What was the moment that made you say...
 

okay...this is it. I am not going to be over weight anymore?? I remember 2 summers ago I was at six flags with my kids (in like October) and I could barely fit on a train ride with my daughters. I was very aware of how big i was on those rides and didn't like it one bit. But i didn't really change my life until that January. One of the ladies I work with was outside walking on her lunch break and I said..."I can do that." And for 6 months I did. Everyday on my lunch break I would walk for 30 minutes and then go have my Lean Cruisine lunch. I also joined a gym that February and went for about 5 months. I dropped 33 pounds in that 6 months and felt sooo much better. Now I am back at it to drop that other 33 i wanted to lose also. :D

I had a few of those moments. LOL

The first moment was when I went to Cedar Point with my brother and we went to get on the Mean Streak and the seat belt would not fit around me so I couldn't ride the ride. I had to get up in front of EVERYONE already on the ride and leave....THANKFULLY my brother followed me and hugged me until I stopped crying...:hug: I love my brother!

The second and last time was when my mom went on this diet and as soon as she dropped 2 lbs I said to myself "I can't have my mom looking hotter than me!!!" and I joined a gym the next day. LOL

*sigh*....

Haha Shari, my mom has *always* been "hotter" than me. She's two inches taller and 20 lbs lighter. 'nuff said. Actually, one more thing: I'm so grateful she's uber supportive of every pound I drop. :hug:to her.

My "aha" moment? Hmm...don't know if I've had one yet. I get into these moods where I'm going to do something and I drop and then maintain and then drop again and then maintain. It's been 3 months since I've seen 170, so I'm considering that a good thing. Although, that means I've only lost 6 lbs in 3 months. But that's because of my stupid maintainance periods in between. I'm in a 'lose weight' mood now, so it's dropping. Yay! :)

Sheila, that's a really nice brother of yours!! Awesome. Not all brothers are like that.

Mine was probably when my teenager moved in with his dad. I was a single parent of an only child, and suddenly I had all this free time to focus on myself. I realized I wanted to start dating, and in order to start dating I had to view myself as a sexually desirable being.

About that same time, I saw some photos of myself at my farewell happy-hour from a job I left. Horrible! They are my "before" pictures.

in january when the whole "resolution" thing started, i decided no more playing games.. this year had to be my year and look.. it has.

Sheila your brother sounds SO sweet. :)
I didn't really have one of those moments, but my diet was so very bad three years ago or so that when I sat down to study for a class, and grabbed fruit instead of chips, my body just about didn't know what to do with it. All I ever ate was pasta, potatoes, cheese, and rice. Not to mention snack foods all the time. It wasn't a pretty day for my digestive system.
LOL I think it was really the trauma I remember. Hahaha
From that day on I just started modifying what I ate little by llittle. and I mean very little. But it was amazing what differences super small changes can make.

Great topic!

I was "thin" once, but then I just kept gaining weight. I told myself I was going to get rid of the weight as soon as I noticed it was piling on, but since it crept up little by little, I just thought, "well... I haven't gained enough for me to bother quite yet." Then, I found out that one of my exes said I "blew up" which hurt my feelings, but still didn't give me the push to lose weight. Nor did the entire closet of clothes I could no longer fit or feel comfortable wearing. I knew eventually it would have to come off, but I was under so much stress (I was out of a job for awhile and couldn't find one, broke, and feeling aimless about life) that I wanted to wait until the time was right. I had to sell my car to pay my rent and bills, so all I had was my bike. I got a new job that was ten miles away, so I started riding my bike ten miles to and ten miles back, equating to twenty miles every day. I decided that if I was going to do that much exercise, I might as well go all out and follow a diet plan, since I already had my exercise cut out for me. That's when I bought the Fat Smash Diet book.

Pinup.....are you saying you've lost 89 pounds since this january?? That is amazing!!! Or last January?? Which is still amazing!!!

For me, it was after my Mom died. I had been trying to lose weight in a sort of on-again, off-again way, and I had gained back some of what I'd lost. My family was having a Remembrance Celebration for my Mom, and I could no longer fit into my nice clothes. I had to go to Macy's and find some sort of outfit that would work--which I did--and it looked nice--but I felt so big in it. And I decided I was done with being that big.

After I came back from that trip, I began counting calories and going to Curves. Then I went from Curves to the YMCA. I got really intense about my program starting last November when I joined the Y. And here I am! I want to reach my goal weight at the end of this month.

Jay

Lumifan - I have to admit, I want to know the same thing... Pinup - are you secretly Wonder Woman?? :D

Heather

Well. I went to a private school and everyone ignored me and treated me like crap. I was very awkward and socially withdrawn. I got really depressed and I constantly felt bad about my weight. I avoided mirrors and glass windows and every day was a struggle at the school.

Finally when I was taking a walk at night, which I started doing to reduce stress, I just said, "I need to lose some weight."

I just took out sodas and fried foods. I lost about 20 pounds by making my habits better but I was maintaining my weight but not losing more. In NC I was on a trip and felt like I starving from eating normal sized portions andhealthy food. I talked to my boyfriend on the phone for the first time in a long time and when I was done I cried and said, "I'm going to look nice and feel proud of myself for when I get to live with him."

I wish I had another realization like that to kick me in the butt :o

There wasn't one specific moment. It was a combination of things.

-I had become more and more inactive and therefore more and more miserable.
- My kids were getting older and I was terrified that I was not going to be around to see them married and then my grandchildren.
-I was very fearful of all the dreaded diseases I was making myself more prone to because of the added weight.
- This was a biggie - I was walking (barely at that) in the mall one day and I caught a reflection of this incredibly wide person in a store window. Of course it turned out to be me. I was just amazed how wide I was.
-Shopping was a torture for me. I was barely fitting into the largest sizes at the plus sized stores. This made me VERY concerned.
-I was just so unhappy and so sick of not being involved in things.

I had finally just had enough. A do think a big catalyst for me though was seeing an acquaintance of mine who I had estimated to be just about my size. We have since become much better friends and she was indeed just 2 lbs heavier then me, but 4 inches taller. Anyway I banged into this acquaintance, now friend, who I hadn't seen in awhile and she was a skinny pickle. Yup, she lost a ton of weight. It hit me right there and then that I didn't have to go on living this way. I didn't have to be fat if I didn't want to be. If she was capable of taking off the weight, well then heck so was. And the rest so they say is history..........

I've had about a million of those moments over the years. So many times, the light bulb came on, I had a huge epiphany, I just KNEW things were about to change, and then...poof! Gone. My hands were in a bag of Doritos again.

This time for me, like for Robin, it was a collection of things. But more than that, it was a decision. All those things added up to my deciding that it was time to really do it. And I did. I don't know why all of those epiphanies and light bulb moments weren't good enough, but they just weren't.

I'm not one of those people who has always been over weight. I was a thin child, and I generally was in the healthy weight range consistently until I became depressed. When I became depressed I turned to food for comfort and I went from about 155 to 234 lbs. My boyfriend at the time stayed with me through the weight gain, but my depression and the way that I treated him because of the depression made him walk out on our 2 year relationship. At that point I decided that I didn't like who I was anymore. I started seeing a psychiatrist, I spent time focusing on myself, and the weight just came off. About two months later me and him got back together and we've been together since. Now he's in bootcamp for the military and I'm working to give him a nice suprise when he gets back. :D

It's amazing how taking care of yourself really affects your relationships with other people. I don't think that without him leaving, I could have really gotten the kick that I needed to get my life in order again. Some of the best blessings are the ones that are in disguise. ;)

I had lost and maintained a very healthy weight for several years when my husband and I moved out to the middle of nowhere. It was there that it all piled back on and then some over the next 2 years. A really good friend, who I hadn't seen since our move, came up to visit one weekend. I can still remember the look on her face and we walked up to her at the bus station. It was just the tiniest of expressions, and she immediately covered it up with a big smile, but it was the "oh my god, what happened to you?!?" look. She is a great person and would never ever say anything, but she just couldn't keep the shock/disgust from registering.

It was then that I realized that, yes, it really is that bad. No I'm not just "carrying it well" so it's okay. Something had to change.

I was with my friend at the mall when she was looking for a prom dress. (I wasn't able to go since I'm just a freshman...) Now, she's pretty skinny. A size 7. Even she was finding a dress that fit right. I started panicking about my prom and my dress. That also brought up the point I never even had an actual boyfriend. (A gay guy doesn't really count... >.>;) I wanna come back from summer break and be one of those pretty girls who everyone knows.

I saw a photo of myself and I wanted to tear it up and burn it and pour acid on it.

I avoid cameras like the plague, I hated to see myself, I avoided mirrors and reflections in glass too.

I'm looking forward to being able to be comfortable posing for a photo, maybe Christmas this year? That sounds so good.

im in a constant struggle. im still not motivated enough . i think a big thing is i dont think i should be this overweight. i mean i've gotten motivated and gone all crazy on diets but nothing. i ride my bike everywhere . i hate driving. i loooooooooovvvvvvvvvvvvvveeeeeeeeeeee healthy food i had maybe one hamburger this year and it was protien style at in and out. i love fruit and veggies . i just dont get it. i need that moment still i guess were i just eat only salads and run all day :( i hate being ugly.

Hey Freegeegrl,

The sad thing is, lots of people do become overweight eating healthy food--just too much of it. First step is finding out exactly how much you are eating... calories. Just as a reality check.

Jay

That Picnic/Chip thread aside, that is exactly how I got up to 240lbs, then back up to 201lbs! Portion sizes are sneaky monsters that sabotage us from all directions.

I was a bridesmaid at my sister's beautiful wedding in Mexico. When I saw the pictures I wanted to cry, I didn't even look like myself! Also people always used to tell me that my sister and I looked a like, and I loved that, but in those pictures we looked like we weren't even distantly related. It took me a while to seriously get started with the weight loss but that was the actual "aha" moment

I always thought my mom was a big lady. Well she's been on a diet but still is heavy on the bottom! The other day she weighed in at 3 pounds less than me! Thats when I realized, it's time to change!! On a scrapbook forum I visit they started a weight loss thread and it just sparked a revelation in my head to do it! I want to be healthy and eat right!! Losing the weight is just a pleasant bonus!

There are many moments that stand out in my mind. The biggest moment I guess was just looking down at the scale and seeing the biggest number I'd ever seen... 195! Also when I had to buy a size 14 in pants at American Eagle. That was a little scary for me.
I used to think 165 was a lot, now when I look at pictures of myself then I wish I was that weight... not having a scale for a semester of drinking and amazing food in nyc wreaked havoc on my weight. Second Semester was better, but now that it is summer I have made it my ultimate goal to get my life in order, be healthy and what not... I am well on my way there and I have a little less than 3 months to go!

I've had several reasons to lose weight that have piqued my interest (health reasons, feeling sexy etc.), but what really drove it home was the day I was in Target clothes shopping and I saw myself in one of their multi-view mirrors. I saw my butt for the first time as everyone else sees it. It was not the curvy/bubbly cute-but-big butt that I had imagined it to be. It was flat, fat and not at all appealing. I almost cried as I stood there staring. That was about a year ago and I just sort of let my efforts drop.

Then more recently, I started going to a big university where everyone (it seems) is young, skinny and beautiful. I've never felt more fat in my life. I don't fit in the seats very well. I am out of breath by the time I get to the top of the stairs. It's all embarrassing. And about two weeks ago, I ran into someone that I used to work with about seven years ago. He looked at me and said, "I know you, don't I?" and I was so embarrassed because I had gained like 50 lbs since I worked with him and he still worked where I used to work. I know he went back to work and told everyone that I got big.

For me, it was sort of several things clicking for me towards the end of 2006. I'd gone over 200 lbs for the first time in my life. Some clothes weren't fitting on me anymore. My thumb and index finger were getting rough skin from me trying to force my jeans zippers up. Bad close-up picture at Christmastime. Several women at work were at various stages of trying to lose weight (some succeeding beautifully, others not at all). End of the year was coming so that whole "New Year, New You" thing played in my mind. And there was just this shift in my thinking. It was like...I knew all this stuff wasn't good, I knew it would only increase if I let it but I sent it to the back of my mind because I didn't want to deal with it. Then it moved to the forefront of my mind and I was like, okay, this is your reality, what are you going to do about it? Make it worse or make it better?

I agree when people say, first and foremost, it involves a shift in thinking. If your mind isn't in it, beyond just telling you what it wants, I think that's a quick recipe for failure. Your mind's gotta figure out ways to make it happen and get the rest of you, heart and body, into gear. :p

I lost around 75 lbs and I definitely ate more than salads and only did 45 minutes of aerobics, 5 times per week. It might be helpful to post a typical daily menu so we can offer specific areas of advice. If you eat healthy foods, ride your bike everywhere (basically burn more calories per day than you consume) and you still can't lose weight - it's time to get checked by a physician. It takes a lot of honesty though, to really really write down everything you eat for a full day.

It was strange for me this time - and I suppose that's why this is different.

I stopped drinking any alcohol late in 2005; if anyone had told me I would be able to do that, I would have laughed in his or her face! But I did it. And then, early this year, I was given a fabulous part in a play - and I struggled for a while with that: 'Wait - I'm so fat - is everyone going to laugh at me???' And it forced me to really take stock of my life and the way I was living it - IN FEAR. Unless you've ever really 'taken stock' of yourself that way, with absolute honesty, you probably have no idea what I am talking about.

And I came to three conclusions:
1. I was able to stop drinking. Period. What else am I able to STOP doing? Sabotaging my health, failing at 'dieting', feeling like crap.
2. I got the part because of my talent, not my fat. I wanted to return to acting - I have. These people think I can do this role - why don't I? I'd better get a lot fitter if I DON'T want people to laugh at me, except at the comedic moments!
3. What ELSE could I be doing that I'd like to, that I don't as a result of being 'fat'?

And suddenly, everything made sense. I wish I could explain it better than this, but I can't. Once that change in my head took place, that was it. I can't explain why it happened now, and not at any other point in the last ten years, but it has. I guess some people would explain it by saying 'she was ready' - and that's how it feels.

I guess, for me, the difference this time is that it doesn't matter WHAT else might happen in my life - there's not a single thing that can get in the way of this life change.

Hope it helps, and thanks for the therapeutic thread!

Heather :D

im an honest gal here it goes my typical day.

i work at starbucks opening shift. sooo i wake up at three get ready ride my bike to work get there at four. sit and eat a yogurt and banana untl four fifteen when i start. work . . have a glass of water. then i get a break at six. i have a cheese and fruit plate it has one strawberry,10 grapes, 1 mini bite of grain walnut raisin bread, and some brie. with a glass of passion tea / unsweetened . . . ok back to work take out trash , sweating and all that good ol stuff. get off at nine ride home. clean . go to eat with my mom. had salad at the olive garden and chicken gidadhi something like that its a low fat option they have thats chicken and veggables. then i go out do things . . blah blah blah errands. quesadilla on wheat with lean turkey and soy cheese, with jalepenos. then read for hours go to bed wake up to do pretty much the same thing. . . .i just dont know what im doing so wrong. please if you know i should change something tell me.

My cruise pictures. I went on a cruise in the beginning of May and took a ton of pictures. I looked at my cruise pictures and thought "I didn't know I had gotten that big again...." I lost weight a few years back and started putting it back on...I was in a bit of denial about how much I had put on.

Man...I tell you what....pictures don't lie do they?? lol. I looked great in my mirror, but let me see a picture in the same outfit and i was like, "Who is that cow???" lol. So what did i do??? I just avoided the camera!! I don't think that was the right tactic!

Those pesky pictures...
 

I agree, I'll think I look great in something and then I'll see a picture of it later and it's horrible. I avoid camera like the plague! I think seeing photos of myself has probably helped to define my weight loss goals.

I went to Morocco last fall and went on a hike to the bottom and back up of the second highest waterfall in Africa. I about died on the way back up! We were supposed to have lunch after in the little village and I was so nauseous from the hike I couldn't eat a bite. And still even after that it took me until two weeks ago and not fitting into my summer clothes to realize I'm hurting myself and I want to be healthier. My SO of 16 years says he loves me if I'm 100lbs or 300lbs, but I don't love myself and so I project my crap on him and don't believe him. He's been in the field a lot lately but was home this past weekend (I didn't tell him I was dieting) and he told me my face is thinner and I look great. I can't wait until we can go hiking together (he loves to and I'm scared to) and I don't feel like I'm gonna keep over after a hill! It's coming...that moment when the weight will be lifted and I'll be 2/3 of my former self and I can't wait!

For me... like a couple of you it was a great number of things that finally pushed me to change my lifestyle -

1. Feeling unattractive. That was a very big factor I used to question my husband asking him whether he would prefer me skinny all the time. He would try and try to make me feel better and tell me how much he loves me and how attracted he was to me, he would get upset because I wouldn't believe him.
2. Puffing and panting going up the stairs... or walking fast was BAD NEWS and I knew that I was getting bigger and that my heart must of been feeling strained.
3. When I came back home from my second semester my aunty said in front of everyone "Yasmine, you've put on a lot of weight and I'm worried... especially around your hips" I can imagine some of you are hissing right now but I am SO GLAD she said what she did. That absolute humiliation is exactly what I needed - it was that boot I needed. It was said at a party in front of all my friends and family. I have to say I'm so greatful that she said what she did sometimes tough love works.

That was the major combinations! Thing is i've been feeling unattractive since i started putting on weight - but when my health was being affected I knew I had to do something about it. And I've been most successful when losing weight for my health and not for looks. I'm happy now and not feeling guilty.