What was your breaking point?

[Slingnmom]

There comes a time in an addict's life where they "hit bottom" so to speak. The same is true for overweight people since food is our addiction. There comes a breaking point to which we hit and realize "I NEED to change or I am going to die!" We no longer can stand being fat and we seek out ways to change such as through Atkins.

So what was your breaking/turning point?

For me the it was a combination of 2 things this time. First my scale actually went over the 300 mark. Something I never thought I'd let myself do. The send was my jeans. My largest sized jeans were slowing becoming too small. In fact they were probably just a month away of normal eating from being too small. They already constricted me and left marks. All of which depressed me.

When I no longer could sit comfortablely in my size 26 jeans I knew I could NOT go up another size and I could not gain more weight. I do have 7 kids to think about and with our plans to try for another baby in the future and my health slowly suffering from the weight I just hit that breaking/turning point.

I waited until after the holidays because I knew I would NOT make it through all of the temptations. I bake a lot as a tradition. I'd much rather have a year to prepare and change than try to do it whenI knew I would fail.

I'm slowly getting to a happier point, which would be below that 300 mark. I will be extatic to see 299 again. I know it will be slow as this will be my 2nd attempt but I have to do it for me as well as my children and family.

I want to be healthier again.

[Papa Deuce]

Re: What was your breaking point?

Complications from diabetes.

[DieBlaueReiterin]

Re: What was your breaking point?

my trainer for my sport (show jumping horses) and also my best friend in the world, who is 64 years old and competed at show jumping in the 1968 olympics, told me straight up that i am too fat for the level i want to ride at and that if i want to get further than i am, i need to lose weight. he wasn't doing it to be mean or anything but being honest. it's true, i expect my horses to be athletes and am obsessive about what they eat and how they excercise and the weight they are at...why should i be any different with myself?

i ask my horses to work hard and defy gravity carrying themselves and me over jumps. i need to be in better shape and thinner if i want to keep going up the levels in my sport (which i do, more than anything). i've gotten as far as i have not by any god given talent or ability but just bc i am really dedicated and work really hard, but the further i go the less that counts...

in reflecting, i've noticed that the funny thing is, the best diet for them too is high fat, low sugar/starch...the sugars can make them get nutty or not digest properly.

[Machiavelli]

Re: What was your breaking point?

My little girl was laying in the incubator in the NICU. She was two days old. She was there for 8 days in August. It was then that I decided that I was going to lose weight. I didn't want her to be fatherless at the age of 20 because her Dad didn't care enough about himself to straighten his life out so he wouldn't die prematurely of a heart attack or a stroke.

So, I tried Atkins for about a week (we were still at the hospital) and it was so hard to do, so I started doing weight watchers and that worked for about 5 lbs. Then my weight loss just stopped for about two months. So I started back on Atkins again and have been knocking it out of the park.

My little girl is happy and healthy, by the way. She'll be 5 months old tomorrow. I've lost 35 lbs since she was born. 30 of it, on Atkins.

[OzLover]

Re: What was your breaking point?

2 things~~~having a hard time buckling the seat belt on an airplane & then seeing a photo of myself taken that same week. The combo made me face reality & listen to what my body had been trying to tell me for quite some time.

[AlaskaGirl]

Re: What was your breaking point?

I am into Schutzhund. It is a dog sport and I also want to be able to compete at a national level. I had to take care of my back which has been bad all my life but last year it got so bad that I finally got it fixed. BTW/ I used to show Arabians and Morgan horses in English Pleasure & Western Pleasure. I wanted to get into jumping- I dabbled a little bit but my horses were not ment for it and there were no good trainers near me at the time. Anyway the dog thing is an outlet and hobby that I enjoy.

Also my daughter was a 11 week premie. She is now 15 and beautiful.

Another thing is that I just want to look better and feel better. I always feel better when I am eating this way and I am trying really hard to make this stick this time.

[Papa Deuce]

Re: What was your breaking point?

2 things~~~having a hard time buckling the seat belt on an airplane & then seeing a photo of myself taken that same week. The combo made me face reality & listen to what my body had been trying to tell me for quite some time.

That's a good one... I am flying to Las Vegas next month, and no way I want to ask for an extender!

[glmglb]

Re: What was your breaking point?

My health suffering and realizing that I need to lose weight to improve my health and be here for my daughter. Also having a doctor tell me to not even try for another child at this weight.

[Debi2007]

Re: What was your breaking point?

Mine was getting a job that forced me to be more active. I just couldn't do the job properly without getting some weight off and it was terribly shocking to me after years of being overweight and having no issues with being able to do most things. It continues to inspire me.

[blueberrylady]

Re: What was your breaking point?

Mine came when I saw pictures of myself holding my newborn granddaugther last April. I knew right then that I didn't want her to see me like that when she gets older. I want to be able to run and play with her and teach her to be active so she never has to deal with the weight problems that have plagued me all my life.

[neihu]

Re: What was your breaking point?

Finances and vanity - and my daughter. I am sick of buying size 12 clothes - I have a closet full of size 6's - and I want to wear them again. And with my husband a full time student, and me the only one bringing in a salary - I can't afford a lot of shopping.

And I want to be healthy for my daughter. She is almost 3 and weighs 26 pounds. I sometimes pick her up and think - I want to lose more than you weigh!!!

[toeyann1]

Re: What was your breaking point?

There are many things thought brought me to my breaking point. The first one... My brother was a volunteer fireman in Gila Bend, AZ. August 19, 2006 he reported to the scene of a brush fire along side the highway. While on the scene he stopped breathing and collapsed, they were unable to revive him and he passed away. My brother was the least heaviest member of our family (6'0 and about 215 lbs, fairly muscular). It was not the fires that caused this incident, but we were uncertain what did. After waiting several weeks for the autopsy report, it contained the cause of death. Hypertensive Pulminary Heart Disease. He left behind two beautiful girls who are now 15 and 14 years old and live with my parents. He also left behind his fiance who was pregnant with his unborn child, who is now 2 and lives with her mom in Gila Bend. I saw the hurt and pain in my parents over my borthers death and I could not bare to think I might bring them that same pain. I do not think my mother would survive the loss of a second child.

Another reason is for my daughter. I want her to have a healthy, happy mom. I am tired of telling her things like "Maybe later" or "not right now" or " I don't feel like it" or simply.. "I can't do that". It is not fair to her. I want to see my daughter succeed in life, and on the track I was going.. i probably would not have.

Finally, and most importanly, I am doing this for myself. I am sick of being tired, angry, unhappy, self-conscious and everything else I feel. Simply put.. I am tired of being this me... I want to be the me hiding under all this pain and fat. I know I am in there.. so come out come out wherever you are!

[carbless_in_seattle]

Re: What was your breaking point?

pictures.

I never think I look that bad in person. It's when I see pictures of myself.

[tangotori]

Re: What was your breaking point?

I grew up a slim person and was a perfect weight until I was about 24 - and, like many young, slim people, I could eat anything I wanted!

Well... lots of things changed (as they do in life) and next thing I knew I was gaining at least 10 pounds a year. I watched from the sidelines (yep... that's where I was!) as I put these pounds on and just couldn't find the power to do anything about it.

But (thankfully) I've grown and learned a lot about myself.
So my trigger? Knowing who I was and what I wanted. Knowing why I ate. Coming to love myself in a way I hadn't before.

Sure I've struggled since my first attempt at Atkins - I lost about half of the weight that I wanted to lose and felt fantastic. Then my Mom passed away and my world was shattered. I've waffled around - losing, gaining. Long periods successfully on plan, then falling off.

This time is my last time because I'm going to take off the weight and keep it off!
And... this time my trigger is health. I'm still young but my body aches like I'm ancient! I'm tired of getting up from a sitting position and having sore ankles! I can't stand how the weight - coupled with age - is affecting my face, too (yep, I'm vain!).

Like each of you, there's more to me and why I'm here... again... maybe I should start journaling as a way to process this stuff!!