What are people weight stories and what was the trigger that made you want it gone??

[snow_white78]

Just wondering whet was the trigger that made people say, right, I am really going to do it this time. I have dieted before but always fallen off after about a month - this is the most I've lost in one go and longest I've stuck to something.

Was always quite slim at school/college - about a size 10/12 (looking back I wish had appreciated it - but always thought of myself as huge!!!!) but weight crept on at uni - after 3 years of eating crap and drinking booze was size 16 trousers and 12/14 on top. Stayed about the same until I met H - then think a combination of being really happy and having to walk to the train station every day to work slimmed me down to a size 14 without me even knowing or realising...

Then, I started a new job and stopped the walking, passed my driving test and weight piled back on. Got engaged and did the Gillian McKeith diet - lost about a stone in a month - but quickly fell off as was allowed no wheat, choc, booze, dairy - was too restrictive.

Got married and weight crept on, felt ok about it as was content. Lost a bit of weight by eating healthy in Autumn 07 but mince pies in the staffroom and general pre xmas eating put it all back on. Point I started to feel at my fattest and miserable was Xmas 07, went into M and S and had to buy size 18 trousers (and normally can get away with size down in there as they are quite generous). Was so miserable about it and felt so bad about myself. Turned 30 in the feb - i hate looking at those photos, I look terrible :-( Felt so fat and dowdy at work in my baggy clothes. Had taken to wearing baggy trousers and H's fleeces to cover myself over and everyone else had such beautiful clothes and figures. I would ask H if he still loved me even though I was fat and ugly and he wouldn't reply.

In May my life was thrown upside down. H told me he no longer loved me. 2 weeks later he admitted he had been sleeping with someone from work. (I obviously asked if she was thin - she was!) I asked him to leave in July.

I started slimming world on 25th August - it is the best thing I ever did. I want to lose weight and feel like me again - who I was 6 years ago. I want to wear beautiful clothes, I don't want to feel fat and frumpy at 30. I want to be healthy and happy. I know the things that have happened to me over the last 6 months are not my fault. I have 2 and a bit more stones to go and I am going to do it this time

 

[Terri1985]

I have a target to get to my goal weight by september 2009. That's when I'm getting married. I don't want to go down the isle in a dress that i didn't really want because they didn't have the dress i did want in my size. I want my kids to be proud of their mum. I got married before, more of a shotgun wedding, I was 5months pregnant, not in love with the man i was marrying and very depressed. I felt huge and ugly at that wedding (even though back then i wasn't very fat, it was mostly pregnancy bump).
I want this wedding to be something i never want to forget. I love my bf very much and want to look back at the photos thinking 'i looked lovely' and not 'i wish i lost weight before'.

 

[Mrs V]

My trigger was suffering with chest pains when I taught jive.
I have always been big, even at school I was huge. Mum decided to join her local SW class and cooked all the meals, so I ate whatever she made and lost 4 stone in 6 months. I then met Hubby (ok I was 15 and never had a boyfriend before!) and we just ate and ate.
I yo-yo dieted for years after that and when Boyfriend became hubby, I lost 5 stone. Came back from Wedding to try for a baby and fell pregnant straight away, gained 6 stones during pregnancy.
Yo-yo dieted some more (I think you can get the picture by now!)
Had gastric band fitted in May and although an expencive not easy decision to make, has benefited me greatly.
Now I have my band adjusted to a reasonable size, I can concentrate on a diet that works and is good for me...hence SW!
So, thats me in a nutshell really!

 

[Rachella]

Hi snow white, my story starts similar to yours...

I was always very slim at school, I was in the swimming team, trained a lot so I could eat what I liked because I'd just work it off easily in the pool. I got a bit too thin when I was around 16, I started to get silly with food and only eat a proper meal once a day, that was soon sorted though once my mum found out what I was upto!

I went to uni and still remained a size 10-12 despite all the drinking and takeaways etc, I put this down to walking lots and still swimming for exercise. I was also really into rollerblading!

I worked in Francr doing ski seasons for a couple of years and my weight could have gone up but because I was snowboarding and rarely eating a 'square meal' my weight remained ok, I've still got my size 10 boarding trousers just to remind myself of what size I used to be!

It wasnt until I came back to the UK and got an office job that my weight started to creep up and up... I've no idea what I weighed when I first cam back to the UK but I was about size 12. Anyway the weight has gone up gradually due to free lunches at my old job (where I was for 3 years) and not doing any exercise, plus being happy with my OH who is thin and never has to worry about weight because he can eat and eat and still stay the same weight!

I think crunch time came when I was having to buy size 16 clothes... I was really upset! Also seeing photos of myself this summer really jolted me into action, I found it hard to believe I was looking that yuck.

I did start slimming world last year and only lasted 6 weeks before I fractured my foot and was on crutches for a few weeks. I fell off the wagon so to speak and never went back to slimming world. In June this year I fractured my other foot and again was on crutches for 5 weeks. Whilst on sick leave I made the decision that I wanted more out of life so I gave in my notice (with no new job lined up). My job was making me unhappy because I didnt enjoy it and I was drinking too much on Friday nights with work friends as a result!

I changed jobs in August this year so now I work closer to home, make my own lunches and have far more time to exercise.

My boyfriend has been a massive support and so has my mum. My mum is probably the only person who actually told me I was overweight and that I would definitely feel better if I lost weight. Sometimes it takes someone else to say something in order to get your butt into gear!

 

[BrittW]

Unlike most here, i've never been slim.
I was a big child, a bigger teenager and just got bigger into my twenties...
Yo-yo dieted like no one's business, tried anything and everything but was always hungry and crashed by the 3rd day.
Did SW this time last year and lost 3 stone, then got a job managing a restaurant where i was there 13 hours a day and got free food, so took advantage of it and ate my way through so much unhealthy food, combined with seeing someone and having takeaways every other night and you'll get to the conclusion i put all the weight back on.
I'm at the mentality of i did it before with SW and i've seen what happens when you throw it all away, i'm very unhappy due to it and for once in my life i want to be slim and proud of my body.
My bf is v.supportive and has done the obligitary boyfriend "i like you how you are but if it's what you want to do blah blah"

So, here i am, slimming or bust.
I REFUSE to give in again. xxx

 

[janey6983]

I have always been big, all my life, I was picked on at school and as a teenager and early 20's easily fell into the role of the fat friend. I hated it and always wanted to be slim but never as much as I wanted the food, for comfort I suppose.I got married in my early 20's and had two beautiful boys quite soon after. My trigger to make these changes and stick to them are my children, this summer while on holiday my youngest, only 3 at the time, asked me "why are you always so fat mommy" when we were getting changed for swimming. It cut like a knife because I know it was meant with no malice it was the truth!!I joined SW as soon as I got back and I've lost nearly 4 stones now (ticker not updated), I will do this not for my looks, or for my husband, but for my children if I don't loose this weight I will not be around to see them get married and have families of thier own, and I am simply not going to let that happen.I have only one regret in my life that I did not do this sooner! x x

 

[Minders]

I've never been thin. I've always been boobs, hips and legs. My weight has varied all my adult life, though once about 13 years ago I dieted and exercised myself down to 11st 4 and was amazed at being so slim for the first time in my life... but then life and various bouts of depression took over and the weight came back on. I got to nearly 16st once, which was my heaviest ever at that stage, and decided to lose weight which I did by myself. Then eventually joined SW for the first time and lost more weight... that was probably 9 years ago. Over that time, my weight has largely settled at what seems normal for me at around 13-13.5st. Various diets over the past 8 years, including a stint on Atkins (never again!). Then last year I met a guy and he loves his food and is a greedy eater. I put on nearly 4 stone in less than a year with him and didn't even notice until all of my clothes no longer fit. The relationship fizzled out fairly early on, but sadly the weight remained. Being in my early 40s, I found the weight impacted on my body worse than it had done before and so decided I needed to take action now while I was still young(ish). So I joined SW again as I knew it worked for me before. I knew that I had gained weight but nearly had a breakdown when the scales on my first night revealed I now weighted 17st 9.5lbs. I was devastated. So I have been going at it now for 6 weeks and so far lost 11.5lbs (next WI tomorrow). I'm determined to get back down to a comfortable weight and never again will I allow this to happen to me. Never.

 

[Starlight]

Back in 2006 I was horrifically overweight. Im still too embarassed to admit my starting weight, one day I will, just not yet.

I have 2 gorgeous nieces, Emma (now 5) and Ciara (now 2) I realised if I didnt address my weight then I wouldnt be around to see them grow up.

I couldnt walk more than the length of myself without being breathless.

I couldnt get clothes to fit. I wore horrible horrible stuff I bought on ebay because nothing else fitted me.

I couldnt wear my uniform at work because I was too big to fit it.

I was scared Id die in my sleep.

I was turning into a hermit, refusing to go out unless it was somewhere 'safe' like my parents house.

I couldnt stand for more than 5 mins or my back hurt.

I had a cleaner to clean my flat, because honestly, I couldnt even do that.

I did all my shopping online because I couldnt face going to shops, besides I knew id be exhausted if I did.

When I went to buy a new car, I went to the dealer one day on my own, snuck into an open car to check I could fit behind the wheel (I could!) before I set about buying it.

In January 2007 my mum and I had a real heart to heart. We both ended up in tears as she confessed her biggest fears. My aunt died suddenly a couple of years ago and I saw what the grief did to my mum and realised what she went through with Annes death was nothing compared to what shed go through if it was me. That was it, my lightbulb moment! For the millionth time I decided I WOULD lose weight, only this time something clicked and I realised for once I was totally focused.

I started doing WW on 9 Jan 07, a complete turning point in my life. That first week I lost 6lbs. The following week I got the flu and ended up at my doctor, who brought up the subject of my weight. Without his help, Id never have got this far, hes been amazing!

Apart from my family and friends the other thing which has got me to where I am now, is Minimins. I was lucky enough to know of Summerskye through a mutual friend, who was also worried about what I was doing to myself and I learned about Minimins. Another turning point in my life! The only thing that worried me was anyone with a significant weight loss had done it through a VLCD not WW or anything like it. I worried I was kidding myself on that I could lose the weight I needed to.

So now, 22 months on, Im over 170lbs lighter

I can now shop in numerous places.

Im on my 3rd uniform issue as things are too big for me.

I take my nieces out regularly to shop, to the park, to Burger King... Im now the auntie I always wanted to be.

I do my own shopping

I do my own cleaning

I go to the gym!

My life has improved beyond words....

To anyone struggling, hang in there, you CAN do it. If I can, anyone can. Whether its a VLCD or WW etc it can absolutely be done....

I cant wait til this time next year to see where I am.....

 

[Rachella]

wow, your story is very inspirational, brought a lump to my throat. You must be so proud of yourself, what you've achieved is amazing...

 

[bettylollypop]

This is a great post. My story has a lot of similarities to some of you guys too.

When i was 16 i was a size 10/12 and i thought i was fat. I had just started my office job and met a new boyfriend. In my family i had always eaten healthily and was always made good home cooked meals. My new boyfriend loved having a good drink and a curry and he used to do this as many nights as he could afford to. So i started having curries and a drink with him about 4 nights out of the 7. Quickly i noticed that the weight was piling on but i had become used to having a curry at 11 at night (even though having dinner earlier). I became pregnant with my first child and ate for scotland. Soon i realised my partner was cheating on me and he left me and the baby 2 weeks before christmas.He called me a fat disgusting cow amongst many other vile neames. he had been having an affair with a girl in his work. Blonde and skinny. This lead to comfort eating and drinking for me.

My weight went up and down over the next 5 years. During which my ex has had nothing to do with my son (his choice). I used a combination of diet tablets and other slimming products.

I was down to a size 14 and me and a guy i used to work with 8 years previously got in contact again and started seeing each other. I was worried that he would think i was too fat (at size 14). He told me that it doesn't matter to him what size i am and he loves me very much. As time went on i got heavier and heavier and fell pregnant at size 18. I'm now size 20.

I am the happiest i have ever been now, with a man i trust and 2 gorgeous children and i'm losing the weight for me now. So i think the last 10 years in general are the reason why i'm losing weight now.

I still keep in contact with my exes family due to my son. He is still with the affair, however they keep having drunken rows and she is very much overweight now. I am just happy i have had a lucky escape.

Sorry to ramble

 

[elizabeth]

Oh god. I've had so many 'trigger moments' over the years, so many humiliations and bad experiences because of the weight. Yet in the end, I think it's simply been having the courage to change other things in my life that's got me here. This year I walked out of a job that had been stressing and exhausting me for nine years, literally just walked out, with nothing else to go to. Turned out to be the best thing I could have done for myself at that point - I had another job within a week, I love it, and I can't understand now why I put up with the old situation for so long.

It's scary making a huge change like that, but I did it, and if I can do that, I can do anything, including changing how I eat.

 

[Louise24]

Some very inspirational posts here girlys.

My latest "turning point" was meeting my boyfriend and being really happy with him, which meant we were eating out all the time etc.

I put on about a stone in 2 months........ anyway, my Mum confronted me and said "oh yeah, have you put on weight?"

I wouldn't have taken this from anyone else and I'm so glad my Mum said it. Also........ I told my boyfriend how I was going to give it a go, and he doubted me.

I love to be right so I'm doing this now to show him that I have got the willpower to succeed.

On reflection though, I think he doubted me on purpose as he knows what makes me tick, as ever since he has been really supportive.

Last night he gave me a big hug after WI and said he was proud of me. My next aim is to get him to follow the plan too........ xxx

(above all though, I'm going this for myself)

 

[princessria]

It is so good reading these and knowing it's not just me

i was really slim size ten i even got offered a modelling contract as a teenager but my ma dint think it was a good dea i continued to be a gym bunny until i went to uni too much partying drinking and the weight crept on very gradually three stone in three years i was with quite a large man for quite some time and dieting just didn't work i have huge huge body issues now, i use to be so proud of my body but i just covered it up more and more dressing older than i am and feeling out of place with my friends i never felt that i could do this properly till i went out on my cousins 21st we had a photo done and when i woke up the next day i looked at it and just burst into tears everybody looked gorgeous and i just looked huge in my BLACK dress i struggled and struggled to quit eating but the more fed up i got the more i put on so i decided to throw in the towel and go back to slimming world and do this properly it has been so helpful being on this site and i can't wait to be back to the way i was.

 

[Baloo]

I've really enjoyed this post. I've been big even though I've yo-yo dieted all my life - through nurse training,travelling , having children etc. Loose a bit, get stressed and put it on plus more and with 3 teenagers and a poorly elderly mum it happened more and more. Now its affecting my health - arthritic knees and aching hips - less mobility less exercise etc. - a real see-saw. The only person who can change this is me so here I am - determined - started 2 weeks ago on slimming world and I've found this sight which has been so inspiring.

 

[kjs1628]

Wow - what an amazing thread. some of the posts have made me tingle!

I've never been HUGE, but neither have I ever been particularly happy with the way I look. I have days where I think I am disgusting, and wonder how my dh could look at me, let alone touch or love me. I have days where i feel beautiful, until I get a reminder that I'm not.

At my heaviest I was 14stone 3lbs, but I had just had my son, and ate my days away sitting on the sofa gazing adoringly at him! i joined ww, lost 2 1/2 stones and felt great. it was the first time I could walk into a shop, pick up a pair of trousers and not worry about trying them on to check the fit. I was still a 14, but I felt so much better.

And then I got pregnant again!

So now I'm 12 1/2 stone (ish), but feeling rough. I am embarrassed to be naked in front of dh. i feel like people are talking about me sometimes, and assume they are discussing the size of my belly(!). I dread being asked if I'm pregnant again ( I teach tactless 11-18 year olds!!! It's been done before). I feel older than I am. I am always tired. I don't feel very valuable, in short. Crap.

My biggest thing is that I want my kids to be free of my food hang-ups. I don't want them to be aware of me dieting. i don't want them to think of food as an enemy. i don't want them to be around me on the miserable days. I smile more when i feel good, and I know I am a much better mummy on happy days!

I don't even want to be a size 10. i just want to feel a bit more free. And I'm going to do it too! You just watch!

 

[flipflop]

My trigger was my DS who was 10 at the time when we were on holiday in the summer. I was admiring DD's new clothes when we were getting ready to go out and my DS broke down sobbing his heart out because I was down on myself about my weight. On the journey home I had a good think about it and decided if I do it now I will be slim in time for my 40th birthday in June next year. My DH is taking me to Indianapolis (he will be working for 2 days and then taking holiday).

My joints were starting to hurt and I have asthma which was getting worse. I didnt want to get diabetes.

I know there is nothing to stop me losing weight, I just have to work bloody hard at it. I'm a quarter of the way there!

 

[Melanie]

My trigger was a culmination of different things:-
What I saw in the mirror
Sneaking about to Evans to buy clothes
Looking at stuff with elasticated waistbands and thinking "oooh, that looks comfy" (No!)
Having to go on blood pressure tablets as it was really really high
Refusing to even think about setting a date for my wedding until I don't look dreadful any more
I graduate in another 3 years and can't bear the thought of my big fat self in the obligatory photos, that you then have to look at forever
My engagement ring being to tight - what if I couldn't wear it anymore

Need I go on.......

Oh yes

And looking round the room wherever I am and knowing I am always the fattest one there
And finally, the one that grates the most, finding out that an ex member of my team called me 'Boss Hog' behind my back - what a shameful unpleasant person she was (and still is no doubt)

 

[Susiewoosie]

I just realised how much I hate myself and realised that MAYBE if I lose weight I would start to feel better about myself. Also I just feel ill all the time. I am taking so many different tablets. 9 fist thing in the morning. Some for diabetes, some for blood, pressure, some for panic attacks and some for depression. Then I have to take another 4 tablets during the day for diabetes and last thing at night one for cholesterol. I'm really fed up with tablets.

I'm also taking painkillers for pain in my knee. So all of these reasons are good enough on their own to lose weight so when you add them all together...........

 

[kjs1628]

Shall we have a group hug? (((((((((())))))))))

 

[tinkerbellsmum]

my trigger was i no longer had a excuse.
before my daugther (7) i was a size 12 when i was pg i was very sick so gain no weight actually weighed less but as the years went on i gained 3 stone i tried various diets but always gave up pretty quick my excuse was i'm gonna have another baby one day so whats the point. in 2006 i got pg and had a etopic pg i had to have a injection which meant i couldn't ttc for 6 months so i joined sw to help me lose weight so i had a better chance when we ttc again and i was doing great lost over 2 stone then 6 months was over and i gave up again a year later i joined sw again and in less than a month i found out i was pg again so i gave up again but i m/c again. now i have my beautiful baby boy that i have longed for for 5 years but i also have no excuse anymore. so when he was 2 weeks old i joined sw again and i have now lost 1st 3lb (good thing is none of its baby weight cause i didn't gain again) but i'm gonna do this this time. i'm getting married in aug as a add push. i always have found it hard because i didn't eat veg but this last week i've tried it and liked it so i know i will do it this time. (having coil tommorrow so pg won't stop me again) i'm gonna be a yummy mummy and wife.