what was your breaking point?

mikebooker1
mikebooker1 Posts: 148 Member
edited December 21 in Motivation and Support
So I'm brand new member here and I just wanted wanted to share my story with you guys. I was that guy who ate whatever he wanted because I knew I would burn it off. I lived and active lifestyle and thrived on it as well. that was until I went thru a divorce at 28 years old. Everything came to a screeching halt. As time past I knew I had gained weight but was basically in denial. In my younger days I was 6'5 and 225 lbs and i knew I was far from that number. All the while telling myself I can snap back whenever I like. Friends that have known me for a while tease me sometimes but still I think hey I can do this when I'm ready.

Well I just turned 33 and I'm tired of feeling tired all the time. I have no excuse because I know what it takes and I'm ready. My awakening point came just over a year ago when my parents and I were walking thru a park. I was about to turn 32 at the time and my 54 year dad challenges me as we're walking past chin up bar to do some pull ups. In my mind I thought," Come on Dad really?" Bothof my parents had recently embarked on their own lifestye change they looked great. So here I am at the challenge presented by my dad and I tell him "old people first". Well he hops up and with a smile on his face did five pull ups! And to add insult he pulls his legs up to his chest while suspended and does some knee bends! Needless to say I was impressed!

So here I go thinking in my head I can do this...that was until I hopped up and was barely even strong enough to support my own weight. I couldn't even do one! broken and embarrassed I jump down.The rest of the day was beautiful but all I could think of was the chin up incident.

I've had little flashes since then when I go on a quick crash diet and loose ten pounds or so but I'm physically tired of it! I want to enjoy my life again. I hate buying 44 inch waist pants! Swimning with a tshirt on sucks! And worst of all I don't want the health problems that will spring up if I don't start living right today!

So here I am looking for all the motivation and support I can find. Also along the way return the favor where ever I can. I've actually never told that story to anyone about how I felt on that day. It does feel good to release though... well feel free to add me...

off to take a walk... :o)

Replies

  • stopdangerpi
    stopdangerpi Posts: 34
    I saw a photo of myself on a trip to Costa Rica in a bathing suit where I thought I looked great, young and fun but my weight seemed to add 5 years.
  • awolf2011
    awolf2011 Posts: 265 Member
    My turning point came in December of 2011 when my best friends mother died of a massive heart attack at the age of 64 and then it really hit me on January 2, 2012 when my mother-in-law, who was only 63, died of a massive heart attack. My MIL suffered from diabetes her whole life. She was a farmers wife, so she grew to know how to cook for anyone and everyone and made enough food to feed a small army. Her thing was.....food!! I have 3 young boys and my older boys (6 & 7) were the world to her and she always treated them with snacks and stuff like that. She always gave them healthy snacks though, but I wish that she could have done that for herself and cut down on how much she ate during the day. She suffered the loss of her brother 2 1/2 weeks before she passed away, so this was very stressful.

    I realized when I got to her house, where she passed away, that I want to be around for my kids as long as I possibly can and to see my grandkids as well. It has been a very stressful, happy, sad, etc. journey, but it has been a good one. When I am having one of those down days, I just think of her and it makes me push harder to get to where I want to be. She will forever be looking over me as I continue through life and I just wish that she could have endured this journey with me.......in person and not spirit........:cry:
  • bradphil87
    bradphil87 Posts: 617 Member
    I was in denial too man....I thought "hey your just a big/large guy that's all" but sadly it was a lie. I am a big guy, (not as tall as you, but above ave.) but that's no excuse. And I was very obese. I am happy to say that today I am overweight!!!!! (wait, did he say he was happy that he's overweight?) yeah I did!!!! Because when I started my bmi was 37.5. Now it is 29.6 :) I know people don't like to use bmi a lot, but I'm proud that I got mine down. And I'm looking forward to hitting that healthy range! I saw pictures of myself at that weight. And thought, it's just a bad picture, that's all. Thank god I stopped with the excuses and denial!!!
  • mikebooker1
    mikebooker1 Posts: 148 Member
    Yeah I was starting to believe that. People would tell me things like you hold your weight well tho. What the heck does that mean anyways? Well glad to see I wasn't the only one. Best of luck to you all out there!
  • sarahrbraun
    sarahrbraun Posts: 2,261 Member
    I've been unhappy for a while...seeing myself in the mirror was always sad. In february I finally got the Y membership that I have wanted for 2-3 years, and I committed to getting into better shape.

    ....then in April I went to a friend's son's birthday party, and she took a picture I didn't know about, and POSTED it on facebook. I saw myself and I wanted to cry. My boobs sat right on my belly, my tank top was stretched over my belly in such a way that you could see the dent of my belly button. I knew I looked bad, but it still HURT to see it. Two weeks later I tweaked my diet to allow for better weight loss, and I have lost 9-10 pounds in the last month. I still have about 65 pounds to go, but I am on my way!

    ETA: I decided that that picture was the worst...so I am taking a picture in that outfit once a week! I can see a change already...my belly isn't outlined, and you cannot easily see my navel :D
  • mikebooker1
    mikebooker1 Posts: 148 Member
    That's great Sara! We have got stay with it! I definitely can agree. I have a pic on my fb from awhile back with some friends at the beach. They were all my former military buddies and still look the same and there I am looking all lumpy... smh. You know they say the camera doesn't lie? Best of luck!
  • happyfeetrebel1
    happyfeetrebel1 Posts: 1,005 Member
    I understand this!!

    My turning point was my cousin's wedding photos. At her wedding, I looked like the long lost fat relative. It was such a shock. I knew I was big..but THAT BIG!!??

    I have lost some weight now, and I emailed that cousin and asked her to send me EVERY SINGLE fat photo she had. I've saved them on my PC and I"m gonna make a 'before and after' collage!

    And to the guy who said 'whoo hoo, I'm overweight', I get this too

    I'm 3 lbs from being an 'overweight' bmi, and I started at Morbidly Obese!
  • midcoast_mommy
    midcoast_mommy Posts: 127 Member
    On my 2 year wedding anniversary last month, my husband and I took pictures together. I couldn't believe what I looked like in those pictures - I had become way bigger than I thought! A few days later, I checked my weight on a BMI calculator and learned that I had become obese! My lifestyle change started that night. :wink:
  • EvilMomma
    EvilMomma Posts: 70 Member
    I've watched my weight go up, and up, and up until I looked down and saw that my scale read 230.0. OMG! I just couldn't do it anymore. All the fast food, all the excuses, all the little cheats suddenly caught up to me. Without telling anyone, I bought some steam-in-the-bag veggies and started eating healthy. Today I've lost 14 lbs, according to the Scale God...
  • KCoolBeanz
    KCoolBeanz Posts: 813 Member
    My clothes had been getting tighter, and I was in a horrible funk, and generally felt like *kitten*. I was tires of starting and stopping all the time. I literally woke up one day and was sick of it all, and decided I I was going to feel better, I NEEDED to change. Almost 3 months later, and things are going great :)
  • mikebooker1
    mikebooker1 Posts: 148 Member
    I really hope all you guys stick with the changes that you decided to make in your lives. In the last two weeks I've lost 10 pounds and I haven't really done anything crazy except become more active and eat sensibly. I've encorporated 30 minutes to the eleptical machine a couple times a week and become more active.

    Best wishes to you guys
  • marci423
    marci423 Posts: 130 Member
    My mom had a stroke in Jan. 2010, that didn't really have any affect on me.........then, she had another in March 2010.......that one, well, it took til May for me to realize I needed to start doing something to change my ways :o) I started out slow, looking at labels and realizing that I was eating a LOT of calories, and burning none off........ I lost a little bit before June, but it was when I stepped on the scales after I don't know how many years and saw 240 that I knew something had to change......... I started with the foods, then started walking in Aug. 2010....

    I am down 60lbs now. I go to a gym, have a trainer and walk A LOT! I watch what I eat, I feel awesome and have 3 5ks under my belt since April of this year.

    my mom lives with us....... she doesn't appreciate the fact of what I give up to make sure she gets her needs met....I didn't want to be a burden on my daughter........

    good luck on your journey, it's not an easy one...........
  • NobleSpirit11
    NobleSpirit11 Posts: 24
    My breaking point was when I left teaching disillusioned. At that time, I weighed only 190 lbs. Overweight for my height, but not terrible. As time wore on and I became depressed, and my weight ballooned up to 275 lbs because I did not care.

    I turned 30 last year, and decided to change my life for the better. I went back to school, and earned a vocational degree recently. Now I'm going to tackle my weight problem with the same determination. I know I can do better for myself!
  • donnagriffin2004
    donnagriffin2004 Posts: 1
    I gained weight steadly in my adult life. Anytime I thought about it I justified it by saying, but everytime I have my annual checkup I am in great health. Therefore the weight couldn't be taking a toll on the quality of my life. My dad would talk to me about my weight and I always thought if it started to affect my health I will do something about it. Well, fast forward to my 2012 annual physical and my doctor told me that my blood pressure is borderline high and suggested that I begin to lose weight. I had been using that crutch for so long that when she talked to me about it I was just blown away. I was in a funk for a few days but then decided to do something about it. I have been following the Dash diet - low sodium - and it has not been all that difficult. I still have a loooooooong way to go but I feel good that I have started the journey. :happy:
  • mikebooker1
    mikebooker1 Posts: 148 Member
    NobleSpirit I went thru a low stage in my life around 2007 which is when I gain most of my weight. The biggest I ever got was 330 in 2010. I've since trickled down to about 305 give or take but it's time take control of my life again! Best wishes to and Travel Light Man...
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