What are your reasons for losing weight?

NovusDies

bmeadows380 wrote: »

1) health - I was fine, technically. All my bloodwork was in the right places, my weight didn't really prevent me from doing what I wanted, but reality told me that at my weight the chances were not good that I would continue to enjoy decent health as I got older and the consequences of that excess weight came to bear. Plus I seriously do not want to become diabetic and with insulin resistance from PCOS already affecting me, and after seeing my mother, father, and sister all become type 2 diabetics, knowing that diabetes runs in my mom's family, I knew my chances for it were high. And then there's the heart disease that runs in my dad's family, etc.

2) I was so tired of being the fat person in the room wherever I went. No one ever said anything, but it was like the pink elephant in the room. I avoided pictures because I knew what I looked like. I was tired of not being able to buy clothes off the rack, of having to be careful of chairs and ladders and other things for weight limits, of not fitting into booths, and just feeling over all embarrassed and ashamed because of my weight.


The thing is, those two reasons had been looming over me for years and I have tried and failed to lose weight since I was a teenage - the last 25 years. Why it suddenly clicked this time and I was actually able to find success? I have no clue. I think one thing that majorly helped was getting my thyroid levels way down, but other than that, I can't tell you what flips that successful diet and self control switch on and off. I'd love to know, though!

@bmeadows380

The clicking part for me was the epiphany that weight loss is something to allow instead of something to force. Sensible and sustainable fat loss goes through a fairly small daily gate. If I casually open the gate and invite the loss through I am fine. If I try to force it then a lot of pressure builds up and spills out in very negative ways that, for me, always ended in failing.

Once I opened the door for a mindset change a lot of things started clicking.

richardgavel

While health impacts my decision to a certain degree, to be honest most of my motivation is centered purely around aesthetics. I want to look better physically. I don't like the muffin top around my stomach. I want arms legs and a chest with some definition to them.

catmama256

I didn't wanna die early

ALZ14

1) my young kids deserve a Mom who isn’t too tired and fat to do things with them
2) I deserve to feel better (physically and mentally) and be more comfortable in my skin
3) I want to feel attractive to my husband (he never says a word about my weight, but my weight affects my self esteem which puts a damper on our sex life...)
4) Sheer vanity. I don’t like how I look when my weight is hovering around 200.

sal10851

Health reasons at first. I tried it once before but I got hurt and gave up. Different mindset this time around. I was 310 at my heaviest down to 240 and I'm aiming for 195. There's no cheat days and there's no secret. Just eat eat within your caloric range and walk 30 minutes per day. I had terrible eating habits that were corrected once I started viewing food as information for the body and not for the mouth.

rltolle2015

Warning! Kind of a long story here.
I went on a girls weekend a few years ago. One of the things I was super excited about was horseback riding on our trip. When we got to the stables there were weight limit signs posted everywhere. And you guessed it! I was over the weight limit. I played it off like I wasn’t interested in riding, when really, I was crushed and embarrassed. I decided then and there (after a few minutes of humiliation and feeling sorry for myself) that I was going to get healthier so I could live the life I wanted to live rather than sit back and watch life pass me by. The summer after losing 80 pounds my husband took me on a camping trip and we went horseback riding and zip lining, 2 of the things I had on my bucket list. It was the best trip ever!
My why is to be able to live, make bucket lists and check things off, try new things, and enjoy this life!

glassyo

You all have such motivational stories.

Mine is basically I had a doctor's appt for one reason or another, weighed in at 225, and my doctor said he wanted to see me at 160 lbs. I researched a few different diets, ended up with Weight Watchers, and got down to 160 and beyond.

So my reason was I do (did) what I'm told?

HilTri

So I can go to my closet, pick anything I have to wear and not worry about having something being too tight, too short, or just not fitting right due to my weight.

texnolan

This may be inappropriate, but I am more about truth than what is appropriate.
I asked Doc how I can add a little length below, she said lose weight.

SnifterPug

I was on the typical diet roller coaster for years getting thinner then fatter but always on an upward trend. Yeah, I knew all the health issues, and I cared about how I looked but it was never enough and I lived with being obese. Discovering fitness and an activity I liked (quite by chance) kick started some weight loss without my particularly trying. This led me to become serious about losing the weight so I could do more things in the gym. Now, I love how I feel. I'm very happy with how I look, too, but it was feeling strong, energetic and confident that made it click for me.

ShrinkingDucky

Health, predominantly. My family are a pretty poorly bunch and while some of that is behavioural (e.g.smoking) a fair few illness have a genetic component.

I cannot change my genes putting me at greater risk of various cancers, dementia, heart disorders or strokes but I can give myself the best possible chance by not being obese anymore.

Can't change the genes, can change the jeans!