What was your breaking point?

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Thenewme31
Thenewme31 Posts: 50 Member
Hello! I was just reading all these inspiring posts tonight and I am about 2 weeks into my journey and know that I finally had a breaking point where I looked at my life and realized that enough was enough and it was time to get serious. I have been on here for awhile and kept trying to start but after a day I'd cheat and stop and go back to the easier old ways. For me my breaking point came when I went to take a shower the other day and although I've had a child and gained about 43lbs with him, I only had stretch marks on my thighs and those have become less and less noticeable in the past 5 years. However, I never got them on my belly and was so happy I could have the bikini body but the other day I found a very tiny stretch mark to the left of my belly button and I freaked out. It was the first time I looked at my real life and realized I had become so heavy and lazy in not only working out but eating, life etc...I realized I lay in the house because I am too embarrassed in my own clothes and so it's easier to wear my "fat" pants at home and hoodies and hide away from the world. I am done doing that and making no more excuses. It has been the best 2 weeks of my life honestly I feel so much more alive.

So what was YOUR breaking point that made your realize it was time for a change?
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Replies

  • theshow4jsu
    theshow4jsu Posts: 380 Member
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    Mine was back in January of 2010. I remember looking at pictures of myself from the holidays and how big I had actually gotten. It was so bad it took me 20 minutes to put on and tie tennis shoes. I was tired. Tired of hurting. Tired of being tired. Tired of living life on the sidelines. So I decided to get in the game. Every year at the start my church does 21 days of fasting and prayer and I turned it all over to God. I realized that this was more than a physical addiction and I to truly change, I had to put God back as ruler of my life, not cheeseburgers. So I went thru the fast (doing juices and vegetables) and found MFP on android and started tracking calories and working out. The progress was slow and still is. I realized that once I started, that I could never go back, I didn't want to go back. So I just kept plugging away and here I am 3 years and 150 pounds later. I still have moments where I cave and eat like I used to, but its an occasional thing, not a lifestyle.

    Sorry if I got to weird and preachy, but this was just an overview of my change. Hope you succeed!
  • cook6609
    cook6609 Posts: 182 Member
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    For me, I always wanted to lose weight, but never found that "perfect diet". My uncle introduced me to MyFitnessPal. I liked how I could still "eat what I want" instead of that feeling of restriction. However, the biggest reason for me to lose the weight is the fact that my mom is very obese. She has so many health problems, and she just turned 50. She says that her health problems started when she hit her 40's. I love my mom... please don't take that the wrong way, but she's going have to rely on my husband and myself to care for her. I honestly don't even see her making it to her 60's, which saddens me. She won't listen to me either about losing weight (even though everyone in the house is eating healthier, and watching what and how much we eat). I decided that I didn't want my children to deal with that. I know that people who are fit and of a healthy BMI can have health problems, but I know that weight can be a contributing factor for most people that are "illnesses" (diabetes, etc). Both my parents have diabetes, my mom has major issues with her back due to her weight, and my dad has cardio issues. I don't want to deal with that. I want to enjoy my life and now worry about medical issues. So basically what did it for me was taking a step back and seeing my future of diabetes, back issues, and heart issues. I say, "no thank you" to all of those. I will welcome a healthy and hopefully long life with my children (and future grandchildren).
  • linsey0689
    linsey0689 Posts: 753 Member
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    When my weight got up to 295 even though I didn't really look at people guessed me in the high 100's or low 200's I don't know if people were trying to be nice or what. I know I held my weight pretty well, but I by no means thought I was hiding 100 pounds of my frame. So I knew I didn't not want to touch 300 pounds so I "dieted," nothing serious by any means over about 6 months and lost 10 lbs. I didn't really weight myself everyday or every month even just made little changes and told myself at the very least I will not get any bigger. Once I got on the scale and I was 285 I thought to myself this is do-able what is the point of being unhappy with my body and being fat? I also deal with depression so I told myself every pound I can lose, is just wonderful would love to get off my meds for depression but I don't know if that is realistic.

    But I signed up for MFP on 1/20/13, today is my 2 month mark and I have lost 24 pounds and I am so proud of myself. Still nowhere near "healthy" weight at 261 but I am still happy. I think if I look at BMI 163 is "healthy" weight for me at 5 foot 8 inch.

    Great post by the way :)
  • chavaaguirre
    chavaaguirre Posts: 40 Member
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    For me it has been the pain. lower back pain, shoulder pain, ankles pain, it seems like I cant be a day without experimenting some serious pain in a part of my body! I have punished my body really bad the past 5 years, but im commited to going back to a healthy weight and a healthy life! Its not right for a 34 year old to live with so much pain!!! I dont want to imagine myself when im 50 (If I make it). I have two beautiful boys that I want to enjoy for a long time and I want them to have awesome memories of his dad playing ball, running, riding a bycicle, camping with them!

    IM DOING IT FOR MY BOYS!
  • pretty4Jesus
    pretty4Jesus Posts: 52 Member
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    Mine was back in January of 2010. I remember looking at pictures of myself from the holidays and how big I had actually gotten. It was so bad it took me 20 minutes to put on and tie tennis shoes. I was tired. Tired of hurting. Tired of being tired. Tired of living life on the sidelines. So I decided to get in the game. Every year at the start my church does 21 days of fasting and prayer and I turned it all over to God. I realized that this was more than a physical addiction and I to truly change, I had to put God back as ruler of my life, not cheeseburgers. So I went thru the fast (doing juices and vegetables) and found MFP on android and started tracking calories and working out. The progress was slow and still is. I realized that once I started, that I could never go back, I didn't want to go back. So I just kept plugging away and here I am 3 years and 150 pounds later. I still have moments where I cave and eat like I used to, but its an occasional thing, not a lifestyle.

    Sorry if I got to weird and preachy, but this was just an overview of my change. Hope you succeed!

    Wow!! Thank you for sharing! Encouraging! God bless :)
  • jsiricos
    jsiricos Posts: 338 Member
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    Dec 22, 2012 when my Doctor told me I was Diabetic (I was also 271) I tried to rationalize it, with "I had a kidney stone or two and I drank gallons of juice" but in my heart, I knew this was it, Do or Die.
    So here I am, as of January 2013 - feeling much better, but with a long ways to go yet.
  • ruwise
    ruwise Posts: 265 Member
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    I think for me the breaking point was when I got on a plane in January and could only barely tie the seat belt. I just thought I don't ever want to have to ask for the seat belt extender it is time to do something about it.

    Today I am 27 lb's down and going on another flight in April and am hoping I'll see a big difference. I have lost a good few inches so I'm hoping that it will be a much more comfortable flight.

    I'm very grateful for that flight as it has allowed me to take back control of something that was getting out of control.
  • Shawneb66
    Shawneb66 Posts: 124
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    We decided to go on a cruise and I was in panic mode, I didn't want to be the "Fat" girl in the group. I joined MFP, bought a food scale and started using my Wii to exercise. It will be a year April 16th and I have lost 56lbs, our cruise was in January and I never felt better about myself!! It's easy now...I don't EVER want to go there again!!
  • I saw a photo of myself i my university's new prospectus, and I looked liked a fat man, I have nothing against them personally but I personally want to look more feminine and not so overweight.
    So I got extensions and started yoga, jogging and eating healthy, the next time the photographer comes around I'll be ready.
  • fattyfoodie
    fattyfoodie Posts: 232 Member
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    My first breaking point back in 2007 was when I stepped on the scale and saw 301. 301! I felt like a huge (literally) failure. I weight very nearly twice as much as my husband. How does a person let themselves go that far? So I started counting my calories on MFP and over the next four years lost just over 100 pounds.

    Then my husband and I decided to have another baby. I gained back about 40, putting me at 240. I got down to 216 while on mat leave. But then I found out that the gestational diabetes I had been diagnosed with during pregnancy hadn't resolved and I was now a Type II diabetic. I went back to work, got depressed, stepped on the scale and realized I was at 239.6. I thought to myself "there is NO WAY you are going to weigh the same as you did the day you gave birth. Get your fat rear in gear!" And that has pretty well been my mantra since January 21, 2013- the day I decided for the second time to take my life back.

    Since then I have lost 9.4 pounds, started going to Bikram yoga regularly, seen my blood pressure drop a full 20 points(!!!!) and I am hoping that I will see an improvement in my cholesterol and A1C when I get my latest results back in a week's time.
  • mommykitty81
    mommykitty81 Posts: 266 Member
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    my breaking point was getting my license updated. I couldn't believe the (to me) hugely fat face in the picture was mine! I realized I was having to buy new pants every other week at goodwill because I was gaining weight more than ever. My scale topped in at 265 in July but I rationalized it away by saying I was still suffering from a bad year in 2011. So Sept 16 2012 I got serious about weight loss. I started my MFP journey at 253. I was going to an outdoor concert that day and knew the temptations of the food vendors would be huge but if I was able to resist those on day 1 of my diet then I knew I could do it. I did cave for a sno cone but really i avoided the pizza and other yummy foods. Since Sept 16 to current I have lost 36lbs. Not much but to me it is a huge difference. I walk without getting out of breath, i have gotten rid of my "fat" clothes and im in my "normal" clothes from 2yrs ago. I am working to hit 165. It will take time but will be worth it in the end. Also feel better showing my children they aren't destined to be fat if they eat healthy and live an active life they can be a portioned size like anyone else.
  • Wilma123456
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    Mine one was last friday when I had a trip to the emergency department - thought I was having a heart attack. Being 80 pounds overweight - it was a possibility. Hope to remember all the despair that I felt on Friday the next time I feel like cheating. Pretty grateful for this site and plan to use it for motivation. Thanks!
  • chymerra
    chymerra Posts: 212
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    saw a picture of myself in dec 2011 and could not believe how huge my face looked. jan 1 2012 i started and haven't looked back since :) hit all of my fitness goals and i'm SO GLAD i started when i did!
  • laughingdani
    laughingdani Posts: 2,275 Member
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    I just had that moment of clarity where I knew it was different this time.

    Also, there were a few people who had made comments that I never finish what I start (mainly losing weight), and they were right, but it pissed me off and put a fire under my *kitten*. That was 3 years ago and I haven't looked back since. It's not about the naysayers anymore. Now, it's about me and what I want.
  • spectralmoon
    spectralmoon Posts: 1,230 Member
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    saw a picture of myself in dec 2011 and could not believe how huge my face looked. jan 1 2012 i started and haven't looked back since :) hit all of my fitness goals and i'm SO GLAD i started when i did!

    Almost a precise ditto.

    I took a picture with family from out-of-town January 2, 2012 , and could not BELIEVE that I had gotten round, both in face and body. MFP surfaced to me on Jan 8, and I started the next day. Said progress is from Jan 9-May 16 (when finals started in college); after almost a year of maintaining, I'm ready to lose the rest. :)
  • Shaylyn1986
    Shaylyn1986 Posts: 164 Member
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    I was in a bad relationships (first guy I ever dated) and he said if I didn't lose the weight that was it. The deal was that he would quit smoking if I lost weight.

    I lost weight.

    He's still smoking.

    And I've got a much better boyfriend now. ^.^
  • Mimisam45
    Mimisam45 Posts: 132 Member
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    I live on a lake and we have a lot of summer guests, I hated that I, the hostess, was the one who had to keep covered up. My daughters have teased me for years about my swim dresses!! And it has been years since I would let anyone photograph me, even though we are huge picture takers/scrapbookers!

    I had lost quite a bit of weight back in 2001 with the Body for Life program. Then I lost my father the same week as the attack on the twin towers in NY. I quickly reverted back to the junk foods, I know not that I was probably suffering from depression but didn't realize it.

    I always excercised quite a bit but didn't add the clean food plan into it. I figured that if I worked out I could eat anything I wanted. Then, with the adoption of a teenager, after having an "empty nest" for 12 years, I even quit working out. I like to say that I spent the time with my new daughter, but the truth is I just got lazy.

    So, after seeing a article about the book "Wheat Belly", from the Dr. Oz show (I know, he's a quack), I bought the book and have implemented the theory, renewed my love of excercise and I am not, NOT looking back!! :happy:
  • turkeyhunter60
    turkeyhunter60 Posts: 319 Member
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    about 12-15 months ago, I was as heavy as I have ever been, hated pictures of myself, and was buying all of the "relaxed fit" clothes to avoid the correct size. Then, our company offered a "boot camp" onsite. I enrolled, started working out regularly, and counting calories. A year later, things are better, and have even bought some of those "regular fit" clothes that I want.
  • rachaee
    rachaee Posts: 46 Member
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    Mine was getting such a bad case of tonsillitis I thought i would end up in hospital. In the same week I found out my first love who completely broke my heart was with someone else. I realised then I could get sicker, or I could get happy. It's early days for me but I cannot express how different I feel already! Plus, I get a bit excited everytime I get to use the barcode scanner! :p x
  • khall86790
    khall86790 Posts: 1,100 Member
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    I moved to a new country and was embarrassed whenever I met new people. I just hated to idea of being labelled as "fat" or instantly "friend zoned". So I decided it was time to change.
    I also had a **** load of time as I had no friends to begin with, haha.
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