Why did you gain weight?

I was molested by two different family members at the age of 10 which is when I started putting on the weight. My sisters were always very verbally and physically abusvie towards me as well, being the middle child. I think I used the weight to try to escape from a world that had hurt and betrayed me on so many levels. I thought that the weight would protect me from further sexual abuse and pain, but it caused more pain of another sort. Now that I am losing the weight and finally having to deal with all the emotions and hurt caused by the abuse, I feel stronger than I have in a long time.

This is horrible. I'm so sorry you had to go through that. A loved one was sexually, physically and verbally abused from an early age too and she used to do crazy things to her hair (cutting out huge chunks of it and such). She says that, subconsciously, she thinks she was trying to make herself less sexually attractive. It's horrendous because it totally wasn't her fault and I get angry just thinking that she ever had to think that way.

Well lets see...
Initially, I grew tired of people calling me slim and trying to muscle me ( I was 6ft and weighed about 180lbs)
So I packed on about 20lbs of muscle over a few years and thought I would stop when I reached 220lbs (my wife had some issues with everything I did. I wasn't allowed to join the gym so I invested in my own equipment)
I discovered "value meals" and "comfort foods" that I never ate before
I stopped working out
I was separated from my wife, having a good time being me again
Eating out because I was so busy
Not active at all
Started going to college full-time and working nights full-time
Really starting eating cheap convenience food
Thought that I was carrying it well and thought I could disguise it with bigger clothes
Bigger clothes gave me more room to "grow" not realizing that I didn't need to grow anymore and my it wasn't a good look

Hello all,


I started college about 3 years ago. Before that, I never watched what I ate, only what was cheap. I also started seeing my boyfriend of 3 years. He eats huge portions and all kinds of greasy foods. So, I have gained 40 pounds since I started college. My wardrobe is getting pretty small.
Its hard for me to be consistent with any type of exercise or watching what I eat. None of my friends are being conscientious and I get discouraged all the time.

A few reasons I"m an emotional eater I eat my stress and well I"m stressed pretty much all the time...I LOVE food especially sweets and I love to bake. I dislike exercise and veggies...and the weight gain really started when I was on the depo shot and antidepressants .... I just never got the weight off after stopping the shot and eventually the other mediciation and it just kept adding on over the years

Pregnancy with pre-eclampsia on top of already being chubby due to bad divorce and always being to fat kid

Mine was first, I got married and my lifestyle changed as I tried to fit in with his. And the second, was having a baby.

I am a social and emotional eater. I love going out to eat with my girls. I eat when I'm happy or sad. I think I just didn't pay attention. I love to cook and eat. I don't think I necessary over eat but I eat a lot of fried foods smothered in gravy. Damn southern roots! I also never exercised. I always wanted to be one of those early morning runners who run regardless of weather so Monday I'm starting the C25K so I can hopefully become that person

I was always a big girl, but when World of Warcraft was released...I started playing video games 8-12 hours per day, and not taking the time to cook...ate lots of fast food, never exercised, and this went on for several years... I was in college at the time too, so not only did my health suffer, so did my grades!

Then the past couple of years, I stopped playing so much (maybe an hour a day at most) but I was still in that fast food habit and still never wanted to exercise.

Glad to report that things have really started changing for me this year! I usually only play video games now if I have worked out that day, otherwise I feel really guilty and can't enjoy myself.

For me the list is endless:
Picked on as a kid (bullied, I guess)
Screwed around in college when I should have been studying/learning and ended up dropping out
Had two kids and thought that overeating was acceptable
Husband left me and the kids when they were young (5 and 9 years old)
Found a great guy who is too-freaking thin and thought I could eat like him
Love to cook for my guy and eat with him
Thought exercising was a cruise through the mall
Hate exercise
Depression after 5 surgeries in 15 months (4 were due to a punctured bladder during the first surgry)
Depression from being in debt
Drinking too much wine

Thankfully I have found a new way of seeing things and am happy with my lifestyle change! Things are finally looking great and going in a pleasing way!

when I was little i was a "growing girl"... growing the wrong way! Lost weight in high school (30 pounds!) and kept it off til junior year of college when i dated a guy who wanted to eat out every day. I gained 20 pounds by my 2nd year of grad school. Maintained until I was 24.. at 25 I worked out all year for my wedding -- didnt lose a pound but i toned quite nicely. then I had a kid... gained an additional 10 pounds during pregnancy... afterwards i lost the 10 plus another 20.

Came back to work after maternity leave to my desk job where I promptly packed on 35 pounds -- i wasnt exercising at all and ate the same way I did when I was pregnant. then I maintained for about a year...

second pregnancy packed on 9 pounds (at 184 lbs now) and I thought I would lose that and another 20 when I gave birth. Nope. Didnt lose anything. Came back to work and gained 2 pounds (now 186).

Maintained for 3 years. Tried working out and doing pilates etc... nothing took weight off. I wasnt paying attention to my food though either and I ended up having back problems, foot problems , etc. but the doctors said my weight was 'fine' . Im 5'5. 186 pounds is NOT fine. Either way, my injuries kept me out of the gym.

Third pregnancy. I gained 6 pounds. After birth I lost the 6 pounds. Went to see a trainer and they recommended this site... I started at 186 pounds. I am at 175.5.

I guess my main and most recent reasons are because of my pregnancies and I just didnt pay attention to what i was eating (I thought that going to the gym was enough.. its not)... although as a child my family always commented (and still do even though im now smaller than all of them) on me being short and pudgy. i struggle daily with my 'love' of food --- i love to cook, and i love different flavors -- I am attacking this portion by trying to find and cook things that are tasty and good for you...

I was never much of an eater until I was pregnant with my first son. That is when I learned to eat and enjoyed it a little too much!!

Reading a lot of other people's reasons makes me feel pretty bad about my reason......

I'm lazy and love to eat and drink. Bad combo.

There are probably two things that contributed to my weight gain:

1. When I was about 26 I had kidney surgery to remove a stone that was blocking 90% of my kidney. My scar is about 9 inches long. The area around the scar has always felt weird and tingly at times. The muscles in my core have never been the same.

2. When I was 30 I went through a divorce. I felt like a total failure having to move back in with my parents and used food as a comfort.

foodisgood.

i was always chubby then lost alot of weight, went through a bad break up and miscarriage and said screw it and ate for comfort... lost all the weight again, woke up 2 sizes bigger than i went to bed and found out i had SEVEN ovarian cysts and tumors.. the hormone and steroid therapy packed the pounds on and i figured if i was going to gain anyway, i might as well enjoy the ride