How did you gain the weight?

I was always big from middle school on. I tried to lose and would lose a little here and there, but always pack it back on. I had my first child in 1996 and gained 85 lbs with that pregnancy. I lost all of it, but it took almost 7 yrs. I would continue to eat and eat, and didn't care. I was a single mother and felt no one wanted me anyway, so I ate to fill the need. The I met my soon to be husband in 2002, and we had our first, my second child in 2003, I had gall bladder issues with this one and actually only gained 5 lbs for this pregnancy. But I started eating again after he was born, I guess becasue I was so sick during the pregnancy, I felt I needed to catch up. Then I got pregnant again, and had my last child in 2004. I gained 50 lbs with him. My husband and kids are trying to be supportive of me losing the weight now. But, they weren't so much when I needed to take it off after the pregnancies.

I guess all in all I have self esteem issues, that need to be worked on. I have decided I want to do this now, I am logging even on bad days. I am getting a little more exercise in. The support I get from here is amazing. There are some really good people on here, and a few bad that I see from comments that aren't really supportive, but I have learned to just bypass those people and focus on the positive. We all know we need help and we come here for support not critisim.

Simple... I got lazy and complacent.

I put on a little when I got out of the military simply because I was far less active...that was actually a good thing though, I was pretty slender in the military and I could actually stand to put on a little weight back then. I got to a pretty comfortable weight of about 175 (from 145 when I was active duty) in college and just maintained there for quite a few years...I really started putting weight on when I got out of school and started working a "real" job at a CPA firm.

I worked a ton of hours and was often on the road and pretty in-active. The pounds just piled on from about 30 y.o. to 38 y.o. I really only changed my habits when I started to have some health issues creep up. Now that I've been "good livin" for a year or so, I can't believe I ever let myself get that lazy and un-fit...I really enjoy my exercise and getting my fitness on...I just don't know how I ended up so lazy. Anyway...40 Lbs down and my blood work is back in the desirable or optimal range.

I was never thin nor very active. I liked reading more than going outside and playing. I had no athletic potential and after a severe ankle injury at 13, walking plain hurt. Running didn't happen.

The worst thing was, I was very familiar with proper nutrition. My entire family worked in hospital food service, and I worked with a dietitian in high school serving food to long term patients. I just didn't care.

When I hit 300lbs, I knew deep down it was getting out of hand. It wasn't until I developed painful arthritis in my knees I decided to do something about it. Which is why I'm here. Because if I am going to do this, I am going to do it right.

I've always been a thicker individual. As a kid, I was never what anyone would consider chunky..."healthy" they called it. Psshh! I just wasn't rail thin like the other kids. I don't know? I guess, I just ate a tad too much and never moved much. I've been dieting since I was 13, and I'll be 35 next week. I've been thin (for me), because I was partying a lot, then fat (my biggest!), because I was instructed to eat more and later quit smoking, then a reasonable size again after taking Meridia, then fat again after having my daughter 2 years ago, despite my efforts to try not to gain too much. After I quit nursing my daughter, which DOES NOT make ALL women lose weight!!!, I decided to really examine what I was doing wrong. It turns out, I'd say it's 1/3 genetics, 1/3 sedentary behavior, and 1/3 eating too much.

So, 2/3 my fault. Haha! ;-)

PM snacking...............I'd eat well the entire day - come home and work out for an hour - eat a good dinner - then sit my butt down and eat like CRAP for two hours..........................multiply that by a few years - and it caught up to me.....................!

Up to having my 2nd child, I never had a weight problem. Could always eat whatever I wanted & it wasn't healthy. After my1st child I lost so much weight that the doctor was wanting me to drink 2 milkshakes/day to help maintain or gain a little. But after my 2nd, I never lost the last 10 lbs, & kept eating the way I always had, so it kept creeping up, in spite of a lot of exercise. But I'm actually glad I had to start watching what I eat, & eat healthier, because I know it's better for me than when I weighed less, but ate junk.

I had lost 50lbs and maintained it for quite awhile. I started to gain my weight back with the stress of my aunt dying (moms twin sister) AND I stopped drinking my water! *ugh* ... Now I have 47lbs to get off and back to where I was. That doesn't mean I want to stop there - that's JUST to get back to where I was. I've recently discovered that I'm grain and starch intolerant. When I eat anything with grains or starches I bloat up to be like the Michelin Man. I'm very much a 'salty' junk food aholic.

I've started back on MFP today. I'm taking baby steps at this point and will be working my way back up to drinking 3L of water/day. I'm increasing my 'GOOD' fats and proteins and lowered my Carbs (I've always lost weight this way).

I was always 'overweight' but very active and 'fit', until college. At 18 years old I finally got out of a very abusive relationship, became very depressed, moved out, went to college, worked 4 jobs. 2 of which were bartending so it was bar food and lots and lots of alcohol. From 18-20 I gained about 75lbs. Drank very heavily and was extremely depressed. Switched to an exercise science major in college and dropped about 30lbs. I never thought about nutrition. In high school I was in tennis, basketball and ran track and ate junk but stayed at a weight I was fine with. Take away all the activity and add alcohol well, there ya go. 75lbs. Then in the midst of losing weight and graduating college (2008) I got pregnant, gained about 30lbs. Finally took control of my weight and dropped 44lbs from 2011-2012. August 2012 - Pregnant again. Gained about 22lbs. Now here I am, trying to lose the baby weight and for the first time I am really focusing on nutrition. Nutrition, exercise and really changing the way I look at myself (in more of a postive way) I know I will reach my goals. Maybe not tomorrow, but I WILL reach them.

Edit: I suppose I should add that I am an emotional eater and used to be an emotional drinker. I get stressed, upset or even to celebrate I would go out with my friends and eat and drink. I no longer 'drink' when I am happy, sad, or stressed but every now and then when I am feeling sorry for myself I will turn to chocolate. I am not perfect but I am better than I was. To me that is progress.

Eating more than I needed and not moving enough. My love of all things deep fried also figured in somehow I am sure.