What finally made you get serious about losing weight?

familytime

At my age, I realized that I'm not getting any younger, and, in fact, I feel older than I should. When I would eat poorly I would have all sorts of aches and digestive problems. I'm not where I need to be yet, but after eating better the last few weeks, I've had less aches in my feet and legs, and my energy is returning. Life is too short to spend it regretting what you can actually change.


Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Nutrition Facts For Foods

MindyG150

For me it was the feeling that I wasn't putting my 100% into my marriage. I wasn't happy and it stemmed from me. Nothing fit and I felt like crap! I needed to feel better, I wanted to wear the clothes in my closet, I liked them. But in reality only about 30% of them came close to fitting.
MFP has been a God-Send! I get on at least 2-4 times a day, I check in with my food, read threads, and gain as much motivation as I can from others.
I don’t need to wear a bikini this summer, I don’t need to win a beauty contest, but I do want and need to feel good about myself.

On a side note, it took a lot for me to get started with the 30 Day Shred. I am on day 31, and tomorrow I will finally be moving to level 3. I guarantee if you get moving you will love yourself more, your boyfriend will be so proud of you and that my friend is a great feeleing.

M

Graciecny

Getting on the scale and having it said 165 pounds and not feeling good about buying clothes! Also, not having energy to play with my 3 munchkins!!

And for me, if I climbed on the scale and saw 165 I'd be dancing around the room in rapture! LOL!

Honestly, I found myself out of breath trying to talk on the phone and walk up a flight of stairs at the same time! That did it for me - I needed to get in better shape. So we joined the Y and I started going to the gym.

Finding MFP was the key, though. When I was looking around for advice on workouts someone in my shape could do, I found the app and went "wow, that looks do-able" and so I just did it. No decision, no setting a date, nothing but seeing a way that looked approachable and simple. I was totally befuddled trying to keep any kind of food diary, just wasn't gonna happen, but an app? THAT I can do.

buckystars

My father dying last year.

His death was not weight related, his lungs hardened and he went quickly, but it sparked something in me. I've always been overweight and have tried to lose weight so many times and then this happened. It shattered me and my family and I gained about 20 pounds in less than 2 months right after his death. I've always turned to food when I was depressed and this was the major tipping point for me. I know how easy it could be for me to give up and wallow in my depression over losing him but I kept thinking about what he would have wanted. I don't think he wants me eating my feelings and gaining major weight over his death.

I've signed up for a 5K and plan on doing a 10K in his honor in the fall that benefits the Lung Association. I think about him every day but especially when I'm at the gym because I'm doing this for him. It helps me run that extra distance and push harder on the weights.

A little sad but that's my reason.

Exna

I got diverticulitis , when my doctor told me he just looked at me and said " you are too young to be having this" -.- ... it was a pretty bad infection on my intestines that lead to have a colonoscopy ....at 26!!! they didn't find anything wrong ... BUT better alimentation and regular excercise would be the key to "keep things moving" and not have any other episode ...

Husband and I would like to start a family and I just want to be in the best shape of my life ... NOW and not after I have baby weight to loose :P ...

HollyTsab

I've thought about it for years but was never determined. Now, I'm smarter. I know what I truly like and don't so while I won't deprive myself I will make better choices. I think for me...I just finally reached my limit. In my head it was finally right.

supergirl6

Realizing I was too young to feel so broken. My right knee hurt all the time when I stood up, sat down, went up stairs. My feet hurt. My ankles hurt. My heart felt weird after eating my enormous dinners. I became lactose intolerant I remember thinking, I'm 32 year old and I should be able to do anything.

But I couldn't do anything because my body wouldn't let me.

That's what changed me. And while yes, I am concerned with losing the weight, my first priority has been to get stronger physically. After the first 3 weeks of weight lifting and cardio the pain in my knee, ankles, and feet went away entirely. That was enough to keep me on the path.

The weight loss has helped motivate me too :-) And after switching to organic dairy, all my lactose intolerance issues have disappeared too.

Muslimah1218

When I got on the scale and saw 203.6..... Also the fact that I have to lose weight to make it easier to ttc... Also I dont feel comfortable at this weight. As well as seeing my mom go through getting gastric bypass surgery, and said I dont want that to be ME...

monkeyriley

It was a combination of things. I went in for a physical and I found that my blood pressure and cholesterol were starting to move to the upper limits of normal. A couple of months later, I hurt my back. I did this before when I was 23 and bounced back, but now at 31, that did not happen. The Doctor said that I would have prevented this if a stronger core by working out and weighing less.

Finally, I saw what I looked like in photos and realized that my outsides did not match what my insides perceived. I looked at the guy that I was and didn't see the youthful, happy guy that I want to be.

At 31, I should still be a pseudo rock star. Not feel old.

Now after taking some weight off, I feel good. I still need to keep at this (I want to feel great), but the back pain is gone and some of the aches that I have had are much, much less. I have also seen my grocery bill go down as a result of this because I don't need as much food and the food that I am eating is not as processed. So it is a win-win!

WhittRak

I am going to admit this..on this site. I want to loose weight, well...because I know I could be better in the sack...and want to be more confident. I am tired of being the fat kid. I just got up one morning....and that was it..I made up my mind.

Akijade

I turned 30, and decided that I was not going to continue on being fat. I've seen my mom struggle with her weight all my life, and I watched my brother lose 80 lbs. It was sort of like seeing the two directions that my life could go. I could be overweight and unhappy, waiting for something to come along and magically fix it, or I could actually DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

Sitting around waiting doesn't do anything. So the choice seemed rather obvious.

Sullivanwilson

Over the last few years I was edging towards the upper end of my BMI and not feeling as comfortable in myself as I was used to feeling. Clothes didn't feel quite right, it wasn't as much fun being nekid etc. I didn't want the weight to keep creeping up so I decided to address it now when it was a small problem. I intend to stay serious about it and not let it get out of my control again. I'm back in the middle range and I already feel tons better, more like myself again.

We only go around once, and life is too full of amazing and wonderful opportunities and experiences to not feel your best. I hope that doesn't sound too corny.

Carolyn_79

I found myself so unhappy and actually turning down invitations because of how I felt about myself. I didn't want to live one more second feeling badly. I've only lost 12 pounds so far but it has made a huge difference in how I feel about myself. I also knew that if I continued eating the way I was that I was only going to get bigger and most certainly have health problems down the road. I'm fortunate that I'm in good health now and would like to keep it that way.

tlinval

I've always been overweight, but never had any problems until recently. My cholesterol was high, like scary-high. I'm only 37, and it scared me. Come to find out it was a bad test and my numbers weren't as high as initially reported, but the thought of it made me sick to my stomach. I have a great husband and 2 wonderful, young kids and a LOT of life to live!! I also want to take my kids to the beach. As it is right now, I don't have a swimsuit and can't find one in my size. I don't want to be a bikini model or anything, I just want to swim, play with my kids in the water, and have fun!! I've had way too many high school friends die already, and my dad died at 46 from cancer, so I really think about how joyous life is and I want to LIVE IT!!

PughTooFew

MOTIVATOR: Health scare and being TOTALLY ASHAMED going into hospital. :sick: I always thought of myself as 'the big girl' but had to take a serious step back and look at my life when I got Reactive Arthritis. I couldn't move without help, and when I got to hospital, they put me in a room with a WINCH in case I couldn't get in/out of bed because I was too heavy for staff to lift safely!! THAT WAS IT!! :sad:
I had to leave some time to recover fully before I could begin exercising but I'm on the road to weight loss now.
I was HORRIFIED to learn I'd crept into the Morbidly Obese category - I have two gorgeous kids and a loving husband that need me around - and so my first goal is to get out of it again! I'm almost there too!!
What I lacked before was a clear plan of what I could eat and what exercises to do, so I sat down and wrote a 'grocery' list of everything I liked to eat and was surprised how much of it I could still have on a healthy diet, in moderation of course. I'm still working on finding exercises to keep me interested and motivated, but it's still early days.
Good luck with your weight loss x :flowerforyou: x

seanwebster

I'd known for a long time I was "too big" but had been sort of lying to myself about how bad it was.

One of my favorite fast food places is right down the street from me. I went there two nights in a row for dinner. Guy at the drive-thru gave me a look the second night that sort of said "Dude. Really?"

I started the next day.

dlwyatt82

My wife is pregnant with our first child, due in June. Aside from being a better example in general, I want to be able to take the kid to a pool, or on a roller coaster, or whatever other things I haven't done in years due to my size and general poor self-image.

MindyG150

I am going to admit this..on this site. I want to loose weight, well...because I know I could be better in the sack...and want to be more confident. I am tired of being the fat kid. I just got up one morning....and that was it..I made up my mind.

Same here! Thanks for being honest.

Doesericsleep

For me, it was when my aunt past away. When we got the death certificate the cause of death just said "obesity".

WannaBeThin87

Thanks for all of your stories. I now realize that I don't have to do everything all at once. I can make little changes at a time. First, I think I will start by exercising.