What held you back?

Options
rudimae
rudimae Posts: 107
in Motivation and Support
I have a long way to go in my weight loss journey, but I've made a solid start. Just today I was wondering why I've never been successful in my weight loss and what has changed that I'm doing so much better this time.

For me, it's several things. Watching my mother having circulations issues in her leg (and she's really skinny) is a big reason I got my butt moving.

Another thing I realized was another medical condition had been holding me back. I had very severe psoriasis. 85-90% of my body was covered by it. I also have psoriatic arthritis. Those issues made exercise very difficult...painful joints and sking that would crack open and bleed with movement.

Last year, I finally accepted that I needed treatment for my psoriasis and arthritis. I'd been afraid for so long because the medication can have such severe side effects. But the arthritis scared me, and I started on Humira.

That medicine changed my life. The arthritis wasn't helped as much as I'd hoped, but my skin is about 99% clear. I realized that besides the physical limitations I'd had from the psoriasis, I also had a mental one. Why bother losing weight when I'd still be covered with psoriasis?

I just thought it was interesting to reflect upon why this time seems to be different.

Anyone else have something that held them back for a long time?

Replies

  • tjames30
    tjames30 Posts: 229 Member
    Options
    This may be off your topic, but I have psoriasis as well and recently started on Humira.
  • blonde71
    blonde71 Posts: 955 Member
    Options
    Fear. Sad but true.
  • jynxxxed
    jynxxxed Posts: 1,010 Member
    Options
    Wow, my 'excuses' are nowhere near yours. That's great that you're doing better now!

    I held myself back due to laziness. I literally believed that it wasn't possible to look or feel any different by changing my eating habits. Seemed like I would never be able to stick with it, so why try?
    It still feels like I'm never going to look physically different (I know this isn't true, but I can't seem wrap my mind around it if that makes sense!) but I've been pushing forward regardless.

    Changing my eating habits has been surprisingly easy. Very easy.
  • HeatherSLosinIt
    HeatherSLosinIt Posts: 79 Member
    Options
    Depression, fear, smoking, life...

    I was never this big before. My heaviest prior to what I am now was 168, and that was when I was pregnant with my youngest child. I kept seeing the numbers go higher on the scale at each dr visit... 180, 192..and then 228. Then I was stuck with my weight just not going anywhere. I thought something was surely medically wrong for me to be so heavy, because I hadn't really changed anything. Or so I thought.

    I used to ride bike, walk/run/jog all over the place, and I'd go out on weekends and dance my butt off.

    When I realized that I HAD changed from doing all these things, I tried getting on my bike again, but found that yeah, I still knew how to ride, but I was literally scared of it. I fell off a dozen times... then I gave up. My depression got worse.

    I tried walking, and it went well for a while, but then after about 2 weeks, my feet and ankles would blow up after a walk, and it would be so painful, and I couldn't stand up... Well, I had to be able to be on my feet.. I have 3 little girls to chase after. So I stopped trying at that, too. You guessed it, the depression worsened.

    Through all of this, I was struggling through a rocky marriage, ultimate divorce, and then trying to be both mom and dad for my girls as their dad just up and jumped ship 5 states away.

    I don't have any friends. I gave most of them up when I stopped going out on weekends. The one friend I still had passed away shortly after I filed for divorce, so anyone I spoke to was a stranger I met online, or my immediate family.

    Then I started talking to one of my old friends again. I'd known him for 12+ years, and he was considered a part of the family more than anything else.

    He didn't care what I looked like, knew all of the crap I'd been through over the past several years... He wanted to start seeing each other.

    That was in March of this year. We are now living together, kids and all, and I am feeling so at peace. He tells me I am beautiful and I believe him.

    I want to FEEL beautiful and healthy. I want to go out and do things with him and the kids. I want to get over this hump and DO IT! I've never felt so sure of anything else before. I am determined to stick it out for life, get healthy, drop some major pounds, and just be happy again.
  • simonlcube
    simonlcube Posts: 73 Member
    Options
    What held me back?

    Chocolate, probably. :-)

    I am now trying to teach myself to eat it in moderation, but it ain't easy.

Categories