Losing weight for health or vanity?

jdrzal
jdrzal Posts: 21
in Health and Weight Loss
January of 2012 my weight was at the highest, 187lbs. I was considered obese & I was in straight denial about it. I was an emotional eater & all i thought about was food. The thought of diet & exercise was completely overwhelming... it just turned me off to lose weight. But I was so insecure about my body & didnt love myself. So I decided to make a change.

At first, losing weight was about "looks". I just wanted to look "hot". So I followed a strict diet & worked out constantly. I was miserable!! I was miserable because I was losing weight for the wrong reasons! I would workout and diet for a week & got no results, so I gave up. And I did this for months.

I realized I needed to love myself & do this for my health! Once I realized this, the weight literally began to fall off. I changed my lifestyle. I enjoy eating fruits & veggies. I enjoy cooking clean meals. I found workouts that are fun & im living an active life.

Im happy I made this mistake because now I can set the example & share my knowledge. People are shocked when I tell them I lost weight by eating healthy & exercise. All together I lost 60lbs!

Looking good is just the perk of a healthy lifestyle.

Has anyone else come to this realization? :)
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Replies

  • deedee85
    deedee85 Posts: 28 Member
    I losing weight mostly for vain reason to look good, but I know that it will make healtier. But mainly for vain reason to be a super sexy beast
  • goodtimezzzz
    goodtimezzzz Posts: 640 Member
    I lost it for both..But damn it feels good to be gangstahhh:)
  • SoViLicious
    SoViLicious Posts: 2,633 Member
    Both
  • cindyhoney2
    cindyhoney2 Posts: 603 Member
    My goal (since I just turned 40) is to be healthy. Yes, it is nice to be looked at as an attractive woman instead of a lard butt but my main goal is health related
  • Mmmmona
    Mmmmona Posts: 328 Member
    Definitely vanity.
  • EmilyEmpowered
    EmilyEmpowered Posts: 650 Member
    I lost it for both..But damn it feels good to be gangstahhh:)

    ^^this^^ lol
  • 5ftnFun
    5ftnFun Posts: 948 Member
    When I lost it (age 20-21) it was for pure vanity. I didn't give a hoot about the health aspect of it. I had a new boyfriend, now my husband, and I wanted to look good. Now that I'm getting older, I am beginning to really appreciate all of the health benefits I've earned. Yes, earned.

    Win/win for all of us. Look good, feel good.:bigsmile:

    Edit for grammar. Dang! And it's probably still not quite right.
  • BeachIron
    BeachIron Posts: 6,490 Member
    Both

    ^ This
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,149 Member
    My 2 reasons:

    1. Be able to buy clothes at more stores. As nice as it is to have fat people shops, they don't always carry every size. At my highest weight (313#), I only found 2 pairs of 6X pants. Now that I've dropped all this weight, I can go to Walmart, Winners, Zellers and pick up my size any time.

    2. Have doctors take my health problems seriously. I've gotten the blanket cure-all "lose some weight" for over 30 years. My last check, I told my GP how much weight I'd lost and to check my BP. Apparently, 112# gone doesn't reduce BP. I wonder what the optimal weight is to lower my BP, cure my gout, partial blindness, and possible glaucoma? I want my health to be taken seriously and receive treatment other than "lose some weight".
  • PattyJane167
    PattyJane167 Posts: 94 Member
    Nothing but vanity!...nothing better than looking sexy!! but then I realized I need have to be healthy, so now i am working on both!
  • IpuffyheartHeelsinthegym
    IpuffyheartHeelsinthegym Posts: 5,573 Member
    I'm not losing. I'm gaining. But, I'm gaining to be healthy and look good.
  • SakuraRose13
    SakuraRose13 Posts: 621 Member
    Health first, vanity later, my body is a temple I better treat it well its the only one I have.Im 29 and I know what I do to myself now will effect me later so Im trying to fix things now.
  • iAMsmiling
    iAMsmiling Posts: 2,394 Member
    Health is primary, but I'd be lying if I didn't say that vanity is a stronger day to day motivator.
  • MelsAuntie
    MelsAuntie Posts: 2,833 Member
    Almost entirely for increased strength and stamina, so that I'll be able to do the farm and garden labor. Anything else is a bonus.
  • whitnapkin
    whitnapkin Posts: 15
    I just finally came to the realization that if I don't do this for myself, then it will never happen. It doesn't do any good to lose weight for other people becuase eventually they forget and stop caring... but by doing it for me, I get to live with the health benifits forever! And I get to feel beautiful doing it! :)
  • RhineDHP
    RhineDHP Posts: 1,025 Member
    Even though I've gained about 15 pounds since college, I'm not at a weight that is deemed unhealthy, based on my height. I have high self esteem for the most part, but there are various times where I don't like how I fit in something that used to flatter me so well before the weight gain. So I would say at this point its more for vanity than for health.

    Of course, making healthier choices (portion wise) when eating generally goes hand in hand with weight loss, so I guess its something like 60/40 or 70/30.
  • I_Will_End_You
    I_Will_End_You Posts: 4,397 Member
    Vanity, all the way.
  • MyChocolateDiet
    MyChocolateDiet Posts: 22,281 Member
    I don't know but you look so pretty. No, seriously I started for health but the longer I'm doing it the more it's seeming like vanity is motivating me. I guess it's okay since I already took health into account from the get-go, but I'm so glad to hear that you realized what was wrong and corrected it, and also that you took charge of your weight at such a young age. Beleive me, it will be so nice being fit and healthy in your 20's, 30's, and beyond. I always was and it's the best way to live life, free and unashamed and healthy and wild. *insert silly song about being young*. Good luck, and congratulations. 60 lbs is a lot! :flowerforyou:
  • Minerva624
    Minerva624 Posts: 577 Member
    Vanity.
  • scookiemonster
    scookiemonster Posts: 175 Member
    I'm with you, OP. I went down the vanity road for years, and it's just not a strong enough motivation to push through all of the hurdles you have to go over in this process, at least, not for me. Also, if all you care about is vanity, it doesn't really matter how you lose the weight, as long as you lose it. I ended up doing a lot of things that weren't sustainable because all I cared about was getting thinner. Invariably, I gained back all of the weight, plus extra.

    I don't want to hit 80 and look back and realize that I wasted my life chasing an unattainable ideal, all while my health and strength were wasting away. I want to get there strong and healthy. I want to be that 80 year old still out there running around, not the one who can barely stand up.

    I love food. I love the sensation of savoring a healthy dish that I made that's satisfying and new and exciting. I love the feeling of accomplishment after a long hike or a good run or a successful climb. I never loved anything about losing weight when it was all about how I looked. I was always looking at the flaws, the things I hated, the things I wanted to see changed. Now I look at the things I am accomplishing and the way that I feel, and it's just so much better. Once I realized how incredible my body is and how much it really is capable of doing, how it looks just seems so must less important.

    Besides, when it comes right down to it, the healthier I feel, the better I seem to look anyway :wink:
  • IpuffyheartHeelsinthegym
    IpuffyheartHeelsinthegym Posts: 5,573 Member
    I lost it for both..But damn it feels good to be gangstahhh:)


    and that will be stuck in my head all night, lol.
  • jwdieter
    jwdieter Posts: 2,582 Member
    A lot of people fail at changing their eating/exercise habits, whether they're trying for health or vanity. There isn't one right answer.
  • andyisandy
    andyisandy Posts: 433 Member
    A lot of people fail at changing their eating/exercise habits, whether they're trying for health or vanity. There isn't one right answer.
    Well that why we here to improve our eating and exercise habits. So is there another option besides health or vanity?
  • Dewdropps
    Dewdropps Posts: 111
    Both? Even those doing it strictly for vanity reasons can't do so without it impacting their overall health, so no matter what answer you get... the other is also relevant.
  • mmddwechanged
    mmddwechanged Posts: 1,687 Member
    Started out for health, but now I want to build muscle for vanity.
  • Timshel_
    Timshel_ Posts: 22,834 Member
    I think everyone has a bit of both. OF COURSE we want to look good, attractive and fit.

    For me though, my first priority is to manage my health so I can be around for my two boys. I started seeing too many colleagues, friends, and family memebers getting overweight, stressed, and having health issuse as well as a few deaths. I knew I didn't want to be one of those people. I also had a serious bout with depression last year and working out helps center me. So those were big catalyst for my change.

    Next would be my competitve nature. i play tennis in national ranked divisions and I wanted to be able to perform at the highest level I can. I NEED to compete as it feeds my soul.

    Then yes, I want to look hot. I've always been kinda self-concious about my body and I want to work on those things that I can. Other things I will just have to accept.

    Dat's about it.
  • JenniTheVeggie
    JenniTheVeggie Posts: 2,474 Member
    Health, vanity and the fact that I feel better then I have in years and years and years.
  • lina011
    lina011 Posts: 427 Member
    vanity ....... :)
  • filionj1
    filionj1 Posts: 8 Member
    JDRZAL. Yes. I hear you. I'm proud of your accomplishments -- that you've been able to "relax" some and let success come your way. I wish I could say I have gotten to where you are, but ..no..... not yet. I'm still feeling fat and dumpy, beating myself up at the gym and not seeing any changes...scale or otherwise. I can't afford Weight Watchers or other paid programs. Just joined MyFitnessPal this week. I"m logging my food and exercise. We'll see how it goes.
  • mackemom
    mackemom Posts: 277 Member
    Well, I SHOULD say for health. But to be completely truthful, I'm losing weight for vanity purposes. I don't want to turn into an old, crotchety, hag of a woman who gets all the diseases and problems related to BEING old, crotchety and haggard! Okay, maybe I'm doing it for BOTH....I'm so confused...:ohwell:

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