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

Graciecny

What did it for me was climbing on the scale and seeing a century I had never seen before. This was fully clothed and late in the day, but still - tipping into the 200's was not something I was willing to do! :noway: If that wasn't my tipping point, what would it be, the next hundred? KWIM? I had to draw a line, and that was IT.

I started working out the next day and reading up on watching calories/weight. I found MFP a week later and couldn't be happier. This has been the easiest way imaginable to follow my caloric intake - I couldn't imagine keeping a food diary, but give me an app for my phone and I'm good to go! Never mind that it's the same in principle. :laugh:

Thank you to at the previous posters for sharing your stories - it is definitely inspirational to hear how you've all decided to change your lives. :flowerforyou:

Michelle_Nicole

The moment for me was when more then 3 customers thought I was pregnant and bought me congrats cards. That and I was almost the same weight as my BF who is 6'3.

McMeggers

Ive been big my whole life but i think my big moment was when my mom suddenly died out of the blue , i put on 40 pounds after she died because i didnt want to feel anything and just like every other time in my life food was there for me . My mother had diabetes and my father who is still alive also has diabetes, i at present time do not ( thank god) and im trying to keep it that way

dieseljay74

I saw myself in some pictures and couldnt believe it. That was all it took for me

jdm120

I put on my jeans and they ripped at the seams

BEAUTIFULbyB

I was doing makeup for a photographer and he asked me what build the client had... and I (not trying to be rude) responded that she was "chunky"... and he said "well, what do you consider as chunky? because you could be considered as chunky." It just bothered me so much to actually hear that... and made me take a look at myself!!! @BeautifulbyB

ChristinelovesCraig

When we went to Disney last November, MH took a picture of me in my bathing suit and I wanted to cry.

Also, I was on TV and I watched myself and I couldn't believe it was me. You could only see me for about 3 seconds but those three seconds were horrid. I had five chins and my stomach was sticking out. The next day I joined MFP.

awidener86

One morning I was getting dressed and pulled up my pair of jeans and my belt loop ripped! I looked in the mirror and realized I really needed a change. Soo here I am on MFP.

Share your story! When was that "Ah-Ha!" moment that made you realize you needed to change?

The belt loop thing happened to me a couple months ago. But I was looking at pictures and all I could think to myself was "EWW When did I put this weight back on?!"

GurleyGirl524

When we moved into a new house and the bathroom mirror is directly across from the shower. YIKES!!

chergarr73

You know, I was very unhappy with my appearance, but for some reason that alone could never reduce me to an aha moment...my aha moment came when a dear friend of mine, who is only a few years older than me (she is 41) had a stroke. While she was heavier than me, it was a wake up call. Funny how day to day we feel kind of immortal. When she had her stroke, I couldn't help but think "it could have been me". That day, I got serious about my HEALTH...and I haven't looked back.

kendrafallon

I used to listen to BBC Radio 1 regularly first thing in the morning in the car on the way into work. It was hearing Chris Moyles the Breakfast Show DJ go on about how much he weighed and smoked. I remember my eyes widening at the time at both, because I was smoking the same amount (per day) at the time and at the weight he claimed to be (18st or 252lbs). When I got home weighed myself and found, I weighed nearly the same as he did - not quite 18st but close enough. That was all the incentive I needed to at least get started!

I lost the first couple of stones in weight faily easily, but once I packed up the smoking I struggled with the weight. If I'm honest I made one excuse after another as to why the weight wasn't coming off. But it's been nearly 2 years since I packed up the smokes and the only reason I've not gotten to goal yet is me. So here's to the a-ha moment!!

Brandongood

When I recieved an adverse performance report in the Marine Corps for being outside of height and weight standards. I was so fat I couldnt even button the top button of my uniform.

hlandry6

Being asked if I was expecting and needed bigger size pants

Jen_ht

One morning I was getting dressed and pulled up my pair of jeans and my belt loop ripped! I looked in the mirror and realized I really needed a change. Soo here I am on MFP.

Share your story! When was that "Ah-Ha!" moment that made you realize you needed to change?

SAME!

That and my mum is pretty brutally honest about how much weight I've gained since I was younger (think 4 years ago). And pictures of my friends who suddenly seemed all much much skinnier than me My friends at work had a different tap and track app for iPhone, but I have Android and found this to be even better - and more social

MrsBlobs

Recently...feeling like I'm about to die when trying to tie up my boots. If I can breath at all it's only in little shallow puffs and that was only last week. Last August was seeing a pic of me looking huge! I looked like a blob, hence my name and had the same amount of flab poking out of my back as I did my front. That did it.

echoica

I was having a hard time walking any sort of distance :blushing: and was having a harder time finding nice clothes for work even in plus sizes! i was also having a lot of pain and bloating in my feet

mrsbastone

I didn't have one "Aha" moment. I knew I was gaining weight. A few things triggered me.. First my mom wrote me an email saying how concerned she was about me. Two I no longer had any clothes that actually fit me. When I had to buy a size 20and it was really tight, I knew I had to do something. I was at a cross roads in my life. There were two options, become extremely overweight and most likely never recover or take control of my life and be an example for my girls. Thank God I took control!! My life is incredible now )

HarpingOn

Reaching 40, and with a young son made me buck my ideas up. By the time he's a mid teenager, I'll be into my 50s, and weight loss is never easier as you get older. I can now run back to back 10ks, and I tire the lad (4yo) out when running, playing hard outdoors, and I don't feel it.

Hopefully this means I can be much more active with him for much longer. As you can see from my banner, I had a lot to get off.

Oddly, I'm now just below the weight I was when I got married, back in '94.

I'm really happy with my progress now. My badminton has improved massively, I still have all the shots in the bag, but now I'm much more mobile, and in the best form of my life.

Wish I'd done it sooner.

In fact no. Wish I'd never let myself go so badly, but that was a drifting thing. I'm not going to drift again.

It's so enjoyable being fit and (I assume) healthy, and being able to buy normal sized clothes. Even fitted T-Shirts. (or perhaps, 40 is too old to be wearing fitted Tees!).

Anyway. That was it. Last august on holiday when being totally out-puffed by a four year old.

jentaylor412

My re-awaking moment came last week after I was in my kitchen complaining that I needed to lose weight upset with myself and to cheer me up my 5 year old said you're not fat mom...you're just gonna have another baby soon. I wanted to cry.

Christina_3192

I stepped on the scale and saw 160
It terrified me because I went to college weighing 125 pounds, cholesterol issues solved, feeling great.

Seeing how bad it had gotten was enough to make me go "oh poop!"

Down to 146, and getting closer to the goal

I still have little "ah" moments when I have pictures taken with friends.

YcatsFursworth

it was right after Christmas and I was putting on the same kind of outfit I always wear and just saw it didn't fit as well as it had a few months back. so I striped down and looked in a mirror... all I could think was "EW!!!! how could my husband find THAT attractive?" so I got out the scale and was shocked to see I had almost gotten back up the the weight I was two years before (I had lost 50 lbs after my wedding). 230 was the highest I ever stepped on the scale during though I know at one point I was higher then that. I've been as low as 175 and loved it! but I normally hang out in the 190s. I was so socked to see I was 215! I about cried!

So now? I'm viewing this as my last shot. not more dieting on and off and quitting... I see this as my last chance to get fit. 2013 WILL see me around 150. if I don't do it now I never will so I'm doing it now! there is no more IF. it's WHEN.

SilviCor

I had always thought that I had a cute face despite my fat body. But one day, I saw a picture of my face taken at a party, and I didn't think I looked cute any more. I looked puffy, bloated and tired (which is how I felt). That was the day I decided that I wanted to feel good about myself again.

MelissR75

"Congratulations! How far along are you"?

I was devistated!!!!!!!!!!

rrcaudill

There are 3 things...1. I still saw myself as 125 pounds and size 6, but pictures showed otherwise. I couldn't believe it was me. 2. When I had to buy new clothes because NOTHING fit me anymore and I was buying XL shirts in the Women's section!! I had just bought L in Juniors 2 years before that when my oldest son was 2. I had 2 more kids within those 2 years, but it was unacceptable to me. 3. My oldest son tells me that I need to have another baby so my belly will go away. That made me realize how he sees me and broke my heart that I had let him down.

pjsmom2010

I gained 40 lbs during my pregnancy. I breast feed for 4 months so by my 3rd month I was down 30 lbs and thought I was doing great. Well, once I stopped breastfeeding the pounds piled right back on and then some. My highest weight was 214 lbs before I delivered. I went down to 186. Well my AHA moment came when I stepped on the scale last July and I had hit 200 lbs. That was dangerously close to heaviest weight! I decided that I NEEDED to do something. I joined MFP in January and I'm down 18.5 lbs!!!

DaBossLady24

When I realized that my girlfriend who is a little taller and much leaner than I am went on the 17 day diet last summer and I realized that I looked like a miniature beluga whale beside her...

Then most of the family members I know are having health related issues because of poor eating habits and unhealthy, sedentary lifestyles.

My muffin top also was getting outrageous post my freshman 15 which turned into a freshman 50. I couldn't take it anymore and started working out like a beast at the beginning of the year so I can go to the doctor without him saying "oh, well this can't be right since last time..." :grumble: :noway:

Monda

My moment came when me and my family went to the lake for a week. We were taking the boat out and I remember not wanting to step on it because I did not want it to sink in. But, I did and the boat sunk down. I was so embarrassed in front of my kids and my husband. We have a pontoon, so it is pretty big. I weighed 250 pounds at the time. I sat in 1 spot the whole time. Afraid. To move. My husband came over to me and put his arm around me and I just cried. It was then I realized he could not even embrace me, because I had gotten so overweight. When we came home, I decided it was time for a change. I lost 38 pounds. But gained some back when my sweet Mama died. I am just now getting back into losing. This is not just a journey for me. This is my life. I will get this weight off.

yogiisi

When a close friend who was about the same age died. She was like me and was to "busy" to take care of herself. Love ya Charlotte!

ElHombre23

When I hit 266lbs was diagonosed with Hypothyroid and put on Blood Pressure meds.... #timeforchangewasnow

meemo88

a guy that i met up for a first date told me that " he wasn't into big girls" :sad: :explode: