I was already feeling awful about my weight and had started thinking about doing something. One afternoon, I was just sitting around waiting for the kids I babysit to get home from school when my partner texted me: "Omg, I went to the doctor and i weight 180lbs. Its officially crisis time!!!".
I was sitting there almost 100lbs more than her, (granted, two inches taller) and for some reason, it just clicked. 180 was her "crisis" so what did that say about me?

No lightning bolt moment here, either. What prodded me, though, was seeing photos of myself from a cruise I took with a friend, and then summer vacation pictures with my kids. I literally had NO idea I was that fat. Hard to believe, but there it is. I looked AWFUL. Sallow, shapeless, wearing ugly clothes. When I got home from that vacation with my kids, I vowed I'd start making changes, but little ones, because I was almost...afraid?...to lose the weight? I dunno. I started by cutting out all my "treats": chips, cookies, Jos Louis, stuff like that, and I thought "I won't weigh myself, I'll just go by how my clothes fit", but then I thought better of it (thank gawd) after a little while, knowing that I'd be more motivated if I could see the numbers going down. So although I have 236 as my "high" weight...it ain't. It's just my first recorded weight!

At least it inspired change, but what a cruel thing to say.

No real lightning bolt moment for me either. I had lost 40lbs a few years ago, then gained it all back and then some. Lost 60lbs, gained 15 or so. In August 2009, I realized I was creeping towards 200 again, so I cut out crap food and exercised for awhile, then got lazy. I "maintained" (wasn't weighing) but when I got on a scale again it said 208 and that was my red flag...I was simply NOT going to regain again. Plus my dad's diabetic, diagnosed not long before my 2009 go at weight loss...preventative measures, I'm terrified of developing it. I do have an event I'm using as motivation to really push though, my high school reunion this year. I was overweight/obese in HS, so I'd love to reunite with everyone at a healthy weight...especially (showing my petty b**** side here) since according to FB, half the snobby popular girls that thought they were too good to be friends with the fat kids are now about twice their formerly petite selves.

No big moment here. I have fought every pound tooth and nail but it just didn't work. I had months of complacency where I tried to just accept the fat, but that never worked. I had to learn a heap of patience for my efforts to finally take hold.

I was pretty upset about the "fat sex" thing for sure. My plan is whenever I am at goal, to take a picture holding that card in something very slimming and posting it on facebook. So then whoever that person is will KNOW that I didn't think it was funny and it was extremely hurtful.

Hubby says after I read that, I had flames of hatred in my eyes. Kind of like the Jew eye on beerfest.

Two things absolutely PUSHED me to do something. Firstly, I saw a photo of myself and girlfriends. I saw it and thought.."who the **** is that pasty, puffy girl that resembles me?" Secondly, I got onto a Wii Fit in front of a room full of people to set up an account. I was so ashamed and (somewhat shocked) when I saw the word OBESE flash on the screen. That was not a good day.

My turning point was our trip that is coming up in May to visit NYC/Boston. I want to make sure I can fit in the seat of the plane and I want to be able to walk and walk in these cities and enjoy this vacation w/my family.