What was your wake-up call?

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  • pdnaylor
    pdnaylor Posts: 49
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    I've been overweight since I was 12-13 years old. In high school, while riding with my grandmother down an icy road, we hit an icy patch and ended up going down a hill sideways. I was in the passenger seat, and because of my weight, the car did not roll over, which led me to justify my weight. I weighed close to 400 pounds at that time.

    I met my wife 5 years ago, and her vegetarian lifestyle got me eating healthier, but the real wake up call came once we started trying for a family. We went through two heart-tearing years, watching all our friends getting pregnant and having children, wondering when it would be our turn. My wife went through all the tests, and it was determined that it wasn't an issue with her. So I went and had my tests taken. After blood work, I found out that I had low Testosterone due to my weight causing what testosterone I had to turn to estrogen. Doctors put me on drugs to keep that from happening, but I knew I needed to lose weight. For the past several years, I have dropped to 280, and we have a 2 year old son! I'm still working, and my goal is 200-210, so hopefully it all goes well!
  • LassoOfTruth
    LassoOfTruth Posts: 735 Member
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    This incredible loss of libido... or sexiness... whatever you call it. I just don't feel like getting it on with this fat slapping about. I was never skinny, but I never quite felt as ugly as I do now. And, it's the fat's fault.
  • fittoday14
    fittoday14 Posts: 128
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    I just joined today. I woke up this morning, put my clothes on and my shirt AND pants are very tight! :sad: :huh: :embarassed:
  • wolf2000
    wolf2000 Posts: 18 Member
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    I have always in fairly good shape, I played 3 sports in High School and even played sports my first 2 years of college. In fact I struggled when I was in College to put on weight, so I never had to worry about what I ate. That is until a few years ago. I went back to school for my masters degree and being a full time student I became a lot more sedentary and put on an extra 15 lbs. I stayed at that weight, fluctuating at time times up or down 5 pounds. for the last year I Had been working as a Land Surveyor out in the field every day and had managed to avoid putting on any additional weight. About 3 months ago I started a new Job as A Civil Engineer, and now I sit at a desk all day while eating like I did when I was working outside all day. needless to say I put on another 15 pound and ended up 30 lbs heaver that I would like to be. My wake-up call came when I was approaching the point of needing to buy bigger pants because the ones I bought when I started this Job 3 months ago were starting to become tight, and I was buckling my belt 2 notches looser then I use to. And the biggest shock came to me when at the height of this i stepped on a scale and realized how much weight I had really put on. I have now committed myself back to healthier eating, and to doing a sprint triathlon this summer. I have been Eating better for the last 2 weeks and have managed to loose 4.4 lbs!
  • becky10rp
    becky10rp Posts: 573 Member
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    A dressing room - and a full length mirror - and the awful truth......................!

    This past August, I went shopping for a dress for the High Holidays (in September).

    I grabbed a few dresses of the size I had been - tried them on - not only did they NOT fit, they looked AWFUL.

    I had to get TWO SIZES UP - there was just no way around it.....................I had gained weight.

    I've always exercised - but I really thought that - since I exercised - I could eat whatever I wanted.

    WRONG!!!!

    I've stopped snacking, am strict about my logging - and I've met (actually surpassed) my goal weight.

    Moral to the story - all the exercise in the world can't outdo a poor diet!!
  • AusAshMommy
    AusAshMommy Posts: 845 Member
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    2 Different Medical Personnel Telling me my Cholesterol was high, I'm 35, that's NOT cool!
  • Roadie2000
    Roadie2000 Posts: 1,801 Member
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    Saw a picture of myself without a shirt and thought it was disgusting. That and I could barely tie my shoes because I couldn't bend over very far because my gut was too big.
  • YorriaRaine
    YorriaRaine Posts: 370 Member
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    When I was at my heaviest last year I looked at the number and was like....I don't want this in my life. I didn't join mfp then but that is when I stopped going after 2nds and 3rds at every meal. I lost 40 pounds on my own, but could not lose anymore after that.

    In January, I just joined mfp on a whim because I was tired of seeing the same number on the scale. Procrastination usually gets to me but I must have just been truly ready to make that change because I've stuck with it for 3 weeks now and I've been really happy with my results. That and this is something I can see doing for the rest of my life. It doesn't take up much time and it really isn't that hard. It takes me maybe a minute to measure my food out on a scale as I put it on the plate and most restaurants have their nutritional information online now.

    When I saw how easy it was to keep track of calories that is when I realized I could do this for the rest of my life fairly easily.
  • RunnrMike
    RunnrMike Posts: 14 Member
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    Too many pants in my closet that didn't fit. Since I hate shopping, losing weight was easier than buying new clothes.
  • urban_ninja
    urban_ninja Posts: 175 Member
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    ...when I struggled to simply bend down and tie my shoes.
  • Krista916
    Krista916 Posts: 258
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    My "before" picture! I was absolutely mortified when I saw myself if a sports bra and undies! I couldn't even believe it! I was so shocked because that's not what I saw when I looked at myself inthe mirror. Then I just felt really shameful that I had let it get that bad and I felt absolutely AWFUL for my husband! That's not what he signed up for when we got married.
  • jsj024519
    jsj024519 Posts: 400 Member
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    I like food.
  • KristinaB83
    KristinaB83 Posts: 440 Member
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    Don't remember where I heard this, but it was thinking about it that made me get off my *kitten*:

    "You'll never be as young as you are right now"

    Made me realize that losing weight wasn't going to get any easier when I got older, and my skin sure as hell isn't getting any more elastic than it is now... So what am I waiting for?
  • conniemaxwell5
    conniemaxwell5 Posts: 943 Member
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    I saw this quote: "If it's important you'll find a way. If it's not you'll find an excuse" and it jump started something in me. It motivated me to lose weight more than anything else ever has, as well as pretty much eliminated excuse making in any area of my life.
  • Jin_m
    Jin_m Posts: 4
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    My wake up call was seeing my mother-in-law in the hospital for congenative heart failure. She's not the role model people would expect, she self medicates and never cares about what or how much she eats. Hearing the doctor say she would lose 8 pounds (of water weight) in 3-4 days was unreal, then hering her weight, HIT ME. She was only 45 pounds more than me! If I had guessed her weight, I would have said she was 100 pounds more than me. Hearing she was just 45pounds more than me and 8 pounds of it was because she wasn't take her water pills sent me running to join the YMCA.

    No way, am I going to be 30 years younger than she is and looking like she does! I need a picture of her for motivation! Just thinking about it makes me want to run to the Y for a zumba class.
  • sandip69
    sandip69 Posts: 20
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    Not being able to catch my toddler, increasing pain in my arthritic hip, elasticated waist bands and not being able to see my winkie when I peed
  • MizzIcy
    MizzIcy Posts: 32 Member
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    My wake-up call was going to my closet after trying on six different outfits and realizing that no matter how many more outfits I tried on, everything in my closet was the same size, but too small or tight for me to wear.
  • ChaoticMiNd
    ChaoticMiNd Posts: 247 Member
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    I quit smoking. For two years (minus one brief spell) I had ignored the weight gain, LIVED in sweat pants or stretchy pants with long sweaters etc. It got so bad that I developed 5 ulcers, couldn't breath hardly, my knees were useless, EVERYTHING ached. I was in denial and would stand on my Dr's scale backwards so I couldn't see the truth month in and month out.
    I was diagnosed with fribromyalgia and put on meds...I gained another 10 lbs and the symptoms weren't really going away. I finally faced the scale on January 3 and to my horror it was 253 lbs. I started bawling right there in the Dr's office. Nope NO MORE. From that point on enough was a enough. I even told my husband my true weight...I had NEVER in 13 years told him that, even when I was slender.
    I knew the garbage I was putting in me was causing not only gain, but the pain and medical problems I was having, I suspected were from the food choices I was making. I cut out white bread, pasta, and 80% processed foods. Probably a bit more, but I like over or underestimate where appropriate lol. Anyway, I'm making better choices and not over eating and making changes I can live with because enough is enough.
  • dawnawoodward
    dawnawoodward Posts: 10 Member
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    When I tried fitness pal and actually kept track of my calories. I could not believe I was eating 3,400 calories a day. I honestly had no idea. I have several reasons for wanting to lose. My new grandbaby that is on the way, for my health and happiness. But I also realized that I have control of it. I decide when I eat. And I refuse to diet, I dont believe in it for me really. I just choose to treat my body as a machine. I have to fuel it , and I want the best fuel. It is really portion control. I won't put any food I want off limits I just use portion control. I have honestly realized that I started looking at some foods and being like no way....that is too many calories...I want this other..it is almost a game to me, to try and keep the breakfast and lunch calories even and lower than the dinner / supper calories. :smile:
  • yarmiah
    yarmiah Posts: 325 Member
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    My Dad dying of cancer at age 64 and Mom dying of an aneurysm 3 months later, also age 64.
    Not weight related but I knew I wanted to get healthy asap and not put my kids through losing parents too young.

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