Did something just 'click' ?

I keep picking up a can of beans and feeling the weight of it, just for interest I wanted something inthe kitchen cupboard that weighed around a pound and the can of beans does, if I stand there and really feel the weight of it, it's actually very heavy and I don't want to be carrying all the excess pounds, so.... one day at a time
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Also, try visualizing a pound of butter -- imagine that once being on your hips and now it's gone

I had two "aha" moments - one was seeing a photo of myself. I always FEEL skinnier than I am! The other was my 5-year-old innocently asking me why my tummy was still big even though the baby was not in there anymore (I have a 5 month old daughter). I realized I need to set a healthy example for my kids while they're still little.

Mine was seeing photos from my son's first birthday. When did I get THAT big?!? Couple that with him starting walking, and I realized that I now have a toddler to chase around and my body won't be able to handle that at my current size. In addition, he's eating solid food now so I'm very careful about what he eats...very healthy, very balanced...why wasn't I eating the same things? Duh. I also got to the point that I realized that this needs to be a slow process. If I go all commando and work out 2 hours every day and drop to 1200 calories per day, I'll never sustain that long-term. And I need to be okay if I don't lose from week to week. If I can lose 80 pounds over the course of the next two years by making small lifestyle changes, that's what I need to do. And 80 pounds in 2 years is only 3/4 pound per week. That definitely seems possible.

Edited to add: I used to be a smoker, and quitting smoking was similar. I tried several times and never stuck with quitting because there was always a reason to go back with it. Finally I got to the "enough is enough" point (living in IL with a price of $7.50 per pack may have had something to do with it) and was able to quit for good. But you really do have to WANT to.

I agree - without the "click" it doesn't seem to work. The "click" changes your attitude and gives you the mindset that you need to stick with the program and continue on to better health. My latest click (there have been many over the years!!!) was right after my 51st birthday. I sat on the floor and had a hard time getting up! I realized that there are probably more years behind me than ahead of me, and if I didn't get back on track and lose the weight (again!!!) and keep it off (this time!!!) that I was not going to be healthy and live a nice long life into my 80's or 90's.

Making a change in my life was long overdue. I have been unhappy with myself for a long time and always made excuses about why I kept gaining weight. That coupled with the fact that I married a saint who loves me regardless of what size I wear, and I just never felt a strong enough urge to make a change. Then one day I realized that my son is only 18 months old, and if I start losing weight NOW, he will never remember that his mommy was fat and unhealthy. I want him to grow up knowing that his parents are both active, enjoy eating and cooking good healthy food, and I want him to enjoy all those things too.
Now we all cook a healthy dinner together every night. I go home on my lunch hour and cook lunch with my son too (I look forward to this every day, and its way better than eating out). 5 nights a week I work out at home and my little buddy works out right along side me. His squats are adorable and his burpees look like he's doing the worm, but hes pretty good at jumping jacks! I even started working out with a personal trainer once a week bc I know if I spend my money on something and dont see results, I can only be mad at myself for not trying my best. This new life is becoming second nature to me and I feel like this is the time I will actually stick with it.

I've loved reading these stories.

I struggle with sharing mine, because I don't know if I've had my "click" moment or not. I've been overweight my entire life. The last time I remember weighing under 200 pounds was when I was when I was 13. I have never liked any picture of my body, but it's all I know. Even to this day my blood pressure is 170/115 with no other health issues to speak of (aside from the fact that my BMI classifies me as almost "morbidly obese"). Even though I've been fat my whole life, I have just as equally desired to be fit and in shape for as long as I can remember.. I sometimes feel like I subconsciously sabotage myself because I don't know HOW to be skinny and my weight has not (yet) caused me health issues. I've never been able to do what skinny people do, so I don't know what I'm missing out on. I was wearing a size 18 entirely throughout high school and then went up to a 20 in college. In my weird, twisted way of thinking, I told myself "it's only one size, it's not that bad". My entire life has been a yo-yo diet, starting at age 7. I have always WANTED it, but I don't know why it just doesn't happen. I just hope I get my "click" moment before it's forced upon me with health issues.

Lots of things contributed to my "click", but it wasn't about a diet. I knew I needed to change my eating habits to a healthy lifestyle to be able to live and function the way I wanted to.

It's strange because I have always been overweight, I've lost weight and then put it back on again. About 2 years ago I lost weight through fat blocking tablets from my doctor I lost nearly 2 stone. Only to not be able to lose anymore, but in fact I hadn't really tried apart from the gym and even then I ate really bad.

But then November 2012 I decided enough was enough I weighed over a stone more than when I lost all the weight 2 years previously. I looked in the mirror and felt like crap trying on new clothes in a shop where there was a full length mirror, also by curiousity i weighed myself and realised I lost 8-9lb without actually trying to lose weight. So I thought if I can do it that easy why can't I work harder it is possible. I think I was more active at work so I think that's how I lost it without actually realising.

But I hope this is for now and forever. And then I never ever stand back on them scales and see 245 staring back at me.