Eureka moment....what was yours?

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emmylou1970
emmylou1970 Posts: 2 Member
in Getting Started
Hi everyone,
I just wondered what was your eureka moment do give you the drive and determination to get in shape? Mine was a photograph which was terrible and I realised how fat I actually was (before then I'm sure I had fatorexia)! I'm 46 and menopausal having had a hysterectomy a couple of years ago and am on HRT. I'm too young to be old and written off!

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  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
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    I already knew I was fat, so my eureka moment was more an understanding that weight management and good health isn't about suffering and deprivation, in fact the opposite.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
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    I was fat, grumpy and not very pleasant to be around myself let a lone others.

    You are 46 and think you being written off? Off of what?
  • ntnunk
    ntnunk Posts: 936 Member
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    Mine was a combination of things. Looking at my brother, older by only two years and taking blood pressure and cholesterol medication by the time he was 40, hating the way I looked and felt. Got introduced to cycling and became addicted. Lost some weight just by riding a lot. Then I started racing, hired a coach, and realized it was idiotic to be spending as much money, time, and effort as I was on trying to get faster while still carrying 50 extra lbs. That was finally when the switch flipped.
  • courtneyfabulous
    courtneyfabulous Posts: 1,863 Member
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    There was no eureka moment for realizing I needed to lose weight- I feel like I've been wanting & trying to lose weight my entire life... but there was a turning point recently when I realized 1) that I need to actually lose the weight NOW so that I can become a healthy weight to avoid as many future health issues as possible, 2) that I need to lose weight now so I can enjoy the rest of my life without hating my body and how I look in pictures and how my clothes fit because life is too short for that, and 3) finally realizing that it really is simple and easy to lose weight- a caloric deficit is all I need.

    Having a major health crisis and surgery to fix it probably prompted the first 2 eureka moments... as well as turning 35 and realizing I was almost half way through my life and not headed the direction I wanted health & looks wise.

    Using myfitnesspal and having it actually work was eureka moment #3... after years of trying to eat less and move more but never really knowing exactly how much I was eating I finally found a tool to measure and if I just hit my calories every day it works! I've also made my health a priority (along with work, husband, family, friends... not last priority or afterthought) and realized I actually really love to work out and eat healthy foods- it feels good!

    Finally feels like everything "clicked" and I'm on my way to a lighter happier healthier me.
  • tinselart71
    tinselart71 Posts: 7 Member
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    For me, it was seeing myself in a full length mirror. Ick! This may sound strange, but I don't see myself as overweight until I look in a mirror. I never had a weight problem before having my last 2 kids so I see myself as thin. I'm a size 22 and can't wait to see myself in my size 7/8 Levi's again. I'm ready now and I am ready to work for this and see the pounds melt away! I'm not giving up! Stay positive! We can do this!
  • Tacklewasher
    Tacklewasher Posts: 7,122 Member
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    I was digging a hole in my front yard to fix a drainage issue. I could only dig for a couple of minutes at a time and had to rest, so it took a very long time (it was a very big hole). Moved out about 10 yards of dirt (just the wife and I) and filled in 12.5 yards of gravel. It took weeks to do. Picked up a fitness tracker part way through the work and would easily see 160 as a HR.
    Work is done but it just kinda stuck that I need to be in better shape. So now it's a treadmill in the TV room. 15-25 minutes every morning and up to 50 minutes when the Jets are playing hockey (1st and 3rd periods).
    Down 25-30 pounds with a lot more to go.
  • bgilmore427
    bgilmore427 Posts: 5 Member
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    Realizing that in 4 lbs my bathroom scale wont go up any higher.
  • Evamutt
    Evamutt Posts: 2,363 Member
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    I can't really explain why, but watching the show "my 600 lb life" really inspired me to lose weight. I weighed 196 & have for years & I just accepted this is the weighed I am since I always ate healthy & was already active. My friend lost 70 lbs on a similar program so i got started on this one
  • edena001
    edena001 Posts: 137 Member
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    Well I've had a couple, stretch marks on my belly were a huge 'oh' moment for me, but the motivation for me starting my fitness pal (again!) was watching say yes to the dress.
    Obviously all the brides looked beautiful whatever their size, however the smaller girls all had so many different options and looked stunning in all the options. And I just want that, to look good in something even if I don't look great if that makes sense ?
    (Plus who wants to be engaged to and then think 'ah now I need to get fit for the wedding' and be under huge pressure !
  • daviddaw9948
    daviddaw9948 Posts: 11 Member
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    For me it was a steady drip feed of information about diabetes, heart attacks, cancers, strokes, etc. I have also moved to a clothes size that is not available in regular stores. I want to spend my life without being physically limited. I am just two months away from my 60th birthday, so I suppose that is the trigger for me.
  • OhMyGodAreAllUsernamesTaken
    OhMyGodAreAllUsernamesTaken Posts: 16 Member
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    I think my moment was when I realized I was actually ashamed to be seen by people who hadn't seen me since the last time I was in shape (2 years ago). The constant doom that came over me when I thought about going down left me with only two options- either I was gonna kill myself or get back in shape. Obviously I decided to start working out. It was stop and go for a while but now I'm one week down and I don't plan to stop until I can walk with my head held high through the town.
  • Qskim
    Qskim Posts: 1,145 Member
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    There was about 100. Pick a number.

    ;)
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 9,986 Member
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    Blood work results, especially a blood glucose number in the pre-diabetes range. Weight loss and exercise took care of that.
  • lizzyh207
    lizzyh207 Posts: 26 Member
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    We went to Iceland on vacation this year. There's a waterfall there, skogafoss, that has stairs leading to the top of it. I made it half way and absolutely could not go any further. I was out of breath, sore and embarassed. I had to walk back down whilw my husband continued to the top. That's when I know I had to make a change.
  • courtneyfabulous
    courtneyfabulous Posts: 1,863 Member
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    edena001 wrote: »
    Well I've had a couple, stretch marks on my belly were a huge 'oh' moment for me, but the motivation for me starting my fitness pal (again!) was watching say yes to the dress.
    Obviously all the brides looked beautiful whatever their size, however the smaller girls all had so many different options and looked stunning in all the options. And I just want that, to look good in something even if I don't look great if that makes sense ?
    (Plus who wants to be engaged to and then think 'ah now I need to get fit for the wedding' and be under huge pressure !

    This reminds me of one of the main things that annoys me about being overweight- when I was thin chosing clothes was about finding an outfit that looked cute or stylish or felt comfortable... when overweight choosing clothes is instead all about finding an outfit that actually fits and hides my fatness the best. Ugh.
  • Eleniala
    Eleniala Posts: 87 Member
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    My parents live overseas, and I only get to see them once a year. We always try to make the most of the time we have together, and of course we take lots of pictures on our outings. I hated how fat I looked in the photos, so I always tried to hide my body behind a tree or rock, or holding something in front of me, but of course my chubby cheeks and double chin would still be showing. I realized that there was not a single photo of me together with my parents that I liked or could even stand to look at. After our last visit I decided enough was enough, and I am determined to be in much better shape by the time I see them next year. I want to create lasting memories with my parents that I'm not ashamed of. So far I have lost 39 pounds, and I want to lose another 21 pounds by June.

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