When or why did you decide to take control of your weight?
I was a cute little 140 pound high schooler but that changed when I met my future husband. His fast food and no veggie lifestyle had a huge impact on me, and I gained about 20 pounds from the get go. He never minded, and continued to buy me candy and tell me how beautiful I was. Over the next eight years I've been gaining steadily, up to the 225 I am now. Eek! But last summer I went on a trip with friends and we wanted to take one of those black and white old timey photos. I was excited until I realized the only costume that fit me was the old, frumpy looking outfit. I was so sad because I had always wanted to take one of those sexy, saloon girl shots and I couldn't even fit into the modest costumes!! For then on I was always trying to watch what I ate and I was constantly failing. Now I'm on WW and this is my time to shine!!!!
So what did it for you? When did you decide to take it on?
My "it" was the day I woke up and realized just how much I was wasting on junk food and soda. Money, time and energy. I'd had enough, I decided, and was going to curb those cravings to where they became non-existent. I also decided that I was going to lose the spare tire hanging around my waist that I not so lovingly dubbed my "baby gut". Because of the way my body is designed, any extra weight causes my stomach to jut out and makes me look like I'm 7 months pregnant. It also makes my thighs rub together and makes my butt stick out, which makes it hard for me to find clothes.
It's my life, gosh darn it... I'm going to change it around so I can actually enjoy it for a change!
Hi Bookla! This is a great question. I have lost and gained weight ever since I can remember. In fact, I always marvel at people who stay the same, regardless of whether or not they're overweight or not! I just have always fluctuated a lot.
In September, I went to see a Homeopath about my chronic daily migraines (I still have those, by the way) and when I started to tell her about my weight gain (she didn't even ask me) and I told her all of my excuses (which are pretty good, by the way....a son with special needs, chronic migraines, etc.), something in my head told me that sure, I have those problems, but being that heavy doesn't solve them one bit. I left that office and I was determined to lose weight. Since then, I've lost almost 50 lbs.! Do I struggle? Of course....I have a food addiction, but I haven't had a binge since Halloween of 2009. Things have gotten a lot easier and I'm very excited. There have been plenty of humiliating situations along the way, but for some reason, when I sat there and told this woman why I was fat, it just kind of made me realize that I need to change that fact.
Well, for me it was when I had to buy larger size clothing for my mother's memorial gathering. I found something that fit and looked OK, but I felt terrible in it because I was so large. I think I was the largest person in my family at the gathering.
After that, I also took a good look at myself naked in a full-length mirror.
I have to say, I find your avatar just a bit disturbing, though. I am not an animal about to be cut up and eaten, and I don't think you are, either?... Just sayin'.
My "it" moment was when I went to buy clothes for a new job. I'd been off of work for quite a while due a major surgery, and over the long recovery process I packed on almost 100 lbs. I couldn't find any clothes in any stores that fit and I liked.
On a side note, I like your avatar! But I wouldn't eat a cow, just like I wouldn't eat JayEll, so I may be the minority.
I actually hid from a co-worker, because I didn't want her to see how much bigger I had gotten from the last time she had seen me; and she was a tiny, fit, very attractive person.
I wonder what brings other people here, too. So great question, Bookla!
For me it's the fact that I turn 21 and I'm in my last year of undergrad (I graduate in December). For so long I've been unhappy with my weight and I've seen what's it's done to my mom, who ended up getting lap band, and I don't want it to come to that. Most of my weight gain has been pretty recently; I've gained about 30 lbs in the past year or so when I had nowhere to put it. I already could have stood to lose 20 pounds or so and then I added all of this excess fat. I just don't want to look back at pics from now and wonder what was I thinking and how did I let myself get like that? Also if I don't do it now my weight will just keep going up and up and up...
Sorry, now that I read back at that it doesn't read well and is kind of random, but I guess that's how I feel about all of it. Kind of scattered but have a multitude of reasons.
First off... I love those pics. That would kill me too! Good for you for committing. I lost 35lbs on weight watchers 7 years ago and never felt like I was dieting.
The two things for me where the fact that no matter how much I stretched them or denied it... I just could not fit into my jeans anymore. I looked like a stuffed sausage for a while but when you have a couple hundred dollar jeans... its not easy to just buy new ones. So I bought my pair of "fat pants" and I didn't even fit into a reg size... that was it!! I was over it. I went from 135 to 175 in 1 year after quitting smoking and eating what ever.
The other thing is my blood pressure went up. I have always been healthy. That scared me. I didn't want to be that person on millions of meds and scaring off diabetes. So I started losing.
Hi, Bookla My "it" moment didn't actually happen as a moment. I was browsing biographies in the bookstore and a book literally fell into my hands. It was like someone was telling me that I was fat and needed to lose weight.
The book was called The Amazing Adventures of Dietgirl. After I caught it and read the back cover, I was intrigued and decided to read it. By the time I finished [in one night, I was hooked] I felt like I was reading about myself and I was so disgusted in myself for letting myself go. Then the next morning I weighed myself. Seen the number and promptly puked.
So here I am, day 3 and following Weight Watchers.
I'd always been fat; ever since I can remember, I've been shopping in the big girls' section (or, like my granny called it, the husky girls' section). Eating was an emotional high that I couldn't get (or rather, I didn't feel that I could get) from my family. I was about 93kg when I got married 7 years ago. I was 100kg at my sister's wedding 3 years ago.
I want to stun and shock my family when I go home in November because no matter how much I said I was going to lose weight ("this is my year to do it"), the answer was always a "Great! But you've said that before". I want to feel healthier and look healthier. I want to look at size 10s and 12s, not 16s and 18s. I want to run 3 miles. I want to set a good example for my kids (when I have them), my nieces and my nephews to stay healthy. I want to see the proud look on DH's and my sister's faces when I finish losing it all. I want to challenge myself to step outside my comfort zone when it comes to food. Most importantly, I want to feel like a woman and not some asexual blob.
So, what motivated me to get off my lazy butt and start? I was sick of buying in the plus sizes and getting depressed when I had to go bra shopping (small boobs, large back). I decided that it would come off and promised myself that no matter how hard it was sometimes, that no matter how much food people ate in front of me, no matter how much I wanted ten full slices of New York cheesecake, I would take control of my food and not let the food take control of me.
I've always struggled with my weight. Since I went past the size 18 pant size, I haven't been able to find clothes that fit and looked good, even at Walmart!! Sometimes I can find a nice shirt. But it was rare that I could find pants. I currently have ONE pair of jeans I can wear that fit....and this time last year, when they were given to me, they didn't fit. They were too big. Now they're snug
A week and a half ago, I was at my friends place. I went to the bathroom and noticed she had her digital scale by the tub. So, curious, I stepped on it.....295lbs!!! OMG!!! I couldn't believe it. I thought I was still around 275! Not that that is much better, but I just didn't realize how much I gained in such a short amount of time. So I joined Weight Watchers and attended my first meeting that night. I lost 3lbs in my first week. I'm into my second week now and I'm hoping and praying that by adding an alternating yoga and pilates routine, I can at least double that weight loss this week. I'll be weighing in on Wednesday, and I can't wait to see how I do!
I'm kind of trying to just change my lifestyle, and losing weight just so happened to be part of that. I'm only 17, but this past year I've gotten a bad reputation(that I deserve though) for sleeping with a lot of guys, drinking a lot, smoking, and cutting class. This October I dropped out of school, and I was just thinking about where my life was headed. I decided I wanted to change, but didn't know how. I started in steps, first I lost all of my old friends because they were bad influences, then that led to a huge decrease in my partying, which led to a big decrease in sleeping with random guys, which led to me oddly feeling bad about myself. I realized though that I just wanted to be wanted, but I didn't even feel worthy of a relationship which is why I was so keen on one night stands. So, now I'm losing weight so I can have more confidence and feel worthy.
It's kinda hard, but it's working because I already feel a lot better about myself.
So what was "it" for you?
