What motivated you?

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13

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  • pbajwally
    pbajwally Posts: 210 Member
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    My click moment... Hmm.

    Well, many times I've tried & many times I've failed. I'm really good at getting all swept up in the moment & having lots of motivation and then about 3 months in, it all falls to crap. Last March, I got so fed up with what I saw in the mirror... just disgusted. So I logged on to MFP. A month after that, I joined a friend at the gym for a cardio dance class she was raving about. Two weeks later, I joined. Plodding along, one day at a time - slowly - the weight started to come off. In October, (of course, right before Halloween and the onslaught of holiday indulgence), I started to lose motivation... my husband sensed it & he joined MFP... he started running... because he knew if I had the support, I'd continue... there are no words to describe how much that meant to me and how I will never forget it. Between the two of us, we're down 100 lbs... or the weight of both our kids combined!

    Ultimately, I'm 18 months from my 40th birthday. I have two small boys and I plan to be around to watch their kids grow up. So basically, I had to get my *kitten* together and be serious - so as to not have my kids wonder how come their mom can't keep up with them... not to mention, I never want them to have to worry about me because of something I could have controlled myself. It's not fair to them. And thirdly - most important - I want them to embrace healthy eating and exercise. Not dread it.
  • tammigates
    tammigates Posts: 46 Member
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    For me it was a health assessment for work Health Insurance, when I got my numbers and the realization set in, i had avoided mirrors and scales for a while, It clicked for me, Me and coworkers all are giving each other support.
    That was almost a year ago and I am down currently 106, I don't plan to ever find those pounds again. :smile:

    That's amazing! Congratulations!!
  • littlemissskinnybitch
    littlemissskinnybitch Posts: 2 Member
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    Not fitting in my clothes the way I'm used to. And I refuse to buy new ones to replace them!
  • sally_jeffswife
    sally_jeffswife Posts: 766 Member
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    I had been on medications that caused alot of weight gain fast and my Dr switched them and that helps a LOT but my jeans fitting tight on me is the real thing that motivated me. I wanna get bk down to the size I was before being put on the meds I had been on.
  • slkehl
    slkehl Posts: 3,801 Member
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    I always had a pretty stable weight until a couple years ago. Fifteen pounds came on lightening fast and didn't leave by themselves. It freaked me out to see the scale jump that much, and I had to make real changes.
  • SeahorseDolphin
    SeahorseDolphin Posts: 131
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    Leaving my Fiance, is what really started the ball rolling for me.

    I have always been slightly overweight, but I was pretty active so I was a still a highly functional fat guy. Over the years with my ex I ballooned up to 245. The majority of it had to do with my diet, while I did all the cooking but my ex HATED veggies and I do mean hated. If it was green she wouldn't eat it, She didn't want to see them on her plate, and if I ever got her try even a bite or even just cooked with it, it would always inevitably cause her IBS to act up.

    I never could bring myself to make two dinners every night so I ate what she ate. So for a long time my diet consisted of refined carbs (white rice/pasta she also refused to eat brown rice or whole grain pasta), meats primarily (beef and pork no fish or chicken) and cheese and butter. The only time I ate anything green was when we went out, and it showed in my waistline.

    In addition, my activity went down, which was the only thing that really kept me from being morbidly obese in the first place. She never really enjoyed the sports I liked and I did enjoy spending time with her, so spending a sat. playing tennis instead of hanging out with her was a choice I rarely made. I slowly changed my lifestyle from one of a average eater who stayed active to a very unhealthy eater who didn't do anything.

    Just to be clear, I in no way blame my ex for all the weight I put on. It was the choices I made on daily basis that made me fat, but in certain situations it's a lot easier to make better choices.

    When I left her and moved to Texas, it was fresh start. From planning a wedding to single is a pretty large lifestyle change already so why not change everything I didn't like about my former life? I got back to cooking a much more balanced diet (I love veggies) and got myself down to 208 before I found this site and started counting calories. I got back into my old activities and started to look for new ones to keep myself busy. Down to 186 now, still a bit more to go, but it's a long term process and I feel good about the lifestyle changes I have made.

    Thanks for sharing your story I really enjoyed reading that. A bad relationship did contribute to my weight gain as well and I just moved and am starting my fresh start :smile:
  • Psychedelicately
    Psychedelicately Posts: 81 Member
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    For me it was weighing myself right before my honeymoon (to Hawaii) and seeing that I weighed 210 lbs, highest in my life. I was unable to really enjoy my honeymoon (at least when it comes to feeling self conscious) but came back home more determined than ever to change my lifestyle. That was October 2012 and I'm down 26 lbs.

    Sure wish I'd done this/found MFP before I got married!
  • 3foldchord
    3foldchord Posts: 2,918 Member
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    What motivated me was having surgery. I had a tumor the size of a honeydew melon (or the size of. 5 month pregnancy). It made me irritable, uncomfortable, lazy, tired, nauesous, etc... I spent a few months laying around doing nothing and eating 'comfort foods'
    Before it got that bad, I had tried increasing exercise, eating better, etc..
    But to no avail (didn't realize I had the fibroid tumor at that point)
    Once I had it removed, i figured;
    " now that I feel better and don't ache or look 5 months pregnant. Now is the time to work off the weight that has been compounding the last few years,"
    So here I am. It is a lot different ball game at 41 years than it was at 21 years old.
  • blacklaceroses
    blacklaceroses Posts: 48 Member
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    Short and bitter:

    Boy do I remember! It was my first family gathering with my Ryan. He was meeting my folks and everyone. My sister had these wooden chairs in her dining room at the time. Not thinking I sat on it and broke the chair! Talk about horrified I was 323 pounds at the time I could have died. My lovely Ryan (he's 145 pounds soaking wet) he just looked and helped me up I'm shocked nobody laughed.

    I remember coming home that night and eating a bucket full of ice cream and tears. It still took me another week to get off my *kitten* and do something about it.

    And for the record no I still don't laugh when I think about that. If anything Im still fill with sorrow. So that saying you may laugh later ummmmm after 5 years and I haven't crack a smile yet not one single smile.................
  • pattkw
    pattkw Posts: 7
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    I was sent a photo of myself taken in November on a cruise. I was disgusted with myself. I have made judgements about a friend who lost 165 on WW over a two year period and has put it all back on and more. Who am I to talk after seeing my 30 lb gain over the last 2 years. I knew that MFP was worth a try as soon as I found the website. This first week has been easy and I now have no excuses. I want to live my life without arthritic back pain and dark coloured clothing. Look out world, I'm coming back!
  • DJHudgins
    DJHudgins Posts: 172
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    My "click moment" was chest pains. I weighed in at 269 at 5ft 7in. At 29, I shouldn't have been having those. Plus, I will be getting married soon and wanna stick around for my lady as long as possible :)
  • sjr4291
    sjr4291 Posts: 47 Member
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    My main motivation is the fact that I am getting married in July this year...and I have ordered a dress 1 size too small...if I had ordered a dress the size that fit I know my attitude would be 'oh well my dress fits...no need to try.'

    My other motivation was hitting 189lbs and just feeling unfit ALL THE TIME...even walking upstairs! That has already improved! :D
  • Dlibo1013
    Dlibo1013 Posts: 883 Member
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    I want to enjoy life and be healthy. I also miss the active sports I used to play
  • drusilla126
    drusilla126 Posts: 478 Member
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    What exactly motivated you to start losing weight/living healthier?
    I'm not honestly sure. I think I hit bottom. Got fired. Got dumped. Had to move back home with my mother (at 26.) I sat around feeling sorry for myself for a few months and then it hit me in the shower one day that I had thought I had control of my life and really I controlled nothing. But there was one thing I could control and change. I wasn't happy with my weight but I could control how much I ate and how much I moved. With not having a job I had lost the excuse of having no time to exercise so I was going to look into GoodLife Fitness but saw there was a Curves way closer to my house. I walked in one day, the lady told me "no excuses" and I signed up on the spot. I never expected it to work. I haven't looked back.

    What was that 'click' moment?
    Either the moment in the shower where I realized I had the power to change this, or the moment when I was at work and having chest pains thinking I was having a heart attack and having to ask my new boss to take me to the hospital. Friggin embarassing.

    And was/is your goal a permanent change or did you decide on a diet instead?
    Hell yes it's permanent. I had lost 40 pounds that I gained back and had to relose so I'm not doing this a third time. I've spent over $1000 on a new wardrobe so I have to make this permanent! lol I can't imagine going back. Hitting Curves at 6am every morning is so much a part of my routine now I can't even fathom my life without it.
  • Hbazzell
    Hbazzell Posts: 899 Member
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    My "click" moment was when I noticed I didnt want my husband to see me naked because I was so mortified by my bobdy. What's weird is he married me at this weight and he is very loving and non-judgmental but I began to hate myself so much I wasn't able to be a good spouse. I would have break downs before going out with him on a date because I looked so terrible. I hated seeing him feel bad for me and feel helpless. I had to do something.
  • CL2244
    CL2244 Posts: 5
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    I'm only here a few days so don't know if I'm totally motivated, but what got me here was getting the flu over christmas! I was sick for about a month, and lost 9lbs, and suddenly realised that what I ate was causing me to gain weight! I know... that should be an obvious association, but that was my "click" moment!
  • edryer123
    edryer123 Posts: 502 Member
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    I did this two years ago now to lose weight for my wedding that summer. I loved how I felt, but then after the wedding I kinda let everything go. My diet, no exercise, and just everything I used to do for me. My new 'click' moment was my husband actually. He lost his job and got another one pretty soon after where he was doing heavy physical labor and between Oct 1 and Nov 1 2012, he lost 18lbs. He looked amazing as he got to 208. We have this water park that we discovered on our one year anniversary trip and we want to go there for our two year. He said to me that he was so proud when I lost the weight for our wedding, when he didn't and he wanted that happy healthier me back for our anniversary. So we made a pact that by our anniversary we would be in 'water park shape'. I saw him losing that weight and mine had thankfully leveled off, but I wasn't losing. It finally clicked just before new year's that if I didn't get going I would be uncomfortable and angry all summer if I was not in shape. My husband has been encouraging me and asking me daily if I have done my log and worked out and he tells me he is proud of me daily because I am working towards my goals.

    Another thing that clicked was how much I truly hated my work environment. It clicked that the only way that work was going to change was if I changed my environment. I had a job interview last week and I am in the last stages of the hiring process with a company I am truly excited to work for and it has honestly motivated me more to get in shape because I get to finally wear 'cute' work clothes again!!!

    Finally, two years ago this past thanksgiving, I was diagnosed with pcos. I had done well keeping the symptoms at bay while I was working out and over the last year of not working out the pain returned and I realized I was not going to get pregnant if I let my weight creep up any higher.

    So lots of motivation! lol
  • NatWillBeSkinny
    NatWillBeSkinny Posts: 111 Member
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    for me it was the fact that when i was younger i was always slim but once i had my kids i had put weight on but didnt notice untill my doctor refered to me a a bigger lady and i didnt like it
  • sclarktiw
    sclarktiw Posts: 217
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    Sadly enough my partner.

    Why do you sadly enough?
  • Elif84
    Elif84 Posts: 287 Member
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    The fact that I was tired and cranky (as well as bloated and jiggly!!) all the time from continuously eating junk everyday; fast food, pizza and chinese food were things I ate almost everyday. After one day I told myself that I have to stop doing this to myself; the next day I woke up at 4:00 a.m. and went to the gym. Been keeping up with my new, healthy life style ever since and I will not go back to my old ways.

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