How did you gain the weight?

I have pondered this over and over in my head...how does a girl who was given a shot at the jr olympics just out of high school while on my swim team, or the girl who LIVED to play center on her basketball team, or the girl who played softball for 8 years growing up just all the sudden wake up over 400 lbs?
I was so active as a young person...I was never a thin person, I was always thick but I was NEVER fat. I am 41 years old now, and looking back, I see I starting gaining my weight after my second child was born. I stopped walking and started driving, I stopped waitressing and got a desk job....I stopped playing sports and started laying around....I gradually put on lb after lb and then just gave up on who I was. When ever I wanted to lose weight, I did it...quickly...but never enough to really bring myself back down to a healthy weight...maybe because I just didn't want to apply myself all the way? I guess now looking back, I had no reason other than just lack of dedication and will....Now I have that and my body is fighting me with every lb.

Honestly, I just love food I was also never taught proper nutrition!

Eating anything that was not nailed down...not exercising...not caring that I was doing it. Yeah, I could blame it all on my worthless ex but in the end I was the one stuffing my face instead of getting rid of him. I was putting weight on before him.

So it was a lot of things. Poor self image, being told my whole life from family that it was genetics and I was predestined to be heavy, medications, lifestyle, depression from losing my son.

Now, I feel so much better. I am determined to keep it off and it's been 2 years in maintenance with no regain.

I grew up over weight. I was skinny for about 3 years, when I lived with my father, but once I returned to live with my mom, I became overweight again. It wasn't that one of them is the better parent, it was because my mom was less strict and the cupboard and fridge was more accessible, and my father abused me and literally scared the **** out of me, so I only ate what I was given(plus, there were kids my age living in every house on the block, so I played a lot more there(I didn't want to be in my house)).

I've also had a really big appetite. My dad always got pissed at me when I would order a 12 inch sub from Subway, and then eat the whole thing. I used to be able to go up at a buffet at least 4 times, piling the plate up high.

While I could still eat a 12 inch in one sitting, I usually order 6 inches, or save half of my 12 inch. Buffets, I usually eat korean style, totally maybe 2 plates of food, and then I'm usually stuffed.

When I was pregnant, I didn't watch my weight, I gained a lot. After instead of dropping it I ate what I wanted and almost 15 years later I ballooned from 11-12 size to 28-30. This was my own fault for not changing any of my lifestyle before, but that started to change this year. I started April at 355, and now 290 since my last weigh in.

I have been overweight since age 5... But at 18 lost over 100lbs which made me underweight. I was depressed which made me lose the latter part of the weight, and because it wasn't picked up I think that is what made me turn to food. Now aged 21 with 70lbs back on I finally realised how unhappy I was and that it was time to start living/loving life as this is the only chance I may have. Also I come from a family were everyone is overweight/obese, and nutrition and exercise aren't seen as a priority.

40+ a day smoker, junk food...crisps, lots of fizzy drinks and late night snacking...on top of 'regular' meals.


and no exercise...I was on my way to a heart attack and or diabetes

I spent my entire adult life taking care of others, while neglecting my own needs, wants and dreams. My husband is a recovering alcoholic, sober 2 yrs now. He also suffers from PTSD , he's an Army Veteran. So I ate a lot do to stress, depression and feeling alone. He got healthy, found some awesome doctors, so since he didn't need me to care for him anymore, I figured it was my turn to care for myself.

I stopped training ballet and started eating abnormal amounts of unhealthy foods and gained about 20 kg in a matter of months. Lost those 20 when started eating healthy and training again.
Then i started being so anxious about food and eating and life became so stressed and i was really anxious and started emotional overeating(6000 a day) wich led me to gain back about 10 kg in two months of binge/restrict so now i am trying to lose those with healthy eating and exercising though it is hard to put the binges behind me As i feel the need to "make up" for them.

All you can eat buffets, and not having a problem eating alone. Conversation while eating gives the stomach time to realize it is full before it is overfilled.

Eating appx. 30 big bag of potato chips a month. Now I don't (dang exercise).

Moved in with my fiancé, got a desk job which all started the slow road upwards. Lost 21lbs last year, but depression caused me to binge and I put that all back on in 5 months. So now starting again!

I let some things screw with my head, and started to comfort eat. Now, I have dealt with those issues (in the main), took some time of work to sort my head and body out.

Long-term depression associated with pregnancy and being stuck as a stay-at-home mom due to finances. It cost more for child care than I would make.

To get to 180lbs as of 2010 was simply my eating more than I burned with two lost pregnancies and a lot of emotional eating. As of january 1st 2011 i started actively trying to lose weight but i had another three lost pregnancies since then (which caused caused me to emotionally eat while being in to much physical pain to exercise vigorously.) it has taken me a couple months to recover from each one and i usually gain about 10lbs during the pregnancy and after so all together in my weight lose journey I have only lost about 30lbs in just under 3yrs. I am now back to the weight I was prior to my last pregnancy (149lbs) and we have been advised not to try any more so I think I can steadily keep up the loss till I reach 135lbs!