What Made You Quit the First Time and Start Again?

cspong

Huh, some really interesting answers Thanks guys

duhblond

Not losing weight - seems no matter what I do (and I'm talking dealing with nutritionist, doctors and such like) I can not get to the weight I want, I'm always told the same thing and I get tired of hearing it and lose heart.
I know to workout for eternal strength is important too, but I guess I'm shallow that I want to hit my goal weight as well lol
So here's to another try with a different approach and maybe it will work :P

Hope you don't hit the stop restart point
Best of luck to you on your journey

Aeriesified

First time was because my self esteem was already being walked all over by my then-boyfriend, and I felt like I deserved it. So I gave up and just kept eating, because it wasn't like he'd stop if I got skinny anyway.

simplyshannal

I have started and stopped a few times. I think it comes down to cravings and for some our health. I have a massive thyroid issue (TSH around 17) and I suck at taking my meds so it is mostly my fault. It comes down to the determination to make the change and just do it. Now, even if I have a bad day, I realize that tomorrow is a new day and I start all over again. You never really give up.

dilleight

First time, final exams at university. Second time there was a takeover at work. Third time too many "special occasions". Fourth time, work.

Sheriemae

I quit smoking. I ate a ton of crap, wanted to sleep all day, and just didn't feel like doing crap. So I pretty much got lazy! Looking at pictures is what got me back into it. I must say that I feel much better already.

patiencexgracexstrength

I stopped the first time because I came very close to / pretty much did develop an eating disorder from obsessing too much about food.

I decided being skinny wasn't worth being miserable or isolating myself or ruining relationships with bfs/family and friends for.

Then I gained it ALL back and decided I needed to lose again but am trying very hard to maintain a healthy relationship with food whilst doing it (which sometimes I fail at, sometimes I do well) .. weight is less of a priority this time despite weight loss being an ultimate goal.

I was happier being skinny than being fat, but I pretty much sacraficed my health and my relationships for it and that's not worth it.

Kimmer2011

Not just the first time, but the first and second times. I lost a ton, got about to where I am now, and just gradually lost motivation and gained it all back, plus some. I never did fad or quick fix diets, and considered it a lifestyle change, but didn't stick to it for maintenance. I remember trying to lose again in the meantime, but just didn't have my head where it needed to be.

This is my biggest worry--that I'll gradually let those old habits come back AGAIN. I know that I need to take care of myself forever and not let go ever again.

Brinasacat

I wrecked my knee, had surgery, slow recovery, and continued to eat like I was exercising regularly through it all.

Jeff0416

I saw the Charles Barkley commercial about Weight Watchers for Men. I tried it for a bit and did not have any luck. The eat all the fruit in moderation you want was just too tempting for me. No will power lol. I actually gained weight. Much better results with MFP for me so far.

Peta22

I was doing MFP for 5mths first time and I lost 10kg in that time... Then I was away from home for 3wks and had little to no control over my diet - things started to go downhill... Then holidays, then xmas/new year, hen more holidays ect... Even after 5mths, I was surprised how quick the weight came back and how easily I slipped back into bad habits : /

However, I wasn't active on the website then so I didn't have the support I have now. It helps keep me focused when I know ppl are watching!!

SorchaRavenlock

First time,I stopped because I reached my goal weight.
"Nice," I thought, "now I can start eating normally again". So I stopped counting, and started eating. And slowly more and more bad eating habits crept their way back into my diet again. And then I got lazy with exercising because I never was fond of it in the first place.

Slowly, the weight built up again and my clothes got tighter. "Fine," I told myself, "I'll start losing that weight again, I've done it before, right? But I'll do it tomorrow because I can't be bothered today"
And tomorrow became next monday, next week, once the weather clears up, after the summer holidays... while the weight piled up and up until I was bigger then where I started.

At that point I told myself "See, dieting doesn't work. Obviously I'm meant to be fat. Woe is me!" And I ate some more because I felt sorry for myself.
In the end I got fed up with being fat, lazy and feeling sorry for myself, and joined here. I know I can lose the weight again, I did it before. For me the hard thing is keeping it off.

What I'm planning to do different this time is to not stop logging once I reach my goal weight, but to log for at least a year at maintenance to get the hang of eating properly. I'm also planning on adding more exercise to my routine. The first time I lost weight I barely exercised, and with hindsight the last few pounds were really hard to lose because I could eat so little.
I love my food, so this time, rather then eating less I'll exercise more so I can keep having my treats and nice meals every now and again.
I'm also making it my goal to find exercise I like so I'll do it for fun rather then because I have to, and that way I'll keep doing it.

stayxtrue

I found this app and used it for ages, but i never had the online community part of it and just stopped using it.

For some reason i decided to try this online and did for a while but never used the community aspect... But once I did thats when everything changed and I got a lot more serious about all of this!

Now I would say my whole love revolves around fitness and eating right, which is both a good and bad thing

thriftycupl

For me, it's always been about instant gratification. If there wasn't an instant success, then I would quit. I always forgot that this is a journey and not a destination. This time, I'm working on changing my mind set and doing it for me (instead of for everyone else).

thriftycupl

I found this app and used it for ages, but i never had the online community part of it and just stopped using it.

For some reason i decided to try this online and did for a while but never used the community aspect... But once I did thats when everything changed and I got a lot more serious about all of this!

Now I would say my whole love revolves around fitness and eating right, which is both a good and bad thing

And this community is awesome. Full of people trying to do the same thing. I started on my own because I needed to know I could do it without the help. Now the support of others and providing support is what keeps me going.

danielpinkney

Went from 16st 7 to 11st 13 about 8 years ago. Met a girl, settled down, had 2 kids and comfortable living ensued. Gym stopped, takeaways and eating out increased. Got back up to 16st 7lb late last year. Missus left me in Oct 2011 and within a week was seeing someone else. I moved back to Mum's and the situation gave me the kick up the backside to build a new healthy lifestyle and start my fitness routines again. Got down to 12st 5 in last 6 months, and no chance of going back (despite stress causing the odd blowout). On a mission to become a PT/Nutritional advisor and be fit/healthy for my two wonderful children.

cspong

Went from 16st 7 to 11st 13 about 8 years ago. Met a girl, settled down, had 2 kids and comfortable living ensued. Gym stopped, takeaways and eating out increased. Got back up to 16st 7lb late last year. Missus left me in Oct 2011 and within a week was seeing someone else. I moved back to Mum's and the situation gave me the kick up the backside to build a new healthy lifestyle and start my fitness routines again. Got down to 12st 5 in last 6 months, and no chance of going back (despite stress causing the odd blowout). On a mission to become a PT/Nutritional advisor and be fit/healthy for my two wonderful children.

Aw, wow. I totally know about letting yourself go after getting married and having kids lol!! I'm so sorry about the rest though SUPER proud of you for picking yourself up and pushing through.

My daughter is my main inspiration too, I don't want to be a bad influence on her and have her grow up "the fat kid" like I did.

Good for you!!

WaterBunnie

I lost about 7 stone a decade ago and then found a breast lump (which proved to be benign) but for a few weeks the stress of that took over my life and I think I associated finding it with being slimmer and I went off the rails and gradually put it all back on but have just got under the weight I was when I started that original campaign of weight loss so feel enthused to do it all again. Doing a lot more exercise this time too!

cspong

bump

Sandytoes71

Bump

ForMyTomorrow

Same as many above. Cheat day turns in to a weekend then month. Seem to do better when I don't diet to extremes. Like when I mess up on a day I can end up eating way too much that day and the its hard to start back the next. I do well consistently when I change my habits of eating rather than I'm on a diet today but not the next.

vixtris

I have tried losing a couple times, but not putting forth 100%. I did not use any sort of apps or sites to help me though, which I think is very critical in my journey now. I quit after about 2 weeks of seeing no results and returning to me usual ways. I know I did not give it enough time then, but even then, I still do not think I would have seen much results without the knowledge and tools that I have now.

quiltlovinlisa

Three boys in 19 months. My middle son was a year and then I had a high risk twin pregnancy, and they came early. Then there was a couple of years with less then four hours sleep a night. It was survival only at my house.

Really, I highly doubt that my reasons for going off track would happen to many people.

LG61820

I'm older than most of you so have had more time to make dumb mistakes with food and fitness. I have been successful in the past with extreme calorie restriction, but once I went back to regular eating I had no control. The things I prefer are all empty calories, fat & sodium-laden.

Emotions play a big role for me. An unhappy family life gave me little motivation to lose weight. However, around time for a birthday ending in 0 I went on some wacky diet of my own devising and lost more weight than ever. I decided to leave the unhappy situation. I did pretty good at maintaining for a few years.

Your well-meaning friends and co-workers will try to sabotage you (maybe they're not so well-meaning) They will constantly say stuff like "life's short - eat some" or "There's no reason you can't have one"(when you know that you will have to have more than "one" and may binge the whole weekend behind "one" of anything. My trigger may be potato chips, you know what your trigger is.

At any rate, I maintained ok for awhile then a little weight started creeping on, but folks assured me that I had lost too much to begin with. . . then I quit smoking in 2009. No matter that I thought I was prepared for appetite problems I gained some weight.

I joined MFP in 2011. I wasn't really losing, I was fudging on my diaries (still do sometimes) and I had a grandchild come & live with me. I quit logging into MFP. Battle lost at that point. I have gained 13 additional pounds since 2011 when I was so concerned about my weight!

If you allow anyone to control your eating, success will be difficult. I am angry with some family members. I have allowed myself to eat a lot of potato chips behind that anger. I am trying to learn to express it instead of eat it, but sometimes I think I need fatty food and/or liquor to make everything better.

Good luck to you. I believe that if you change your mind you can change your body. We'll see. I enjoyed being "skinny" much more than being "fat"! I am now coming up on the next birthday ending in "0". I hope to be at a healthy weight by then and better able to maintain.

Junebugsc

which first time? there's been several. last first time it was because i hit a goal and got sloppy. one cheat meal turns into a day, turns into a week, turns into a month, etc.

This ^^^^ except I didn't hit goal! I just got lazy and quit tracking and pre-planning.

andie2013

School and now I'm trying to get back to MFP

sigsby

I quit smoking and didn't want the stress of dieting on top of that. This sunday is one month smoke free. I have since started to run and am starting to watch what I eat again. I was down 25 pounds and I am still down 10 pounds. So, I am still better than I was when I started. Right?

drvvork

I was close to my ultimate weight goal but was happy where I was - I did well but then I moved and got out of habit of logging. I was able to keep my weight down until I found out my daughter was in her last stages of ALS. That killed me inside and my focus went to her with no concerns to me. I gained and now since my sweet young one has passed away I decided she would be ticked if I didn't take care of myself - I'm re-finding myself, emotionally, spiritually, and physically.

AlliBarlik

I stopped because I just got lazy. Pure and simple. I stopped watching what I ate and didn't really care. I had lost a good bit of weight but I gained all it back and a couple more.
A month ago I was diagnosed with diabetes. Not good. So to prevent (and to turn that diagnosis around!!) I have watched what goes in my mouth. I'm not perfect, but I'm really watching my carbs/sugars. I'm struggling with watching fats and sodium, so I hope to use MFP to help me and motivate me.

chicanita91

one cheat meal turns into a day, turns into a week, turns into a month, etc.

definitely this!