Brutal Honesty - What was the final straw?

shcarter67

What started me on my journey was that 2011 was the year from hell for me (not to mention a few bad years since 2005 - divorce, parents dying, etc.). In 2011 I lost the love of my life and found myself heading down a very dark path. I decided that I needed to focus on putting myself together and being healthier. I have two teenagers that need their mom, and if I had of continued on my downward spiral, I would have been no good for them. Sorry that this is kind of depressing, but I wanted to share. MFP has been a blessing.

iuew

doctor mentioned my weight a couple times, and then did a blood test. i was obese, and was mildly pre-diabetic.

every time someone took a picture or video of me, i didn't like the way i looked.

i was tired of always wearing black and wearing buttoned up jackets all year long to mask my weight.

finally, i turned 30, and i decided that if i had to be 30, i was going to be in better shape than i ever was in my 20s.

jerber160

no final straw. the doctor asked me again in february if I wanted to talk with a nutritionist. I said yes. by the time I had time for the appointment it was july . she hooked me up with mfp at the same time i got a new phone and the app was fun and that was that... turned a friend on to us too... we say the stars aligned. so no final straw

rosecook425

My breaking points are kinda like everyone previous to me. I hate how I look in pics, I live near Cedar Point (Sandusky OH) and to avoid it becuase I may or may not fit in the rides. But recently I went through sister drama. She said some very harsh words. Some of which were that I was miserable to be around, I look sloppy and dont take care of myself. SOOO Im getting my butt in shape and it will show in my face and attitude. She will eat her words next holiday when she sees me again. That is a heck of a breaking point.

** I saved her text messages too so when I wanna give up I re-read them and it remotivates me all over again**

kristalyn323

Watching my husband enjoy playing with our 3 children and I just couldn't keep up.. I honestly hated myself at that point. I had hit rock bottom.

Aesop101

It was years of verbal abuse, rejection, my marriage ending because I was fat, being hit with type 2 diabetes, that caused me to finally kick it into overdrive and become human again.

LOL, Yep, I was down to 2 shirts, a moldy sweat shirt and a super large tee.

Can't think of anyone defining moment. It was a culmination of my belly hitting the steering wheel of my jeep, worries of my health, not finding clothes, and wanting to look better when interviewing for a job. Then I wanted to set an example for my grown kids.

Glad this was posted. Gives me time to reflect after nearly 460 days on MFP.

lms32164

My final straw was two things. One was two knee injuries within 6 mos of each other that put fear in me I would never walk upright again. The same year all while at my highest weight of 278 lbs our whole family took a vacation to a beautiful all inclusive to Punta Cana Dominican. I was so depressed about not feeling good emotionally and physically that it took all the fun out of my vacation. I loved being with my family but I was so self absorbed in emotional devastation that I couldn't have fun and I really felt like the fattest person on the whole island. It seemed like all the beautiful thin women were there and I felt terrible about myself. Also, the plan ride was embarrasing because I also had to keep asking for the belt extender on each flight. It was humiliating.
One more thing too. Even though I have the most loving husband and kids who have always supported me I knew I had given them much worry over my health the bigger I grew. I also sucked the fun out of not wanting to do things that they wanted me to do with them. Enough was enough. Last year in May I really began on focusing on changing my life. With the Grace of God and the help of my friends here on MFP I feel like I finally have a hold of the reins and I am going to steer myself straight all the way to my goal..
Thank you all for sharing your stories. I don't feel so alone anymore.

Avadavat

200 lbs

This was mine, too. I have always been heavier, but had promised myself silently I'd never weigh over 200lbs. Well, this summer I looked at the scale and it said 208. That was it. I'm down to 185 now, and I hope to see what I look like at 140 someday.

gunmetalsunrise

That the stretchmarks I had were getting worse and were now above my belly button.

Clothes I used to own I could no longer fit into.

My breast reduction surgery coming up really soon.

NewCyn

Ive had several UGH moments that should have pushed me into making healthy choices. Ive had the experience of not fitting on an amusement ride last summer. Ive been the big girl with the pretty face. Im the heaviest of my friends. Clothes shopping is a chore. The list goes on and on. However, I wanted to buy a new sassy shirt for New Years Eve. I took a look at myself in the mirror and realized I dont have a sassy body or the attitude to pull it off. I want to feel good from the inside out. I know this weight is holding me back from some incredible experiences. I want to be a much better example for my son and live a long healthy life. So, I have started this journey with a heart full of hope and a realistic mind set. I pray everyday for 2012 to be my year! Good luck to you all and thanks for your stories!

KCherry

I am currently in my final semester of nursing school and I am doing my clinical rotation at a long term acute care facility that specializes in patients on ventilators that cannot breathe on their own. Going there every week and taking care of patients with horrible bed sores and nasty infections who are on all sorts of tubes and drains started to wear on me pretty quick and make me think about my weight but recently I went out to my car after my day and I couldn't get my seat belt to buckle. That was it for me. Seeing the effects of obesity and how it tears lives apart made me reconsider my own for sure.

Tsrwalker

For me it was a day at Disneyland with the family. We had gone on a lot of rides with no problem and then they wanted to go on the swings and not thinking I got in line. when it was time to get a swing I went towards one only to discover that I couldnt get my hips in and it was physically painful to try to squish into one. I proceeded to leave and my fiance said "Where are you going, Whats wrong?" and I just walked to the exit and went to sit down, I felt so horrible and humiilatied and started crying. I knew then I had to do something.

My fiance who loves me no matter what proposed to me and I told him yes, but I didn't want to look like this in the wedding pictures so we had to wait till I lost the weight. I don't want to not enjoy life anymore because I am limited, I want to be able to like the way I look and to be able to do the things others can do.

mommaof3in4years

Ouch. ((Hugs)) Seems to me that he could have been just a bit more classy about how he phrased that.

rsouthland

I've read every post and just have to say that you all are such an inspiration. We are all right there in the same boat. Thanks for your honesty.

RollinDawg

I use a wheelchair due to a birth defect. At one point sometime around June 2011, I noticed my chair was not rolling as well as it used to. I just figured something was wrong with the chair at first. Well, after a few days I started noticing holes in the side of my clothes. It finally dawned on me that the thing slowing down my chair was my big *kitten* rubbing against the wheels. I started MFP the next day, now I can use my chair again with very little problem....but I want to get back to being able to roll for miles like I could in high school when I was on a track and field team.

MaximalLife

Was there anything specific in your life that happened to cause your new journey towards health and well being?

Yes.

1. A picture where I looked like a bloated Walrus
2. My wife said I was unattractive as a fat man.

OUCH!

Ouch is right! I would slap my husband if he ever said that to me, honest or not lol. Congrats on your weight loss though!

Actually, I am thankful she was honest.
Most spouses, especially husbands, lie through their teeth, and yes, some wives too.

And most overweight husbands and wives buy right into that lie that their love transcends physical attraction...:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

No, I am glad she was honest even though it hurt so much.

ctaylor311

What a great topic! I guess it sort of goes along with that idea of not being able to take the steps until you realize and admit that you have a problem.
For me, it was a couple things. Creeping up in pants sizes was getting annoying, even if Good Will is enjoying a slew of small/tight dress pants from my closet. Looking at myself and thinking "what the hell happened?!" And finally, getting closer and closer to the weight I was at when I delivered my first child. I lost all the baby weight quickly (within 6 months), but over the past 20 months, the weight has slowly seeped back into my body.
Happy New Year, and Happy New You to everyone!

chachita7

my mother passing away at the tender age of 62. She was a caregiver to everyone but herself. I decided I would not lead my life in that matter. coming to a mental realization that my emotional, mental, and physical health is my own responsibility.

My new thought process is - if I don't love and respect myself as I deserve to be, how can I expect anyone else to do so. Loving myself means taking care of myself - this isn't a journey of being skinny this is a journey of complete health.

In the past simply wanting to loose weight because I looked to big in the pics wouldn't cut it but now I have a new view, losing weight is only one of the advantages of loving myself to the fullest

How this has changed me:

Emotionally - by connecting with myself I am now more open to connecting with others
Mentally - my depression is practically fully gone, I am now prone to look for the signs and nip them on the butt when they are
trying to sneak up...
Physically - I have lost 13.4 lbs since November

MrUgly

I realized that I was a miserable person. Every morning I would wake up, see my naked body in the full length mirror and despise what I saw. When I would get to work, there would be doughnuts, brownies, catered lunches and no one to tell me when to stop. If I timed it right, I could go back for seconds and the cafe would have cleared out from the first time. I felt guilty which made me feel like crap.

I'd come home, and sit down to 'comfort food', and eat entirely too much of it. I'd get winded sprinting up the stairs, or going to the park with my son. Made me feel worse. Because I was always angry at myself, I started to take it out on my wife and son. Mostly being short-tempered and snarky.

My wife was always pissed off at me (with good reason) and Daddy wasn't fun to play with. So I woke up, took some time to seriously look at who I was, and decided to change it. Weight is the 'easiest' one. The rest will take time and periodic adjustment.

jvan1957

I had a massive heart attack in 2004 at age of 46. Killed most of the front left side of my heart. Went from being very active to doing nothing. 7 years of getting weaker and fatter, finally unable to walk without a walker and Dr.s talking about a me using a hover round. Well that was my final straw. I got mad and started fighting back. Began dieting and doing exercises while seated. Finally got strong enough to walk with walker, then cane and now can get around fairly well, have lost weight, lower A1C and feel much better.

Fnarkk

Wow, nice work everyone. For me, I was very active in my teens/ early 20's and weighed about 199lbs with a 28-29" waist at 5'5" (very muscular). During my college years, I had to work to put myself through school an average of 70hrs a week and lived in my car due to financial constraints. Needless to say, I ate whatever I could whenever I could and as much as I could because food was scarce but stayed around 200lbs ... with a waistline that was rapidly expanding. When I hit my mid 30's I 'only' had gained 30 lbs more than my HS weight so I didnt think it was that bad. When I hit my 40's I realized I still 'only' weighed 35lbs more than my HS weight however I was now in size 40 pants (and not so muscular anymore) - and they were very tight. Then my wife let me know we were going to have our 4th child and the thought didn't fill me with joy; it made me tired just thinking about it. So I decided enough was enough. I want to be around long enough to embarass her when she becomes a teenager-- just like any other self respecting father. It was time to stop fooling myself into thinking I was still healthy. So here I am.:bigsmile:

xsmilexforxmex

I realized I could no longer fit into my largest pair of jeans...

Renonvme

I found out that both of my parents have diabetes. Then I went to the dr and she put me on blood pressure medication. I don't take any meds unless I'm on my death bed. Got off the blood pressure medication in four months, never, ever getting back on it. I'm only 38 for goodness sake. Much too young for medication!

trolkeeper

I agree, everytime I catch a glimpse of my self I simply can not believe I am that huge. I hate it!!!!!!!!!

laughingnome

Very simple.....Facebook

emstgm

For me, I've been so unhappy with my weight for 3 1/2 years (after the birth of my 2nd baby). My jeans were tight, found it hard to find anything stylish to wear, I had to hold my breath to tie my shoes, I could not easily get back up off the floor when playing with my kids, and the list goes on.

The final straw: check up with the cardiologist. He said my LDL was too high, my HDL was too low. He said, "Follow the Mediterranean diet, start exercising, and come back and have your levels checked in 3 months. If they are not down significantly, I'd like to put you on cholesterol medication."

I am convinced that my levels are due to: (1) eating crap on a very regular basis and (2) counting a trip up the stairs in my home as my 'exercise for the day'.

So I came to the conclusion that a Jimmy John's "Italian Night Club" sandwich, though Italian sounding, was in fact not part of the Mediterranean diet. :laugh: I made major food choice changes, dusted off my very expensive elliptical machine, set up streaming Netflix in front of it and started exercising 5-6 days a week. I have lost almost 20 lbs in 2 months and I am determined that this is actually do-able! Looking forward to that cholesterol check.

thelovelyLIZ

I went to a performing arts college and was in a sorority. Most of my peers were actors or dancers and had fantastic bodies, and all of my sister were beautiful. Being surrounded by so many good looking people was really some good motivation to lose some weight. I also got up to my highest weight in a long time this summer. I had lost weight when I was younger, and had never gotten above 140 since, but I was about 145 at the end of the summer (I don't even know, I was too embarrassed to even really look at the scale when I realized it was above 140). All of my clothes were starting to get too tight, and I was just unhappy. That, combined with some other life changes made me know it was time to really get serious about healthy living.

CyberEd312

We had cared for my wife and my parents from 1995 to 2000 (ran 3 house and both worked full time jobs) And in the course of a year and a half starting in june of 2000, we lost all of them (my folks died 6 months to the day apart) I shut down lost my faith and turned to food for comfort. I few months later I blew out my knee at work and spent several months trying to get back to work (drove truck/delivered beer for budweiser) but never could and had to give up my job.... after that I shut down. Spent the next several years eating myself to death. By may of 2009 I was all but homebound at 560 lbs. had not left the house in over 2 years and could barely walk from my recliner to the bathroom. My family was there but moving on without me (they had pretty much given up on me and was just waiting for me to die) and that was when I felt totally and utterly alone. The walls felt like they was closing in on me and I spent 3 days in my recliner literally deciding my fate. (yes that means exactly that, hand gun in hand) At the end of the third day my wife came home from work and I said the two words she had wait the better half of a decade to hear... "Help Me" so she took the next couple days off and we started the process of doctor visit, therapist, etc.... Even though I didn't have a clue of how I was going to do this (staring at having to lose 300+ lbs., I had given into the process and stop resisting and saying no to everything and started saying Yes!! It is never to late to change your path no matter how bleak you may think things are, there is always a way out. You just have to want it and then go for it!!

coppercurlz

I went to the doctor's with my 16 year old daughter and when she got on the scale she broke down into tears. She weighted 198 pounds. We decided that it was time to get back to the gym. When my husband and daughter went there to sign up the gentlemen who signed us up was a health coach. He encouraged us to try a trainer. That first trainer was what made the difference for us. Now the 3 of us train 2x a week and work out on our own another 4 times a week. My husband has lost 100 pounds, I have lost 92 pounds and my daughter has lost 50 pounds. We've tried many diets before, but this time we met the right people and that made all the difference. It's a year later now and we've never looked back. Our lives are totally different and so much better! My daughter has so much more confidence, it's amazing!

^----This is awesome. Thanks for sharing that.

annie_p

My wedding pictures. You're supposed to feel pretty on your wedding day, but I felt fat and ugly. Also, pictures from my friends baby shower. I looked awful, but at the time didn't feel like I looked too bad.