Why did you let yourself go?...

Options
1…910111214

Replies

  • XxTuffxX
    XxTuffxX Posts: 9
    Options
    Because I love unhealthy junk food and never really grew up having to eat healthy so I got accustomed to the unhealthy life style. Well not anymore my friends!
  • R55T
    R55T Posts: 172 Member
    Options
    I grew up and didn't adapt my eating habits. I am 23 now, but up until I was about 20 or 21 I could eat anything I wanted and never work out...and not gain a pound. I hit that normal curve in life where teenage girls turn into women and haven't been taught how to eat/act in a healthy manner. Now I have to lose some weight and relearn how to live.

    Yup. My metabolism changed and my lifestyle did not.

    Same with me. . . then I discovered alcohol then having atleast 3 cans of beer almost everyday . . . The weight just piled on from there. Was I in denial? Yes, I justified alcohol as a necessary part of my daily food intake & just accepted the weight gain that came with it. Dumber than Dumb, I was, not anymore though.
    :wink:
  • cinderwolfeh
    cinderwolfeh Posts: 30
    Options
    Honestly I have no really idea. I was a skinny child up til i was like 7 or 8 then I was just chubby and it just got higher and higher. Pretty sure puberty jump started it and then all though high school I gained slowly but surely even though I ate rather healthy and pushed myself as hard as I could in PE class 2-3 times a week. I was just never fit so I hated gym. Had self esteem issues the whole time, had a terrible relationship that probably didn't help.

    So Yea I'm not even sure.. its not like I really let myself go I ate the same through out my life and just gained weight gradually.
  • FaerieCae
    FaerieCae Posts: 437 Member
    Options
    I was a swimmer as a kid...easier to ignore lactic acid build up when you have water rushing past you. I stopped swimming after I broke my leg, then my arm (and a few other coaching issues) at bout 13. I was the fat kid that kicked other kids butts in a swimming race but was average in every other way. Weight gradually piled on after that, never finding another sport I enjoyed as much.

    However, I joined a gym bout 5 years ago, enjoyed it, but kept having babies. My youngest is 2 now, I decided to go back, no more excuses. Time to be in control of my body, instead of going along for the ride.
  • FaerieCae
    FaerieCae Posts: 437 Member
    Options
    I gained weight when I lost our baby. After she died I stopped wanting to live I was so depressed. So I ate whatever was handy and didn't get out of bed unless I had to. Two years later I finally started to get over my depression and realized how heavy I had gotten.

    I changed how much I ate and lost 50lbs. But I got horribly sick and ended up hospitalized from two very rare diseases and when I was released I gained over 30 lbs back. I hate the way I look and want to fix it for myself, my husband and hopefully for a family someday.

    Im so sorry for your loss, I cant imagine how horrific that must've been....... I hope you get your family one day and your health stays good!
  • Justjamie0418
    Justjamie0418 Posts: 1,065 Member
    Options
    bumping this to read and respond later
  • FaerieCae
    FaerieCae Posts: 437 Member
    Options
    From what I understand about myself at the age of 46 ...I let myself go --- willingly. And I have no excuses. No children, no childhood traumas ....I grew up in a typical Italian household...Was very active...youngest of five. Went to college -- played sports my whole life -- softball - volleyball -- swimming --gym memberships. Was always tall 5'10..... even when I was 13 yrs old. Carried my weight well being athletic. Worked...bought a home by myself . Maintained it myself. Retired early (age 35 on disability) and moved to Fla.
    That is when it went down hill..... I had no boundaries any longer. I did what I wanted, when I wanted. I had no financial restrictions. I wasn't accountable to anyone......took up some recreational habits (drinking...pot) that hurt my waist line. Gave them up after 7-8 yrs. Here I am ....100 lbs overweight and wondering why ?? Because I can't control myself. Can't control my portions. I need rules....guidelines...to be made accountable. My husband doesn't critique me, but when he does slip, it's in a real nasty way that makes me snap back at him. A vicious cycle no doubt. I am a highly educated person, with a deep understanding of nutrition. Sometimes I feel down-right over educated when it comes to food/diet/nutrition. I know fad diets are silly. That didn't stop me from trying HCG a few years back. And I lost 50 lbs on it....felt great....but what a blow to my social life. So that went out the window.
    I know what I am supposed to do. I'm just not doing it. I have the beginnings of those aches and pains in my knees, my hips.
    I play tennis at a 4.0 level and it is hard on the body.....I am at a crossroad .....want to continue my fabulous life.... I LOVE my life...but I must lose weight before my health declines so badly that I lose everything.
    I am well aware that this should be my priority in my life....making myself do it is the hard part. It's almost like I am pushing myself to break.... Comments/thoughts appreciated as always...good or bad....I've said it all to myself already.

    I think if you can manage to lose the 100lbs, your body wont ache as badly. You'll have more energy to keep up with your fabulous life, tennis will sure be a lot easier, you'll move faster too :smile: ..... maybe try yoga for your joints, I have had amazing results in reducing my back pain....yes, im only 29, but I had a back injury and babies messed up my hips as well, so I know what joint pain is like.

    I think its fantastic that you love your life, I think with some hard work it'll be more fun :smile:
  • JustCallMeTori
    JustCallMeTori Posts: 25 Member
    Options
    Depression and losing sight of myself.

    Exactly. I had some serious marriage issues and after the initial "not eating due to severe depression" I suddenly ended up eating all the time and packing on the pounds.Not only that, but during that hellish time my mother died from a 16 year battle with breast cancer which plummeted me in to a pretty dark place for a while. I've managed to put on around 30 pounds in 4 years and now I am really miserable. Now, even though my marriage is basically back on track I can't seem to get the weight off.
  • eringrace10
    eringrace10 Posts: 135 Member
    Options
    when i was very little i was very ill, kidney problems, eating made me vomit so I rarely ate. simply to get some nurition in my parents let me eat what i wanted (doctors advice) alternative was hospital on a regular basis for drips. when i hit 7 i was still severely under weight doctor perscribed protein shakes. as if i didnt start gaining weight i wasn't going to develop probably. Fast forward two years later i no longer vomit after food. a year on protein shakes and i discover books. I stop moving and start eating. I was incredibly unhappy as a little girl. And comfort eating made me feel better. before you know it Im 22, finished uni, 161 pounds and incredibly unhappy about it.
  • clockworkgeisha
    clockworkgeisha Posts: 48 Member
    Options
    I'm a chef, I'm around food all day, I'm interested in food and flavours and all that good stuff. Also, there are spare chips floating about all over the place in a pub kitchen.

    I boredom eat, and comfort eat.

    I'm a feeder, like to fill a plate, and feel like I have to clean that plate even if I'm full.

    I can't have just one biscuit. It's like a cookie monster frenzy, it's scary.

    I'm terminally lazy. I never liked games at school, and before starting with MFP, always equated exercise with torture.

    The media would depress me: "I'll never look like that in a million years" or justify my lack of fitness: "They don't show REAL WOMEN, I'm a REAL WOMAN with CURVES". (More like rolls, Abi.)

    My wonderful boyfriend enjoys food as much as I do, and tells me I'm pretty. This is a lovely thing, but means a) I want to make nice big meals to please him and b) I can be in denial about my body.

    So, now I: ...Weigh and log everything, as much as possible. Now, if a spare chip comes near my mouth, I stop, think about how I'd log it, and then throw it in the bin when I realise that I don't need it.
    ...Don't have biscuits if I think I won't be able to control myself. I also sometimes have Weight Watchers snacks - they aren't as nice as the real thing, so I can pretend I'm having a treat, and don't really want more than one ha ha
    ...Control my portions, and stop eating when I've had enough. At least, I try to.
    ...Go to the gym, and you know, it's not so bad. I'm kinda enjoying it, and get a bit antsy if I don't go enough. I'm in love with zumba <3
    ...started ignoring the media and focusing on how I would ideally like my body to be. I'll keep listening to the lovely boyfriend comments, though. :D
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
    Options
    I've always struggled with weight, generally been fit and healthy but carrying too much fat as well.
    It's always been very easy to gain and very hard to lose.

    For me the catalyst for large weight gain was getting knocked off my motorbike when I was 31 and having my knee wrecked. Three months off work on crutches and severe muscle wastage plus eating as I was bored saw my weight shoot up.
    Looking back I realise it also caused issues with my self-image, instead of feeling sporty, fast and fit I felt I had suddenly aged - as my surgeon said at the time "you're disabled, get used to it". (Thanks Doctor - you're sacked!!)
    Although I liked the black humour of being called Robocop when I played sports in a shin to thigh brace it still reinforced I wasn't the person I wanted to be.

    It took until my fifties to finally admit to myself that although my injury was caused by someone else it was me, and only me, that simply ate too much.

    Getting to my goal weight and getting fit has restored my confidence and maybe it helps that I can now compare myself to my peer group and think I'm in better shape than most.
  • bbl2013t
    bbl2013t Posts: 49 Member
    Options
    i'm lazy and i love stuffing junk food and my boyfriend overfed me and encouraged this. I always eat junk food even if i'm not hungry! i ate whole pizza dozens of donuts gallons of ice cream, many cakes, brownies and cookies. i emotionally eat and comfort eat and no self control around food.
  • Sqeekyjojo
    Sqeekyjojo Posts: 704 Member
    Options
    I never let myself go.

    Because I'd never found myself in the first place.


    I just followed the roles that other people prescribed for me - useless, underweight, malnourished, clumsy, ugly, fat child to an insane and obese mother, who resented spending money on food that her last unwanted child liked, so bought rubbish. Fizzy drinks were cheaper than milk, which I was forbidden to waste by drinking, for example. Went from underweight to overweight once she realised social services were sniffing around wanting to know why I was so thin. Lost loads of weight when about 15, went to about 110lb.

    After that, trying to keep partners happy. Partners with screwed up attitudes towards food and women. Period of very little money, which led to eating anything and everything for fear of not having anything for the rest of the week. Money situation eased up, Discovered exercise, loved it, but became ill just as I had got used to eating a lot more. At the time, I was still heavily influenced about what I 'should' be eating, rather than what I wanted to eat.


    Now I know who I am. For the first time. I know what I like eating, I know what I like doing. And I know that the outside will eventually represent who I am under my skin.
  • Neryberry12
    Neryberry12 Posts: 6
    Options
    Because I let a man crush my self esteem and comfort ate. I say let a man, because now, I won't let any guy control me or put me down!!!! I'm actually rather glad I met him now ironically, he taught me some big lessons! Now I value my health, no more smoking or eating rubbish food. I deserve better than getting happiness from a cake or a horrible disease!
  • red_road
    red_road Posts: 761 Member
    Options
    My doctor put me on pills that made me gain weight, im sure about a quarter of the weight gain was from me just becoming so overwhelmed with the side effects of the pill that i just figured what the heck, its all downhill from here anyways.
  • cmcis
    cmcis Posts: 300 Member
    Options
    Complacency and denial.

    ^^This:ohwell:
  • Fat_Lenny
    Fat_Lenny Posts: 38
    Options
    I was a really sporty kid & teen, but then laziness crept in. By the time I went to Uni, I was eating rubbish but still walking everywhere and doing lots of physical activity so I didn't gain. In the Summer before my final year I met my ex. I was slim, fit, and had just been travelling around Europe. He was very overweight but I liked him for his personality too so it didn't bother me. When I graduated and came home, I spent more time with my boyfriend and his habits rubbed off on me. This is not all his fault, I could have chosen not to have a pizza every Saturday, but it's hard when someone else is eating that stuff in front of you and you want it.

    Fast forward about 4 years, our relationship is going down the pan for various reasons, and I get in a really down state. I was always in denial of the weight creeping on, and occasionally moaned about it but had no motivation to change because of the rut I was in. The OMG moment was when I saw a photo of myself on facebook that someone had tagged me in. I thought I looked terrible. Not just because of my weight, but also because I looked empty behind my smile. I started losing weight steadily there and then, but my relationship ended and I fell off the wagon for a bit.

    My Mum had always told me my body was fine when I got upset about it, but only today, after losing 18 lbs and her complimenting me on how trim I look, she finally admitted that she noticed the weight creep on. (Mercifully she never commented on it as telling me I was getting fat would have knocked me back more to be honest.)

    I am single, free and happy, and pleased to say I'm back on the weight loss journey with more enthusiasm than ever. I became mostly veggie in Feb, and taking my first Muay Thai lesson on Monday! :happy:

    That was a bit more epic than I intended, but feels kind of cathartic to write it down!
  • eellis2000
    eellis2000 Posts: 465 Member
    Options
    Well, because I greatly enjoy

    Soda
    Fast Food
    Pizza
    Candy
    Salty Snacks
    Fried Chicken
    etc

    This plus I am so used to doing for everyone else that I feel guilty taking the time for me. My children are grown and gone and my husband has started exercising with me to make it easier.
  • RllyGudTweetr
    RllyGudTweetr Posts: 2,019 Member
    Options
    Depression + middle age.
  • ChantalGG
    ChantalGG Posts: 2,404 Member
    Options
    I lost all motivation. I am still trying to find it.

    I was on MFP 2 years ago, it helped me get down to my goal weight, 135lb, I lost 24lbs. That week i went out with the ladies, (that was my final goal to be a hottie and go dancing at the end of my journey) I started thinking I needed to maintain and eat normal foods like everyone else. I stopped counting calories and stopped exercising and now i am 6 lbs heavier than i was when i started the lat time. I feel like crap so i need to lose weight for my sanity.

Categories