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MyFitnessPal Community

When did you know?

distinctlybeautiful

It's one thing to realize you need to change your lifestyle. It's another thing to take steps to do so. But it's an entirely different thing to feel it click.

When did it happen for you? When did you realize you had made a real, lasting change in your lifestyle? How did you feel?

Replies

Xpecta

At Christmas time, I usually make a huge food spread for just my husband and kid's. Kind of like a huge amount of appy's from a party. In the past we'd pretty much finish it in one day. (Mostly just my husband and I.) We'd gorge ourselves silly. This past year we didn't even make a dent in it. We laughed and had to give about half of it away. I was incredibly surprised. But at the same time ridiculously proud!!!

rigein24

When I was able to say "I don't need that" and believe myself, instead of arguing. When I make a mistake and learn from it, forgiving myself. The mistakes happen less and less.

Doublemeasure

When I leave food on the plate and know that if I eat any more, it would just be very greedy.

getitamb

When I started eating to train to be fit. I started planning my meals around doing better in my workouts.

rupertgardner263

When I had knee surgery and couldn't chase my two year old around. The extra weight had made my recovery slower than normal. But I'm down over 20lbs in three months

rawk_fairy_666

when i had a stupid amount of takeaways in one week and felt constantly sick, bloated and disgusting. Something changed and i havent looked back. I dont want the unhealthy food anymore, and when i have had it, it makes me feel ill and i cant wait to get back on track. im down 23lbs so far and feel better than i have in years.

lchillies

When i put weight on so fast i got stretch marks like i was pregnant! :'(

McCloud33

When I finally realized that you can't out-train a bad diet. I truly always believed that I was just overweight because I stopped/wasn't working out enough, and that all I had to do was start exercising and all of those years of bad eating would just fall off. It took me a good 4 years (and joining MFP) to figure it out.

MrsMizart

When I looked at my ailing Pa (stroke and heart disease), and my sister (three strokes before she's sixty), then at my teenage daughter and realised I didn't want her to have to take care of me for something I could have avoided.

CJisinShape

March 7, 2015. I realized I was no longer a fat person. Others might see it, but I'm fit on the inside, and it's working from the inside out.

I don't identify as fat. I'm no longer a glutton. I enjoy exercising. I eat a lot of vegetables.

Some examples:
1) I wear really nice underwear. And outerwear. And makeup. And nightclothes. And workout gear. When I used to be fat, I got what was on sale that was in my size.

2) Yesterday I wanted McDonalds. I'm usually unable to finish an entire McD's meal, so I got the 2 cheeseburgers meal and split it with dh. When I used to be fat I could eat 1 and 1/2 McD's meals.

3) Went to Chili's, ordered a taco meal that had 3 tacos. 2 tacos went home.

4) I lift, swim and hot tub at the gym. I dance at home. When I was fat, I was too self-conscious to shower at the gym, let alone show up in a hot tub.

I am grateful that God has given me whatever it was that I needed to make the lifestyle change a simple thing, and not a struggle.

candidcamster

My "click" or awakening moment was February/2014 when we experienced a pretty cold winter in the Houston area, and I began having neuropathy (tingling/numbness) in my hands & feet. I know at least 1 person who has lost toes due to diabetes, and plenty of people with this condition including in my family, I didn't want that to be me. I realized I had to do this. Before then, all I cared about was food & losing weight to be desired by men, I still care about food, but now I just want to be healthy and feel good period (emotionally, mentally and physically).

ar9179

Last October, during my grandfather's last health battle and after a decline for many years. I don't want my kids to worry like my grandmother, mom, uncle, and aunts have for those years and suffer through the last illness (if I can help it). No. I'm going to try to improve my body/health and live a very active life as long as I can, preferably with my husband who has joined me in this pursuit. I want to be able to travel and experience new things after we retire. I was headed toward a more hermit/homebound existence when I realized this, and I'm only 45! Not OK.

I just lost my joi de vivre after several years of emotional turmoil and losing loved ones. We're all stronger than those influences and losses, we just have to use the strength that we've been given.

I've realized that, after saying goodbye to Grandad. He's why I'm changing how I treat my body. I'm why I'm changing. My family and future are why I've changed.

I'm so looking forward to our futures. I don't know what's going to happen, if my dreams of traveling will come to fruition. I feel so much better, now, that the other things would be cherries on top!

MeganKyGirl82

My moment was shortly after my third child's first birthday. My house was filled with family and friends, and only the chaos a house full of children at a birthday party can bring. I was horribly out of breath. My friend, a photographer, came to do a sort of candid photo shoot as a birthday present. I was trying to lug my toddler around to capture him in different settings (he couldn't walk yet), and I couldn't breathe. That's when it hit me that enough is enough. No more fad diets. No more pointless pills. The reality of it wasn't easy, and it's had alot of bumps in the road along the way .... but that moment has always stuck in the back of my mind as a motivator.

ms_maruska

Maybe it'll sound silly but for me it was when I reached 30 years of age in January. I sort of shifted my way of reasoning. I thought, OK so for 30 years I wished I wasn't overweight and that I didn't smoke and that I was in shape and some other things, so what exactly am I waiting for. It's never gonna be the right moment and no one's gonna do it for me and do I really want to spend my thirties feeling sorry for myself and being insecure like i spent my twenties. This is something that is completely under my control, or rather, it should be. So this is what I'm doing - I'm taking control of the things I can control.

MerinneW

sign_painter wrote: »

Maybe it'll sound silly but for me it was when I reached 30 years of age in January. I sort of shifted my way of reasoning. I thought, OK so for 30 years I wished I wasn't overweight and that I didn't smoke and that I was in shape and some other things, so what exactly am I waiting for. It's never gonna be the right moment and no one's gonna do it for me and do I really want to spend my thirties feeling sorry for myself and being insecure like i spent my twenties. This is something that is completely under my control, or rather, it should be. So this is what I'm doing - I'm taking control of the things I can control.

Quoted for truth! Turning 30 has had a massive impact on me, as I realise I am now a grown-up and have, to a large extent, wasted my youth feeling crappy about myself. I look back and it's more than half my life so far feeling fat, weak, ugly, not good enough. When you think about it that way, it's ruddy terrifying. So no more. Time to do this for future me, so when I get to 60 I can look back on half my life spent hitting goals, feeling great about who I am and how I look.

distinctlybeautiful

These are wonderful! Thanks for the responses!

cblue315

My weigh in was the same 3 weeks in a row, my trainer asked me "When are you going to get serious about this? You are paying me."

tacosupremequeen

I just recently had my AH-ha moment! My boyfriend loves fast food and I used too (I mean technically I still do, I just like feeling good better lol) and the past week he's been wanting me to go to Wendy's and I would put it off because really nothing sounded good. I'd just go to the store and make some home cooking instead. I finally went last night and old Sarah would've got something just to get something. I didn't want anything! No craving! It was glorious lol not even a frosty lol anyway and the best part I think is that I didn't feel regret or like I was missing out or pain staking saying no. It was just a natural good feeling "I don't want this I wanna keep feeling good" feeling. I'm so excited!

MercuryBlue

I'd say there were a few big ones for me. The biggest one was about a week and a half ago. A friend of mine passed away and I was just devastated. I even ate my favorite comfort food because I was so sad. I took the rest of the day off work and told myself that that day was dedicated to her. I gave myself permission to just be sad and grieve and not think about my program or food or anything like that. And while I DID eat some junk, the 'click' moment came when I realized that my friend would NOT want me showing my grief by ignoring my own health. I logged the junk and did the workout I'd had planned for the day.

The second one came a few days later. I was stressed and busy and didn't have time to pack lunch, so I knew that I'd likely have to buy something. Instead of getting fast food, or even a high-sodium healthier option, I went to a health food's store and got a bunch of nutritious foods instead. And I didn't do it because I felt that I had to, or because I felt guilty, or because I was afraid of failure. I did it because I didn't have any desire to eat any of that other stuff. A total "click" for me.

Brans34

I was a smoker for a LONG time (since I was 16). I had quit a couple of times, but ended up going back to it after a couple months or a year or so. I wanted to quit again for a long time, but my bf kept coming hone with packs of cigarettes every day or two; I never ran out. And he smokes, too. Last October, I kept waking up coughing and couldn't hardly breath walking up the stairs doing laundry. I kept seeing people in exercise video infomercials, and I wanted to look like them. But I couldn't breath enough to get even 5 minutes into a workout. Then one day, I just didn't want a cigarette. I had more than half a pack, but I just didn't want one; so I quit. Never had an overwhelming craving for one, either.
Then, in February, I turned 35. I didn't want to send another minute being miserable and out of shape! I wanted to be here for my kids. I wanted to have a fun, active summer with my kids. So I got a gym membership with my son, and started going every day (or at least 6 days a week) . I realized I had made a lifestyle change when I felt guilty for missing a day at the gym, and felt bad for going over my calories. I still haven't really had a "cheat day" since February!

epeters1984

When my aunts diabetes got so bad that she can barely walk. She just turned 60 and can't go up a flight of stairs. If I kept on the pace I was going I would get diabetes for sure and I didn't want to end up the same. Now I'm down 30lbs.

epixstudiosnh

distinctlybeautiful wrote: »

It's one thing to realize you need to change your lifestyle. It's another thing to take steps to do so. But it's an entirely different thing to feel it click.

When did it happen for you? When did you realize you had made a real, lasting change in your lifestyle? How did you feel?

Mine happened a month ago when I finally told my ex husband off. The weight that came off of my shoulders after I got rid of him was incredible and all the sudden something snapped. I wasn't depressed anymore and I was ready to make a change in my life to be able to move on to a new chapter where I am actually happy and healthy!

Good luck on your journey!

Lacey0903

I finally realized that I just have to keep going. Even if the scale isn't moving, or I go way over my calories one day, or my giveaf*** takes a vacation. It doesn't mean I have failed & now have to give up. I just have to start fresh everyday. If I stop caring & trying, I'll go back to where I started. & I'm not willing to do that. Again.

RedArmy1918

sign_painter wrote: »

Maybe it'll sound silly but for me it was when I reached 30 years of age in January. I sort of shifted my way of reasoning. I thought, OK so for 30 years I wished I wasn't overweight and that I didn't smoke and that I was in shape and some other things, so what exactly am I waiting for.

This is exactly what was going through my head on my 29th birthday this past January. At a size 40 I had to unbutton my pants when I sat down and I thought: "ENOUGH".

I've felt so insecure throughout my teens and 20s. I've been bullied and hurt. I've stopped myself from living because of my weight.

For example, swimming. I love swimming in a pool, the ocean, rivers or creeks but I've always felt embarrassed to be out without a shirt. Sometimes I overcome it because life would suck without swimming, but most of the time I stop myself from enjoying so many things.

But I'm tired of living like this and if I'm going to live life to the fullest then I need to overcome the obstacles that stop me from loving life to the fullest.

Wishing you all success!!

crazyjerseygirl

I've always been a pretty confident fat chick. It was what I was. I looked good, I did what I liked and yeah it held me back but there was nothing for it, the only 2 times I had lost weight was at 15 where I stopped eating (poor choice) and 24 when I had a 4hr break between school and work that I just spent at the free college gym. Neither of these was sustainable in adulthood so screw it I said and lived my life.

Then I had my boy, and lots of things clicked. Mentally (I was now responsible for someone who wasn't me) physically (pre-eclampsia was my first real proof that I wasn't indestructible) and spiritually (I didn't have one after all). Amongst all those swimming thoughts was the realization that to be the sort of mom I wanted to be I needed to succeed in loosing weight. It was no longer a party till the family diseases settled in, it was being there for the little one so that he didn't have to be my parent 30yrs from now.

I be an running, tried eating clean, then found MFP. The click happened when I forced myself to log a cake binge. I woke up the next morning, saw that red bar for the week and thought "that isn't so bad, I can keep going". First time I ever felt hopeful about weight loss!

It's amazing what the little monsters can drive you to do!

MeleriD

crazyjerseygirl wrote: »

It's amazing what the little monsters can drive you to do!

Too true. Same click moment for me. I had a little person relying on me to be there for them, how could I help them be all they can be when I wasn't doing the same for me.

FabianRodriguez94

When I started thinking of my meals as fuel for my next workout!