What was your turning point?

SnazzIT · April 2014

When I saw my picture that was taken last December at our work staff Christmas party, I was the biggest one there...:(

JackieRL55 · April 2014

Believe it or not, my turning point happened because of Instagram. I was posting some food pictures, because you know that's what you do when you have an IG account, and before I knew it I was searching for and following accounts that posted nothing but pictures of healthy food. My daily life became full of gorgeous pictures of fruits, veggies, "clean" meals, meal preps, etc.

I realized along the way that I had always been looking at pictures of thin and/or fit women for inspiration, but that doing so made me feel worse about myself because I was so far from that. But food is easy to copy, and I could set a goal of "my next meal" rather than "x number of pounds." At the end of last year I did a 90-day "clean" eating challenge that was successful in some ways and not in others. The biggest thing was shifting my focus away from the body-negative chatter in my head. That nonsense was getting in the way of very real health goals.

Through IG I also discovered IIFYM and decided I wanted to that instead of restricting food groups, so here I came and the rest is history in the making.

LOVE LOVE LOVE this thought process. Such an interesting perspective on how to manage the starting phase. I never thought of this but this is a GREAT thing to tell newbies. Definitely going to be sharing this.

I was having chest pains and palpitations. I was terrified of going to the doctor to find out what was wrong but one day I wound up in the emergency room. Thankfully they couldn't really find anything but I was supposed to follow up. Never did. I changed my life that week and never looked back. I figured if something was wrong then I would rather drop dead on the elliptical then have a surgery or take meds. Thank God 5 months later I'm feeling fantastic and haven't had any more pains. And yes, I have been to the doctor for a follow up and everything is ok!

STrooper · April 2014

It was a picture taken of me. I knew I had gotten overweight. When I saw the picture I knew that wasn't the me I used to be, nor did it fit the self-image I held for myself.

gracie11lexi13 · April 2014

I was sick of being looked at and being self conscious all the time. I live in Florida and I didn't want to go to the beach in clothes because I was too fat and hideous looking in a bathing suit. So I started losing weight. Then I got pregnant with my oldest daughter and was a stay mother while her daddy helped support us for 7 months when I finally snatched onto a full time job. While being a stay home mom I had gained 20 more pounds than what I delivered my daughter at. I was very unhappy with it but my new job required lots of walking and I did my math and found out I was walking 9 miles a day when I worked more if I worked overtime. I lost 40lbs by July of 2012 and found out I was pregnant again. I maintained my weight all the way up to 35-36 weeks (I was very happy about that) when I was put on bed rest and gained 30lbs in the last 5 weeks. I had my daughter at 41 weeks last April. I didn't want to gain like I did last time so I pretty much maintained til I got back to work. I got a new full time job July 1st 2013 and from there to Jan1st 2014 I had lost 6lbs and I was not happy about it so I started a competition with my mom and a friend to lose weight. My friend told me about MFP and I joined in the middle of Jan and here I am 16.3 lbs done and only 5.5 lbs away from my pre Lexi weight (my youngest daughter). I still have 25.5 lbs to lose til I am pre Gracie weight. (My oldest daughter.)

sphkhn · April 2014

My family's medical history (diabetes, heart disease, cancer ect.)

My dad not following doctor's advice and his diabetes getting worst and on the other hand my mom is going to be 50 and is in much better shape than me and was about 50 pounds lighter than me.

I was starting to be the biggest size at the gap, j.crew, h&m and never wanted to have to shop plus sized.

Being mistaken for an old classmate that I always assumed was much larger than me.

Earthgirl51 · April 2014

I had a lung infection in December. I was so sick my DH had to help me back and forth to the restroom. It was apparent that if I was ever incapacitated he would not be able to take care of me. When I finally started to recover in January I had not had a cigarette in five weeks and I had an epiphany that I COULD make a change. Now I am still smoke free, I have lost a little weight and I exercise a bit every day. This is going to be a long road. It took a lot of years to cause this much damage. I will take this one meal at a time and one step at a time. I just praise God that I have some time to work with.

cpridmor · April 2014

I realized I was avoiding photos with my kids. I had 2 only 15 months apart, and my weight ballooned up 63 pounds between the two pregnancies. My mom avoided photos, too, and now I hardly have any pictures of us growing up that include her. I vowed that I would not allow myself to be erased from my children's memories. And I want to be happy to be in the photos- not embarrassed when I see them later. I want to feel strong and sexy for my hubby. Life is just too damn short to feel any other way.

Nadoriel · April 2014

I've always wanted to loose weight, since I was a kid. After I got to my 19s with hypothyroidism, my weight came up again about 10kg, but it maintained more or less over the years and I was okay. When I got a job and started cycling and living by myself I somehow gained almost 10kg more! I became really frustrated because nothing worked... until I found what it worked

now every week is a turning point where I see how much I lost and how much to loose. Still wearing my old clothes, awesome to see how roomy they are, and using belts now. Waiting for the next turning point... Shopping!!

illegalcats · April 2014

I always had food insecurity growing up and never had healthy food, we were just too poor. I was inactive, eating crappy meals, and just felt very lethargic and depressed. I remember just feeling so bummed all the time. I knew I needed to start getting my own food and get more active or I would just keep gaining weight like other people in my family. It seemed very daunting.

It was just hard for me to find motivation at first. There were mental health issues in my family and I'm too stubborn to be medicated, haha. One day I just said to myself "screw it, you gotta start somewhere" and started doing the best I could.

I lost 20lbs and am in a healthy weight range but there's still things I want to do. I was at my worst about 2 or 3 years ago and looking back I just can't believe that person was me... It's insane. Overall I'm just so much happier. Since I made such progress with my physical health I'm motivated to get my life together and start working on myself mentally. I have hope for the future now because if I did this all by myself there is a lot more I can do.

beautifulwarrior18 · April 2014

I graduated from college and was able to quit two of my jobs. Now I'm down to one job and no classes so I actually have time to focus on my health.

coconuttjd · April 2014

I used to be athletic. I used to run at least 3 miles 3-5 times a week. 14 years ago I injured my back. The running stopped. I didn't gain much for a few years and my weight held steady until it didn't... then it jumped to around 280-290 lbs. It held steady there for years, and then I got into a relationship and my life became all about work and the relationship and there was no time for much else.

Fast forward a couple of years and my weight jumped 40-60 lbs. to mid-300's. I was still working a lot and I was sort of stuck in a loop... My now ex had moved away and we were doing the long distance thing and I was working hard to maintain the relationship, keep up at work, and just keep up in general. I sacrificed good food for fast food, usually eating twice what I needed in a sitting. I dealt with the stress in my life by eating.

Then the breakup.

And I took my blinders off and I realized how unhealthy I had let myself become in pursuit of everything I thought I wanted. I'd let myself forget about taking care of "me" and I was reminded of all the times my ex asked me to cut back, workout, and take breaks from work to relax. Hypertension? Borderline. Blood pressure? Borderline high. Sugar? Not dangerous but diabetes runs in our family... I almost pushed myself over the edge there too.

8 months later, 65 lbs lost later - I'm still friends with my ex. I joke with her that the best thing she did for me was break up with me.

My eyes are open now and I'm on a mission to get healthy, get back to my old athletic self, and I want to run my first half marathon next year. Done talking about "plans" and now we are all about "doing".

KingofWisdom · April 2014

I live in Florida, so I can typically wear a t-shirt and shorts year-round. The temperature was dropping a bit, so I tried on my pants and none of them fit. I was so embarrassed when I had to tell my parents.

wannehunter85 · April 2014

When I started needing size 20 pants and getting winded walking more than a few blocks. It was mortifying because I am not even 30!

estaticaa · April 2014

I think it was this summer. Usually I don't stay in the same place for long when on vacation, but this time I spent a whole month at the beach swimming in the sea, taking long walks and thinking about my life. I realized I was not the person I wanted to be and was heading in the wrong direction. I needed to love myself more, which involved taking care of my body and treating it with respect.

I signed up for the first time ever at the gym and it was hell at first, but it really helped changing my whole mentality. I wasn't losing much weight, but I was happy that I was losing inches. When I joined MFP (end of February), I learned how to readjust my food portions and have been steadily losing weight ever since.

I'm going back to the beach this year, but this time I'll bring a bikini!

9bars · April 2014

It was a bit of a snowball effect for me, I'd been thinking for a few weeks maybe it was time to lose weight, but decided I really had to be sure I was committed to not just losing, but keeping the weight off forever as I'd lost 80 +lbs about 10 years ago and put it straight back on. Then a few things happened within a couple of weeks.

I was told I had to send a face pic to work so they could make me an id badge, I tried everything to get out of it as I had avoided having pics taken quite successfully until then, but they weren't having it and the resulting pic was horrific, forever on a badge to remind me and a real wake up call that's how others saw me.

Some friends who were my size had started to lose weight, I didn't want to be the only fat one, I wanted to celebrate with them not just for them.

We had a family wedding, I had a nightmare finding an outfit and felt a complete and utter mess on the day, afraid to get up from the table while watching all the other women dancing and looking pretty. We have another wedding this year and I vowed sat there I wouldn't do this to myself again.

Final straw was the Dr found my BP was sky high and mentioned meds, so I said I'll try to lose weight first and the commitment was made, no turning back

QS82 · April 2014

I was definitely in denial about my weight, avoiding being in photo's was a way of avoiding the truth, as was avoiding shopping for clothes, and avoiding mirrors.

Mine was when my other half went away 4 months ago working overseas and we took some photographs as a keepsake. I was shocked with what I saw and even though by that point i'd already decided to spend his time away dedicated to getting fitter and losing weight, it was really the oil that greased the wheels.

He's back in 3 days, and i'm 1lb off of 2 stone down from the last time he saw me. Yesterday, I bought the first dress I have ever bought, and the last time I wore one was probably when I was a young teenager. It was a UK size 10, and is loose - I literally could've cried.

Best of wishes to you and your journey :flowerforyou:

123stefania · April 2014

The turning point was when I took my pictures for my ID card (driver licence and medical insurance)....oh la la....I was not good looking, double chin, puffy face...I didnt recognize myself. I know I had a weight issue but I was in denial. My other turning point was my husband losing 40 lbs.

Here I am in MFP!

princessnuriko · April 2014

Birthday last November 2013. The lodge I was spending the weekend in for my birthday celebration gave me three free red velvet cup cakes. I also ate alot of pie and ice cream that weekend. When I got home and saw my fat potruding belly in the mirror from a weekend of glutony, I decided I needed to change my lifestyle. Plus, I just go sooooo tired of wearing Spanx everyday to work. And even I was wearing them, I still trying to suck in my stomach to look thin. Pathetic.

Schmiznurf · April 2014

I wanted to start about 8 months ago and even asked for advice on a forum but I never bothered doing anything. I look terrible in some pictures and all I see is this huge blob of mass and it made me hate looking at pictures, especially when I used to look pretty good years ago. I started getting bad back pains because of my weight whenever I did anything, I saw an ad for UFC Fit while watching UFC and decided to do it. So I got it a few weeks ago and started doing it, and went and bought loads of healthy food to go along with it.

carolinetayloruk · April 2014

1. Meeting someone who is massively into being healthy and fit. Whilst he never judged me or my weight I didn't feel good enough for him looking as I did and that affected how i was around him.

2. A friend's wedding. We all met in our late teens studying abroad and have stayed in touch although not actually seen each other all that often as we live on different continents. 6 years ago i attended the wedding of one of the group and although i felt good at the time, i looked horrendous on the photos. I was at my biggest and really unhappy with my looks. Over the years i'd lost a bit of weight but was still massively overweight and when this invite came through, it triggered somehting and i was determined not to be massively overweight for the wedding.

Since then my weight loss has slowed down but i concentrate now more on improving my fitness levels rather then being in a rush to lose the last 15-20lb. MIght knuckle down soon for another push though as the summers coming and i've new summer clothes to buy!

What was your turning point?

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