What was your moment of "enough is enough"?

I've always been fat. My size has varied up and down, but I saw my doc last year and was down 30 pounds from where I am now.

The day that finally did it was shortly after I got my job back, and saw a co-worker who's a VERY big guy. I realized that that could easily be me.

The same day, I saw a friend of mine who's a little heavier than I who was out walking. He was walking because his doc told him that he was at risk for diabetes.

In conjunction with the fact that my pants were tight and uncomfortable - even the biggest ones that I had which had previously needed a belt to stay up. I realized that I had to do something.

I quit smoking and decided to change my diet and routine. My friend and I walk every day, nearly three miles every day and I log everything that I eat now... even my bad days. I'm determined that I WILL drop to a healthy weight.

I was telling a friend about my mom passing away when I was 8. I commented that I didn't remember her and that it scared me that if I died today, my youngest may not remember me. His response will never leave my head. How old do they have to be before it is ok for you to die?

This broke my heart....

I'm doing it for my kids too. I want to be here for them for as long as humanly possible.

I would say that my defining moment was after a hospitalization at the end of August. I am a nurse and was injured while working in the ER. I was put on temporary disability in May and have been depressed at home, no real agenda and in pain. I felt that I was tied to the pills that the doctors were giving me and I would stay in bed all day at times. Between May and into August I put on about 30 pounds. I guess I ran myself down not sleeping at one point when my mother was sick and so in the hospital I landed, unable to breathe and sicker than I had ever been. I noticed that my blood pressure was high, and at first I thought it was just because I was hurting, scared, and getting albuterol. But the blood pressure never went down, and when I followed up with my doctor a few days later it was still high and my sugar levels were up to. I knew that this had to stop, it was from the weight gain he said. I knew right then that I needed to change. I did not want to take high blood pressure pills, and sure as heck did not want to be a diabetic. So I started to work out and threw away all of the bad foods in the house. The problem was finding a work out that I could do with my injury. I have 5 bulging discs in my neck and they are all torn. One of them is pushing on my spinal cord and narrowing the canal that the cord lies in. So I started yoga, water work outs, and walking on the elliptical or treadmill. I have never felt better. My energy is back, the pain is still there but I think that my improved mood has helped me deal with the pain. My husband is also on board with the diet and works out with me and we prepare meals together. I think that not only has this changed my lifestyle and is improving my health, but is bringing my husband and I closer together. Thanks for taking the time to read this long story.

Jennifer

Well it should have been when I saw 372lbs on the scale and knowing I was getting closer to 400lbs (I did actually start losing after this and got down to 320 but then went back to 352lbs). It should have been the day I realized I had a binge eating disorder (linked to my childhood) and I could easily consume 10,000 calories in a sitting and NOT throw it all up. It should have been when I realized I moved to a country that didn't have one store that carried sizes big enough for me. It should have been when I didn't feel pretty enough to be seen with my husband and purposely skipped out on command functions, picnics and nights out to not only save me the embarrassment but him also. It should have been when I was diagnosed with PCOS and told I'd need to lose a significant amount of weight before I'd be considered for fertility treatment. It should have been when I was getting winded just walking up the stairs. But, none of those did it for me.

What finally was my 'enough' moment? In January when I realized I'd be flying back stateside (a 24 hour trip with two 8 hour flights and a 4 hour flight) in 11 months by myself. No husband beside me so I could put the armrest up and have a little room. I was scared I wouldn't fit or they'd make me buy an extra seat. I was terrified. So, I decided to do something about it and started at 352lbs. It was pretty 'easy'. My husband had just deployed and I new I had 7 months where I could be as strict as I needed to and I lost 60lbs in those 7 months. I've now lost 73lbs this year and 93lbs since my highest weight. I've still got a month and a half before I get on that plan and I'm hoping for another 15-20lbs. I've still got a ways to go overall, but it's getting done!

I was lucky enough though that my husband never said a word about my weight. He never looked at other women, compared me to other women or said 'remember how you looked when we met 10 years ago'? He loved me unconditionally and told me I was beautiful every single day and I think that ultimately gave me the confidence to start. The funny thing? When we met, we were 15 and I weighed about 260lbs (yes, horrible, I know) and I'm only 17lbs from that now! I can't wait to tell him 'babe, I weigh less than I did when we met' lol.

My defining moment to start losing weight was on July 1, 2011 when I almost died of cardiomyopathy and congestive heart failure.

The horrible tachycardia that I was having did me in. It was so hard to sleep every night because of it and I was worried that I wouldn't wake up. So, I got my but into gear and just losing the first little bit helped out so much.

I was tired, tired, tired all the time. Not just drained tired or sleepy tired, but yuck, disgusting tired. I knew the junk I was eating was contributing to that feeling, not to mention my hips, waistline, etc.

I also noticed I was avoiding mirrors and cameras, which was so not my personality. It was time for action.

Definitely had the clothes one happen, getting ready for work or to go out and realizing that nothing fit has happened to me too often but the big kicker this summer was playing in an alumni flag football game, seeing a lot of teammates I haven't seen in awhile and the looks on their faces when the much heavier me showed up was the worst feeling in the world!

When my blood work came back and my cholesterol was high, only by 4 points but still high. I told my husband and daughter that day I am losing weight and getting this down where it should be. I started dieting the 1st of Jan. 2012 and to date have lost 47 lbs. Yay me!!! I have had a lot of sickness since then (starting this past April) but I feel my cholesterol being high was God's way of getting me on a diet, getting some weight of me before all the rest came up and I had to have surgery, due to my cholesterol coming down from 204 to 147 and the 47 lbs off I came thru my surgery much better/easier than I would have. I guess at that point i thought God you gave me a wake up call with my cholesterol and weight to prepare me for cancer and all that goes with it. Thank you for your amazing grace on me. So I guess cholesterol being high was my "enough is enough."