What is your why? Why are you doing this?

ogtmama

MysteriousMerlin wrote: »

My husband. We lost twins almost 2 years ago, after a very long struggle with infertility. We're no longer trying to have a family, so we just have each other. He wants me around for a long time, I guess. I don't care either way.

I'm really very sorry for your loss

jkh107

1. My stomach getting in the way when I want to do things. Ugh.
2. My doctor basically said there wasn't anything wrong with me that losing weigh wouldn't cure, so, yeah.

enuffexcuses

I wanted to be healthy for the first time in many many years. I have been overweight since I was 4 years old and obese since I was 10. I really wanted to be just a normal size and know what it was like to be healthy and feel good. At age 46 and at almost 350# I finally started. After 20 months I was down 188 pounds and weighed a healthy 160. I can't tell you how good it feels! I wish it hadn't taken so long, but better late than never.

Morgaen73

momofGD wrote: »

I'm sorry I laughed. However, it's a good reason to start!!!

lol no worries.

RhapsodyWinters

This isn't the reason why I'm doing this, but it is what sparked the thoughts. I've been in a long distance relationship for almost 2 years now, and we're finally getting the chance to visit in February. I have always hated myself for how I look (I've been overweight since middle school about 10 years ago), and I wanted to look and feel better for when he arrives.

As I continued losing weight (10 lb down now), I realized I was eager to lose this weight for myself. I've always dreamed of dressing up as my favorite game characters or even just clothes shopping for things actually on sale (rather than specialty stores or old woman style clothing)

It's not easy. There have been times where I've eaten too much. And I'm okay with that. I realize this isn't something that will change over night. After I eat too much, I just start over. At least I haven't gained the 10 lb back! I've been eating at maintenance (for current weight) even when I was 'binging'.

With my realization that I wanted to lose weight for myself, I've found a love for the gym. It's not necessary to lose weight, but I revel in the accomplishment of going 30 minutes straight on an elliptical. Recently I've been a little depressed to cut out the strength training days in order to make those days dog walking days....but it was something that needed to be done. I felt guilty for going to the gym while neglecting walking my dog, and I felt guilty walking my dog and not going to the gym. In the end, my dog is more important than those extra 3 days. My dog only has me to open the world up for her, while I can easily go out myself. It wasn't fair to her.

Either way, I'm keeping up with this. I'm determined. My end goal is to be anywhere between 115 and 130 lb. I want to commute to work via bike. However, for now, I will be losing the weight first before I make those major changes.

Bearbo27

I'm losing because I want to feel good about my body again. I had got to a point where I absolutely hated to see myself in the mirror or pictures. My weight got to a point where it just kept going up and up. My asthma got worse and I ended up with pneumonia twice (first time had me hospitalized it was so severe). My sugar level was up at my last blood work. None of my clothes fit and I was running around in sweat pants and t shirts. There was just a whole stack of reasons.

Starting this, I was the heaviest I had ever been (258.9). I am now down just under 40 lbs (219.6) and already feel tons better. All my clothes fit better. My blood sugar was good at my last check of it. I feel so good about my progress that I have begun to buy new clothes for myself too

momofGD

Awesome! I love hearing people's stories.

pmastro724

I know what I looked and felt like 15 years ago and 40 pds lighter. I want to look like that gal again

wookiepants

My energy lvls and Id like to be at a healty weight to maybe go into the military someday.

lemurcat12

When I started (at 200+), I disliked how I looked and that I didn't feel good in any clothes I wore, and wanted to enjoy clothes shopping again and not hide from cameras. (That's the most vain part, I guess.)

I also used to really enjoy various outdoor activities that required some degree of fitness (biking trips and century rides, triathlons, running) and the confidence that came from being able to participate in them and I wanted to get back to that -- getting my fitness back was more of a motivator than the weight on the scale.

Health too in that I knew it was a health risk to be so heavy, and I was embarrassed enough about it that I did dumb things like avoid the doctor, but I'd never had a bad test result or any health problems (but for a foot injury that I do think was aggravated by being too fat), so that was more theoretical and less a motivator than the first two, even though I think it should have been.

Now I feel good and don't seem to have that motivation to continue losing (I'm floating around 125-130), but I would like to lose more eventually (or lose more fat, gain muscle, don't care about the weight on the scale), so I probably should think about my reasons as knowing that helped me get going before.

Chadxx

I looked in the mirror and was disgusted by what I saw. I saw pictures of myself and was disgusted by what I saw. I bent over to tie my shoes and was short of breath. Then, I stepped on a scale and it said 328 pounds. I wanted to cry. I didn't do anything yet though. I felt defeated and hopeless. Then, I found out that I was to be a grandfather. I thought about how fortunate I was to be able to spend a lot of time with my grandfathers and how this kid deserves to have me around for a long time and how I want to be there. When my son was younger, we would round up his friends and get football games going. When he got older, we played softball together. I want to be able to do those same things with my grandkids. I want to be the fit guy in the group instead of the fat guy. I want my loving wife to be able to look at me and think WOW! I want to be able to go on vacation and be able to take her horseback riding or zip lining and not have to miss out because I am too fat and over the weight limit. I want to be able to go to a pool or lake and not be terrified of taking my shirt off. I want to look and feel good again and now, I want to inspire those around me to do the same.

akmomof7

I am 44 and have a 3 year old and 1 year old twins. I want to be able to keep up with them the way I could with their siblings, who I had in my 20s! I also have a beautiful grandbaby and I want to be in her life for a long time! My husband and I are both working to be healthy and active. We live in Alaska, so outdoor activities abound and we don't want the kids to miss out because of us!

Golbat

I want to be healthy. I have kids and I want to be around for them for a long time. Also, I want to have mobility into my old age. Weight can cause you to lose mobility even if you stick around for a long time. I was thin and I know how it feels. I'm not a vain person and I don't particularly care if I look overweight, but I want to feel light on my feet and healthy like that again. I also want to set a good example for my kids, whom I feel have picked up bad habits from me and my husband.

DisneyDude85

Cosplaying as Oliver Queen from Arrow

cross2bear

It was suggested to me that a loss of even 20 lbs would help my arthritic knees from hurting constantly and impacting my mobility. I really want/need knee surgery so I had to face the fact that I was morbidly obese and if I didnt get it under control I was not going to get the surgery. Or live to see grandchildren. Or continue to play with the dog. Or a lot of other day to day things that people of a lower weight take for granted. And I was turning 60 - if not now, when?

I have been told that I am incredibly stubborn so I turned that to my advantage and lost about 30 lbs watching my portions. Then I found MFP and it all came together for me, like a eureka moment, or a blast from space, or a lightening bolt from the blue - you get it!

I have lost 110 lbs since that doctors appointment in October last year. My knee surgery is scheduled for Nov 7 - losing weight did not help them, but it will most definitely help my recovery and prognosis.

And now I can roll around on the floor with the dog. I have a new appreciation for simple things like that, and am grateful for all the advice, laughs, tips, recipes, snarky comments and other events that I have seen on MFP in the last year because it kept me on the straight and narrow, and gave me hope and encouragement that I could be successful.

I am eagerly awaiting maintenance in another few pounds - 10 more and I am in the overweight category! But I do worry about it too - not only can I be stubborn but I can be a bit self satisfied and smug too, and I have to guard against being too cocky for my own good and letting standards slip. But I know that logging and calorie counting tools have gotten me this far - I have faith they will be able to help me in the next phase.

Hubby says I look amazing - I may be down to wedding weight at this stage. That was 37 years ago. Life is good.

JeromeBarry1

My "why" is that I want to avoid being prescribed statin drugs. An "also" is that I'll soon be off my bp meds.

TravisJHunt

For my kids!

amgreenwell

Pretty much exactly what you said!!!

momofGD wrote: »

I'm just curious as to why you are loosing weight?

For me it's not just about the number on the scale. It is an overall fitness journey so I may transform my body, mind, and my soul. I want to truly live an amazing life. I want to help people. Motivate them and inspire them. I want to be the best mom, best friend, best wife that I can be.

Why are you loosing?

jennlove333

To be more comfortable in every way...I feel it holds me back and I'm sick of my life revolving around my weight.

Goal179

I will die if I don't. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow but definitely years earlier then I would if I was healthy.

ds41980

I thought I had come to terms with my fat and that I could be happy being overweight so I decided to try online dating. I met someone wonderful within 1 month and fell in love. Fast forward to 6 months and I find out the man is the worst kind of evil. A narcissistic con man whose only goal in life is to take advantage of unsuspecting women using online dating sites. He targets overweight women who may not have much self esteem. I was so angry that I didn't love myself enough to keep this from happening and part of that was my weight. I do not like the way I look and am not comfortable in my own skin. Part of my journey into loving myself involves getting healthy and to a place where I am comfortable with myself so that I will repel any other evil that comes my way. It is very slow going for me but every time I feel like giving in, I think of the hurt and anger that befell me and I power through. Its been 12 weeks and I have so far lost 15lbs.

ashjongfit

At first years ago it was to be skinny. Now it's to be strong and healthy, balanced and fit.

I have 10-20 lbs to go before we try for our second child which is a HUGE motivation for me since we want a large family. I want to not only be healthy for my family but for my kids to grow up seeing what that is/entails.

I want this for me just as much as for them. I am worlds away from when I started.

Richie2shoes

In July I became a member of the zipper club (double bypass surgery) and never want to go through that again.

lightenup2016

My husband and I have always enjoyed the outdoors--camping, hiking, backpacking, and running. Over the years we've allowed ourselves to gain weight--not a whole lot, but enough to feel it when we try to get active again. Finally, we recently went camping with my dad and stepmom. Seeing my thin, athletic, 60-year-old parents run and bike the mountain trails showed us the future that might be possible if we start working on it now. So far, since that camping trip 2.5 months ago, I've lost 14 lbs of my goal of losing 30. This will be the last time I have to do this weight loss thing!! I might have to log forever, but I'll also be fitter and able to be more active.

CoffeeNCardio

Appearance. I could say "good health" and blah blah, and that's a perfectly valid goal to have, but when it comes down to the real nitty gritty self-examination, yeah, I want to be sexy (er). And I'm cool with that.

shrcpr

I'm 47 and want to look as good as I can and be as active as I can as I get older. I love snowboarding and biking and all kinds of stuff that was so much harder even with just 20+ extra pounds.

Lynzdee18

I was sick of being fat.

jlynnm70

Lets see. honestly - I'm just tired of being the fat one in the house....Mostly - I have to buy a new wardrobe for work next summer (going to need suits and professional clothes when I move to the courthouse with my boss to be a Judicial Assistant) and I refuse to buy suits in this size. Lastly, I just need to get into shape. I'm tired all the time, and have sore joints...I gotta do something, so here I am!

vingogly

Blood pressure meds since the mid 80s, atrial fibrillation, occasional gout attacks due to the blood pressure meds, back pain and joint pain from being fat, lack of energy, getting out of breath when I walk or run, being 69 years old and realizing the clock's running out on getting fit and enjoying life. I don't want to end up spending my final years sitting on my *kitten* in front of the TV until I die like my mom.

wendypollok150

#1 to embody lightness of being- body, mind and spirit. This includes flexibility, confidence and high frequency energy.

#2 to grow old gracefully, with optimal well-being and quality of life.

#3 to be able to wear the clothes I want to wear comfortably and not be stuck having to choose from the fat girl section. Boo!