What was the moment? When did you decide to take back control?

Last October when I weighed myself and I was over 290. I thought to myself, "no way am I going to hit 300!" One year later, I'm down to 236 and still working towards sub 200.

mrcoaster1 wrote: »

When the pandemic started, and we spent a month just snacking constantly on junk food, and sitting around watching tv. We decided to get out and get some fresh air, and start walking more regularly again. Then came the decision to make a lifestyle change, lose weight, and start eating healthier. Five months later, we're both down 50+ pounds, and making much better choices with food, eating proper portions, and exercising a lot. We've had some great time together out walking, and enjoying the fresh air, and scenery. Such a great change. The pandemic has been awful, but it inspired us to be better.

yeah, try living in California, we had a record breaking fire season this year on top of Corona all because some knuckleheads decided to do a gender reveal party in the forest using a smoke machine, anyway every morning we would find 1/8th of an inch of ash on our vehicles and we were miles and miles away, it also looked like we were living on another planet and the moon was red like Mars, the sky was either gray or brown, it was unreal, the air quality was always poor or dangerous, blah blah blah

I spent my 20s sick and almost dead. I couldn't walk for 6 months. Then I ended up sitting on my butt the rest of my twenties and I decided no more. I don't want to live like I'm dying.

I've had another reason to buckle down and Do This come to light recently.

The two people that I am in a relationship with both have serious mental illnesses. They are the sort of thing that most people have familiarity with through Hollywood sensational and inaccurate portrayals, not real life. Neither of them has just one; he has depression and severe anxiety and PTSD that recently developed, and she has bipolar disorder and longstanding PTSD. We hold each other up, and together, and accountable, and get along very well. But to do my part as the person whose mental health issues don't potentially involve psychotic breaks, I need to be as healthy and energetic as I can be. I'm really good at listening and giving unconditional positive regard and love if I'm not tired and cranky and in pain. And at my heaviest, I was quite often tired and cranky and in pain.

Fifty pounds off has helped a lot. Another fifty will help even more. I'm less tired now during the day, I sleep better at night, the chronic pain disorder doesn't flare so badly, and of course the weight-bearing arthritis is happier when I'm not carrying so much weight. I feel more confident, more serene, more in control of myself, and able to use that balance to help my partners find theirs. I want more of that, and I want it for the rest of our lives.

When I watch the health issues my grandparents had as they died... and watching in real time as my parents are following the same path due to their unhealthy lifestyle. "This is my future if I don't..."
And then...
When my knees start to buckle under my weight~ That was the last straw.

Diagnosed diabetic T2 in 2016 and ignored it for 4 yrs > heart attack July 2020 > 1 stent in heart artery > Medical advice: change life style or die >

I'm not going anywhere just yet .....October 2020 > Blood sugar 6.5 > was 85Kg > now 70 KG > goal post 65 KG> feeling strong. )

I had 2 foot surgeries which went awry & left me in constant pain (the same syndrome that causes phantom pain), feeling grim from constant drug allergies & side effects thus exacerbating asthma, walking on the side of my foot or heel only for 6-yrs. On top of it all, no therapy helped & walking with a cane was tough. I had to stop trying drugs... my body rejected everything. The pain was so excruciating, at times I was suicidal... it was unbearable to endure for so many years. I hobbled into my dr's office at the pain clinic after so many hospitalizations with severe drug symptoms (I'm allergic to virtually everything) & begged him to cure me or kill me. He threatened to toss me into a mental hospital if I were serious. I was, but didn't want more pain. Until I couldn't walk or swim, I had no idea how many miles of it I did regularly.

As a virtual shut-in I ate whatever anyone kindly brought me. 6-yrs later, feeling awful & 20-lbs heavier (I was always slim, so the 20 didn't make me look fat, just not like me & none of my clothing fit), I had to do something different. I stopped accepting fried chicken, fries & pizza or "making" my own meals, which was peanut butter toast & coffee (about 12 slices of bread/day) & requested fruit or prepared salad, only.

My foot is fine now, but I've still got the 20-lbs to lose. I've just returned to walking last week. It feels great, but I'm so unused to walking that the bottom of my feet suffer after just 1-mi. Not horrible, but it just feels so... weird & my skin peels. Lovely, I know, but my pumice board remedies that each evening.

So, I'm still at beginning stages, but it's only as I had to wait for my body to heal... now I can begin to live again.

Being constantly asked if I was pregnant!

sapphirebetty623 wrote: »

August 2019. I had a health risk assessment for my employer's insurance. I knew I had gained weight but I never had a scale at home and didn't weigh myself regularly. I stepped on the provider's scale and was devastated by the number. Not only had I gained 20 lbs since 2018's assessment but my weight had gone up and over 200lbs. Something inside me snapped and I've been on a healthier journey ever since. Over 40lbs lost and many healthier habits gained. It started with walking and I slowly integrated cardio/strength training as well as finding yoga again. Using this tracker has helped me to realize the junk that was mindlessly going in and there was no activity to counter the calories. Making these changes for myself was one of the smartest and easiest things I've ever done. And it's been helping me get through the quarantine of the Covid pandemic!

I said to someone that the main reason I stayed on the diet during COVID is...well, I can't control a lot of things but I can control what goes in my mouth.