What's your reason?

mcclurea6
mcclurea6 Posts: 2 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Everyone has a point at which they decide enough is enough and they need to make some changes. I have mine, which I will share shortly, but I like to hear other people's reasons as well. It gives me strength and motivation and lets me know that I am not alone in this.

I went clothes shopping because all of my clothes were too tight and had been for awhile. I went to my favorite outlet, and realized I could only buy clothes in the largest size possible. I have never been that big in my life! All through high school and college, I was very physically active, playing soccer mostly, but loving all sports. I could eat what I wanted and not have to worry because of how many calories I burned just playing sports.

Now, I have an office job, 8-5, Monday through Friday. It is very stressful and is tedious, unrewarding work. (Welcome to the world, college graduate!)

At that point, I decided, I needed to change. I needed to stop eating out every day and eat healthy foods, watch my calories, and make time for exercise. I have been doing this almost two weeks now and I am feeling so much better. I may not have lost any weight yet, but people are starting to notice that I am looking better and healthier.

Anyone that is willing to share their reasons, please do! I would love to hear your stories!
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Replies

  • gobraves47
    gobraves47 Posts: 213 Member
    I got cancer and diabetes and I don't want to die. Doing what I can to be healthy.
  • Nissi51
    Nissi51 Posts: 381 Member
    My arms were looking the size of a medium sized man's thigh... with fat hanging over my elbows!!!! I saw this during a sideways glance in a mirror one day and nearly died! The next day began the journey!!!!!

    GROSS I tell ya
  • SmallMimi
    SmallMimi Posts: 541 Member
    Got down on the floor to play with the grandkids. Couldn't get back up and grandson patted my belly and called me Fat Mimi.

    Decided I didn't want to be a Fat Mimi who couldn't do things with the grandkids and possibly not be around to see them grow up.
  • smoofinator
    smoofinator Posts: 635 Member
    1. Turning 30 and not wanting to look like everyone else who lets themselves go after this birthday
    2. My mom weighs less than me and she's 3" taller
    3. I am so out of shape I can't even play adult rec kickball...KICKBALL! I got hurt every game and I was so bad the other team would applaud when I walked to the plate (true story)
    4. Bikini bar crawl for charity...yearly thing!
  • ninjakitty419
    ninjakitty419 Posts: 349 Member
    I always had the thoughts in my head that I wanted to lose weight so I could feel sexy and confident, be attractive to my husband, and set a good example for my kids. I also wanted to have the energy to get up and out and PLAY with my kids instead of sit on the couch all day watching TV and playing video games like my dad did when I was a kid. But I kept thinking I had time. I'll start, just not today. I'll lose X pounds. Sure. Just not right now. I have been saying this for ten years. Longer, actually. But I am 27 and I feel like if I dont do it now, I will never do it.
  • Tasha_Fat2Fit
    Tasha_Fat2Fit Posts: 49
    I'm doing for my kiddos so I can keep up with them and for myself. I need to take care of me - until now, I have not been doing that. I deserve to be healthy.

    I hate how I look in pictures, I'm done with my clothes being tight, and when I hit 30 I started noticing that I was not as strong as I used to be - like all the muscles in my body started turning into fat.
  • ApocalypticFae
    ApocalypticFae Posts: 217 Member
    I'm tired of living a life that I settled for. I want to go after my dream life. I want every day to be beautiful and I want to feel beautiful every day. :smile:
  • AJ_G
    AJ_G Posts: 4,158 Member
    My pants were getting tight and I refused to get new ones, and one of my buttons broke off from the stress of my fat, but that was almost 30 pounds ago
  • watermillion
    watermillion Posts: 87 Member
    My reasons are

    1. Health: Diabetes runs in my family. I don't want to develop the disease and then have to take tons of medication to control it, and the fear of losing a limb or my eyesight is scary

    2. Energy: My energy had reduced when I gained weight. I'd wake up and my entire body would ache. I felt 80 years old. I had no motivation because of how chubby I was starting to look. It took me forever getting dressed and out the house every morning because I was so tired

    3. Clothing: when you're a bit overweight nothing fits right. I developed small love handles and was self conscious about it. So I would wear a jacket with everything I wore. I started to look a bit matronly and that's not good because I'm still young
  • BigBrunette
    BigBrunette Posts: 1,543 Member
    I got tired of being tired.
  • Tasha_Fat2Fit
    Tasha_Fat2Fit Posts: 49
    I forgot to mention....I was being filmed at work for a "coaching session" on how well I was coaching my employees. The camera was to the side of me and chair level. Afterwards, I had to sit and watch the entire 30 minute video of me sitting at my desk coaching one of my staff members. I was supposed to be critiquing my actions and words but couldn't stop thinking how fat and disgusting I looked. Terrible. That was a turning point of me.
  • dbg1
    dbg1 Posts: 208
    didn't want to have to buy new BIG clothes just after I got rid of them 2 years ago. Everything is tight and I am really conscious of how I look now - huge negativity, and my oldest daughter just ran the 1/2 marathon in 2 hours. I used to be in better shape now not so much..
  • mcclurea6
    mcclurea6 Posts: 2 Member
    These are all great reasons! You guys are inspiring!
  • rmcminn89
    rmcminn89 Posts: 37
    1. Someone asked me at the gas station if I was "expecting".
    2. Planning a family, I don't want people to have to GUESS whether I am pregnant or overweight.
    3. enough is just enough. Tired of being scared to open facebook when someone has tagged me in a photo
  • reinventingandrea
    reinventingandrea Posts: 323
    I'm a single mom. I'm all that my boys have. Their dad dropped out of the picture when I was 3 months pregnant with the youngest one. I want to do all that I can to be here for them. The better looks are just a bonus.
  • larissaferraz
    larissaferraz Posts: 5
    My turning point was making our family vacation album and have only one photo of me.
    It was like it was my family vacation without me.
    I decided I wanted to be part of my family and not hide from it.
    That was 3 months ago.
  • MamaCatO
    MamaCatO Posts: 100
    Last summer, on my youngest daughters 13th birthday I ended up going to the hospital for chain pains. They kept me for a week. I was 39 years old and diagnosed with congestive heart failure. I also have many other health problems. I just got married 2 years ago, my kids are almost grown. I want to be around for awhile to enjoy my marriage and I want to be able to spend some time and have fun with my kids before they're out living their own lives.
  • fatnomore7293
    fatnomore7293 Posts: 9 Member
    Diabetes and heart problems (all kinds) runs in my family and I don't want any part of that! I need to change my lifestyle. And so far I think I'm doing pretty good, eating the right foods and exercising a lot! So all in all it would be health!
  • leebesstoad
    leebesstoad Posts: 1,186 Member
    I had been in pretty good shape a couple of years ago. Then my arthritic knee really started to give out and I couldn't do as much as I used to. And I also got a bit complacent. So in September I had my knee replaced. I got clearance to return to the gym January 2 and knew I had to not only take off weight to reduce the strain on the knee, but I also had 9 more months to really increase flexibility and strength in the knee. I'm down 40 pounds and am more mobile and flexible than I have ever been. In my life. I look better and like my body better than I ever have. I am now in a jeans size I haven't been in since high school - more than 4 decades ago, when I weighed 40 pounds less. For an old guy I look pretty damned good. I'm in better shape than at least 95% of the men my age and probably better than 50% guys half my age. I love kicking the *kitten* of the young guys in the gym. There may be some things they can do I can't. But I will out work them.

    I haven't seen my surgeon since January 2. I see him again in 3 weeks. And I can't wait to blow his mind with the change. I saw my PT a couple of weeks ago who I hadn't seen since 12/31. I walked in wearing gym clothes. The first words out of his mouth: "Where's the rest of you?" Damn that felt so good.

    And yes, I want to be the best looking guy I can for my partner. Cause he deserves it.
  • USMCnetty90
    USMCnetty90 Posts: 277 Member
    I wanted to just feel better - stronger. I had been out of work for a couple months and put on like 25 lbs... maybe more - to the point that i could feel my muffin top when my arms were at my sides.... I was in the Marine Corps (many years ago) - this was unacceptable - i felt weak
    I started going to the gym a couple years ago but never really watched my diet. I did lose 30 lbs - but have more to lose...
    I have horrible body image issues... some days I dont even want to leave the house - I feel just fat and frumpy - I am hoping that by taking better care of me and feeling physically better that the mental part will come.
  • ADixie4You2Know
    ADixie4You2Know Posts: 47 Member
    Beautifuly said! I could't agree with you more!:flowerforyou:
  • looking4au
    looking4au Posts: 85 Member
    very inspiring.
  • JanetP124
    JanetP124 Posts: 50 Member
    LOL - I have a whole bunch of deeply depressing emotional **** but I'm also another one of the fat clothes wouldn't fit anymore and I simply refused to buy another set of even fatter clothes.

    Seriously, I was down to two (TWO) pairs of jeans that I could squeeze into and then I popped off the deeply riveted button on one of them. Wake.Up.Call
  • RobynMWilson
    RobynMWilson Posts: 1,540 Member
    My reason back in 1987 was being called Big Bertha by a group of boys who were friends with a boy I had a crush on. They decided to do this across the cafeteria so that everyone could see/hear. in the same week, we all had to go down to the nurse's office to get weighed. Everybody in my home room knew I weighed 192lbs. This was back in the 80s when the whole world was skinny. I was in 9th grade.

    What's my reason now? Because I promised that young girl who worked so hard to lose the weight that I wouldn't let her down. Also, diabetes and heart disease run wild in my family, as well as my dad having an abdominal aortic aneurysm, as a result of years of him not taking care of himself when he was younger. I don't have insurance. I don't have kids to take care of me when I'm older and sick. It's a scary place to be!
  • flitabout
    flitabout Posts: 200 Member
    I will make this short I saw a picture of myself at my youngest's first birthday party and all could think was fluffalump! So I go on the scale and I realized that was 204lbs and I weighed more than my husband. Ya that was just the kick in the *kitten* I needed. 34 down and 36 to go. I will not give up...
  • onwarddownward
    onwarddownward Posts: 1,683 Member
    I got stuck in the bathtub. I set the water too hot and once I got in, I couldn't get to the faucet to turn it off because I was off balance. I got a good burn on my legs.

    So embarrassing!!!
  • SimplyDenyse
    SimplyDenyse Posts: 124 Member
    These are inspiring!!

    For me it was mostly because I was tired of failing.. My husband and I were trying for baby #3 and after 3 years I went through two surgeries, 1 ectopic pregnancy and one miscarriage. I had managed to gain a ton of weight just because we were 'trying for a baby' and I was depressed. My clothes never fit, I was buying from the plus size section and people were constantly asking if I was expecting.

    I just decided I had had enough. I may not be able to have another baby and I accept that. But I don't have to keep gaining weight, there's no reason for it and its one thing I can control.
  • mahanaibu
    mahanaibu Posts: 505 Member
    I had hip and back pain that restricted my walking...so I'd also limited my beloved hiking, which led to yet more weightgain. Then I developed carpal tunnel on top of that and was advised that losing weight would help, and I was willing to do anything reasonable to avoid surgery (it worked! in combination with the right physical therapy and yoga.) My GERD had returned. I had to wear long, loose tops over my size 20 pants because they were so tight the snap kept unsnappng. But I'd gotten so big, these long, loose tops were either going to be a hing of the past or I needed to buy new ones.

    wrist is fine. Hip is much improved. Hiking is on! GERD is gone. Down to size 14. I had my checkup today and my doctor and I were talking about what a disincentive to weight loss it is to be healthy! But I have 37 more pounds to go to get to normal weight (I've gone from severely obese down two categories to overweight), and that's the plan.
  • mahanaibu
    mahanaibu Posts: 505 Member
    I got cancer and diabetes and I don't want to die. Doing what I can to be healthy.
    Good for you, strong person. May all go right for you!
  • Bubbles110lbs
    Bubbles110lbs Posts: 3 Member
    I have a brain tumor which is located on my pituitary gland, which means that my hormone levels are currently at zero. So my doctors tell me it's completely impossible to lose any weight. But I know that's not true because last Summer I lost 20 pounds. and my levels were just as low then as they are now. So I feel like the doctors are just daring me to prove them wrong!!!!:) I'll need loads of support though, I still have 2 years of chemo, and I'm sick most of the week so it'll be very difficult. Good luck to you, and wish me luck!!!!!

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