Why are you / Why were you fat?

Options
1234689

Replies

  • CoryIda
    CoryIda Posts: 7,887 Member
    Options
    I could blame abuse, depression, being a busy mom, or any number of other factors, but I won't.

    The fact is that I did not take care of my body and that is why I was fat.

    I changed that - despite the abuse, depression, etc. - and now am fit and healthy.

    It basically just boils down to how we choose to treat our bodies.
  • nanimoose
    nanimoose Posts: 60 Member
    Options
    Gluttony, lethargy.. apathy
  • crissy170
    crissy170 Posts: 31 Member
    Options
    My weight gain came from quitting smoking after 35 yrs!! and i loved smoking!!
  • delilah47
    delilah47 Posts: 1,658
    Options
    Ate more calories than I burned. I DO have some good excuses tho..lol.
  • celticknot83
    celticknot83 Posts: 12 Member
    Options
    I got up to 680 due to not caring about eating. Parents were abusive, I didn't care. Id figured Id get so fat that i would die. Then I saw how unhappy it my my gramma.
  • Amy911Gray
    Amy911Gray Posts: 685 Member
    Options
    I love to eat. And I'm not talking three meals a day. The cafeteria at work made bacon, yummy deep fried bacon and cream gravy and fluffy scrambled eggs. And lunch was simple, starting out at the Cheesecake Factory. Dinner was just as wonderful too.

    I've struggled with weight for one reason. I was an active teenager. Swam every day, marched in band, twirling practice every day and once a week, jogging at the track with my puppy...I had all of these things to do and I ate. I was a size 6.

    Then college...sitting, walking, sitting, walking, sitting, sitting, sitting...then I got married. Mostly sitting taking care of the house, driving, no walking. Started working...more sitting more sitting more sitting...still eating, eating, eating.

    Had two children, stay at home mom, sitting, eating with the kids the foods they liked, sitting, meeting friends for play dates, eating yummy treats, sitting sitting sitting, eating eating eating.

    Divorce...massive weight loss..college sitting sitting sitting, walking eating walking eating...new boyfriend who could cook.

    What I've learned is that I never learned serving sizes and the link between diet and exercise. I took the exercise for granted earlier in life and I shouldn't have.

    This time it's different. I've done my homework, I've done my research. I understand the link between what I've done wrong and what I know to be right. I'm succeeding in the greatest challenge in my life next to facilitating strong productive members of society (there are 4 of them).
  • JulesAtkinson1
    JulesAtkinson1 Posts: 219 Member
    Options
    Many, many reasons, I suppose.

    I grew up in a home where food that "sticks to yer ribs" was a staple at every meal.

    I grew up in the south, where food without butter, sugar, and lard was unheard of.

    Our food, while extremely fattening, was rationed because there were many mouth to feed. I guess subconsciously, this impacted me more than I realized while growing up, because as an adult, if I wanted seconds, I gave myself seconds, and thirds....

    I was forced to clean my plate at every meal as a child...and that's a HUGE habit I am still dealing with today.

    Being able to buy food when I want in the amount I want assures my psyche that I have succeeded in life.

    I love greasy, fatty, comfort food that comforts me. Period.

    I use overeating as an excuse for not dealing with my anxieties over my husband's health (he has cancer).

    Big one: I hate exercise. I'm not lazy; I'm a nurse and work long days...I just really hate exercise. I'm trying not to, though.

    There really is no way to end this list except to say that I never thought I had any "emotional hang ups" where food was concerned...I told myself I just loved to eat. Only after examining myself lately have I realized how much my overeating was emotionally driven.
  • quinto1025
    quinto1025 Posts: 53 Member
    Options
    2 simple reasons.

    Laziness

    Horrible diet.
  • kris4chloe
    kris4chloe Posts: 245 Member
    Options
    I was thin in highschool and my weight would go up a little bit but i would control it by not eating. bad, bad, bad

    i had and still have a fast food and junk food addiction.

    I got pregnant with my first kid and used it as an excuse to eat whatever i want, especially carbs, junk food, fast food and ICE CREAM

    I have spent the last 16 years fighting to get the extra 100 lbs i put on that pregnancy doing lots of different diets (seriously i could fill up an entire page with a list of them).

    I still fight the urge to run into Del Taco, or go get an entire gallon of peanut butter chocolate ice cream, but got tired of feeling yucky and miserable.
  • penney88
    penney88 Posts: 32
    Options
    I used to be very thin and didnt have to worry about what I ate and would just naturally burn.
    Then I had a baby- went back to my old habits, over eating junk, drinking, and being lazy.
    My body does not (sadly) burn the way it used to sooo here I am 150 aiming to get back to my 125 status!
    Friend me if your motivating, cause I need all the help I can get!
  • rdsxgrl28
    rdsxgrl28 Posts: 165 Member
    Options
    Hmm let's see, other than not caring my contributing factors:

    Depressed, abused, divorced, back at home with my parents at 23 - oh and for good measure found out I was pregnant. So food was my friend.
  • nmm1224
    nmm1224 Posts: 2 Member
    Options
    For me its a simple matter of eating whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted, and being super super lazy. If i was bored, i'd eat. If I wanted to reward myself, I'd eat. If i was feeling sad, I'd eat. Food was definitely a comfort for me. I'm finding that now that i truly WANT to lose the weight and NEED to lose the weight that it's not as hard as I made myself believe it was. If you want something, you'll get there. I've barely lost 10 pounds and still have a long way to go, but I can tell that my way of thinking about food is starting to change..and to me that's the whole idea. Not just to be on a diet for a while to lose some weight, but to make a lifestyle change I can stick with. Good luck to all!!
  • mrosem87
    mrosem87 Posts: 31
    Options
    College ---> stress eating and lack of exercise. =(
  • piezoeyjune
    piezoeyjune Posts: 186 Member
    Options
    For me, I think it's a psychological thing. When I was kid my parents tried to be really really healthy ALL the time. They hardly ever let me have sweet or fatty things. But when I was older and I had my own money I could buy them all the time, so I craved what I had been deprived and ate them all the time.
    But that is going to change.

    OMG, this is so me.
    I used to go to my friends house and head straight for the "junk food cabinet". They had EVERYTHING. It was awesome.

    Yup... need to change that mindset.
  • tiffanypardus
    tiffanypardus Posts: 54
    Options
    I had my first child.
  • bmayes
    bmayes Posts: 55
    Options
    This is a great post....I would say #1 I LOVE FOOD! I grew up with excellent cooks in my family..and followed by (in no particular order) alcohol, portion control, and eating waaaaay too many calories and junk. I can seriously eat like a grown man!

    I have always been physically active and I honestly enjoy getting up and moving - especially dancing! My level of physical activity has definitely slowed down as of the past few years. My caloric intake exceeds my output of activity.

    I am still struggling with these challenges. I have come to realize they harm me but I haven't been able to exercise enough self control to overcome them on a continual 'lifestyle change' basis.
  • Walkin4Lyfe
    Walkin4Lyfe Posts: 15 Member
    Options
    I have no excuse, I can't even say that I've had kids. I love to cook and I love to eat. When it came to good food...I was impulsive and ate whatever was tasty. I gained my weight over a period of ten years and now I've finally controlled it. I still love to cook and eat but now it's all healthy and I actually care about what I put in my body. I haven't had a soda in 6 months and the only "fast food" I've had has been subway(fresh fit menu). We can overcome obesity!!!
  • suemomof2
    suemomof2 Posts: 6
    Options
    I gained 80 pounds with each of my pregnancies. My last child was born 4 years ago and it took me that long to lose 70 of it. I am working on the last 10!
  • Kittykat_87
    Kittykat_87 Posts: 22
    Options
    KIDS
    i started out at
    2003-118lbs pre-1st baby(size 7)
    2003-130lbs post-1st baby (size 9)
    2005-2006 FOOD-WENT FROM 130LBS TO 160LBS IN 13 MONTHS
    2006-160lbs pre 2nd baby(size 11)
    2007-170lbs post 2nd baby(size 11/13)
    2009-175lbs pre 3rd baby(size 11/13)
    2010-192lbs post-3rd baby (size 15)
    2012-185lbs and still losing (size 13 strechy/15 normal but a little big)
  • joyous504
    joyous504 Posts: 72
    Options
    I just never exercised, and while I watched what I ate (I'm a vegan), I never paid attention to the calories. The minute I start to workout for just 30 minutes a day and logging my calories I've seen a huge difference. I figured since I was "heathly and vegan" I was ok - well that was just one FAT mistake. I remember making a vegan cornbread and realized that if I ate 3 pieces that was more than 400 calories. 3 pieces of vegan cornbread was more than the actual main course. Before MFP I would have never even looked at it.

Categories