What was your wake-up call to lose weight?

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  • CindyWarner
    CindyWarner Posts: 138
    I'm not sure if I'd call them 'wake up calls'....but here's a couple of serious OUCH moments....

    -being picked very last for P.E.
    -freshman year of highschool we had a blood pressure monitor in Health class, and I was pretty much the only one with mildly high blood pressure
    -catching myself being hostile/jealous towards every skinny person I see, or obsessively attempting to find out what exactly their 'secret' is for being that way
    -being too lazy to do things I use to love
    -being almost kicked off the soccer team since I was too lazy to go to practices
    -seeing a video of me at the beach looking fat in my shorts and tank top because I'm way too humiliated to go in a bikini
    -me working out a little bit, then being closely scrutinized by my mom and having her say, "well, at least you look better than you had in Mexico' (a few months earlier on vacation...I didn't know I looked THAT bad)
    -grandmother asking me if I did any sports, and when I said 'no' she was like 'well that explains it! Exercise!'
    -my best friend telling me I'm squishy and constantly using me as a pillow
    -my mom saying it hurts her to look at me
    -realizing that the reason there's hardly any pictures of me smiling is because I'm too busy sucking in my cheeks so my face doesn't look so round
    -a friend telling me that none of my Facebook pictures actually show my face without them being brightened beyond recognition
    -showering without the bathroom light on
    -walking by the reflective mall windows
    -realizing that sucking in my gut 24/7 has been completely normal for me
    -avoiding well lit mirrors or even freaking windows at all cost
    -going emo just so because the dark clothes are 'slimming'
    -running a straight mile is impossible for me, and people at my school laughed at other people who could only manage an 8 minute mile

    I can't believe the people in your life are so mean to you! Just remember you are a wonderful person and your not alone. And when you do lose the weight and your family notices you can say that you did it without there support.
  • Bluestar083
    Bluestar083 Posts: 146
    I guess I don't have much weight to lose (56kg, want to be back to 52-53kg) but for me I always know it's time to lose weight when I don't have a flat tummy in the morning and when I twist I have a little roll of fat on the side of my stomach. Oh and when my clothes are tight to do up-lucky I wear tight fitting clothes :D
  • Bluestar083
    Bluestar083 Posts: 146
    I feel odd because I'm so lightweight compare to you but here's my story:
    I always was in the skinniest. At my highest weight of 120 pounds I felt bigger than average. Girls here are pretty thin, and feeling bigger than others made me felt bad. I had a septic choc, went to the hospital and lost 5 pounds during hospitalization. It felt so good to be ligher than I continued and I'm now 104 pounds and happy. :) By the way I'm 5"3 and only 18 years old.
    Lol I am always the skinniest too! In high school I was 5'9.5'' and 110-115lb and usual weight 10 years later (when everyone else is bigger than high school) is 114-116lb (wouldn't actually WANT to be 110lb again as my legs looks scarily skinny instead of slim and long-skinny and scrawny is NOT a good look)
    5'3'' and 104 pounds is perfect, you don't need to lose any more weight-just enjoy and maintain :D
  • kunibob
    kunibob Posts: 608 Member
    In January 2007, I realized I had gained a bit of weight; I was comfortable at 150 lb at the time, and tended to bounce up to 163 lb pretty easily. So, when I noticed the weight creeping on, I figured I was at 163 again. I stepped on the scale at the gym at work and was a bit upset to see 168 lb, but started buckling down anyway.

    The wake up call came two weeks later, when I realized I had been misreading the scale. It was 188, not 168. I must have looked at the thing upside down and sideways and looked away and looked back about a hundred times before I registered what was happening, at which point I locked myself in a changeroom stall and started hyperventilating.

    Looking back, it didn't take too long to lose, and I'm so glad I caught it there before my weight skyrocketed...but at the time, that was a real panic moment!
  • beach_bum_gurl
    beach_bum_gurl Posts: 200
    Wow...it is interesting how I stumbled across this thread this week!

    My wake-up call occurred 6 years ago this week. With Katrina having made landfall 6 years ago today in the Gulf, NC Disaster Medical teams were preparing to respond if needed. I had my ID photo made during this prep and this pic was my wake-up call as to how OUT.OF.CONTROL my weight was! Was that ~really~ me???

    I even decided to pull that old ID out and post it to remind me of how far I have journeyed~
  • jenniferrawrbby
    jenniferrawrbby Posts: 5
    i gain all my weight in my mid section, and i gained over 30 pounds in one year after starting home school. & people we're spreading rumors that i was pregnant. :/ & im only a teen.
    better fat than pregnant.
  • Beautifylgirl
    Beautifylgirl Posts: 55 Member
    Well honestly, I saw a picture of myself and thought "wow what a face face". Mind you I'm only 20# overweight but I definitely have it in my face, and *kitten* lol. And then this last weekend my husband and I had our 6th anniversary and he took a picture of me and I wanted to vomit. Seriously I look totally different that when we first got married 45# heavier :( Most of that is due to medication gain but still not cool. Now I'm off Depakote aka Depabloat and will hopefully be able to shed this weight quickly or I might vomit again.
    Today was day 2 of the gym and I have a new rule. No video games unless I go to the gym or zumba. No exercise no games. That's a big thing for me as I'm an avid gamer.
  • helloburger
    helloburger Posts: 243 Member
    For me, SWEATING! So more of an experiment, I was sick to death of sweating just after walking a little bit. I dont want to be restricted to black or white tops just because I sweat! haha. But I so feel its working! so Its good :)
  • leilaphoenix
    leilaphoenix Posts: 839 Member
    When I found myself having to try on a size 18 (UK) in the shop. This was the last straw and I cracked and decided I was not buyinig any size 18 clothes and instead was going to lose the weight. Its crazy how lots of people have a sudden realisation of how they've let themselves go...
  • ElementalEscapee
    ElementalEscapee Posts: 552 Member
    Thanks x3
    I'm not sure if I'd call them 'wake up calls'....but here's a couple of serious OUCH moments....

    -being picked very last for P.E.
    -freshman year of highschool we had a blood pressure monitor in Health class, and I was pretty much the only one with mildly high blood pressure
    -catching myself being hostile/jealous towards every skinny person I see, or obsessively attempting to find out what exactly their 'secret' is for being that way
    -being too lazy to do things I use to love
    -being almost kicked off the soccer team since I was too lazy to go to practices
    -seeing a video of me at the beach looking fat in my shorts and tank top because I'm way too humiliated to go in a bikini
    -me working out a little bit, then being closely scrutinized by my mom and having her say, "well, at least you look better than you had in Mexico' (a few months earlier on vacation...I didn't know I looked THAT bad)
    -grandmother asking me if I did any sports, and when I said 'no' she was like 'well that explains it! Exercise!'
    -my best friend telling me I'm squishy and constantly using me as a pillow
    -my mom saying it hurts her to look at me
    -realizing that the reason there's hardly any pictures of me smiling is because I'm too busy sucking in my cheeks so my face doesn't look so round
    -a friend telling me that none of my Facebook pictures actually show my face without them being brightened beyond recognition
    -showering without the bathroom light on
    -walking by the reflective mall windows
    -realizing that sucking in my gut 24/7 has been completely normal for me
    -avoiding well lit mirrors or even freaking windows at all cost
    -going emo just so because the dark clothes are 'slimming'
    -running a straight mile is impossible for me, and people at my school laughed at other people who could only manage an 8 minute mile

    I can't believe the people in your life are so mean to you! Just remember you are a wonderful person and your not alone. And when you do lose the weight and your family notices you can say that you did it without there support.
  • kardeamad
    kardeamad Posts: 43
    Suspected heart attack

    2 doctors telling me I HAD had a heart attack and that if I went home from the hospital I probably wouldn't make it back in time when I had another.

    I looked at my husband and realised we had far too much life to live together for me to check out before I am at least 90 :smile:
  • joseph9
    joseph9 Posts: 328 Member
    Usually I know I've lost track of my weight when I start snoring, or when I start avoiding being in photos.
  • Molly_Louise
    Molly_Louise Posts: 503
    For as long as I can remember, I have been unhappy with myself and my weight. I'd tried to do something about it before but never really stuck to anything and just ended up more miserable.

    On August 8th this year my so called best friends decided they didn't want to be friends with me. I was in a 'clique' of 8 people and the 8 of us have been best friends for over 7 years now. Anyway, one evening they decided to tell me that they no longer wanted anything to do with me and called me the most horrific names possible. The next day, I woke up and decided that I didn't need them anymore and that it was going to be a new start for me! Shortly after that, I found MFP.

    Almost 4 weeks on I am feeling fantastic but still not in contact with the people I was so close with. As much as I dislike them for everything, I suppose I have a lot to thank them for. They made me want to change myself and make myself happy again, and so here I am, on the road to what I hope I can eventually call happiness.


    Wow...typing all of that out felt amazing.
  • taclyn
    taclyn Posts: 4 Member
    Seeing a picture of myself on facebook this evening. I almost can't stop looking at it. I have been gaining weight for about 4 years, I want this to be a wake up call, that is why I am here. I am not very motivated to do anything when I get home from work except eat and watch TV. I want to make a change but can't seem to get started.
  • splackk
    splackk Posts: 163
    I spent an entire summer packing away the pounds about 2 years ago. It was my first summer not spent working since I had been old enough to legally work and I took advantage of it. Drinking, pigging out at restaurants and fast food, pre-made meals and anything else I could get my hands on, my weight shot to 150 pounds. At 5'1'' that put me at 28.something BMI. The realization I was closer to an "obese" BMI than "normal" BMI shocked me back into better eating.

    I kept around 130 lbs for the next year and a half or so without really trying to lose more until I went on and eating spree followed by a vacation about 6 months ago and once again my weight hit 143. I saw the pictures from that vacation and felt sick that I was letting my weight get so high again, finally managed to buckle down about 4 months ago and found MFP maybe a month and a half or two months ago.

    I've lost about 23-24 pounds so far and I'm more than halfway to where I want to be, only about 15 pounds away now. Actually setting goals made all the difference this time and I'm determined to keep eating well whether or not I'm dieting for my own health.
  • FancyJumper
    FancyJumper Posts: 7
    Like a lot of other people, seeing pictures of myself. I've always been very athletic, and when I started seeing pics of myself with a round face and love handles, it made me feel very bad about myself. Also looking back at pictures of when I was fit and noticing the huge difference.

    I realized I had pretty much stopped wearing jeans because they were all too tight... and when I went to try them on again, I couldn't button most of them. A couple pairs I couldn't pull up over my butt!

    I had tried to lose weight a couple of times before (I gained it over a year and a half)... but with my thyroid not working properly it was impossible. Now I've got my thyroid medication figured out to the right dosage, and have lost about 13 pounds so far. However, that was back in Feb-May time period, and I was stuck until I found this site! Now I've already lost another pound (and a solid inch of waist)!
  • ehensarling17
    ehensarling17 Posts: 95 Member
    Seeing pictures of myself - had no idea I looked like that - see something different in the mirror!

    That and:

    1. Turning 30
    2. Realizing I've gained 50 lbs in the 5 years I've been married
    3. Becoming a mom
    4. Buying size 16 pants for the first time for a special event and wanting to cry

    The final tipping point was seeing myself in a photo in said size 16 pants and barely recognizing myself. I said "That's it" five weeks ago and I am already down 10 lbs! 40 more to go!
  • dancinonwater
    dancinonwater Posts: 18 Member
    As lame as it seems, my wake up call was honestly this Friday when i couldn't take my eyes of my friend in a certain dress. I don't like have a thing for my friend, i just mean that she looked so unbelievable thin and hot, that it totally knocked me out of the idea that food makes me feel good because looking that way would make me feel better than food ever could, and not leave me with the guilt when i look in the mirror, and lately even when i look down.. I have always been an emotional eater, and since i have been battling head to head with a great deal of anxiety the past couple of years, I've put on about 20 extra pounds. But seeing how good she looked in that tight dress really was my wake up call. I finally realized that eating better and dropping those pounds could actually eliminate some anxiety, and help me learn better ways to cope.

    Wish me luck!

    P. S. This post gave me a great idea for a goal! On my 15th birthday, which is the day that i want to have definately reached my goal weight (and spring vacation in Florida will be only days away), I will try on that dress! Maybe even wear it to school if she lets me (which is know she would). I promise you I will post pics! And actually, promising you guys something will help me stay motivated to do this!
  • ohamberx0
    ohamberx0 Posts: 98 Member
    A few boys called me fat. It happens.
  • lisaisso
    lisaisso Posts: 337 Member
    bump :heart:
  • fordster99
    fordster99 Posts: 181 Member
    I was 38 and couldn't lay on my back without feeling like I was smothering. I would have to lay on my side to sleep. I was already sick of it but it wasn't until I got on the scale and it read 298.4 that I really decided that I had to do something. I did not want to hit 300 lbs.
  • CJK1959
    CJK1959 Posts: 279 Member
    I think mine came in stages....not being able to breathe easily ....even when just walking. Having a horrible fear of sitting in a booth because my chest was right against the table.....having to wear a CPAP mask every night to sleep....feet that hurt all the time...I'm tired of being tired and winded and not being comfortable in my own skin.
  • kew736
    kew736 Posts: 28
    my dad squeezing my arm fat and asking if I still worked out.
    My brother constantly teasing me about my healthy diet
    Pretty much my family. They unknowingly cause me to want to lose weight, not only to be fitter, but to throw it in their faces once I am more toned/lacking arm fat!

    I also just want to lose for my self-confidence. It has always been somethihng I am preoccupied with since like grade 6.
  • browneyes3257
    browneyes3257 Posts: 11
    My doctor asked me if I wanted to see my kids graduate. That was the toughest thing I have ever heard. Not being able to see my kids grow up scares me. And in this last couple of months I've watched as my little girl started puting a lot of weight on. I don't want her to end up like me....
  • Elizabeth_C34
    Elizabeth_C34 Posts: 6,376 Member
    The first digit on the scale was no longer a 1. I never thought I would ever be 200+ lbs much less 210. I was very athletic and active for most of my young life, and was really upset that I had let myself go so badly. I had a 6 minute mile when I was running track my senior year of high school, and now I could barely walk a flight of stairs. I was just disgusted.

    19 lbs down, I still am disgusted, but less so than I was. It's getting better.
  • ashandmeg
    ashandmeg Posts: 1
    Watching my daughter be upset about her weight. I said to myself....if I am going to help her I have to learn this myself. It's going to be hard to learn this new lifestyle but I have to do it.
  • swimmchick87
    swimmchick87 Posts: 458 Member
    When my "fat pants"- the ones I was so embarrassed to even own, got too tight.
  • apee24
    apee24 Posts: 46
    Blood clot in leg, palipitations, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high triglycerides, and not liking the way i look in the mirror!
  • ajrulo
    ajrulo Posts: 50
    After gaining 25 pounds in one emotionally tough year and being absolutely disgusted with myself for having to go up almost 2 pant sizes because of it.
  • MissFit0101
    MissFit0101 Posts: 2,382
    Actually weighing myself. I hadn't weighed myself in almost a year after having my baby, and when I finally did, WOW! I knew it was time to whip it in shape!
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