What was the real inspiration for you to start losing weight?

People often attribute the decision to lose weight to some sort of random divine inspiration to improve oneself just for the sake of it, or something along those lines. I've been finding, however, that the real reasons are often deeper, more personal, or more complicated than that. Going against your biology which tells you to store as many calories as possible and making your body starve itself (as far as it thinks, anyway) in order to lose weight doesn't come easy, and it seems like something quite significant has to occur in order for real weight loss inspiration to strike.

For me, my journey started one faithful night at 3 AM when I was at home, fall-over drunk, and feeling severely alone and sorry for myself. I was thinking about all the fun outdoor activities and social activities that I was missing out on by letting myself become so big and immobile over the past several years. This lead me to make the decision to write a lengthy self-shaming post on Facebook about how I was fed up with being overweight and how from then on out, I was going to post my weight every two weeks for all my real life friends and family to see until I reached my goal of losing 97 lbs from 297 lbs to 200 lbs. Making such a public declaration to the people closest to me about me being fat and wanting to not be fat was certainly not a decision that I would have made sober or while in any sort of normal or positive mental state. But the funny thing is that despite my feelings of regret the next morning, I actually went through with it, and it worked. While I haven't quite reached my goal yet, making myself publicly accountable along with all those supporting me through my journey is what finally gave me the inspiration to start winning the mental battle with myself that I had been losing for so long and start shedding those pounds once and for all.

While I obviously don't recommend trying to use alcohol inspire yourself, I find it amusing to this day that one of the best decisions I have ever made in my life was one that I made when I was way too drunk for my own good.

So I'm curious, what was the real inspiration to finally bite the bullet and take control of your weight for others on this sub? Was it a single explosive event, or a slow change in mental state over time? Was it something like a health scare, or perhaps a response to a toxic relationship? Or maybe it really was just a wholesome decision to better yourself for the sake of it? I'm interested to hear peoples' stories.

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I can no longer use the excuse "I'm too fat to fit" to get out of riding roller coasters

In the past 2 years I've gone from 310lbs to hovering below 240lbs. That's a tight size 22 in 2017 to squeezing into a size 16 now! I've been stagnate since around Christmas (depression and life stuff in general messing up my eating discipline) but I'm smaller and WAY more active than I was in high school 10 years ago, and just I'm supper happy that I'm not gaining.

Needless to say, that I've always been too big for roller coasters, and as I am terrified by heights/anything going upside down, I've been happy to use my fatness for getting out of being peer pressured to ride them. (Side note: my fear may also come from the fact that I was too big to ride a roller coaster in high school and was turned away after they failed to strap me in front of my classmates...I ran to the bathroom and cried. Definitely a repressed memory)

Fast forward to this summer, though I've been plateaued (WEIGHT LOSS STARTS IN THE KITCHEN YALL!) I've still lost significant inches since last year I guess. I can fit on baby roller coasters with a lap bar quite easily now. And I'm fine with smaller coasters like that where you don't have to be strapped in. At 27 years old I have never been on a roller coaster that goes upside down or has a loop because I've always been too big so why even try. There's a ride at Knott's Berry Farm called Hang Time (look it up) It's not crazy fast but it does have a 90 degree incline and a lot of loops and turns. My friends wanted to ride it, and of course I said "HELL NO" but I decided to keep them company in line. In that 40min wait, they wore me down and I said "Fine if I fit I'll get on and ride it with you" thinking that my fat ass wouldn't fit.

And guess what... I fit 😭 My stomach dropped in fear and anguish as soon as I was, for the first time ever, successfully strapped in. I had to actually face my fear, I wasn't even happy about this big accomplishment! As we went up that completely vertical incline then hung at the top, I shut my eyes, prayed to god and squeezed my friend's hands as tight as I could. Then the drop... and I felt free. I went on my first big kid roller coaster and it was fun!

My whole life I've hidden behind my weight to stay in my comfort zone, to protect my self. And now I'm realizing I can no longer do that, my fatness is no longer my limitation, my mindset is. I'm learning to try new things, challenge my self and GROW! I've been comfortable for so long, that I think I'm starting to realize I can no longer hide in the safety of my fatness. I'm plateaued because I'm scared (writing this story helped me realize that lol)

To reach our goals we have to leave our comfort zones, conquer our fears, try new exciting things! It's no longer a dream because we are working to make it reality!

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Starting my weight loss journey officially today!

I’ve always been self conscious about my body, even more so when I gained 35 lbs in college. Actually want to be proud of my body for once so nows a good time, especially when I have some free time!

Stats:

Male

24 yo

5’7.5”

165 lbs

Skinny fat - have a stomach that I wish would disappear

Diet: Using MyFitnessPal to help track calories

1700 calories a day

Protein shake in the morning

Either 4 eggs or kodiak cakes with an egg for lunch

Either chicken or fish for dinner (baked to reduce the need for oil)

Snacks spread out over the day: almonds, cashews, orange juice+spinach smoothie

One full day of fasting mixed in during the week

Exercises: Last week I averaged around 13 miles a day walking. Thanks to that my legs hurt like no other so now I’m switching to stationary biking. My goal is to ‘moderately’ ride the bike for 4 30 min sessions (which MFP says is a total of 800 calls) throughout the day. Body weight exercises including: pushups, sit-ups, dips, lunges. Also follow a not so rigorous dumbbell routine that I should adhere more to...

I think that’s about it. Anybody have any tips on how to specifically stop from being skinny fat? Heard just dieting isn’t the key

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Life is Dynamic.

To preface, I used to be athletic. In high school and early college, I would run 5 miles a day. I was an avid hiker and backpacker, and I often hiked large portions of the Appalachian Trail. I was always active, and ate just about whatever I wanted then without any detriment. In college, I met the love of my life. We spent every waking moment together. She would move to a new state with a new job, I would follow. Things were amazing. She is also very active. Always was a record breaking athlete, both in high school and in college. She maintained that activity. I did not... I'd make BS excuses why I shouldn't run by saying things like "if humans were meant to run, we'd have evolved to have 4 legs).

I got comfortable. I stopped working out. Started playing video games, ate like garbage, and I packed on the pounds. I've always been 5'10" and "back in the day" I weighed 160 lbs. Throughout our relationship, I ballooned to over 250 lbs. Last doctor's weigh in during my physical was 255. But that didn't matter! I had a gorgeous woman at home who loved me for who I was. Why should I have to take care of myself? I ALWAYS lacked self confidence--even at my peak athleticism, and I hid those insecurities behind my gorgeous fiancé. I genuinely, LITERALLY, haven't looked in a full body mirror for well over 5 years out of insecurity. "Out of sight, out of mind" was my motto.

Fast forward some more, and life threw me the curveball of a lifetime. I was given the opportunity to sign a contract for a major cable network for a new show that'll be piloting late in the year. "Holy sh**" I thought. I can't do this! I told everyone that the contents of the contract were "too scary" and that I was likely going to decline. Really, it was just because I didn't want millions of people to look at me. My deepest insecurities projected on a national level are next level frights. Despite that, I signed the contract, and filmed the pilot. Figured if I didn't, I'd regret it for the rest of my life.

Fast forward to 2.5 months ago... My fiancé drops a nuke on me. She decides to leave me. It was not mutual. We had been together for 10 years, and engaged for 2. She was (and to be honest, still is) everything to me. The details don't matter, but she "suddenly" lost feelings for me and decided to end our relationship. Her handing back the engagement ring was one of the most soul crushing things I've ever had to endure. Shortly after, I received an anonymous letter from someone who she works with stating that she had been cheating on me for a while now. Double whammy. Imagine feeling you're not good enough for someone that they decide to cheat on you... It was then that I no longer had someone to hide behind. I had lost my safety net. The one thing in life that made me feel good about myself.

Anyway, I've had a lot of time to self reflect. I figured I had 2 options: sit and wallow and feel bad for myself OR pull myself up by my bootstraps and be the change I want to see in myself. I chose the latter.

Granted, I am still very much in the beginning stages of my weight loss adventure. I've been at it for a little over 2 months now. I go to the gym 6 days a week, focusing on weight training 4 days, and cardio 2 days. I track EVERYTHING through LoseIt! To lose my average 2 pounds a week, I have to consume no more than 1,900 calories, though most every day I've been well below that. Side concern, since I've been 300-500 calories under that every day, I do worry about my body going into starvation mode--but I'm just not as hungry as I used to be.

My current weight is 220lbs. My resting heart rate went from 95 bpm to 60 bpm. My VO2 Max is slowly creeping up, and I stopped snoring. I'm starting to see muscle definition, and I was able to do 2 consecutive pull ups for the first time in almost a decade! While I still have a lonnnnggggggg way to go (my GW is 170), I crossed the 30 pound lost mark, and I've never felt better. I still have moments of soul crushing depression having lost the absolute love of my life, but I try to blast them out with a serotonin and adrenaline rush working out at the gym, and my confidence gets small boosts every week I have a weigh in. Best part is, I've started to hike and run again. I used to complain about it, but it all stemmed from my weight and inability to keep up on the trails. Life finally feels like it's opening up to me again.

No pictures yet, but I hope that by the time the show airs, I'll be able to look at myself and see a completely different person. The ultimate time lapse.

Huge thanks to the incredible support this community offers. It has been incredibly motivating to hear everyone's stories, tips, and techniques, and I hope to become more active here to support others in their endeavors while we all work towards our goals.

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Attempting a short-term goal to create a long-term lifestyle

It may not be the best type of motivation. Looking forward to a date or an event. I know it’s not the way to go about weight loss and is not conducive to long term results. However, I have been in a funk both mentally and emotionally for a while that has affected me tremendously on the physical aspect. I have gained weight and am out of shape and can’t seem to stick with the “do it for the rest of your life” mentality. This may be rogue thought, however it may just help me to have a short term goal. And it may just give me the motivation to create the discipline I need to stick to a goal long term. I have an event coming up in October. I love at-home work out routines. Think 21 day fix, insanity, etc. I have thrived on them in the past and haven’t been able to stick with it recently since I’ve been stuck on the mindset to create habits for life. I need a shot term goal. I need to get in shape for an event that I will not be fat for! Well, when I heard of this event coming in October it was the perfect time frame to fit in an at-home routine for 12 weeks. I know, I know, I should be thinking long term. Well, given how uncommitted I have been recently this could be a “jumping off” tool to catapult me back into my normally fit mindset and lifestyle. I want it to set a drive in me ya know? I will not be fat at this event. I am very all-or-nothing. This 12 week dedication could create a fire in me to make it long term and last forever. What do you guys think? Can you relate?

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For my 18th birthday, I got to spend a day with my best friends and achieve a healthy weight.

I got fat in my early teens, and kept growing throughout middle school. In 3 years, I'd gained over 30 kilos. So in the first year of high school, I decided it was enough, I didn't want to be a 16 year old weighing 105kg anymore, so I started losing weight. I've hit some plateaus, but my BMI is finally normal.

From an obese teen to a healthy adult weighing 81.2kg. That's a loss of 24kg of fat. I've grown in that time, too, so that's something to factor in, as well!

Most of my weight loss came from just not eating chips and sitting all day.

Here's me in ~2011, June 20 2017, and today.
https://imgur.com/a/qGjvrFD

Update when I reach my goal weight of ~75

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Weight loss and hair loss

I’ve been losing weight since January and have lost a total of 29 lbs (only 6 more to go!) I’m 5’1 and my start weight at 155 lbs and current weight is at 126 lbs. My current calorie intake is at 1260/day. I have pretty thick hair and started noticing a lot of shedding, pretty excessively every day for the past 2 weeks. There aren’t any visible bald spots but my hair feels like it’s getting thinner, but I also could just be paranoid. I checked my protein intake and it’s showing on MFP that I’m getting enough. I have an appointment tomorrow to get bloodwork done to check my thyroid and see if I’m deficient in any nutrients but I wanted to see if anyone else has gone through the same thing.

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