Everyone had that "oh my goodness" moment when they realized how out of control their life had become. Can you remember what it was that made you want to make a lifestyle change, for good?

Mine came about five years ago, when I was looking over some vacation photos of myself (I suppose that's how many people wake up to the truth of their unhealthy habits...) I had always told myself that I was not photogenic, and that I looked fat in pictures because I didn't photograph well, but there was just this one time where it clicked: that's how I LOOK. And I decided then and there that I would take off the weight and get healthy, because not only did I not look good: I felt miserable. Food was ruling my life, and I refuse to be ruled by an inanimate object that I could EAT for heaven's sake

Sometimes it's helpful in staying abstinent to remind ourselves what motivated us to make a change and remember how far we have come, both mentally and physically, from that point!

It's interesting how often people say a photo triggered their decisions to lose weight. That was how it was for me 4 years ago; I gained weight steadily for 6 months due to eating takeout every day, but somehow (I'm still not sure how) I was in denial that I was getting heavier.

My mom came to visit one day (after those 6 months of gaining), and we took some photos. I got the photos developed, and when I looked at them, I realized I didn't recognize the person in the picture. I looked like I was a bloated form of the image of myself that I had in my mind. It's interesting how this still happened even though I saw myself in the mirror every day. I know I wasn't extremely heavy, but you could definitely tell that I had packed on some pounds.

That day, I new that I had to make some changes. I bought a digital scale. Though I weighed frequently, I had no goal weight, and I didn't really focus on how long it took. The scale taught me how much what I ate affected my weight. I cut my eating out habit to only special occasions. I made rules for when I could and could not eat treats. I exercised. I made healthy choices. I was kind of surprised when the weight started coming off.

Well, among other things, photos were a real wake up call for me as well. And it is funny how the same old photos morph with time and weight loss. I just get continually larger in old photographs. The smaller I get, the more my eyes are opened to how large I was.

I didn't really have a lightbulb moment. But in early January, I took my SO out for dinner and we were walking up a steep hill. I got so embarrassed by how out of breath I got (even though I had been going to the gym fairly regularly) and it just hit me: I'm only 22, and I need to do this, for the sake of the rest of my life. I used my fat as an excuse to not do things, be social, etc.... I'm too young to hole myself away because I don't want to change.

I don't have a photo moment since I don't take a lot of photos to begin with ~ always been a bit camera shy. I don't think I really had a lightbulb moment, but if I did it was probably looking my closet and finding that half my clothes too tight.... now that I'm losing the pounds, I'm finding the other half of my closet being too loose and baggy! But that milds in comparison to a healthier & thinner me. (Healthier arguable right now though.... got the flu).

i dont think i had a moment i think its been a series of moments. ive always been big ever since i was a kid. ive just gotten used to it. i met the most amazing girl in the world and actually moved from texas to oregon just to be with her. she lives a very healthly lifestyle and seeing the way she eats and acts has almost inspired me to change. my dad is also an inspiration. he used to tip the 300lb mark and at 40 years old he decided enough was enough and started running. he is down to a very very slim 165lbs and at 50 years old is still running half and full marathons for fun! i dont think i could run 26 feet nevermind 26 miles. he is definately a huge inspiration for me. there are a million other things that have lead me up to today and im looking forward to getting off work and starting my FIRST DAY in my lifestyle change. thanks for listening

john

the big one was wedding dress shopping three years ago. the size 20 was almost too tight. even though i knew wedding dresses ran small, it made me realize that if i didn't change something that would become my every day size.

this time, my jeans from this summer didn't fit. they were expensive, very cute, and i need to get more wear out of them.

It was a combination of factors for me. I consciously let myself go over the summer - and yet somehow deluded myself into thinking I should still be wearing my size 12s from high school. How does that work? - and in September, when I saw how I looked in the pics from a photo shoot I did over the summer (my bf wanted me to pose with his favorite guns, so he'd be able to show off both gf and guns to his online friends), and then I saw how I looked in pictures with my family from my grandfather's birthday...I had just kind of swelled from what I remembered myself looking like. I was wider, I had no chin, my collarbones had disappeared. I held myself differently, too, hunched down and trying to hide myself all the time.

I decided to weigh myself.

When I saw 198 on that scale, I cried. I had always sworn to myself that I would NEVER break 200 lbs. Never ever for any reason. And realizing that I'd gotten that close without seeing it scared me. So to work I got, and even though I feel like I haven't gotten very far - I'm still wearing 16s cause the 14s I bought don't quite fit me, and I've got 45 lbs left to lose! - I then look at it the other way. I've got 45 lbs left, but I've already taken off 13 lbs.

That's progress.

I didn't really have a wakeup call. About 2 years ago, I was 160 lbs. Then I got depressed and over 2 years my weight went up to 234 lbs. Then, I got sick and I lost about 20 lbs, and it was really good motivation to see myself thinner, so I just decided to stick with it.

I didn't have one specific moment, more like a year where I felt I couldn't do things I used to enjoy doing because my weight and self-esteem were getting in the way. I was sick of letting my weight control my life.
Before, I couldn't run around and play with my daughter but after only three months of exercise I feel so much better, even if I am still quite overweight.
For the first time in my life I know I'm making the lifestyle change and it feels good.

I've always been overweight. I've always known, I've always been "heavy" or "a big girl", but it never really bugged me. Then around my 20th b-day (which was in october...), I just decided I wanted to loose weight. I'm sick of being overweight and I don't want to spend my 20s being overweight or the rest of my life being overweight.

My mother is planning on having gastric bypass surgery in June. Relizing that she's going through with such a major surgery, made me relize that could be me in 17 years (she's 37), and I don't want to take that path. So I need to do something now.

I'm in the middle of a "lightbulb moment".... I've been on 3FC for a year now with no real committment or progress. I go through periods of being reasonable and being totally irrational. I'm coming out of one of my irrational swings, and whenever that happens, I feel so fed up with the way I treat my body I want to do a 180 and head in the exact opposite direction!

Enough is enough! I'm changing my habits!

I guess, then, to answer your question, ... 8:08 pm on Feb. 1st!