It all makes sense now.

TashiaMH

Growing up, I always blamed my excessive weight on my genetics. It made me feel better to have someone or something to blame other than myself. Looking at my family it was pretty clear we all blamed our "genetics" for our weight issues. I remember the day that I decided that eating in excess was how I was going to live my life. I was 6 years old, my parents my little sister and I were in line at a fast food drive thru. My Mom and Dad asked "Do you want a kids meal or do you want an adult meal?" They said "if you get an adult meal, you won't get a toy, just remember that". I opted for the adult meal. I don't know why of all the memories I have from my childhood that this one has lingered but now I understand. My weight issues aren't from being "big boned" or from having piss poor genes. It was MY FAULT, I CHOSE to live in excess consumption, I have created this unhealthy person.

Today I went to my Mom and Dad's for dinner and a football game. We had homemade sloppy Joe's (beef) and homemade mac and cheese (real healthy stuff! ). I eat it, I just adjust my portions to fit my cal intake. And as I'm observing my family I really see the issues come to light. Watching them eat plate after plate, a few of them 3 full plates! And I realize.... this is how we've always eaten, this is why we've all always been overweight. This is the problem. And I feel bad, because I know they don't see that what they are doing is bad. That they don't truly understand how much they are putting into themselves.

It all makes sense now. I can't lose this fight. It's not just about me, or my husband or my son. I have to do it for my entire family. If I can lose this weight and become a healthy person, I can show them that they weren't born with weight issues. Obesity wasn't passed down from one generation to the next, poor eating habits were. And unlike genetic disorders, you can be fixed.

I

shovav91

I'm so proud of you. It's incredible hard to own up to something like that, and it's something that will absolutely lead to your success. I hope your family follows your incredible example and you all go on to live long, healthy and happy lives together. Such an inspiration!

chrissysue

Good for you Tashia!!!!!! Congratulations on "seeing the light" and realizing that there is something you can do to change the family tree and get yourself, your family and extended family healthy!!!!! You diserve a standing ovation!!!!!!! With the mentality and attitude you have in your post you will do well!!!!!
Best wishes!
Chris

kimad

I am also proud of you, it is super hard to accept we are the issue not something else.
I have twins, I have a thyroid problem, I have this, I have that... at the end of the day I ate too much and I ate crap. And the minute I took responsiblity for my food intake and started exercising I lost the weight.

Good for you!!!!

Railr0aderTony

You are now on your way to never being there again, you now have taken responsibility and as such you will follow through, I have faith in you and you can reach your goal.

mercymarque

You go girl. Eat as clean as possible, change your portion sizes, no fast foods, drink plenty of water, get a nice rest at night, try to keep stress levels down and get out and move. You can turn this thing around. There is a smaller person inside of that body. Get out and do the work.

Good luck on your journey. Hope you can change ur family too.

rubypoh

When the light bulb finally went off you made an amazing change to make your life better. Be proud. I am proud of you. I hope your family understands just how hard it can be to stop eating that way. My family has a hard time with it. My dad will say "Ruth, have more." He doesn't like when I say no. Problem is, he is skinny, always has been, eats whatever he wants. He doesn't understand that the rest of us have to work a little harder than he does.

Keep up the great work!!

RedHotHunter

Great post!

zephtalah

Great job realizing this! It is so frustrating when I hear people talk about their genetics as they eat ridiculous amounts of food! Not everyone is built to be toothpick skinny ( I sure wasn't), but everyone can eat reasonably and get some form of exercise. Great post.

gargisingh

Wow! I am so thankful that you put this down.
My family too keeps saying that it is our genes that make us obese. We complain obesity runs in family and then eat bread after bread and plates after plates with absolutely no exercise. I will remember your story and hopefully when I next see my family they will find someone with their genes who is not obese but fit (hopefully me.) I hope they will be inspired.
And, I wish the same to you! May you inspire your family! Best!

LoraF83

Congratulations on your breakthrough! Knowing that will make it much easier for you to stick to this in the long run.....even when things get tough.

I always had an excuse too: I'm big boned, I had to take steriods as a child (for a medical problem), my metabolism is slow, I'm built this way, etc, etc, etc. Turns out I ate too much and was lazy.

Word of warning - your family will start to get upset with your changes down the road. They will see you getting smaller and it will fly in the face of everything they believe about themselves. That will make them uncomfortable and they might try to sabatoge you (without knowing it) and make comments that could be hurtful. I've been there - my in-laws are large and the smaller I get, the more they want to feed me or make excuses for my their lack of fitness/demean my efforts. Just watch out for that, know it's coming, and be stronger than the words of others. After a little bit of discomfort, you might find that you start to inspire them to change.

You can do this!!! Good luck!

LoraF83

You go girl. Eat as clean as possible, change your portion sizes, no fast foods, drink plenty of water, get a nice rest at night, try to keep stress levels down and get out and move. You can turn this thing around. There is a smaller person inside of that body. Get out and do the work.

Good luck on your journey. Hope you can change ur family too.

^You don't have to go to extremes like that. Be moderate - have a little mac and cheese if you want it. Try to make good decisions. You're already doing that and it's much easier to make small changes than to upheave everything at once. The smaller person will still exist with a little fast food now and then. Moderation is key.