I was going for my yearly check-up with my mom this past Thursday. I gained a few pounds but since I'm still growing, my percentile for weight dropped by a little over 5 percent. As soon as the doctor finished telling my mom and I this my mom said, "I knew you were actually starting to look pretty." Errr... gee thanks mom, I must have ACTUALLY been hideous before. *rolls eyes*
Several things. Several tries. Some more successful than others.
Went shopping at the mall with a friend once. Was in a plus sized store and realized that they didn't stock one pair of jeans that would fit me. Yes, I was too fat for the plus sized store. Nearly passed out behind the wheel, at a time when I was making a living by driving children to school (I wasn't working that particular afternoon, but still). Realizing that I'd not only gone over 300 pounds (something I thought I'd never do), but went well beyond it.
Lost about 40 pounds.
Knowing that I was probably prediabetic or worse. Had some of the classic symptoms, including overactive bladder, constant thirst, slow-healing wounds, and horrible mood swings.
Lost about 40 more pounds. Gained some back. Lost some again.
Most recently? A miscarriage was a painful reminder that I'm not at my best, health-wise. That was this past January. After slowly easing back into a healthier lifestyle while I healed and mourned, I got back into the full swing of things in March and have lost about 25 pounds since. I'm currently at my lowest weight in 12 years (!) and plan to keep on working hard at losing.
I always appreciate everyone's honesty on this forum, especially when answering this sort of question.
My "enough already!" moment came a little over a year ago, when I got the results from a kidney stone procedure where they went in through my bladder to blast a stone that was partially blocking my ureter (which could have been really serious). That stone (some of which is still in there, like a tiny time bomb) was one of the worst kinds to have and the recommendations to prevent another one were food-related: stop eating chocolate and nuts, two of my favorite binge foods. I had been feeling really crappy, both physically and emotionally, and I decided it was time to stop whining and start making some changes. So I started calorie counting and cut way back on the chocolate (I can't quite give it up completely). I'm getting close to my goal and my kidney scans have been good.
Kudos to all of us for deciding to improve our health!
The day I decided I had enough is when I became the girl that hid from cameras, cropped every picture, and stopped posting them on my facebook. I knew that I wasn't just slightly chubby anymore like I used to be, I was bordering on obese.
Got sick and tired of being sick and tired. Hated the way I looked and I overheard someone ask if I was "really my husbands wife"...I know he looked so much better than me and people would look at us like "what is he doing with her?" So so many things people said to me over the years hurt like ****. I gained a lot of weight after a medical diagnosis and the depression that followed..for 15 YEARS, and while that diagnosis still remains and will never go away, I now at least have control of this aspect of my life. When I get down about how my syndrome is effecting me, I feel better knowing I can at least look better and feel better in this regard. And now people ask "who is that 20 year old girl with (insert husbands name)?" And I am 45!!! ;-) Feels good now. Life is still challenging, but at least this part of my life is better!
I was hospitalized and one of the tests they ran was an ultrasound that found a couple of gallstones. They recommended surgery immediately, but I didn't want it -- I wasn't in any pain and my hospitalization had nothing to do with the gallbladder.
But, because they thought I had an attack, I was put on a liquid diet, and I came to the realization that 1) I wasn't healthy, 2) I can live without food, and 3) the next time I was in the hospital, it might very well be to get gallbladder surgery if I didn't do something about my health.
It wasn't about weight... I wanted to lose weight, obviously, but I didn't know how I had gotten to my weight (lack of information/education) and I just wanted to be healthy. By becoming healthy, I lost weight, started to focus on what was going inside my body, came to the decision that if I was going to be healthy, I had to treat my PCOS/IR too, and all that avalanched into my healthy lifestyle today.
Even to this day, I don't do it for a number on the scale (although I do get on a scale and I do let it rule my world sometimes), I do it for my health.... how good I feel, how my lab results come back every year, whether I'm improving or getting worse (with exercise, lab results, weight, whatever).
Seeing my mother's agony when my brother died from a massive heart attack at age 45. He was overweight, had uncontrolled high blood pressure, diabetes and who knows what else. A year and a half later, she still has not recovered and probably never will. I can't let that happen to her again and also can't let it happen to my daughters and husband either. I struggle with high blood pressure and even being just 20 pounds overweight does not help. Health is the most important thing.
Mine wasn't one particular moment, but it was a realization that my daughter could pick up my terrible eating habits and end up just like me. I never want her to deal with what I've had to deal with when it comes to my weight. And I don't want her to have the unhealthy relationship with food that I have.
I've lost and re-gained in the past, but these thoughts are what are keeping me going this time. (As well as my own personal desire to be healthy and look better!)
Like many, a picture...well that and I got winded when I used the vacuum. But the picture more so because with the vacuum I was sad, but with the picture I was angry which spurred me.
Mine wasn't one particular moment, but it was a realization that my daughter could pick up my terrible eating habits and end up just like me. I never want her to deal with what I've had to deal with when it comes to my weight. And I don't want her to have the unhealthy relationship with food that I have.
I've lost and re-gained in the past, but these thoughts are what are keeping me going this time. (As well as my own personal desire to be healthy and look better!)
This exactly!! She is so healthy and I never want her to struggle like I have.
Mine was seeing pictures of my friend's wedding - I was in the wedding party was huge, definitely the biggest. I couldn't delete the evidence like I did with other photos. I had ordered the bridesmaid dress in a size 12 b/c I told myself that's what I still was, and had to get a rush order for a much bigger size. I had to stop lying to myself.
I was working out steadily/eating well for a bit but still smoking.
Four months ago I was in the hospital 3 times for trouble breathing/bronchitis/chest problems and upon leaving the ER the last time after a chest x-ray, I lit a cigarette - I thought my husband would kill me he was SO mad. That was my aha moment. Upon ditching the smokes, I've been able to push my body further than I ever though possible and I am LOVING it. I NEVER want to go back to that unhealthy/unhappy person.
I went to a routine doctor's appointment, stepped on the scale and saw 302. That hit me hard. After bawling for a bit after the appointment, bawling a bit more when I got home and talking to my husband, I signed up for WW that night.
My moment came when I realized I was having trouble buckling the seat belt in my minivan. Eventually, I couldn't buckle it at all, so I would just hold it across me. I started losing weight in November (several years ago, I'm relosing after I regained) and the day after Valentine's day I was in an accident that totalled my car. Thank God I could wear the belt by then! My bruises indicated that without a seatbelt, I would've probably been thrown from the car and killed.
