What Was THAT Defining Moment For You?

[Sjl]

I have always hated my weight and hated the way I looked, I tried so many different ways to loose weight but nothing worked (lack of will power, someone else controlling my life) After I became a single mum and lost my own mother, I began to realise I was in conrtol of my life and if I choose to eat junk I could and if I choose to be healthy I could. I tried a few different ways to loose weight but only managed to loose 1-2 kg and then I ususally put it back on quicker than I had lost it.
Then Isaw Faithy on today tonight and I knew Cohens was what I had to do.

I know with my lifestyle (and regular hospital stays for my daughter) I haven't been able (and wont be able) to be 100% but I am sticking to the plan as best I can and I am happy with the speed I am loosing the weight. I am also learning healthy habits that will continue with me after the weight loss stage.

[honeybuns]

Mine was going to get my legs waxed and seeing my beautician who was always a little overweight (not huge by any means) and she was so slim and heathly! I asked her what she was doing and she'd lost 25kgs and she was doing Cohens. I googled it that night and booked in for the information session the next week. And here I am 25kgs down (almost halfway) in 18 weeks Couldn't be happier and I LOVE COHENS!

HB xxx

[Ronky]

I have been overwieght for as long as I can remember. I saw my younger sister in June. She is 11 years younger than me and at the time 20kgs heavier than me (she is now 40kgs heavier). I can see the pain in her eyes then I recognised it in mine.

I want to get married and start a family next year and I dont want my kids to have to go through what my sisters and I have. I knew I had to do this before I started a family so that my kids could be bought up in a positive food enviroment and not with a mother constantly dieting. I love cooking and food and cant wait to pass on good healthy food and cooking to my own children when they come.

Great thread.

Good Luck

[Barczar]

For me it was having quit smoking for over a year (knowing I put on about 10-15kg from over-compensating from my previous 2 pack a day habit, quitting a job that I loved but a boss and company that was killing me, starting a new career that is a much more powerful position and wanting to play another season or two of rugby I went to the gym wanting to start to get into shape. Having lived half of my previous life in a gym (Highschool and Uni days) I was looking forward to starting a new training programme. Ten minutes into my first training session I quit because I knew I was too big to get into shape by excercise and was going to hurt myself if i didn't lose weight first. Imagine that...too big to get into shape without hurting yourself?

Just so happened that SMS was shouting his success from the roof tops and I figured hell if that ol ******* can do it, me too! I got in touch with him and he let me in on his little Cohens secret and here I am today 40kg down! My cohens time is almost at an end now as I am now at a size that I can easily and I mean VERY easily get into shape and have now greater aspirations than just another season or two of rugby, as Ive got a Tri-athalon to train for!

[xoxstefxox]

i love this thread! i can relate to so many of u
for me it was very similar to louise.

I work in an office and about a month ago my boss was ordering shirts (uniforms) and she asked me my size, i thought i was a 14ish so i said 16 to be safe. W week later the shirts arrived and mine didnt fit!!!

i had to send it back and ask for an 18. I went to the toilets in my lunch break and cried.
My little cousin (5 years old) also told me that i should go on the biggest loser! Im 18, i should be going out, having fun and making great memories for myself, but instead i HATED going out cos i was so self concious and cried way too much.

Noooowwww, after only a few days i feel more confident cos i know im dooing something about my weight.

THANKYOU COHENS!!

[maria1969yellow]

Starting to wear 3xl clothes was another defying moment and feeling embarrassed that I had been in denial for so long when I have recently seen pictures of myself and what should be happy occassions with my family and work functions and being to embarrassed to look at the pictures and facing the fact I wasnt really happy.

Being a new business owner and in an industry that looks are important I found myself hiding away and employing not so good staff to do the job for me. Definately has slowed the progress of my business to grow quicker.

Having a few confrontations with business collegues and backing down when I knew I was right but still questioning myself.

Not wanting to be with my gorgeous hubby because I was ashamed of what my body had become (even though he couldnt care less and loves me no matter what!)


The decision came about to start Cohens rather then another programme that I worked out I had being going back to over and over again for the last 21 years and never reaching my goal weight was when my now Cohens consultant came into my work and I asked her where she worked and it was a programme I knew nothing about so me being me had a look on the internet about it but did nothing about it until a few weeks latter my neighbour told me she was doing the programme and was loving it!
So once again I did some research and got the courage to go to a centre but found I couldnt go to the appiontment for the session to see what the programme was about but decided to see if I could make an appiontment and start the programme anyhow...

Still undecided to be honest right until I did the blood test and went and picked up my plan but the deciding factor was one of my beloved dogs needed to be put down and I lost another last year, both had been part of me for the last 10 years but the grieving for my latest passing and maybe just a bit of that grieving was for a part of me I had decided to let go of... That part is my weight and the boundries it had set me in for the last 21 years...

The rest is history...

I am now looking forward to having a 100% deviation free journey to my goal weight and learning all about me and taking time out for me and believing in myself...

I told my hubby maybe just maybe we could fall in love again and him being him said... But we already are and gave me a big big hug...

I am so lucky!

[Mette]

For me, it was actually because I was finally happy. I had gotten out of a bad marriage and met the love of my life and I was finally in a place where I was loved unconditionally for who I was. I have always been overweight, but for the first time in my life I was in a position where I didn't need that protection anymore. It was time to break the cocoon!
A friend of mine at work has lost 45 kilos on Cohens, and I asked her for the contact details for the clinic, and it's now 21 kilos later! And in straightening out those bits of my life where I wasn't happy, I even quit a job that made me miserable and went back to school!

[Ronky]

Im having a different defining moment. Its the moment of "Why did I wait so long to feel this good"? I guess I wasnt ready before.

[thenewvee]

I was at the stage of giving up all hope of ever losing all my excess weight! I had watched it creep up yet AGAIN, due to stresses etc and everything I tried to get it down, just didn't seem to work.

Then I noticed my brother had lost a fair bit of weight (saw it mostly in his face as well as his bod) and got him to tell me what/how etc. I looked into it, went to an info session, scratched around like mad to find enough money to pay the fee and joined! What struck me the most was that I got to have normal food, no shakes or pills etc, and my food was going to be my medicine!

I think this came at a time that I was sooooo ready for it (and desperate). I've had to learn some hard lessons, and accept a lot of other things too that I'd been resisting for forever (without fully realising it). I wouldn't trade this for anything, I'm so blown away with the results I've achieved and will achieve!

Vee

[stephanatelyb]

Mine was a series of events also....

My depression had been rather extreme....i gained alot of weight, and in gaining all that weight, and being so depressed, i became a hermit.
Events:

1. I was out with my friends at a club, i had a panic attack, i grabbed my best friend & ripped him off the chair, in front of all our friends, then ran off as fast as i could so none of them could catch up with me.

2. Sitting with my best friend & his daughter, his daughter told me (without any intention of hurting me) that i was overweight & needed to lose weight so i could hang out with them more.

3. I went to the Gold Coast with friends & for work & couldnt go swimming, cause all my friends were too beautiful, and i was 30kg's overweight. Seeing the photos of myself with unhealthy hair, skin & body, seeing how sad my eyes looked.

4. My best friend sat me down & told me he wanted his best friend back, because he felt like he lsot me, and doesnt know where i am. My friends stopped inviting me out because they knew i would sit in dead silence, not even looking at anyone because i was so embarrassed & ashamed of who i had become. (Even though i am a very bubbly, confident, happy person naturally)

5. My dad asking me if everything was ok, because i had gained alot of weight, and i looked sick.

6. Seeing a video of myself doing some "daggy" dancing, & having some girls laugh at how large i was compared to my best girlfriend who was dancing next to me (who is a size 6-

Now im much less depressed, even though i havent been on cohens for quite some time, i still have just 10kg left until im at goal, & i feel like a different person with 19kg gone! Its been more about the journey of getting to know me. Now i love me, i even love my love handles and cellulite.. im proud of my body, and im proud of who i have become, yes im still slightly overweight... But im losing that weight, & i know i am very beautiful, both inside & out.

[cmc]

Well After reading this thread I felt compelled to tell my story.
(So brace yourselves.. LOL Heinsite I could'nt seem to stop.)

It was late 2006 and I had started walking, frustrated that I wasn't loosing a thing but walking almost everyday I went to my cousin who is a naturopath.
She told me about the Atkins diet and that I should try blah blah blah.... So I did.. in total lost 14kgs could jog 5kms comfortably and was into a size 16, on the diet just before I left for overseas in 2007. I felt wonderful, had heaps of comments and had heaps of confidence.

I was at 81kgs, Fit and extremely happy and proud of myself. It was also the lowest weight I had been in my adult life (I can only remember 1 other occasion I was ever at that weight which wasn't as I was passing it on my way up.)

So I went overseas and gained. I was overseas for 9 months and I felt like crap, I enjoyed my time overseas but was very conscious of my weight gain as I had to shop because my "skinny clothes" no longer fitted.

It was due to not haven eaten many carbs at all while on the "our version of Atkins" diet, Eating all the wonderful Ice cream in Italy, Sweet bread in Germany, Bread and spaghetti(i was on a budget) in Scotland, Pasties for breakfast in Greece, Bread and Jam while travelling thru Croatia, Sweets all over Europe and Albania's version of Macca's Oh and Souvlaki's...

So I came home 10kgs heavier and feeling like crap. I take pride in myself and was asshamed and didn't even want to see people when I got back..

So I went back to what I knew.. Exercising again built up my fitness level again cut down on my carb intake and still months on no change.. I built muscle but that was it.. even joined a gym.

So decided I'd have a look around went to jenny craig.. OMG! $120 per week and only for me.. (I live with my partner) and the rest of them including lap banding I was that desperate... I decided against them..

Frustrated that I was working out so much 5-6 days a week and STILL not getting anywhere Id decided it was my food intake but didn't know how to change.. I was eating healthy.. But obviously not healty enough..
So one day driving to work I hear a tune on the radio.. which I had heard many times over..( but had always made it an after thought previously because I hated needles..) So I decided to come online and check it out..

Seeing as I had gotten over alot of my phobias before I left for Overseas And knew a needle would be nothing in return if it worked..

So I Finally found this forum checked out stories and looked at befores and afters photos's and decided Id do it and was inspired...Inspired by all those who had lost before me... But when I found out 60kgs was my goal weight I almost laughed at my consultant... I just didn't believe that was possible.. ( geez Id weight less than my sister..long story but that is a wow factor. she has always been smaller than me. And I got a lil excited.)

So, a month on 10.8 kgs down and back into my "skinny pants" (wearing them now actually) And Im feeling wonderful and A lil let down at the same time...
Probably because I know how hard I worked and for how long last time to get where I am now and only after a month of eating right, and Now I think about it..I feel a lil sad at the Idea that If I had of gotten down to my goal weight. Gee I was only going for 75kgs. (its now 60kgs) that I would have put it all on again when introducing carbs back into my diet.

And would have to start all over again....

So.....Thankgod I found Cohens........

With its Begining, Middle and End for weightloss for life.

Carla. Thanks for reading....

[Jenna]

My worst moments were when I have been on vacation.

When I came back from the USA this January, I barely fit in the airline seat and when the meals came around and I had to pull the tray out of the chair (we were at the bulkhead since we have a bubby) I couldn't put it down cause my gut was too big. The flight attendant just mumbled something about me having to hold the meal or put it on my husbands tray.

Not to mention seeing all the skinny women on the beaches every time we go on holidays and remembering that I used to be one of them.

Also, wanting to be a better wife and mother in general.

[ConnieK..]

Ok so I have posted this in my diary but will do it again here just to share with the newbies LOL ... long post ahead LOL

__________________________________________________ ________

I am Connie, I am a 40 y.o computer programmer from NSW. I married my US internet romance almost 9 years ago and I have 3 kids, 2 boys in College and one daughter in yr 10. I have been obese most of my life, put up with friends and family telling me it was a sim ple mathematical problem burn more than you eat and you lose weight - simple. I had been on weight watchers (the lovely co-ordinator told me I must be cheating as nobody could possibly not lose weight on the plan, when I said I wasn't she pulled me out in front of the group and gave a talk on lying to yourself and the importance of recording everything you eat) I was devastated. I walked out and cried all the way home. I have battled and struggled since then and then 3 years ago was diagnosed with PCOS. This was a releif as it meant I was't imagining it. I had insulin resistance I wasn't just a self deceiving glutton.

For the last 3and a half years I have been on a 1000 calorie a day diet, never above this, for many months I was dropped to 800, and 6 hours of week exercise at the gym. In the first 2 years I lost 17 kilos (from 103 to 86) and had kept it off for 18 months, meaning I had been on a plateau for 18 months ...... and now the story gets interesting..................

It was almost a year since my Dad died and I had been feeling it very badly. I met up with a friend at the gym whom I hadn't seen for maybe 6 months, she has PCOS like me and like me was on a plateau with her weight, but on that Wednesday she blew me away, she had lost 30kg since I had seen her last. It was amazing, she looked fantastic, no loose skin, her complexion was glowing she looked great (I was amazed by you Girlfriend! ) . I asked her how she had broken the plateau and she told me she had been following the Cohens Lifestyle program.

At work on thursday I looked them up and saw it was $680 plus $20 for the blood test. I debated with myself all day. I drove to my hair appointment debating with myself and also asking Dad and God for advice on what I should do.

I had my hair done and left the salon, I needed to go to the bathroom and so I ducked into the local pub which is run by a friend of mine to use the bathroom. As i walked out he said "you think this is a public bathroom, you come in and pee and don't even buy a drink" teasing me as he always had. So I said OK then I will put $5 in your poker machine here then will that make you happy. So I put in my $5 and pushed the 25c a spin button, i had used up all but $1.25 with no luck when the door opened. I looked up and in walked a man built like my dad wearing the same shirt we buried him in ( a red striped polo shirt ). I panicked and started to cry, thinking I just wanted to leave and go home I hit the 5x button to use up all my money in one push. I got the free spins and when they finished the total in the machine to collect was $700, no more, no less.

I think my Dad who died aged 64 of complications due to sleep apnea after a lifelong battle with his weight, was telling me something.

So I signed up the next day LOL.. and the rest is history!!!

Thanks Dad ... love ya!
__________________________________________________ __

That's my story .....

[Jenna]

Thank you for sharing that again for us Newbies, Connie!

Your story made me all sniffly. Seems too perfect to be a coincidence, that you won the exact amount you needed...I love stories like that.

We have something in common other than weight - my partner and I are an Aussie/American couple as well. Only we are the reverse, I am American and He is Aussie. We also met on the internet initially. We have 2 kids - a 9 month old and his 14 yr old daughter. We've been together for 5 years, married for 2.

I was also a computer tech (not a programmer such as yourself though) for many years before finally leaving after my maternity leave to pursue my own business in Photography.

[phillida]

Wow - loads of reasons and "defining moments". I don't think I really had an epiphany. It was just that one day I realised that EVERY day I thought about my weight, my feet hurt, I had arthritis starting in my big toe (doesn't sound much but hurts when you try to walk in non-sensible shoes). I was becoming dour, introverted, grumpy and tired. not nice. I would collect things to take down stairs so I didn't have to do too many trips. I would plan where I was going to park to save walking too far. Incredible really when you think about it. The fat was taking over - wholus bolus. Time to wrestle the monkey off my back once and for all.
I have always told my children that they are in control of their lives and there was me handing over control of mine to a pile of adipose!
And one more good reason - I love my husband who has loved me regardless of what I look like - we only got married 18 months ago and he married me as a fat person.

[phillida]

And just as an addendum to my post above - my hubbie is 65kg and about six inches taller than me! And he eats like a horse - all the time. So not fair! We call ourselves Jack Spratt and his wife!

[princess_sunbeam]

I thought I would bump this post, as it is so worthwhile! Not necessarily to preach to the converted, but maybe for the lurkers who havent decided to start yet, or those Cohenites who may have lost motivation and need a reminder.

I started thinking about this yesterday, when a colleague of mine had her own defining moment. What she does with this is now up to her. She was sitting on a chair amongst about 10 of us, when her chair collapsed under her weight and she ended up in a heap on the floor! We all looked on in stunned horror, and she had trouble getting up. My heart sank- I felt so sad for her. Apart from feeling awful for her, I thought "that could have been me 18 months ago"

Apart from constantly being breathless and having sleep apnea, my own defining moment was going clothes shopping. I had difficulty buying bras for a long time, but was convinced that it was just because I had big boobs! I was out this particular day buying pants. I had always had this mental barrier at size 18. I had graduated from the size 18's in normal ladies clothes shops, to the size 18's at 16/26. Hey they were still size 18's. Eventually I succumbed to buying 20's there. I was horrified but continued to justify it. Then this particular day, the 20's didnt fit. I had to try on 22's. I was completely disgusted in myself. I then bought a womens magazine, and there was an article about Cohens. I knew I had to do this. The rest is history. I am learning to love my body, I love shopping for clothes and for some reason bras arent so hard to buy anymore???

Please share your moment, it may help someone to make the decision that will change their life.

[firefox]

I think my definining moment was spun out slowly in front of my eyes, like a series of vignettes with doomsday music playing in the background. Clothes getting tight... shoes pinching... water retention... walking getting difficult... knees hurting when climbing stairs... not fitting into seats at a basketball game... and then BAM! I weighed myself and found I was almost a hundred kilos. Panic set in and the rest is history, thanks to a colleague who was on the programme and inspired me to start as well.

[FlaMie]

This is ssssooo interesting to read. Seeing how everyone has that defying moment!

Here goes my story:

I'm 35 this year. I've endometriosis and coupled with my age would make having a baby difficult. To make matters worse, I've severely overweight, actually obese. My gynae advised me repeatedly to no avail that losing weight would help in having that baby. So well, it is now or never.

7 months ago, I was wearing UK size 18 and although I felt horrible in the old me, tried many methods to lose weight, I almost resigned to the fact that I was going to die FAT.

That defying moment came when I tried to buy a shirt and lo and behold and heaven forbids, I could barely button up the size 18 and I had to go for size 20. Now that was totally disgusting to me. Hubby was also beginning to reminiscence the good old slim me when he first met. Now this was his usual joke/story (which I've not heard for a good old 7 months since I started Cohen!).

When I first met him, I was 57kg (even heavier than now). He was studying in Perth then so he would return to Singapore during his vacations. So, in the past, he said he had difficulties finding me amongst the throngs of people at the airport but about 2-3 years back, I became the MOST PROMINENT person at the arrival hall! Goodness gracious. Ok, he really meant it as a joke but to me, he was sending me a message that I WAS FAT! He would reinforce that he didn't mind my "love handles" and "overflowing wealth of lard" but honestly, I DID!

So, one day when I met an old classmate who used to have weight issues suddenly looking gorgeous, the rest was history. She convinced me to try Cohen because both she and her husband had benefited from the programme. Now, mind you that was last year and I didn't believe her initially. I thought the programme was too good to be true! I mean, which programme allows weight loss without big hefty sum of money, exercises, machines or diet? I've tried so many to know that I don't need another diet.

She met me again in January this year and she still looked wonderfully slim. Now, by then I was totally disgusted with the photos I took in January (which you would have seen me posting them). I then surfed the internet and found this forum and people were simply raving about Cohen. Of course there were repeated failures but hey, there were many more successful stories.

Thus, in Feb I visited the clinic after 3 delays. I never turned back after that. 7 months today, I'm still loving the programme. It certainly has changed my life for the better. I can now enjoy LIFE. Thank you Dr Cohen

[chant2009]

My defining moment to start losing weight again was after numerous patients and fellow staff members commented on how i am "such a big girl" or "hows your blood pressure" "your big" "your a very pretty girl, but your too big".... its kinda crazy how other people think its their place to comment when they dont even know you? or when they do and work with you... but then i suppose some of them knew me when i was a size 10 and not a hideous size 20.