Straw that broke the camel's back

I looked at a picture and realized that for the first time in my life I was the fat bridesmaid!

It was either this or buy new pants.

I was looking on my profile online for my Doctors office, as I was expecting test results in. And right on top of the page it said "overweight" I honestly had NO idea I was overweight. I almost cried, but instead, I joined MFP immediately!!

The first time, my hubby and I were talking about how we want to live life and not just work, eat, sleep and watch TV like so many people. He wanted to start pilot lessons and I talked about how I always wanted to take scuba lessons, but money is tight and wetsuits are tighter! He asked how much I wanted to lose and I said 70 would get me to a healthy weight. Then he suggested that I make that a reward, if I could get to a healthy weight I could get my C-card. I started the next day! lol

Well, long story short, I got very close to my goal, hit a plateau, gave up and gained 45 back. Lost 20 last spring during a Biggest Loser style contest in town (won it!), then gave up again and maintained all summer. Early October I realized that I might (it's a big might still) be able to go on a cruise in February and I DON'T want to be the chubby one! I'd like to wear shorts and feel comfortable in a swimming suit. So, I'm seeing how close I can get to my goal by then. ^_^

Seeing the highest # on the scale ever...

I had been about average weight all of my life but gained a bunch during a truly bad marriage. Food was my refuge. My blood pressure was high and I had developed type 2 diabetes. It was time to take control of my life again. I got out of the bad marriage after 20 years of constantly being told how useless I was. That was the first step. I lost 67 pounds (from a high of 185 down to 118) and kept it off for several years. I had managed to avoid having to go on medication for diabetes as losing weight and exercise had brought all my numbers down comfortably into the normal range. I was 57 years old, recently divorced... my children grown... and had a good job. I looked good, I felt good, and only had one thing missing in my life. While I was fine on my own, I missed having a man in my life, and when I met the man I married a year and a half ago, I knew I'd found the person I wish I'd been with all of my life. Part of our ongoing celebration had become dining out. Often. And following that up with an ice cream chaser at the local ice cream shop. We both put on some weight. As this fall approached and I was digging out my fall/winter wardrobe I noticed it wasn't fitting. Some things I couldn't even button! I hadn't weighed myself or tested my blood sugar in months. It had been fine for so long I had almost forgotten.... so.... I got on the scale. Seventeen pounds had reappeared! And then I tested my blood.... THAT was the last straw! There was no way I was going to let this happen! I had actually joined MFP last spring but didn't really do anything with it. I logged back on 42 days ago and I've lost almost 12 pounds. My blood glucose levels are back down to normal. My clothes are fitting again. My husband has also lost 20 pounds when he saw I was taking this seriously. It is SO EASY to gain weight back after it's been lost. I had made lifestyle changes that kept it off for years and I just plain lost sight of where I had been and what I had been through to lose that 67 pounds. That is not a mistake I will make again!

I was almost 400 pounds and hated myself, but did nothing about it. I had resigned to the fact I was going to be 400 pounds and there was nothing I could do to stop it. I bought larger clothes and just kept eating. I had Yo Yo dieted all my life and figured I just did not have the will power to do it.

One day my dad calls up and tells me that I am going to start walking with him since he is diabetic (and thin I might add) and needs to walk. I found out later that his real reason was me. He was worried about me. I was having boat loads of health issues and was probably headed to death.

Once the weight started coming off it was like a jump start. Through the Lord and MFP I have lost a lot of weight. I plan to keep going since it has been easier then I thought!

I am tired of the shame and jokes and the simple fact I could not do anything but eat and sit in a chair, but praise the Lord he is setting me free and I am aiming for 150 pounds in the next 2 years.

This is to the Poster who posted the above. I just want you to know you have an amazing personality and you are so much more than a number on a scale. The straw that broke the camels back for me was on my birthday I knew chances were good with all my health issues if I did not lose weight I would not live to see another Birthday. Excess weight around my heart was not helping my health.

I've been struggling with my weight since late college, despite having always been thin (BMI 19) before that. I've been on Calorie King (I'm still a member) but I wanted something more portable. Realizing that I'd hit an all-time high weight that was dangerously close to 200 lbs (and being clinically overweirght; BMI 25.8) was enough to make me start on changing my lifestyle. I'm more active, and I'm trying to eat better, but I'm having a harder time learning consistency. Also-I outgrew my "fat pants". Again.

I am 32 and have had pain in my side for 17 months now, it started right after childbirth. After having them take out my appendix and it still didn't go away I was diagnosed with a fatty liver this last October. The worst part was they saw it on a CT scan last March and never mentioned it to me.,,,


Yup the pain in my side I was feeling was my liver. Because I am fat.

Now I work out everyday, eat clean, and I've lost 11 lbs in 1 month.

I have gone through two pregnancies and lost all the weight back down to my normal size of about 140 (I am 5'6). Then I decided to get the Depo shot for birth control in 2005 and gained a whopping 40 pounds in one year. I stopped getting the shot and my weight just continued to climb higher and higher as the years went by. Every year I hit an all time high, my body just hasn't been the same since I had the series of shots. Not only is it extremely difficult to lose weight but it packs on so easily. I had always been very lean my whole life, even after having the kids. So my newest all time high was 220 which is 30 pounds more than I weighed at my heaviest during pregnancy. But the straw that broke the camel's back was a picture taken of me and my boyfriend casually sitting on the back porch. I looked enormous! Especially next to him, he is in pretty good shape. I knew I was slowly gaining weight, I knew I was fat. But seeing that picture it just looked way worse than the image I had in my head. I am now down to 215.4 as of this morning so I am on my way!

I was on Depo for 12 years! Although I didn't gain weight the first few, it may have contributed to the rapid onset (and difficult shedding) of extra poundage that I have too. You are not alone

Need to lose weight!!

When I looked in the mirror 1 year ago and realized I was no longer "too sexy for my shirt", right Fred, that's what he said .

A couple of things, really.
#1: I did not want to be a fat nurse. I know you all have seen them. The nurses that you wonder if they could really get down on the floor and do CPR on anyone, much less get off the floor. How could I talk to a patient about being health and eating right, when I couldn't follow my own advise. I was 265 pounds when I started losing the weight. Ok people before you jump on me, I'm not saying you can't be a good nurse, if you are overweight, if was just my thinking and the reason I lost my weight.

#2 My Mom was overweight for as long as I could remember, but I saw picture of how beautiful she was when she was thin. I look so much like her and I knew I could look that HOT also. My family is lucky, we are overweight with out much health issue, I don't want to push my luck.

I got a wonderful personal trainer and I was ready.

I broke my leg really bad playing hockey in may... My husband said that if I wasn't so fat then it probably wouldn't have been so bad..

I started months ago in order to lose weight for my holiday. That failed.
I restarted after my holiday to lose weight in general. That failed too.
Now I have started it again because I have just went through a break up and it's time I have to look after myself. I have already made the biggest progress, plus the endorphins from the gym really cheer me up, haha.