What motivated you?

You know, yesterday when I was cleaning my car... I was thinking if I could find one thing that motivated me to lose weight... I remembered what it was for me... I was buying cigarettes (yuck!) and NyQuil (I was sick!) and the cashier asked me for my ID. I got my driver's license out and the cashier refused to sell either item to me because I didn't look like my ID. I was about 90 lbs lighter in my picture on my license. It was heartbreaking. Shortly after I started MFP and haven't looked back. I probably complained about that cashier for a week, knowing exactly WHY I was denied. I looked absolutely nothing like my picture on my drivers license!

Was there one thing or defining moment that motivated you? What was it?

Replies

  • Urzu07
    Urzu07 Posts: 39
    What mainly motivates me is that every week that I train my body, and have proper nutrition along, is that I grow a little bit stronger each week. I enjoy looking at the mirror, and seeing the results of my progress, and how nutrition plays such a crucial role in determining how I look and feel. I enjoy being noticed for my work, and get compliments here and there, which further motivates me to continue the lifestyle. Overall, my motivation comes from within, and that is the desire to always become better as time goes by, and not have regrets as to how my physique could have looked liked if I did this or that had I taken my time and focused on it.
  • jollycathy
    jollycathy Posts: 15
    My 4 year old daughter was running around taking pictures with a camera. When she filled the whole thing up I put them on the computer for a slide show to surprise her. They were adorable and innocent, she litterally took pictures of everything inch by inch. Then came the pictures of mommy, I saw myself, my whole self sitting on the couch, she took pictures of me from every angle. My eyes were open to how big I really am. I went to the bathroom and cried. That was my moment and since then I have lost 3 pounds, lol I know that may not sound impressive but I have only been here a week. Some of my incredible mfp friends told me to keep those pictures, and I have ;) they motivate me and my beautiful little photographer daughter motivates me everyday!
  • 77tes
    77tes Posts: 8,507 Member
    It was a photo that motivated me. At my grandaughter's baptism I got a bunch of photos of me standing next to my slim hubby trying to hide behind an 8 lb baby. Not a pleasant sight!

    OP, I just had someone check my ID and say, "Wow, you've lost a lot of weight!" Now, THAT felt good!
  • mikeschratz
    mikeschratz Posts: 253 Member
    The Health people at work came around with this little game like device that you hold onto and it tells you your fitness level. My BMI was in the area of 36! The lady that gave me the test looked really alarmed and told me to see a doctor about my weight. I didn't need to see a doctor about my weight, he was going to tell me what I already knew! I am obese!
    The very next day I joined MFP and did what y'all have told me to do. I have lost 42 lbs, am down in the 29.19 BMI and a striving to be 18 % BF. Your posts of how to eat, what to eat, what not to eat have been my lifeline since joining. I have been taken off my cholestral medicine, taken off my acid reflux medicine and have been ruled healthy by my doctor. I still have a ways to go though.
    Thanks to all for the help in doing this.
  • BobbyDAGLEY
    BobbyDAGLEY Posts: 300
    I know what motivated me, I was taking a mediacal 1st responder course at a neighboring fire dept, we were doing senario'sn't , the instructor kept using me as one of his victim's because I was the biggest student, which started to irratate me, later that evening, we were doing lifting techniques, I ripped the crotch out of my pants, at the end of the night on our way home, I stopped at our local Walmart to buy a new pair of pants, It took me 45 mins on a friday night to find a pair of jeans with a size 46 waist, I was quite upset at myself for letting myself to get so big, thats when I decided that it was time to lose weight, that way clothing sizes wouldn't be an issue, and I would'nt be peoples test subject anymore because of my size !
  • matchbox_girl
    matchbox_girl Posts: 535 Member
    That my old "fat clothes" were actually looking too small on me! Also, one day I put in a workout DVD just for kicks and giggles and it killed me....didn't realize how bad it had gotten. When I see pictures, i am appalled.....I just want to look good!

    Oh yeah, when we have our first kid, I totally want a baby belly that's not hidden by layers of fat. Sometimes I tease my boyfriend, "No would would even know I was pregnant until the kid popped out nine months later."
    Haha :)
  • CountryMom03
    CountryMom03 Posts: 258 Member
    My motivational moment was when one day I was shaving my legs and realized that I no longer could see to shave or get to my upper thigh area because of all my flab and rolls on my stomach. I would try to smush in the fat or push it off to the side so I could see but it just didnt work:( I cried! Thats when I knew that somehow I had to change, I had to loose weight one way or another.

    Pictures were also a biggy, I no longer liked being photographed because it showed all my fat, then when the shaving incident happened, that was just it for me.
  • GAsoulstar
    GAsoulstar Posts: 84 Member
    What motivated me was: High Blood Pressure, High Cholesterol, allergies, asthma, and CKD. I don't openly talk about my ailments because I don't like people feeling sorry for me. I don't let my ailment control me, because they are controllable. Everyday is challenging to me, because I am working daily to be better today than I was yesterday. Everything in life starts with self-motivation and being in control of your life. I love life too much not to do the right things and plus I love having fun and smiling. I love making ours laugh as well.
  • glenbabe
    glenbabe Posts: 303 Member
    I knew I was Fat and unhealthy ....every part of my body ached and I had no energy whatsoever....I thought at my age that dieting would be beyond me as I Thought I was past bothering about.My sons partner was lisening to me moaning about how I hated myself as this Fat thing and how I could not do it on my own or afford to join a slimming club as I had done when I was younger....besides they only get you there and do not really help with maintenance which is my problem really.She showed me MFP and said try it ....I have not looked back it is wonderful to be light again and after I lose this last 6 pounds I click the settings to maintenance and the worlds my oyster...I am such a happy bunny LOL :wink: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
  • krinio
    krinio Posts: 138 Member
    I swam with dolphins on holiday in portugal, but cried when I saw the pictures. It was something I've always dreamt of doing and I'd spent my whole life dreaming about what those pictures would look like...but when I saw them I felt like a whale. One of the most heart-breaking moments of my life! Sounds so silly, but I feel so ashamed to show them to people. :blushing:

    So I said to myself, when I reach my GW i'm gonna go back and get the beautiful happy healthy pictures that i imagined, and then they can be my before and after pictures! :)
    I got halfway to my GW on here before, I just need to show a bit more commitment this time! :drinker:
  • CarrieMyPhilos
    CarrieMyPhilos Posts: 38 Member
    I've started to realize that I'm the "fat friend" of our group. I had some other friends who were bigger than me, but they went on fitness kicks and got fit! I'm tired of looking at our pictures from the night before and seeing myself with all of my pretty, fit friends. I want to be one of them!
  • I thought I looked pretty when I was at a wedding reception, and was pretty excited to see the professional photos of me and my friends. HAHAHAHA, wow. Wasn't quite so happy when I got the pictures back, published online, for the world to see - let's put it that way.

    Edit: Also, I've ALWAYS been the fat friend. Not the tubby friend, or the one who could lose just a 'few pounds'. A straight up fat chick surrounded by her army of twigs, grrrrr.
  • FlyEaglesGuy
    FlyEaglesGuy Posts: 436 Member
    Looking at myself in a video from a Christmas party. I really felt like wtf how did I get that big.

    I needed a change found this site and that was all she wrote.
  • noirnatural
    noirnatural Posts: 310 Member
    Seeing the picture from my wedding and my 40th birthday. ..one picture in particular from my 40th...I am in the middle of my two bestfriends....we are turned sideways ...well you would think it was my babyshower instead of my birthday looking at the pictures...that is the picture that I consider my "before"...this year God willing..I am taking a "After" picture on my birthday
  • CarrieMyPhilos
    CarrieMyPhilos Posts: 38 Member
    Edit: Also, I've ALWAYS been the fat friend. Not the tubby friend, or the one who could lose just a 'few pounds'. A straight up fat chick surrounded by her army of twigs, grrrrr.

    Army of twigs, lol! Let's DO THIS. Fat friends no more! :)
  • mommyred35
    mommyred35 Posts: 275 Member
    When I look at pictures of when I first met my husband 6 years ago. My arms did NOT touch my sides now they do. I want to look like the woman in the picture and have the energy she had (and fit her clothes).