What do you think being fit will get you?

Darlis

I have always been overweight, but as I began to feel worse and worse my weight spiralled out of control. At over 300 lbs, I found out I have MS, depression and pain made me gain more. I picked myself up out of the depression and started this journey to stay OUT of a wheelchair. I am hoping that being fit will keep me independent longer and help keep me MOVING!

EvilMomma

I'm 1/3 of the way to my goal and I'm struggling to get over the hump and start the next 20 lbs; this is a great topic!

The first 20 gave me back things like being able to breathe after running up a flight of stairs, painting my toenails without struggling with the belly in the way, and my clothes fitting better.

The next 20 will bring things that I'm scared of....like people noticing the weight loss. It'll take away my excuse to exercise. It'll force me to acknowledge that I'm in charge of my body rather than letting it be a fluke that I'm losing weight.

There! I've said these things out loud (okay, typed them) in public. Now, maybe, I can get over the hump and get on with what I want--to be healthy, sexy, free, and self-determined.

Cathy_Daydreams

The real reason for me losing weight is to ensure I have a healthy and long career as an actress and to also feel better about myself, raise my confidence and open a few doors that have been closed because of my low self esteem. I hope that I will feel a lot better after losing the weight and that I will feel that I can not only live without horrible friends who said I wouldn't do it and made me very unhappy about the way I looked, but also show the world that I'm better off for it.
Although my weight has never stopped me, directly, apart from when I've been trying to squeeze into my old jeans, it has lowered my confidence which has stopped me a lot, it's made me more vulnerable to harsh comments, stopped me getting into certain drama groups and made me feel like I can;t do any better than the horrible friends I ended up with who made me feel like the dirt beneath their feet.
It's time for a change.

Tat2dDom624

It'll make my mind sharper, i'll be a more relaxed person, a better Martial Artist, and i'll have some sort of cushion if i do fall off the wagon.

GaglianiGirl

I am only in my 20s. Most people don't really worry about losing their parents to health issues that young, but sometimes I feel like I'm just waiting on the call. Most of my mom's health issues are weight related. She couldn't really help much when I had my babies. She was able to make it, but she can't even walk over to pick up the baby or babysit while I had a nap. I think it hurt her feelings bc she wanted ro do those things. She has a hard time getting in and out of the bed and car, and has had to have several skin grafts on her legs to try to save from losing them... I love her and I want her to be around for a lot longer. I want to go shopping with her and bring her to the zoo with the kids and so many other things. I want to be able to buy her plane tickets to come visit us. My main motivation is to not be her. I want to be around for as long as I can for my kids. I want to get in the floor to play with my grandbabies one day and all those things. My other motivation is the hope that my mom and brother will see my transformation and feel inspired and motivated to help themselves. We will see her again at the beginning of next year and I really hope I am at least 100lbs down by then.

LisaB55

I have to admit that to some degree vanity has been a big motivator. I hate thinking about how fat I am every waking minute of every day. I would love to be able to go to the regular women's section of any store instead of having to shop in the "fat ladies" area.

I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes several years ago and have to take 2 meds to control it. I am so terrified of having to start insulin. My job would make it very hard to leave the room and check my blood sugar--especially without telling anyone why I was leaving. I am so humiliated that I have done this to myself that I can't even admit that I have diabetes to the people I work with. It is especially embarrassing because I am a doctor and feel that I should have known better--and assume that everyone else judges me harshly for that as well.

When I am in better shape and not as big, I plan to be more active. I love to hike, but doing it would just about kill me right now, which is pretty sad. It would also be nice not to have to worry that the person walking down the aisle of the airplane is hoping they don't have the seat beside me when I get on the plane to get someplace I actually can hike.

Perhaps the most important thing is that I will be an example and inspiration for my family. My husband is proportionately even bigger than I am and although it doesn't seem to be happening yet, I am hoping some of this will rub off on him and give him a push to do something about it. It is already working on my 16-year-old daughter who started the journey with me a week after I found MFP. It will be so fantastic to know that she will be able to feel comfortable in her own skin and be the better rock climber she dreams of being.