What REALLY inspired you to lose weight?

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atypicalsmith
atypicalsmith Posts: 2,742 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
For a very special event in 2007, I was inspired to lose 20 pounds. After the event, I immediately gained it back. Then I gained another 20 pounds. At this point, I bought a dress that I LOVED as inspiration to lose back at least the 20 extra pounds I gained. Instead, I gained another ten. The dress went to the back of my closet and I all but forgot about it.

Sigh. What finally truly inspired me, besides being horrified at accidentally seeing my reflection in a window or mirror, was hitting 169.8 pounds. Whoa! Time to stop this insanity! So I joined the Y and started eating better. Before MFP, it took me about six months to lose ten pounds. Since MFP, I've lost 14 pounds in three months. I still have 36 to go, but I'm in no hurry as I want to lose it in a healthy manner. Half a pound to a pound a week is just fine with me.

Meanwhile, I found that dress and have been trying it on every two or three weeks. At first, I couldn't pull it up past my knees. Then, I could get it around my body, but couldn't zip it up. Then, it could be zipped up about halfway. Next, it zipped all the way up, but I looked like a stuffed sausage and the one button in the middle wasn't even close to the loop where it belonged. Today, I could button it. It's still too small for me, but it's amazing at the transformation even though I still have many pounds to go. Soon, that dress will fit me, and that is when people will notice that I've lost weight. And then, the dress will be too large for me.

It took nearly eight years, but that dress is finally inspiring me!

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Replies

  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
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    Being diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis and having the pain get increasingly worse. I knew that I could positively impact how the disease progressed by losing weight and exercising.

    I have several other medical conditions and had made the mistake in the past of sort of letting myself become a victim after diagnosis. I wasn't going to do that again.
  • atypicalsmith
    atypicalsmith Posts: 2,742 Member
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    You have a good spirit! I've seen many of your posts and know you genuinely care about people, and had no clue you were going through this. Thanks so much for sharing.
  • Sarasmaintaining
    Sarasmaintaining Posts: 1,027 Member
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    I actually didn't care that I was overweight and steadily gaining. Had a wake up call though when I had blood work done and it showed my glucose number was really high. Fasting test showed my number in the pre-diabetic range. Several of my relatives have died to complications from T2 (my only living grandparent is currently losing her battle with it right now). That was the kick in the butt I needed. Fast forward a few years-down around 60lbs, successfully in maintenance, and my glucose number has been in the normal range for around two years now :)
  • Angiefit4life
    Angiefit4life Posts: 210 Member
    edited April 2015
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    Mine was similar to mama's ( Hi Mama!) last year. I was dignosed with ankylosing spondylitis. Months of high dose prednisone, countless pills plus humira. The breaking point was when I had to have fluid remove from my lungs. I have 3 boys that depend on me. I thought to myself I am never going to get better if I don't make a change to improve my health. I go in a few weeks to the rhemy and hope he starts reducing some pills 31 pounds gone:)
  • CatherineD9889
    CatherineD9889 Posts: 30 Member
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    After a recent night out with some girlfriends, I saw pics posted of me online...I could NOT believe that fat girl in the pics was ME!
    I joined a gym that week and now work out religiously. I also started a reduced calorie way of eating and tracking my food on MFP.
    Not exactly sure why THAT particular pic hit me so hard but I'm glad it did!
    I've never in my life been so motivated and determined to get healthy and lose the extra weight I've carried for years!!!
  • Leana088
    Leana088 Posts: 581 Member
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    I was inspired by my sister. We met for the first time a few years ago and she looked so beautiful, I thought that if she can look like that and be related to me, then I have no excuse.

    I lost 46lb and haven't looked back. :)
  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
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    amwcnw wrote: »
    Mine was similar to mama's ( Hi Mama!) last year. I was dignosed with ankylosing spondylitis. Months of high dose prednisone, countless pills plus humira. The breaking point was when I had to have fluid remove from my lungs. I have 3 boys that depend on me. I thought to myself I am never going to get better if I don't make a change to improve my health. I go in a few weeks to the rhemy and hope he starts reducing some pills 31 pounds gone:)

    Hi amwcnw! AS is such a pain in the butt, and prednisone! YUCK! I didn't know you were on that.

    You're a hottie now!

  • brower47
    brower47 Posts: 16,356 Member
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    Seeing myself sitting naked on the toilet about a year after giving birth to my son. I could no longer call it baby weight. I decided right then that I never wanted to see that again.
  • mz_getskinny
    mz_getskinny Posts: 258 Member
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    I met my future husband, Norman Reedus.....but he didn't propose on the spot...

    Later, when I saw the picture of us, I understood why!! Next day? New mfp account. And here I am 8 months later and 50 lbs lighter ;)
  • maxit
    maxit Posts: 880 Member
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    I was inspired last year by my upcoming retirement ... my vision for myself moving forward included being strong and healthy ... 50 pounds down from Jan 1 2014 and working toward being able to DL my weight by my next bday (65) :)
  • Angiefit4life
    Angiefit4life Posts: 210 Member
    edited April 2015
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    mamapeach910 wrote: »
    amwcnw wrote: »
    Mine was similar to mama's ( Hi Mama!) last year. I was dignosed with ankylosing spondylitis. Months of high dose prednisone, countless pills plus humira. The breaking point was when I had to have fluid remove from my lungs. I have 3 boys that depend on me. I thought to myself I am never going to get better if I don't make a change to improve my health. I go in a few weeks to the rhemy and hope he starts reducing some pills 31 pounds gone:)

    Hi amwcnw! AS is such a pain in the butt, and prednisone! YUCK! I didn't know you were on that.

    You're a hottie now!


    Mama! I stop prednisone 6 months ago (about a month after humira started.) I was on 80 mg daily for over 5 months. Thanks honey! You truly have inspired me. We all have our issues but we are accountable for our actions! Thank you for your support!

  • atypicalsmith
    atypicalsmith Posts: 2,742 Member
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    brower47 wrote: »
    Seeing myself sitting naked on the toilet about a year after giving birth to my son. I could no longer call it baby weight. I decided right then that I never wanted to see that again.

    TMI, LOL!!!
  • MsJulesRenee
    MsJulesRenee Posts: 1,180 Member
    edited April 2015
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    When ALL my jeans were too small to wear I started getting serious about losing weight. It feels amazing to be able to just throw on a pair of jeans/ any tshirt and walk out the door vs. having to find shirts that work with your jeans so no muffin top shows! :# hahaha, thats my rock bottom.
  • barbecuesauce
    barbecuesauce Posts: 1,779 Member
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    I needed to change something and my weight was the easiest thing.
  • kristydi
    kristydi Posts: 781 Member
    edited April 2015
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    I had known I needed to get off my butt and do something about my creeping weight for a while, but was kinda able to ignore it. Then my husband decided to take up photography as a hobby. Suddenly I was constantly faced with pictures of how big I had gotten and how far it was from my mental picture of myself. Then my husband took this picture at my daughter's 3rd birthday party.
    g16f0m7hqgmm.jpg



    I was horrified. It looked like I had a second set of boobs! I thought I looked good in that outfit, then I saw that picture and that's the straw that broke the camel's back. Not long after that I got serious about losing weight. It took some trial and error before I figured out what worked, but that's where it started.
  • TiffanyR71
    TiffanyR71 Posts: 217 Member
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    Been yo-yo-ing for more than 20 years - each high weight getting progressively higher, each loss becoming progressively more difficult... And if avoiding social situations and pictures wasn't bad enough, I started to experience some health issues for the first time (I'm 44). Even at points of obesity, my blood pressure and lipids have always been stellar in the past. However, at my last obgyn visit, my bp was high... She wanted me to have follow-up visits and take me off the pill. Then the snoring started, preventing both my husband and me from getting adequate sleep. I was always exhausted, and just generally felt like garbage. Enough is enough... Time to take off the 45 lbs that I'm over, get healthy, and finally learn how to maintain for life. I'm down 10 so far, and feeling great!
  • atypicalsmith
    atypicalsmith Posts: 2,742 Member
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    kristydi wrote: »
    I had known I needed to get off my butt and do something about my creeping weight for a while, but was kinda able to ignore it. Then my husband decided to take up photography as a hobby. Suddenly I was constantly faced with pictures of how big I had gotten and how far it was from my mental picture of myself. Then my husband took this picture at my daughter's 3rd birthday party.
    g16f0m7hqgmm.jpg



    I was horrified. It looked like I had a second set of boobs! I thought I looked good in that outfit, then I saw that picture and that's the straw that broke the camel's back. Not long after that I got serious about losing weight. It took some trial and error before I figured out what worked, but that's where it started.

    Isn't it funny how when the weight creeps up on you, that you still see yourself as that person you used to be until you see yourself unexpectedly in a picture, or in a mirror, and then get the shock of your life?
  • Jgasmic
    Jgasmic Posts: 219 Member
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    My fat, fat jeans were getting tight, and when I stepped on the scale I was five pounds heavier than my previous high weight. That was a good enough shock to make things happen.
  • Diana_GettingFit
    Diana_GettingFit Posts: 458 Member
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    Being diabetic. I was diagnosed in 2008. My sugar control has always been up and down. On my last doctor visit my A1C was about seven and the doctor wanted to put me on a SECOND drug. No way! I'm already on Metformin since 2008. I've lost 17 lbs since that visit and my fasting sugar is averaging in the upper 70's to the low 80's, down from averaging 120. I go back to the doctor in June. I'm hoping my A1C will be good enough to get off Metformin.
  • atypicalsmith
    atypicalsmith Posts: 2,742 Member
    Options
    TiffanyR71 wrote: »
    Been yo-yo-ing for more than 20 years - each high weight getting progressively higher, each loss becoming progressively more difficult... And if avoiding social situations and pictures wasn't bad enough, I started to experience some health issues for the first time (I'm 44). Even at points of obesity, my blood pressure and lipids have always been stellar in the past. However, at my last obgyn visit, my bp was high... She wanted me to have follow-up visits and take me off the pill. Then the snoring started, preventing both my husband and me from getting adequate sleep. I was always exhausted, and just generally felt like garbage. Enough is enough... Time to take off the 45 lbs that I'm over, get healthy, and finally learn how to maintain for life. I'm down 10 so far, and feeling great!

    Health is the single biggest reason to lose weight. I'm so glad you're doing it! I now feel shallow at using the dress as my inspiration. Truth is, my blood pressure was getting out of control, I couldn't climb a single flight of stairs without getting out of breath, and my joints started aching tremendously. I pushed it all aside as "getting old". Well, now that I can FINALLY cross my legs again, and can easily do several miles of walking, even though I'm old, and even though I still have a bunch to lose, I know deep down that my health is the main reason to keep at it.

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