Curious: Is Hitting 'Rock Bottom' Necessary?

I didn't, personally. I can relate to a lot of peoples' rock bottom moments but it wasn't that way. It was many half-hearted attempts and lots of bad moments and I decided to think outside the box a little, so to speak. Since what I'd tried before didn't work, why not try keeping a food diary to see if the accountability would make a difference? I gave myself a month to give it my best shot figuring I could do anything for a month. And I never looked back :flowerforyou:

I was always of the opinion that to make a substational life change that last, you needed to hit some sort of low. No one changes without a reason to, so obviously there was *something* wrong. Just because it wasn't as major as someone else's bottom, doesn't make it less real, I think.

No-everyone doesn't have that moment. My "journey" started by accident. Totally unplanned and no big ah-ha moment-it was an accident. While I'm not at goal, it's been a year and 75lbs-I'm calling it successful.

That's what happend with me. I'm in it for way more than just getting to a healthy weight...I want the nutrition and fitness as well. About 1.5 years ago, I received some bad news from the doctor...not life threatening immediately, but bad enough the he told me I needed to make some changes. I totally ignored him for the most part and thought it would just go away...made a few minor tweaks, but nothing really serious.

Fast forward to a few months ago...even worse news from the doctor. He asked me if I had made any of the changes we had talked about. I told him the tweaks I had made, which sounded really good, but when you net those things with the harm I was doing to myself, the good was negligible at best. My doc is a pretty straight shooter and basically put his foot up my *kitten* and asked me if I had a death wish or something. Since then, I've given up smoking and lost about ten pounds...only 25 more to go; I'm eating a much healthier diet full of lean proteins, complex carbs, whole grains...lots of water. I gave up smoking and have substantially decreased my booze intake. My goal not only involves helath and fitness and weight loss...I really want to be around awhile to watch my kids grow up; doc told me I was on a fast train to nowhere the way I was going...this time I'm paying attention.

I think the "bottom" is different for everyone. My bottom was that moment when I decided I simply couldn't take another day feeling so badly. If I had gone to the doc for a physical, I'm sure I would've had a medical reason, too: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, pre-diabetes. Now my blood pressure is normal, and my cholesterol is near normal (I have a follow-up labs next month, fingers crossed for normal results). I've also changed the way I eat to minimize blood sugar spikes and keep diabetes away. I feel SO much better, and I'm glad I hit my "bottom".

No rock bottom here.

If I am fully honest, I started exercising and eating well out of boredom. No health scare, no inability to fit into an amusement park ride, no social humiliation, no emotional breakdown.

I just needed a new challenge.

I'd gained 15-20 lbs over 1-2 years and disliked the flab I saw in the mirror. Then I saw that gaining one more pound would put me in the overweight zone on the bmi scale. I decided that I wasn't having any of that and committed to eating less and moving more. That's it.

Edited to add: I found out later that I actually had been in the overweight zone on bmi. Turns out I'm not as tall as my doctor had told me I was:grumble:

80+ pounds ago, I saw a picture of myself at the wedding of one of my best friends.

Haven't looked back.

Decisions based on emotion do not usually stick. All those times I felt sad about my weight and thought I needed to lose weight... never stuck. It was a calm moment when I realized "Why am I not trying to be healthier and stronger?" It took a moment of me wanting what is best for me over all and in the long run, rather than some extreme low or emotionally charged decision.