What was your downfall?

derekj222

We all got here somehow. Many of the common reasons are below:

-college -partying, late nights, pizza, bad foods

-family - you're a super busy mom and you've always put your family first, your diet last

-over eating & portions - little did you know you are eating portions for 2+ people (this has long been my problem)

-unexpected situation - many of times we lose people suddenly in our lives or something tragic happens and it ultimately sends us in a downward spiral

My reasons: overeating, large portions, growing up poor (Hamburger helper a lot), and loss of a loved one
I realize these are sometimes excuses, but lets be honest, I really couldn't (nor realized) that I could of controlled my childhood much and by the time you realize how overweight you are, its too late.

Whats your downfall?

TXHunny84

Portions...boredom eating...and just loving food in general. The more unhealthy the better!! Sugary sweets like buttercream icing, brownies, fresh baked chocolate chip cookies..... This is no "just one"....I'll eat them all- by myself-one sitting. I grew up poor with the hamburger helper etc and the clean your plate mentality. So This is a constant yo-yo for me and I know it ALWAYS will be. :-/

FitBeto

I dont really think it was the food i ate, Ramen, bacon, etc. I think it was my ability to get blazed and eat and eat and eat when i know i wasnt really hungry, and also late night QT runs and giant chili cheese dogs (wich i freaking miss so much) and just sitting and gaming. Then I broke up with my ex and all i did was literally drink an 18 pack of budwieser a night and just lay there and eat more because i had drunk munchies.

Since stopping all that and lifting just 3x a week, i lost almost all that weight I gained this year and even packed some muscle. I dont care to drink anymore, probably because i dont know my limit lol.

Chadomaniac

marijuana ... just jokin .... no seriously

seabee78

Back in my athletic days, I ate huge amounts of food without gaining weight. I kept up the (bad) eating habits after that lifestyle and gained and gained. Post-college, got a car, got married, worked a desk job. Fast forward thirty years and here I am.

You always seem to look in the mirror and say "It's not THAT bad." then suddenly you look again and you're obese. I was insulted when my doc said I was morbidly obese. Not overweight, not *just* obese but morbidly obese. WTH? How did that happen?

Well, I know now. These days, if I do get into a situation where I have to eat fast food, I try to make the best choices in the place. I have no junk food in my house so there is no temptation. The journey is long, but the end result is well worth it.

alaskaang

Removal of my gallbladder - For me, whether it was age, coincidence or truly that my body doesn't process things the same any more, I'd never had a weight issue until after the surgery. I don't think my eating habits or anything else changed drastically, but I gained 40+ lbs in two years time.

frosty73

When my best friend died several years ago, I went into an eating/mothering frenzy. I was helping take care of his 5 yr. old son (as well as my own kids, then 4 and 7) and I tried to make us all feel better by getting lots of sweets. I've learned since then that I cannot and do not need to take on other peoples' pain--- I was in anguish imagining what his kids were going through, when I should've been trying to deal with my own grief. This is an important lesson for me because as I get older, more and more people die.

And going along with the theme, when I feel upset or down I try to medicate myself by reaching for sweets. It works, short-term. If it didn't work, I wouldn't have done it so much! I need to find a better solution that still picks me up when I'd rather crash and burn.

BeckySBowen

Eating at MawMaw's house...my husband's grandmother! She cooks a feast everyday. It's crazy! I was eating there 2-4 times a week and probably eating 1500+ calories in one meal. Now, we go maybe once a week and I'm very selective. But, she cooks the best comfort foods I've ever had...hard to resist!! (And, diet is not in her vocabulary).

sweetgrasswoman

Growing up poor as well, your just trained to eat everything in sight. Now that Im done University and not a starving student, but work behind a desk with a heck of a descent salary, I started to eat out allot! Big mistake! I was eating out like 4 - 5 times a week, meetings and conferences didnt help with all the free buffet style food. I gained 50 lbs withing a few months, now that its Fall/ winter I can't fit into my wardrobe anymore....I started dieting, watching portions and what I ate about 4 weeks ago. Its a battle, especially during Halloween, the Xmas parties, and this weekend Im off to a Conference again. But I know whats good and whats bad

Last night 2 slices of Bluberry pie (loaded with sugar) and went over my calories by 150, I felt sick during the night, even this morning. It wasnt sitting with my stomach. Even now my body knows whats not good for me.

derekj222

marijuana ... just jokin .... no seriously

No hating here....I'm sure you got the munchies a lot! LOL

derekj222

Back in my athletic days, I ate huge amounts of food without gaining weight. I kept up the (bad) eating habits after that lifestyle and gained and gained. Post-college, got a car, got married, worked a desk job. Fast forward thirty years and here I am.

You always seem to look in the mirror and say "It's not THAT bad." then suddenly you look again and you're obese. I was insulted when my doc said I was morbidly obese. Not overweight, not *just* obese but morbidly obese. WTH? How did that happen?

Well, I know now. These days, if I do get into a situation where I have to eat fast food, I try to make the best choices in the place. I have no junk food in my house so there is no temptation. The journey is long, but the end result is well worth it.

YES. We've all said, "Its not that bad". But not looking bad, oh boy, it was BAD

robynrae_1

Baked goods, love me some cake and brownies. Also I work third shift so I eat crappy when I am tired...which is alot of the time.

_Bob_

for me it skipping breakfast and lunch and then having a huge dinner.

when I lose a loved one I tend to spend more time at the gym or walking. the same goes for when I'm stressed and so on.

I gain more during the good times because that's when I drink more beer with friends.

victoriavoodoo

Matching portions with my 6'1'' boyfriend, "you can't leave the table until you clean your plate" upbringing, incessant snacking.

mrsgigandet

I think I've had three different downfalls at different periods in my life.

The first was poor nutrition as a child. My mom gave me Coke and Sprite to drink as soon as I was able because she didn't know there was anything wrong with it. We ate things like Hamburger Helper a lot. I had boxed Mac and Cheese almost every day as a kid, and when I went to elementary school I always got things like ice cream sandwiches and those chocolate cone... things (can't remember what they're called! Drumsticks?) with my meals. I also wasn't very active as a kid.

The second was the effects of bullying on my self esteem. I was bullied relentlessly as a young girl and teen, and it made my self esteem go down the gutter. I am still fighting all those scars today. But then, it made me believe that I was so worthless, it didn't matter what I did. I stopped taking care of myself at all.

The third was when my mom had to have surgery when I was about 16. I went from exercising fanatically and counting calories to staying at the hospital, eating hospital food (AKA fried chicken tenders and French fries), and when she came home I was too busy being her caretaker to take care of me anymore. Or at least, that's what my excuse was.

No more excuses now

victoriavoodoo

I went from exercising fanatically and counting calories to staying at the hospital, eating hospital food (AKA fried chicken tenders and French fries), ...

You'd think hospitals, being HOSPITALS, would have healthier food. But I guess it's like dentists with lollipops; they want to keep you coming back.

ChunkieNuts

i used to eat all the time when i was bored, when i was alone, etc....

Jesmoko

Something to do with me being mental. My physical appearance wasn't high on my priority list back then.

Squidologist

Stress eating. Being a college student, I gain weight around test time. Since transferring to a university, I've been significantly less mobile and significantly more anxious. Also, I don't have my old support system around me in this new environment.

Also, tradition. My significant other and I have a tradition of eating Ben and Jerry's ice cream. Every week. Since I don't usually eat sweets, I've found myself sneaking it in during the week when he's not here.

Lastly, when on campus, it's frustrating to choose the healthier option. When I was younger, my family may have gone out to eat at a restaurant once a month. Thus, every time we went out, I would gorge myself as it would be my only chance for a while. Now the same type of food is around me every day. It's just not satisfying to go for low fat/cal sometimes... most of the time. It's stuck in my head still that if you're away from home, it's okay to eat more than you should. Stubborn habit.

I'm going to end this and WALK to campus. [2 miles w/ extra backpack weight.]

LindseySprake

Oreo's ... damn they're good!!! Allow myself 1 or 2 as a treat every now and again.
Oh and Ben & Jerry's ice cream hmmmmm right i need to get out of this message board before I make myself crave these X

melliebee

Every time I experience success I sabotage myself. I think, I am feeling/looking good, I can eat those nachos and drink 3 beers. Mmmmmmmmmm.