 14 and then realised what I was doing. I was not going to sit back and accept that was what I was going to be so I decided to change things.

zendarah

What a great question. For me, I've been pretending to want to lose weight for a while, but it was only last week that I kicked my butt into gear.

- Holiday photo's where I thought i looked good, but didn't
- Comparing those holiday photos to old photos
- Being embarrassed about my weight infront of my husband, and it affecting our relationship

suzycreamcheese

just seeing photos and thinking i looked a bit blobby with a double chin, and being a size bigger than i was the year before.
I wasnt particularly fat, and still was at a healthy weight, but i decided to try and trim down a few pounds

heatherutopia

Awh guys, these are all such moments of realisation! Congratulations to everyone who has decided to change their lifestyle for the better, I think you are all amazing!

We can all do this together

fudgebudget

I signed up for a hike that included a lot of "obstacle course" elements earlier this year, and while I finished the hike (and was proud of myself for doing it! I usually HATE obstacle course type things), I did NOT want my picture taken to document it. I really felt like I was holding myself back. The number on the scale didn't help either - breaking 200 for the first time made me cry.

StaceKaiman

There are two instances that come to mind that have finally opened my eyes to my weight problem. Number 1 was when I was flying home from my Honeymoon with my husband trying to get the seat belt on and the Flight Attendant asked if I wanted the seat belt extender I was mortified and embarrassed beyond belief. Second was when I applied for Life Insurance and was denied because of my weight being a risk factor again I was embarrassed and 3 weeks later starting a new chapter in my life.

lornathewizzard

The day I went to the nurse for my contraceptive pill and she refused to give me it due to my weight. The important thing was that she was nice about it, encouraging and supportive.
Yes, I came home and cried, but here I am a year and 8 months later and 55 lbs down. I've never felt better about myself. Another 15 or so lbs and I think I'll be content.

My tip - listen to those around you when they are telling you you're doing well. Whether it be a loved one or a passing comment by a friend, they wouldn't be saying it if they didn't think it was true.

starracer23

I was just tired of seeing the fat girl in the mirror. Somehow she had taken over...not any more though!

dumb_blonde

My moment was in the changing rooms of Gap, trying on a pair of jeans (nothing like shopping for jeans to make you suicidal!) I tried to put on my usual size and stood no chance... couldn't even zip them and had a terrible "muffin top" going on. From then on I realised something HAD to change if I was going to get back into those skinnies!

bettyboopo

Mine was a photograph from the royal wedding, my cousin had a garden party and took a few snaps. I looked at them again recently and realized how much i'd let myself go. I told myself i needed to change while i'm still young!

TheShelterCat

So embarrassing but I was asked if I was pregnant by 2 different people. It was then that I had realized I had really just let myself go and was in a downward spiral.

FattyWantADoughnut

For me it was a lot of things.

I hate the way I look and feel. I feel so unwell, since I've gained 100 lbs I have been sick way more often, my feet hurt when I wake up in the morning, my thighs rub together uncomfortably, and it feels like the fat on my neck is suffocating me. I was never comfortable even just sitting. I was never leaving my house because I didn't want anyone to see me. I realized that it is rare that I am ever in any photos with my kids and that is so messed up. I can't run around on the playground with my kids the way I used to. My clothes never fit right and it's a burden having to keep buying bigger sizes, I have a closet full of tiny clothes that I'd never get to wear again unless I change right now.

All of those things have been weighing on me for a long time, but the turning point (or rock bottom, whatever) was when I postponed visiting family because I couldn't bear to let them see me this way.

rnstolz17

*Gained back 40 of the 50 lbs I had already lost
*All my "cute" clothes were too small and my "fat" clothes were starting to get too tight again
*Heartburn on a daily basis
*Starting to look about 6-7 months pregnant

sunyg

For me it was a year after my 3rd child. I realized it had been a year and I still couldn't wear my wedding band. I lost half before getting pregnant again. I swore after my 4th I wasn't getting my ring re-sized I was going to re-size myself.

odusgolp

Just my clothes... I'm back in the biggest size I own and even those are tight. I'm very "out of shape" as well... winded no matter what minimal activity I do. I don't want to keep buying clothes to accomodate my size - I'd rather lose and try to chase my son without wanting to pass out

Allyc804

Seeing a photo of myself this past weekend and wondering who that person was. I am at the heaviest I have ever been and am concerned about my health and happiness.