What is your motivation? What keeps you going?

dandaninc

My starting weight was 275 lbs as of Monday July 9th 2012. My current weight is 259 lbs as of today. and my goal weight is 199 lbs by May 2013.

My motivation is to jump out of planes again and to run a 5k by May.
My wife is my biggest supporter and my friends on myfitnesspal are there for me every step of the way. :bigsmile:

What keeps you logging your food, running those miles, and lifting those weights everyday?

Superbritt2drescu

Well for awhile it was the ugly before photo. Now, its watching my form/muscles in the mirror while I'm lifting. Nothing sexier! And I like to compete with myself to see if I can workout more/harder than before.

racerscottw227

I still have my drivers license from where I was 21yo and 150lbs.... I keep it right behind my valid license and every time I see it I think, "I want to look like that again".

I also have stopped focusing on my weight loss goals and started focusing on my fitness goals. Weight may fluctuate daily but being able to run 1 mile/5k/10k doesn't.

jennmodugno

My husband's grandmother is still alive. And active. And healthy. And FIT.

In my family, no one has ever lived past 65, and that's the sad truth. I am determined NOT to let that trend continue. My parents are both in their mid 50's, and both are well on their way to following the family trend. I just won't do it. I'm determined to lose the weight, keep off the weight, and not turn into my mother, who said that she was too busy raising us to lose the weight she gained during pregnancy. When i was 16, my mother told me that it was inevitable - I was thin then, but "just wait until you have a child - you'll never be thin again. Enjoy it while it lasts."

I am determined to prove her wrong!!!

*Edited for typos*

dandaninc

Thank you for your replys!!! You will all get to where you want to be.

I agree with britt about staring at myself in the mirror at the gym. Even though I still have moobs and a fat all over it is cool to see the progression of how my muscles are forming. I can finally see lines in my arms and in my back. My abbs are months away but my shoulders are getting huge!

How much better do you all feel now that you are working out and eating right?

I feel like a million bucks every morning. It's amazing the change your body goes through even just drinking lots of water. :drinker:

kit8806

My daughter. I want to be able to keep up with her energy and not be too tired or too out of breath when we are running around. I also have a few "skinny" outfits in my closet that I see everyday. Looking at them, I want to fit in them again! My mom had 4 kids and never lost the weight. I don't want to be struggling with the same problem when I get to her age, I want to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight and keep it off!

LadyIvysMom

My modeling pictures from earlier this year. I let myself go for a few months and got overweight. I look at my old photos to inspire me to get back into that shape.

I'm also inspired by my ferrets. Have you ever been around a ferret? Those little guys NEVER give up on a goal. My tiniest one, a small girl named Ivy, literally spent an hour one day trying to get an item 5 times her size up the stairs. She finally succeeded. Being around them keeps me going.

Belle8312

For me, my motivation is maintaining my current occupation. I am active duty military and being fit is a condition of employment. While it is currently not an issue, if I keep going the way I am, it might become one.
I also want to look better and feel better. There are a few pairs of jeans that while I have had them FOREVER and they are are probably out of style, I still want to be able to fit into them (even if I don't ever wear them out of the house! )
My motivation is also a good friend of mine, she lost some weight and looks fantastic. We used to share clothes, and we can't do that anymore because I am still heavy. I'm ready to double my wardrobe again!

Good luck everyone!

mznisaelaine

Even when I fail, what keeps me going is that reminder that I have been at this for a long time now and the reason why I wanted to make a difference. Health first. I have to keep going.

Anna800

Getting the legs I've always wanted.

DonniesGirl69

My reflection........every day I love it a little bit more and I KNOW that I've worked my *kitten* off for those results.

marthathebear

Watching that number on the scale get smaller even if it is by a fraction of a pound. My clothes getting just a little baggy. My husband's admiration of the results!

kenmunson333

The bathroom scale. Having lost almost 200 lbs, I never get tired of seeing that needle pointing at about 180. Any time it pops up, I work out even harder to get it back down where it belongs.

themommie

looking at success stories and watching videos like this one
http://www.youtube.com/user/insidenikerunning .......LOL

zestyzaftig

My motivation is simply to have a body that does what I want it to. To me, it's all about good health and physical performance. I want to be able to hike, swim, hunt, kayak- whatever!- without getting tired after only a few minutes. I want to be able to truly enjoy my body and the things it's capable of.

missmatildamoonshine

I want to be healthy!

sarahharmintx

Thinking about the baby I want to have next year.

And seeing/feeling how much smaller Im getting.

PaveGurl

When I began, it was because I wanted to be able to "do more stuff."

Simple, really - vacations end up exhausting me 'cos we liek to do Things, but I always ended up being miserable on vacation because I hurt/ was too out of shape to do the things I was excited about (snorkeling in Costa Rica? SWEET! Except, kayaking in open water? OW... and getting back was even worse!).

And I wanted to prove to myself I was better than myself - I deserve better than being out of shape and having poor health! If I don't take care of myself now, I certainly won't be able to do it later!

As I've come down the path of health, I dig progressing and pushing myself - I want to master skills I've gained and learn more new skills. Plus, it's AWESOME to be able to see where my muscles are now versus where they were [not] in January. I love seeing my triceps develop and watching the backs of my legs get those sexy hammie curves!

And, y'know... the more in shape I am, the more I find I enjoy "playing the piano" - I feel awesome and my honey seems to appreciate it more too ^__^

dandaninc

All wicked cool! Thank you all for sharing!

I can't wait to buy a new wardrobe and a bathing suit for the beach next year.

heartofviolet

To be able to wear a bathing suit (bikini!) without feeling like I have to hide.

To be healthy. And fit. And able to run more than a mile without huffin' and puffin'.

To stop being so self-conscious and so hyper-aware of what I must look like at all times.

To be more confident in general...

avocado12

That hopefully we'll conceive baby no2!

justal313

My motivations are many

First and foremost is my 11 month old daughter. I want to be around for as long as I can to enjoy my time with her.

I would like to eventually run a marathon. Next year maybe a 1/2 marathon and a marathon in 2014...

I've done this before and I'm determined to make this successful and the last time. I will stay fit.

I'm currently in a for bragging rights fitness challenge with a bunch of friends I used to do Rocky Horror with. There's one guy in particular that we are fighting for the overall lead and we started out at a comparable level of fitness so it's basically a fair fight.

I'm really digging running so I'd like to be fit enough to run, often

dandaninc

My motivations are many

First and foremost is my 11 month old daughter. I want to be around for as long as I can to enjoy my time with her.

I would like to eventually run a marathon. Next year maybe a 1/2 marathon and a marathon in 2014...

I've done this before and I'm determined to make this successful and the last time. I will stay fit.

I'm currently in a for bragging rights fitness challenge with a bunch of friends I used to do Rocky Horror with. There's one guy in particular that we are fighting for the overall lead and we started out at a comparable level of fitness so it's basically a fair fight.

I'm really digging running so I'd like to be fit enough to run, often

In Harvard Square?

Adforperu

Motivation for me is seeing old pictures of me mainly. And fitting into better clothes. And knowing I'll be a better footballer for it !

dandaninc

That hopefully we'll conceive baby no2!

GOOD LUCK!! YOU CAN DO THIS!

dandaninc

To be able to wear a bathing suit (bikini!) without feeling like I have to hide.

To be healthy. And fit. And able to run more than a mile without huffin' and puffin'.

To stop being so self-conscious and so hyper-aware of what I must look like at all times.

To be more confident in general...

I agree completely about wearing the bathing suit. (maybe not a bikini though :noway: )
I really want to walk down the beach wearing a bathing suit next to my hot wife and feel sexy and proud to be there not fat and self concsious

still_crafty

I'm a shallow b!tch. I just want to look good naked.

Sherbog

My brother has pancreatic cancer diagnosed 17 months ago. Sister has triple negative breast cancer and going through chemo the 2nd time. I decided that I have no control over getting cancer but do have control of my weight that has such an impact on my health.

Nothing tastes as good as thin feels.

ahiddenlink

Like some of the others with the "doing stuff" motivation, I'm in that same boat. The ability to be able to be out and about without getting worn out is a huge plus. I'm already down to lighter than I've been in probably 5-6 years but I'm trying to build more for fitness than necessarily weight loss.

I've signed up for 2 5Ks, one at the end of September and one at the end of October and I'm working hard towards both of those goals. For me, it's easier to be motivated when you have specific, tangible goals like those types of things. After that, it'll probably be a focus on trying to be in shape to really go skiing and then spring time brings a host of outdoor activities.

Like you dan, come spring of next year, I'd love to be in the shape to go sky diving. I wanted to do it before 30, but more so finances than weight has hindered that process, but with this mindset for my body, I'm giving it to life too. You can't let life hold you back, work hard, be positive and strive for success and you can get there!

deannajf4

I still have my drivers license from where I was 21yo and 150lbs.... I keep it right behind my valid license and every time I see it I think, "I want to look like that again".

I also have stopped focusing on my weight loss goals and started focusing on my fitness goals. Weight may fluctuate daily but being able to run 1 mile/5k/10k doesn't.

Haha - it's not often that a driver's licence photo sparks inspiration!! Good work!!

deannajf4

For me it's setting goals!! I have long term goals, I have short term goals - medium term goals everything!! I have goals for body shape/size, goals for running, goals for types/amounts of food each day...that's what keeps it exciting for me!!

Plus I'm stubborn, and to be perfectly honest, I want to prove to my mother-in-law I don't have to buy her Isagenix to get in perfect shape (and stay that way!)