What One thing Motivated you to loose weight?

[square pond]

Hello to all. I was just wondering if there was any one thing that "sparked" your weight loss Journey. Like a light bulb moment. Mine was going to the doctor and getting weighed. We haven't had a scale in our house in years. I just figured since I was still in the same size pants I couldn't be gaining weight. Well when I got on the scale at the doctors I had to blink twice. I figured theres no way I'm reading that number right!! I won't say what my weight was but lets just say I'm no tinkerbelle!! So home I went and straight to the bookstore for atkins. That was thirty pounds ago and counting!

 

[July]

When my size 18's starting getting real tight. I had to unbutton when I was sitting down. Yikes how embarrasing. But I refused to go by the next size up. I was already in the 20's once before. And when I gave those away I made the decision not to ever go back into them again.
What a shame I didn't start when my 14's quit fitting and I had to go back to the 16's. That didn't even stop me nope no siree. When the 16's got to tight and I got out the 18's boy I thought about it. Just not hard enough. Darn it.
So here I am struggling to loose it again.. Jeez!

July

 

[square pond]

I here you about the pant size!! I can almost remember a size 11 but its a little foggy!! My pants are getting loose now but I'm not buying a smaller size until they fall to the ground when I put them on!! And then I hope there will be no going back!! Heres wishing us both to be doing the no pants dance real soon!!!!

 

[LuvTigger]

Last year I lost about 15 pounds, then stopped sticking to my program. I knew I had gained some back, but I didn't realize until getting on the scale a couple months ago that I had gained it back, and thensome! Also, the pants thing...they were starting to get tight. I decided that there was no way in heck that I was going to go out and buy more pants, unless they were in a SMALLER size!!! I just got tired of looking at myself in the mirror and seeing how big I was. I want to be small again!

 

[gshoemate]

While visiting my parents last year I ran into a cousin that I haven't seen since my skinny years. He asked my mother if I was pregnant. How embarassing. It was actually baby fat from my last child that I never lost. Thats when I knew I had to do something.

 

[newholiday]

my brother had a triple heart bypass last May

I had started loosing weight (16lbs) for a cruise we were suppose to go on Nov 02. Last May my 5yr9mo older brother had a heart attack. Our father died from heart disease 10yrs ago so now we know its hereditary. That was incentive enough to make me loose the remainder of the 45lbs. Im now at goal - doc told me not to loose anymore.

 

[Hollyann]

My mother died when she was 48 - not from weight related issues. Most of the women on both sides of the family (mom's & dad's) never lived to see 50 years old! One day I thought about that and decided that I was going to be fifty and fabulous! So, I started exercising and lost about 50 pounds.

I got comfy with that and then put about 15-20 pounds back on. Then on a routine doctors visit, I discovered that despite the fact used to exercise (remember I put the weight on), I was diagnosed as "Pre-Diabetic".

So, now I eat low-carb, low-fat & sugar free as well as exercise - this will happen forever since the choice was taken away from me. I've lost the weight I put back on and more, and am saving for a Disney Cruise for my 50th birthday (only 10 years to go!). Not only am I going to be fifty and fab, I'm going to be cruising as well! Nothing like aging with style!

 

[ZerasPride]

What a great question!

There was honestly no light bulb moment for me. I have been fat all my life. It's all I've ever known. I have tried every diet known to man before stumbling onto South Beach. DH and I both agreed to start it together on December 1, 2003. We loved the program and haven't looked back since.

I have had so many false starts before that I am amazed that 7 months later we have lost a combined total of approximately 140 pounds! That's a whole person!!!! So again, not sure, what makes this time "the time" but I'm riding the wave of success that we are experiencing and don't intend to ever look back! Right now I'm looking at pic of me at my heaviest weight. I don't ever want to be that person again!!!

 

[kennancat]

I had a few things that did it for me:

1) I had a co-worker who was diagnosed with Type II diabetes. She made a comment at one point after her diagnoses that anyone with Type II in their family needed to make sure they weren't carrying a lot of excess weight. I was about 25 pounds heavier than I needed to be and have a history of Type II in my family...

2) I went shopping Labor Day weekend for pants because my 12s no longer fit. I could find nothing that fit - anything that fit my hips had a waist that gaped on me. Since I couldn't find pants that fit, I ended up going to Bed Bath and Beyond and buying a digital scale instead to lose the extra weight. (Postscript: I've lost nearly 30 pounds since that shopping trip and STILL have the same problem finding pants that fit! I can't wait until this whole low-rise thing goes out of style and pants with a natural waist come back in.)

3) I fell off the diet around the holidays last year and regained 10 of the 18 pounds that I had lost. It finally hit me that I didn't want to be on the yo-yo for the rest of my life, especially since I turn 30 this year and I want to develop better health habits now so that I can enjoy my life.

So, those were my big three.

 

[ibouncetoo]

Mine was an airplane ride. When I buckled myself in I had to pull the latch all the way to the end of the belt. I swore I would not let it get to the point that I'd have to ask for an extension for my seat belt!

 

[Minniespal]

What an interesting question ~ Mine would have to be that I could no longer squeeze into my clothes and I was not going to buy any new ones and also I ran up some stairs and I was really puffed out. Decided then and there that something had to be done.

 

[clarabelle]

DH was losing and I wasn't. He kept trying to "encourage" me and it made me want to slap him!
I know it is superficial- but I didn't want him to get skinny and still have a frumpy wife. So I went and signed up with a weight loss counciling service.

 

[square pond]

It's so great to hear everyones lightbulb moments!! Keep up the great stories and the great work!!

 

[WDWorBUST]

I don't know if you can call it a light bulb moment but I have two I guess. 1. I had my daughter - she's 8 months old and I never want her to experience life overweight so I want her to learn healthy eating habits and she is only going to do that if I teach them to her and are doing them myself. Not to mention I never want for her to have to defend me when she gets big enough and her friends tell her her moms fat. AND I want to be able to keep up with her! and 2. I want another baby and my DH is insistent that I lose weight before we do. Well I'm 30 and not getting any younger and I have about 65 pounds to go before he is willing to let me go through a pregnancy again. Just so you know my DH isn't a big meanie - I had a great pregnancy but a very scary delivery for everyone but me. In fact I just found out yesterday that my blood pressure was at 50 over 20 for a significant amount of time....and that I was asleep a good portion of that. I only remember it being that low for a short time and I remember thinking that I needed to stay awake because I might not wake up if I went to sleep - but I wasn't scared I just wasn't going to miss my little one's arrival. She ended up being taken emergency C-section and my whole family was scared to death. So they aren't willing to go through that again. in fact my older sister wants me to adopt - but I want to experience being pregnant again and I have breastfed my DD and I can't imagine not breastfeeding the next one. Okay....I have rambled on - but those two things are my motivators!!

 

[square pond]

WDWorBust, I wish you nothing but the best in your weight loss effort!! I think pregnancy is a miracle!Of course children are a miracle when they are yours no matter how they come into your life. I will keep you in my prayers!

 

[CookieGVB]

I've always been heavy - ALWAYS.

I lost my father to a stroke in March, and I decided that this was IT for putting off my weight loss efforts.

 

[sm4987]

I just realized that I weigh entirely to much for my height. I couldn't fool myself anymore into thinking that I still looked good and that it was not that bad. It was bad. I needed to get healthier and smaller so I could continue to be with my kids. That's my moment

 

[Princess Michelle]

Like a few others I can't ever remember not being overweight. There were times I weighed a whole lot less than I do now but I was still overweight. I've gone up and down with my weight my whole life, almost always in a state of trying to lose but it seems like something always comes up and I stop for whatever reason.

I have a couple of health problems already that aren't weight related but I know the extra weight doesn't help them out. My family has a high risk for diabetes and other health problems that are increased by excess weight. So I have always wanted to get the weight off for these reasons it just hasn't ever stayed off.

When I went to the doctor recently and I got on the scales and I was at my all time high once again I knew that this was it. No more playing around, it was time to get serious and get the weight off for good. This gain crept up so suddenly I just couldn't imagine if I got on the scales and saw it even higher. So this is it, I'm losing it for my health and so I can feel better about how I look.

Thanks for starting this thread! It's a good source of encouragement for everyone to be able to read about other's struggles and turning points.

 

[Kimmykins]

A few things... tight size 14's, many pairs of size 6 pants staring at me everytime I opened the closet door, and most importantly, my mom's battle with diabetes and her weight.

I have discovered that I love the feeling of being in control and not "needing" anything. I don't crave bread anymore, or even pasta with lots of marinara (used to be one of my favorites.) I'm proud of me. Even if I don't get down to that size 6 again.

 

[eeyoreforever]

I too have several reasons for wanting to lose weight-only own about 2 pairs of pants that fit and about 4 shirts. They are getting thread bare from being worn so often! I hate buying new clothes because nothing fits right. Tired of grunting to get out of the chair. Want to set a better example for my children. But, here is my "lightbulb". I called an insurance company about 3 weeks ago because I am changing health insurance. I have a private policy. They quoted me the rate, which was about 70% cheaper than what I am currently paying. I thought to myself wooohooo!!! Then she started asking for all my personal info and when I told her my weight, she said that they have to adjust the rates for overweight people. That immediately increased my premium by 40%. The first increase for x number of pounds was 20% and for the next number of pounds was 40%-which is where I am at. That means that I am paying over $100/month for being overweight. I promised myself that once I lost the weight, that extra money would go straight into my Disney fund. I'd much rather spend it at Disney than give it to the insurance company.

Sorry so long.