...that you KNEW you needed to change and you WANTED to change and you actually stuck with it?

I've had lots of moments that I "woke up" and said, "yes, today I am changing and I will be different!" but they've never really stuck long term.

I just saw a picture of myself from my friend's engagement party. OMG I look TERRIBLE! I've never looked so bad! I was shocked to see it. I was disgusted. I was horrified. I couldn't look away. It was like a TRAIN WRECK.

Earlier today (before seeing the pics) I bought a couple sets of dumbbells, a medicine ball and a stability ball. I guess seeing those pics (and imagining myself in my bridesmaid's dress in January) made me.. I dunno. I never thought I looked like THAT. But I do. And I'm upset.

I'm hoping that this OMG!!!! moment will stick with me forever. I don't want to be the fat girl. I want to be myself again. I want to prove to everyone that I CAN be thin. No one ever believes that I ever WAS thin. But I was. And I want to be thin and healthy again so I can feel proud of myself.

LORD do I know what you mean! I have always had issues with my weight, but when I met my fiance 6 yrs ago I had been a steady size 10 for 3 or 4 yrs so I thought I had finally beat it, and actually I went down to a size 6 in the first few months of us dating. But I guess I got comfortable in our relationship or just comfortable in not having to diet and gained a TON of weight. I knew I had, but I didn't actually SEE how much until this past Feb. when we went to his Profit Share party for work and a friend took our picture. OMG!!! I couldn't believe it! I knew I had gained weight but gesh! that couldn't possibly be me in that picture!! But it was. All 225 lbs of me. I felt horrible and for a while there I kept saying "I don't care, I feel fine and I'm happy with how I look." It was a lie, a lie I was telling myself as well as others. But I'm hoping that that was my AH HA moment and that I keep this new way of living and eating and maybe get back down to my size 10s.

Last January, all the ladies in the office kept talking about needing to "diet" and lose weight. It wasn't until i saw one of the ladies outside walking on lunch that i said, "that's it. I can at least walk on my lunch break. I sit down for 8 hours a day, do i really need to sit during my lunch break too??" So, the next day i brought my tennis shoes and started walking for 30 minutes on my lunch. I also made sure i ate lots of healthy choice meals. As time went on, i learned about fitday.com and started using it and eating less and more healthy, joined a gym and lost my first 33 pounds.

then i started having car problems, my gym closed (which i had won on an online auction, so there was not getting money back or anything) and i met my boyfriend and actually put 7 of those pounds back on. Then because i complained so much, he started paying for me a new gym membership. It really started to kick in for me again though about 2 months ago. And now i am going full force...i even found out how much a consultation is for a tummy tuck and will probably at least make that appointment for sometime in October. So, i have to lose as much weight as i can before my consult. So onward and forward!!!!!

Thanks, ladies! I knew I wasn't the only one, but most days I feel so ALONE, even though most of my friends are bigger.

I blew up the stability ball and tossed around the medicine ball a few times to get the feel of it. My good thing is that I gain muscle quickly, so I have that going for me! And I also love walking on the treadmill for an hour or more.

I just have to be consistent.

I also decided to make this a sort of challenge. See if an average gal can lose a fair amount of weight using just the three things I bought:
A stability ball
A medicine ball
And a couple sets of dumbbells.

So for six weeks I'll be following a sensible diet, and doing something daily as well as cardio! I think I'll be taking daily pics as well. Wish me luck!

Good luck Jeannette311! Yes, I do know what happens--how one day it's just OVER and then you make the change and stick with it. You can do this--this can be your moment! Hang in there! One day at a time!

Jay

Yes, that moment happened to me. I was stuffing my face with chocolate cake (hiding in my bedroom where no one could see me) and realized I wasn't even enjoying it. I was totally focused on when I could have more. I asked myself out loud, "When will I have had enough?" And the answer was never. I knew if I didn't make some changes, I would end up dead, and I am serious.
It has been four months. 42 pounds are gone. I have far to go but I have begun.

Thanks everyone... I'm a binger so I know what it's like to just eat and not enjoy it but just eat b/c you feel compelled to. I"ve made out a list of foods I want to eat this week, and I made a meal plan for Monday. I've got space in my room cleared to work out, and I have my camera charging to take pics. *sigh*

I really hope I do this!

My mom emailed me a pic a little over a week ago, of me in my bathing suit when we were camping a few weeks ago. I hated it. You really couldn't see a whole lot of me,( I covered myself up) My moment was, I thought, "I don't want to feel like I have to cover up! I want to feel comfortable again getting my picture taken" I actually keep a pic of me in my bikini where I can see it, (pre-babies). I know I won't get that small again, but if I can get close I will be thrilled!

Yes, I've had a few of those "Oh my goodness!" moments. Many years ago[at a job I'm no longer at], several of my co-workers and I were looking at some pictures we had taken from a work function a couple of years previously, when I'd been really thin (I had since regained my weight). In one picture, I was posing with about five students (I worked at a College). This mean-spirited co-worker said, "Which one is you?" Well, since one of the students was male, another was African-American, and another was Hispanic (I'm Caucasian), that left only about three more people. I couldn't believe that she truly could not tell which one was me, even if I was a lot thinner. When I pointed out which one was me, she said, "Oh my! You were so thin there! And younger!" I was so upset by that comment that I started Weight Watchers the next day.

Unfortunately, those types of "Ah ha!" moments may give me the impetus to get serious, but they don't seem to have a lasting effect (I even regained the weight I lost on that aforementioned WW's diet).

I have those moments about once or twice a year but this time I am doing something about it. Something just had to click and now I'm on the way to a smaller me.

I had mine in May 2004 when I first started my diet. A friend and his wife started using Balance Log (similar to FitDay) and invited me to join them. I'm a little competitive, so I decided to try it. I bought a scale that day and was completely shocked when I weighed 195 lbs!

That was the big moment. The second smaller moment came a few days later when I saw the pictures of me and a good friend at a dance, a friend I always considered a lot heavier than me. She looked really good - and I looked horrible! That picture kept me motivated to continue what I had just started. Now, three years and several fad diets later, I think she has finally had her "moment" as well and is doing well on Weight Watchers.

You guys are really helping me! I appreciate it! My bud Chris and his gf Jana lost a ton of weight a few years ago. Chris has really been a good motivator. Where all of my buds are total dorks about it (you're crazy, you are fine, don't be stupid) he said.."It's hard, but I want you to succeed. You can do this!"

I've been tossing my medicine ball around and I already feel it in my arms.

I sooo know what you mean!
Last summer I received my son's graduation DVD in the mail & on it were some highlights of the year. There was a section where they had clips of what the PTA sponsored & there was a little clip of one of the concerts & I see this emormous woman helping out. And I am thinking "I was there that day, I don't remember anyone that heavy being there" and then it hit me...it's me!
Talk about an Ah Ha moment