The Final Straw!!

[Mummoth]

Thanks everyone for sharing your stories. Mine's a bit pathetic in comparison.

I knew I needed to lose weight but it was always one of those 'tomorrow' things.

In February I got tonsillitis. I went to the doctor who said it was viral so I wouldn't need antibiotics. It started clearing up but about a week later I was in so much pain I could hardly open my mouth. It was a Sunday & I saw an emergency doctor, who diagnosed a quinsy (basically a boil on the tonsils), caused by untreated tonsillitis. He said it was serious as if it burst & I inhaled the poison I could actually die. He prescribed really strong antibiotics but said if they didn't work I would need to have it lanced, and maybe an operation.

At 19 stone I knew I was at risk during an op. I've never had to have an operation but I need to avoid them as I had multiple blood clots in my lungs many years ago. I asked the doctor what the risks would be for someone my size, with my history, and he kind of fudged the issue. Well, sad silly sod, I cried right there & then. Asked myself why had I let myself get that big. I have a six year old. Imagine if I'd dropped dead on an operating table during a simple op., simply because of my selfish need to stuff my face?

Thankfully the antibiotics worked, but even so, the following week I joined SW.

 

[cocktailprincess]

I think this thread is really sad but really motivating. We all got to stages of such misery with our weight that it obviously affected our lives really badly.

There are often threads on minimins about what foods people miss, and people saying how hard losing weight is- because it IS incredibly hard BUT this stuff on here should keep us all going. No food is worth this sadness, misery and shame.

Well done on you brave people in sharing, but even more well done in being here and fighting this horrible affliction- our success is really going to change our lives!!!!!!

 

[kasiapelasia]

Coctailprincess- well said!!!!

 

[missyxx]

mine was constant making excuses like if we went camping which i love i would say no ill stand and wander round as i was scared the chairs would break or i wouldnt be able to get off the floor if i sat in a picnic rug also being out of breath doing anything and saying i had a cold or summit but 1 of the main reasons was my total lack of pride with wot i wore i must of looked like a reject off jeremy kyle as i would wear wot fitted me and not bother wot it looked like although now i am always buying clothes i still have a long way to go but peoples comments keep me motivated

 

[Lexie2005]

What a lovely thread - everyone has been so honest!

So here I go, I don't want my little boy being picked on at the school gate cos his mummy is fat - unfortunately I have left it late as he starts in 3 months & I have 7 stone to do & bar removing several limbs it ain't gonna happen but I have made a start.

I adore my son & want to be the best mummy I can (I lost my first son when he was 4 weeks old & vowed when I finally had another baby to be the best mummy I possibly can be), I want to be able to play with him instead of being knackered & grumpy & I want to look in a mirror & be proud of what I see.

And finally I want to be able to wear the 26 pairs of trousers sitting in my wardrobe that over the years I have told myself I will slim in to!!!!!

Ooh & forgot to add I am sick of my job & the job I really would like has a fitness test I have no chance of getting anywhere near right now so if I can get slimmer & fit I can change my job!

 

[MancBird]

Great thread, thank you all for sharing.

Things that have been said to me over the years, that all contributed to my decision to try SW again...

"You've got such a pretty face, if only you lost some weight" (Random man in pub)

"You're kinda chunky, but I like that" (Ex boyfriend)

"You sit on the end, there's more room" (My Mum, every family dinner out since I was 5 lol)

"Sorry, we don't have a bigger size" (H&M changing rooms... I wanted to cry!)

Makes me cringe to write them down, I had no true idea how big I had gotten, as I'd been big my whole life. But eventually after a minor health scare, I took the plunge...

I agree - never go back! xxxxxxxxx

 

[Fatty_no_more]

If you were to have it again, I have a link for a HG forum (of which I am a moderator) that has a lot of info and support for the disease. So when the time comes feel free to ask for it, if you don't already have it from the last PG.

I had hyperemesis and like yourselves was in and out of hospital with dehydration etc, was so dehydrated my veins collapsed and i couldnt pee.

there have been SOOOOO many times i have needed to loose weight and i am crying as i write this.

All my life i have been "overweight!" at 10 years old i weighed 10 stone and my best friend was 6 and i remember my mum and her mum weighing us together and pissing themselves laughing at the difference. It was my best friend who was 6 stone who comforted me in the toilets whilst they carried on laughing. (i was her bridesmaid at a size 22 and she loves me still as i am).

My dad alwasy always has commented about my weight and my looks, god your so fat in that dress, your bum is too big to wear that skirt (this was whn i went to a youth club at 13). I hjad a gay male friend who he thought was my boyfriend and he had a go aty my dad saying i was beautiful and my dad just turned round and said thats cos you want a bit of her fanny???? i was 13 ffs!!!!

i had a boyfriend from 16 to 21 and he turned round to me one day and said i could never marry you cos your too fat.... i was 11 stone then!!!

my aunts and uncles always comment how i am a lovely girl and they see past my weight, even when i havent mentioned anything!

the thing that really made me loose weight was my son. he was 3 months old and i had struggled so much with breastfeeding but i did it as i knew it was best for him. i turned to my husband (who also suffers in the bedroom cos of my insecurities and i hate myself 4 it) and said if i can be so determind to bf why cant i have that determination for loosing weight. and he said well why dont u do it for our son? and here i am. this is the longest i have ever been on a diet.

my son is my world, i would die for him, but i wont die cos i am too fat!!

 

[MadameLaMinx]

This is my second, and final, weight loss journey.

The first was 7 years ago. OH and I had tried for 4 years to have a baby, with no success, and had all sorts of testing, and had done several cycles of clomid, an ovulation drug. They thought I might have PCOS, but couldnt be sure. So the doctor told me to go away and lose some weight, so they could do an operation on my ovaries. Like an earlier poster, I was terrified at the thought of a general anaesthetic, had never had one before. I walked out of that hospital crying my eyes out, and absolutely blind with fear. I had told OH that I was going to get the shopping after I had been to the hospital. By the time I had come to the end of the hospital carpark, I had given myself a sharp kick in the pants "You either lose weight, or you never have a chance of having a baby". The supermarket was 3 stops from the hospital, but instead of hopping on the bus like I would have normally, I walked there. I put nothing but healthy food in the trolley and from somewhere, found this determination to sort this out once and for all. When they weighed me that day, I was 21st2. Thats the heaviest I have ever been. Six months later, I was back at the hospital weighing 15 1/2 stone. They had told me to get to 17 1/2 to help with the anaesthetic risks but I wasnt taking any chances, so I waited a couple of extra stone before I went back.

They decided to try Clomid again. Three cycles later and DD1 was on the way. To this day I am convinced that they only threatened the surgery to give me a reason to lose weight, and they really thought that it was the weight that was stopping me.

After she was born, with breastfeeding and eating healthily, I shed nearly another 3 stone. My target was 12st7. I was convinced at that stage that I was still unable to get pregnant unassisted, so imagine my surprise when I found at 12st10 that DD2 was on the way. So close to target!

Anyway. With DD2, came cake cravings, serious post natal depression and total exhaustion. And on went the weight. Fast forward to January this year. I looked forward to the year ahead, and to our 10th wedding anniversary this coming October. I remembered how much I hate my wedding photos. How much I hated the fact that the hire shop kindly pretended I was a 24 while secretly letting the dress out to a size or two bigger. How frumpy and out of place and how totally not beautiful I felt. And I weighed myself. 19st2. 2 stone short of where I had previously been so heavy. I was so angry at myself, all that previous effort wasted. But I knew if I could do it once, I could do it again. And here I am.

 

[Fatty_no_more]

its amazing how trying for children or our children are the ones to mostly kick us up the backside. xxx

 

[Scanbran]

Wow, what an incredibly inspiring thread!

This should be a sticky, as I think it would motivate ANYONE who needs help to lose weight.

Personally, I had LOADS of reasons.

Couldn't buy clothes to fit.
Hated getting my photo taken.
Couldn't run about or swim with my daughter.
Developed weight-related BP and diabetes problems.
Chronic indigestion.
Ankle and knee pain/stiffness.
Family wedding next year that I don't want to ruin the photos for.
Regular chest pains.

Despite the above, it took another tragic event to actually spur me into action - if not, I might still be in the same place today

Thankfully, all of the above situations and problems have been sorted so far by finally getting into the proper mindset, but sadly I now keep wishing I'd done it much much sooner.

My advice to anyone wanting to lose weight would be - don't delay. Start changing right now, not after the weekend, or after some night out, or a birthday or whatever. Seize the day, because I wish I had.

 

[moomintrolljen]

Ive posted mine before but here goes -
It should have been in Nov 2009 when I went to get sterilised - when I woke up the aniethetist ( sorry about spelling) said I had a rough time as my heart was struggling to get oxygen round my body well enough - this had been my first general anethetic - he was very polite about it saying that even a couple of stone off would be beneficial.
You would think that this would be enough to spur me into action as I have 3 young children and a wonderful husband who love and need me but sadly it wasnt - I didnt even mention it to my husband ( god im an idiot!)
I carried on - hating photos of myself ( we have hardly any of me and the kids) avoiding social events where possible and eating to my hearts content.
I April I took the kids to our caravan and we went fishing in the river - I tried to put my hubbys wellies on and they got stuck half way up my calf - It took 2 adults to pull them off and they were literally cutting off the circulation in my legs!
Next week I joined SW!

 

[Lexie2005]

its amazing how trying for children or our children are the ones to mostly kick us up the backside. xxx

Absolutely hon!

 

[Mr Gilbo]

I suppose when I look back at my 20s it was filled with examples of things that really should have pushed me to sticking to it the first time. The first time I joined slimming world it was because I was about to get lucky with this girl at uni. In the middle of it all, just as the clothes came tumbling off she obviously sobered up as she made her excuses and left. 2 weeks later I walked through the doors to slimming world and didn't look back until a 7st 3lbs weight loss. All going well until an injury and I comfort ate and stopped exercising. Silly boy!

In the 8 years since then I have grown back to what I was and stone and a bit more. Dealing with the usual issues that we all face. Clothing being bought from a "fatman warehouse", not really enjoying orlando as I couldn't go on all the rides. Aching feet and ankles, sore knees and back.

But the thing that made me realise what i was doing to myself was a close friend of mine who tried to kill herself 6 months ago. I was there for her immediately after and for the couple of months that she really needed me. I saw her or spoke to her nearly everyday and I came to realise that what I was doing to myself was the same as her. Granted eating yourself to death is slightly slower that cutting your wrists. Through her I realised what their was to love in life and I wanted it back. So a month ago I went back to slimming world and have vowed to never quit until I am a healthy weight. With it I hope that all the aches and pains disappear. My friend is now there for me as I was there for her. Hell she even wanted me to teach her the eating plan so she understood it even though she doesn't need to follow it.

 

[Alia]

My goodness reading through all the replies have made me rather emotional. It's so sad to see what so many of us have been through and the misery our weight issues have caused us! I really appreciate the honesty that I've found here cause it is very difficult to admit these things and even more difficult to share them with other people. I know I found my demons hard to admit to myself never mind telling someone else about them.

Looking at the positive side on this thread though, no matter what we have been through, no matter how many tears we have cried or much emotional and physical pain we have all suffered we are all here! All here doing the one thing that can change all of our outlooks on life and all of our futures. We are here sharing this weightloss journey together, supporting each other through the ups and downs that come with it.

This will be our last weightloss journey cause we are not going to stop until we get to where we need to be and even then we WILL be incontrol of the demons that have caused us to over eat through our lives.

 

[milly75]

Great thread, very motivating!

For me it is the realisation that my 2yr old daughter is almost definately going to have issues with weight one day if I don't sort myself out.

I believe a lot of my issues were picked up at a young age from my own childhood. Over the years eating disorders have featured a lot for me and I don't want my little one to ever go through the self doubt, self harm (eating wise) and depression that I have.

I so want to take her swimming, I just don't have the confidence to do it right now. I will though, I can do it!

 

[Scanbran]

I so want to take her swimming, I just don't have the confidence to do it right now. I will though, I can do it!

And you should, as soon as you can

That has been one of the biggest things for me. My little one is 7, and I have never taken her swimming before. I was so scared I would miss out, so I started taking her swimming a few weeks ago, still the best part of 4 stone from target, but it was a great decision.

She can now swim, and I don't care what people think about me, as I know it's coming off

 

[Christiana]

I love this thread. I love reading these, because it really puts things in perspective, you know? I have a long list of reasons why I want - need - to lose weight; I addressed some of the reasons I believe exacerbated my weight gain already. But, my main thing is my health and my son. In terms of health, it's like I welcomed a new health issue with each major weight gain...I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired! My son is 12. He's never seen me healthy.

The final straw? Not knowing if I would even be here this time next year. Realising that I have missed out on experiencing so much due to weight and the insecurity that comes with it and realising that I've spent my teens and now my entire 20's big.

 

[kiltgirl]

What a lovely thread, your stories are so open and honest...

my final straw after a life of bingeing and hating myself was when i got a scratch on my side which got infected, my whole side was deep red, raised and rock solid...had to go to A&E at 1am on a Saturday morning, i was asked by 2 different people if i had diabetes as this was one of the symptoms, the doctor there told me my weight was another reason she had asked me...is so easy to ignore what you do to your own body because it's 'easier' at the time, but when someone else points out that you are seriously damaging your health and possibly shortening your own life, then you can't really ignore it...

i had never really known much about diabetes but i googled it the next day and for something that can be avoided it sounds awful!

I have a 3 year old daughter, i don't want her memories of her mother to be sad ones, i want to be a positive force in her life, so i have to take control for once!

sorry, waffling, makes you feel a bit emotional doesn't it

good luck everyone xx

 

[Sparkles.]

I have an 11 year old son. The last photo I have of us together is when he was 4. That's seven years I have missed

 

[Alia]

I have an 11 year old son. The last photo I have of us together is when he was 4. That's seven years I have missed

:cry::cry::cry:that's the same with me. I would say 99% of the pictures of me get deleted after I've loaded them on to the laptop. It's very rare that I have a picture taken of me that I'm happy to keep. My next family picture will be taken once reach my target