What is your WHY?
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Bump0
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Love these responses.
Fitness has always been important to me because I am a dancer. I have always enjoyed my body and treated it with love and care through fitness. A few years ago my children got to the age that I was when I was being severely abused by my former stepfather. For the first time, in all these years, I actually understood that what happened to me had not been my fault (children blame themselves and it's hard to undo what was taught so deeply). I started to get depressed. Things in my life were changing. I had a lot to think about. But, ultimately, even though it was difficult, it was a good thing that I could finally set myself free from blaming myself. I called the police and reported him. I went through a two year long investigation and legal process. And it was the day the prosecutors contacted me and told me they were taking the case that I went out and checked out all the gyms and fitness centres in my new area (I had moved). I joined the gym. I started lifting weights. I wanted to feel like myself again. And I wanted to feel strong in every way. And I am so glad I did that. Because I focused on that during the whole process. And when the whole process was over, even though aspects of it were devastating, there was not an additional loss of looking at my life and seeing wreckage because I had not allowed that to happen to me. I had made sure that I never lost myself in the process, that I was improving on myself and not letting myself go. And the outward was just a reflection of how I had not let go on any other aspect of my life or my life as a mother. When it was over, I needed to pick up a lot of pieces, but there were less pieces to pick up because I was in order. Now, it's just the continued work towards dancing that keeps me going.2 -
Im currently in college and have a huge passion for the outdoors. That being the case, I have a lot of friends who want to spontaneously drive to the beach to go on runs in the sand, hike in the mountains, bike down long trails near campus, etc.
I don't want my unhealthy weight to hinder my social and spiritual experience when nothing else is holding me back.
I want these years to be the BEST years, not the ONLY years of my life!0 -
Wow so many heart warming comments from such great people. Man if I wasn't such a selfish prick maybe I would find a better reason than just looking better so I can get laid easier.0
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My why is because I want to be healthy. I don't want to get winded trying to climb the stairs at work. I just want to feel good about myself.0
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My Why? A lot of my family is overweight and I do not want to fall into that category. I want to remain healthy and wear 2 pieces at the pool or beach. Plus my wedding is around the corner and I want to look good on our honeymoon.
I've always been into fitness and I honestly cant imagine life without exercising or being active (I dont have a choice since I work and live less than a half a mile from a gym).0 -
This is an amazing post!
It's funny cause I was wondering the same thing recently, basically it comes down to wanting to be able to be fit, to not let my disability take control of my life. To prove to myself I can run, I can swim, I can keep up with my 4 athletic sisters. That nothing can hold me back if I simply put my all into it. And of course to look great in the cute dresses I love so much ^^0 -
I made a choice to go to school to become a massage therapist, something I wanted for a long time but never wanted to get off my butt and do it. I wish I could be noble about my why and say it was for my family or not to turn out like my mom, but in reality it's largely because Massage takes a lot of work and clients are more likely to want a massage from someone who is healthy as opposed to obese. So, for now anyways, that's my why to succeed at my trade.0
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Wow, you lost 159 lbs? Did you do it by sticking to the MFP recommendation? Or were you following low-carb, or low-fat....?0
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Did you really get rid of your diabetes? You don't look old enough to have had it.0
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My grandma was always a skinny little thing and she had the worst case of Type II Diabetes ever! She eventually had both legs amputated and lost the sight in both eyes. There are lots of normal weight people with T2D.... unfortunately.0
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This is an epic post. I'm grateful to have read some many soul-bearing responses. I remember being not quite 10 years old and being told I was fat by someone who was wrong to say that to me. I wasn't. But I started to believe it and I started to believe that being fat was bad and that things would be so much better if I was not fat. I thought I would be better.
Almost 30 years later, I still judge my "goodness", my worth, by my weight. My why is so I can spend the next 30+ years being released of this notion.0 -
Amazing post! And something I so needed to read at this moment. My why? I need to start believing in myself. I never have. I have to believe that I'm worth it, because I am.0
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My why...I am not happy with the way I feel most of the time - tired, lethargic, depressed (from eating too much sugar). I am not happy with the way I look - too much belly fat. I believe losing weight will help my posture, my Sciatic Nerve pain, my self-image, and that nemesis of us older ladies - bladder control. I also want good eating habits to be an example to my daughter and my granddaughter as she gets older.0
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Oh my. So many reasons for me. Not in any particular order, just what has come to me:
1. At 30 years old, I should be able to move around better than I do (i.e. climbing stairs) and my back shouldn't hurt like it does
2. I have two wardrobes -- one of suits for work -- and they're all getting tight. I can't, and don't want, to replace them to bigger sizes
3. I want to get pregnant in the next 18 months and I don't want to be fat and pregnant.
4. I want to be more comfortable in my skin, and during "intimate" times with my husband
5. I want to wear dresses without chub rub
6. I want to have more energy. I'm only 30!
7. I don't want to get weight-related diseases and I don't want to be on meds that I shouldn't have to be on (luckily hasn't happened yet, but I want to prevent them)0 -
My WHYs:
1. I was always the thin woman until I had children; now they are young adults and I would like them to experience me as I was when I was thin.
2. I want to sit on the beach or the bow of a boat in a bathing suit and not a pair of shorts.
3. I want to be active and soak up life - hiking, boating, walking - without feeling winded or too out of shape.
4. I want to feel how I 'know' to be healthy. I have been into eating healthy for 25 years, made my own organic babyfood, cook from scratch but somehow (maybe stress) the scales creaped up and I couldn't get them back down. My girlfriends eating Taco Bell while we were pregnant used to say "You be healthy, we'll be skinny". Just need the body to feel what is on the inside.
5. AND...superficial maybe but....want to wear the clothes I want to wear and not just the best that I can fit into; that one bugs me every day.
I refuse to give up; there is a missing link and I feel closer to understanding it now than yesterday.
For whatever reason this week I just feel like everything in my world has kicked in or is ready for success.
So, tomorrow morning I start walking every day. I looked at buying T25 but wasn't sure if that was the best for me long term.
So glad to be using MFP again, have no idea why I ever quit before. So much good here!!0 -
Good for you! T25 is a great program. Especially if someone is just getting back into fitness. The T25 accountability group I have going on right now is having great results with it and pushing themselves everyday. There are so many different exercises with each routine and varied levels from beginner to advanced that literrally anyone can do it. In my opinion. I love it when I did it. I had just finished Insanity, so the first month was pretty easy for me, but it was still a great workout. I would highly recommend it!My WHYs:
1. I was always the thin woman until I had children; now they are young adults and I would like them to experience me as I was when I was thin.
2. I want to sit on the beach or the bow of a boat in a bathing suit and not a pair of shorts.
3. I want to be active and soak up life - hiking, boating, walking - without feeling winded or too out of shape.
4. I want to feel how I 'know' to be healthy. I have been into eating healthy for 25 years, made my own organic babyfood, cook from scratch but somehow (maybe stress) the scales creaped up and I couldn't get them back down. My girlfriends eating Taco Bell while we were pregnant used to say "You be healthy, we'll be skinny". Just need the body to feel what is on the inside.
5. AND...superficial maybe but....want to wear the clothes I want to wear and not just the best that I can fit into; that one bugs me every day.
I refuse to give up; there is a missing link and I feel closer to understanding it now than yesterday.
For whatever reason this week I just feel like everything in my world has kicked in or is ready for success.
So, tomorrow morning I start walking every day. I looked at buying T25 but wasn't sure if that was the best for me long term.
So glad to be using MFP again, have no idea why I ever quit before. So much good here!!0 -
Great thought provoking thread, thanks!!
For me...today...
1) I want to run again. (Or at least be fit enough that should my knees allow, I could go for a run)
2) I want to save money. I'm paying off my debts and cannot justify buying new clothes when I have a whole wardrobe of smaller clothes I can no longer wear.
So I thought I'd come back and see what I wrote to this and see if my Why has changed.
1) I could probably go for a run if I wanted to. My fitness has improved greatly. I will be signing up to a 10K as soon as pay day comes.
2) I have just been able to get into a size 12 jeans I had in my wardrobe so I've achieved that too!! Wooo hoo.
So what is keeping me going? Really it's seeing how great I've done so far. I've lost 18lbs. I can do 30 mins medium intensity on my cross trainer or longer with lower intensity easily. I have been doing You Are Your Own Gym, and whilst I'm adapting a lot of the upper body exercises I've stuck with it, and am about to enter 'week 5's' routines (not done in a week because I'm doing cardio along side). I have seen an increase in my confidence and don't want to lose that. 0 -
Awesome post!
My 'WHY' to exercise, lose weight:
I have borderline cholesterol and osteopenia, both at a point where if I don't do something about it, I will have to start taking medications and I absolutely do not want to do that.
Other WHYs, equally important and should have been as urgent: lose belly fat, look and feel better, be around for a while healthy, age without being an invalid, bring up my self-esteem by feeling comfortable with myself and having accomplished what I have set out to do. It's either now or never, I am 50 and have tried to lose weight before, but have never been able to keep the weight off. I would like to be at my goal weight before I hit 51, if possible. It's hard to lose weight and keep it off at this age, but I think I will do it this time! MFP is a great help, being able to log food,exercise on the go and the inspirational posts!0 -
I lost my dad when I was 24 to complications of obesity. At the age of 26 I was diagnosed with sleep apnea and diabetes (2 of the things my dad had) While sure I want to look good, I want to be able to travel and be comfortable, above all I do this because I want to live. I come from generations of obesity and early deaths. I want to live a full life. For me I knew it was do this or die. I have bad days when I maybe don't eat perfectly but I never let that carry over to the next day or the next meal 0
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Hah, reminds me of my dr appointment last week. I go to a new doc now and they keep confusing me with some other lady. So my last appointment the nurse is taking my vitals and goes "So you're trying to lose weight to get pregnant Mrs. Beaufort?" and I go "No. I hate kids. I want to look good nekkid. And my name isn't Beaufort." The look on her face was priceless. I think she thought I was seriously irritated or insulted, but I just started laughing.
But yeah, I wanna look good naked On top of that though, I've been obese my entire life. For as long as I can remember. I want to know what it feels like to be lighter. I keep picturing in my head being able to stand up from the couch without feeling like the force of gravity is working against me personally LOL.
I also want to be healthy. I have had plantar fasciitis in BOTH feet for five years. It just won't go away. I know once I get to a more normal weight it'll go away, or at the very least be easier to deal with. I also ruptured a disc in my back 11 years ago, and I have permanent nerve damage.
People/friends/coworkers keep telling me I don't move around "like a fat/disabled person", but honestly that is just sheer willpower. I don't like people seeing my faults or weaknesses. So I can be screaming in pain on the inside, but on the outside look like a spring flower. I want to feel like a spring flower on the inside too.
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I started on my fitness journey 3 1/2 years ago as I approached 200 lbs.
in a job where I'm on my feet over 7 hours a day.
I was in pain die to arthritis on my knee.
My dr gave me some knee strengthening exercises and recommended I drop some weight.
With my mum having had hip replacement surgery due to arthritis and a family history of heart disease , I started tracking my calories and doing daily exercise.
By the end of 7 months I was feeling better and had dropped 35 lbs.
With the weight loss I was more in tune with my body and then I found a lump in my breast.
No family history of cancer.
The pea sized lump that I found was just an extension of 2 larger tumours.
Stage 3 breast cancer with 8 rounds of chemo, surgery and radiation.
I gained about a pound per week during chemo due to inactivity and the radiation sucked the energy out of me for about a year and a half. By then I had gained even more weight.
This spring the energy returned and decided to drop the pounds to help with the arthritis and cardiovascular health. Additionally my type of cancer loves fat cell so reducing weigh is recommended by my oncologist.
This time taking it slower in losing the weight and enjoying the lifestyle changes.0 -
My underlying Why is always the same, to avoid the health risks associated with obesity, but that has hever kept me going before. I think sometimes more minor things can nag at us for change, like the fat crease in my neck that collects dirt when I help my husband in the wood shop. Or not being able to easily paint my toenails or enjoy shopping with my friends.
I honestly don't think the why is as important as path we choose to get there. I think it is very easy to cut calories too drastically, workout obsessively, set huge goals, and beat ourselves up when we fail. For me this time, I'm not focusing on trying to reach a weight by a date. I'm trying to be kind to myself, set smaller, attainable goals, and enlist support here, when I need it. I think the Why can be the same, but the path can be more user friendly.0 -
My "why" is a matter of me being cheap. I don't want to pay for a new wardrobe or alterations to my suits. A 50 dollar city rec center membership is cheaper than buying new clothes and alterations, but it's expensive enough for me to not quit. Now I'm having fun with it so that's a bonus. There is a part of me that wants to make the ladies say "Gyad Dayum" for a good reason.0
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abigaru -- I really want to do T25 but have had major car repairs over the past month and then last Saturday my tv blew. The good? I was able to get out of the Direct TV contract w/o any penalty BUT I don't have anything to watch it on. When I can get something to watch it on AND I have the money to pay for it, I am on board. Right now I am walking 2 miles a day. I live in FL the humidity is high right now and I do feel worn out when I am done, so at least I am building up until I can do T25. =D0
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About your plantars fasciatis....if you can balance your pH the pain will subside. Inflammation which leads to disease is often from being too acidic. I had plantars fasciatis when I was taking spinning classes a few years ago; I thought walking out of the gym was my stretching, boy I was wrong. It locked up my calves and my feet and was so painful. So I started stretching my feet 2-3x a time and balanced out my pH and the pain went away. I was sooooo glad!!0
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T25 is a great program to start off with. It is just hard enough to really challenge yourself, yet not so much that you will kill yourself trying. In my opinion. With the modified moves for the exercises too, it makes it more doable.0
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And the fabulous responses keep coming in. it is so moving to me to see how many of you truly identifying what it is that will truly motivate you to push on a be a better person for yourself. I am trying my best to keep up and read them all. Please understand that though I may not reply to them all, I am doing the best I can. Thank you for continuing to share. Your responses are another addition to my "why", just in a different way :happy:0
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My why is I want to have kids of my own, but I have PCOS and I'm overweight, not good friends to have. Losing weight will greatly increase my chances of having the family I have dreamed about since I was playing house with my sisters. Staying healthy will be an extra insurance that I will get to see my kids be healthy and grow up and see my grandkids down the road. I have a life to live and being unhealthy and overweight is taking it away from me.0
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My why.
I want to stop hiding in my house. I have 4 kids under 14 and they want to do so many things. I often have my husband take them because I am not confident in myself and hate the clothes I fit in to.
I want to wear cute clothes and shorts in the summer. I want to look athletic. I want to live to see my kids have kids.
I want to stop sabotaging myself and feel like I can do this and be happy with myself.0
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