Did you ever procrastinate and wait for that "perfect day"

[PRINCESS VIJA]

I just read about a lady that lost a lot of weight, and prior to that she had the Scarlett O'Hara syndrome (as she put it) that she would always just wait for tomorrow to get started.

That is me! I NEED HELP!

What finally got you motivated to "today, not tomorrow"???

 

[3DisneyKids]

Honestly, if I could answer what "flipped the switch" for me, I would be a gazillionaire! I am not trying to be sarcastic here...it is the truth. I have been successful at losing weight twice. The first time was 15 years ago...and I kept it off until having 3 kids. Now that I am done having kids, I am losing it again. (Keep it mind, though, that my "baby" is 5...so it took 4 years for me to get that switched flipped again.)

Each time...I can't explain it. I just woke up and said, "this is it." And it was somehow different than the other times when I said, "I am going to start today." I woke up and KNEW it. It was somehow a foregone conclusion.

That was for getting started. What has KEPT me motivated...WISH! I have met wonderful people and made some true friends here...and that has made all the difference.

Good luck!

 

[eeyore65]

A Dr. prescribed diet. Nothing like your Dr. telling you that you need to go on a diet and which one. I had that fateful Dr. Appt 4 months ago and have lost 25 lbs - 32 more to go.

My advice...don't let it get to that point! It is a health issue to carry excess weight.

 

[tiggerlover]

Vija!

I think anyone who has or is overweight has procrastinated about getting started. But the one thing that finally spurred me on was at DS's elementary school when DS was in 1st or 2nd grade one of the kids called me a big fat cow and right there and then I decided that my son was not going to be burdened with my weight problems.

 

[Mary Anne]

I wish I knew what did it for me. I knew it was something I should be doing for a long, long time. I always had an excuse why I couldn't start.... too busy at work... no time to cook.... cheaper to eat non diet foods. Then one day about 3 weeks ago, somebody and work mentioned that there was a WW group right across the street from work. She was going over to pick up some information and I asked her to bring me a package back. I then read up on WW again that weekend and decided right then and there this was it. That weekend I bought foods that would be good for me, I went in that Monday and signed on. That was 19 days ago and as of last Thursday I was 9.2 lbs down. Joining the wishboards was the best thing I could have done. In such a short time, I've met the nicest bunch of supportive people. If anything gives me the extra boost during the "hard" times I know it will be this board.

 

[mikamah]

I started ww again about two and a half years ago, after my mom had a very serious health problem. She was overweight, diabetic, ex smoker, and most of her health problems were related to lifestyle. I was 226 pounds then, and I decided right then and there I would join ww, and I would not quit until I was at a healthy weight, and this time I would not ever regain it. I do not want to be a burden to my son, and I want to be able to run and bike and have fun with him and still breathe while he is young. I'm in the 180s now and have been for about a year, but feel much better, and still feel that I will not ever let myself get that out of control again.

That was the main reason, but the other thing was, I wear scrubs at work, and they were getting very tight, and when I bent down to empty a foley catheter, I couldn't breathe, and I was not going to go up a size. I knew if I went up a size, I would just grow into them until they were tight too.

It's so hard to get started, Vija, but you can do it. There will be good and bad days and weeks, but that's ok, so long as you keep trying.

 

[Tiger Lily 03]

Great question!

For me it was suddenly realizing I was/am an emotional eater and after DH's major surgeries and all he went through and the fact that I was needing to buy size 20s I had decided to put the brakes on and learn to eat healthier. I'd always had a fantastic metabolism but as I hit my 40's found that the weight was just climbing that spiral. I did not stop until more than 10 years of major weight climbing for me. It is still difficult for as I struggle daily with this issue of having comfort in eating rather than finding fuel and nutrition for a healthier me.

 

[Saphire]

I think most people use the word 'decision' when they talk about losing weight. If you have decided it, then there is no waiting until tomorrow, you want to get started immediately. Once you get going it gets easier. But making that initial decision is the hardest part.

No matter how many pounds you need to lose, until you make a decision, few pounds will be lost. It is a serious thing, to make a decision. It is gathering all your strength and will power and promising yourself that this is it, this is the moment when you start. Once you build up some momentum of losing weight, it gets easier to keep your promise.

Of course it all sounds so simple, to 'make a decision' to lose weight. But read the other posts and you will see it is true. There are lots of tips and advice here to stay on track, but the bottom line is you have to decide to DO IT!.

 

[pajules]

I am also a recent dieter and now that I have lost 20lbs I feel like, why didn't I start this sooner. I have been a yo-yo dieter since my son was born 9 years ago. I lose it and then regain it. I think a lot has to do with being an emotional eater. My first step to dealing with my weight loss this time was to tackle my emotional issues. I needed to say goodbye to the things that were stressing me out and making me feel less about myself, that included my job. I never realized how much of my life my work was consuming. It had literally dragged me down for years and finally I had had it.

It was an extremely hard decision, but the best one I have made for my health.

Once I tackled those, it still took me nearly 2 months to take that first walk into the gym. I kept thinking, "What if everyone is looking at me and wondering who's that fat girl." But once I did it there was no looking back. Finding the courage to take the first step is the hardest. There wasn't a "lightbulb" moment that made me go that first day, just something inside me that said "today is the day."

Also, it's about finding what works best for you. For you it may be Weight Watchers, for me it's eating a balanced dieter and exercising 5 days a week. But it's also about finding a support group to keep you motivated. I like the combination of the people here on the boards as well as a couple people I have met at my gym. Both help to keep me on track and moving towards my goal.

Trust me, it's not easy and there are days when I think, "gosh, I've only lost 20 lbs." But then I remember it took me 9 years to put on all this weight and in just 3 months I've already shed 20 lbs of it! I'm on the slow and steady route of losing 2lbs a week and so far it's working.

Here's to you taking that first step....we're all behind you.

 

[DollfieDreams]

i think making the decision to finally start caring about losing weight was really all based on my living situation.

i have recently been employed somewhere i have always wanted to be at (not doing the thing i really wish to do, but still there...) and had to quit because of recent family deaths and unexpected cancers which left me little to no time to work and it wasnt fair to my fellow co-workers that i always had to call in or be late thanks to running in between orlando and daytona. since then ive gotten another job, but its still didnt bring me any closer to the goal i have wanted to accomplish.

but i dont want to work remedial jobs the rest of my life. yes, i could go back to college but in my heart (or...at the moment) i really dont want to do that. what i really want to do and have forever wanted to do was all generally based on me losing weight. so after a lot of soul searching/crying about it, i finally made the decision; that nothing was going to stop me and a "little bit" of weight wasn't going to slow me down. since then ive had the support of my new co-worker who is going to help me with the hardest part of my training, and also a few family and friends that have been looking forward to working out more so me saying "im doing it" has inspired them as well.

 

[OnourwaytoWDW]

I agree with other posters that something just "clicks" and it's on.
I have tried on and off since Jan, not really be serious. But then about March I started to feel fat in my neck when I would look down to read. It was my "click".
March 31 was the day it started and it's all been good.
Boy, what an emotional eater I am!! When something gets me down, I would have before gone at something with a fork! But now I just tell myself it'll be ok and a hot shower would be better. I took lots of hot showers in the evening when I wanted to snack. It really did help!!

Good luck!