What made you decide that its time to lose weight?

iamfranniefierce

That number on the scale in the dr's office, especially when I just got through saying I was 15 lbs lighter! #realitycheck

iamfranniefierce

That number on the scale in the dr's office, especially when I just got through saying I was 15 lbs lighter! #realitycheck

I'm happy to say that was March 1st and today, almost a month later, I am 17 lbs lighter...thanks to mfp!

JenniferA8974

Like a lot of women, I didn't think my weight was too bad. As another poster said, they still thought of themself with their college body. When I got married 16 years ago, I weighed 145 and could have stood losing about 10-15 pounds. Now, after 3 kids, I weigh 215. But my wake up call truelly came a few weeks ago when I went to the doctor for a simple UTI. They took my blood pressure and it was 219/118! Next thing I knew, I was being transported to the ER by ambulance and filled full of all sorts of drugs to get it down. I had my butt chewed by no less than 4 doctors/nurses that were amazed that I had not had a stroke! It has been difficult getting into the habit of eating better and remembering to exercise, but I am working hard.

iamfranniefierce

I had been logging my calories for several months and then came here to the boards. I saw pics of before and after of women. I had my hubby take frontal and back pic . OH MY! I didn't know my butt was so fat, dimpled, and saggy! I always thought "eh, I could lose a few pounds" but NEVER imagined my backside looked like that!

I know the feeling, LOL!

fguillory

caroldot

Health Reason: I turned 40 in January and decided I need to get serious about this health thing as it only gets harder as I get older.

Vanity Reason: I 'm 40 and will be sporting & LOOKING GOOD in a bikini this summer!!!!!

mizzfitnesss

Reading you all storys has giving me so much more motivation. I look forward to keeping in contact with you all so that I can stay motivated..

mizzfitnesss

I have that same Vanity Reason.... I will be 40 this summer and I want to be the BEST 40 I can be

rchupka87

For me - it was sitting in the Cardiac Care Unit - waiting to hear if my Dad had survived his 4th Heart Attack. As I was sitting there - they had the pamphlets laying around about how to prevent heart disease. Of the 7 top risk factors, I had 6 at that time. I was a walking time bomb - and something had to give.

Reeny1_8

So sorry to hear about the passing of your husband. For me I've always been on the curvy side till after I had kids and then there was no curvy about it I was overweight and unhappy! But still I didn't do anything about it. Last year my dad had 3 mini strokes and then had to have his Carotid artery cleaned out.Because of all the bad stuff he had eaten over the years the artery got 85% blocked. The carotid artery provIdes blood to your brain hence the mini strokes dad had. Seeing dad in the hospital after having his surgery was hard. The right side of his neck was swollen to the size of a grapefruit not to mention all the tubes/IV's they had in him. Heart problems run rapid in my dads side of the family and among his many brothers and sisters (he is 1 of 12) he is not the first to have needed this procedure. I don't want that to be me! So here I am like a lot of people here wanting to make a permanent lifestyle change

jess192001

I know how all of you feel, I decided to loose weight at the beginning of the year because I needed to do something for my health. I am 30 years old and I have been chubby all of my life but that is no excuse to let myself continue on this way. When I started to loose weight I was 5'3" and weighed 230 pounds. I now weigh 204 pounds and I am loving the change in myself and how I feel. I used to never work out or if I did it was walking the dog once a week. Now I work out just about everyday and it is usually for 2-3 hours each day. I took before pictures and I cant beleive that I let myself go that bad. I am wanting to get down to 160 pounds so I know that I have along way to go still but I know that I am not alone so I know that I can make it.

THINtense

I gained weight all through summer but it hadn't been bothering me enough to do anything about it...Then in September my boyfriend planned and went on a trip to Africa for a month! I was unhappy with my body anyway, so decided I may as well start dieting then without him as a major temptation/distraction!

heleflump

The hideous thing that was looking back at me from the mirror - not entirely sure I recognised it - but as I was the only person in the room at the time, I have to accept it was, indeed me!!

cardiokitten

My friend invited me to go to the gym with her, went once, loved it, and started to eat healthier as a result. I realized that from the first day I went to the gym it was about 6 months till bikini/skimpy clothes season so I set that as my goal to lose some weight and become healthier

moodymarble

I went to see the doc about getting on the waiting list for weight loss surgery in our province. He said I was too fat for it n would need to lose about 30 lbs to qualify for it! Who'da thunk? Too fat for weight loss surgery!!

Silver_Star

When i weighed myself one morning and saw a number i had never seen on that scale before...it scared me because i finally realised..it would just keep increasing if i didnt make it stop.

Also...i slowly found i couldnt fit into ANY of my clothes any more. That really did it for me.

jessicae1aine

I've got a lovely combination:

My mom's parents both died from heart disease, as did my dad. He was only 52. My older brother had a heart attack at 33. I've already got high cholesterol.

My fiance can wear my too-small pants.

I'm having problems with my SI joint and lower spine, so lessening to load on them can only help.

auticus

When I realized I couldn't date anymore and realized that I wanted to but before I could, I'd have to do something about the lack of physical attraction being fat afflicts.

crazyellybean

Feel free to add me.

What made me decide to do it... When I realized i was 3lbs away from 300lbs, and my Fertility Doctor told me that he could not even do treatment at my size because it would be a waste of money.

Jmstill300

My epiphany moment came on April 25, 2011 sitting at my desk at work. I'd been out of shape for a very long time and I knew if I didn't make a change, I was knocking on Death's door and, eventually, he would answer. I had sleep apnea, diabetes, trouble breathing, just to name a few symptoms. I'm not 100% sure what made me change, but I got halfway through a can of Pepsi (the last regular soda I've drank) and I realized, "I can't go on like this" and "Enough is enough". I also wanted to be there for my, now, 3 year old son. I didn't bring workout clothes with me that day, but I went down on my lunch and stepped on the scale and saw 351.0 lbs. Frankly, the number scared me alot! When I initially told my wife that I'm going to make the change this time, her response was "yeah, right" and rightfully so because I had tried (and failed) before with the diet and exercise routine. That night, I took a walk in the rain and I started taking workout clothes with me to work and the rest is history. 11 months and almost 154 lbs later (approximately 197 lbs), I'm happier and healthier than I've EVER been (as well as no diabetes, no trouble breathing, sleeping better, more energy, etc)! I actually weigh less now than I did as a freshman in high school! This was, by far, THE BEST DECISION I EVER MADE!!!

JimandLin

Photos. That did it.

Cadori

I had a baby girl in November and know that she will take so many of her body image cues from me so I wanted to be a positive role model for her.

KC4800

A year ago next month, I was in the hospital with kidney stones and weight over 270 lb. I just felt I was at a point in my life that I was going to deteriorate rapidly if I didn't do something soon. It took from May to September to join a gym and start exercising. Once I started, I knew I could do it.

Earlier this month I broke the 200 lb barrier. I started road cycling. I'd say I feel better than I ever felt but I'd be lying. After todays ride of nearly 50 miles, I'm a little tired.

My pants size has dropped 10 inches 44 to 34. I am proud of what I have accomplished in this short time. I am thinking with continued cycling, I'll be at my goal weight of 185 by the end of summer.

rcpayton

My wake up call happened nearly 2 years ago when my parents were both having major medical issues. My father needed surgery but the doctors told him he was too high of a risk to do surgery because of his weight. That's when I decided that I dont ever want to be in a life threatening situation but cant get medical care because of something I did to myself! Between them, they have high blood pressure, diabetes, thyroid issues, and various cancers....I will do anything to avoid those things being in my future. The best thing I ever did was accept my responsibility for my own future and health. After 20+ years of weight gain/loss, its a wonderful feeling to know that Im in control...thank goodness for the wake up call!

rcpayton

I had a baby girl in November and know that she will take so many of her body image cues from me so I wanted to be a positive role model for her.

That is a great gift for your daughter! A healthy mom and a great role model!

kalikelli

Was unhappy with myself and the fact I hated to be in any pictures so missed out on a lot of memories I could look at in the future due to being unhappy.

1979rrh

I always wanted and tried half *kitten*-ed to lose weight. I would get to 5 lbs be excited and celebrate with a burger and fries... and so on.This past December I was out at Christmas party that we have with the same group of friends each year and after a few drinks and comparing how much we each gained/lost the past year we decided to begin a Facebook group to lose weight. I wanted to do this for me, but I also didn't want to look like a failure among the other girls... So I thought, this is the time and need to make a change. A dear friend who is a fitness couch and was also one of the girls that agreed to do this group, had volunteered her time to help us out. I thought, wow a FREE fitness couch, I better take advantage of this. So after almost 3 months I am down 29 pounds and loving it!!

juliefought

My boyfriend and I are the "old" ones among our friends. I am 44 and he is 41 and our best friends are 29 and 23. Well, we are the fat ones too!!! We go out with many couples in groups and we take group pics. I am tired of being the fat old lady in the pics. While I still feel 24, I sure look like a fat 44 yr old lady. Since, I got with my boyfriend, I have gained 50 lbs of the 70 lbs, I had lost right before we started dating. Its all due to diet and my sedentary job. Around New Year's, we took a pic and I saw a chubby faced version of the woman I see in the mirror! That was it! I knew it was time. 2 weeks ago, I had enough. Since then, I have lost 10lbs and don't plan to stop til I can wear a size 12/14 pair of jeans. I wear an 18 right now, so I have a lot of work ahead of me!!

Maybe then, my body will look more like a healthy 24 yr old to match the mental age that I feel!!!!

matchbox_girl

I've always, always struggled with weight. I love food, hate exercise....worst thing EVER. I'm twenty one years old and I've struggled with yo yo diets and not eating for years. I'd fast in high school and lose water weight and gain it back and do it again....

When I got to college I started drinking more. So there of course was beer and liquor on top of a general college student died: mac 'n cheese, ramen, cereal, etc. I gained the Freshman 15 and then some!

When I started dating the love of my life six months ago, things went even more downhill from there. I wasn't drinking hardly as much anymore, but we were eating fast food like it was going out of style! Usually for lunch and dinner! And you can't forget a midnight snack of chocolate cake, cereal, etc.

Just recently I looked in the mirror and realized I'd never looked this heavy. My man loves me no matter what, but I realized that *I* wanted to love me, too. So on March 21, 2012 I put in a cardio DVD and was so ashamed of myself....I could hardly make it through! Well, it's time to change.

1979rrh

lol, I ment to write fitness COACH... not couch!!