How did you know this time was it?

I didn't know. The doctor told me I needed to eat healthy foods, so I did. I was damned afraid not to! I didn't count a single calorie for the first forty pounds or so. I just changed my diet. And I did it justlikethat. Bam. Changed.

When I see people come to MFP and say "This time is different - it's for real!" and use phrases like, "I've got this!" I always wonder just who they're trying to convince. The cockiness seems (to me) to be a dead giveaway that they'll fail. But I'm sure someone started off that way and succeeded, so it's not like I'm certain.

My best advice is to learn about nutrition from a trustable source, like a dietitian, not a fitness magazine. I think this is a nice start: http://www.fitness.gov/eat-healthy/how-to-eat-healthy/

Do some exercise. Whatever you want, even walking. But get off your butt and do some damn thing every day.

If you haven't seen your doctor, do that. Get a check-up and discuss losing weight. Then, eat right and exercise. You'll be thinner, healthier and happier...IF you're willing to do all the work.

Just woke up one day and decided to start exercising and watching my calories. Two months in, woke up one day and decided to quit smoking. Just did it.

I've been at this for a couple years now - dropped 30 and maintained for a while and now dropping another 20 or so. I still don't know for sure. I take it one day at a time. Today, I will make good decisions that bring me closer to my goal. Tomorrow? Hopefully I will, maybe I won't. But today I certainly will.

I changed the way I shopped for food and what foods I ate. Never gave up but had plenty of set backs and even took a week or two here and there due to injuries or illness. Honestly on the days you feel like not going, if you can just find one reason to get you to the gym then youve already succeeded for the day. The hardest part for me I guess is tring to change my families eating habits but also enjoy food aswell. I just tell myself to be better then the guy I used to be.

Liftng4Lis wrote: »

Just woke up one day and decided to start exercising and watching my calories. Two months in, woke up one day and decided to quit smoking. Just did it.

Pretty much ^^ this for me, too. I decided to do it, so I did. No setting a start date, no waiting for a Monday, no "final binge" no nothing. Just "I'm tired of the way I am, so I'm not going to be this way anymore." And I did it from that day on.

Once you start losing weight, and you see the change in your body, you become more determined to carry on. That's how I know. I love seeing this change and I can't imagine going back to my old ways.
I honestly, whole heartily, enjoy running and going to the gym. It's not a chore.
This is all a new way of living. If you see it as a diet and a chore, your rebel.
You have to WANT to do it. For yourself.

I was having a conversation with a close friend one evening, where I was telling her that I was going to do something about my weight. In that conversation I recall telling her, "It's time and I'm in charge of my own destiny". At that very moment, it was like someone turned on a switch and I felt like the world just came off my shoulders. It just clicked for me, right then and there...I've never looked back. I think once you've dealt with the mental issues holding you back, the rest falls into place.

I gained about 40 pounds after I got married, and tried a few times to lose it. Each time, I knew what I needed to do, but didn't want to and tried to find ways to work around it or told myself I'd make up for overeating later. Finally, I reached a point where the work didn't bother me. That's when I knew this was it.

I watched Dr. Joel Fuhrman on public TV and what he said made sense to me. Then I watched more videos online and read his book. I realized I had gotten lazy about what we were eating. It was just too easy to eat high calorie, low-nutrient foods like pasta, cheese and meat all the time. Then we started a fitness challenge on a website I run and it helped motivate me because we had a weekly check in. Once the weight started coming off, it really cemented in my mind that this was it and there was no going back. I have revamped what we eat, not just to lose weight but to improve our longterm health. Now I am so excited to come up with new recipes that focus on maximizing nutrition. We are eating such tasty and exciting foods now!

I have no idea if I really knew it was "it" this time. People ask me all the time why I started losing weight and what was "it" that made me finally do it. I can't really answer that one either. However, I started over 5 years ago and have kept most if it off for the last 4 years. I am hoping this is the last time I start I still get nervous that I will go back to my old ways, but so far so good. I think hiring a personal trainer to help me was a big help for me, he helped me the food and the fitness and now I love working out.

My success story:

1. Find an exercise you really love, for me it was Mountain Biking.
2. Use technology to track your fitness and calories. Counting calories is a MUST!
3. Surround yourself with positive, like-minded, and disciplined people who share your goals.

I think a lot of people, myself included, start exercise programs they don't really enjoy. Let's face it, no one likes doing things they don't enjoy and it eventually leads to an abandonment of your exercise routine, diet and overall health. I know this sounds like an easy solution but its best not to overcomplicate your mission back to a healthy you. Try a lot of different cardio-based exercise routines and find the one that's works for you both physically and mentally. Remember those 3 simple rules and you won't go wrong. If anyone needs encouragement just friend me and I'll help you out! - Jim

When people started to ask me if I'm pregnant. It was the time.

When I realized that drinking had screwed up every attempt to lose & maintain my weight loss. I figured I don't have the ability to drink in moderation. So I stopped drinking cold turkey and by the grace of God this time I WILL succeed, long term.

there haven't been other times. i actually quite enjoyed life as a fat girl but wouldn't have been allowed to donate a kidney. so, decided to do it and did it. the end.