Why did you let yourself gain so much weight?

Over eating and smoking didn't matter because I was going to quit/get healthy tomorrow.......

When I was younger I was a jock and grew accustomed to eating a whole bunch as I was burning a whole bunch. After my activity level my eating didn't stop. Then I started eating to medicate some emotional issues - and I developed sleep issues so I was eating sugar to try to stay awake and be able to function at work.

Also I spent a long time in denial. I really didn't see how fat I truly was - even though I knew it in my head.

I had to get the sleep issues treated, then deal with the emotional issues and then I could start to deal with eating less. So I got started with 225 to 250 pounds to lose.

Good news is I'm half way there. Bad news is the second half is going to be harder.

booksandchocolate12 wrote: »

juggernaut1974 wrote: »

Because food is delicious and I was lazy.

This, plus I never really learned how to eat properly or what a reasonable portion size was.

Wow....the OP sure does seem genuinely interested in all of our replies!

To be fair though, many of us just +1'd juggernaut :laugh:

Perfectionism played a big role for me, which sounds insane...but in a nutshell, I was always good at a lot of things in life which were more sedentary and/or intellectual, so I stuck with those things...knowing I wasn't a natural at sports and exercise, I just stayed out of that realm and didn't want to do new physical things knowing I couldn't excel instantly.

Anxiety was probably the biggest factor though - food as "self-medication" for any emotions, happy, sad, etc...

Not to blame my parents at all, but I grew up in a household where it was rare to eat vegetables outside of iceberg lettuce, frozen corn, and canned green beans. Normal to go out for fast food and eat in restaurants daily or almost. The norm to drink cola or diet cola with all meals and to have dessert after both lunch and dinner. Poor habits, essentially.

Those factors led me to 200+ by age sixteen and 300+ lb in my early thirties (now a healthy weight at 39).

All the babies and bed rest pregnancies....

Now that the baby factory is closed, it's time to shape up.

I didn't bother after the first 1, because I knew I wanted more and it didn't seem worth the effort only to put it back on a few months later.

I put on an extra 40 over 3 pregnancies in 4 years. I probably already was carrying an extra 20.

I'm now at a point where I can get those 40 off and then see about the 20 more. My eldest is 3 this month, youngest is 5 months.

15 lbs down. 25 to go for first goal.

I was always underweight when I was younger & through high school. I ate whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted & never gained weight--those were the days! I was never hugely active. I've always been more interested in reading than anything else. I got up to a normal weight when I met my husband. I was 20 & actually very active at the time in martial arts. My weight stayed stable until I got pregnant in my late 20's. I gained about 60 lbs with my first but it literally melted off of me with breastfeeding. I remember stepping on the scale each day & being 2 lbs lighter every day. The next 3 pregnancies were hard as well & I gained a bunch of weight with each of them & was on bed rest for several months with each before delivering my preemies. After each baby it was harder to lose the weight--it never dropped off again like it did the first time. I would lose some weight before I got pregnant again, but never all of it. My kids are pretty close together. By the time the last one was born, I had a 6 year old, 4 year old, 2 year old, & the newborn. About that same time it was pretty clear that something was going on with my 2 year old which turned out to be Asperger's among other things. It took years of different doctors & therapists & screaming & fighting before it was all sorted out. I was completely unconcerned with my weight, my health, or how I looked. Somewhere along the way I started eating my emotions & stress. I had a lot of other people to take care of & I came last on that list. My kids are older now & I know that if I want to be around for them in the future I need to take care of myself.

Being raised on good, homestyle country cooking but being an indoor, just wanna read a book kinda kid. I never really learned proper portion size, dessert was always served after lunch and dinner. I liked tasty food, and did not realize the calories in calories out mentality. In college, beer and late night munching added to the mix. It was not till after I was done having kids and they were growing that I realized I needed to do something and that I was not happy with myself. As my kids have gotten older, I need to show them a better lifestyle, lead by example.