Anyone overweight their whole life?

I've been unhappy with my body and self conscious my entire life. I was always the chubby one in the family, some periods in life being more overweight than others. I reached my highest weight about a year ago and started keeping exercise and little diet things in mind, I lost about 10 pounds. My most recent kick in the butt was my engagement, I've since lost 20 more pounds. You really need to make a lifestyle change and cut out "bad" stuff. I used to eat mexican food 1-2 times a week and now its more like once every 2 months or so. I also completely cut out ranch which I used to eat 1-2 times a day. Everyone has their own food weaknesses. Make your own meals and compete with yourself. Tell yourself you're going to do something, and follow it.

I have been overweight since my babyhood and I have nineteen years as well.
I don't really know what to say besides that you will lose weight, don't be afraid.
Fear is unproductive. >;0

Just start something and keep with it. I take about an hour walk everyday and log my food.
I've been losing weight steadily,(A long with socks and hairbands--but that's my life story).
Persistence is the key to success.

I'm 24 and I've been overweight my entire life. When I was 14, I actually lost 85lbs, but due to my severe depression I ended up gaining it all back and then some. I'm now at the heaviest I've ever been (323lbs - 24 y/o, 6'1"). My mentality is "all or nothing", which often results in dietting failure. I also HATE exercising, which doesn't help me any either.

Having said that... it's all about motivation and really trying to make an effort. Realize that the weight isn't just going to fall off overnight, it may actually take a few months, and you REALLY have to work at it. It's hard work and requires a lot of time, effort, patience, and willpower. I've pretty much been on a "diet" for a LONG time... since I was 16 (after gaining all that weight back!) and I kept losing 10lbs, gaining 10lbs, losing it again, etc., but I realized that I never REALLY made an effort, I never REALLY "worked out", and I expected to lose weight so easily just by cutting a few calories. I finally made the decision to change my attitude, change my thoughts and beliefs, and really work at it and KEEP ON working at it, even on the days I fall off the wagon, the days that I indulge in a slice of cheesecake (or 4... yes, that's happened... many times lol), and remember that I CAN do this, and that I'm not perfect, I'm only human, and I'll make mistakes... the difference now is that I have faith in myself that I can recover from my stumbles and continue on in my journey, instead of giving up and giving in the way I used to - and THAT is what's going to make the change!

So far I've only lost about 12-13lbs, but I'm also down a few inches and I've gained so much insight and I just feel more inspired to lose the weight because my entire mentality about weight loss has changed and is making it easier for me to cope with the changes,the binges, the craving, the never wanting to work out, and everything else. THAT was the hardest part for me, but also the most important because it's helped me realize that I WILL lose weight - it may take a few months, but it'll happen, if you just keep going and keep pushing yourself. Don't ever give up. Like Nike says, "JUST DO IT". I keep that in mind EVERY DAY. Most days I don't feel like going to the gym, or going for a walk, but I gear up, drive my fat *kitten* to the gym, and say "JUST DO IT"... then I mount my fat *kitten* on that elliptical machine and just do it... for as long as I can. Afterwards, I feel amazing, even though I didn't want to do it, I did it.

So... believe me sister, I know how you feel, I've felt that same way, but you just have to remember that it WILL happen, cause you're going to MAKE IT HAPPEN. And you need to do just that... MAKE it happen. Nobody can do it for you.

Hope this helps.

Love and Alohas,
Ihilani Kapuniai

i have been overweight since i was 7

I am 53 and I have been overweight off and on since I was 18 years old, I became overweight while expecting my daughter. I took advantage of "you are eating for 2" and this started my overweight trend. I have lost weight at different times since then. I have now lost 54 lbs. in one year, and will not stop there. Never have the attitude that you can not lose weight. You have to hold positive. It can and will be a struggle, but you CAN do it.

I'm 26 years old and have been overweight since about 10 years old. I've tried to lose weight many times before, but never stuck to it when the scale wouldn't move as fast as I'd like. I started my lifestyle change in November and have dropped 14lbs the healthy way (diet and exercise). I never thought I could do that, but I did! Just because you can't remember a time when you were within the "normal" weight range for your height doesn't mean you can't do it! That is what is so great about MFP, we are all here to lose weight and your friends will support you.

I've always been a little heavier than the rest of my friends growing up, but just recently graduated into the "pretty freakin overweight" category that I'm desperately trying to get out of! I've learned since I started MFP that my weight isn't going to just fall off. I have had to DRASTICALLY change my eating habits and the way I think about food... as well as getting off my butt in order to shed the weight I have already. I used to eat macaroni and cheese, fries, and chicken wings like it was no big deal (I work at a wing restaurant lol). Now I bring my own healthy snacks if I have to work a long shift or wait until I get home to cook up something. It's all about making better choices and anyone is capable of that. So all in all, I think that you can definitely drop the weight if you try hard enough and want it badly enough. Everyone has their "cheat" days but it's about getting right back on track the next day and having the drive to achieve what you've always wanted!

I have been overweight my whole life. I have lost it a few times, but didn't make the changes permanent (read: didn't deal with my overeating issues properly) to keep it off and was at my highest weight ever recently - 220. (that includes pregnancies!)

It's possible. I have known people who were overweight for decades and lost it all and kept it off. You have to take a real, honest look at all the reasons why you got where you are. You don't have to "confess" to anyone, but you need to at least be totally honest with yourself. You can't fix a problem unless you are willing to admit that it exists.

I'll share some of my stuff just in the hopes that maybe some of it will ring a bell and be helpful. I've been working at this a long time and I feel ok with talking about it. The shame is gone, it just is what it is.

I have gotten this overweight because I use food to take care of myself emotionally rather than draw boundaries and say "no" to other people and their needs, or risk being "needy" and asking for more from those close to me when I need it. The reason why I am making this work now is that I have finally reached the point where I am willing to walk away from the relationships in my life that only thrived because I didn't say no and I didn't put my boundaries where they needed to be for my own health and happiness, but *way over there* where the other person was comfortable with them being. Yeah, I had to be the ***** a little bit. But it's better now. I am not so angry with myself anymore. And being less angry with myself makes it possible to be nice to myself by not stuffing my emotions down. I can just have a bad day right out in the open and not feel so guilty for raining on other people's parades that I have to go stuff some cake into my mouth and fake being happy instead. And if I need to talk something out or need comforting, I can call on my husband, or my friends, and someone will be up to it at that moment and ready to provide. I just have to trust that it's true. So far, it has been.

I come here every day to keep myself focused and to avoid falling back into old, "automatic" habits. I give myself nourishment, I don't just eat food, you know? And occasionally I give myself enjoyment with food treats, but I do it as a celebration, and in moderation, not to mask negative emotions or to stuff down food because I'm about to start depriving myself again tomorrow morning. I do it without guilt and with consciousness of what I'm doing. I exercise every day because I'm kind of a gourmet cook and suffering through cardboard-tasting diet food just isn't going to work. I can exercise and then I can eat stuff that genuinely tastes good and satisfies any cravings without it stopping my progress. I'm not punishing myself for being overindulgent, I am just walking away from this old dysfunctional way of coping with difficult and awkward feelings and with it, I am walking away from all this literal "baggage" that has been trapping me for so long. I feel like I am stuffed tight in a cocoon and I am starting to slowly, deliberately push against it, stretching it out, giving myself more room, with full confidence that with persistence it will break open and let me step out.