What motivated you to loose weight?

My breaking point came when I was leaving for work one morning and drop something on the floor. I bent over to pick it up and my pants totally split in half. I was over it! I was so much in denial then, I honestly didn't think I was THAT big but look at some past pictures, I was definitely fooling myself.

I started back because of how my health was affected by the weight gain. After being hurt in Iraq I gained about 70lbs. The VA told me that if I didn't do anything about it I would be put on medication for blood pressure and cholesterol. So I lost a little weight here and there, but never really got serious about it. I got down to 223lbs and married my beautiful wife Kris. When we got the photos back I couldn't believe how bad things had gotten for me. Here I was, an over weight chunky butt standing next to a beautiful women. I needed to change. I know she didn't marry me for being a fitness buff, but I felt it unfair for her to see me slowly kill myself with weight problems. So a friend told me about MFP about 2 weeks ago and now I am down to 207lbs and still headed toward my old Army weight of 180lbs. MFP has helped me really think about what I am putting into my body and exercising right. When I put in what I eat as I go through the day and then exercise in the afternoon I really like to see the

Calories - Exercise=Greatness factor.

I'm really proud of myself and all the others who are taking back control of their lives or finally taking control. Go everyone!!!!

Long story short...I ripped the leg out of a pair of my jeans....blah.

I tipped the scale 41 lbs. more than I am now and was really disgusted. A combination of medicine for health related concerns aided in my nearly 70 lb. weight gain. I felt miserable and stuck in a body that I knew shouldn't be so large.

Now after losing the 41 lbs I'm still on a journey but I look in the mirror now and am starting to see that pretty girl I remember.

what motivated me to loose weight: In mid December 2011 I ate a whole bunch of Christmas cookies and I could FEEL it in my blood..I got all jittery,an instant headache and my heart rate got wonky.. It freaked me out. I thought maybe I was getting Diabetes. SO, My Husband (who was in the same situation as I was) bought Insanity and I found MFP. I am still loosing (i have 15 pound left until i reach my goal) and I feel SO much better!!

A few things:

I avoid cameras at all costs but my 5-yr old daughter has managed to get a few profile shots of me on her LeapPad while I have been sitting at my computer desk and, to be honest, I looked like Jabba the Hut. It was like--eww, WTF is that! I would yell at her not to take my pictures--which made me feel bad since she was not doing it deliberately. Now, whenever anyone tries to take a pic of me she will tell them that her mom doesn't like to take pictures--which is both embarrassing and sad. I am still too ashamed to post a pic on here.

You know how most fat women have a story about someone mistaking them for being pregnant? Well, I was the one who was thinking I looked pregnant--though I knew that definitely was not the case! Even when I put on Spanx, I still looked pregnant. It was disturbing.

I switched primary care providers and my new doctor ordered about a thousand tests for me because of my medical condition..."obesity". I have always been fat but to me an obese person is someone who you see on the Maury Povich show. I was stunned to realize that medically I was considered an at risk patient. It scared the crap out of me.

I am hoping this works because I need to change.

My motivation...40!
I only have two options I'll either be 40 or I'll be dead, so since my options are limited why not be healthier and thinner at forty.

Peace of mind. At 275 lbs I experienced a series of panic attacks that I believed to be heart attacks. After my 3rd or 4th time being driven to the ER just to be told I was not dying, I decided to take the steps I needed to take to lower my risk factor so I could be absolutely sure I was having a panic attack and not a heart attack.

I don't get panic attacks nearly as often anymore, and when I do I'm not nearly as afraid of them, but I decided to lose the rest of the weight because of how much more comfortable I am in my own skin. When I was obese I wouldn't go swimming, I wouldn't go clothes shopping, I wouldn't wear tank tops or above-the-knee shorts or skirts, the list goes on and on.. and these are all things I've found that I love to do now that I have the confidence! The next goal is short-shorts and miniskirts. Soon.

I enjoyed most of my teens and early twenties relatively in shape. I gained 80 pounds while pregnant with my son in 05/06, and lost it all and then-some afterwards. I quit smoking four years ago, and started replacing cigarettes with snickers, and went on Depo at the same time. Then, I slipped on ice and tore my ACL. That was over six months of hell. My husband finally got fixed and I was able to go off the birth control, but between my inactivity from the ACL, quitting smoking, and the birth control, I put on a fast 85 pounds. I am heavier now than I was when I was 9 months pregnant with my son. I also have a sedentary job, which doesn't help my cause at all.

I didn't think much of it until about a year ago. I was wearing a tank top and pajamas, lounging around the house. I asked my husband if he thought I was fat. He didn't answer, and my son, who was 5 at the time (6 now), piped up. He said, "Mom you're not fat!" Aww warm mushy feelings inside... that were squashed a half a second later when my son finished his thought with "Well, if you were pregnant you wouldn't be fat." I started really looking in the mirror, and at all the pictures on Facebook that I refused to let myself be tagged in, and realized... Oh hell... I am huge. I am out of breath just sitting in a chair. That has to change, and I am hoping MFP can help me with it. I am trying to get my husband on board as well, to help keep both of us motivated!

I've always wanted to lose weight.. I've been overweight/ obese my entire life. I always 'knew' I was chubby.../fat.. I noticed myself gaining weight, I never really paid attention to how much I was gaining. I honestly asked my boyfriend to tell me 'was I cuter when I was around X size'? He said 'Yes'. (He went on to tell me I was beautiful, he loved me, wants me to be happy).. I love him and I'm bigger around than he is.. and that makes me feel bad =( I don't want people to look at us and wonder why I'm so much bigger.. I also want him to have a cute and fit girlfriend..

I got on the scale one day and it told me 214.something.. and I cried. I've tried dieting before and it never worked.. I don't know, something in my head clicked and this time is different.. I wish I could explain it better.. =/

I know for sure I'm sick and tired of telling myself I'm gonna do it, and it never happening and then getting upset over it! And my sweet amazing boyfriend deserves to have me at my best I think that sums it up..