Why/how did you become overweight?

I quit smoking, resulting in an enormous increase in appetite for which I ate all sorts of processed foods and sugar

Here it goes-

I have always been overweight. Five, ten pounds in high school. Twenty pounds in college. The older I got, the higher the number became. For me, my weight has been my protection. It protects me from the outside world. It hides the real me from those around me. If they can't see me behind the fat, then they can't reject me. I say I like to eat (which I do) and I really love the instant gratification of food (which I do,) but I really think that my weight is my protection.

I have tried to diet many, many times. But not really. I joined Weight Watchers, and would eat whatever I wanted until 2 days before weigh in, then starve myself for a "good number." I have eaten only eggs one day, oranges the next....blah blah blah. I even tried diet pills in my younger days. Nothing worked. And not because they couldn't, but because I wasn't really there.

For a long time, I have thought about being serious about losing weight. Every day I would think about it. Every day, as I ate the last brownie, drove thru at McDonalds for the last time, or went out for pizza. Then I picked a start date. I only told one person I was starting a new life. Why only one person? Because this is about me, not anyone else. Every day I do things for my husband, my kids, my community, my job... this is for me. And so my journey began.

I saw an article on line that came from Marie Claire magazine about losing weight and diet plans. Now, I usually don't read Marie Claire magazine because I heard they hate fat people. But I figured- they are all thin over there, they must know something about being thin. Well, I read the article, and then researched all of their suggestions. The recommended MFP, I researched it, and here I am. Down 18 pounds. Walking every day, and feeling optimistic about me.

Now, my family is on the journey with me. Why? Because I am making appropriate potions for me and them! I invite them for walks, and they join me! And I am happy.

I was always a uk size 6 and then my dad became ill with cancer and passed away 2yrs ago and I comfort ate. I'm also on medication that causes weight gain which didn't help

Were you always overweight? No, I was once bulemic and 90 lbs.

Or were you once a healthy weight? Yes, but not from a healthy lifestyle.

Did you "let yourself go"? No. Got PTSD from both parents dying. Ate because not eating made me anxious as heck.


And did anyone become overweight while still being an active person and (over)eating homemade, whole foods, or was it only through eating essentially crap food, processed foods, restaurant/fast food? A little of both, and more of all of the above.

One word: carbs

That's what made me unhealthy.

Were you always overweight? Or were you once a healthy weight?:
Nope. I was always at a good weight as a child. I started gaining in middle school after discovering you had the freedom to eat whatever you want and how much you wanted during lunch time. I never exactly successfully went down to a healthy weight at the time until after high school. I was pretty much overweight from 7th grade to my first semester of college. I think I was my heaviest after high school; my blood pressure was always rather high and such. It was awful. I think I hit my highest at the time because I relied on food as a way to cope with depression. I was going through an abusive relationship and even afterwards, it really affected me psychologically (still does, in a sense). So I did tons of emotional eating.

I had that emotional eating part under control for a couple years after I lost 20-30 pounds. I was at my healthiest as an adult, but then after a brief breakup this past summer, I went back to emotional eating again. Went from 130ish pounds to 150ish pounds *sigh*

Did you "let yourself go"? Or perhaps it was due to a traumatic event, injury or medication?:
Pretty much. I kind of stopped caring in the summer. It was all a part of feeling like I wasn't worth it for anyone. I didn't know how else to go about coping. I was seeing a psychologist and such, but it didn't help as much as I wanted. Food was pretty much my go-to "cure," even though it'd leave me feeling groggy and gross afterwards (that's what fried foods do to you, after all).

The breakup was a huge blow to me, especially since we've been together for a long, long time. Fortunately we've gotten back together as of a few months ago, but here I am trying to lose all the weight I had gained. It's a bit embarrassing, and I can't seem to have the balls to tell him that eating was my way of coping. It just sounds so sad, but it is what it is I guess.

And did anyone become overweight while still being an active person and (over)eating homemade, whole foods, or was it only through eating essentially crap food, processed foods, restaurant/fast food?
For me, it's always been the crap food, processed foods, and restaurant/fast foods that played a role in my weight gain. I love fries, oh my goodness lol... and that was one of the things I ate a lot when I'd stuff my face. As far as homemade meals go, my mom has a habit of using too much salt in her cooking, so I've had to cut down on eating whatever she cooks, or I do the taste-testing for her... or just freakin make my own food.