Your decision to change?

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jean1058
jean1058 Posts: 86 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
What was it that inspired you to make the decision to change? Was it one thing? Did you see a photo? Did someone say something to you?

When you did make the decision to change, what was the first thing you started doing differently?

I've been at this off & on for a while and am wondering how to get the "focus" that so many of you have. I really want to succeed and am feeling a little lost.

Any suggestions?
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Replies

  • axman19
    axman19 Posts: 79 Member
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    My realization came to me one day when I told my 5 yr old daughter "daddy was too tired to play with her". WHOTF am I to say something like that to the most important little girl in my life. I am and will continue to change. Been here a week now and am not looking back. Have great support here!
  • dana01996
    dana01996 Posts: 15 Member
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    I joined weight watchers in 2005 and lost 80 lbs. We became pregnant in 2006 and it was a license to eat everything I felt I had been deprived of. After my daughter was born, I slacked off. I knew exactly what I needed to do, but didn't do it. I joined this site in October of last year and dropped almost 30 lbs by December. I guess my husband and I started feeling really good because at the end of December we found out we were pregnant with our son! He was born at the end of August so it was back to getting this done. With the help and support of my husband and everyone here, it will be forever.
  • JenMarie826
    JenMarie826 Posts: 143
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    I remember one day I weighed myself and the scale topped out at 221 lbs. I literally stepped off the scale and threw my hands up in the air and said "Thats it." I always thought of how I can never go into a store and try on clothes and I would always come out of the store even more pissed off or depressed before I went into the store. But now I am 187 lbs. and am on the road to a new me :)
  • cmm7303
    cmm7303 Posts: 423 Member
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    I was in great shape after my son was born, but gained about 30 lbs taking care of him and my brother during neurosurgeries, and becoming a work-from-home parent. I can bike 40 miles with no prep, run (even though I hate to) and walk anywhere at 175lbs, and I feel great at 160. 200? Not so much.

    When I finally hit the 200 mark, I knew I had to do something. I signed up for a half marathon with my boss and my husband in May, and am training for that, now. :)
  • formersec
    formersec Posts: 233 Member
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    Cardiac arrest
  • Izzywishes
    Izzywishes Posts: 10
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    After having five kids which are aged between 16 and 3. I have spent years looking after them and have decided it was time to have a bit of time to sort myself out. I am nearly three years from being forty and I really don't want to feel the way I do about myself any more. I know the journey won't be easy but with the support from MFP I know I can do it! I am going to make 2012 the year of change for me. We only have one life and it's time we all start to live it.
  • lilsassymom
    lilsassymom Posts: 407 Member
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    The real "pushing" factor for me was the fact that I hated my appearance in pictures and how uncomfortable and self conscious I felt around my husband naked. Granted, I have only lost 9 lbs. so far---but my self esteem has skyrocketed. I feel so much more confident and comfortable in my skin :smile: . I guess those 9 lbs weren't very forgiving:wink: .
  • Shoechick5
    Shoechick5 Posts: 221 Member
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    We were at a BBQ 3 years ago and a friend I hadn't seen in a while lost 60 lbs on Weight Watchers (She went on to lose over 100), then the next day I saw pictures of myself at that BBQ and that was it..signed up that afternoon. I lost 30 and kept it off for a while but now 20 has snuck back on. This month is the first time in 3 years that I've felt reserved about going out, not wanting friends to see that I'd put 20 lbs back on. Didn't want to accept dinner invitations, etc. I don't want to feel like that anymore so it's time to tackle that 20lbs before it turns into 30.
  • momtimesone
    momtimesone Posts: 85 Member
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    I was always bigger then most and right after having my son and having his father walk out of our lives I just gave up on taking care of myself and focused on taking care of my son and my disabled mom. After mom died I gained even more weight and did not see how big I was even in pictures I had major confidence and nothing would change my bad habits or so I thought. I fell in love with my best friend and after he told me he was mentally attracted to me but not physically it finally clicked and I was mad at him for being so shallow but then realized if I was ever going to be loved I would need to love myself first and foremost. My birthday came around and I vowed right then and there to stop drinking soda which up until then was a 4+liter a day habit. I started walking more and I was feeling so much better about myself and who I was. As I lost more weight I changed my focus on living for my son and being there for him and him only. My best friend now tells me all the time how good I look and we hang out but the feelings I had for him are gone now, replaced with a drive to reach my goals . I want this for myself and for my child but I do thank my best friend everyday because without that one statement I probably would of never got off my butt and started my new lifestyle.I am living proof that sometimes as hard as it is to hear, the truth is better then a lie or telling someone they look great when its clear they need a push.
  • LetYourLightShine
    LetYourLightShine Posts: 53
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    It was as simple as going clothes shopping with my boyfriend one day. I was in the Buckle, trying on a few cute tops and jeans; one look in the mirror and I was disgusted. Right then and there I decided to change!
  • crudd12
    crudd12 Posts: 63
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    I saw a picture of me and was shocked at how fat I was! Plus every time we went to my inlaws one of the people there who was friends with my brother in law always told me how fat I was! Seriously this woman made me so mad a year and half ago when she told me at dinner one night during the holidays if I'd eat more vegetables I'd lose weight! I started a year and half ago and I've gone from a 2x to a 14/16 top and from a 20 jean to a 16 jean! This year when we went to Chicago for the holidays she didn't say one word! Old bag but she got me motivated!
  • azuria518
    azuria518 Posts: 48 Member
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    It was a combination of 2 things for me.

    A fat picture of me next to my one year old who just beat a very rare form of brain and kidney cancer that doctors initially told us she had a month to live with.

    She fought so hard to live, the least I could do is become healthy to live my life with her.
  • ymhand
    ymhand Posts: 188
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    Me and my step dad pulled out a scale and I weighed 271 he stepped on and weighed 20 less than me. That was it!
  • cmm7303
    cmm7303 Posts: 423 Member
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    *Cardiac Arrest*

    Wow! yeah, that's a wakeup call!
  • MaraDiaz
    MaraDiaz Posts: 4,604 Member
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    In one sense, I simply woke up with a lot more energy than usual one day and was in the mood to work out. And I kept going from there. Still going after two months, to my considerable surprise.

    What led to that mood is more complicated. I think it's partly the realization that I might live to be a very old, fat, shut in. The thought of doing literally nothing but sit in front of this computer playing games for the next forty years suddenly didn't seem so appealing.

    Of course, the road is not smooth nor clear, because there are worse things than being a shut in. Working at McDonald's for forty years, for example, would be much worse for me, as I have zero tolerance for boredom and even less tolerance for people. Especially rude, bossy customer people.

    I still don't have it all figured out yet, but I've at least decided what I'm not going to do with the second half of my life. Now I just have to figure out what I'm going to do. So I broke it down to this:

    First body
    Then mind
    Then journey
    Then destination
    Then power

    Don't anybody quote the underpants gnomes meme at me, please. I know I'm still a bit vague on where this is going, but the weight loss is definitely step 1 in a much bigger plan. Possibly one leading to world takeover! *Insert evil laugh here* :laugh:
  • AlliGM
    AlliGM Posts: 86
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    I've been whittling away at my weight for the last two years but not with much success (8 pounds). Then my husband decided to get fit and lost down to very close to my weight. That gave me the the extra push to commit to really work at it this year. Also, I am tired of always feeling tired. Time to change that. Now we are working on it together which is great because I have a competitive streak!
  • sweetoblivion314
    sweetoblivion314 Posts: 55
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    Failing to get the girl far too many times.

    Kevin
    bodyspeechmind.com
  • ashcandi
    ashcandi Posts: 35
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    My coworkers were going through some old pictures from the office. I couldn't believe how different I looked just a few years ago. This made me realize how much weight I've put on through the years and how unhealthy I am. I don't want my daughter to grow up when an unhealthly mom. And I really hate for people to see my husband and me together and wonder why on earth he is with this overweight person.
  • JennyGeek
    JennyGeek Posts: 5
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    When I look in the mirror, I don't see myself as overweight. But then when I see a photo of myself, it's almost shocking to realize how heavy I actually am. Sometimes it's almost like I don't recognize myself.

    I'm embarrassed to hang out with friends and be the heaviest one in the group. I don't even want to shop or really buy clothes for myself anymore and I hate that I get winded doing really stupid things like walking fast down the street.

    I'm ready to stop eating fast food once or twice a day and let go of the soda and junk that I'm eating.
  • mommyoverboard
    mommyoverboard Posts: 105
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    When my BMI got above average and went into "overweight" I had to face reality. I had to make a change so that I can live a long healthy life alongside my family.

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