What triggered your journey?

My doctor told me I was obese for the first time. I knew I was getting up there in weight, but the big "o" word had never been used to describe me to my face before.

I hated it. Then, I went home and weighed myself for the first time in months, and the scale said 218 lbs. I'm 5'8". That was it. The next day, I found MFP on google and committed myself to never being 218 lbs again. It took me over a year to get control over my eating habits and another 6 months afterwards, but I lost 42 lbs. More importantly, I learned that I was capable of self-control on a level I never thought I was. That empowerment has meant so much more than the lbs coming off.

Just being so miserable! Got to the point I would miss public functions just to not have to face my closet of clothes that didn't fit anymore! The feeling of being around people and feeling like that we're talking about how much weight I gained. Looking at pictures and not recognizing myself...looking at pictures and seeing how fat I have gotten and saying to. Myself, I just don't feel I'm as fat as I look it hat picture.

Being in your late 20's and feeling like your over at least 40...it's just sad that you don't realize you trap yourself with all the weight gain.

The thing that triggered mine was the scare I received the day before New Years Eve. Firstly let me state that from being so obese I have developed varicose veins in my legs. With that being said, Late that night I was sitting at home with my mom watching t.v. when my leg started to itch. I leaned down and scratched my leg and upon doing so I hit the vein. The skin was too soft because of the condition and it ruptured. I was rushed to the ER where it took them 3 hours to get the blood to stop gushing out of my leg. My doctor looked at me and asked "How long have you had varicose veins?" "2 years or so" was my reply. When he asked me If I had seen a doctor about them before I answered yes. I then told him that 2 years ago my family doctor told me that I needed to lose weight or I most likely wouldn't live to see 30. I was 22 at the time and still felt invincible. I merely laughed it off and continued my same bad habits. The junk food, the soda, the alcohol, etc. The doctor hung his head and I could tell he was ashamed for me. I felt embarrassed and ashamed. He then asked me how I felt about it now. I was quiet for a few moments not looking him in the eyes. I told him I knew it was a stupid thing to do and that I would fix it. I want to live to be around for my family, my friends, and my beautiful girlfriend and her daughter. So now here I am on this site looking to make a change in my life. One for the better.

I was getting dressed one day and I thought someone had switched my clothes or I was being "Punk'd"..and then I looked at some pics of me...

Not being able to sit in my computer chair and tie my sneakers, along with a ton of other things. My father in law passed in 2012, way to early, the result of living unhealthy for a lifetime. My grandfather was tremendously overweight at over 350 lbs when he passed in 2006, and when I stepped on the scale less than a month ago, I was less than 50 lbs from that weight. I'm almost 40, and I have a wonderful husband who loves me unconditionally, and 2 great kids, and I REALLY want to be around for a long time for them. My husband and I have plans to travel in Europe when the kids are moved out on their own, and I want to be able to do everything we have planned. I want to be around to see any grand kids we might have grow up. I'm tired of living my life on the couch, or behind the camera, or hiding from the camera. I want to be out there living life!!!!

This picture. I sort of knew I was overweight, but my friend put this photo of me on Facebook, and I was appalled at how I looked.

Honestly, I have been on this journey since i was 8 Have lost100 pounds in the past and due to lack of discipline gained it all back...and it brought friends lol. Last year had a health scare, got re-motivated but lost my way. The picture that I have posted really made me see just how much i had lost my way...sometimes until u see yourself in a photo, u just don't realize the truth and since i rarely let people take my picture i just wasn't seeing it. When i saw that i remembered just what had happened to get me started on becoming healthy again and came back here for the support!

Seeing photos from the other Christmas. So I decided to do something about it before I got any bigger.

I dont recall a trigger. Just that i wanted to be better to myself and show my kids a better life. I was becoming depressed and didnt think it was healthy for my kids!! Or myself or husband

This picture. I sort of knew I was overweight, but my friend put this photo of me on Facebook, and I was appalled at how I looked.

I had a similar experience; I looked like a rooting hog in a very unflattering picture.
I could not believe my eyes..

It was the opposite of a "fat picture" for me - I'd piled on the weight in a relatively short space of time and somebody tagged me in on some New Year's Eve photos taken prior to my weight gain. I got so upset looking at photos of the slim me that I resolved to get back to that weight again - I'm now less than 10lbs away :-)

I could not fit into my favorite jeans anymore.
Plus I had a friend lose 70 lbs in @ 1.5 yrs time. She looked so good and was happy with life. i was green with envy of her new body and wanted to accoplish the same for myself.

There are no pictures of me in the family album for years now, I won't put one in. That's says it right there, time to change

The nurse at my Doctor's office looking at me and saying, Oh, we'll have to use the scale we weigh the wheelchair patients on for you.'