Curiosity - What was your wake up call?

mrschappet

My body started to react in ways that were painful and harmful.. I started feeling numbness in my extremities and face. My joints hurt all the time and i was always tired and moody. After many MRI's and countless tests.... and finding nothing wrong on paper... I had no other options but to start making changes to my everyday life. I started exercising first and soon the numbness and pain went away.. ( doc said it was poor circulation) I then started focusing on my diet and what do you know.. I have increased energy and I am just a happier healthier me :-)

PhiMuHoney

I had lost a fair amount of weight last year (although it was basically by starving myself and I still had no energy). This summer, I realized that I had gained it all back and couldn't fit down the slides on the playground at the school I work at. I work with autistic preschoolers and realized that when one of them would run away out of the classroom, another teacher would always have to run after him because I was too slow to catch him. I decided that I wanted to be the one to jump up and run without a second thought.

bentobee

Trying to demonstrate to my three-year-old what skipping was and finding out I couldn't do it anymore. I literally could not do it. It was sobering.

honu18

When I really liked this guy who I knew ran 6-7 miles a day and probably wouldn't like fat girls (sounds ridiculous, but true). I hadn't had a boyfriend in a few years and just wanted to gain more confidence for myself and maybe for someone else. I lost about 10-15 lbs fast. Ended up spending a semester in a warm location where I was consistently asked why I didn't wear a bikini. I said I wouldn't look good. I decided that I was tired of being 20 and not wearing a bikini and looking good, because when am I ever gonna be 20 and able to pull this off again in my life? I also just wanted to make a lifestyle change to be more healthy, and to treat my body with the respect it deserves.

jmore85

My tip: Eat cleaner foods!!!!!!!!!! Processed food holds no nutrition and makes you feel like crap. Stick to fruits, veggies, and lean meats, with an occasional treat. It's not as hard as everyone makes it out to be...honestly I rarely crave sweets anymore.

I agree with you, I hardly ever crave sweets, it's an addiction to the sugar and really none of us need it, there are better ways to spend our calories

holdondreamaway

The two nights previous to my "wake up call" I'd dreamed that I had stretch marks on what used to be my point of pride, my slim waist. The day of the wake up call I got on the scale and then had my six foot tall boyfriend get on it, and I was the heavier. That for me was just it. I had been gaining weight for the last year and a half and just could not take it anymore. A lot of my clothes didn't fit, I couldn't go buy new ones at my usual stores, family members had noticed, and to top it all off I finally weighed more than the boyfriend. That night I did some research on losing weight, found this site, and got on my roommate's mini elliptical. I'm not ever going back without a fight. All of my family members got big after their twenties and I refuse to go through the battles I saw my parents go through. We can do this guys!

bellamia88

I've always been a bigger girl from the time I was very little but I honestly never thought I was that big. My friends have always been on the thinner side so I guess I always pictured myself being closer to their shape and boy was I ever kidding myself hard! It wasn't till I saw an old picture of me from a graduation 3 years ago that I said wow was I really THAT big not to mention people would make comments like you are way bigger than your mom or ask me if I was pregnant and I wasn't even 20 yet. I was told that I had lost some weight beforehand but I still didn't think it was that bad that's when I told myself it's time to work harder and get serious about this. Aside from my dad I'm the only other overweight person in my family and that's not a good look. I've lost 22 pounds so far and have gotten several compliments. Even though it took me a few months to lose I'm still happy to take off that much as I never thought this would happen and I hope to lose another 20 by next winter I'd like to finish at 175 then work off the last 10 later down the road. All I can say is no matter how tough it seems don't give up. I had a friend use this site for only a month before she stopped and gained back those 15 pounds. Treat yourself every now and then too it's okay to have a cookie or a piece of cake just make sure you control your portions and keep it within your means.

sumjoy

I had already gone from 190 to 160 in 3 years, but when my boyfriend of the past year freaked out because he thought I was gaining weight (I wasn't) I realized he didn't really accept me the way I was (even after losing 9 pounds since we met), so I became determined to lose the remaining 30 pounds faster.

beautybrainsbooty

My wake up call. There were so many along the way that I ignored. I would have to say that when I could no longer pose to hide the double chin and the size 3x's were tight. When I couldn't bear to hear again 'what a pretty face you have...if only you would'....

It all kind of built up. I didnt want to be fat anymore. I didn't want to hide behind the layers of fat the woman that I was. I didn't want to look in the mirror and see the woman that candy & fast food had built. I also discovered my sugar and carb addiction. Sugar is satan I promise you. Now I've lost 82 with 75 more to go and I feel and look so good its unreal. I still struggle but I would honestly have to say that I CHOOSE the foods I eat, they no longer choose me. Annnnnd if I am feeling like cake or pasta or candy I can have it; just not the whole bag. Typing this brings tears to my eyes as I think about my past and just how far I've come. How far we've ALL come.

MisterDubs303

At Christmas of 2010, I was at my highest weight. Some of it may have been sodium bloat, but whatever the case I am really not exaggerating when I say that I felt like a grilling bratwurst about to split open. I was so fat and bloated that I thought my skin was going to pop. I felt physically uncomfortable just existing. During the year prior to that, I had several health issues, some weight related and some not, but either way, I knew that it would just get harder and harder the longer I waited.

My tips:
+ Lay out a sober, reasonable plan and follow it. When you don't feel like following it, remind yourself that you developed the plan while thinking clearly and with your own best interests in mind.

+ Exercise at least a little bit at least 5 times per week. Even if you only do something for 10 minutes, you get the health benefit, but especially the benefit of knowing that you are consistently doing something good for yourself.

+ Discover that healthful food can also taste really good.

+ Acknowledge that habits, bad and good, will largely determine your behaviors. Replace bad habits with good habits. When you don't feel like you have the desire to make good choices, your good habits will help carry you through.

graysmom2005

Turning 30. I realized this is as good as I'm going to get. I'll just get older. You know when you look at pics from college etc and you can't believe how young you looked? Or how thin you looked? When I'm 40, I want to look back at a younger FIT me. :-)

toots1985

Being diagnosed with Diabetes, Infertility, and Fibromyalgia all in the same year. My husband and I will be getting Adoptive Children Sortly and I want to live to enjoy all the parenting experiences. I want my kids to be able to keep up with me. hehe.

strongissexy1

my full length mirror.

MsOssining

Being diagnosed with Type II Diabetes was my wakeup call.
I realized that I was totally out of control. Sedentary job, no exercise, and eating to compensate for whatever was happening in my life. I knew years ago that I could get really sick from being obese, but I kept putting off losing weight for another day and ignoring the fact that I kept gaining weight until the inevidable (spell check) happened. I guess sometimes something has to actually smack you in the face before you have the motivation to help yourself.

lmarshel

For me..it was going to the doctor..and finally getting diagnosed hyperthyroid. 2 months after taking the pills..and having 13 pounds melt away....my doctor was so happy..and she said..."..just think how much you could lose if you try.." So I started trying..and now 1/2 way to my goal..

I had a similar experience. After I was diagnosed with Graves' Disease (a form of hyperthyroidism), I went to see a specialist. On the first visit, I told him I had lost 25 pounds without trying. His response: "That's been good for you, huh?"

I was really mad and thought him rude at the time, but looking back he was probably right.

My real wakeup call was when I was able to completely quit taking BP meds after I lost that weight. When I got on medication and regained it, had to go right back on the meds. That made me realize that I have some control over my body.

randomartisrgirl

When I gained my first ten pounds and stuck put my stomach and saw a pooch... But then it kept piling on. The second was when my pants stopped fitting.

slybaby

When my 8 year old pushed her finger in my belly and said ''Squishy'' :(
Just the wake-up call i needed..

traceywaugh

a friend been brought up with died suddenly of an undiagnosed heart condition knew if i didnt change would be heading for a heart attack at some point

MegtheTeach

My size 14 pants were tight and I was struggling on the soccer field (you should know I play goalkeeper).

louiseyanne

My dad lives oversea's and every time i've visited i've vowed that i'll walk through the airport slim and he won't recognise me.

Every time i've walked through the airport I was heavier than before.

I'm moving out there permanently in April and this is my last chance to do it.