What motivates you to get back into shape?

christy7595

As for me, it's the desire to take charge of my body in self-care, gratitude, self-love and self-acceptance that I am able to help my body to heal and to be able to adapt to a weight management lifestyle including the way I eat and drink.

I am married, employed and friendly. So welcome and I wish you all the best on your wonderful life journeys!

nossmf

When I started at age 32, I admit it was largely pride and hating the way I looked.

Fast forward to today (age 47), and staying in shape is largely a desire to stave off old age as long as possible, to remain pain-free and self-sufficient until the end of my days.

klathburygravel

I am working to take control of my health by becoming more active and being more hands on with food preparation.

I am married, employed and looking to connect with others who are on a similar journey.

AnnPT77

Mostly, my motivation for staying active, and being thoughtful about which aspects of that are most important to me personally, is that I want to stay independent and functional for as much of my life as possible. I'm already 69, living solo, no children/siblings: I need to be able to Do Stuff.

Along about the time I was losing weight, it began to sink in viscerally that my overweight, inactive friends generally had much lower quality of life at any given age than my slimmer, active friends. Toward the end of life, they also tended to have a long, slow, unpleasant decline; whereas the active people were more likely to have a short/sharp end after better later years. Looking around me at doctors' offices, I also felt like overweight, less-physically-functional people seemed to be over-represented compared to similar-age people I saw in the general public, such as at grocery stores.

Writing on the wall?

So, being active, reaching/staying at a heathy weight - that's an investment in my future self's well-being, quality of life, and happiness. Also, being active is fun, and - unapologetic hedonist that I am - I like fun.

I'm also going to be contrary or maybe cranky about this, as I so often am here: I want to say that I don't think I get in or out of shape. That's so binary, on or off, in or out.

It's a continuum, though, right? I can always be in better shape (or worse shape 😉) than I am right now. Anyone can get in better shape at any time, probably even elite athletes.

Part of the reason is that "in shape" would have many dimensions: Cardiovascular function, strength, explosiveness, balance, flexibility, kinesthetic awareness and proprioception, plus more. I can be more "in shape" on some of those dimensions than others at any point . . . and some may be more important to me than others, besides.

The importance isn't just athletic prowess, it can be daily life functioning, too. Personal example: My sense of balance is pretty good, maybe especially so for my demographic. But as someone who now has osteoporosis, plus fell off a porch in November (complicated reasons) and got a skull fracture/brain bleed, balance is a more important dimension to me right now than some other dimensions in which I'm probably objectively truly sub-par.

Sure, back in my mid-40s, I was very physically depleted, post-cancer-treatment, recently widowed, obese: Not in great shape. But change was gradual. I got active, starting with easy/manageable things, and progressing over a period of time. Within a few years, I was competing athletically, and even finishing in the pack, age-group-wise. Is that "in shape"? Maybe not. I was still obese. But it was for sure "in better shape".

Weight loss didn't happen for another dozen years, reaching a healthy weight at age 60. Huge quality of life improvement. Still quite active, too. Is that "in shape"? Nah. Better shape again.

There are still things to work on. I need to get back to more strength work, keep working on balance, cement some flexibility work I've been doing into routine habits.

IMO, "in shape" isn't a destination. At most it's a pursuit, I hope a permanent one.

Gah. Another stupid-long essay. 🙄😬

christy7595

nossmf, indeed!! (stave off old age as possible)

klathburygravel, high five!! (taking control of our health)

AnnPT77, well written! (getting in shape at any time)

Machka9

I want to be fit so I can do more.

As Ann mentioned, being in shape or being fit is a continuum. It's also a motivation in itself.

I was slim and fit most of my life to my mid40s. I returned to slim and fit in my late40s, early 50s. Then things slid downhill.

Over Christmas I started to get fit again and the more fit I get, the more fit I want to be.

Plus there are heaps of things I want to do!

christy7595

Machka9, High Five! The more we do it, the more we want to! 👍🏼🌟🎉 I'm almost 50 this upcoming Fall.