Biggest Regret in your Fitness Journey?

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Replies

  • DaveC29
    DaveC29 Posts: 232 Member
    I'd definitely echo the 'did it sooner' sentiment... I was a mean 165 coming out of Army Basic Training... up 20 pounds from my scrawny high school weight- then I wasted it and ballooned up. I got out of the Army and gained even more, got lazier and let it all go... until you have that first health scare!

    Mine was with my wife who was found to be pre-diabetic during some tests for her weight related health issues. I had to evaluate where I was at and then it hit me how far down the road I had gone. It's been a long road back, but I'm loving it, loving the exercise challenges I've conquered, and needed and embraced the change
  • McLifterPants
    McLifterPants Posts: 457 Member
    Not doing my research ahead of time and starting out with the undereating and over cardio-ing mentality. Yeah I lost weight, but I felt like crap! I wish I'd found out how to set my calorie goals and that I should be doing weight lifting a lot earlier.
  • nheilweil
    nheilweil Posts: 82 Member
    I regret deleting my "before" pics right after taking them. I was embarrassed and wasn't at all sure I'd be successful. Now, I wish I had a clear pic of where I came from and where I never want to be again!
  • ytfelmi
    ytfelmi Posts: 47
    I regret having gained 30 of the 60lbs I lost a few years ago, after maintaing for over 2 years.. and for not sticking with mfp the first time around. Luckily I've lost 12lbs so far, and in HALF the time it took me last year to lose 13 (that I had gained back after leaving the site for awhile).
  • JThomas61
    JThomas61 Posts: 892
    Putting everything and everyone before my health and fitness. Listening to doctors that gave me poor advice and ashamed that I listened to it for so long. But then I took control and now I am a lean, mean, honey badger machine!
  • EvilMomma
    EvilMomma Posts: 70 Member
    My biggest regret is complacency when I was younger. I'm 51 and perimenopausal, meaning that the hormones don't just jack me around for a couple of days, now its a month or more at a time. I put off losing until later and now that later is here, its is amazingly difficult. The second regret is not building physical activity into my suburban lifestyle--I grew up on a ranch and graduated high school with the body of an athlete and the arrogance of a kid on top of the world (physically speaking). Now I'm doing yoga to convince the ol' tendons and muscles to stretch and give. I'm learning to eat healthy for the first time in my life. I'm doing the emotional work that will sustain the weight loss and prevent self-sabotage. So I guess its all good...
  • tashjs21
    tashjs21 Posts: 4,584 Member
    That I let pregnancy derail me and used the "not enough time" excuse after my daughter was born.

    I am starting completely over when i was only a few pounds away from my goal. :sad:
  • SkinnyBeth4Life
    SkinnyBeth4Life Posts: 116 Member
    Mu biggest regret was trying to do it with Slim Fast the first time.

    I lost 40 pounds but the majority was muscle. Now, I'm 46% body fat and burn much fewer calories than someone my size should. I gained 20 of it back what feels like overnight (actually took 2 years) and now I'm struggling to lose it the right way.

    If I had joined this site the first time, I would have realized I was escentially starving myself.
  • sheila569
    sheila569 Posts: 269 Member
    After nearly 15 years of being a fat *kitten*... wish I did it sooner.
  • mainelymama
    mainelymama Posts: 57
    I wish I didnt give up on running. Before I gained all this weight back I could run 3 miles!
  • KDCrocker
    KDCrocker Posts: 12 Member
    Getting to this point in the first place...
  • BeSophisticate
    BeSophisticate Posts: 132
    First, let me say that you can still participate in competitions. There is no reason you can't. Men and women in their 70's and 80's compete. It's certainly possible, even at the 'gasp' extreme age of 35. Thirty-five is not old, so just forget that right now.

    I have two major regrets:
    1) Like you, I regret not starting sooner. Life would have been so much more fun for so much more time.
    2) I also regret the very nearly disastrous flirtation I had with anorexia my senior year in high school and freshmen and sophomore years in college. I almost destroyed myself (pneumonia for 6 months) and nearly failed out of school. It's amazing what you think is important at that age.
  • Will_Thrust_For_Candy
    Will_Thrust_For_Candy Posts: 6,109 Member
    Great thread!

    I think, like many, it's the whole waiting too long.......I've always struggled and in the past always tried for the "quick fix". I didn't have the knowledge that I have now, although sometimes that comes with age too :)

    But this time around, from when I started to change my life, not just diet, I would have to say it's for sure not starting weights earlier and doing cardio overkill! I'm overall very happy with how I've achieved my success thus far and I'm so lucky to have a great support system but those weights.....yeah that's definitely the way to go! And EATING! I'm totally not on a "diet", I make healthy choices.....it's such a big difference and I feel the best that I've ever felt!

    Way to go us!
  • tigerlily8045
    tigerlily8045 Posts: 402 Member
    I wish I would have known what an Upper working out is! Mentally I am on top of the world and am in such better moods all the time.
  • vivsgym
    vivsgym Posts: 10 Member
    That I starting out with a ridiculous calorie deficit because I didn't do proper weight loss research and I only thought about losing weight NOW, not how weak and unhealthy my body would become later with such lack of nutrients in my diet. s! But I've changed my ways, and I'm still young. So I gotta be thankful for that! :)
  • gseburn
    gseburn Posts: 456 Member
    The day, 15 or 20 years ago when I was working legs hard. After doing squats I felt a little twinge, but went ahead and did heavy (for me) leg presses anyway. That was the start of years of back trouble!
  • StarIsMoving
    StarIsMoving Posts: 437
    Totally should have taken full "before" pics. I hid from the camera then though, was so ashamed and it literally sickened me to see myself in a pic. However to SEE where I started would be awesome
  • Tayloral6899
    Tayloral6899 Posts: 33
    Too touchy of a subject I C for some....Truth...listening to others for a long time...then knowing the medical treatment was incorrect..

    For me....TG! I have Not ever exprience any health issues....other than always tried to encourage JT to do so, and I'am very proud that he has accomplished so much in so little time....Luv what you have done for yourself!!
  • Alaarie
    Alaarie Posts: 29 Member
    Yep, I wish I would have started sooner. Not just for myself, but for my kids. They're healthy (only 10 and 5 years old) but they don't enjoy healthy foods. I wish I would have been cooking fresh, healthy food when they were younger so it wouldn't be such a struggle now to get them to eat dinner now. I also wish I were setting a better example for them... rather than crashing on the couch after work, I should have been up playing with them. We do more of that now, but I missed so many opportunities when they were tiny.
  • Toxictwist
    Toxictwist Posts: 274
    Didnt start sooner. Better late then never tho :)
  • Moniqua1
    Moniqua1 Posts: 195 Member
    Not doing my research ahead of time and starting out with the undereating and over cardio-ing mentality. Yeah I lost weight, but I felt like crap! I wish I'd found out how to set my calorie goals and that I should be doing weight lifting a lot earlier.

    ^ THIS!!!
  • nataliexxxx
    nataliexxxx Posts: 262
    That I could have started this about 3 years ago and could have lost all the weight by now and that I have lost weight before and just put it back on why did I give up!!
  • DawnieB1977
    DawnieB1977 Posts: 4,248 Member
    I regret eating so few calories in my 20s because it's messed up my metabolism now! I wish i'd known about strength and resistance training then and eating more protein. I also regret moaning I was fat then because I wasn't at all! I would kill to be as slim as I was 10 years ago (although my jeans from then do up now!)

    I also wish I hadn't put on so much weight in my 2nd pregnancy, but then I have 2 beautiful children now so it was worth it.
  • nataliexxxx
    nataliexxxx Posts: 262
    Mine would definitely be how difficult it's been to BE CONSISTENT!! I work hard, take it off, then slowly put it back on. I swear I've gained and lost the same 10-25 lbs over the last 20 years! It's sad and frustrating.

    Me too although over the last 3 years its so annoying
  • Karebear_68
    Karebear_68 Posts: 67
    I agree with ^^! :glasses:
  • IsleEsme
    IsleEsme Posts: 175 Member
    Losing and gaining, losing and gaining, and now on my 3rd time losing. Geez, this better be my "3rd time is the charm" weight loss journey. It's incredibly unheathly to lose and gain so many times. I'm afraid I've done permanant damage. I just want to be healthy and stay that way.
  • TundraTed
    TundraTed Posts: 254 Member
    Not starting sooner.
  • mrsnathanandrew
    mrsnathanandrew Posts: 631 Member
    That I waited so long to take it serious.

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