What was your A-ha moment?

Options
2

Replies

  • Tonilynn70
    Tonilynn70 Posts: 59 Member
    Options
    i saw a victorias secret fashion show and i couldnt fit my fat hand to the bottom of a pringles jar hahahha. ////fail


    Lol. Hysterical... !!!!!
  • Tonilynn70
    Tonilynn70 Posts: 59 Member
    Options
    My aha moment was going to pick out a wedding dress. I had about 9 months to shop, and I picked out the dress I wanted oniline, I just wanted to go to the store to make sure it fit.

    I had been going through the motions of Weight Watchers and been a member of my gym for several years. I lost 22 lbs between January 1 and July, whatever it was, but I was stuck in a "plateau". You know, that place yyou feel cofortable, but arent really ready to do major change to get out of?

    I knew the girl at the bridal shop from my gym. She took all the same class I do, and she was 10 years younger than me and a PE teacher. She was probably 50-70 lbs lighter than me (but who's counting, right?) She told me to get undressed and she would help me with the coreset bra and fastening the dresses. She asked me what size I wore and I told "14 seems to be a little tight right now". The sad thing was, she brough 14's, 16's and even a couple of 18's and they were all too small.

    I did buy a dress that day believe it or not. I wasn't in love with it, but I was so mortified I just wanted to leave and chop off my body fat. This was supposed to be the one day I would look the most beautiful in my entire life. And I couldn't even fit into a dress.

    Well, that day,or shortly thereafter, I learned about MFP and joined. I started at around 190 lbs and today I weighed at 167. No pills, no fads, just clean eating and hard work. I feel like crap when I don't work out, and when I eat "bad". I'm not finished, I am changing my life, and I still have a little way to go.

    by the way, the people at the bridal shop were very annoyed with me and a think a little facinated. I returned my dress twice and wore a size 12 to my wedding. :) Pics in profile. :)

    You made me cry!!! I have been there. I found a dress I wanted and went to see it.... Once I saw it in my size it wasn't cute anymore. Great job and you are def motivation!!!!
  • braign
    braign Posts: 89
    Options
    My first A-HA moment was the same as someone else, I went to Disneyland Paris for my friend's bachelorette party, and when the photos went up on Facebook I literally cried because I looked so big and awful, and MUCH worse than I thought I looked. Ended up weighing in at 187lbs, which I thought was the WORST. Lost a bit of weight, got to maybe 180lbs after a couple of months on MFP, then went through a huge life change (married, moved to the states, and all the immigration paperwork) and fell off the wagon for a while. Then my SECOND 'a-ha' moment was creeping over the 200lb mark on the scale. 201lbs put me at the bottom of the 'obese' BMI category and it was a big wakeup call. I was just like 'No, this has got to stop' and my husband and I are both changing our habits now.
  • Tonilynn70
    Tonilynn70 Posts: 59 Member
    Options
    Mine was at a routine doctor appointment. I had been ignoring my scale at home for quite some time, so when I saw the number just shy of 240, I was shocked and disgusted. My doctor gave me an earful, too.

    On the drive home, it just kind of occurred to me, ya know, self, you are young-ish and still reasonably healthy, there is no reason why you cannot weigh what you did in high school. (And yes, I often have conversations with myself in the car LOL)

    At home that evening, the universe sent a sign... while reading a magazine, there was an article on the best fitness mobile apps. MFP was not listed, but when I did an online search for some of the others, it kept appearing in the results.

    I found it, loved it, and have just stuck with it. Yep, I have bad days/weeks, but I just keep plugging along with the faith that I WILL be thinner and healthier again. That's it for me.

    YOU, my wonderful friend, always motivate me. And I also have very intense conversations with myself in the car lol. You know I think you're amazing!!!
  • mrsnathanandrew
    mrsnathanandrew Posts: 631 Member
    Options
    My aha moment was going to pick out a wedding dress. I had about 9 months to shop, and I picked out the dress I wanted oniline, I just wanted to go to the store to make sure it fit.

    I had been going through the motions of Weight Watchers and been a member of my gym for several years. I lost 22 lbs between January 1 and July, whatever it was, but I was stuck in a "plateau". You know, that place yyou feel cofortable, but arent really ready to do major change to get out of?

    I knew the girl at the bridal shop from my gym. She took all the same class I do, and she was 10 years younger than me and a PE teacher. She was probably 50-70 lbs lighter than me (but who's counting, right?) She told me to get undressed and she would help me with the coreset bra and fastening the dresses. She asked me what size I wore and I told "14 seems to be a little tight right now". The sad thing was, she brough 14's, 16's and even a couple of 18's and they were all too small.

    I did buy a dress that day believe it or not. I wasn't in love with it, but I was so mortified I just wanted to leave and chop off my body fat. This was supposed to be the one day I would look the most beautiful in my entire life. And I couldn't even fit into a dress.

    Well, that day,or shortly thereafter, I learned about MFP and joined. I started at around 190 lbs and today I weighed at 167. No pills, no fads, just clean eating and hard work. I feel like crap when I don't work out, and when I eat "bad". I'm not finished, I am changing my life, and I still have a little way to go.

    by the way, the people at the bridal shop were very annoyed with me and a think a little facinated. I returned my dress twice and wore a size 12 to my wedding. :) Pics in profile. :)

    Sounds like me, when I started trying on dresses I was in a 24 :(. Now I'm getting married in 4 months and my dress is a 16
  • KrystleKiri
    KrystleKiri Posts: 135
    Options
    My doctor told me I weighed 224 pounds. I was a little taken back, but not shaken to the point of change. I told my mother in law, and she replied with "oh is that it? we all thought you were pregnant again and just didn't tell us yet." That was my moment where I knew this couldn't keep going in the direction it was going.
  • ElizmaKnowles
    ElizmaKnowles Posts: 54
    Options
    I have always had a problem with my weight and have had the usual ups and downs and yo-yoing for at least the last decade - I always used food as a crutch, typical emotional eater type stuff.
    Recently I have just been getting bigger and bigger and instead of addressing it just bought bigger and bigger clothes.
    My breaking point came in March when we went skiing in France and my legs could not hold me any longer and I felt like I was going to die! On the second day of lessons I was SO exhausted that I could only do one slope and sat stewing with anger while my husband and the instructor did a couple more. I was SO depressed and angry that I was missing out on all the fun that I vowed to start addressing the problem and sort myself out when we got home.
    So despite joining MFP in January this year it's not until March 26 that I actually committed and stuck with it. So far I have lost 12lbs (5.5kg) by simply counting my calories and making a point of exercising. Am hoping for a few more to drop before we go away again at the end of the month but the changes that I have made are lifestyle ones that I will be able to uphold so looking good for getting there this time.
  • LifeChangingExp
    LifeChangingExp Posts: 459
    Options
    My aha moment was going to pick out a wedding dress. I had about 9 months to shop, and I picked out the dress I wanted oniline, I just wanted to go to the store to make sure it fit.

    I had been going through the motions of Weight Watchers and been a member of my gym for several years. I lost 22 lbs between January 1 and July, whatever it was, but I was stuck in a "plateau". You know, that place yyou feel cofortable, but arent really ready to do major change to get out of?

    I knew the girl at the bridal shop from my gym. She took all the same class I do, and she was 10 years younger than me and a PE teacher. She was probably 50-70 lbs lighter than me (but who's counting, right?) She told me to get undressed and she would help me with the coreset bra and fastening the dresses. She asked me what size I wore and I told "14 seems to be a little tight right now". The sad thing was, she brough 14's, 16's and even a couple of 18's and they were all too small.

    I did buy a dress that day believe it or not. I wasn't in love with it, but I was so mortified I just wanted to leave and chop off my body fat. This was supposed to be the one day I would look the most beautiful in my entire life. And I couldn't even fit into a dress.

    Well, that day,or shortly thereafter, I learned about MFP and joined. I started at around 190 lbs and today I weighed at 167. No pills, no fads, just clean eating and hard work. I feel like crap when I don't work out, and when I eat "bad". I'm not finished, I am changing my life, and I still have a little way to go.

    by the way, the people at the bridal shop were very annoyed with me and a think a little facinated. I returned my dress twice and wore a size 12 to my wedding. :) Pics in profile. :)


    Thats so amazing!! =)
  • ktrn0312
    ktrn0312 Posts: 723 Member
    Options
    My "aha moment" was being told I had to start taking cholesterol lowering medication six months ago. Losing the weight was the only option in the hopes of eventually being weaned off the medication. Now vanity has taken over. I am beginning to love the way I look.
  • sdavis448
    sdavis448 Posts: 195 Member
    Options
    I realized I have almost no pictures of my son and I. I don't want him ( or my newborn daughter) to look back at these photo's and woder where their mom was.
  • laddyboy
    laddyboy Posts: 1,565 Member
    Options
    Bump for later....Inspiring stories.
  • glennstoudt
    glennstoudt Posts: 403 Member
    Options
    So share your turning point for encouragement for the rest of us.


    Probably a familiar story. Went for annual doctor visit following full metabolic panel. Doctor says your cholesterol is a little high. First time for me. He didn't talk about statin drugs which is good, because I do not wish to take them. He did say work on that for 3 months and do a lipid panel again. The next day I started a self directed restricted calorie, lower carb, low saturated fat, anti inflammatory oriented diet. I increased my exercise time, mostly walking the golf course. After another 6-8 weeks I joined a gym and started visiting 3-6 days a week for short duration high intensity strength training. Now having lost 17% of my former body weight and arriving to <25 BMI, I am more focused on when to stop losing weight. And the blood numbers all fell in line famously with natural intervention, no meds. The most of it was accomplished in about 6 months.
  • AdiposeRapture
    AdiposeRapture Posts: 61
    Options
    I've been up and down, up and down for years. My gallbladder went, I lost 60 pounds- they took it out, I gained it all back and more. I went gluten free- lost 45 pounds. Felt great. Quit smoking in December, gained it all back and lots more.
    Always said "I'll lose the weight" but never really believed I could or would. I had given up.

    This is exactly how it happened. :P Kinda crude.

    2 and a half weeks ago- I farted in bed. A fat to kill all farts. The worst smell anyone has ever smelled. Ever. It literally disturbed me (and my husband ran from the room and stayed out)... The next day, it was a Saturday, I was Googling reasons why gas would smell that bad. Ended up on a raw vegan site, reading about carcass in the bowels and being the extremist I am... well.
    I woke up on Sunday a different person. I found NutriDiary (like this but way crappier) and starting logging everything. I went for a walk, The first walk in I dont know how many years. (Ive walked every day since, even in the pouring rain). I started doing Dance Central on Kinect- never even did it for fun before, now Im doing it in 30-45 minute increments and going as hard as I can. I stopped eating junk food and bought veggies and rice and bean chips and lentil crackers and HUMMUS!! *I adore hummus*.

    I don't know why foul gas is what finally caused me to wake up. The pictures were horrifying. The mirror was my nightmare but it was the fart that started it all.

    *Sorry to those this is too gross for, but it's truth :P*
  • billgiersberg
    billgiersberg Posts: 163
    Options
    I was sitting in my LazyBoy one evening and it dawned on me that my gut was becomming like a table for me to set things on but the Ah-Ha moment came a few weeks later when I was helping my brother put up a fence and our dad was helping us. We were all in t-shirts and someone took a photo. I saw my dad had a gut too and then I saw myself 20 years from now. That was my ah-ha and "NO WAY" moment. I was 265 then. Now I'm 230 and am learning to eat better and count calories. Exercise and fitness have become my new routine when I get home from work. I do a litle cardio but prefer strength training mostly. It works! I just had a physical and my doc was all smiles and congradulating me for dropping my cholestrol 30 points and my weight by 21 lbs over the last 6 months (I attribute that to a lot of chicken, Omega 3-6-9, Red Yeast Rice and Chitosan) Several time though he was commenting about muscle mass. My guess is that he just does not see it in my age group in his office, something I also observed in his waiting room.
  • mamamudbug
    mamamudbug Posts: 572 Member
    Options
    With my last baby I ended up with gestational diabetes. With the help of a dr and nutritionist, I tried to control it first with diet then insulin. We never did get my bg numbers where they were supposed to be before delivery. After I delivered my son and went through all the check ups I weighed 15 pounds less than when I got pregnant. The nutritionist had told me that if I stuck with the diet I would continue to lose weight even while nursing (I was taking in enough calories to do it). I didn't listen and soon I was back up to my pregnancy weight and then past it. I finally hit "that" number on the scale and really felt like if I didn't do something then, I would be past the point of no return. I was worried about developing full blown diabetes and having to go back to taking shots all day long. I knew I would have to watch what I ate then, so I decided to do something about it before I ended up having to take meds.
  • natural813
    natural813 Posts: 186 Member
    Options
    I became pregnant last year and gained alot of weight, I promise myself after the babies I will get back on track, but I began to eat the wrong foods and began to gain even more weight. I have never been in the 200's before. I battled with it for months until I went to the doctor on Feb. 29th and the scale said 223. That was the moment I said enough is enough. On March 4th I stopped eating bad foods and only drinking water. I have now lost 28 pounds and so proud of myself , 39 more to go! :)
  • kristelpoole
    kristelpoole Posts: 440 Member
    Options
    I tried to fit into my favorite jeans and a tank top and had a hard time getting them on. Once I did, I realized my stomach fat was just pouring all over the place and I stood there in front of my dresser and I cried. I cried to my boyfriend and I knew I had to do something to get back to myself again. I used to be an athlete and I used to feel strong and powerful. But that was 10 years ago. I'm still hoping that I can be that person again.
  • kris1085
    kris1085 Posts: 1,436 Member
    Options
    When i seen a picture of myself and my 2 neices and one of their cousins on Christmas of 2010 i was like wow i need to do somehting about this !~ And i started my diet a few days later in January of 2011 a good friend of mine told me about Myfitnesspal and i have lost 53 pounds !
  • brobin41101
    brobin41101 Posts: 212 Member
    Options
    My moment came, one day ,when a friend I work with was talking about MFP, and using the app. I noticed she ate pretty much anything she wanted while on her lunch or breaks at work. I'm talking donuts, candy bars etc. Now, don't get me wrong...she didn't eat a box of donuts or anything and not all the time, yet she still was losing weight. She admits openly she loves to eat. It was then I thought to myself I really need to check this out ! If she could lose weight and eat regular food this could work for me. A few weeks went by...she was still losing weight. Knowing that I will be turning 50 years old this year, I decided I better do something sooner rather than later. I wanted to get healthier. I have gained and lost the same 50 pounds so many times in my life never being able to keep the weight off. I wanted this to be a change I could maintain for the rest of my life. I simply don't want to be old and feeble and on all kinds of medicine in my golden years. That being said, I sat down at my computer and logged in, Wow, It was the best thing I have ever done for myself... I started MFP June 2011. I am fast approaching my one year anniversary and I have managed to lose 56 pounds !!! ...Yay Me !...I struggle some days but I am determined to get within the healthy range on the weight charts and stay there for the rest of my life....This site is awesome !!! The people are awesome !!! I have met some of the most amazing people....For those of you out there who think you are simply making yourself get healthy...you are also helping others along the way... Thank you ! You truly inspire me support me and encourage me every day !!!... You keep me motivated and accountable . Each day I feel as though I can continue on to my goal of a better way of eating and lifetime of healthier habits.....I Love my MFP Peeps !!! :heart: :heart: :heart:
  • togobug
    togobug Posts: 58 Member
    Options
    I gor married last september i was supposed to do the whole lossing weight before it thing but ended up gaining ten lbs and as im already a tight size 18 i refused to go up a size. My wedding.dress actually tore when i put it on right before the wedding. So for about four mo monthes after the wedding i enjoyed the holidays and as soon as feb got here i started writing it down. When we got our taxes back i went and bought my phone and had this app started the same day. Its been 76 days ive lost 40 lbs and my eighteens fit my husband started a lil while after me and he has lost around 55

Categories