I'm curious...

I know this has been done before but I want a new perspective. What made you decide to lose weight? I don't mean like "to get healthy" because I think that regardless, that is everyone's ultimate goal even if they start out for shallow reasons (which is completely okay!!). I mean like a certain moment that was the last straw. For me it was a couple of things that led up to the moment: first, I was at a friend's birthday party in the park and a car passed by and yelled "gorda!" (which is fat in Spanish) when I was standing with two of my [skinny] friends and they tried to play it off like "oh my god they called "US" fat." It was nice of them but of course I knew they meant me!. Then it was my dress ripping at prom (in the butt might I add) and after spending hours getting ready and hundreds of dollars, I had to leave within the first five minutes and of course I was horribly  and terribly embarrassed. But the moment that I think really got to me was when I went on a trip to Orlando with my best friend and some of her family and friends and I felt so fat that I wore a sweater, jeans, and sneakers in the middle of July in FLORIDA (I about died of a heat stroke and when they would tell me to take off my sweater i would be like "oh I'm cold" they must have thought I was crazy and pathetic) and after looking at the pictures afterward I felt so disgusted. I couldn't fathom that that was actually me in the pictures. I realized that I was in denial and had to change my life. I would love to hear some of your moments!

The worst moment is seeing the scale past 200 and keep going. Other moments include seeing pictures of myself with others and im the fat girl in the pic. My fave is trying on clothes that i own and they no longer fit comfortably. But those moments have led me to where i am now and that is being more conscious of what i put into my body (thanks to calorie count) which is leading me to a healthier weight and lifestyle

the thing that made me want to lose weight and become more aware of the way I ate is when I understood how sad it is to have a food addiction.

we talk a lot about drug addicts, and how they cannot stop not even when they know they could die at any time, and we do not realize food is a drug that does exactly the same.

restaurants and food companies develop new ways of making you want more of their sugary unhealthy fatty stuff, they control what you want and bombard you with stuff at the super market, they control your mind and your cravings and make you an addict since childhood.

it is a crime to put all the sugar they put in certain foods and it is a crime that it is allowed under the way of thinking that is ultimatelly your choice if you consume their poison, made to deceive you and tempt you, if that was the case then why is it treated different than other chemical drugs, it is just a big big hypocresy if you ask me.

so I am not willing to give them my money and my health or my sons' or husband's health, that is why I want to be healthy, keep my weight on check, and only give my money to responsible food companies, they don't have to be organic, just fair.

Honestly, what made me start thinking about it was when the guy I was with dumped me.  I just kept asking, "Is it because I'm not pretty enough?  Is it because I'm too fat?" etc.

I kept thinking about it over the next couple weeks and realized that I didn't care if he thought I was too fat, but I did.  I wanted to make myself better and do it for me, not anyone else.

Edit: He didn't think I was too fat, he actually likes bigger girls.  Me asking was my realization that I thought I was too fat.

Everyone made fun of me calling me fat everyday. I realized all I did was eat, eat, and eat some more. With that being said, one day I started to exercise and it felt really good. I kept exercising daily even if I didn't like it. Then boom I lost some weight and that was very motivational that I continue to now workout along with exercising. The main reason I wanna lose weight is to look better and to gain muscle and become strong.

For me it was not just one thing, but a series of things:

1. Scheduled surgery--I wanted to have a fast recovery, so I bumped up my exercise.
2. A series of weigh-ins at the doctors before the scheduled surgery, I was shocked to discover I had gradually reached the "morbid" obese category.
3. My husband developed high blood pressure (he is also overweight), the first real health risk either of us had that came from obesity.
4. My joints were starting to ache, just like my father's had, and I wanted to be able to continue to be active into my old age.
5. My size 24W jeans were starting to get tight, and I couldn't bear the idea of going up to 26W!

But, I still don't understand what actually triggers the commitment to real change in humans.  I mean, anyone who needs to lose weight knows it full well for a long time before they are willing to make any changes.  And most of us makes feeble attempts for years, but nothing really happens until we really embrace the concept of life-long, sustainable, lifestyle changes.  But it seems impossible to know how to get to the place (or help others we love get to that place) where we can get that concept.  There are shelves and shelves of books at the library, and motivational programs, that try to answer that very question, but it seems each person needs to find their own way to that place.

I guess it was at Christmas when I realized I was the fattest person in the family. I had always been the skinniest one in the family until my twenties.I felt very embarrassed and wanted to get my self respect back

sokkies

For me, what broke the camel's back was a progression of things, in my opinion. 

I started noticing stretch marks where I've never had them, and other stretch marks stretching more.  I've always been ashamed of them, but when I found more I freaked out.

Also, I noticed that I was very depressed.  I didn't want to have sex, I didn't want to laugh or joke.  And crying at night became a regular occurrence, and when asked what was wrong, I had no clue why I was crying.

Then, I tried to fit into clothes I wear everyday, and they were tight.  Since, I just had to buy clothes in a size higher then I usually wear recently, I got really upset.

Also, I thought that gall bladder disease ran in my family.  My mom has it and both my grandma's had to have theirs removed when they were my age.  

So, I decided that this getting healthy was for me.  I wasn't happy with myself.  I ate terribly, and i felt like I was gaining weight.  Then, my friend asked me if I would be her diet accountability partner, if I would keep track of what she's doing and keep her going strong.  And I said yes, if she would do the same for me.  So I got this website and I've been using it for a week.  And I have lost 4 pounds since then, which is amazing.  

Eating the food that is right for me gives me way more energy and exercising has given me the endorphins to stay happy all day, and I haven't cried once this week.  I feel like I am more level headed and confident in what I am doing as of late. 

But I didn't decide to do this because I was vain and wanted to lose weight, I saw in myself that the way I was eating was affecting other things: my emotions, my relationships, my self-esteem, and my health.   And getting all those things corrected in my life is more important to me.

I guess the primary reason I decided to shed some pounds and join was that my clothes started to be uncomfortable and even unsightly, like 'muffin-top' when I previously didn't have that issue.

Being a nurse, I know all the increased  health risks related to obesity. (Not to mention the absolute fear I have every time I go to the doctor for any check-up. I have thyroid issues and get a weigh in every 4 months. Dreadful!)

My biggest concern is that one day I know I wan to be a mother, a healthy one! I want to be at an appropriate weight when I get pregnant and then set positives images to my children about food and eating. Being an emotional eater, I would hate to pass such a negative example for them.

There was several things that happened all at once that made me decide once and for all to get serious about losing the weight and getting healthy.

The first thing was seeing photos of myself on stage with my husband in our band.  I think its hard to get a good idea of your actual body shape just by looking in the mirror.  I saw all these rolls I'd never seen before and realized that it was a lot worse than I had imagined.  I barely recognized the girl in those photos.

Second, my mom and dad started losing weight after my dad was diagnosed with diabetes.  While the lbs were practically melting off of my mom, i just kept putting them on.  When they came to town to visit recently and I realized that I was no longer "the skinny one" in the family...it was a huge blow.

Third thing was when I started to notice how out of breath I was getting just doing normal things like walking up the stairs or putting away groceries. Fourth was when I realized that none of my cute autumn clothes fit anymore.

But the last straw was when I finally decided to get on the scale and figure out my BMI.  I was STUNNED to see that I was not 20lbs over my weight when I got married 2 years ago...not 30lbs...but almost 50 lbs heavier.  I was in shock...I had no idea it was that big of a number.  I got online and looked up my BMi and I was pretty shocked by that number too.  At that point, I knew that I had to stop it now or it was going to get out of control...

I was shopping for clothes at my favorite store, where I already was wearing their biggest size.  When the only thing that fit me were flowy skirts, it was time to change.  I remember standing in the dressing room in yet another pair of pants that was too tight to buy.  I started getting tears in my eyes and decided this was too much. 

I already didn't like how I looked.  I still felt like the athlete I was in highschool, but I certainly didn't look like it, and I certainly wasn't in shape at all!  I just felt that people didn't know who I really was...that I had somehow forgotten who I was.  I was someone who actually liked being active...who loved running.  So I joined a running club and have been competing in half marathons every since.  But more importantly, I feel like me again. 

That was almost 3 years ago.  I lost a little over 50 lbs in about a year, and have been maintaining for the past 2 years. It can be done!

Just a few years ago, my blood glucose number was 99. It got to 119 (normal is below 100 mg; diabetes is 126). And my knees and joints hurt. My husband is also very overweight, and I knew I'd have to be the one to change my eating habits and then he would probably follow.

But what really did it was the photos. When I looked into the mirror, I saw a heavy person but not an obese person. I avoid the camera or hide behind people, but in June, we had a big family event and there was no escaping the camera. When I saw the photos, I realized that I was much heavier than I had admitted to myself.

My husband and I have both lost nearly 20 pounds so far. Lots to go for both of us.

Fat movie.

There was a teenager, in highschool, who was obese, and he was going to get gastric surgery. But the thing that got me was, he never tried! They would take him to the gym, and he would go and eat pizza instead! I thought that it was such a waste to get the surgery as if it was his only option, when he never even tried to begin with (I have nothing against the surgery, but that guy irritated me). Then, the night before, his family was  cooking dinner, and he started crying about. Like, sobbing. I was so disgusted with him acting that way with food, that I couldn't help but take a look at myself. How can I say anything about him when I'm just as fat (I think...I don't remember his size).

I had plenty of embarrassing moments, but none of them every made me want to actually lose weight, just crash diet.  Other people can't make me lost weight, just me. :)

I started this April on this site, and lost 85 pounds so far, so I guess it was a good movie. XD