Lets here it! I wanna know what kicked you guys into gear!

ShaeSweetness · April 2018

Why did you guys start your weight loss journey?? Also, does anyone have some weird end goals they're looking forward to?

I’ve always been on and off but recently having a struggle thats keeping me focused. Im an EMT and wear size 14 pants. My pants are ripping in the thigh and are just about worn out but are so comfyyy. Anywhoo i ordered another size 14 and they came just in time when the leg ripped. Tried them on to find out THEY DONT FIT!! these pants were fcking $75 dollars. Some of the only EMS pants that dont fit like a garbage bag and they dont fckinggg fit! Lol apparently my size 14s originally fit cause they were worn and stretched. So here i am back on my calorie counting trying to lose weight to fit into my new pants before my old ones completely rip. (Ive sewed them once already, about to go for round 2)

ShaeSweetness · April 2018

My post cut off but im also wierdly looking forward to not being out of breath when i tie my shoes! That belly squishinng really takes your breath away! Also feel free to add me! Be advised though, i am a diary stalker!

quiksylver296 · April 2018

It cut off your post because you used emojis from your phone.

I started out of boredom. My son had boxing practice three nights a week. Watching pre-teen boys train for boxing is boooooring, so I joined a gym to go to while he was at practice. I started lifting weights, fell in love, and away I went.

amyteacake · April 2018

I started because my asthma didn't seem to be getting any better, I was sick of how I looked and having zero to no confidence when it came to my appearance/weight. I also saw a picture of myself that my friend took and I was horrified by how I looked and how much weight I had put on

donnajeanjones · April 2018

I quit smoking 10 years ago and gained 35 pounds. I did a couple of different diets that helped me lose 15 to 20 of it, but then I turned 48 and funny things starting happening. Hot flashes, rapid weight gain (with no change in my diet), bloating, and mood swings (bad ones). My doc says I am moving toward menopause, and I refuse to let it beat me. I tried taking hormones but they made me gain even more weight. Its okay to be 49, but I don't want to look or feel like it. So the journey begins. I am 2 weeks in and have been tracking faithfully. I use a fitbit and am pretty active, but I am not seeing the scale move fast. I have dropped like a pound since I started, but that is the direction I need to go, so I will keep on keeping on.

littlebear0121 · April 2018

ShaeSweetne...I used to be an EMT, too. Thanks for your service--what a difficult line of work. My turning point was realizing that I'm a terrible example to my kids. When under stress, I would go and eat something salty or chocolately, and a LOT of it! I was also not exercising consistently but I need to. If you want to friend me and stalk my diary, go ahead

zorrocat · April 2018

I started running when I quit smoking six years ago, in a desire to start making healthier decisions. Now I'm mostly focused on maintenance and 10K training.

andreascjonsson · April 2018

I started when i broke up with my ex becouse i wanted to get back in shape to how i was before we became together and i also wanted to start with mma again. I have 2 goals, one is to get a 6-pack for the first time in my life(wich doesnt seem to happen no matter how low my weight get) and the other is to go an amature mma bout again and win!

amgreenwell · April 2018

I started a desk job and gained a bunch of weight, lost a bunch, then had two kids, so I'm back at it now. I want to be healthy and show my kids good eating and exercise habits, something I didn't have growing up.
Weirdly, nothing really. My goals are pretty simple and boring

JaydedMiss · April 2018

i had a heart condition that was supposed to kill me but it didnt. I was bed ridden for 2 years through the funnest years of my life for most people (20-22) ...Developed a hoarding habit since i couldnt get out to shop often of high calorie freezer foods among other things. Put on alot of weight and hated my life stuck in bed needing help to even get to the bathroom. Over time it sort of passed and i got a bit stronger and it sort of just spiraled. Now i can walk literally all day and i work as a mover lifting heavy often. Go figure. I just wanted part of my early 20s to not suck. Now if only i could shake the anti social that 2 years in bed hating yourself brings id be set lol.

jessicarose22492 · April 2018

I saw pictures of myself as my best friend's maid of honor and cried. I was so horrified, disgusted, and embarrassed at how I looked that I vowed to never feel that way again. I literally had dreams after that that my best friend's mom said she didn't want me in the wedding because I was too fat and would ruin the pictures.

"I woke up one day and decided I didn't want to feel like that anymore, or ever again. So I changed. Just like that."

HarveysBud · April 2018

I had a nightmare when my daughter was 2-weeks old. Was about me not being around for her wedding. Not sure what happened to me, but I assumed it was because of my weight. So here I am.

amusedmonkey · April 2018

I got blood tests that said my blood sugar was high. I didn't want to have to restrict the types of foods I can eat, so I decided to lose weight and that worked for my blood sugar. My end goal: to delay future diabetes or hopefully prevent it. Neither my reason nor my goal are too exciting.

jessicarose22492 · April 2018

JaydedMiss wrote: »

i had a heart condition that was supposed to kill me but it didnt. I was bed ridden for 2 years through the funnest years of my life for most people (20-22) ...Developed a hoarding habit since i couldnt get out to shop often of high calorie freezer foods among other things. Put on alot of weight and hated my life stuck in bed needing help to even get to the bathroom. Over time it sort of passed and i got a bit stronger and it sort of just spiraled. Now i can walk literally all day and i work as a mover lifting heavy often. Go figure. I just wanted part of my early 20s to not suck. Now if only i could shake the anti social that 2 years in bed hating yourself brings id be set lol.

GIRL I feel you!! I had 3 back surgeries during my 22nd year of life - I gained about 60lb that year because I couldn't walk - shoot, I could barely move without having terrible pain and was pretty much bed-ridden. There's no telling why things happen to us but I'm proud of you for overcoming it. If you ever need a friend, I'm here and can relate (at least on some level)

MerryMavis1 · April 2018

ShaeSweetness wrote: »

Why did you guys start your weight loss journey?? Also, does anyone have some weird end goals they're looking forward to?

I’ve always been on and off but recently having a struggle thats keeping me focused. Im an EMT and wear size 14 pants. My pants are ripping in the thigh and are just about worn out but are so comfyyy. Anywhoo i ordered another size 14 and they came just in time when the leg ripped. Tried them on to find out THEY DONT FIT!! these pants were fcking $75 dollars. Some of the only EMS pants that dont fit like a garbage bag and they dont fckinggg fit! Lol apparently my size 14s originally fit cause they were worn and stretched. So here i am back on my calorie counting trying to lose weight to fit into my new pants before my old ones completely rip. (Ive sewed them once already, about to go for round 2)

Blood work showed high/pre-diabetic glucose numbers. T2 is common in my family but so is obesity. Lost the extra weight (50ishlbs) to see if it would make a difference and discovered that the weight loss normalized my glucose numbers into the 80s. Been maintaining the weight loss and better health markers for just over 5 years now

rowlandsw · April 2018

Being pre-diabetic and turning 40 this year, it's pretty much now or never.

cwolfman13 · April 2018

Really bad blood work when I went in for my 38th birthday physical. Doctor told me that if I didn't get things turned around I was looking to be very sick by my 60s at minimum. My dad passed at the ripe old age of 61 and I was heading strait down that path.

At the time, my kids were 2 and newborn...when I'm 60, my oldest will be 24 and my youngest will be 22. The thought of being sick or dead when my kids are merely in their 20s was unacceptable.

I didn't really start out to lose weight...eating more healthfully for my conditions and getting my fitness back (i was a competitive athlete growing up) were top priority...losing weight was more or less a bi-product.

estherdragonbat · April 2018

ShaeSweetness wrote: »

Why did you guys start your weight loss journey?? Also, does anyone have some weird end goals they're looking forward to?

I’ve always been on and off but recently having a struggle thats keeping me focused. Im an EMT and wear size 14 pants. My pants are ripping in the thigh and are just about worn out but are so comfyyy. Anywhoo i ordered another size 14 and they came just in time when the leg ripped. Tried them on to find out THEY DONT FIT!! these pants were fcking $75 dollars. Some of the only EMS pants that dont fit like a garbage bag and they dont fckinggg fit! Lol apparently my size 14s originally fit cause they were worn and stretched. So here i am back on my calorie counting trying to lose weight to fit into my new pants before my old ones completely rip. (Ive sewed them once already, about to go for round 2)

Basically, I lost the roulette spin and got an obesity-related complication. Not one that gets a lot of press, but as near as I understand it, carrying an extra 114lbs put too much strain on my legs and the veins collapsed. It also put pressure on my lymphatic system. And then, one day, I got some scrape or cut or bug bite that turned into cellulitus, which led to lymphedema. My left calf swelled up to about 3x its size and sprouted water blisters and a weeping wound that took multiple courses of antibiotics and daily visits from home-care nurses to change the dressing.

I got referred to a vascular surgeon, who diagnosed me with Chronic Venous Insufficiency and told me that there was no permanent cure, but that the condition could be managed with compression stockings and weight loss. Until I saw him, my GP told me to walk as little as possible (sound advice; exercise makes you sweat; increased body heat could slow down the infection's healing; they hadn't found the right antibiotic at the time). I was taking taxis to his office, six blocks from my house. I started thinking about what could happen if I got more of these infections and started building up tolerances to the antibiotics. And I decided that I didn't want my life to be forced inactivity, having to work my schedule around nursing visits, and setting myself up for more problems if the doctors had to keep throwing new antibiotics at my infections, hoping something would work before I became immune.

I joined MFP almost 18 months ago to the day and I've shed over 103 lbs. Haven't had a flare-up in over a year. I'm feeling great and the weight is coming off. I just can't afford to give up the fight anymore.

knotgood77 · April 2018

Looking to continue enjoying the BBQ I make, without continuing to buy pants with a bigger waistline.....so far so good!

JaydedMiss · April 2018

jessicarose22492 wrote: »

JaydedMiss wrote: »

i had a heart condition that was supposed to kill me but it didnt. I was bed ridden for 2 years through the funnest years of my life for most people (20-22) ...Developed a hoarding habit since i couldnt get out to shop often of high calorie freezer foods among other things. Put on alot of weight and hated my life stuck in bed needing help to even get to the bathroom. Over time it sort of passed and i got a bit stronger and it sort of just spiraled. Now i can walk literally all day and i work as a mover lifting heavy often. Go figure. I just wanted part of my early 20s to not suck. Now if only i could shake the anti social that 2 years in bed hating yourself brings id be set lol.

GIRL I feel you!! I had 3 back surgeries during my 22nd year of life - I gained about 60lb that year because I couldn't walk - shoot, I could barely move without having terrible pain and was pretty much bed-ridden. There's no telling why things happen to us but I'm proud of you for overcoming it. If you ever need a friend, I'm here and can relate (at least on some level)

Sad but happy to not be alone

Its a rough thing to overcome it makes you feel very very alone

Kadoober · April 2018

I had bulging discs in my back, and some shoulder tendonitis, which led to me stopping pretty much all physical activity for a few months. What muscle I had turned to goo, and I looked huge.

I went for PT on my shoulder and learned that I could quickly work my deltoids to exhaustion with TWO POUND WEIGHTS. I was horrified and immediately signed up at my local Y.

I continue to be amazed at the fact that deadlifting has relieved my back pain more than anything else I have ever tried.

rainbow198 · April 2018

I had to go up and down 3 flights of stairs in my home and I thought I was going to die. Secondly I went ice skating and could barely get around the rink without having to stop to catch my breath.

This both happened on the same day. I was in my mid-30's and thought this is crazy and I need to really do something about my weight.

And I did. 15 months later I lost 80 pounds on my own and next month will be my 5th year anniversary keeping it all off without any regain.

Now I can run up and down the stairs easily and I can ice skate for close an hour non-stop without being sore, tired or winded!

Crafty_camper123 · April 2018

Last summer I went hiking with my husband like we do most years. It's one of my favorite outdoor activities. It was not enjoyable at all. I spent most of it huffing and puffing and having to stop every 10 seconds to catch my breath. My inhaler barely kept up, my lungs were on fire and my legs felt like jello. That same summer we had some friends out at the lake with us. My friend posted a picture of what I'm sure she saw as a sweet picture of me playing in the sand with her 2 year old son. All I could see was my stomach looked huge. Granted I was crouched down on his level, so it was extra poochy, but still.
This year began with my new years resolution being to try a new and healthy recipe once a week to add to what I can cook. And hopefully, lose a bit of weight in the process. Then I remembered that hike. I thought to myself that I wanted to actually enjoy myself this year. We have a short hiking season where it's not wet, cold, muddy or all of the above. I figured I had better be conditioning myself year round if I want to continue to do what I enjoy during the summer. I also vowed to do something active at least once a week for a full year to see where I can get myself to. From there it just kind of clicked, and I've been steadily at it ever since. Hopefully because I have a solid goal in mind I will be more likely to stick to this for the long haul. I'm about a month past my normal quitting time, so there's that!

OdditiesAbound · April 2018

Maybe not the most feel-good reason, but honestly it was mostly me hitting peak self-loathing =P

I'd always been chubby since middle school but when I hit college between some struggles with depression and heavy school load that lead to me stress/comfort eating, and decreased activity (no more team sports to keep me active) I ballooned up. I avoided scales and pictures like the plague. If I just didn't look, I could pretend it wasn't THAT bad even though I knew it was.

I ended up running out crying at my cousin's wedding because I couldn't avoid the pictures and I hated how I looked in all of them. The next day I stepped on the scales and I was literally a hair from 300 lbs., 299.9 lbs on the nose. Between seeing that number and the quasi-public family humiliation of crying at a wedding I resolved to never see 300 lbs, googled around until I found MFP and got rolling.

I went to the doctor that month and had the beginning signs in my blood work of fatty liver (I don't drink... so that was just me having too much regular fat), and my blood pressure was elevated to pre-hypertensive. Basically tempered my self-hate driven decision with an extra health fact that it needed to change.

It's been almost 2 years on the nose, I'm at a 735 day MFP streak, I'm down 117 lbs and plan to lose another 33. So... it's a terrible reason I wouldn't really recommend to people but almost total self hatred worked for me =P

SHTX · April 2018

Hello, I am relatively new to this community. Can someone let me know if we can find someone by name? I am specifically looking for Steve Bonetti who was recently featured on a MyFitnessPal blog. I was hoping to find his page but obviously would not know his username or email. Thanks!

Also, I "started" because I am tired of wearing the same thing everyday

I have clothes that no longer fit because I gained weight and I don't want to buy anything new.

Najacita · April 2018

I've had several attempts. Once I even made goal! That time I caught part of a conversation between my then 3 year old daughter and her best friend. She was telling her that when they grow up they will be chunky with big boobies like their mommies. I was devastated. I did not want that! I joined WW the next day.

This time it was turning 50. I was sick of my clothes not fitting well and my blood pressure was creeping up as my weight went up. I also got a weird blood clot in my armpit last year. That was a major annoyance.

Since January 2nd I have lost 32 lbs and went from a size 16 to a size 12. Looking forward to more shopping in my closet!

Najacita · April 2018

knotgood77 wrote: »

Looking to continue enjoying the BBQ I make, without continuing to buy pants with a bigger waistline.....so far so good!

I'd be curious about the recipes you have. My husband is a major Egghead - has two Big Green Eggs.

allisonlane161 · April 2018

Well I'm apparently the "grandparent" aged person here, so congrats on having your awakening young. I have one daughter (nearly 20 now) and I was so worried I'd be saddling her down taking care of me, plus I was scared of getting diabetes, and sick and tired of my heels hurting so badly I could barely walk. Total of 93 pounds down (over the last 9 years), a runner, and a normal BMI. Not only is life good, it actually feels good.

bikecheryl · April 2018

Lots and lots of things, but here is the proverbial straw:

I've been overweight my whole adult life..... 14 years ago I saw Wynonna Judd on Oprah. Don't ask me why but her battle with her weight struck a chord with me. I started logging my food and bought a treadmill.
Then I started running and lost 105 lbs in one year .....

My sister was so proud of me she emailed Oprah..... shortly after I completed my first marathon I appeared on her show discussing that Wynonna show, my weight loss and running.

The next 5 years I ran 17 halfs, 4 fulls and an ultra.

Then I had one knee surgery, then surgery on the other knee.

I couldn't run and kind of lost myself for the next 9 years and gained back all the weight I had lost and more... I was 288 lbs. Years of obesity and osteoarthritis in both knees made walking and standing a chore.

A little over a year ago I bumped into some people I hadn't seen in years. One woman started gushing to her friend about how I had appeared on Oprah. Her friend looked at me and asked why I was on the show.

I felt embarrassed and ashamed and quickly changed the subject.

Not being able to even talk about one of the coolest experiences of my life was pretty devastating and a not so gentle wake up call.

There is nowhere to go but up when you reach rock bottom.

I went to my orthopedic dr ...... who referred me for a knee replacement despite my obesity.

And I knew I had to do my part.............. so I started logging my food again and finding ways to be active.

I've lost 107 lbs so far, I'd like to get down to 160 lbs before my surgery.

"Sometimes, second chances work out even better than the first because you learn from your mistakes"

RaleighCaldwell · April 2018

This picture, taken 1 year ago next month... I honestly had never really paid attention to what I looked like. I was 356# there and am now at 265-270, depending on the day. I want to finish the 100# loss by August 1st this year. That's one year to the day of when I began my weight loss journey.

ksumindysue · April 2018

I was also a size 14 (a tight 14, but I refused to buy a size 16) when I started back in 2014. I was so tired of standing in my closet almost in tears looking at all the clothes I hated - I had just a couple of outfits that fit, and a bunch of stuff that was too tight. It was terrible. I had a friend who had started a program and lost about 40 pounds, and I thought I should at least give it a shot. In the back of my mind, I figured that, just like everything else I had tried, I would fail. Low and behold, 12 weeks later, I had lost 37 pounds. I have never looked back. Stay with it - find people who are on the same path to keep you motivated... I found that was the key for me.

Lets here it! I wanna know what kicked you guys into gear!

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