My mother was a lot like Southpaw's mother. Mixed messages and bad choices about food as well as just about everything else. Mostly I stayed out of her way, and stayed thin so I could tell myself I was different from her. After she died, somehow it was okay for me to get fat, and I did, and somehow I made that her fault too. I got fat to declare my freedom from my dead mother - that showed her!

Meg

1) Fear of attention from people, especially men. As to people, I don't like to be 'noticed.' As to men, sexual promiscuity on my part scares me. With a fat suit on, you are invisible. I want to be invisible, and when I suceed, I want to be visible.
2) Fear of becoming a b***h, i.e., outspoken, bold, hard.
3) I'm an emotional eater. Using food to stuff down feelings, especially anger. I always feel I have to be 'nice.'

It sounds ridiculous when you write it down like that, but deep inside I know exactly what you mean.

To me, food=happy. Sad? Eat a cookie. with friends? go out to eat. bored? entertain yourself with food. Food was my answer to everything. That's why I got fat. I dont know how to have fun, or make myself feel better without food.

Because I binge on junk food, PERIOD. Cookies, cakes, ice cream, bread with sugar on it, biscuits...you just name it.

I grew up eating like that (without the weight gain) and I continued to eat that way in adulthood (with the weight gain).

Back pain not being able to be active anymore and sadly hanging out with overweight people and having an overweight girlfriend.

Now most of theses people are not like the people on this board, they are overweight, have all sorts of pains and health problem but would never try to get on a diet, and of course discourage you to lose weight because they want to keep you well rounded.

Most spine degeneration started around the L5S1 discs and from what i have been told mainly due to pressure in the lower back due to overweight.

In my last twenties i was around 210 pounds at 5 feet 10 inches tall, i got up at 38 to 231 pounds, my ideal weight is around 183 pounds with my bone mass.

My current girlfriend is very active and eats very well, she is not a lower carber.

With my back pain being better i can do a lot more activities and by doing so i am more disciplined in following a diet plan.

My sport doctor put me on a high protein diet low carb and i feel very good right now.

I think I originally got fat because of hormones and birth control. Then I got complacent after I lost the weight. Then I got fatter because in my eyes nobody will love a fat girl therefore nobody can hurt a fat girl. Wrong. Usually the fat girl does a good enough job hurting herself... :/
-ruca

My first pregnancy and being gestational diabetic despite not being detected. Then wonderful nursing school of doing nothing but, sitting, studying, eating and breathing and not in that order either...too many of my days were containing fast food twice a day. I gained 40lbs there. I have maintained mostly at my current weight for many years...loosing some and gaining some. I hope to change this for the better.

I started gaining weight as a child - about 3rd grade? And was steadily overweight through high school - despite running miles a day, weight lifting for PE, sports, and watching what I ate - I stayed overweight (probably obese). Then I was on depo, and ballooned up pretty quickly, I've been battling how FAST ever since. Enter LC, and weight just jumps off of me, and many other wonderful things.

Wow, i just came across this thread and had a massive realization.

Reading that i had to face the reason why i was fat boggled my mind completely and i didn't have heart wrenching stories like the rest of these guys. Then, i realized the reason and i want to jot it down here simply so that i can remember. I always jot things down if i want to remember them easier.

As a child i was always a bit bigger than other kids. Not much but always a bit. Looking back i can see that was because of the food choices my parents were making for me.

When i hit 14 and 15 i suddenly lost a lot of weight. I still saw myself as fat and would get very shocked and shy if i received attention from 'boys.' I think the reason for the weightloss was because i was then responsible for all of the cooking duties in the house and tried to eat healthy.

At 19, my parents threw me out of home. We're on speaking terms again but our relationship is still very strained and when i look back and analyze my own eating behavior i realize that it's at times when my parents have really hurt me emotionally that i have been turning to food.

There, i've said it. Time to move on and leave that behind. They do not get to decide or influence my weight anymore. I deserve to feel good!

well I just found this topic and will add my .02$ in as a guy and answer some questions.

I was not always big. when I was little and active as a kid I was fine. My dad was always bid and so was his side of the family. My moms side was not. My dad side always ate heavy bad meals, and always kept cases of soda around the house all year long. No one talked of eating right or exercise EVER!!!!

I was in marching band in high and was very active but started eating bad food once I was able to drive and had a job. I was about 215 in high school and much more when I went to college. toward the end of College is where I ballooned up to about 360-385 in that range. I was eating long john silver #6 platters with extra fish and chicken, buffets, pizza, cakes and cookies. I have a picture of my self and I get mad when I see my self and wonder how could no one tell me how big I was :help:

Now here is the truth, I always hung out with girls, and had girl friends and so on. I have always wanted many more . but my size was a big factor I think. I have also always respected girls and ladies of all sizes and color. In high school had 2 girl friends and I am very close to them still to this day. They Liked me when I was big and Now that I am at the 234 they are amazed. I am happily married and they are all doing there own thing.

1. one big reason is to get ladies to notice me If I am really going to tell the truth. Even though I have a wife and things are great, I really missed that when I was 380 as messed up as that sounds.

2. I finally got size had a heart transplant (Yikes) :agree:

3. to look better for my wife and To be easy on the eyes for people and to get jobs. I am sure I was passed up on for my big size in IT positions

4. To be healthy for me first and then my family

Now that I am dropping the weight and walking all the time, I notice girls and women looking at me, smiling, some wave even :cheer:. Well It makes me feel good that I am getting noticed so there.

Its now my time to shine. I hoping to get down to 220 soon my goal is 200 by jan first and will work very hard. :agree:

All said and done i just stop caring about myself.

It's a very thought-provoking question. I don't really know why I got fat. I think it was more a loss of self-control. At first I was slow to gain, so I thought hey, no big deal, I can keep eating like this. Now I'm kicking myself in the butt and wondering why did I ever let myself go so much. In any case, I'm pretty sure it is all history now. I do believe I can live on this plan the rest of my life. :)

...because the foods I chose and non-chose to eat changed the way my body works, and I was ignorant of this subtle fact.

Without realising, I was addicted to sugar and carbs - I never ate because I was hungry. I used to say I was, but no, I just ate because I fancied something carby... and then wanted more, and more, and more...... I'd blame my emotions and yes, I was comfort eating, but in the same way as I was comfort smoking!

I'd go on the latest diets and climb the walls with again, what I thought was hunger - it was addiction, I can see that now and the trouble with having just a little bit of what you're addicted to is you never lose the cravings.

So once I addressed the issue, I am now "clean" and a recovering carboholic, slim, fit and energetic and not craving any of it (except cigarettes - thats the next thing???)

The one problem (aside from the wonderful benefits) I found once I had slimmed down was that, having been the "jolly fat girl", my "flirty" nature become a threat I think?? So I've had to learn to tone it down. So in that respect, I actually think you can get away with a "larger than life" character when you're larger??!

Jo xxxx