how you got fat?

My thyroid bottomed out after my first child and I ballooned. Then after my second child it did it again plus I had depression and the meds helped the weight go up. My DH met me at 200 pounds but doing 2 hours of Tae Kwon Do each day so he didn't realize I couldn't still eat like that after I wasn't able to work out any more. He's also of the school of "if you love it then feed it". He would take us to all you can stuffs 3-4 times a week and I was eating stupidly. I knew it was a bad idea but since I loved the food did it anyway. September 20, 2012 his doctor read HIM the riot act and I went on a diet with him. I've continued. He's not being so good right now. He's figured out that I can't eat like I used to thanks to MFP and doesn't pressure me to eat all the time now though.

While in the Navy, I badly herniated the L5/S1 disc in my lower back (back in 2007). They forced me a have a surgical procedure I neither wanted nor needed, which really did nothing to improve things. After surgery, I became paranoid about doing anything physical which might make things worse, so became very sedentary. Add in nearly 2 years of graduate school, spending MUCH time stressing/eating crap food, and it was literally a recipe for disaster. I blew up from 185 pounds prior to surgery (July 2007) to 225 pounds when I'd finally had enough (March-ish 2010). I know that doesn't sound like much, but for someone who 1) had always been HIGHLY active and could no longer do much of the same things, and 2) had never been over 205 pounds....it was a real wake-up call. Finally decided enough was enough, and I 1) got my food intake under control (predominantly portion sizes, grazing, and stress eating) and 2) began doing what little I could cardio-wise (even if it was only 10 or 15 minutes walking on the treadmill). Gradually, over time, I worked myself down to about 195 pounds. Then, I was diagnosed with a form of colitis, with periods of time where I couldn't keep anything in me. I began losing weight again, but in an unhealthy manner.....and wasn't getting nutritional value from my food. So, I came on this site, and by monitoring my food, I could monitor 1) what was impacting my symptoms the most, and 2) what could be cut out (dairy and some gluten). Had helped, so far, and I'm now down to my maintenance weight.

turned 40 and stopped caring...barely left my house for over a year, then *only* when I had to. Ate, read, ate, watched tv, ate, played on computer, ate, food shopped, ate, slept, got up, repeat. nearly 100#'s in a year.

how did you get fat?

Accepting mediocrity of myself and my eating. It really comes down to self-control and denying yourself those things that sounds really good right now for the things you really want overall. Too many times I found myself compromising that and telling myself I would make up for it later. Worse, I would try to numb that sense that eating that way and not exercising was bad by having a bit of entitlement - that somehow being in decent shape for the better part of my youth through college years I deserved to take a break and indulge. The problem was indulging became the norm instead of the exception. Throw in moving up in work responsibilities, kids, wife, working on more education....and it was too easy to let myself go. I completely lost focus on MYSELF in the mix of things.

The biggest problem I have now is the last 12-15 years of this self-destructive behavoir created a pattern in my mind that I have to break. Easier said than done really. Even when I know the right choice to make - like eating x instead of y, or making sure I hit the gym or track - I fall back to feeling like I can make it up later or that somehow with all the efforts and progress I have made that I deserve a little of this and that, or a break from exercise. that is NOT that case, and I know it. So I really am arguing with myself often, as stupid as that sounds. I am sure some folks out there have a clear consciousnesses and are laughing, but that's just how it is for me. The good news is, I am making headway and find myself at least moderating the "bad" foods I eat and choosing better foods more often. I also workout more often than not. I just need to fine tune it all and keep on the high road. But that will come as I break down the mindset and patterns of the past years.

So for me, it isn't hard to eat right or exercise, it is beating my own mind games.

Maybe some of you can relate.

I put on weight because I was in a car accident in the beginning of 2011 that left me unable to walk for several months and in pain whenever I tried to exert myself. Then in November of last year I crashed my bike and tore the tissue in my knee and again was left unable to walk.

Eating fast food and a sedentary lifestyle. Drinking lots of sweet crap instead of water.

I used to be in a relationship where all the boyfriend at the time wanted to do during weeknights was go to Tim Hortons for baked goods or random stores for ice cream,chips, etc. After that breakup, it went on to my friends and I spending our weekends either going out to supper which meant lots of fatty appetizers and meals or going to the bar which meant lots of sugary coolers and cocktails followed by 3am pizza or fries on the way home with a hangover day on the couch complete with lots of grease and junk food the next day!

I allowed the guy i was dating to take me out to yummy restaurants where i ingested waaay too many carbs and calories. And then, i got too involved with my life to work out. Nuff said.

Pregnant three times never lost the weight in between each pregnancy. I wasn't happy with my life, lazy, depressed, stressed. The usual emotional eating. My husband never said anything or really noticed how unhappy I was. I love my family and I'm now starting to see ME again. I put me on the back burner and always put everyone first but I've realized I'm just as important. I will get there completely it just takes time and support.

Hmmmm......3 kids in 4.5 years, eating like crap and that damn insatiable appetite that you get when nursing. :grumble:

I was overweight all of my life, starting when I was 4-5 years old. There was always dessert and a full cookie jar in the house and I couldn't resist either. I hated being outside when I was young so I didn't get a lot of exercise other than working on our farm, which kept me from being obese but I was still overweight. As I got older, my poor eating habits continued and I got even less exercise and I became obese (about 75 pounds overweight at my heaviest).

Currently I still have about 20-25 pounds to lose but at 50 year old I'm smaller than I was in high school so that's a huge victory for me!

^^Basically, me.

By eating at a caloric surplus and not exercising.

Eating at waaaay to many buffets. Not exercising. Eating junk food. Depression. Comfort food binges. More depression.

Biggest reason for Me? Just plain stupid when listening to the family say "All Goodell women get fat and there is nothing you can do about it". Yeah, I really did believe that for a Very Long Time. My whole family is large and I fell right into that trap.

Now I am watching my niece gaining weight...Have pleaded with her to start controling it now while she is still young. Sadly, every time I see her there is more of her. SIGH

"Living in the moment" (i.e., everyone goes out to eat)
Peer pressure to eat a lot, and a lot of bad things
Significant other's eating habits
Lack of sleep
Ignorance (not researching proper nutrition)
Family influence (we only ate bad food growing up)
Boredom
Celebrating with food
Driving short distances instead of walking
Rewarding myself with laziness
High stress/lack of time (hadn't figured out how to compensate and do meal prep/exercise)
Cooking for taste and not for nutrition
GOING OUT TO EAT ALL THE TIME!!

I got to college and discovered Beer, restaurants that delivered till 3am, and more beer. Spent the past 4 years drinking every night but wednesdays, and satisfying my drunk munchies. Finally out of the "fake life" that is college. And starting to live a balanced life.