What is your WHY?

angye824

In the past year, I lost both of my parents. My mom was 76 and my dad was 81, and looking back I realized that neither one of them had very healthy lifestyles. Thank God my children are old enough to remember their grandparents (I had my children in my 30's). I want to live long enough to watch my grandchildren grow up. I want to be healthy enough to enjoy my grandchildren. I am tired of having no energy and having so many aches. Frankly, I am too young to feel so old! I have no desire to be skinny. My ultimate goal is to be able to fit into those size 13 jeans I wore before I had my children, twelve years ago! Each day that I do my exercises and stick within my calories, I feel a sense of personal accomplishment. It's a one day at a time thing for me. I didn't gain all of this weight in a month and I'm not losing it all within a month! One pound a week is my goal, slow and steady wins the race!

Delitebabe

Honestly, I think I am afraid of what I will become if I don't take control of my life and change my habbits. I have always been skinny until I turned I married and turned 26. I couldn't get a job for six years and got depressed, food became my friend. I cooked, baked and ate to keep myself and my mind busy. I used to be very disciplined, ate healthy loved to exercise, running was my favourite.

It is now a mission for me to run for even 5 minutes. I currently weigh 179lbs and though I am not obeese I dread every morning that I have to get dressed for work. I am not used to beign "fat" and would like to have my old body back. It would make me happy to be able to take control of my life and my health and loose the weight.

purpledaisy488

I love this post! I need to save it and read at least once a week! I just started this today and have been struggling with my weight for a few years.

My WHY is

~ so that I can play with my children and not look like the lazy fat Mummy when I take them to school
~ so that I can do normal things without feeling awkward and stupid
~ so that I can enjoy shopping for clothes again and buy clothes I like rather than just clothes that fit

Planning a holiday at the minute and rather than looking forward to it I am worried about how much walking there will be and how I'm going to look in the clothes I bought. I am very self conscious all the time and it ruins my life.

I hope this time I will be able to do it with the help of this app and posts like this

kamaperry

Hey everyone,
More often than not, I see the same statement come from a lot of people about their fitness journey. "I started up, but then I quite xx amount of days later." Or, " I made it 2-3 months, but couldn't keep up with it." So I started thinking, what is it that keeps people from continuing on? What was it that kept me going on? I read or listened to a small segment by Darren Hardy called Making the shift, I believe that was it, and he touched on the subject of what is it that drives us to pursue something. The main reason, your WHY has to be strong enough.

Imagine that you are on a high rise building and there is a skinny platform about 30 feet long going from your roof top to the building across the way from you. You are asked to cross to the other side. Chances are, you probably don't want to. Now imagine there is a $10 bill on the other side. You might be more tempted, but is it enough to really make you want to do that? Probably not. Now, imagine your child or loved one is in danger on that other side. I'm willing to bet that you are going to do everything you can to get to that side. What changed? Your WHY changed. Crossing a 30 foot platform just for the thrill of it or $10 wasn't a big enough reason why, but a loved in danger might be.

Now, imagine applying that same mindset to your fitness journey and life style change. Is your WHY big enough? I believe one of the reasons why some people don't make it past that few day or couple month period is that there WHY isn't big enough, so the willingness to stick it out and achieve their goal isn't really there.

My why goes beyond wanting to look good in shorts or have 6 pack abs. Mine is to avoid a hereditary disease and live long enough to see my children's children grow up. My family has a history of diabetes. Both great grandparents, my grandfather, mother, and uncle all have or had diabetes. My uncle was just diagnosed a few years ago, and my mother, god bless her, lost the fight a few months back. A couple of years ago I weighed the most I ever had, didn't care what I ate or drank because I assumed I would be one of the lucky ones that the disease skipped. I then realized that was a bad mindset, so I changed it. I made the choice to want to eat better, exercise, and prevent the possibility of contracting diabetes and being insulin dependent. I did not want to leave it up to chance. Sure, I would exercise a little, go for a run here and there, eat something healthier, but my WHY wasn't defined, Therefore I was inconsistent and not really doing myself any favors. So, I changed my WHY.

I understand that at times, life can get in the way and slow us down. An injury, drastic change in your lifestyle routine, but when it boils down it it, your reason will remain the foundation for your success. It doesn't matter if today is your first day or you have been making a lifestyle change for years. Do you truly know why you are exercising? Do you really know why you have chosen to eat a little cleaner? When you understand why it is important to YOU, you are more likely to succeed and stick with it.

I hope this has you thinking a little bit. If so, then what is your WHY?
[/quote *STANDING OVATION!!*

MonicaJumper

This is a great thread! My WHY is this: I need to control my pain and reduce inflammation without meds. The best way is healthier eating and losing weight. I will always have physical problems, but I WILL control them as much as possible!

Mitsuo8

My why: Not only does diabetes run in my family, but I am 23 years old. I have my whole life ahead of me, and I can't waste it away being in bad shape. I am not just over weight, but obese. I want to look amazing on my wedding day, I want to have children and have a healthy pregnancy, and be around a long time for them. I am in college wanting to get into the medical field, I have to be a healthy role model to my patients. I have an entire life time of places to go and people to meet, I don't want to waste anymore time being unhealthy.

EverRomeo

I love this post. Honestly I logged in today to try and get some motivation to exersize. I did get down to my goal weight 2 years ago, (as in my profile picture) my 'why' then was purely, I wanted to know what i would look like thinner, to not make excuses not to go shopping, to be able to make eye contact cause I wasn't afraid people where judging me. I did it, and I kept it off for a few months... Now it's back with a vengeance and I'm struggling to find that big reason to really go for it.

Some days, I will look at myself and phsyc myself up, saying 'I want to lose' a stone for my holiday at the end of July, then another one before I start uni and the I will have a fresh start and I can be that confident person again. I'm thinking to myself now though, if those reasons aren't good enough to keep me committed, what is? I'm certainly not happy this way.

Other days, when I know I'm going to be going out for a meal, or there's something really tempting in front of me, my treaturous mind tells me how, I'm not THAT fat, and I'm just normal, I have curves, I like food and I should just accept this is the way my body is. As soon as I've given in, the plate is clean and my belly is swollen and full I feel this overwhelming regret and disgust that makes me want to throw up

I will keep reading your reasons for inspiration

Lifeisgood4

bump

firebloom

My why is that I want the lifestyle and confidence that comes with being healthy. I related a lot to what izu87 said. I find that I use my weight as an excuse to not try new things, not meet new people and not approach potential partners because I decide that they wouldn't be interested in me due to my weight before even talking to them. I want to be able to buy dresses without feeling ashamed of my thighs in anything that sits above the knee. I'd like to feel comfortable wearing dresses without leggings underneath. Also, eventually I want to have a family and when I do, I want my body to be as healthy and fertile as possible and for me to be fit enough to have an active family life.

MikePXstream

Good morning. A lot of new faces. FABULOUS! I love reading all of your reasons why. I try to get to as many as I can.

How was your holiday weekend? Did you get off track? It's ok. I did. :grumble: What you choose to do now is what matters. Are you going to get back on track, refocus on why you are trying to better yourself, or are you going to let doubt and temptation take control and keep leading you down that dark and gloomy road. Don't do it. Follow the sound of my voice, er clickety click of the keys as I type, :laugh: and get back on the correct path. If you are just starting your journey, don't quit. There is so much ahead of you to explore. If you have been on your journey for a while, don't sacrifice all the hard work you have done. If you have reached your destination, then pick a new one. Don't let the adventure end. What ever it takes, you are worth it, and those that support you know you are worth it. I know you are worth it. SO LETS GO!

Have a great day folks. We'll chat more soon! :happy:

MikePXstream

My WHY? Wow, you just hit the nail on the head. I have struggled with weight loss for a long time, until recently.

I keep wondering what is different this time from so many other times. Now I know thanks to you and your post.

I found my WHY!

My WHY is like so many others, a combination of many things. But it was the addition of the doctor telling me I was 3 months away from needing insulin to control my Type 2 Diabetes coupled with my wife suggesting weight loss surgery that really caused a paradigm shift that I so badly needed.

I’m not suggesting that weight loss surgery is wrong, it just wasn’t for me. I know I’ve watched my mom who had that surgery lose weight rapidly AND she “lost” the diabetes as well. But I recognized that the surgery is not the easy way to lose weight. It’s the hard way. You still have to deal with why you over eat and all the emotions involved with depriving yourself.

No, I just decided on April 28th of 2014 that I was going to give it a 100% effort using MyFitnessPal and I would see what I could accomplish on my own.

My wife said “you don’t eat like a diabetic” and that got my attention. I started reading about how to eat like a diabetic and also started testing my blood sugars frequently (vs. almost never) and adjusted my eating accordingly. Here I am 66 days later and I keep telling people things are just getting easier every day.

I fear for the day that I might lack the motivation that I’ve tapped in to and that has helped me lose weight and get my diabetes under control. But now I know that I just need to keep focusing on my WHY so that I can make it through those times.

Thanks for sharing this with us. It really gave me that “ah-ha” moment I needed!

Thank you for sharing. I am glad you found your Ah Ha moment. That's what I was hoping for. Sure it is different for everybody, and some it is the same, but what makes it powerful, is when you acknowldege it, let it fill you, to push on to the next day. By all means, if you ever need someone to vent to, or tell you to pick yourself up and go, reach out to me. Keep up with your journey :happy:

cvrepsold

At first i thought my reason was petty until i realized the deep rooted reasons behind it. I've always wanted to get back in shape but it was my sister in law who got me motivated enough to be serious with this attempt.

I gave birth to my second child 3 months ago and my husband and i decided it was best for me to stay home with them. My previous job involved quite a bit of lifting and carrying 40-100lb buckets of pool chemicals so even though I've been around 200lbs since after high school, I've always been somewhat toned and never looked my weight. Becoming a stay at home mom brought new insecurities. I'm not the best housewife. My cooking isn't very good and i can't seem to keep or our home from looking like a daycare exploded. And i started gaining more weight since i was less active, which made me feel even worse. Meanwhile my husband is working his butt off to support our family. To add to the insecurity, my sister in law is the type that thinks their method of doing things is perfect and anything you do is wrong. She is always quick to tell me how I'm not organizing right or how I'm a bad parent for not triple sterilizing our bottles. But she's a BIG woman who does nothing but sleep when her daughter is at school, so she's steadily gaining weight. Now the good news is i only see her maybe twice a year. My goal is to lose those 60 lbs by their next visit to prove to her that while my way is different from hers, obviously I'm doing something right. I need it for affirmation that I'm not a complete failure, that maybe I'm a better housewife than i think, that I'm a better mom than she makes me feel. And with each day i stick with my plan i find i love myself a little more, i can take pride in my accomplishments, and i have a little more energy and endurance to do more with my kids. If 6lbs can make that much of a difference, i can't wait to see what changes 60lbs will bring!

zombie130

my why is to stay happy. i was unhappy for a long time. i found what makes me happy and in order to achieve my dream i have to reach certain goals of being my best me. that is what is important to me. i refuse to just "settle" for things. i want to do whatever i have to to stay happy and i am going to fight for it. i am made for something more in this life than just settling for things that were given up on or didnt have the confidence to try. i just want to reach my goal, be my best me, and live long and happier. the longer i stay fit the longer i can do my dream career and to save up and give back to the one thing that truely makes me happy without effort and it all comes naturally:riding and working horses. i refuse to do anything else with my life.

mvexplorer

Because after two years at the same weight, I realized I was leading a maintenance lifestyle rather than a weight loss lifestyle. Apparently, I know how to maintain, but I’m not close to where I need to be to be considered healthy. I need to learn how to still be the loud, life of the party while taking care of myself. As many have said before me, I look at the struggles my older family members are having and I realize I never want to be in their position or put my children in the position I am in. I don’t want to be 30, 40, 50 or older always looking back and wishing I had started 5, 10, or 20 years ago.

HSnyder1984

My daughter is 10 years old and has run 2 5k's already. I can't even run a mile with her. She is my why!

nicoleyg

My WHY is because I am ready to start living. My boyfriend asked me to go to the amusement park with him and I cried as I told him I can't fit the rides. At that moment I realized what I had done to myself, what I had become. I am tired of hiding behind the fat woman that I am. I am tired of being known as the girl with the pretty face. I don't need people to see my body, but I need them to see ME. I don't want to be known as the fat one, or the bigger one. I have been overweight for 25 years, and I have hid behind it. There is comfort in the layers of the weight. Sometimes being overweight makes you feel unattractive and by feeling that way you save yourself from a lot of heart ache. I found that I would stay home and read a book or watch tv and I actually convinced myself that I was happy doing that. I now realize it was just a cover up. I want to live, I want to be free of this body, I want to get out and mingle with the world...
I am ready to work on finding the woman within. I know it won't be easy, but the rewards will be worth it. My weight will never be a reason for me not to do something ever again.

MikePXstream

my why is to stay happy. i was unhappy for a long time. i found what makes me happy and in order to achieve my dream i have to reach certain goals of being my best me. that is what is important to me. i refuse to just "settle" for things. i want to do whatever i have to to stay happy and i am going to fight for it. i am made for something more in this life than just settling for things that were given up on or didnt have the confidence to try. i just want to reach my goal, be my best me, and live long and happier. the longer i stay fit the longer i can do my dream career and to save up and give back to the one thing that truely makes me happy without effort and it all comes naturally:riding and working horses. i refuse to do anything else with my life.

I have a couple of friends who love riding and working with horses. Not my thing, but I envy them for it. To have such a passion for something, especially with animal so large, is awesome. The only time I have even been on a horse was on the beach in Rosarito, Mexico for my 16th birthday. It was a blast.

MikePXstream

. If 6lbs can make that much of a difference, i can't wait to see what changes 60lbs will bring!

You will have more energy than you know what to do with. Take it one day at a time, track what you eat, shoot, even track what exercises you do. The more you keep track, the more you can keep yourself accountable. Put them on the calendar, sticky notes all over the house, what ever you gotta do. I believe you can do, and so should you. Good luck, and thank you for sharing!

zombie130

my why is to stay happy. i was unhappy for a long time. i found what makes me happy and in order to achieve my dream i have to reach certain goals of being my best me. that is what is important to me. i refuse to just "settle" for things. i want to do whatever i have to to stay happy and i am going to fight for it. i am made for something more in this life than just settling for things that were given up on or didnt have the confidence to try. i just want to reach my goal, be my best me, and live long and happier. the longer i stay fit the longer i can do my dream career and to save up and give back to the one thing that truely makes me happy without effort and it all comes naturally:riding and working horses. i refuse to do anything else with my life.

I have a couple of friends who love riding and working with horses. Not my thing, but I envy them for it. To have such a passion for something, especially with animal so large, is awesome. The only time I have even been on a horse was on the beach in Rosarito, Mexico for my 16th birthday. It was a blast.

That's awesome! you should ride more^^

MikePXstream

Hey, how was everyone's weekend? Busy for me? Painting, sanding, cleaning, organizing, all for the purpose of listing our house. Many early mornings and late nights. Another fine example of WHY, jusy in a different context. My wife and I really want to upgrade to a larger home. Our current house was our starter house. Initially we planned on only being here 4-5 years. Well, it has been 12. Now that we're a family of 5, our little 2, kinda 3 bed home is a little small. So we sacrificed some late nights to get as much as we could done. Our why, to provide more for our kids then her and I had when we were kids.

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RangerRN507

So that I don't get shot...and so I never fail my comrades

MikePXstream

Amen Brother!

So that I don't get shot...and so I never fail my comrades

MikePXstream

So, in addition to my main reasoning for staying healthy and doing all I can to be around for my wife and children, my 5yo,almost 6yo boy raised the bar today. He ran his first 5k ever, with a time of 39:20. I think he has the running bug now, so I am going to have to keep myself in shape to be able to run with him. Fine by me. My children are everything to me. How about you parents out there? I'm sure you feel the same way!

racin_ny

A1C level of 6.1 and rising

atreides42

I am sick of being fat.

And I don't want to have sleep apnea anymore.

Front_Runner

my why is to stay happy. i was unhappy for a long time. i found what makes me happy and in order to achieve my dream i have to reach certain goals of being my best me. that is what is important to me. i refuse to just "settle" for things. i want to do whatever i have to to stay happy and i am going to fight for it. i am made for something more in this life than just settling for things that were given up on or didnt have the confidence to try. i just want to reach my goal, be my best me, and live long and happier. the longer i stay fit the longer i can do my dream career and to save up and give back to the one thing that truely makes me happy without effort and it all comes naturally:riding and working horses. i refuse to do anything else with my life.

I have a couple of friends who love riding and working with horses. Not my thing, but I envy them for it. To have such a passion for something, especially with animal so large, is awesome. The only time I have even been on a horse was on the beach in Rosarito, Mexico for my 16th birthday. It was a blast.

That's awesome! you should ride more^^

Nice! Initially... my "Why" was also for working horses! Life had some strange twists, and although horses are still a HUGE factor in my life & weight/fitness is important for that... my new "Why" is 100% about racing on sailboats - #1: to "make weight" for the Nationals & #2: to be agile/fit enough to hopefully sail dinghies competitively, too!

I commend people who can stay focused for their health... as that genuinely is SO important. I, however, am the type of person that needs a specific competitive goal to motivate me for some reason! Good luck, everyone!!!

Luckee_me

Sick of being fatty fatty mcfatterson.
Would like to be a better role model for my daughter.

rrowdiness

Why seems a bit pointless to ask. I prefer 'who'.

> who ate the food
> who sat on the couch
> who took the lazy route

that would be me.

> who's fixing all the above
> who has to make it happen
> who gets the benefit when it does

that would be me.

MikePXstream

I don't think it is pointless.
Why do you want to fix all of the above?
Why do you want to make this happen?
And maybe a how. How will it benefit you?

Have a purpose for why you want to fix all the above, make it happen, and reap the benefits has more power and drive than just acknowledging what needs to be done. Try you are the only one that is responsible for your actions and what you do to correct them, but if you dont have a strong enough conviction, it will be a lot harder.

Why seems a bit pointless to ask. I prefer 'who'.

> who ate the food
> who sat on the couch
> who took the lazy route

that would be me.

> who's fixing all the above
> who has to make it happen
> who gets the benefit when it does

that would be me.