What triggered your journey?

msabatier

Two things triggered this journey.

The good: My daughter's wedding coming up in July.

The bad: 100 pt jump in triglycerides and borderline high systolic BP since last year. Turning 58 in February, and while my 15-pound goal is not as monumental as many of you, it's never easy.

I hear that 10% loss makes a HUGE health difference, so that's what I'm aiming for. With 2 generations on both sides (plus my brother when he was 50) dying of heart attacks or strokes, this is a MUST DO change for me if I want to see grandchildren.

Also, my silk chiffon Mother of the Bride dress is hanging in plain view.

angelacooper3

A good friend of mine has lost 77lbs in 6 months has blogged her journey. She has been a real inspiration and if she can do it Im sure I can shift the stubborn 14 - 21 lbs that I hate. I used an online forum about 8 years ago and it really kept me on track and focused. I have kept the vast majority of the weight off. Using online support and motivation has been the only way for me to see real results.

Tinasheree29

Being embarrasseed to be seen in public because of my weight. Wanting to walk with my husband with my head up high instead of my head hung low.

ajane456

what triggered me was my exboyfriend. he treated me like crap and i felt so bad about myself i stuck with him! I didnt think i could do any better or anybody else would love me. I was disgusted looking in the mirror! I've only lost 5 pounds so far, but I am already feeling better about myself, i deserve to feel good inside and out!

cuterbee

I've been dealing with pain from a back issue I was born with (lots of pain that basically radiates from my hip to my foot) which considerably worsened in 2005 during a traumatic event (I spent some with a cane, and some time in a wheelchair, the pain was so bad -- it's better now, no cane or wheelchair since 2007, but not good enough to go dancing, or run, or even walk very far).

A few weeks ago, I finally was referred to a neurosurgeon. There's a surgery that will almost certainly help me -- but it's much safer for me if I lose 40 pounds. So I'm going to lose 40 pounds and have my surgery in May or June.

picthat01

One of the best things I ever did for myself was to buy a book called "Eat to Live" by Dr. Joel Fuhrman. I've been fighting the weight gain problem for a few years now and along with the weight gain came body aches and pains. Since I have been following the guidelines in this book I have lost almost 30 lbs and the aches and pains have virtually disappeared. It works fast if you stick to it. I have been following his guidelines for almost 2 months now and I feel fantastic!

RyanWilson1993

Being tired of being out of shape, got picked on a lot at school basically.

eddamyts

Wow, just reading some posts, I sensed a lot of pain. People hating their bodies, how they look, how they feel. I don't think we were created to suffer as much as we do. Pain may be a motivation to make a change, but it doesn't sustain. You don't punish people into success, you build them up, and that's what we need to do for ourselves. For those who hate themselves, know this, you must at least care about yourself because you're here on mfp in an effort to change and improve yourself, your health, your life.

Forgive yourself and set yourself free to learn new things.

kathrynokc

I found myself with less energy and my motivation had flat-lined. I started myfitnesspal and lost 30 pounds this past summer along with joining the ymca. I slacked off and decided to get back on track again and putting on 12 pounds.

This time I decided to join others and invited friends to use the program as well. I was feeling great, and went back to bad eating habits. It had been awhile since I had felt as good as I did the last summer and I want to be back on track to living a more healthy lifestyle.

emszy13

I'm a college freshman and I want to go to Las Vegas with my friends senior year and wear a bikini. AND look good in it;)

stingray1982

I decided to join mfp when I seen it advertised on Yahoo. I had been thinking about losing weight for weeks now, but didn't know where or how to begin. My last weight loss was 3 years ago and I lost 100 lbs. But since then I have gained 35 lbs back. I never did reach my goal the first time. I was morbid obese according to the doctors. I had to lose an additional 40 lbs. Now I have to lose the 35 I gained plus the 40 from before for a total of 75 lbs. Maybe then I will be able to breathe easier, and feel good about my self. As it is right now, I don't like myself. But I did this, noone else did it to me. Yes, i could blame going through a seperation and finally a divorce for my weight gain. But noone but me put the food in my mouth. It was my hands that reached my mouth and shoveled it in. But no more!! I have had enough!! I don't like what others say about me, or what I say about myself as well. I truely believe this plan of keeping track again of everything going into my mouth on the computer and being held accountable to myself will help. Thanks to MFP for their program.

pricedl01

Hmmm, well probably years of bad choices not one single even or goal. I will turn 50 this year and aim to be healthier and making better choices for my body, my health, and myself in general. Good luck to everyone else. I think that the site is great and tracking keeps me accountable so I am going to give it a serious go!

jenelybean

I have out grown ALL of my clothes! I am uncomfortable in my own skin.

jlbryant2

At first, it was because I was tired of not being able to keep up with my active kids and tired of being overweight and having to wear certain clothes to hide the fat that I tried to fool myself really was not there. Later, it became seeing my grandmother as she aged not being able to get around and others having diffculty moving her. She was not that big before old age and poor health set in, but quickly gained weight because of inactive lifestyle. I'm starting to have knee pain and know that it is because I'm overweight.

Here I am, motivated and ready to get into shape!

justal313

I've lost weight before and eventually put it all back, I've gone from 263 to 180 and then seven years later from 241 to 163 but I put it back. Both times I was doing it because I didn't want to be fat, it had nothing to do with being healthy or living longer, I just didn't want to be the fat guy.

Well I have a daughter now I'd love to see grow up, fall in love, get married and maybe give us grandchildren.

So I wanted to get healthy, but last January 1st I went to a Patriots game. Our seats were in the 400s the top top top of the stadium (what do you want for free). Simply getting to our seats made me feel like I was going to die and we missed kick-off and some of the opening drive because I needed to take extended breaks to get to my seat.

If there was any doubt that I was out of shape, that was it.

Exercise went from a chore to being something I now enjoy. I'm running when I can (I'm coming off Planar Faciatias) and in fact I'm running when I shouldn't be much to the consternation of my podiatrist.

Back in July I ran a 10K that ended by running out through the giant inflatable patriots helmet and across the 50 yard line in Gillette Stadium. A very far cry from not being able to negoiate the RAMPS in that stadium.

I feel better than I ever have (physically) in my entire life. It's not just the weight loss for it's own sake. I've run the warrior dash which was a LOT of fun, I have a bunch of my friends that are participating in some running series with me. Oh and I plan on running my first 1/2 marathon this year. Before 2012 the longest I had ever run was 5 laps around a baseball field (about a mile) as punishment for not running out a base hit in little league. A friend of mine has a t-shirt that says "my sport is your sport's punishment" I think I'll have to get one.

But seriously, being to out of shape to get to my seat changed me from "I need to lose some weight" to "THAT'S IT NO MORE!!!"

And being here to see my daughter grow up is a big bonus.

pouka89

On holiday in December looking at photos and thinking I look pregnant! I was sick of feeling so tired and craps all the time I knew I needed to change.

girlschmoopie

I'm a runner, and after getting injured in a race on Thanksgiving day (and all the yummy goodness that comes from Thanksgiving day through New Years), I reached my "high weight". (The weight that I've decided I didn't want to go over). It triggered me to get my act together.

I normally eat pretty healthy, but allow myself to enjoy treats in moderation. I realized I cannot eat like I'm running 20 miles a week, if I'm not actually running 20 miles a week. My typical weight maintenance practice is to up the exercise if I gain a few. Since I'm slowly building my running and strength, I needed to employ a new tactic to prevent further gain, and help me lose 10# to get me back to my preferred "low weight". Enter MFP. )

I have to say, that I am completely impressed by the successes I have seen in this community! I wish the best of success to everyone here, for being so dedicated and making your health a priority. You all are awesome!

prettypincushion

My journey started with me being very uncomfortable with my weight for the last year or so but it didn't really hit me until this past July. My sister got married, since she is my sister I was included in a lot of the photos taken at the wedding. I couldn't believe the person I saw in those pictures, it didn't look like me. I looked and felt HUGE. Now with my own wedding quickly approaching my dress that once fit now doesn't quite button. I want to look the best I ever have on my wedding day(and for the rest of my life, who doesn't want to be the hot wife?). So I am determined to get back into healthy eating habits and portion control. And no late night binge eating which has been my issue in the last few months or so. I am ready to finally commit to getting back to a healthier me and a me that I am not ashamed to look at in the mirror and so excited to have the support of this community to help keep me on track.

Qskim

Some of what other posts say (peeing on leg, not quite but close). Realizing that the choices were mine alone. Coinciding with a visit from an older obese family member with a myriad of health problems (including weak bladder but all related to being obese) who snorted like a pig when she ate hot chips and then licked the grease off her fingers while preaching to me the virtues of the Atkins diet (which she has been off and on for the 20 or so years I've known her). Apparently with the healthy food I eat (occasional junk too) and because i use a trainer and MFP I'm on a " special diet" now. Maybe I am but it doesnt feel like it apart from bloody exercise!

crazybookworm

Mine was a Christmas picture taken during Christmas 2010. When I saw the picture in January of 2011 I couldn't believe it!! That picture has not left my fridge. I don't even feel like that person anymore!

caitconquersweight

I'm a raging hypochondriac. The past year has wreaked havoc on my body and mind, I have really bad anxiety. Every time I eat a high-calorie, fatty food, I feel like crap and hate myself. I'm scared it'll give me a heart attack or clog my arteries. I don't want to live this way anymore. I don't want to have a heart attack before I'm 30. (I'm 24.) I'm tired of looking in the mirror and disliking what I see. I'm tired of skipping the clothing section altogether because it's depressing to try and find my size, if it's available at all. I want to be a good role model for my daughter. Hell, I want to do it just to see if it's possible. I'm hoping that if I can lose some weight, I can get a hold on my anxiety and hypochondria.

ETA: I also have sleep apnea and want to get rid of my damn CPAP. I'm hoping weight loss will reduce or eliminate my apnea.

kellytle

I had always wanted to eat healthy and feel more better about myself. The only problem was I had no clue what to do and whether or not I could do it. I am a very impatient person, so when I don't see the result I want, I tend to give up. I came upon a couple stretch marks forming and the scale number was getting higher and higher. I hated the way I looked and hated the way I feel about myself. I had no energy to do anything (because let's face it, I am pretty lazy), I had no self-confidence, and being a typical teenager I whine about my every flaws. One day while I was on Facebook, I came upon my high school teacher's facebook page and she lost a ton of weight. She was never fat, but now she looks amazing. I messaged her and asked how she did it and from that day on I became really inspired. Obviously, changing my bad habits were hard but with endurance and commitment I started to see results. I posted some pictures of my results through Instagram and having my families and friend's support and nice messages made me really happy (not saying I have an athlete's body or anything, but I can see some of my progress). Through fitness, I learn to love and believe in myself.

Allyice

When I went to get my 12 month old daughter checked up at the doctors, he made me weight her by weighing me first and then with her. It killed me to see I had gained all my pregnancy weight back and more. Made a lifestyle change from that day and 26 kg later I've never regretted it

Slaci_Jo

A pair of jeans i bought in October I couldn't pull up past my knees on Christmas Eve. That's when I knew I had to make some changes

kathrynokc

you can do it.

vijaygehani

Hi - I find it so hard to get motivated by myself - so I'm hoping this will help. Happy new year everyone !
vj

lamby284

Seeing an old boyfriend after years.

i second this! my first boyfriend got really fit after dumping me and i always wanted him to see me on fb later or something and be like "damn i missed out" :rolleyes:

Iceman420

I've been fighting obesity since I was 10. The weight went up and down, but I was too addicted to food to care. In my teens and twenties I tried dozens of diets without success, and eventually gave up. It wasn't until I turned 30 that I realized how pathetic my life currently is. I'm extremely obese, I have little energy for anything and I can't even by pants at Wal-Mart because they don't sell my size.

The final straw came when I turned 30 and got a physical exam (the first in 10 years). The results were a disaster. I was put on Blood Pressure pills right away, and the doctor told me I would be in heaps of trouble if I didn't get this weight off before turning 35. So I decided to make 2013 my 'fresh start' year. I want to get down to 180 by December, which will be very tough. Hopefully I can turn my life around, and start living for a change!

thescrumisfun

Rugby I finally found a group of people where I'm accepted, and a sport I'm good at, that I also fell in love with. I'm not the big girl on the sidelines anymore.

Danni3ll3

Getting on the scale and realizing that if I put on 10 more pounds, I would be hitting 200 pounds.