What did it take for you to want to make a change?

redcollins78

Back on February 25th of this year, I was to attend a gala event with my daughter. The night before, to ensure I had the proper attire, I ended up buying a freaking super expensive suit, pretty much the largest suit and pants in Men's Warehouse that night...that should have gotten my attention but it didn’t. The embarrassment didn't come until a family friend of ours videotaped me in the event walking my 5 y/o daughter down the red carpet and posted it to my facebook account. All everyone else saw (or commented on) was me walking my baby girl and how nice I looked in my suit, but for me all I could see was myself actually waddling instead of walking down the red carpet…that’s what it took to wake me up...seeing a live action video of myself in action, and it was embarrassing! I still look at that video from time to time to remind myself how bad off I was, luckily for me it wasn’t an issue with my health that led me down this path, that isn’t always the case…to this day I will never forget 2/27/2012, the day I REALLY saw myself and made this change.

…but what did it take to make you want to make a change?

htalexander

I was 6mos postpartum and went to sub at a school...I found out several students and teachers thought I was pregnant. and a coworker actually flat out asked me..she was, of course mortified when the answer was "NO" .My body wasn't "going back" on its on the second go round and I realized it would take some work this time!!! I am very proud to say that although I still have a pot belly..I only look about 4mos preg now instead of 7! LOL

bithoo

My problem is that, while I KNOW I am about 20 pounds overweight, I am NOT really motivated enough to make a radical change... I am healthy, not worried about my longevity, I can still buy a "normal" clothing size... but when I look in the mirror or at some photos, I'm shocked at how old, flabby and out of shape I appear. Wish there were something more dramatic ("doc says if I don't take the weight off I'll keel over" kind of thing) to motivate me to stick with a program!!

barrveen

Well all I can say is, I have been trying to bring my weight down for years. I am under 4'11" and every time I get on the wii game It keeps telling me I am over weight. For me exercise is not the problem. I did Shaun T Insanity and I got strong but never lost the weight. my problem was my calorie intake. my friend kept telling me. to loose weight you have to put out more calories than you take in. Finally another friend told me about MFP and it told me I was obese. Well I had had enough. I am 39 and knew that I had to turn things around. and MFP is working for me. For the first time the weight is coming off. I have been on the program for one month now and I have lost 11 pounds. It turns out I was constantly overeating. Well, NO MORE. I don't want to be back here next year trying to fix the same problems.

lifesazoo

When I couldn't stand the thought of going to my 20 year class reunion that I've been looking forward to. Plus, I've had 2 women assume I was pregnant in the past couple of weeks because I'm wearing such baggy shirts to hide my flab. I'm not letting my fat control me anymore.

small_ninja

Scarlet Johansson in The Avengers.

redcollins78

All I can say to everyone is keep it up! Once you start there's no turning back...one day at a time is all we can do.

leahartmann

I use to be very thin. Then I started on some medication and gained more than 40 pound in one year. EVERYBODY thought I was pregnant and congratulated me all the time. I hated it, but didn´t have the motivation yet. The motivation really came one day when I walked in to a second hand shop and saw a beautiful dress- to small..! (Yes, such a silly reason!) I really wanted that dress, so I bougth it and keep it on the outside of my closet as a reminder.

Jigglebewie

I suffer from depression and I rarely go out, I can't even walk to the supermarket which is 5 mins down the road. A big result of my depression is my weight. When I look in the mirror I really don't like what I see. I don't go out an do fun things I just sit at home all the time and hide away. It really got to the point that I was thinking I'm going to live such a boring life if I stay in all the time and let me weight affect my life. I want to go to uni next year and be able to go out and enjoy myself. Exercise is the one thing that makes me feel happier, and as the weight continues to come off I feel a little more comfortable and hoping that soon I can start going out and feel confident.

KarenAnnne

Several things kinda happened simultaneously to help me make a change for good. My youngest child graduated from high school and it struck me that we as a family are closing that metaphoric door for good and beginning anew. With 3 children, it seemed like school was with us always. As I watched him walk down the isle to receive his diploma, I thought to myself, maybe its my time now.

The biggest issue though was finally going in for a physical and having the blood work come back with some scary numbers. I decided then and there that I did not want to be put on medicine to control my health but that I wanted to do it myself. I have amazing children and an even more amazing husband and I want to be with them for a very long time.

Tat2dDom624

I was getting tired of losing my breath quickly when we do our stretches at the beginninhg of Tae Kwon Do class. My belly was getting in the way of things, and i would have a slight problem with breathing. That's when i took a stand , and now i'm focused on getting that "spare tire" flat.

Bobby_Clerici

One was a picture somebody took of me.
I looked like a rooting hog.
In fact, I use that picture for motivation....
HERE IT IS

threnners

Three things:

1. I couldn't go up the steps at work without being completely out of breath. (Now I sprint up them.)

2. I went shopping for clothes and my "fat" size was generally too small.

3. My mom has struggled with her weight for years and had complications with a lap band, and the removal surgery nearly killed her because she developed blood clots in her lungs from it. I have to get my fat *kitten* in check NOW.

MThornburg74

I have been working from home for the past year and a half. When I switched jobs from working more than full-time in a big hospital system where I was on my feet and running up and down steps and all over the hospital every day....I started to put on the weight, which was on top of the weight from my pregnancy. My youngest daughter will be 3 in August, so I can't use the baby weight excuse anymore! Every now and then I go on business trips. When I went on a trip in March, I noticed that my clothes were tight and knowing that I had trips planned in both June and July, I knew that if I continued going the way I was, I would need to buy new clothes...

The real reason, though, is that I want to be an example for my daughters. I am very tall and so are they. I don't want them to get in the habit of thinking they can "carry" extra weight because of their height. So I made the decision to find that tenacity and commitment I had as a college athlete and get the weight off for good!!! I hated looking at pics of me on business trips with my colleagues and seeing how big I had become. It was embarrassing.

I just came back from my June trip to Denver. I had to buy all new clothes..but because my other clothes were way too big! I am ok with that!!! I hope to have to buy more new clothes for DC in July!!!

Good luck to all of you. We are in the right place!!!!!

ChaoticMiNd

I was 6mos postpartum and went to sub at a school...I found out several students and teachers thought I was pregnant. and a coworker actually flat out asked me..she was, of course mortified when the answer was "NO" .My body wasn't "going back" on its on the second go round and I realized it would take some work this time!!! I am very proud to say that although I still have a pot belly..I only look about 4mos preg now instead of 7! LOL

*hugs* I have been asked when I'm due freaking twice now and that is what is motivating me! It's extra sad because I'm actually 45lbs heavier than after I had my twins. I was actually pretty trim after I had them. I swear no one will ask em when I'm due again.

marie_cressman

When I married my husband. He loved me for who I was and I wanted to love myself too.

pierremignon

I was doing my internship and the office decided to have an office competition a la Biggest Loser. I found out I was 246 pounds -- at my heaviest -- and at that instant I decided to take the challenge seriously. I told them I'm losing 10 pounds in a month and a half, and they doubted if I really can.

Unfortunately, the contest didn't really push off for the whole office. But fortunately for me, I went past the ten, and now I almost lost 30.

mogletdeluxe

Losing my hair. I was like a friggin' lionness before - a big ol' mop of fine-but-shedloads-of-it blonde hair, complete with a thick blunt fringe (bangs). And then one day I just noticed that there seemed to be less of it.

Hot date with Google...bam. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, which is what was likely causing that oh-so-shameful hirsutism. Male pattern baldness. Grrrreat. I was gonna be a fat balding man - I'd always fallen back on my hair; if it was a Fat Day it was at least a Fabulous Hair Day. Now, I didn't have that guarantee.

I was losing what I felt was my best feature; so decided to stop my body being my worst.

tbolashana

I was at work and my button on my favorite work pants popped off . And then the following week, the same pants, the zipper broke AT WORK!!! That's when I knew i needed a change. :-D

kuger4119

My problem is that, while I KNOW I am about 20 pounds overweight, I am NOT really motivated enough to make a radical change... I am healthy, not worried about my longevity, I can still buy a "normal" clothing size... but when I look in the mirror or at some photos, I'm shocked at how old, flabby and out of shape I appear. Wish there were something more dramatic ("doc says if I don't take the weight off I'll keel over" kind of thing) to motivate me to stick with a program!!

You are in the spot that I was in for about 10 years. I'd bounce from 172 to 180 and back but didn't feel inspired to lose weight more than that. I always intended to go lower but by the time I'd get down to 172, it was getting cold outside and Thanksgiving and Christmas would roll around which meant foooooood! Before I knew it, I would be creeping back up. I was in the size range where I was unhappy, but not motivated.

I don't know that I had a specific moment of motivation but MFP happens to satisfy my "engineer" instincts that let me calculate my improvements and the reason for them. The simplicity of the site has made it something that I've enjoyed.

Shelbert79

When I had my new badge picture taken and I looked like jabba the hut (at least I think so). My last picture was taken right after my honeymoon 6 1/2 years ago and I was around 155lbs, the new picture was taken Jan 2012 and I was up to 210lbs. It's scary to think that all the weight gained was after my last pregnancy in 2010. I was about 140lbs May 2010 at around 4months pregnant, had my thyroid removed that month, had my daughter Sept 2010, I think I was at 180lbs by then and ended up gaining the remaining weight while trying to get my thyroid/hormone levels worked out. This is hard work but we're can all do this, just need to keep up the good work!

patchesgizmo

being diagnosed pre-diabetic. I have never been thin, but I don't want to do diabetes so I am going to change this now.

zhanaolivia

I got my first stretch marks.

basillowe66

If you aren'e motivated then you aren't motivated. I think 20 lbs will lead to 30 lbs to 40 lbs until you do get motivated. You are here get into it and you will really be happy!!!

Basil

mlewon

When I realized I was looking in the mirror everyday and hating my reflection. As an extremely positive person, that really takes a toll on your self-esteem and self-worth. I couldn't take it anymore and finally decided enough was enough.

AgentWalker008

I've always been a skinny girl, often getting teased for being "anorexic" etc (totally untrue, I ate like a horse!). When I went to uni, however, what with running around and working late into the night, I realised I was very very skinny, so I went to my GP. He told me that if I continued the way I was going, I would have limited chances of falling pregnant at any point during my life, as well as cardio and bone risks.

So yeah, it took my doctor telling me I'd have limited chances of falling pregnant to make me change for the better.

fitpilatesqueen

I have desired my health back for so long, I couldn´t take this anymore...sleepless nights because pains in my knees and all my joints.
The way people treat me like I´m not worth anything, how they treat me like I was 5 not 37, constantly picking on me how I should do this and do that, tell me what I´m allowed to eat and what not to eat and how ridiculous I look....really hurtful.
I have been hurt so many times by family members, strangers and been humiliated and hurt by men.
I like other people want to look fine, be able to dress good in what I want to wear not just something that fits.
I want to be able to travel, I don´t want to feel horrible as I did when I visited Florida last year, I didn´t feel like wearing shorts, bikini or show much flesh because I felt so bad and about myself. I didn´t enjoy that one time only vacasion like I hoped I would.
I want to change, I have to change.....no excuses.

Hoakiebs

I strained a side muscle wiping my butt, I lost my breath tying my shoes, and Dr. Diagnosed me with type II diabetes. I have a 4 yr. old daughter I wanna see grow up!

merry_abandon

Scarlet Johansson in The Avengers.

Hahaha, that's me too! Well, the Avengers in general, since they're all so fit and kick-butt and I was just sitting there watching the movie in all of my fatness. I also haven't seen a few of the movies that come before the Avengers, like Iron Man 2, Thor, etc., so I've made purchasing and seeing them my milestone weight rewards.

ElizBald

It sounds as if exercise would be something that would yield the best results for you. Diet doesn't do anything for flab except make more of it. Exercise gets rid of it.
Exercise can be anything that involves movement. In my case I HATE to sweat so I go to the local rec center and workout in the pool three days a week. I use a combination of calisthenics (weight lifting) and water walking/jogging. In the beginning I was doing a half hour; now I do at least an hour. I easily go longer than this now if I get to chatting with friends during my warm up/cool down phases.
Some of my friends use biking/weight lifting. Others walking/running/weight lifting. Caring for a horse is good. Grooming etc uses a lot of muscles. Whatever, a combination of weigh training and aerobics three times a week, 30 minutes a time will do wonders.
Weight lifting alone will do amazing things to tone you up and make that flab disappear. Good luck.

serenity216

Three doctors telling me I needed to lose weight + weighing as much as a football player.