What was the moment you realized you needed to lose weight?

oceanmistcali

I didn't always struggle with my weight but when I was 14 years old life got turned upside down when my dad was diagnosed with brain cancer and any free time I had was spent taking care of him so my mom could have a break. I used to be very active outside in sports but that changed when my dad got sick . We had to take many hospital trips for his cancer. in 9th grade my mom thought I needed some stability so we moved in with my uncle and her plan was for me to go to school my 9th grade year so I can complete one whole year of school. 3 weeks into my 9th grade year my dad died. on top of that my mom said we were moving. rather than express my inward feelings I used food and before I knew it my once 5"4 inches tall and 125 pound frame became 5"4 inches tall and 250 pounds.

What got me to losing weight was seeing how I could not be active very long outside because I was very obese and out of shape. Sports has always been a part of who I was. I wanted to return to that young lady I used to be. so I began to do 5 K. my first one was 12 weeks and I went from a size 24 down to a size 18W. my second one I went from a size 18W down to a size 16 where I am now. working my way to the finish line

LaGordis29

I love taking pictures and capturing the moment. Well all of the sudden I realize that I wasn't looking at the mirror as much. One day I looked at a picture that my niece had taken from a graduation and I looked so big:( I couldn't believe it. On top of that my energy level is so down it is unreal. I'm best known in the family for attempting to diet every week and fall off the wagon. So no one believes me anymore. But this time I'm sticking to it, for sure:) I read so many success stories, I hope to be one of them soon and I can't wait to see my transformation. "mom on a mission"

happycass89

I was really thin only a year ago. Not just thin, but also had some muscle tone and felt great all the time. My husband and I got married and we fell into a routine of working 40 hours a week, going to classes to finish up degrees and going out to eat most of the time. I started to not fit into clothes and I didn't even make excuses, I knew it was because I was gaining weight. I complained about feeling fat all the time, but didn't do anything about it at all.

As I started getting bigger in our first year of marriage, it seemed everyone around me was getting smaller. My two best friends just all the sudden lost 10-20 pounds and were wearing tiny sizes. My sister (who has been an avid member of this site for a while) has now lost 26 pounds...soooo proud of her ... I think my moment was when I went shopping with my friends, they were having trouble figuring out what size they should get for their new bodies, the clothes they were picking were too big. Meanwhile I was trying to figure out what new large size I needed.

I want my next shopping trip with them to be a better experience.

michellechawner

2007 - It first hit me on our family vacation in Hawaii - my aunt and uncle were getting married so the whole family went out and we went in the helicopter to get a tour of the islands... They weighed me and I told them to check again because their scale was a lying piece of crap. 162. I figured nah, i'm not fat, it was just wrong.

2009 - My best friend is getting married and I am the maid of honor - the dress store told me it was UK sizing. I knew I was a size 8 in American sizing. I was a 12 in UK (Oh and the others in the party?)

Bride - size 8
Bridesmaid 1 - size 2
Bridesmaid 2 - size 6
CHUNKY ME - size 12

2011 - when I got serious because I was about to make a career change. Can't be a police officer and be fat (Was 167 at this point). I lost 40 pounds. Found out no matter how hard I try, because of a medical condition, I cannot be a police officer. I was diagnosed with Moderate FMS (Fibromyalgia) in 2012. Had to get a desk job, because I was no longer allowed to work as a county certified EMT because of the Fibro. So I got myself a nice little desk job and I love my work... but being in constant pain makes exercise hard, and so the weight came back on...

3/2013 - I was 142 when I started here AGAIN (I had used it before when I was really heavy, but didn't use it like I do today). I wasn't about to let my condition make me heavy, nor was I going to use it as an excuse to hide behind so I could "let myself go".

Today - I'm 127 and I can eat a good amount of calories still, and sometimes I do splurge. I just need to keep the weight in check!

babylemonade

When I got on the scale at the doctor and saw that I had gained back the 60 lbs I lost, plus 10 more.

What made it worse was that I had already planned on this before actually seeing the doctor who quickly jumped into a 40 minute lecture full of shaming and condescending to me about my weight. I was only there for a prescription refill (for hypothyroidism which makes it even more of a battle to lose weight). So I had to sit there and listen to him tell me I need Overeater's Anonymous for almost an hour before he sent me on my way with my prescription in tears. It was awful.