What was the 'spark' that made you want to lose weight?

[igotbills]

I am currently 12 weeks away from a huge event which I promised myself I would lose 20lbs for... a year ago!

I have successfully lost weight on a few occasions but there was always something that 'clicked' with me and put me in the zone, this time I'm really struggling!

Hoping to read some inspiration from others to give me a kick up the backside

For me it was my gp saying I'd be diabetic if I carried on piling on the pounds, and having to take pills for the rest of my life. So I lost 3 stone and managed to keep it off by committing to gym classes 3 times a week. Bit boring I know, and I LOVE my food. Slipped back during lock down, ie no gym, eating out of boredom but got back into the routine in 2022.

My MIL made a comment about how much I had eaten one day. Along the lines of "GASP omg you're gonna eat that as well" infront of other family. I was so humiliated.

It was terrible at the time, it caused me to lose 4 stone but I'm in the best shape of my life now and have kept it off. She was at the time and still is struggling with her weight and I could just never imagine commenting on her or anyone's weight. I know the hurt it can cause.

I saw a photo of myself back in February. I had a big, round, face. I’ve lost 6kg, I’m back to normal BMI and I got back into exercise.

When my fat clothes were getting tight and after a weekend away with lots of walking, my knees were in agony and had to take v strong painkillers to get through.
I'm 2 stone down with more to go and I love the gym.

The thought of having sex with my husband repulses me.

My FWB getting back in touch. I'd put on 2 stone since I saw him last 3 years ago. I wanted to finish where we left off

I've never been really overweight but have sometimes looked a bit heavy. For me the motivation to lose weight is always seeing photos. When I looked in the mirror I thought I looked slim but the camera never lies! I don't weigh myself so I just go by how I look in photos.

Seeing a video of myself at my son’s birthday party! Normally I pose when I have a photo taken, and I didn’t realise the video was being taken. I hadn’t realised my tummy was so obvious, and it didn’t help that I was wearing an orange outfit. I looked like a big carrot!

A hot guy joined my workplace. I couldn't bear to be invisible to him so I went on a summer long diet and princessing bender. It was fab and I felt amazing! Unless I have another midlife crisis I'll never have that motivation again 🤣

My friend’s overweight husband, who is the same age as me, a keen walker, a non-smoker and was overweight but less fat than I was had a heart attack. Thankfully he made a full recovery but It shocked me to the core and made me realise that it was only a matter of time before I went the same way.

I finally understood that I had to stop making excuses, stop blaming anyone & everything other than myself for the fact that I was obese, accept responsibility for what I chose to put in my mouth and sort myself out. I lost 35kg / 5.5 stone in just over a year & kept it off.

@MorrisZapp I’m intrigued. Did it work?

I was meant to be going on holiday in the August and there had been so many times that I had avoided photos or cried myself silly over photos and just felt so uncomfortable in my clothes. I’d often thought the usual - I’ll start my diet on Monday etc then done nothing.
It was around May time and it was warm so I started walking 10k after work. I enjoyed it and then decided I’d start counting calories which I did and then I started doing some work outs from you tube and before I knew it, it had become a habit.

It wasn’t easy and it took me years, but now I’ve lost the weight and maintained it since October I don’t want to ever put it on again.

I wasn't overweight but lost 1 and a half stone since Jan this year. I'm naturally an apple shape and hold all of my weight on my stomach. Last summer I felt so self conscious in t-shirts and summer clothes in general, I just didn't feel like me if that makes sense and I hated it. My bmi is now just over 20, my stomach is flat, I feel fantastic and have so much energy. I'm so much fitter than last year, I run now and still can't quite believe I'm a runner. All I need now is for the endless rain to stop so I can show off the results!

Yes, in that he certainly noticed me. Both married, so no lines crossed, just very pleased I've still got it 😂

Not fitting into the nice dresses in my wardrobe. I hate the idea of having to buy a whole new wardrobe because I’ve gained weight.

Weird one for me and I certainly wouldn't recommend it! My DD was unceremoniously dumped by her boyfriend of 2 years and was distraught. It was so painful for me to see her so upset that I couldn't eat properly and lost 8lbs in 3 weeks. I took the headstart and ran with it! Bless her, she lost 16lbs before the heartache subsided.

Seeing myself in bra and knickers in a full length mirror really hit home

I knew the weight had been piling on but I was also living with depression and just couldnt be arsed. Then that one day I saw how bad it had become

Noticing someone looking at my podgy tummy, spurred two separate weight losses which subsequently were regained. Another time it was my 5 year old commenting.

This time it was seeing myself in the mirror while I did some yoga moves.

Seeing my bikini-clad reflection in a mirrored window on my way to the pool on holiday. Never realised how much I 'posed' in front of the mirror (stand tall, tummy in, chest out) or what a difference that makes.

That window reflection 'me' is what the world saw. Only I saw the posing in front of the mirror 'me'.

Not being able to fit into any clothes and knowing I would likely get things wrong with me in the future. Some people a few years older than me have either had heart attacks or cancer.

Now on the journey to lose weight but it's a very slow one.

Having my photo in the daily mail and subsequently reading the BTL comments. Had a gastric sleeve and gone from 18st12 to 14 stone since early January.

I also had life threatening complications so I’m not quite ready to recommend it as a weight loss method yet. I’m still very happy to have lost the weight. 2st to go. I hope it will slow down soon as I’m still struggling with and still
losing nearly 5lb a week.

For me it was several sparks that resulted in a total overhaul of my lifestyle from 2020. First, I am over 40 and I dream about having DC3. To get myself in the best possible shape and to increase our already shit chances of conceiving I cleaned my diet, limited my alcohol intake to a couple of bottles of wine a year and started exercising more regularly. Many miscarriages later I’m not going back to my previous habits because I feel fantastic - full of energy, healthy, my HRV and VO2 max are at the levels of an average 20 y.o. No way I’m going back to drinking alcohol six times a week, feeling bloated and sleepy after every meal and looking like something the cat dragged in most of the time.

The second spark is my dad’s health, I watch him rapidly deteriorate because of type two diabetes. He used to be super active, a competitive dancer, avid skier and hiker. He’s just always eaten way too much, constantly snacking (he still does that). When I see people writing here “I might get diabetes, I don’t want to take pills” I literally want to scream at the screen. Diabetes is so much more serious than taking pills. My father has nerve damage, constantly reappearing ulcers and lesions on his feet, damaged eyesight, diabetes-related dementia. It’s all managed diabetes.

Despite healthy eating I was still putting on weight very slowly, I didn’t want to end up prediabetic so I decided to sort myself out. It wasn’t hard because I already had all the good habits in place, it was just a matter of sorting the food volume and learning to eat more mindfully.

The last thing was consciously committing to a longitudinal research project on healthy habits running in my country. I’ve done this to keep myself motivated. I don’t know if I’m in the control or the treatment group but I’m dutifully taking part. It helps me with sticking to all the small and bigger changes I’ve made.

When we went on holiday and I couldn't walk more than 20 minutes without getting a sore lower back and had to sit down all the time. It was embarrassing at 40.

Routine medical. Always saw myself as “the slim one” until the nurse told me my bmi was 27 so firmly in the overweight category. Eek lost 2 stone and kept it off. Not super skinny but bmi 23 so normal - happy with that.

For me it was buying a wedding dress on sale that was a size 12, mermaid style (so very figure hugging) and strapless. The thought of my then self being seen in such a garment was so horrifying I started losing weight immediately. That was back in January and I am about 4lbs away from my target weight now (wedding in June) I am in the dress it even needs taking in a little. I started at 11 stone 8 and my goal is 10 stone 2.