I posted this under the thread titled: what was your turning point...
I weigh in on saturdays Its been week one and for some reason I have no hunger and no desire to eat. I'm eating because I have to and feeling so much better...
Here is my story:

I am 32 years old. I have a son who will be 2 in october and an 11 year old. When my oldest son was 4 I was down to 140 by dieting. My natural weight was always about 165 but phen /fen took me down. for over a year I took the drugs until they went off the market. I had a female problem that caused a hormonal imbalance and the dr gave me a shot of depo and I bloomed quickly to 185 lbs.
The depression hit me hard. But I suddenly didn't care. I ate my way to 230. My husband and I got married in Jamaica in 2000 and the photographer thought I was pregnant. I think I've been numbly living life. Not caring about weight. Trying diets and excercise but not sticking with it.
I got pregnant after trying for 3 years and no one knew I was pregnant. I had been around 260 pre pregnancy , began having gall bladder issues and lost weight while pregnant. After having my son I was down to 230. But it didn't last long. I now cannot even get clothes at walmart or target. Nothing fits. I wear a 24 in stretch jeans but this is a huge wake up call. I can't get any bigger. I won't accept this size anymore. I realized I wasn't living anymore, I was avoiding living. Social situations cause me to freak out. I don't want to see anyone I know. I ran into an old friend and she honestly had to ask 'are you liz?' and I said yes I am 100 lbs heavier. I just don't understand why my life has to be like this. Recently my husband got us tickets to a concert and I cried for a week because it had been on the news that the seats at this venue were small for even normal sized people. I knew I couldn't go. So I lied to my husband and told him I couldn't find anything to wear and I couldn't go so take oldest son. They went and I sat at home- fat.
I started thinking about surgery AGAIN and decided I have to give it a 6 month try. My only goal is to lose 30lbs, I've joined weight watchers and decided after the 30lbs I will join curves. I won't lose this on my own, I will need help... Weight watchers will work with what the family eats- no special foods. I have to do this to chase my 2 year old around, get on the floor and play with him, and not be an embarrasment to my now jr high son. I want to feel sexy again. I want to be the woman I was before, not this thing I am now. I have all these reasons I'm naming to benefit everyone else but its really for me. I'm my biggest critic and I know someday I'll be below 200 and I'll feel good. I'll be able to goto amusement parks with the kids, be able to goto concerts and not worry about seats, I'll be able to be intimate without disgusting myself. I think I'm the luckiest woman in the world because my husband tells me I'm beautiful and sexy everyday. Soon I will feel that way again. Soon I will be healthy and fit and be able to be the wife and mother everyone deserves.
What is different this time is that I know I have to do this. I know I have to depend on myself and not blame everyone else- kids husband- for the my diet failures. This is the last 'diet' this is the last time I will have to do this.
The changes in one week are enough to keep me going. We eat together at the table every night, I make a healthy meal for everyone. No more pizza, hot dogs or cheap spaghetti nights with buttery garlic bread. I bought a grill and I grill meats out every night. I eat all my meals and snack on yogurt and almonds.
When I weighed last week I weighed more than I did 9 months pregnant - 284lbs now. I am so close to the 300 mark and I'm only 5'4".
Anyway mine wasn't a moment but a reflection. A realization that everyone deserved the better me. The me that is deep inside all of this fat. A realization that there are so many things I want to do in life that I can't physically do. I want to take my sons to the water park on the weekends, I want to goto concerts and plays, I want a better job but hardly look professional.
I'm earning my self respect right now. I refuse to sit down and calculate anything more than 30lbs. When you have over 100lbs to lose its enough to make you stop changing your eating habits. I'm just going to concentrate on the first 30. I've talked my mother into joining weight watchers too. She told me Kirstie alley said she lost 30 and felt so different. Thats what I want too, to feel more energetic. Then exercising will be so much easier. For now I'm doing yard work, cleaning house and keeping busy at night. I already feel different.

Liz

Good For You And God Bless You On Your Journey..... India

(((Liz))) Good Luck. We all have been there and we'll be here to cheer you on. You can do it!

Liz thank you for sharing your story with us.... My breaking point was when I went over 200lbs... I decided that I needed to get myself healthy not only for Me but for my family so that I would be around for them many years to come!! You can do this.. I have since lost almost 50 pounds in the last year and feel so good now.. We are here for you whenever you need us!!

Liz, you have an amazing story. You're going to do great. I like the idea of only focusing on the 30 pounds. That's a great place to start.

You're going to do this! We all are.

:c) I look forward to sharing your journey with you.

I wish you the best of luck on your weightloss journey! WW is a wonderful program! I had my turning point when I hit about 306. I was on blood press. meds and was diabetic. I also had to use a C-pap to breath at night. I joined WW with a friend and that was the thing that finally clicked with me. I stayed on even when my friend quit and I went on to lose 98 lbs. I have stayed right around that weight for about 4 yrs now. I still need to lose a lot more and have actually gained a little back but I am no longer diabetic, no longer on blood press. meds and I dont need that machine to breath ok at night.
YOU CAN DO THIS!!!! I won't say it's not a long journey but it is SO WORTH IT, and SO ARE YOU!! Your story really inspires me to start doing my best to lose the weight that I need to also. I know how you feel cuz I've been there. I remember going to the movies and not being comfortable in the chairs because they were to small. I also remember not being able to shop in a regular store for clothes because they didn't have a size to fit me. I am 5' 5 1/2" so at 306 nothing fit. One thing I am thankful for was that my husband was always supportive. He loved me no matter what size I was and was behind my weightloss efforts.
Good luck on your journey. Keep us posted on your progress. This is a wonderful board with wonderful people who are always there to inspire and cheer you on. Take care and we are looking forward to hearing from you. ....Sis

Update!
Week one I lost 3.8 lbs.
I have done weight watchers before- when i was 13 and it was sooo different. I lost 10lbs back then my first week. So I was a little tiny bit disappointed.
I emailed my mom because she wanted me to email when I weighed. (we live in different states) and she said just imagine four of those boxes of butters or almost a bag of sugar sitting on the counter. It made me feel alot better. I might start buying one lb bags of beans for each pound I lose (I'll donate them to a food pantry later) just so I can keep it in perspective.
Goal this week: DRINK WATER and eat more fruits and veges.

My menu this week has been very easy to maintain since I work out of the home but I realized today I didn't really do that water that well. The lady in front of me in my meeting lost 5lbs this week her week one!

Hi Liz! What a great motivational thread you have started! 3.8 pounds in one week is GREAT!!! My turning poing to start losing the weight is when I turn 30!, and my 2 sons. I did'nt want to be the fat mom sitting in the bleachers cheering them on at a sporting event! in January I will be 32, It has been a long journey that is far from over and i still have a long way to go before I hit my goal weight, I AM NOT GIVING UP! It has been 21 months of ups and downs. If you set your mind to something and YOU want to do it for yourself, and other inspiration YOU can DO IT!!

If you want to buddy up let me know!!

2.6 lbs gone!

I concentrated on my water and fruit and veges this week.
This week I am going to get up early and alternate walking and bands.

SUPER job!!!! I'm so proud of you - you're really committed!!!! You're doing great!

Liz you are doing so well! Your story is truly inspiration and I'm so glad that you shared it on this board!

My turning point came at 220 pounds. I was 29 years old, diagnosed with high blood pressure, I couldn't cross my legs and got winded bending over to tie my own shoes. Size 18 clothes were too tight, but I was never willing to buy 20s. I went to WW instead, and lost 65 pounds! I went off program when I moved from NC to Chicago to start law school and gained some weight back due to stress-related eating, but signed back up two weeks ago and am already doing well.

The point? Weight Watchers WORKS, and the success you have experienced so far is just the beginning. Keep on truckin' girl!

Oh, when I first signed up (at 220) and lost some weight, I saw the numbers go down on the scale but didn't immediately notice a change anywhere else. Then one day, I got into my car to drive to work and realized that I was not wedged into the seat with the seatbelt cutting into my stomach. I actually fit in my car better! Little things like that are life changing, so please continue to share the success of your journey! It really does inspire me to keep going!

Thank you!

Well believe it or not I am seeing physical changes. My panties fit better. and I had a pair of capris (not stretchy like the rest) that were unbearbly tight when I sat down and the pockets just gapped like crazy. I actually quit wearing them for a week before when I decided to goto WW.
Anyway I can wear them and they are comfortable and I don't have to keep tucking in the pockets! small rewards!!