What was your lightbulb moment?

[ShannonK]

Re: What was your lightbulb moment?

What an awesome thread. I check it every few hours. I am glad to see that I am not the only one with the snoring problem. I never would have guessed that my weight would directly cause it, but it has. I have noticed that if I can stay below 130 lbs (I am only 5') then I won't snore. As soon as I get over 130, I start to snore again. I am hovering right now!

[sadie147]

Re: What was your lightbulb moment?

Wow this is a great thread! There are some truly awesome stories here (and for anyone who hasn't gone to Brook's site to see her story i really recommend you do! she's truly inspiring!)

I didn't really have a big lightbulb moment, had struggled with gaining and losing about 15 lbs over the last 8 yrs ..i neede to lose more but could never get over that 15 before i'd gain it all back. My highest weight was about 155 5 yrs ago before i got married..managed to lose 15 before my wedding thankfully.

Spent a fortune on weightwatchers, tried low fat, you know..all the usual tricks. Happned to read an article in the Toronto Star one day about atkins, i had no idea what it was all about, so i went on atkins.com to check it out and decided i loved the food choices and started the following day. I really really didnt' believe it was gonna work at all ...eat steak and lose weight, are you kidding me (didn't find this board until 2 months into the woe)..Of course..it worked.

My turning point was when i realized that not only was i loosing weight, but i also felt fabulous, was never hungry and it was an actual doable WOE. I decided that this was no longer a diet for me..but was now a WOL. That realization came after about a month (and 15 lbs down). I've now been following this woe for 14 months at goal for 7.5 months....

I think the realization that this is not a diet, but a way of life is what has brought me success.

[Devi]

Re: What was your lightbulb moment?

Hi Sadie! Are you in Toronto as well? Glad to hear of your successes!

[Momtofour]

Re: What was your lightbulb moment?

I was actually called "string bean" as a child. I didn't have a weight problem until my teen years. Puberty seemed to change my body over night. Even then I was just a little overweight. During college and after getting married is when I put on most of the weight. I got to 200 pounds at that point. After a couple of kids, I was up to 250pds. I went on Atkins in 2000 and got back down to 199. The day I hit that number was a terrible day. My brother in law committed suicide. I used food to heal the pain at first, and then I was just eating poorly again out of habit. Fast forward to another child and hitting the 250 pound mark again. I was looking at my 1 year old son playing this April and realized that there was no way I was going to the beach with him at this weight. I started crying because here was such a fun little guy and he wasn't going to have a fun mommy because she was too self concsious and tired to be fun. That was it. I started Atkins and have lost 36 pounds so far. I will be at goal eventually because I am sticking to this WOE. As an added benefit my blood pressure is lower, no headaches, no arthritis pain, no stomach upsets and I have been taking my kids to the beach. I'm actually getting my kids out for a nightly walk. How cool is that! They have a fun mommy!