What was your "I need to change" moment

cindybowcut

July 2011 when I was diagnosed diabetic. Earlier that year my dad had a stroke, mostly caused due to be diabetic. I decided that wasn't going to happen to me. I started at 200lbs and am now 150lbs. I still have a ways to go. I was able to get off my medication in April of 2012 and I refuse to go back on it.

1brokegal44

3 years ago I was super fit. I loved being in pictures. My "aha" moment was when I realized there are no current pictures of me because I'd gained weight back, got flabby, and hated being photographed.

YAYJules

Mine was a combination of events in the past year. I lost two grandparents within a few months of each other, and it really made me think about my own limited time, and things I want to do before my time comes.

I lost two pregnancies too, and since then, I've decided I want my body to be in the best possible shape to support offspring. In the meantime, I also realize there are plenty of things I want to do before kids happen, plus I need to shape up in preparation to keep up with them (if I am meant to have kids, anyway. Need to stick in that disclaimer!)

Aside from all that, Hashimoto's disease means I'm not like regular people; I really need to monitor myself since my body system is slower than the average bear's, and weight issues are inherent to the disease. I refuse to let it make me its slave any more.

medeamama

I stepped on the scale at my doctor's office after about a year. I weighed 180, which was the highest I'd ever been post babies. And that's with regular exercise! I had been fooling myself, wearing lower and lower cut tops, thinking I could distract everyone from my fat with my bust LOL!

So I said to the doctor, "Oh, it's just a number!"

And he said, "But it's *your* number."

I went home, remembered I had MFP on my phone, and started it that day.

I am now fitting into jeans in a size I haven't worn since before the kids were born! Yea! And I feel healthier than ever!

Thanks to everyone for sharing your stories.

BTW... I was really moved by the woman who said she decided to do it because her then-boyfriend made remarks about her, but now she is doing it for herself. That's the attitude! Be healthy and happy for YOU first!

VorJoshigan

I always find these threads fascinating. For me, there never was really a moment that it all crystallized in my mind. It just kind of built up over a while and then I finally felt like I was ready, I could do it, and it was time.

As far as I know I've been obese every day of my life, so there have been lots of embarrassing moments.

-Broke a couple of chairs
-Why didn't anybody TELL me my butt was so big?!
-Fear of asking women out
-Buying the next size up (up to 54" jeans!)

but in the end none of those moments was enough to overwhelm my own negative attitude.

The time has come. "My dreams are worthless, my plans are dust, my goals are impossible. All are of no value unless they are followed by action. I will act now."

TeenTwinkleToes

Ugh mine had to have been flying to Thailand when I had to squeeze into the seat, suck in my gut and have my boyfriend snap the seat belt together....oh man how embarrassing it was that I couldn't even put the seat belt on myself....

thomassd1969

My first grandbaby was due in November 2012. I realized I was fat and out of shape. I want to be that fun active grandma at 43. I went from 189 lbs in Jan to 155 in Dec. Still going.

mopsmom

My moment was being tired, of being tired all the time, and wanting to sleep all the time. I already have diabeties (taking oral meds) but what I was eating, was not helping. I was making it worse for me and being a bad example for my 6 and 8 year old girls.
Since I am an emotional eater, I worked on my mental issue first. I have been able to change how I eat, and am feeling fabulous!
Last month I incorporated exercising and still feeling great! I take it one minute at a time! I can do this!!!

lightdiva1

My husband and I had been talking about getting healthier for years...we never did anything about it though. Then the new year happened this year and he came home from work and said a bunch of co-workers were going to start insanity and wager 50 bucks. Whoever completed insanity would get what was left in the pot. He was incredibly excited to do this. I got excited, and then realized there was no way I could do it with him. No way I could jump or run. No way I could keep up at all.

My husband is not a big guy. He has maybe 15 pounds to lose to be at the perfect weight . But he said to me, "Your my rock, and I will need every ounce of support you have to give me to get through this."

I took a long hard look at my life style and realized my life style was not matching up to where I wanted it to be. I had managed to go back to college with two kids. Got my AA and had just completed 3 classes in my bachelor program. I am a straight A student. I am managing to balance being a stay at home mom during the day and babysit two other children and go back to college. I had been doing this for 2 years. If I could do that I could make some changes else where for the better.

lockedcj7

We had a health fair at work and I was told that I was obese and at risk for x-number of health problems. The thing that shocked me the most was being told that I was 30% body fat. I was in denial for a few days until I did my own weighing, measuring and research.

I started reading online and found "The Body Fat Guide". I'm a biologist by training and it made perfect sense to me. I changed my eating habits, started exercising and lost over 40 lbs. It wasn't until a few years later that I joined MFP and started losing again.

littlechime

I just had mine this morning. I put on my favorite work pants and they weren't slightly loose like they use to be. I realized that instead of coming home and jumping into house stuff I have started immediately going for my sweat pants because my work clothes are so uncomfortable. Too bad I picked Valentine's Day to start up with MFP again! But if I can make it through today, I can make it through any day, right?

Eons44

as stupid as it sounds, I was watching The Bachelor and saw how ripped that dude is. All those girls seem to like it, so I figured I'd try to get to that point.

brookeiva90

Deciding that my fiance and want another child and at the weight I am at now there would be WAY too many risks not to mention gaining more weight while being obese isn't wise. I am determined to be able to be at my prebaby weight (my daughter is going to be year old) by December of 2013 so that we are able to have another child Good Bye to you stubborn 80 lbs

footiechick82

I had always been fairly active. In high school I had gained weight and said "nope" and started getting more active and dropping it... as time went on, College and University, due to working 2 jobs and going to school full time, I was active, but not working out consistently. My ex during university use to tell me I was gaining weight when I was - he was honest - and I would somehow manage to drop the weight in no time... I guess that's what happens in your early 20's.

Time went on, I was fairly 'active' and had another terrible breakup with my ex fiancé (not the same guy) and he had seen me about 3 months after I told him to never contact me again and he had the nerve to tell me I was getting fat. I moved to Toronto shortly after. I was working at Hooters and the owner told me to wear a sweater because my belly was hagging over my shorts (I have IBS and I hadn't used the washroom in about 4-5 days). I was so embarassed!

I went and got a gym membership and used it about 3 times a week. I then got a job that shipped me out to Newfoundland in the middle of nowhere... my exercise was getting up in the morning, walking to the car, to the office, back to the car and back into the house. I gained 15lbs. I came home in February 2010, not realizing how much weight I had actually gained because I never looked at the scale. My 'OMG WTF?' moment was when I tried to put my gorgeous black dress on that had just fit me the past October 2009 and it took my mom, dad and brother to get the zipper up. I looked at pictures after (they're in my pics side by side) and my mom said to me "Stephanie, you really did gain a lot of weight while in Newfoundland."

My mom has never said anything negative about my appearance since the day I was born, that day, I knew she was concerned because she knew my physical appearance means a lot to me. So, I went back to Toronto, got my fat butt back in the gym, got a personal trainer and started working towards a better me. I was between 158-160lbs when I came back.

Now, after a lot of hard work and dedication, I'm not done yet... I'm down to 142lbs as of a week and a half ago. The belt I had to purhcased in Newfouldland and had to put on the 2nd knotch when I was there is now too big for me... I realized that this morning when I was getting dressed. I am so excited with my bodies transformation I have people at work asking me "How do you do it?" I tell them "I want to be healthy."

emsthethininme

Great thread!
My family goes to an amusement park every year. Two years ago, they installed new seats on my favorite ride, and at the midway point in the very long line, they had a sample seat that you had to sit in and pull the safety thing down to make sure it would close. When it got down far enough to click, the light would turn green. After an hour of waiting in line, I got to the seat, and I tried it. The light never turned green. The harness couldn't fit over my flab. I knew I was overweight, but I hadn't known I was too big for fun! I got out of line and sat at a table, trying to hide the fact that I was crying like a kid from passing strangers, and just vowed to myself that I wouldn't go back there again until I knew for sure that I would be able to fit on all the rides. And I haven't.

petiteMom289

My moment is probably when I didn't feel comfortable being intimate with my husband. I can't find anything to wear that fits anymore so I just don't want to leave my house. That usually does it.

icimani

When I realized I outweighed the heaviest NFL player, and not by just a little.

Luciabella07

My moment was stepping on the scale at 199 pounds and realizing I could not let myself hit 200 pounds. It is the heaviest I have ever been and for most of my life I was stuck in a cycle of gaining and losing and I told myself I cannot see 200 pounds on the scale. I want to lose it and keep it off and never enter into the vicious cycle again.

anniecrisis

Photos didn't help....
Going up two dress sizes in half a year made it worse....
Being breathless on little cycle rides, on walking even on the flat....
Thighs chafing whilst walking....
Then having a medical scare, and thinking, had I had to have aggressive treatment for something nasty, I'd not be fit enough to cope. It was the thing they'd all said about my mum - how fit she was, and how good that was, when she was going through a medical pummelling: she came through, with flying colours.

I didn't even dare look at the scales.

Started limiting intake, aggressively, then realised I didn't know what it was I needed to do to be sure the calorie counts were reasonable, and found MFP.

MFP says, how much exercise are you going to do? And I, having read it up, thought I'd commit myself to twenty minutes' walking, twice a week. Only that was in autumn, and the weather gets rotten in winter, so I did extra, just in case I lost momentum. Then somebody pointed out that you can do mostly walking but maybe run a minute here or there during the walk - I used to run when I was young, but hadn't dared try again for fear of collapsing in a heap after about two minutes. So interval running began, then stretched to a 5k, increasing also to five times a week, because of course, the weather gets worse in winter, and I'm going to lose momentum.....

Now I run 5k five days a week, unless I cycle the 8k to work and back. Joined Parkrun - a weekly 5k held here but also in towns all across the UK - mostly I still do intervals with some walking, but now it's one minute walking after eight of running, and I've dropped about 21kg since last October, most of it in the first three months. It's been grumpy and hungry times, and I now have to work out how to keep things steady - one of the things I am noticing though is that given a chance, my body would demand more to eat than it needs. all the time.

I still have to get my head round that one, somehow.

bootsiejayne

I have yo yo dieted for the past 20 years. I'm only 32. So...I knew I things had gotten out of hand when my weight grew to more than it was when I was 9 months pregnant with twins. But that didn't make me change. I thought as long as I keep my weight a secret no one would know. I lost my grandmother two years ago. She had various heart issues as well as Type II diabetes. She was 78 and that was very hard on me. I lost my job the next summer. I literally wore yoga pants and drawstring shorts for a year straight. When I went back to work, I was miserable because none of my dress clothes fit any more. I had to go buy more immediately because I had NONE that fit. But that didn't stop me either. I started working a desk job instead of chasing my two little boys around all day. So of course those new clothes started to get tight as well. For the past 6 months my dad has been having health issues. He is 60. He is a large. He always has been. He had to have shoulder replacement in November. He needed ankle replacement but before they could do that he was diagnosed with Diabetic Neuropathy and he is no longer a candidate. Yesterday he had ankle fusion. He will be wheelchair bound for 3 months and once he is all healed he will have NO flex in his ankle at all. That made me stop a minute and look at the situation. My Dad's dad died when he was 42 of a massive heart attack. I really started researching my family's health history and it's not a pretty story. I went to dinner with my husband's work bunch for their Christmas party. Pictures were taken. Pictures were posted on Facebook. People were tagged. I was mortified and untagged myself from every picture. Christmas came and went. New Years rolled around and I was terribly sick. I had H Pylori again. I went back with the nurse, she weighed me. I could not believe that number. That was the last straw. I was so upset over that number. I felt so surprised by it....but I shouldn't have. I had so many clues staring me right in my fat face for so long that I just ignored. The nurse then walked me back into the exam room and wanted to take my pulse. Well it was high, too high in fact. She said...."lets just wait a minute and let that come down some." She took by BP which was fine. Then went back to my pulse and it had come down some. It was only elevated from me having to walk down the hall. I did infact have H Pylori again. I went to my dad's defeated. He had cooked that night and he is a fantastic cook!!! I ate 2 plates of spaghetti and about 4 pieces of bread. As I went home, heartbroken and miserable, I realized that I was no better than a drug addict. I was killing myself forkful by forkful rather than needle by needle. I have 6 year old little boys. I have so much to live for. I was upset over it for a few days. And then I decided to do something about it. I started logging on MFP on 1/7 and have not missed a single day. I have 101 lbs to lose for a total of 123 to put me in the "normal" range. I'm doing this for my health and for my kids. If I don't I'm certain to follow in my family member's footsteps and that is not a price I'm willing to pay.