Why did you gain weight?

blondiebonce

Started off with anorexia aged 14...went from 9 stone to 6stone. Then, I had rubbish therapists tbh, and they encouraged me to eat anything. This didn't bode well for me, so I'd eat and then feel so guilty I wouldn't eat for a while after. Finally found a good treatment that worked for me, and steadily went up to 9ish stone again. THEN I got M.E. Couldn't exercise. All energy (not much anyway) went on studying for my ALevels. Went up to higher than 11 stone.
To be honest, after my eating disorder, I still struggle. I find I'm eating a lot better now, trying to find a healthy balance but the weight isn't budging Well...the first (nearly) stone did, but this next stone is making me want to cry.

babycook

A med used to treat my bipolar disorder. It also caused metabolic syndrome. Which is a double whammy...it's hard to lose the weight.

cfieds

Went from an active job on a sales floor to sitting at a desk for 8 hours a day...from 3a to 11a.
And I managed to throw out my back at the beginning of spring, leaving me fairly unable to move.

_Bob_

I used to use the excuse that it was an injury in the army that did it. but really it was horrible diet and an inactive lifestyle, workaholic.

marie_cressman

I was the fat kid in school. My stepmom says I was never fat until my parents divorced so possibly I ate my emotions? I honestly don't remember much because I was very young. I'm assuming I wanted to eat so my parents let me eat. I'll tell you one thing though! I can't WAIT til my 10year high school reunion next year!

tsanchezsuccess

I had a baby 4 months ago...ugh never been this heavy...

rhonniema

I don't know. I've never been skinny.

futuresizeeight

Got out of an emotionally and physically abusive household where the rest of my family sided with the abuser over me. The abuser was my stepmother of 2 years, who my father married less than a year after my mother died. Then I quit smoking cigarettes (because I couldn't afford them anymore, but I'm glad I did) and started working from home all within the same year, after injuring my knee badly. When I stepped away from the abuse and pain, starting the healing process caused me hardcore anxiety, plus brought up major food issues dating back to my childhood. I've always been overweight, but that's how I gained the last 50 pounds.

Jishmeister

Boredom. And never really excercised. I actually didn't start being aware of my weight until after high school. That's when I gained it all and it didn't help I had a job at a call center. Basically, I had a very sedentary lifestyle.

merry_abandon

Because of a still-unknown stomach issue, I wasn't allowed to eat breads, dairy, eggs, or citric acid for about six years (from third grade to eighth). In 9th grade, I finally got over the stomach problems, and rediscovered all of these foods. Chocolate, bread, ice cream... I just binged and binged. Fortunately everyone in my family has a fairly fast metabolism, so I was never overweight, but I went from being a stick to being far curvier than I ever wanted to be. Going to college meant I was eating raw ramen (so lazy), cake in a mug, and french fries on a regular basis. I knew I was gaining weight, but I just didn't want to give up the terrible foods!

CrazyGraciegirl

I began homeschooling and quit seeing my friends so I stayed online all day, became less active, and ate twice as much because I was home all the time. I was only overweight for about a year but now I will eat healthier!

ShawtyHotPink

I really didn't have a good excuse

Meloyelo2010

10 years ago I was 200 put on 25lbs with my first pregnancy, lost it and found myself in a ****astic relationship. Stopped really caring for myself, eating properly and working out. Follow that up with a terminally ill mother who died 4.5 years ago and I've put on 50+lbs since then. A lot of poor eating habits, choices and such.

bulbadoof

I was overweight my whole life. I've always loved food and eaten too much of it. My parents would try to stop me, but I'd just sneak into the kitchen after they'd gone to bed.

MILFdoesabodyGd

contentment with my significant other.

he moved in, I cook for him...we go out to eat...and I just started eating what I wanted without really watching portions, or watching anything. It was nice while it lasted ... gained 30 lbs

jhunt90

Part of it was depression, I didn't have a lot of friends and didn't go out much while my niece (more like a cousin) had tons of friends and a boyfriend and I guess I was a little jealous and sad that I wasn't as likable as she was. The biggest reason was when I hurt my knee really bad in a soccer tournament and had to have surgery, was out for 9 months, I was so scared of getting hurt again that I didn't play or run anymore, then I just gained more and more and more...Depression got worse when my aunt passed away. So yeah! lots of reasons. I do think the knee injury was the biggest reason

alliewowie

I thought the effort I'd have to put into getting in shape wasn't worth what I'd have to go through to get there. I was so convinced it was something I'd never be able to achieve, I didn't try hard enough and gave up too fast. I told myself I was just meant to be fat, and that it was okay. I HATED to exercise, I didn't want to give up foods I loved (which I thought I had to do to lose weight), I used every excuse I could think of, but in one word I was LAZY. Thankfully I woke up and realized I was completely miserable, none of my clothes fit me anymore, I was exhausted, and obese and I needed to do something about it.

Octopies

Because, for the longest time (my whole life, pretty much), I just didn't care. I shoved whatever I wanted in my mouth, ate when I wasn't hungry, the whole shebang.
Now I shove whatever I want into my mouth in moderation (while tracking it all) and I've lost 15lb doing so!

LarStar

I grew up in a house of disordered eating. My Dad is bulimic and my Mom is a sugar addict/binge eater who hides food and puts the entire family on extreme diets. When I was 11 I became a vegetarian in an effort to control the foods I was eating and reject their food, but it turned out that I made a 12 year commitment that did more harm than good. Fast Forward 10 years, I was diagnosed with binge eating disorder and started seeing two eating disorder Drs who acted as pseudo parents and helped me to move out of the house as well as help me to understand my eating disorder and get to the root of my own eating. I struggled with my eating disorder and different anti-depressants for a couple years before meeting a performance coach by chance who took me under his wing and gave me a good talking to, convincing me to start "eating for my blood type" by eating meat. There was something special about him and I trusted that I was in good hands. Once I started to do that, the weight started to come off, but I relapsed and went back to extreme dieting and unhealthy eating habits. Now, almost 5 years after being diagnosed with an eating disorder, I have worked through the emotional contributors and learned how to identify my triggers and deal with them effectively, so I can focus on the weight loss side of things. I'm SO happy to be here on MFP in a community of people who know all about eating and overeating; I feel like this time it's really going to work because I am ready to do it slowly and gently instead of trying to race my way skinny. Most days I am in the right mindset, but at times, my obsessive eating disorder brain steps in and I struggle; I'm thankful for each of you sharing your own story and your weight loss journey; it helps me to stay motivated and to know, on the hard days, that there s a whole world of people out there who understand

nikitamo827

I don't have a good reason at all why this happened. I already had lost 35 lbs for my wedding and was finally happy with my weight--then after the honeymoon, I wasn't working for a little while and being home made me start putting on weight. Now that I work, sitting at a desk ALL day, after I come home and cook, I just don't have the strength to exercise. I saw the scale go up pound by pound and some days it went back down and I kept thinking, "it'll go back down" and before I knew it (10 months later) I am 10 lbs heavier. I am so sad and hurt. I can't believe I let this happen to me AGAIN.

Sules02

That is a really good question.
Of course, you don't gain weight without eating too much and exercising too little. I started to gain weight in college probably because my lifestyle had changed to a life of going to classes, partying, going out late and "pigging out" at a diner and not sleeping.
I didn't know what exercise was so I gained 30lbs. Then in my early adulthood I found the outdoors. I became very active but yet still held on to about 15-20 lbs give or take. Yes, I accomplished lots, with rock climbing, hiking, biking and trail running and there were times in my life when I was thin and then I would gain it back so quick. As I look back, I think I did have a weird relationship with food. It was my comfort and my friend growing up but now it doesn't have a hold on me. I have been asking myself recently, why do I seem to throw up roadblocks and excuses now when it is so easily attainable for me. Am I afraid of it? Am I afraid of having the true body that represents who I am inside....HUM?? Am I the only one that thinks like this?? Is it fear? I am curious.......

LOREYENICK

3 YEARS ago i moved from Romania in the usa to be with my husband and i guess the life here and the stress from being far from home and the fact that i was amazed that all can come from a bag or a can and is good and i don t need to spend hours making food like home made me fat.an also i was on the depo shot for 2 yesrs..in april we went to visit my familly and everyone was asking me if i m pregnant but...no i m just 40 ponds fatter ...so now i wanna be sexy and beautiful as i was when i first come in these great country i know my boo loves me and still thinks i m great but the mirror says different hings i hope that now i will win my fight and gain the old me back.Good luck everyone !!

AddieOverhaul

I didn't have any problems with my weight until about age 25 or 26 - I wasn't in great shape, but I was on the thin side. Then a combination of things happened:

- First of all, at age 23 - 24ish I was doing a lot of drugs. I would not eat or sleep for about three days at a time, sleep for a day, and then binge for a day, repeat (with some breaks that never lasted long). I think that messed up my metabolism. When I stopped doing drugs, I started to gain. (I've since dealt with the issues that made me use drugs in the first place).

- Always wanting a good time, I like to indulge in food and drink in a social way. I also am a big time emotional eater.

- We always had tons of junk food in the house growing up - I never ate all that well.

- Switched from an active job to a desk job.

- Spent a few years on medication for anxiety (Celexa, which causes tons of people to gain a lot of weight). Thankfully I have almost fully conquered anxiety and have been off meds for over 3 years. I will never take them again. I never had depression though, thankfully.

All these things cause me to gain approximately 50 pounds. I have lost just over 30 of it. I can't wait to lose the rest AND get fit and be able to say "I'm in the best shape of my life!"

love22step

Too content after I remarried
Cut back on exercise, but not on food intake
Lack of sleep
Strength-zapping anemia (problem fixed)
Lack of a good plan (MFP provided that fix)

ucpg

Was always very active. Did sports my whole life, then when I was a young adult I did warehouse work. never had to worry about calories or anything. Then I got a great office job, and continued my eating habbits. Gained, gained, gained, gained, gained, gained.. That is why I gained weight.

Totally my story! except i worked in a deli, and as a cashier on my feet all day, plus i played tons of sports in school and didn't have a car, so i walked EVERYWHERE probably 3-4 hrs of walking everyday. BUT then i got a car...and then i got an office job...and stopped playing so many sports...and well hello 20lbs later...

PS: very thankful its only 20lbs but still very difficult to lose.

roguestates

I basically rebelled against my doctor. My doctor would have me in tears everytime I went in for an appointment. Saying that I was at risk for so and so. She would also bring up the past every time about how I lost weight before. I know, I'm bad. So I rebelled by eating anything that I wanted and whenever I wanted. To me, she wasn't the best motivator. She was great when I was losing weight, but total opposite when I was gaining. Also, didn't help prescribing me medication I didn't need. I don't blame her for me gaining. I've taken responsibility for that. I needed to do it when I KNOW I needed to do it. I had the mindset and still do... I only live once, why not enjoy it? I don't really want to live past 100 years old. Then again, I don't want to die young. I just want to live my life to the fullest now. Food doesn't need to be #1. I want to be fit now. My mindset is totally different now,.

Berating you? Prescribing meds you didn't need? Please tell me you've changed doctors. So unprofessional, and frankly, dangerous.

WilmaDennis91

College food are not all that healthy. Plus I'm in cheerleading, so I've been gaining more muscles. I don't really know.

mali240

i never had a weight problem.. i ate/drank what i wanted and stayed about 110-115. then got married, got preggers... gained almost 45lbs.. 6 months after baby i weighed the same as i did leaving the hospital.. and i realized i couldnt eat what i did and looked how i wanted to. it was time to kick off the bad habits

yuckidah

Why did I gain weight? Because I like the taste of food, did no exercise (still don't), and dieted too often for too many years.

Prudiddy

Ok, back in 98 I got pregnant with my first child (boy) I weighed 135lbs As soon as I found out I was preg. I quit smoking right away and put on 10lbs a month until his birth. On September 9, 1998 I gave birth to a 9lb.98oz baby. I was at my highest weight of 235lbs I started back smoking 2 months after his birth, dropped down to 180 then 1 year later got preg. with my second child (girl) quit smoking again, put on 60lbs in 9 months. Didn't start smoking again until 8 months later because I nursed her, lost all 60lbs plus and additional 20lbs kept it off until my divorce, started smoking again and shot back up to 206 were I then stayed until I joined MFP in April 2012 since I have lost 23lbs and counting. I feel this time I will keep it off for good, I'm getting too old to play yo yo for the rest of my life.