this is soooo me! i will change into everything i own and NOTHING makes me feel confident - i end up so frustrated and in tears! ive always been envious of girls who can just toss on an outfit and know it wont buldge weird, or look terrible. sweats and a tank top - ok. anything else - absolutely not!

I think not being able to feel confident in anything I wore was one of my "last straw" moments. I, too, scrounged the closet. I even spent time trying on things that used to fit, realize in disgust many wouldn't even zip, button, whatever, and just keep on looking for more.

Yet, even though I was outgrowing my clothes, for a long time I still wasn't doing anything about it.

I can remember when I was young and felt confident in how I looked and LOVED shopping. I tried on clothes and felt hot in them. As I gain more confidence and lose weight I am liking shopping more, but look forward to being totally confident in my appearance again.

Oh boy...my moment came in August when I realized that I could no longer fit my designer jeans ($200 a pair!). I have two pairs and I refuse to purchase more.

Of course I am losing for my health, but I do not want to buy anymore clothes.

That was one of my triggers.

My mom, who had never before commented on my weight, said that I was getting heavy.

Basically I got to the point where it was either lose the weight or have my health snowball downward. A moment of clarity if you will.

I had started gaining weight after my college graduation, but the pounds didn't really start to pile on until after I injured my back. I did recover ,but it definitely scared me into caring about my health.

Before I lost the weight, I was afraid to lay down because it felt like someone was sitting on my chest, simple things like showering would wear me out, my cholesterol was beginning to climb, etc.. Being able to wear a smaller size is the icing on the cake, but being able to physically fully participate in life is much nicer.

My breaking point was recently. A friend of mine and I were always the same size in highschool... we gained weight together. After the first year of college, I didn't see her, but we reunited over summer. She looked great, had started dieting and exercizing and told me that she felt so healthy and fresh. At this point I felt so bad about myself. After that, I watched a special on what being overweight can do to the heart and liver, and I decided, I NEED to do it, for me....

Looking at the results of a blood test (cholesterol going upwards, ugh), and realizing that I was getting out of breath by simply climbing the stairs to my room a little fast. I wasn't "that" fat in my mind, but realizing I was so out of shape was that "duh!" no way, I'm only 26!" moment that made me start it all. It's taking time, I'm often struggling, but boy, I'll be there one day, and refuse to go the other way again!!

1) My ankles started swelling and knew there was something wrong. My first thought is always how can I help myself through diet. No soda, no salt, and more water were my first changes and it just snowballed from there.

2)As an older woman that returned to school, I realized that I would be competing for jobs with the 20-somethings. I need to be in the best shape I can be to do that!

realizing I was saying "no" to more activities with friends than i was saying "yes" to. I knew I wouldn't be able to keep up with them around the simplest things.

My health has declined in the last 2 years. Acid reflux, sleep apnea and endometrial hyperplasia were just the beginning and if I didn't do something, I knew that it would just get worse. The extra weight also hindered my ability to heal after developing tendonitis in both hands. I was slowly killing myself. I want to be able to go to the park and keep up with my kids, I want to be healthier and look healthier, and I want to have a healthy baby. My "aha" moment was going to the doctor in May and realizing that I've seen more of her in the last year then I have since being pregnant with my DD---7 years ago!

i have another one... I am young enough that I want to get this under control now, and not live fat and keep on getting more fat for the rest of my life.

Plus there was one day when I realized I no longer had a waist. A bit of an exageration, but when I was always one to be proud of my girlish figure, I was shocked and saddened to realize I looked less like a Coke bottle and more like a 2-liter.