Brutal Honesty - What was the final straw?

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  • bhalter
    bhalter Posts: 582 Member
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    I've been struggling with weight off and on the past few years (it's been going up and down), and the final straw for me to get serious what how bad I looked in my friends wedding (I barely fit into the dress that had been a little loose the previous year). I just got engaged in November and thought about how badly I wanted to start "the rest of my life" as a healthy, fit person, and selfishly, I want to look amazing in my wedding pictures. What is the point of shelling out HUNDREDS of dollars on photography for photos I will be too embarrassed to plaster the house with?
  • mirgss
    mirgss Posts: 275 Member
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    For me it started out as a distraction from how depressed I was. I started running, and when I lost some weight it was like, "Wow! Cool!" Unfortunately I haven't kept it up as diligently as I should, only running occasionally, etc...so over Christmas when I ran on the treadmill and I could FEEL my belly bouncing up and down - a first for me - I knew it was time to get back on track hardcore :)
  • AmberMagdalena
    AmberMagdalena Posts: 461 Member
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    I've been on this site for awhile and dittle dattling on here. What FINALLY got me motivated, was me assesing things in my life. I was in a P!ss poor relationship with a man who didn't appreciate me for over five years and I was living life like a 50 year old woman. I just had enough. Time to be 25, I told myself. Time to look and feel as sexy as you should and have a blast while you still can. So I am taking charge of my life! I'd like to say it was all health reasons and sugar coat it, but it's not! I want to have fun, go on dates with nice men my age, and enjoy things the way someone my age should!
  • gwynb041109
    gwynb041109 Posts: 85 Member
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    My husband works for delta airlines, and the amount of time I spend flying and having certain planes seat belts fit and others not fit. Was enough to get me wanting to lose weight. But then we had our family christmas pictures done in November. And I hated the picture of me. I look like a big ol marshmellow. I made it through christmas and new year's and now the new transformation is happening ;)
  • Kassileigh
    Kassileigh Posts: 28 Member
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    My 9 year old daughter standing on the new Wii fit and having it say she was overweight. I wanted to sob right then and there-I felt like I was failing my children.:sad:

    Junk food all gone, started running again and getting off my lazy a*se and being a proper Mom to my precious children.

    I will not fail them.
  • TheBooBooStew
    TheBooBooStew Posts: 54 Member
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    It was me being told that I had so many ketones in my urine they was sending me for blood work to see if my kindey's was failing. Then came the insulin. I prayed so hard that hour I waited for results and had others praying for me too. Thankful for God's grace on me, my kindeys are healthy and so I took a vow to the Lord that I would become healthy. And here I am...
  • jnance82
    jnance82 Posts: 149
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    I couldn't stand to look at myself in the mirror any more. I'll be 30 in June and I want to go to Miami and wear a bikini without feeling self-conscious. This was in October of last year and I'm 7lbs away from goal. I love looking at myself in the mirror and looking a pictures of myself because I can TOTALLY see my hard work and progress taking place!!!!! :bigsmile:



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  • fuzzimama
    fuzzimama Posts: 85
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    Watching my lovely mother die far too young (60yo) from kidney cancer last year, which may have been partly attributable to a lifetime of struggling with high blood pressure. Mum and I both have/had a tendency to weight related high blood pressure, so I decided I couldn't spend the rest of my life worrying about the insidious blood pressure, so I had to lose the weight and put that worry out of my mind.

    I didn't start my family until I was about 10 years older than my mother was when she had my sister and I, and I don't want to risk putting my kids through what I've been through over the past two years if there is *anything* I can do to avoid it. Lower blood pressure, regular exercise and about 8-10 serves a day of fruit and vegetables is no guarantee of a long and healthy life - but its my best shot I reckon. Side note - blood pressure yesterday was 110/76. I'm living the dream!
  • hermightychelle
    hermightychelle Posts: 25 Member
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    50 years old and bigger than ever! Turning 50 made me realize that statistically, two thirds of my life is over and I want to be healthy in my retirement years (Lord willing that I see them). I want a strong, fit body and NOW is the time! This is a battle of the mind and I have made up my mind to get healthy and fit. I quit smoking 4 months ago after 35 years of smoking. I did it by changing the way I think - transformation of the mind affects the body. If I can do that, the weight is going to be a piece of cake.

    Kuddos to you all who have quit smoking!!!!! I've never smoked but I lost my dad 11 years ago to lung cancer. He smoked A LOT for 35 years and finally quit cold turkey the day he received the diagnosis. We were able to enjoy him 3 more years before he died.

    Thank you for loving yourself and your family enough to make this change. Give yourself a big hug from ME!!
  • charlieduc
    charlieduc Posts: 108
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    The scales reaching over 300 started my journey and my inspiration to continue is that I just lost my sister-in-law who was only 58. She was overweight and a smoker and suffering from COPD. She was way to young to leave us :cry:
  • cybercelt
    cybercelt Posts: 6
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    Eating what I wanted and thinking "There's nothing I want to eat because nothing is special" (I can think of THOUSANDS of things I'd like now....don't get me started!):laugh:
    Good Luck all!

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  • TriedEverything
    TriedEverything Posts: 175 Member
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    I've been on & off diets for years, but I really hope (& believe) this time will be different. There were various triggers over the past year:

    One of these was the nightmare of trying to find an outfit for a family wedding. Thought I'd found quite a nice one in the end, but then I hated myself in the photos :cry: And talking of photos - it's been at least 2 years since there was a photo of myself that I actually liked (or even HALF liked) - so that was another factor.

    Then there was Christmas - we did a lot of socialising, and I was sooo aware that I was usually the fattest person in the room, and I felt as though I was bursting out of all my clothes. I've never been so miserable & embarrassed!

    Then there were health considerations too - both my parents have had health scares over the past decade (OK, they're a lot older than me, but they are both a healthy weight - so it wasn't looking too good for me at my weight!).

    On top of all this, general discomfort, lack of energy, etc etc - by January, I'd decided enough was enough, and I needed to start taking it seriously (I'd already been on MFP since July, but had only been dieting half heartedly).

    It's been really interesting to read everyone's posts about what motivated them - wishing success to you all! :flowerforyou:
  • techigirl78
    techigirl78 Posts: 128 Member
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    I guess I ignored lots of things over the past 6-7 years going from 130 to 240. I brushed off going over 200 and no longer being able to shop in misses/juniors dept, I would not look at pictures of myself, I didn't admit to the effect it had on my self esteem, career, or family. What hit me is when I went to the doctor for my annual exam and I had a BMI of 39.9. I was nearly morbidly obese. At that visit, I was also a smoker. Luckily, I only had a slightly low good cholesterol value, no other emminent health issues. I discussed with the doctor the plan to get things under control. That was back at the end of June 2011. I am hopeful that when I return for my visit this June I'll be in my normal weight range and manage to quit smoking (still smoking as of now, but switching to e-cigs and plan to quit soon).
  • millie916
    millie916 Posts: 10
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    About July of last year I had to buy new pants for work and I had gone from a misses to a womens. So I stepped on my scale a month or so before my birthday and a trip to Hawaii mind you, which I hadn't done in over a year and saw that I had gained 20lbs... I heard my scale say "Hi Fattie McFatterson! How would you like your fat today? " :mad: :angry: :noway: It shocked me into really looking at what I was eating, how much I was eating. I had gone back to fast food for lunch and dinner on school nights. BAD! Netflix kept my attention and I just shovled more food into my mouth. in about a month in a half i lost 14 by just watching what I was eating. Atfer going on vacation I fell off the wagon and didn't log or work out and gained 4lbs back.

    About 2 weeks ago, after knowing I needed to make this change for me I stepped on the scale and saw the gain of 4lbs. I logged back in and started tracking and lost 3 of those four. Back on track with a prize for myself on my next birthday when I reach my goal of under 200... SKYDIVING! :happy:
  • FitnessBarbie99
    FitnessBarbie99 Posts: 283 Member
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    Turning 50 was a big event for me as well.

    When I turned 40 I was sensational! I was fit, pretty, busy and on top of my game.

    Then I retired from Martial Arts, moved to a remote neighborhood ( I mean remote!) and quit smoking.

    I ballooned up to how much I weighed before I gave birth to my daughter! Yuck! I kept telling myself if I just kept walking and did a little more of this or that, I'd get thinner. But I didn't. more than 10 years went by.
    Along the way, both my older sister and younger brother were diagnosed with diabetes, which both of my parents have. My blood pressure wasn't exactly great either ...

    I refuse to become a diabetic!

    I know I would just hate it.

    I kept walking, ate a decent diet, but the weight wouldn't budge and after each vacation or holiday season, another couple of pounds came onboard. Since there were no M.A. classes, I started watching televsion every night like DH.... boring!

    I read every article I could find on how to avoid diabetes and I did and do follow every guideline. The last thing on the list is lose weight, so it's time to lose weight!

    I am going to be 52 in May and all I keep hearing from women in their 50s is that it gets even harder to drop pounds. That's my biggest motivation. I need to lose some weight before the next metabolic downshift happens.

    So I'm working hard to build up some muscle mass so my resting metabolic rate is high. I want to get fit and lose weight for certain, but my primary goal is to get stronger. Not an easy task, but I've been going to the gym 3 days a week for 10 weeks. My hope is that by summer, I'll be in decent shape!!!

    I joined MFP at the same time I joined the gym because my SIL wanted some company while she loses weight for a cruise in August. Sadly, I'm not going on the cruise.... might be even more motivated if I were. :)
  • VictorianJade
    VictorianJade Posts: 705 Member
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    - Turning 30
    - Possible trip to Mexico next year
    - "Metabolic Syndrome"
    - Seeing my mom at 56 struggling with her weight, post-breast-cancer.
    - Estrogen Dominance

    I'm on the track to possibly having heart disease (family history), diabetes (family history), and female cancers (family history)
  • lpatterson327
    lpatterson327 Posts: 71
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    ive been big since about 12 years old, i always told myself i will never be 140 pounds then 150 pounds and continuing on. only i never did anything to really stop myself from being big. i graduated high school at 175. cw is 202

    ive had alot of personal trauma that made me want to hide and not be noticed, but ive grown into the person i am now after alot of self reflection and realized that i didn't want to just exist, i want to live my life the way it should be lived. my son doesn't deserve a mom who cant go outside and play because she doesn't have the energy to keep her feet moving.

    the very last straw was going shopping for work pants and pulling them up only to have them not fit and look at the horrible folds of fat hanging, i dont have a full length mirror at home so i never really saw it, and lots of little things have influenced me but i must admit finding mfp has been one of the greatest gifts i have received :)
  • Tara4boys
    Tara4boys Posts: 515 Member
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    I stopped at page 7 - gotta get off computer but want to come back and read later. Also I'll share.

    I've always been at upper end of my BMI... I had 4 kids in 5 years and did well to lose weight in between. After my 4th child, I got into running and lost down to my goal weight and felt AMAZING. I felt like I could do anything. Then I got injured and can't run any more.

    Well, I just went into mourning. And gained all the weight and then some back.

    I finally realized that yes I miss my size 6 jeans but most of all I miss that confidence. I miss wanting to be around people and wanting to have my picture in photo album.

    Also recently... we got the Kinect for XBox for Christmas. Seeing my silhouette was humbling. Were my hips really that big???
  • gems4me
    gems4me Posts: 20
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    For me it's this stupid battle with being a breast cancer survivor, now I'm on Tamoxifen and it's put a good 20 pounds on me in the past year. uuugghhh.... I know being at a normal weight will better my chances of never seeing cancer again, so here I am trying everyday to move more. But I love food so it's gonna be a big challenge to say the least. I am only 5'4 and yesterday I was 196 friggin' pounds. Crap....
  • pokergal76
    pokergal76 Posts: 28
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    Gee there isn't a final straw, I have an entire straw bale!

    Having to use a seat belt extender, using the elevator at work because my knees are so worn out, grandchildren that I can't be active with, my hips are starting to bother me, high blood pressure, the roll of fat around my middle at my daughter's wedding, not being able to finish housework because of my back and knees, being the only overweight person in my family, feeling less than a person, losing my overweight father to a heart-attack at 69, wondering if I will be around to see my grandaughters grow up....

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