If you are 100kgs or over, how did you get there?

[JustCiri]

It's a very genuine question I am curious about looking at all the various posts about weight loss and MJ.
I am genuinely curious to know about how do people get to that sort of weight and any piece of advice from their own experience. I used to be very lean but I am 2 stones heavier now but still in 60-70kgs range and trying to lose weight. I am from an ethnicity which doesn't gains much weight so even this weight is lots for me.

I don’t think being pregnant per se makes you gain weight per se (obviously the baby etc). It tends to be the cravings, limited foods you can eat due to nausea, then tiredness during/after pregnancy, lack of time and energy to eat healthily. Some take the eating for two literally or find being pregnant liberating and allows them to eat more.
None of my friend nor I had weight after having our babies. For me, several years later, I gained weight mainly because I liked sugar/carbs too much despite my overall diet being reasonably healthy.

I train martial arts and have quite a few friends who are 90kg+, I know this because we compete in weight categories and (positively) people at the gym talk about weight unapologetically.
They are all fit, in that they strength train and do cardio workouts (the sport) and are a bigger build - not always tall, but broad shoulders, big boobs, big hips. I would never have guessed they were that weight if I didn't know, whilst anyone can become overweight, people really do carry weight differently.

I have cfs and the same thing eating too much sugar as my 4 year old has adhd. The eldest is pda. How did you start tackling the fatigue? I am struggling.

@Twinstudy I think the OP is asking about very significant weight gain. Judging by the responses, poor health is a major factor..

This is so true - I remember, when DC were young, some of their toddler friends were like lead weights and other so light but all similar sizes were to look at.

My highest was 202lb/92kg. I was always a “chubby” child. Low income, single mum who tried her best to support us. She worked many jobs to pay the bills, often wasn’t around at tea time. We’d make simple things to eat - chips and bread, super noodles etc. I did Weight Watchers at age 20, when I weighed just short of 12 stone. I got down to 8st 7lb, mostly through hunger and undereating. This further encouraged my unhealthy relationship with food.

Once I moved out into my own house, I tried to find my way with healthy eating, but did gain some weight. Still within a healthy BMI, and I trained a lot. I look back at the “before” photos I took now, where I thought I was fat, and realise I just needed to tone up. I was fine.

I then went on to have two children, and between each child, I didn’t lose the pregnancy weight, so carried the weight of two pregnancies. I did stints of SW and WW many times, and again developed even more unhealthy habits with food - worried about “syns” in foods with healthy fats whilst eating unlimited yogurts filled with sweeteners.

In the past couple of years, I’ve taken an interest in what’s actually in my food. I focus on high protein, and understand that monitoring calories is much better than the programmes that I had been trying to do. Admittedly, I haven’t done well, because I struggle with the mentality picked up in childhood that food shouldn’t be wasted, and I’ll pick at my kids’ plates, or skip ordering a meal for myself and having the rest of their pizza for example. I’ve always struggled with hunger. I’ve been obsessed with food, as soon as I finish my breakfast, I’m wondering what to make for dinner.

I started MJ a few months ago. From January to June, I did calorie counting alone (but fell victim to hunger, or eating the kids’ leftovers) and lost only 8lb. Since being on MJ, I’ve lost a further 22lb. I am hoping that during that time on it, it gives me the headspace to rebalance my relationship with food, and also the time to develop and maintain healthier habits so that as I transition off it, I can maintain those changes, and break the cycle I’ve been in since childhood.

I was 165kg at one point. A bit less now. I got there via the medium of putting stuff into my mouth that my body didn't physiologically need as a form of psychological self harm (which morphed fairly seamlessly into physical - because your body just existing hurts you when you're superfat).

Why I chose weight gain as the weapon of my self harm is another matter entirely.

I used to be very sporty. I knackered my back playing squash, which meant I couldn’t do the exercise I used to do. Knackered my back again, and can now only do limited sport. As I wasn’t exercising the weight piled on, but I am still quite fit, despite being a porker.

I mean that depends how tall you are, 100kg isn’t double my ideal weight, I would be hospitalised at 50kg!
82kg ish is my ideal, at 100kg I’m a size 14 bottom and 16 top

I was very active when younger - walked and cycled everywhere, are mostly healthily.

then I moved to USA, drove everywhere and are more. Also developed depression at the same time. Absolutely piled on weight then massively struggled to lose it.

ended up 130kg at 45, with a sedentary job and struggling to exercise. Have got down to 108kg so far on Mounjaro and still have a little no way to go.

Depression. In me, it causes me to freeze, physically. I could sit in a chair for 7, 8 hours at a time. Working on a laptop but only moving to get myself food or go to the loo.

Big portions, too. I don’t eat badly, not much junk. Takeaways always had veg, Korean is my favourite as nice fresh veg (but still takeaways). Just way, way too much.

Addressing all of it now and am under 100kg. Am quite strong underneath it all and as I lose weight I feel like I’m flying

That's true. I'm quite short with a small frame, so low to mid 50s is my ideal.

I went from a stressful, standing up and running around job to a less stressful, longer hours (work plus professionnel study) job, with nice colleagues and after work drinks. I met a man and we enjoyed cooking, drinking, eating together... moved to a big city and commuting balanced this out, a bit....

Lockdown hit, and I kept the drinking, eating, added more food treats....and lost any kind of moving about, getting more stressed and it just built from there. Then my dad died. Comfort eating, drinking, everything

I was 100kg and am now back to my pre covid weight - 3 stone off in the last year, stable for 4 months - now looking to continue to get back to it.

Yeah I’m built like a man with boobs! Not as in shape but I’m 5ft 10 and broad shoulders, big feet etc

Really crappy metabolism that more or less shut down after a bad glandular virus, followed by chronic fatigue and then hormonal changes after finishing breastfeeding in my 40’s. It doesn’t happen overnight - in Uni I was about a size 12 but wanted to be smaller so did lots of extreme diets that probably damaged my metabolism and after the virus went up to a 16 but after finishing breastfeeding three years ago went up a further 3 stone to a size 20. Went to the gp about it as I couldn’t lose it even eating 1200 calories and she said it just happens to some people with age and hormones. I found it hard particularly as my family are very sporty so there’s shame and a sense of failure attached to weight gain. I have an under active thyroid and insulin resistance, the virus in my mid 20s really changed my body a lot too. My mum has a better metabolism than I do but was in a coma with pneumonia at one point and went up to a 16 for about two years afterwards - it is crazy how much these things can effect our bodies. My mum has lost it since but has not forgotten how differently people treated her at the time.

The jabs have been amazing for me as I can lose again but still have to keep it to very low calories and exercise a lot for a pound or so a week loss. Personally if I had a healthy metabolism I wouldn’t use them and just diet and exercise as I think your body could become reliant on them but I was at a point where I did the diet and exercise but my body would not respond. I know some people put on weight as they over eat because of leptin issues too so it’s not as easy as just having self restraint as some people say. The chemicals in our food, illnesses, hormones, genetic issues all have an effect - no two people’s bodies work the same way. I am still over weight but life is now so much easier - people are nicer and more helpful - it is shocking the difference in how people treat you!

Stopped smoking 40 cigarettes a day, had 2 kids, learnt to drive, had an abusive H, started drinking. Fun fun fun.

I didn't say anything of the sort, did I?

Try reading my post again, slowly.

I was raped and the creep complimented several parts of my body. I spent the next two years eating my way to making myself look unattractive (in my mind) and changing how I looked.

Once I had some therapy I stopped caring about his opinions and, without wanting to sound like a cliche, learned to love myself. Met my ex and he loved my body. Had my kids. Met DH. Had more kids.

Went on the odd diet every now and again, but never really worried about it much. I was very fit in terms of physicality - and that could be amusing when people were shocked that I could go hill walking with them and keep up, or go for long swims. I just had horrendously bad habits in terms of what I ate - people were always surprised because I didn't actually eat that much, but my macaroni cheese had enough calories to last a week, I don't like dry food so everything has a sauce and they are massively high in calories. I also drank around 1lof fizzy juice every day as I don't like milk, tea or coffee and that made a massive difference - when the sugar tax came in and the recipe for irn bru changed I lost over a stone with zero effort just because of the lower calories.

My youngest daughter fighting every day of her life for survival (she's been in icu numerous times) made me feel like I should be matching her effort in trying to be as healthy as possible. I'm 11 stone down. I hate how I look because it's so so different, but I'll get used to it in time, and I'll have longer to do so because I'm undoubtedly healthier.

Do you think people have no idea how anyone gains weight? Sounds judgemental to me.

Children, chemo, steroids, age, eating too much. I lost all the weight and then got whacked with diabetes so be careful out there people!

Years of eating the wrong foods and not enough exercise. If, as I was able to before COVID, I could get out on my bike every evening after work for about 10 miles, I would be back to pre-COVID weight, but having put on the weight, I struggle to exercise, so I’ve got into a spiral.
Luckily, I’ve just started with Wegovy, so once I’ve lost a couple of stones I’m hoping to be able to resume my previous regular exercise…

😂😂😂
Oh deary me. I've survived years of fat-shaming. You really think a bit of condescension towards me or others would have any impact? Get a few more letters after your name, then re-try mate.

I grew up in a home with a severely depressed mother, and I turned to sugar as comfort.

In my 20s I had a physically demanding job and was the fittest I’ve ever been, but still overweight.

I had 2 babies in 2 years, with hyperemesis both times, and I’m convinced this ruined my hunger hormones. I couldn’t tell the difference between nausea and hunger. This messes with you mentally and physically.

I was diagnosed with PCOS.

I got a sedentary job and my weight crept up. I lost weight many times, but couldn’t live long-term on the tiny portions needed to keep it off.

I developed a medical condition for which I take a drug that makes you put on weight.

The menopause.

I weighed 140kg at my heaviest. I lost a lot by low-carbing, and am now on WLI. Still over 100kg but for the first time I think I might one day be a healthy weight.

If it was all just about eating less, I’d be thin.

I had a baby and developed thyroid disease, which went undiagnosed for a year. During that time I put on significant weight and suffered with horrendous pain, exhaustion and many other fun symptoms, including a complete loss of confidence.

Like many mums, I put my DCs first and didn’t make time to look after myself. My H worked away a lot so I didn’t get time to myself and when I did, I was so exhausted that exercise was the last thing on my mind. I developed another autoimmune condition which caused pain and exhaustion.

I tried all the diets, did ‘couch to 5k’ but only eventually lost weight due to stress when I got divorced. I made no effort at all and lost over 3 stone without trying. This convinced me that there is more of a hormonal than element to weight loss that I could have realised.

I met someone who also struggled with his weight, we spent a lot of our free time enjoying amazing meals, and hanging out watching TV. We joined a gym together but continued losing and gaining the same one or two stone for several years.

Menopause hit and I now find I have even more daily pain, even less energy, and of course, I still have an underactive thyroid and other health issues, which make just getting through the day hard work.

I work in an active job, but its physically hard work and I have no motivation to eat healthily, so I snack, desperate for a sugar hit to give me a boost until I get to sit down.

I suspect I have ADHD so the dopamine hit thing makes sense too. I’m constantly thinking of food, the phrase ‘food noise’ that seems to have become popular re weight loss injections also resonates with me. I can be simultaneously telling myself I should lose weight, I’m not actually hungry, just bored, this isn’t going to satisfy me etc while also putting bread in the toaster or opening a packet of crisps, its like I’m watching a car crash in slow motion and I can’t stop it.

I have cognitive dissonance around eating food and gaining weight. I cannot mentally convert this ‘one tasty thing I’m putting into my mouth’ into the size of my arse. The two things are not really connected in my mind, so I just don’t have the willpower to resist things I enjoy (or at least anticipate that I’ll enjoy).

I work in hospitality so I’m surrounded by food, follow fellow foodies on instagram etc so I’m being constantly bombarded with temptation.

These are some of the many excuses reasons I’m fat.

I had breast cancer treatment that put me into early menopause and I found it incredibly difficult to lose weight. I am now at a healthy weight but it was a long and painful journey. People shouldn’t assume it’s just about ‘eating crap’