Why/how did you become overweight?

avskk

I suffered from postpartum depression and an emotionally abusive husband for years after having my son. I was basically trapped at home, by my husband, by my lack of economic independence, by my own mental stuff, etc. So I wasn't active, and on top of that I started using food as pretty much my only source of pleasure. I have an autoimmune disorder and there were days I used the pain as an excuse to stay in bed snarfing chips and cheese. When I finally left my husband I threw myself into work and my son, which led me to feel martyred and exhausted... so I would reward myself with food all the time. I also drank way too much, because I'm socially anxious and used the booze to help me form new social bonds.

I was a mess for a long time, basically. My journey isn't just about losing the weight -- it's about finally taking control of my life in a lot of ways, from self-discipline and emotional regulation to balancing my work and home lives appropriately. It starts with not using food as a crutch and learning to eat healthfully and appropriately, but that is only one step.

ElectroJay

I quit smoking, resulting in an enormous increase in appetite for which I ate all sorts of processed foods and sugar

Kevalicious99

I have been overweight about 2x in my life. But most recently .. I sat on the couch for 5 years and ate junk food. I was fit back in like 2006 and want to get back there.

madaboutmitch

Here it goes-

I have always been overweight. Five, ten pounds in high school. Twenty pounds in college. The older I got, the higher the number became. For me, my weight has been my protection. It protects me from the outside world. It hides the real me from those around me. If they can't see me behind the fat, then they can't reject me. I say I like to eat (which I do) and I really love the instant gratification of food (which I do,) but I really think that my weight is my protection.

I have tried to diet many, many times. But not really. I joined Weight Watchers, and would eat whatever I wanted until 2 days before weigh in, then starve myself for a "good number." I have eaten only eggs one day, oranges the next....blah blah blah. I even tried diet pills in my younger days. Nothing worked. And not because they couldn't, but because I wasn't really there.

For a long time, I have thought about being serious about losing weight. Every day I would think about it. Every day, as I ate the last brownie, drove thru at McDonalds for the last time, or went out for pizza. Then I picked a start date. I only told one person I was starting a new life. Why only one person? Because this is about me, not anyone else. Every day I do things for my husband, my kids, my community, my job... this is for me. And so my journey began.

I saw an article on line that came from Marie Claire magazine about losing weight and diet plans. Now, I usually don't read Marie Claire magazine because I heard they hate fat people. But I figured- they are all thin over there, they must know something about being thin. Well, I read the article, and then researched all of their suggestions. The recommended MFP, I researched it, and here I am. Down 18 pounds. Walking every day, and feeling optimistic about me.

Now, my family is on the journey with me. Why? Because I am making appropriate potions for me and them! I invite them for walks, and they join me! And I am happy.

KnM0107

I was obese as a child and young adult. I was obese because I ate too much and I was lazy. I lost weight by dropping the excuses, eating less and being active.

lil_lizt

I was always a uk size 6 and then my dad became ill with cancer and passed away 2yrs ago and I comfort ate. I'm also on medication that causes weight gain which didn't help

kelly_e_montana

I have always been overweight unless I was purging or using drugs to keep my weight down. My baby book indicates I was a compulsive eater as an infant or rather that I was always, always hungry. I have been stealing food or money for food since I was a toddler, first breaking into a house for food at age 5. I will eat uncooked rice, pasta, frozen cooked meat, etc. if necessary if I want to binge. I ate candy and chips, etc. and like 6 Diet Cokes per day since age 12 (mostly off that now). I didn't really eat fast food because I lived in a very small rural town and there wasn't anything like that for miles and miles.

At first I was only about 10-20 pounds overweight but I've been on a diet since I can remember (2nd grade is my earliest memory of being put on a diet). Then as I got older, I started binging and purging as a reaction to the restriction and have been doing it ever since. My weight has been very up and down within a 100ish pound range in the last 20 years and I have weighed anywhere from 135 to 237.

I have lost over 50 pounds this time but I am not working on weight loss so much as getting a normal relationship with food. I have been binge free for a couple months, a lifetime record.

lilyaqha

Were you always overweight? No, I was once bulemic and 90 lbs.

Or were you once a healthy weight? Yes, but not from a healthy lifestyle.

Did you "let yourself go"? No. Got PTSD from both parents dying. Ate because not eating made me anxious as heck.


And did anyone become overweight while still being an active person and (over)eating homemade, whole foods, or was it only through eating essentially crap food, processed foods, restaurant/fast food? A little of both, and more of all of the above.

wertgirlfor

I was a normal sized kid until I hit puberty. I was never really "fat" but I was always a little chubbier than other girls. Between middle school and the end of high school (like 6 years), I gained 20 pounds, which put me in the overweight category according to my BMI. I figured I should nip it in the bud before college, kids, and the real world make it harder to lose weight.

fruttibiscotti

One word: carbs

That's what made me unhealthy.

MichelleLaree13

It is easiest for me to hang out around a 25 BMI. I tend to eat healthy foods just too much. Either I cook or eat salads/fruit that doesn't need cooked. I am not a huge fan of most restaurant food or processed foods. The more I cook, the closer my BMI gets to 26. The less I cook, the closer my BMI gets to 24. Exercise influences how toned I am but doesn't correlate with my weight. I go through fazes that I am more comfortable with a higher BMI and times when I want to feel better about myself. I haven't defined any one thing that makes my BMI creep up besides liking to cook.

JenLakersFan

Were you always overweight? Or were you once a healthy weight?:
Nope. I was always at a good weight as a child. I started gaining in middle school after discovering you had the freedom to eat whatever you want and how much you wanted during lunch time. I never exactly successfully went down to a healthy weight at the time until after high school. I was pretty much overweight from 7th grade to my first semester of college. I think I was my heaviest after high school; my blood pressure was always rather high and such. It was awful. I think I hit my highest at the time because I relied on food as a way to cope with depression. I was going through an abusive relationship and even afterwards, it really affected me psychologically (still does, in a sense). So I did tons of emotional eating.

I had that emotional eating part under control for a couple years after I lost 20-30 pounds. I was at my healthiest as an adult, but then after a brief breakup this past summer, I went back to emotional eating again. Went from 130ish pounds to 150ish pounds *sigh*

Did you "let yourself go"? Or perhaps it was due to a traumatic event, injury or medication?:
Pretty much. I kind of stopped caring in the summer. It was all a part of feeling like I wasn't worth it for anyone. I didn't know how else to go about coping. I was seeing a psychologist and such, but it didn't help as much as I wanted. Food was pretty much my go-to "cure," even though it'd leave me feeling groggy and gross afterwards (that's what fried foods do to you, after all).

The breakup was a huge blow to me, especially since we've been together for a long, long time. Fortunately we've gotten back together as of a few months ago, but here I am trying to lose all the weight I had gained. It's a bit embarrassing, and I can't seem to have the balls to tell him that eating was my way of coping. It just sounds so sad, but it is what it is I guess.

And did anyone become overweight while still being an active person and (over)eating homemade, whole foods, or was it only through eating essentially crap food, processed foods, restaurant/fast food?
For me, it's always been the crap food, processed foods, and restaurant/fast foods that played a role in my weight gain. I love fries, oh my goodness lol... and that was one of the things I ate a lot when I'd stuff my face. As far as homemade meals go, my mom has a habit of using too much salt in her cooking, so I've had to cut down on eating whatever she cooks, or I do the taste-testing for her... or just freakin make my own food.

EmmiDahling

I was a swimmer in high school; I *ate* but was bordering on scary skinny (125 lbs, but I looked about 105 at 5'4"). My mom didn't allow any junk food in the house and was always making comments about portion sizes. When I went to college, I went nuts with junk food and stopped swimming. I maintained at about 175 for 3-5 years post-college. I started dealing with job related stress by not eating at all during the day (I couldn't keep much down) and bingeing nights and weekends. I was up around 225 for several years. I finally 'saw the light' about how fat I had gotten and found a job with lower stress around the same time. I realise that I will never look like I did before I put on the weight, but I am about 6lbs from goal and am relating to food in a healthier manner.