What was your final push to get serious?

I've tried many times over the years to lose weight. At my heaviest I was 15 stone 5 and wearing a size 20. I got down to 13 stone but only managed it because I was put on antidepressants that killed my appetite. After coming off I remained the same weight until one day two years ago. At the time, I was trying to paint my toenails and realised I couldn't breathe because my stomach was in the way. That day, something snapped inside me and I got angry with myself, starting counting calories the very next day. I don't know what it was about that particular day that lit a fire in me, nor why it was different to any of the other times I'd tried and failed. What I do know is that I'm sitting here today writing this at 8 stone 10 and a size 8. I have a little more to go and a whole lot of strength to build, but I'm in the best shape I've ever been in. I wish it'd happened years ago

I had to buy a summer dress in size 20(UK). I was glad I’d the self esteem to buy something that fitted but realised I’d really got to the point of no return, I’m 5’1”. I was hurting all the time, I couldn’t do anything easily. On the other hand I’d rediscovered the joy of swimming and that made me feel good in my body. I wanted to feel good all the time. I’m 35 lbs down now, 20 or so to go. I’ll know it when I see it.

It was a series of events.
I've always been heavy, and I've lost a lot of weight before (but unfortunately regained). Despite being heavy, I've never had noticeable PROBLEMS from it (probably because I'm young). During COVID and WFH, I started moving less and less, and my body started becoming so stiff. I couldn't bend over to tie my shoes anymore! I'd get out of breath just trying to pick myself up off our (admittedly, very poofy) couch.

Then, on Thanksgiving, my partner's mom - who is going to school for nursing - was checking everyone's blood pressure. Mine read in a range where I should have been at immediate risk for a stroke! I re-read my BP when I got home, and continued to twice daily for a month, and my BP never showed up that way ever again, so I'm confident there was a user-error in her reading, but still - what a scare.

The reality of my health just kept eating at me for weeks after that, until one day I decided to check the scale (which I'd been avoiding) to see just how bad things had gotten. And oh boy, they were so much worse than I thought.

So here I am.

The first time I lost significant weight, it was in 2014. I was navigating an emotionally/mentally toxic and abusive relationship and I had just received a horrible health screening. In less than a year, I had lost 50 lbs through Couch to 5K/10K and lifting. I finally left the relationship as well.

Flash-forward almost 6 years and I regained all 50 of those pounds by 2017. Since then, I have gained an additional 40 lbs and I've been at my all-time highest weight.

I'm on the brinks of another split with my current partner of 3 years, while also trying to navigate co-parenting a more medically fragile infant. I got into another fight with my current partner during the week of Christmas. I had off and on complaining about having breathing issues throughout most of the month (I am immunocompromised and I tend to get sick several times a year, even before COVID and regardless of my weight).

I also had struggled with being sick for most of December as well, but I was trying to avoid getting another COVID test, since I had an inexperienced tester f**k up badly during my first test and it caused a really bad panic attack and pain. My doctor refused to fill my inhaler prescription a few months prior when I asked for a re-fill and I was told to schedule an appointment with urgent care. And urgent care won't see people with any semblance of acute symptoms unless they have a negative COVID test. So I felt stuck and looking back now, I knew I was just making excuses.

My partner ripped into me out of the blue one morning and stated, "You not taking care of your medical needs is putting HER at risk! Who is more HIGH RISK than anyone in this house. Whatever you want to believe."


My partner (and her mother) have made some subtle and not-so subtle comments leading up to this that felt like fat-shaming towards me, so this fight really lit a fire underneath me. I was so pissed that I left work that morning, got a rapid COVID nasal and blood test (which came out NEGATIVE, like I assumed), and then saw a doctor that day. I ended up having undiagnosed and untreated asthma. I got put on two different inhalers that day and I decided to start running again on a more consistent basis. For about 3 weeks, I have been doing a walk/run regiment every other day, but I since have just switched to Couch to 5K. Now just running 3 days a week to better manage recovery and to make things more sustainable.

Setting my wedding date!

I'm in my 40's and finally getting married for the first time. And while I think I'm beautiful at the size i am in now (mental health is wellness too!), i totally want my wedding pics to be extra steamy!

I looked in the mirror and saw the size of my neck and decided it was too big to ignore.

be aware, this is a really long post and I won't be offended if you don't want to read it all.....
About 2 years ago, after a routine health check (yes, I am at that age now) I was advised that I had pre-diabetes. It was a bit of a shock however I knew I was overweight and also liked a lot of sugar in my "more than multiple cups of coffee a day". I told everyone that I worked with and they helped me to move from sugar to sweeteners in my coffee and I thought about making changes to my diet and lifestyle.... after all, they say its the thought that counts................. Apparently not.

So a year ago I had another blood test and was advised I was now a full blown diabetic. my numbers weren't huge, but I had tipped over to the diabetes range. I discussed treatment options with my doctor and also things that I could maybe do to help manage the condition to prevent it getting worse. Once again I thought about making changes ( I was already in the process of changing roles here at westward and moving house so it was just another thig to add to the list. I restarted the myfitnesspal app so that I could monitor what I was eating and also any exercise that I was taking (not a lot to be honest although I was walking from the but at Tesco to work 🙂 ). I bought a bike in February (I hadn't been on a push bike for years and decided I was going to cycle to work (yes this was the winter and I was living in Chudleigh Knighton so it was a 5 mile each way trip. I managed this about 5 times And then the lockdown happened and the myfitnesspal app seemed to be forgotten as well.
Hop forward to this year. A couple of months ago I started to get "Tingles" in my feet and hands and also felt like my vision had changed. Now normally I am not a hypochondriac however I knew that I was diabetic and that one of the extreme effects of diabetes could be potentially loss of feet....... I know that this was an overreaction however i think it was the Jolt I needed. I know that I really didn't want to be prescribed medication so I knew that I needed to take control. I started to research how to combat diabetes and read everything I could about a Low Carb, Low sugar diet. I bought a Glucose meter to monitor my blood sugar levels after eating to see which foods may cause spikes in my blood sugar.

By carefully monitoring how Carbohydrates like bread and potatoes (which I love but make my Blood Spike) and by massively reducing my sugar intake (think Keto or Atkins style diets) as well as forcing the dog to go for a long route march (5000 steps in about 40 mins) at least a few times a week I managed to drop about a stone in weight in about a month. I know that the low carb diet does not suit everyone and I am not going to evangelise about it but it works for me.. just as well as I still have another stone to go.
But the most important thing that happened, and the reason for the post, is that by keeping an eye on my BG levels and cutting carbs to about 20% of my diet, when I went for my Blood test last month there were some important changes. I was told by the doctor that currently the ranges for Hba1C diabetes are

Under 42 - Normal
42 - 47 - Pre Diabetes
above 47 Diabetic.

This range apparently can change (apparently I was pre diabetic 2 years ago) dependent on the current science however these are the current guidelines. My levels have been

2 years ago 49
Last Year 51
This Year 45

Which means that I have managed to move my level from Diabetic to Prediabetic an if I am able to continue with the "work" that I am doing then I have the potential to put diabetes into remission (and my cholesterol is still at good levels)

I am by no means a dietician so I won't be giving any diet advice, however there is enough information available to all of us though sites like Diabetes Uk and youtube to be able to become informed and make better choices. it's not always easy and there are times that I want to eat a whole packet of biscuits, or chomp through a full box of magnums, and there is a bakery around the corner from my new house which sells the fresh cream choux buns that I used to love for less than £2 but I know myself and therefore I don't buy them so they are not in he house when I am having a bad 5 mins.

I think the thing that allowed me to take control was the myfitnesspal app as this allowed me to monitor Carbohydrates, Fat and Protein intake throughout the day and also getting a glucose meter as it showed me exactly what specific foods were doing to my blood sugar and therefore reduce those and replace them with foods that don't make it spike.

The eye opener was a shop bought sandwich (egg mayo with bacon I think) and a packet of Crisps took it to over 10 mmol..... just cutting out refined sugar and refined carbs and cutting out the "Low Fat" options (which often have a higher % of sugars) seemed to even it out. Also drinking lots of water. I don't have all of the answers, and sometimes I may fall off the wagon (especially over Christmas and with the new lockdown). But I think that as long as you are honest with yourself and are aware of what you are eating and the effect that it has on your body then you can definitely chip away at the numbers....

This morning I hit 13st 11lb from a initial start weight of 16st 5lb 2 years ago and 15st 2lb in November 2021

After teaching 1st grade for 19 years, I became a Physical Education teacher at my elementary school this year. It was time to practice what I preached and get fit. Unfortunately my dad passed away in November so I lost my focus. My dad would have wanted me to continue to work towards a healthier lifestyle so here I am on day #5.