What was your "light bulb moment"?

Sorry about your dad. 

My lightbulb moment was the diagnosis of sleep apnea and the use of a machine. That was the straw that broke the camels back for me. 

I wasn't diagnosed with sleep apnea, despite sounding like a a railway train in a wind tunnel atop a bear with a chainsaw running, until I was already in my bariatric program.  

I remember thinking, "Jesus, how could I have every obesity related issue (diabetes, HBP, fatty liver, sleep apnea) and have been in such denial for so long???"

I was really happy to get rid of that machine 6 months later!!

For me, I can't really say I had a light bulb moment. I first seriously thought of WLS when I was pregnant with my son 12 years ago. For some reason, I decided I could lose weight on my own- in spite of trying on and off since I was about 10. It took 2 attempts at weightloss where I actually lost about 60 lbs each time only to regain it all and then several months of trying to lose with little to no success. Finally I realized that this was the option that would lead to success.

Funny enough, my weightloss has been about 3 lbs per week since the 2 week mark. My head keeps telling me I could have done this without surgery and have been struggling a little with buyers remorse. I really have to pull back and remind myself how rare it is to steadily lose 3 lbs per week. 

You will never lose weight faster in your life. 

Nor have a better chance of maintaining it.  

Thank you. It's just my head getting in my way. I know this was the right choice for me. :) 

This is not a diet, it is life... We could all lose weight or some point or another, but maintaining eluded me.... I now feel I have a fighting chance at maintaining...

Thanks Cynthia. :) I "know" this but my mind is playing games with me. 

Not that I hadn't thought about WLS for probably 20 years but it was scarier back then.

I would say there was a series of events the year my grandson was born.

There were some really eye opening photos that summer of me holding this little baby and how huge I was.

While I've always loved my life and been active I realized I was spending too much time on the couch and not doing as much as I could.

I went for my annual GYN exam and had the nurse practioner instead of the Doc. She mentioned had I considered it, and she had a niece who had had it recently who she didn' t expect to do well and was doing wonderfully. I had had Docs mention it before, but they were men and I was mortified. I think I was ready to hear

This happened to be right before Easter and I saw my niece who had RNY 10 years earlier. She lost like 160 and gained  30 back after having a baby. She is also a nurse.

I pulled her aside and asked her if she was still happy she had done it and she said Absolutely! The light bulb moment came when she asked me what I was afraid of? I said I didn't know... her response - which was the absolute truth- You need to get out of your head and stop thinking so hard. I had allowed overthinking and analyzing to immobilize me.

So while I did not find my mother like you found your Dad ...

I did get that phone call unexpectedly 'your Mom is dead' My Dad found her, and I was the only one of my siblings they were able to get a hold of, So it was me at the ripe old age of 23 and my Dad there when they took her out and the funeral director came etc. I had to take the responsibility to call people.

She died of respiratory failure prematurely due to smoking combined with a respiratory infection.She never got to meet any of her grandchildren she would have 13. She would have loved everone of them ....to the moon and back.

So I didn't want my bad choices to prevent me from meeting all my grandchildren however many that may be.

So I believe sometimes things happen for a time and a reason, and with my son and his family and my grandchildren moving to India, I would never have been able to fly that far MO.

This totally made me cry writing it, but that's not a bad thing. It is good to have emotions and not hide them with food.

Wow. This was incredibly hard to read. Last summer my mom went into respiratory failure. We thought we were going to lose her, she was in a comma for a bit. Worst time of my life.

By some crazy, beautiful twist of fate, she pulled through. Though I wouldn't say her health is good or even normal, yet, she pulled through.  I was 21 at the time, similar age as you were. It really messes you up. Everyday I wake regretting every fight I've had with her, every time I refused to let her hug me when I was in my moody rebellious stage. Hate to think about how little I appreciated my parents until I almost lost my momma. I hate knowing that in reality, I'm not promised tomorrow with my mom.

Im so sorry you had to say goodbye so young. That's hell. You seem incredibly brave. Your mom and dad and kids are lucky to have you, I think. :)