Several things, I was not feeling very well, I was not quite happy in
general, and then I saw my vacation pictures.

i gained my weight, when i quit smoking, and did not seem able to
stop eating sweets.
i started investigating, and found:
http://www.carbohydrateaddicts.com/  took the test, and started my
LOW CARB journey.

rosie

My last straws (there were several) were:
--I weighed more than I had when I gave birth to my
second child.
--I was a size 16--and I was to the point when I needed
bigger pants.
--I hated looking at myself in the mirror, so I
didn't--and kept imagining I that was still a size 5
(ain't the brain wonderful?).
--My husband was unhappy with the way I looked, and
when I finally took took the blinders off (pictures are
a great eye-opener), I was unhappy with the way I
looked.
--The asthma was much worse because of the extra weight
I was carrying.

I know that some might object to the "husband was
unhappy" reason, but he had good reason. I was
depressed, moody, clingy, and bitchy. I couldn't
control my eating so I tried to control everything and
everyone else around me. When I decided to take control
of my eating habits, I lightened up on the people
around me--it made a world of difference in all of my
relationships. Has anyone else encountered this?

Amy

168/115
5'1"

What started me:

New relationships.    When I was growing up I never had a weight
problem....  if I did, it was for being underweight, not overweight.

At 19 I married.   At 21 I had my son, and I gained over 50lbs and
only lost 20 of that after the birth.   My *now* ex was not a very
active person at all.  We never did alot of active activities.   Then
as life struggles happened and our relationship deteriorated my
lifestyle became even less active.  

At 24 I divorced, and proceeded to go on the *divorce diet*, where I
lost about 30lbs in a matter of a month or so.    But a loss like that
is hard to maintain.   I didn't own a scale at the time, so I don't
truely know how much I lost, but it was in that ball park based on
clothing sizes.

Anyhow, my new single motherhood, full time job, back to school for
degree, and finding myself again, I also became active again.   I met
friends who were my age and enjoyed outdoor activities.   Walking,
rollerblading, biking, etc.   I started buying equipment.

I then got back into a stable relationship, and also had some female
health problems and found that I regained about 20lbs or more.    Then
I went on Depo for birthcontrol to help with the followup after the
surgery for the medical problems I was having.   Research showed that
women on Depo gain an average of 5lbs per year.   So that is when I
found ASD.  

Back when I started here, my BF (now DH) and I had gone for a bike
ride one day and he just about killed me.    I ended up with heat
exhaustion and sick for a couple days.   Come to find out, that
bikeride was less than 5 miles, and I was struggling to keep up with
him.

My quest, other than to control my weight, was to increase my
activity.   I had a son who was growing fast and I wanted to keep up
with him.   I've got a wonderful DH who is also very active, and I
want to keep up with him too.    I don't want to be a sideline
soccermom, I want to be in there on the field, practicing with him.

Now, its been 5yrs (I think) since all this started.   (7 since the
divorce).   And when last DH and I went for a 15 mile bike ride - I
kicked HIS a.s in the ride.   He couldn't keep up with me, he peetered
out and needed breaks.   He's still very active himself, but I've
found my nitch at something I'm good at, and I've built my health up
to that level.

I just hated the way I looked.  I hated the fact that I had to shop in the
men's dept. for my shirts.  I hated the way it made me feel, physically.
Tired climbing the hill to my mailbox...etc...

I never had a weight problem until I hit my mid forties.  It was a
combination of quitting smoking and menopause that packed on the extra
weight.  My family medical history is riddled with cancer, heart disease
and diabetes.  I didn't want to be like several of the relatives and die
before the age of 60 or have such terrible health problems that it prevents
you from leading a normal life.

I initially joined Weight Watchers (1986) and lost the weight (42lbs) over
a period of a few months.  I've been able to stay within 15lbs of my goal
weight since that time.  At the current time I'm 10lbs above goal and
struggling to get the weight down again.  They have a WW at work program
and I'm thinking about going back.  Maybe it's what I need to get back to
goal.

Beverly

Among other things, I did not want to be a fat lady using a cane in my 40's. I cannot
tell you how many obese "youngish" women I see carrying canes -- I had a fear of
losing mobility. That was a great motivator, as was utter desperation, since I had
been over 200 lbs. for 22 years and could never reach my goal weight. I started
losing weight in May 2002 upon starting to go to a nutritionist (after having
maintained a 100-lb. weight loss for 17 years). Now I'm down roughly 170 lbs due to
giving up sugar permanently (19 years sugarfree), walking daily, lifting weights 4x a
week, and practicing good nutrition. "Boring" compared to the quick-fix diets but it
works for me.

Mary M
325-156-145

I started by accident.  I had fully accepted my weight and had grown
comfortable with myself as an individual.  But physically, I felt tired
constantly, couldn't walk a couple of blocks without huffing and puffing,
even though I was convinced I was "fat and healthy".

I started cutting out obvious junk food, and anything containing additives,
refined starches, and fillers or dyes.  I didn't follow any "book diet", or
anything, but just stopped eating stuff that was not healthy for me,
personally.  I started to feel better only a week after making this change.
Healthy, energetic and just more "alive".  This was before any significant
weight was lost.  The weight just started to fall off of me pretty easily,
so I just kept on going.

People who noticed the weight loss (and it has been a LOT) asked me "How did
you do it?" and when I told them, they said "That sounds like a low-carb
diet".  So I did a bit of reading of Dr. Atkins book to find out just what
a low-carb diet was, exactly, and also read "The Carbohydrate Addict's
Diet" by Rachael Heller.

By default, my way of eating has ended up being mostly low-carb, only for
purposes of appetite control (Foods naturally low in carb are for me, very
easily satisfying with fewer calories, and lower volume).  I don't
currently follow any "by the book" diet, anymore as I've started working
out what works for me.  While the books have a lot of good ideas, the
authors of the books out there have never met me personally, so it's my
personal responsibility to adjust my own way of life accordingly, and not
treat a book diet like a religion.

I made that mistake for a while, and it led to me growing tired of that, and
it backfired bigtime, several months ago I fell off and gained some weight
back (thankfully not much!).  So I've been spending several months nipping
THAT in the bud by finding a happy medium for myself.  Also, things have
worked out for the best when I stop measuring my own weight loss against
other people's.  It's not a competition with a deadline to meet the goal.
It's a lifelong journey.  I have no desire to lose X pounds by Y date.  I
simply have a desire to lose each pound at a time, and go by it gradually.
I'm not in this for the approval of other people, but only for myself.

Sure. I've never liked myself in pictures, even when not overweight...
so that wasn't it. My husband likes how I look now, so that isn't it
either...

What did it was the fear of losing mobility. I've had bad ankles since
childhood... and also did a number on one knee in high school.

At this weight, I'm simply too heavy to move comfortably and I don't
like that. And if I stay at this weight or gain... I will be worse off
down the road.

I'm not interested in being wheelchair bound or having to use a cane
or scooter to get around in.

That's it! That's all there is. Otherwise, my bloodwork says I am a
low risk for heart disease... my blood sugar is fine, my blood
pressure is fine. Essentially... except for my genetically weak
joints... I am fat and healthy. But those damn joints are a killer!

I haven't done so good the past few years... but I have made sure that
I have never gotten back to my heaviest point. So that's something.

Cynthia

Lifelong story here, but here goes..

I was always "chubby", "healthy" duh.. overweight as a kid and as a
young woman. But then I got depressed, I ended up a single mother with
no current lasting relationship, who spent the majority of time working
online which meant I didn't get out much. I decided to get some help
finding another job and the work force commission was going to help me,
but decided first I needed a psych eval. So when it came back that I
have what is termed as Dysthymic Disorder I researched it online and on
*every* site I read it was ME, to the letter almost. And ALL the info I
read said I needed to get more exercise.

So while I pondered it I decided to take a much needed vacation, in June
of last year - I went. I was miserable and the photos I took were
disgusting to look at (me in the photos, Virginia is a lovely state :)
My best friend had weightloss surgery.. which I watched her go from
320lbs to 135 in less than a year. Pretty hard to stomach for me since I
had never tried to diet out of fear of failure. The night I got off the
flight home from VA, I decided to make some changes, where the strength
came from I don't really know. I also don't post my highest weight on my
/// thing, I think I was somewhere around 280 to be real honest, but THE
night I came home with a new decision I weighed and I was at 260.

The year before I had had a knee injury that was miserable for me to
recover from due to my weight, I also had to get ahold of myself for my
childrens sake. I didn't want them to be embarrassed of me and they were
not learning good eating habits, or life habits from me either. I had
acid reflux(which is gone now) I had a skin disorder which I am
convinced is from too much sugar/carbs(which is also manageable now)
since I'm insulin resistant and  was well on my way to being type2
diabetic.

That was all in June of last year, I met Mark (the love of my life) end
of July when I was only -23 lbs
He's been the biggest supporter of my life, in all things. And alot of
my motivation as well.

I thank God everyday for the strength and wisdom to get ahold of my life
that He gave me.
My plan isn't perfect, neither am I, but by goodness.. I'm happy.

So here I am, 67lbs lighter, my skin is beautiful, my bloodsugar is
almost within normal range, I feel TERRIFIC, my knee is healed, my kids
are happy and healthier, I've a wonderful man I am getting married to in
less than 3 months, I moved and bought a new house, I found an decent
job making a decent wage, I feel I have found a manageable way to stem
the depression and last but not least....... my size 16 jeans look HOT
HOT HOT on me LOL!

Anyhow, thats the long of it.

Susan
260/193/140

I had gained gradually from 32" waist in 1992, 36" in 2000, then ~44"
in 2002.

The gain was so gradual that I honestly didn't even notice it. I was
shocked to see my weight at 211 in Sept 2000, up ~11lbs in the ~5
months since I had last weighed myself.

Most of my fat is on my waistline; like a recent Dave Barry column,
from the front it doesn't look too different, but in Sept 2003 I saw a
picture of myself from the side, and oh man was I pissed at myself for
losing the battle of the bulge without even fighting... 235lbs was
~50+ over my trim weight of 10 years previously. I knew I was
certainly overweight, but seeing my BMI in the paper listed as Obese
was probably the biggest wakeup call. F@ck! Being self-employed,
getting health insurance is hard enough, but being Obese makes it
really hard if not impossible.

Never having dieted before, I had thought dieting was going to be
nothing but constant pain and suffering. I was afraid of it. But
reading and re-reading "The Hacker's Diet" (available for free on the
web) and then picking up more information on the evils of high-GI
carbs, I saw that maybe by some simple diet regimentation I could get
back to at least 200 without too much problem.

So in February of this year I bit the bullet and committed to losing
all the weight in one go, over (hopefully) 5-6 months. So far losing
~25lbs has been a piece of cake. It probably helps that I still have a
high metabolism, enjoy outdoor cycling, and am working off the fat for
the first time. ~200lbs was a happy point for me, so I expect more of
a battle to get down from 200...

yes, I've had knee pain, and just getting up from a crouch is laborous
with an extra 50lbs on my frame.
With the 25lbs I've lost I like the lighter feel I get walking, and
peddling up hills is becoming easier and easier, with both better leg
strength, cardio conditioning, and a lot less weight!

Heywood
232/205/182, losing since Feb 15, 2004

Progress: 51% toward weight goal, 45% toward waistline goal (34"), 11%
total weight lost

Well, I always figured I'd better do it eventually.  And Tom would
say, every now and again, "Someday you'll decide you want to lose
weight instead of just getting stronger.  When you do, we're her to
help."  What actually made me start was that my husband decided to go
on a diet, and I figured I might as well join in :-).  I was kind of
surprised that it worked, actually, as I have a pretty slow
metabolism.

Chris
262/152/ (145-150)

I was sick and tired of being fat.

Initially?  Fashion. (As silly as that sounds)

One of my best friends *loves* shopping and fashion. She can go on for
hours about shoes and accessories... spend hundreds of dollars on just
the right purse... etc.   I used to think that was a bit strange (I'm
not so very girly in that sense - and $300 on a purse? Criminy.) but,
the truth was, since she is quite heavy - well out of the range of
sizes sold in boutique stores, shoes and other accessories are the
only kind of fun-fashion-gossip-with-the-girls shopping she can
participate in.  (Given our crowd of friends, none of whom are also
overweight)

That always made me a little sad - and, when I found my own size 16s
stretching to the limits... pushing me out of "normal" stores... well,
it wasn't a place I wanted to be.

On a side note, the reason I keep going now is totally different.
Along the way to my current 8s, I discovered sports and other active
activities, and now, my incentive is... can I hit a volleyball harder?
get to the tennis ball quicker?

Which is cool. I don't think it's so much why you start - as noticing
all the great new things that come your way during the process.

-megan

To make a short story long...

I was always chubby, always upset about my weight, but could not
maintain a diet for over 3 weeks... As a result, I became a yo-yo
dieter.  I sort of accepted that at the time, saying that if I need to
loose 10lb for an occasion, I'll do my 2-3 week intense diet, and then
I'll go back to my usual weight.

Until one day at work (1.5 yrs ago) I was talking to a co-worker who
was preparing for NYC marathon.  I told him I'd always wanted to do
something great like a marathon, but didn't think it was possible for
me.   Several days later he sent me an email, saying that he
registered me for the marathon, and he dares me to run.

I was impressed and shocked and excited, and felt obligated to at
least try to get in shape.  To speed up the weight loss, I also
started a diet...  I chose a blend of low-carb with weight watchers
(to make sure I don't go overboard on cream/cheese/nuts/etc...)

When I started, I couldn't run up the block and was about 20lb
overweight.  Now I'm at my goal weight, and can run upto 5 miles.  I
didn't run in the marathon (for NYC marathon there is a lottery after
registration, and I didn't get picked).   But that doesn't matter.  I
wear the clothes I like and am in a much better shape.  I do fall off
the wagon quite often, since I love food, and I love sweets, and
sometimes am too lazy to exercise.  However, I try to get back on
track within 5lb, and it works for me.

That's my story.  Thanks for a chance to share it.
Elana

Poor health and poor quality of life.

Kasey
365/265/???

Well, the first time I lost weight and joined ASD, it was because I was
having trouble getting around and I was so big that it became difficult to
wipe my a**, as well as having bad acid reflux and stomach aches.  I
stupidly abandoned my good WOE and WOL and gained almost all the weight back
I'd lost.  I restarted the weight loss because I "woke up" finally and got
tired of having to wear the big ugly clothes.  Thankfully the acid reflux
didn't come back with the weight except when I eat Thai food!

Tonia

For me, it was many of the same reasons that you started.  I just got sick
of sticking out and not fitting into a smaller world.  I also wanted to
speed my metabolism and be able to keep up.  I didn't want to be 35 yr old
fat smoker that wouldn't see 40.

Hopefully a late response is better than no response at all.

For some of the long time inmates of ASD, this will be an repeat
performance.  :)

Rewind back to about December 1998.  Picture a happy, go lucky 450+lbs man
who didn't have a care in the world.  Life was good.  Like Craftin Mom, I
had fully accepted my weight and had grown comfortable with myself as an
individual.  But physically, I felt tired constantly, couldn't walk a
couple of blocks without huffing and puffing.  Not to mention, I was
experiencing severe back pain due all the excess weight I was carrying
around.  Regardless of all this, I was convinced I was "fat and healthy".

Then one day, I had noticed a pain in my foot. It was nothing special as I
usually had pain in my feet which went away after a good nights sleep.  So,
I left it alone for the time being.  Unfortunately, after a couple of
weeks, I had succumb to the pain and went to the doctor.

They took an x-ray and found out that I had a 4th metatarsal stress facture
on my left foot.  It was an eye opener for me as not only did I find out
what a 4th metatarsal was, but I had to accept that my weight was slowly
killing me.  What other explanation could there possibly be for getting a
stress fracture without getting having an idea of how you got it in the
first place?

Needless to say, that situation caused me to do some soul searching.  I had
to get my weight in order.  So, I went and tried to decide what I was going
to do.  I investigated several options such as WLS, liquid diet, and
whatnot.  I finally came to the conclusion that diet and exercise were the
way to go.  So, I did.

In May 1999, I recruited the assistance of a local physician to assist me
in my weight loss efforts.  It proved a very sucessful move as over the
following year and half, I lost 130 lbs.  I was feeling great.

Unfortunately, my resolve didn't last over the long haul.  In the fall of
2000, my life changed considerably when I met irishcrm and I had a love
life to contend with.  From this point on, I concentrated more on the
relationship and not on myself.  I quickly went downhill.

Fastforward to present day...I regained all the weight that I had lost and
then some.  I'm having a hard time getting back on the wagon.  My aches and
pains have returned along with all the frustrations that come with being a
large guy.  I'm now more accutely aware of how my size is affecting my life
and I need to do something about it again.

With that said, as I stand at the 5 year anniversary of the start of my
initial transformation, I am slowly changing my ways again and getting back
on the wagon to do a repeat performance.  I only hope that I can muster up
the same determination, committment, and dedication that I did the last
time.

Cheers!

       Alex