What was your final push to get serious?

brettchasteen · December 2020

I was in Church one week after I quit drinking and the thought hit me...If I am going to be sober I shouldn't be fat.
started a diet that day.

Sharon_73 · December 2020

I have been having health issues for a while...severe vomiting and other yucky things. Fast forward to October and I ended up in hospital for 2 days as a result. Blood work, ultrasounds, mri, endoscopy, colonoscopy, biopsies. I have been seeing a cardiologist, rheumatologist, gastroenterologist and now a nephrologist. I feel like the entire medical system is taking notice (which I am very happy for) and this is making me take even more notice! Let me be completely honest.....I am single and now an empty nester. Neither of my kids live nearby and I am afraid of something happening and being alone. I do not want to ever become a burden on my sons but I also don't want to live in fear....I am only 47! I am making progress with the wonderful medical professionals that are helping me and I have to do my part to ensure I am giving my health the level of attention it needs.

SavageMrsMoose · December 2020

Katerr1kk wrote: »

I noticed that friends around me, of a similar age (so early 40s) were starting to have health problems earlier this year. I realised that I could be next and really it was down to me to make a change. Who knows how much time we have. It was really a bit of a wake up call.

I'd made excuses for years but no more. Even if I do have health problems in the future I'm sure that being 40lb+ lighter won't be a bad thing, even if it doesn't directly help.

Plus I am a figure skater, and being lighter obviously helps with that.

Figure skaters are awesome and tough! My daughter skated for years and I was so impressed by her discipline. You go girl!

heavensshadow · December 2020

I was watching a weightloss success story on YouTube. One of things she said gave me a light bulb moment: "The progress was slow, but you won't get there any faster if you stop."
Brilliant. Duh!
She also talked about how we can't trust ourselves because we constantly break our own promises - we respect others enough to keep promises made to them, but won't do it for ourselves.

I decided that I'd promise myself to try, and do better, and not stop, and baby step it all the way there. Stop leaning on my family to support how I want to eat, stop giving up on myself, and stop STOPPING.

CasiferNash · December 2020

AndIwanttochangetoo wrote: »

I think the majority of us have probably struggled with staying committed and have started over and over again throughout the years...so I'm curious. What was the moment that really made you get serious about improving your health? Was there something different that made it stick or was it simply discipline?

I've been though that struggle of starting and stopping and starting and stopping. My final push is the fact that I've become so unhappy with myself and I'm having a hard time stopping the negative talk. I know I'm better than what I've been telling myself. Everyone around me sees it, so why can't I. I'm trying to love myself more. I'm trying to give myself the me I deserve. I want to like my outsides as much as I like my insides.

I'm due for a surgery consultation in July 2021 and anesthetic is dangerous, but more so when you are obese. I'm very heavy and I'd like to not die. It would lower the stress and recovery times for that surgery.

cremorna1 · December 2020

A stranger congratulated me on my pregnancy at work in front of my coworkers. I have fertility issues and have never been pregnant. The worse part is I was so wiped out that day I couldn't say anything but 'thank you'. Sooooooo embarrassing. That day I started the deficit, and this time I'm not stopping till I get to normal weight.

MsCzar · December 2020

COVID. Like a lot of people, at first I sat on the couch and ate lots of comfort foods - sometimes baking an entire cake or batch of cookies for myself. By the end of April, it was clear that COVID was not going away any time soon and could be especially vicious for obese people with poor cardio function. I was not only 100 lbs. overweight, but couldn't climb a single flight of stairs without becoming winded and needing a five minute rest!

In May, I started watching what I ate - keeping to 1000-1200 calories and began exercising. I weigh 64 lbs less now and do a minimum of 30 minutes of low impact cardio daily.

aimeekate19 · December 2020

Super odd for me because I'm female and would normally look to other women my age for inspiration....I happened to see a post on Instagram of a guy that was over 300 pounds. Not only did he lose 100 pounds, he built an amazingly beautiful physique through weight lifting AND successfully grew his business (not fitness based) at the same time. I thought, what the heck am I doing when there are people like him out there busting their butts, making these huge gains, and not making any excuses whatsoever? He's pretty much my hero.

elisa123gal · December 2020

You get to an age nearing the other side of the hill.. where you realize..I lose it now..or I never will..and if I do.. I'll never look the same. in short..my window of opportunity was closing in on me.. I acted.. and to become the younger you. is amazing.

Jessie24330 · December 2020

Lost a ton of weight just giving up sugar. Which led to me eating less altogether, which led to more loss. Now I'm so happy to be losing again that I can't stop trying. Can't wait to feel safe to go to the gym, cause that'll be a game changer.

tiwing · December 2020

COVID. Mar 17 we were told to work from home. On April 7 I realized that if I needed to protect my family I was not in the shape to do it, plus now I had an extra 4 hours a day (yes, a 2 hour commute each way) I had time and energy left to do something positive. I was never really worried about my weight and have always remained healthy-ish, but there's a difference between just living and being in shape. So the journey began Apr 8.

It was either that or my wife telling me I was getting fat. I'll give her the credit

Zenaryaa · December 2020

I'm one of those people who has been off and on "dieting" for at least the last decade, trying to lose weight and get back to being healthy, and it has never worked. I hated working out, I hated all the fad diets I was trying, and not surprisingly, nothing stuck.

Finally, last year I found a gym that I am absolutely in love with and that had made me fall in love with exercising. I didn't really change my diet, so I wasn't gaining any more weight thankfully, but I wasn't losing either, and I still wasn't performing to the best of my ability.

Then one day in June 2020, I just woke up, went to the gym, and made an actual effort to get through one day of eating well and not to excess. I made it through, and told myself the next day would be the same, and it was. Then I made a promise to myself to get through a whole week. Then a whole month, and so on. Now I'm sitting here 7 months later, 35 pounds lighter, a hell of a lot stronger, and eating a whole lot better. I still have treats, I still have beer, but I've learned balance and that it's not about being perfect, it's just about being slightly better than you were before. So, there was no spark moment for me, or a sudden realization, it was just a gradual process that I was able to sustain and move forward with.

kacanakya16 · December 2020

Been overweight for more than a decade and this year I'm 3kg (6lbs) away from obesity.

AmberKramer13 · December 2020

My mom told me i had been gaining weight and told me to try this

flatcoatedR · December 2020

Not yet started yet, but trying to get motivated to start. Why? Retired this year and want to live these last years fit and healthy, I hurt all over, Iam at my heaviest than I've ever been (288), having what I believe is severe reflux pessure/pain from the pressure of my big stomach, scared of getting covid from being high risk, getting harder to do the part time job because of my weight. This is just the short list of reasons I need to get started. I have lost lt it all before (many times), I know how, just really having a hard time getting started this time. Would appreciate any friend request from people doing well and for inspiration. Thanks for listening and Merry Christmases to All.🌲

atherease · December 2020

I returned home 3 weeks early from our usual winter trip to Australia thanks to Covid and decided that if nothing was going to be normal while we were in lockdown, I'd adopt some completely different healthy habits. It meant I could focus on me for a change because we couldn't go anywhere and very importantly, my partner got used to and accepted this.
One habit was exercising 30 mins 6-7 days/week - I do whatever my body feels it needs (resistance bands, walking, circuits, abs & core, yoga etc) as soon as I get up and introduce new activities to keep my interest up.
I've been teetotal for nearly 2 years which makes a massive difference to caloric intake.
I make sure I have at least 25g of fibre a day (try boiled barley - it's a chewy alternative to rice/porridge).
With MFP I worked to a calorie budget and weigh every day.
Then I heard about an app-based approach which hasn't resulted in an astonishing weight loss (I am 62 and perimenopausal) but it gave me useful insight into the psychology of weight loss and there's been very little scoffing out of angry frustration!
I'd been on a plateau for perhaps 4 months, building muscle and dropping jean sizes while the scale hardly budged but this time I hung in there and woo hoo the scales are slowly moving again. I'm down over 2 stones since an April 2018 high and use MFP because the database is so much better than others.
Good luck everyone, keep your eyes on the prize and remember that discipline is choosing what you want most over what you want right now.

Stella3838 · December 2020

I seem to start every year (for the past 6-8) at "my heaviest ever". The cycle was getting regular. Start the new year at an all-time high, lose during the year, but start to put it back on during the holidays. Then an all-new high at new years. I am so sick to death of it. In September, something kicked me in the pants. Still not sure what, but I started to buckle down. Got back to healthier eating, started a lifting program after years of not doing it. I stopped running cuz I hated it and instead got into vigorous walking. I know it's more diet than exercise and I was tired of doing things I hated. Ever so slowly, the weight has come off. 14 pounds since my absolute heaviest (about 11 to go), but this has taken me a LONG time. It's more about lifestyle change and doing things I like and can sustain. I started IF 16:8 a little over a month ago and found it works for me. I LOVE my lifting program. I love how I feel. I want the be that old lady that people are like "dang! look at those gramma guns!" I want to have the energy to live my life. I forgive my slips knowing they don't define me and get right back at it. When I start to lose the motivation to move forward, I go back to the journals I keep to when I was at a really low point and see that I don't EVER want to be there again. Best of luck to everyone on their journey. Know that you are worth it. Keep up the hard work!!

karmabear06 · December 2020

I got on the scale before Thanksgiving and realized at that moment I was the heaviest I have been in my entire life. Obviously I could give all the reasons = excuses for this. My work schedule, my budget, lack of energy, lack of interest, and lack of motivation. Ultimately I KNOW what I need to do because I've done it before. I made a conscious decision I have to make myself a priority and stop accepting the horrible excuses I have allowed to sway me from making better choices. I decided after Thanksgiving to begin meal prepping again and increasing my water intake. Just making those small changes I have lost 7.5 lbs in two weeks. I am working on making the small changes that I know helped before.

Side note I was a smoker for 20+ years and have been nicotine free 7 years. I tried so many times to quit smoking and was unsuccessful. I never gave up trying because I knew how bad it was for me and those around me. Until one day I woke up and decided enough was enough and quit cold turkey. Although smoking and getting fit/healthy aren't the exact same thing they both affect your health and life style. I know I was able to overcome my addiction to nicotine because I was determined to break that bad habit. I did lose 30 lbs when I quit and was the healthiest I had been since I was pregnant with my son. I slacked off ultimately I went back to my poor eating habits and stopped working out then gained everything I lost plus some.

Fast forward to today. I want to be able to walk up a flight of stairs or uphill without getting winded. I have a grandbaby due in April and when she becomes mobile I want to be able to have an active life style with her and not just sit inside watching tv/movies. I truly don't like having zero energy and I know that I felt more energized by getting up 45 minutes earlier and doing 20-30 mins of HIIT or just taking time to do yoga. It's time to RISE and SHINE.

charmmeth · December 2020

Here's a Christmas ad's take on this question:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fz1q8NWbExc&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR1B4ioL5HsA_kTkUO_LZY0ZsbZvrEYRBGYJmI6rWQP5GGrmrnitpDEWmJY. It may make you a little weepy...

AnnPT77 · December 2020

My doctor was threatening me with statins because of high cholesterol, not to mention that I had high triglycerides and blood pressure besides. I didn't want to take statins because of possible cognitive problems as a side effect, and I figured I'd already given up enough cognitive ability to chemotherapy (for locally advanced stage 3 breast cancer some years before). I tried modifying what I ate (even though I was already getting decent-ish nutrition), but it had little effect. I was already routinely very active, and had been for a dozen years, so exercise wasn't the answer, either. That left losing pounds off my bodyweight (which was just a few pounds into class 1 obese).

That led me to MFP, and a bit under a year losing 50+ pounds at age 59-60 (while hypothyroid, if that matters - I think it doesn't). Along the way, being diagnosed with gallbladder adenomyomatosis (not stones or sludge) kind of sealed the deal. When they removed it, it was an ugly, cholesterolized thing with thickened walls and actual holes in it. Not good.

Now, around 5 years later, I'm still at a healthy weight (around 125 at 5'5" now), still active, age 65. It improved my life in more ways that I could enumerate.

Speakeasy76 · December 2020

I think the big thing for me was changing my mindset. I don't want to be super tiny, and frankly would look weird if I was super skinny. Nothing for me is off limits, and I've got to be flexible. I believe I can eat whatever I want, but do I really WANT to eat it--how important is it to me. It's all a matter of what I truly want, and if I want something that's not necessarily "healthy" then I'm going to balance it out. Now I'm at a point where I want mostly healthy foods because not only do I feel better internally when I eat that way, I'm eating for my overall health and not just to "look good in a swimsuit" (although that is a nice added benefit). I also really love the kind of exercise I do--I love progressive strength training because I love getting stronger, and I know it's helping with my back an knee. I also love going for walks when the weather is not too cold, dancing and even intervals on my cardio equipment. It's not about torture or punishment for me, or "burning off what I eat" (although again--nice added benefit).

I've struggled with my weight for most of my life. I was a bit chubby as a kid and then went on an extreme diet when I was 14 years old, becoming borderline anorexic. This set up a pattern of disordered eating and thinking about food/my body, but I got down to a healthy weight my senior of college...I don't even know how I did it, other than working out and eating less. But, I start to self-sabotage when I get close to my goal weight...it's never "good enough." I yo-yo dieted throughout my 20's and half of my 30's. Finally, 9 months after having my daughter (2012) I joined a weight loss challenge and lost in total about 35 pounds. I was able to keep most of that off, but it started to creep up a bit last year. I got down about 5-6 pounds, but once the pandemic hit I felt myself starting to go in the opposite direction. I decided since I had all this extra time, I should take advantage. I wasn't overweight, but I always had this "goal weight" in my mind, but didn't know if I'd be able to sacrifice my love of food/wine to get there! I'm definitely not about deprivation! So, I decided if I could lose 8-10 pounds in a very sustainable, non-depriving way--at a rate of about 1/2 pound per week...and I was! I feel good right now, and still allow for glasses of wine and some treats, probably more than what others may even think is acceptable.

springlering62 · December 2020

charmmeth wrote: »

Here's a Christmas ad's take on this question: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fz1q8NWbExc&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR1B4ioL5HsA_kTkUO_LZY0ZsbZvrEYRBGYJmI6rWQP5GGrmrnitpDEWmJY. It may make you a little weepy...

Oh wow. That was wonderful! And yes, teary eyes!!!!

nerdgirlinlv · December 2020

As strange as it sounds, 2020 got me serious. This year has been so unpredictable for everyone and well this is the one thing I found I could control. This journey has given me a lighthouse in this otherwise storm of a year.

RelCanonical · December 2020

I started a new job, and decided that if I could finally get myself out of the toxic environment of my old job, I had the mental fortitude to lose weight.

rudarbe · December 2020

Realized that my physical health was a correlation to my mental health, and wanting to become a personal trainer— wanted to lead by example! After that it clicked and I never turned back.

alevbrant · December 2020

Moogle_Powah wrote: »

Sailor555 wrote: »

I'm a small woman (5'3") so even a little bit of weight on me has basically nowhere to go. Most of my adult life I carried too much weight but felt resigned to it, and my highest weight never got above 190 (still WAY too heavy for my frame). Well, I gained the "Covid 15" and then some, so recently I checked the scale and I was 207. I was deeply shocked and upset by that. That was my tipping point. I'd already been looking around for the right app/program, but that was when I decided to get serious and start with MFP. Feeling better (psychologically) already, after just 1 week. I know it will be a long slog, but at least I'm doing something now. Don't want to feel that way anymore.

I can completely relate- I'm 5"3 and my goal weight is 125lbs but omg it seems like such a slog and almost unattainable. I look terrible at anything above 140 (I'm 150 now) because my frame just holds the fat in weird places, I'm a mass of lumps and bumps and my baby belly just isn't going anywhere even when I do have a successful week where I lose weight. I managed to get to 139 in July after the first UK lockdown by doing Keto but since then I've just failed to consistently stick to the basics of calorie counting to get back on track. Absolutely furious with myself because I was doing so well, and it doesn't help that Christmas is coming up with all of the junky, calorie-loaded food it brings but I just can't do this any more. I'm developing a very unhealthy relationship with food and the guilt that comes with over-eating and failure so I have to take control now. That is my push I think, and I really need this one to last!

5'1" here, and yup a few pounds shows up dramatically. Mostly, I feel it in my clothes. I always dress for comfort but I also don't want to be dumpy. I did Keto also, a few years ago, and reached my goal but then I got sick and had family visiting from out of town and all that threw my out of keto and I gained it back. Right now I am at the top of my comfort zone. I am a nursing student and just finished finals - hoping to spend break getting back into my exercise routine, and keto. My plan is to use Keto to get me to my ideal, then maintain it with exercise and proper diet. That's the goal anyways. I'm closing in on 50 yo and my hubby is 6 years younger than me - that is motivation right there!

Sand_TIger · December 2020

That "take care of yourself" ad was really sweet - managed to get to me, even with my built in resistance to that sort of thing. Really cool.

pourmonsoleil · December 2020

This might sound strange but the fact that I had nothing to lose it for is what motivated me! Too many times I tried losing weight for some upcoming event and always failed miserably. With no events on the horizon, I was finally able to say to myself, "I am going to try to lose just one pound a week by cutting calories sensibly". Almost a year later and I have lost more than 60 pounds! About 22 more pounds to go.

mjglantz · December 2020

I think it was a lot of things. Getting older was one reason and the fact that my weight was making it harder and harder to get up off the floor. and I heard a report about how dangerous drinking every day was.....finally decided to start making healthy changes for my HEALTH and figured it would result in weight loss. That was in Oct 2011 and I have lost and kept off 80 + lbs since April 2013. Not going on a diet was the critical factor; this is for life.

Kiernla · December 2020

My motivation is my health, and it's come in steps. In May it was noticing that my drinking was ramping up (again), so I stopped altogether. I had a couple drinks in July to see how they sat with me after 60 days without, which clarified for me that stopping was the right choice. June it was finally weighing myself, and seeing that I'd put on 14# in 3 months. From there I bought a Fitbit, started doing intuitive eating, and began cooking more, which helped me take off 12 of those.

In September, chest pain sent me to the doctor - the first I've seen in years whose approach wasn't "stop being fat and you'll be fine, here's your thyroid prescription, see you in a year". No question her advice and support has been helpful! 2 weeks ago, I was started on blood pressure medication, one of which helped take me down another 8#. Now that I not only need to lose weight but curb my sodium intake, I decided to use MFP to track my diet.

Since June 20:
Weight: 188.0 -> 167.6
BMI: 39.4 -> 35.1 (almost down to class I obesity!!!)
Sober 5 months as of today

What was your final push to get serious?

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