What happened...
minime0424
Posts: 101 Member
What happened to you if anything that brought you to the decision to start to get healthy?? Any stories that continue to keep you motivated to not give up???
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Replies
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The mirror. A picture I saw of myself. Seeing the size of my pants when I did laundry. Not being in good shape-stamina/exercise wise. Lack of strength. High cholesterol. Realizing food had power over me. Losing pregnancy weight x3. My list could go on, but, you get the idea.3
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Pre diabetes and also seeing a picture of myself in a swimming suit1
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years ago one of my friends who has always been on the large side told me I was looking a bit big. When your big friends tell you you've got a problem, you've got a problem...6
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For me I was just tired of feeling blah. I wasn't fat but I was chunky and I wanted to feel better and I wanted my clothes to fit better and finally something just clicked and I started seeing it as more a lifestyle change instead of a "diet" and it totally worked for me.
Of course the sad part of this story is that was back in 2011/2012 and I have since gained every pound plus almost 2 more back.
But I don't really see it as my motivation leaving me so much as I just feel like I got too comfortable. I stopped logging and 5 pounds turned to 10 which turned to 15...and so on...you get the picture...
The silver lining is, I could have gained waaaay more than I really did over the course of 4 years so that is what I am trying to focus on now.
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My story is a bit long, I'll try to keep it as short as possible.
I've been overweight/obese my entire adult life.
11 years ago I was diagnosed with cancer. After successful treatment, including surgery, radiation and chemo, I decided to get healthy. Lost 70 pounds on weight Wathcers, and promptly regained it.
In the winter of 2015, I had some health issues. It turned out to be nothing serious, but it scared me. And then the doctor suggested bariatric surgery.
But first, I'd have to show that I could stick to a weight loss plan. So I rejoined Weight Watchers and bought a Fitbit.
I've lost 65 pounds, I no longer qualify for bariatric surgery. I plan to lose another 40-45 pounds.5 -
I broke a hammock. No, really, it was seriously the fattest fat girl thing that could possibly happen to me and it was not only humiliating, it was physically painful as well. My parents had a little mesh hammock hanging in their screened porch. I went to sit on it and the carabiner holding it up broke and I fell to the ground and hurt my hip. The other pivotal moment for me was watching my grandmother, who had been obese, sedentary, and addicted to junk food for as long as I can remember, suffer with venous ulcers, lymphedema, and cellulitis. She nearly lost a leg due to necrosis of tissue surrounding a venous ulcer. She smelled horrible. Like rotting flesh. People couldn't stand to be around her, because of the odor coming from her legs. She lived in horrific pain. Her legs would split open and ooze lymph, soaking her pant legs and bedding. After years of self-treating the wounds and wrapping them in paper towel, she finally gave up and went to the doctor. But now it's almost too late. Her wounds are taking forever to heal. She has to see a wound care specialist every week. Every waking moment she must wear compression stockings and undergo lymphedema pump treatments. She can barely walk due to muscle atrophy from years of being in so much pain she basically laid on her couch doing nothing. I swore I did not want to end up like that, so I started doing something about it.5
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My story actually started in High School. I played Varsity Baseball, and Varsity Football. Along with that I typically rode my bike anywhere I could. I was a lean mean 190 pound machine. Started Center Field, and I started Defensive Nose Tackle. . . That was in 2001.
Fast forward to 2014 ....My wife and I went to Kings Island, in Mason [Ohio, USA], and I went to ride the Diamondback roller coaster. I was physically to large to ride it. Weighing in at 326 pounds. That was on a Saturday.
Sunday Morning I told my wife, whatever we're going to eat. We're going to do it today, because tomorrow it all changes, at least for me anyway.
I could live like that anymore. I knew it wasn't healthy. I knew I needed to change.
Sunday I went to the store and completely revamped my entire diet and eating habits. Which was very hard because I didn't know what to eat. I didn't know what to buy. I started researching a lot of recipes, and visiting a lot of blogs.
Sunday night I downloaded Strava and MFP . . .
Monday I started walking. 1/4 mile for a couple weeks, then moved up to a 1/2 mile for a couple weeks, then 1 mile.... I got to 3 miles then I bought a cheapy mountain bike from a big box retailer to get me through the fall/winter and I downloaded C25K and started running and cycling ... and the rest is pure history.
787 days later, 109 pounds dropped [in the first year], and more active than I've ever been. I can tell you MFP is a legitimate life changer.
I've ran in several 5K, one 10K, The Flying Pig Half Marathon. I've done 3 cycling sportives, and I'm planning on riding from Cleveland to Cincinnati next fall..... All because of one trip to an Amusement Park ....21 -
I got tagged in a picture that wasn't myspace angled in the same week my father (who had type 2 diabetes since I was a kid) died during his 17th heart attack at 60.
The mixture of my ego getting punched by the reality of being almost 300lbs and having to explain to my daughter that her grandfather wouldn't be around anymore because he refused to change his eating habits was brutal. I stopped telling myself that I was curvy with good bloodwork and made an appointment with a registered dietitian to figure out what to do. I'm now down 140lbs, and couldnt imagine signing up for the life I used to have.9 -
Wanting to look good in wedding pictures!1
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Felt tired all the time. Wanted my energy and zest for life back and I was nearing the 50 yr young age. Afraid of the midlife weight gain everyone tells me I will go through!! Now 50 and loving life again!!1
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Wow all of your stories brought me a smile and some almost to tears because I can relate!! For me it hit when a week or so Into April of this year I was going to have to start planning my sons 1st birthday party and I hate to admit it but I was dreading it....I was 252 pounds and I was sooo weak and sooo winded and had such a lack of energy everyday!! I remember feeling sooo horribly guilty because cmon?!?! Who dreads there kids first birthday!! I looked at my son playing on the floor and it just clicked, I want to be around for my beautiful baby boy, and I'm going to make a change!! So I did!!!! 19 weeks ago Friday and I've lost 44 pounds, I can pick up my boy and hold him without feeling weak, I can do a hard workout for an hour and not be exhausted afterwards lol it's amazing how pursuing a simple thought can change your life!!8
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I dealt with depression when my daughter turned 1. I always hated my weight but I got to a point of really hating myself and the way I looked. I needed major changes to happen. I saw a therapist and I started running but ate all those calories back. about 3 months ago I said I have to change my eating for life and knew I had to mean it. I logged my meals and very slowly the weight is dropping. We just had her second birthday and I am just impatient for her third when I hope I look drastically different and not cringe seeing pictures. I don't want her and her brother struggling their lives like I had.3
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Weight sneaking on and feeling increasing terrible about it. Being the heaviest I had ever been, even though my children are now teenagers. Then moving into working in an industry that has connection to the fitness industry, and spending time visiting gyms for work. And finally, knowing that losing weight takes time and I had to start NOW (this was back in March) if I wanted to reach my goal by my 50th birthday in October.3
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a bunch of nasty blood work when I was 38...I was well on my way to being either very ill if not dead by early 60s4
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I couldn't tie my shoes or walk up the stairs without huffing and puffing. House cleaning made me so exhausted. walking hurt my feet. Being depressed and insecure with my own body... having to 'hide' all the time.2
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My feet hurt when I wake up in the morning. For being overweight/obese for most of my life I have had surprisingly few of the related illnesses/complications. And I don't want them.3
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I was told I'd be dead by 50 like one of my grandmas. It still a struggle even knowing I could die if I don't do right2
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Another amusement park story - I was "this close" to not riding Forbidden Journey at Universal in Florida in June, 2015. I had to exit the ride, but they let me try again and the second time the harness clicked where it needed to - barely. Wow. It was so humiliating and humbling.
That whole vacation was an obese person's nightmare. From barely being able to buckle the airplane seatbelt, to the incident with Forbidden Journey (I didn't even attempt any other rides that would have been a close call, I'm sure I would have been turned away from a few), to tight dining room/buffet chairs on the cruise that followed the parks.
I made changes starting immediately after that vacation, logged my first meal in MFP on July 6, 2015 and am still working hard. We went on an almost identical vacation virtually one year to the day (we like to take a trip to Orlando right after the kids get out of school) and I was able to retake my before picture.
What a difference a year can make. It was like a completely different vacation - and I rode everything and loved it! Very motivating.
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Congratulations to you all for trying to make a change to better yourself!!! And for all the progress you've made
I guess that when we are faced with certain situations in life that force us to make a change and try to ensure some longevity to our lives we can call that survival mode! I've been there, from the sounds of it all of us have. The temptations are always there and that is what makes living healthy the toughest, but once you get into a mind frame nothing can bring you down! As I say just stick to it and just push through it!!! 0 -
I was always slim verging on underweight (family issues- long story). When my Mum died I gave up healthy home cooking and taking a salad to work- and instead ate chocolate and frozen pizzas etc. (anything convenient) This lasted for 6 months and one day I went to work in jeans which became so uncomfortable that I had to run out and buy a skirt and some tights. Luckily it was early morning and no one noticed my change in wardrobe. I had to admit that I'd gone up a dress size. Yikes!0
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All these stories/ experiences are amazing - you all have done so well!
I wish I had a "great Weightloss story" but in truth I started MFP as a complete Lark.
My brother lost a few KG's earlier this year and showed it to me, without any planning the next day I downloaded it and started counting - thankfully my first day somehow stayed under the allocated calories and in that first week I dropped close on 3 kgs - I couldn't believe it.
Then I started planning my meals and watching what I was eating more and the weight continued to drop off, presently I've lost 12,5kgs (with a lot more to go) and I'm super motivated because this is one "lark" which has paid off!
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I've been slender, fit, and active most of my life.
2009 - gained a little bit of weight when I developed DTV on a flight to Australia. That put a dent in my activity level. It started being a 50/50 gamble if I was going to complete my long distance cycling events.
2011 - lost weight, back down to an acceptable level. Completed more cycling events and even completed the 7 Peaks Climbing Challenge ... and I'm not a climber when I cycle!
2012 - started an 8-month Round-the-World trip. We took our bicycles with us and cycled a lot, but ... there's just so much good food out there. We stopped in Canada for a month over Christmas, joined a gym and lost some of the weight.
2013-2014 - very unsettled years ... changing jobs, moving several times, health issues. And all of a sudden ... my cycling jacket shrunk. I couldn't zip it up anymore! I figured I'd just buy another one, but the price had gone up quite a bit!! I figured it would be less expensive to just lose the weight. So I did.
I'm back down to my 2004 weight ... also my high school weight. 0 -
When I was 33 and planning my day around when I could nap and eat. I was literally just existing, not living. Also, there was one time I rolled onto my side while lying in bed and I felt my fat rolls crease into each other. That was pretty much my moment.
I came to MFP, as I had done many times before, except this time I was willing to take it day by day. I learned so much about nutrition just lurking the forums. I learned that it didn't have to be a miserable process. I didn't have to starve. I didn't have to run myself skinny. Once I learned the right way, I lost 28 pounds and kept most of it off.3 -
I've been overweight my entire life. I'm 23 with twins boy and girl. I want to be around to watch them grow up and I want to be able to do things with them. right now I'm to self conscious to even go on rides or anything because I'm so big. worried I can't fit and everything. I want clothes to fit better. I want to feel better for myself. I did weight watchers but came back to this. weight watchers didn't help me very much but it's more because there app acted up most the time. never had foods I needed on there or anything. I went premium on here and starting today starting over on my weight loss journey. add me if you wanna encourage each other 1
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Very long story but the short version is. Total, complete, long time coming, mental breakdown in 2012/13. Several chronic lifelong mental illness diagnoses and medication helped weight gain later, my doctor threatened to take me off the pill which controls my acne due to high blood pressure. Something clicked. Enough, no more letting my mental health dictate my physical health, no more my wonky brain telling me lies about how much I hate exercise (ex-gymnast and dancer, nothing could be further from the truth).
That was early last year. Lost maybe 8lbs on my own then got serious, ordered Insanity and started tracking. Lost 42lbs last year. It's been slower this year, on the scales anyway but I still track religiously, still exercise religiously and am still shrinking. Got into my first UK10/US6 yesterday for the first time since i was about 16!
My mental health still stinks, I still haven't been able to return to work (if i ever will) but my physical health is about as good as it could be and that's a success to me.1 -
Initially it was because I hated the person looking back at me in the mirror.. that got me started the first time. Lost a few pounds, then gained back and some.
My second (this) attempt was when I would walk, I could feel my back fat rubbing together...I mean come on!1 -
We've all been there lol my back fat was horrible when I first stared but it has actually decreased immensely! It all takes time and patience unfortunately lol lol0
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wagnerpe123 wrote: »Another amusement park story - I was "this close" to not riding Forbidden Journey at Universal in Florida in June, 2015. I had to exit the ride, but they let me try again and the second time the harness clicked where it needed to - barely. Wow. It was so humiliating and humbling.
That whole vacation was an obese person's nightmare. From barely being able to buckle the airplane seatbelt, to the incident with Forbidden Journey (I didn't even attempt any other rides that would have been a close call, I'm sure I would have been turned away from a few), to tight dining room/buffet chairs on the cruise that followed the parks.
I made changes starting immediately after that vacation, logged my first meal in MFP on July 6, 2015 and am still working hard. We went on an almost identical vacation virtually one year to the day (we like to take a trip to Orlando right after the kids get out of school) and I was able to retake my before picture.
What a difference a year can make. It was like a completely different vacation - and I rode everything and loved it! Very motivating.
I can relate. We went to Disney and IOA a few years ago, and I was terrified I wouldn't fit into the seat at Forbidden Journey. I did fit, but barely. I've lost 65 pounds, so when we go back in October, no worries.2 -
Family history of heart disease and diabetes. Down 80 lbs with another 40-ish to go to get to my goal. I will be 30 in 2017 and I want to have my stuff together by then. I moved into a job I really love a couple years ago and was moved into a permanent position in July. I feel better. I'm able to do more. Definitely more confident.1
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