What is your WHY?
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DBrooks1979 wrote: »My why's for getting fit...
I want to avoid diabetes which runs in my family,
I want to be a healthier and better husband,
I want to be at the weight I was as a Marine
I want to live long and not deal with unnecessary health problems
All great reasons. Thank you for sharing and thank you for your service.
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I love this thread. I'm so glad it was resurrected. It's made me really think about why I'm doing what I'm doing. A couple years ago, I started watching what I eat and lost about 50 lbs, but I didn't really have a good reason other than "to look better." Well, that didn't stick. When I moved cross-country, my eating habits changed and were worse than they were before I had lost the weight, and I had to say hello again to those 50 lbs. A couple weeks ago after hearing about MFP on one of the Fitbit forums, I decided to see what the hoopla is about, and I'm so glad I did. In the past 16 days, I've been more dedicated to eating well than I ever have been and kept thinking to myself "this time feels different." I didn't really think about WHY until I read this thread. Here are my whys, in no particular order:
- I refuse to be the fattest one in my family anymore.
- I'm sick & tired of not being able to do activities because I am not fit.
- I want to be able to find clothes I like in my size.
- I HATE feeling tired all the time and getting sick WAY more often than I should.
- I want to actually feel good about my appearance.
- I'm tired of being the "stereotypical" overweight, unhealthy gamer. I want to be the "hot" girl gamer, NOT the overweight girl gamer.
- I REFUSE to spend my 30s as unhealthy, closed off and shut in as my 20s were.
- I want to be able to drop and do 10 pushups like it's nothing.
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I love this thread. I'm so glad it was resurrected. It's made me really think about why I'm doing what I'm doing. A couple years ago, I started watching what I eat and lost about 50 lbs, but I didn't really have a good reason other than "to look better." Well, that didn't stick. When I moved cross-country, my eating habits changed and were worse than they were before I had lost the weight, and I had to say hello again to those 50 lbs. A couple weeks ago after hearing about MFP on one of the Fitbit forums, I decided to see what the hoopla is about, and I'm so glad I did. In the past 16 days, I've been more dedicated to eating well than I ever have been and kept thinking to myself "this time feels different." I didn't really think about WHY until I read this thread. Here are my whys, in no particular order:
- I refuse to be the fattest one in my family anymore.
- I'm sick & tired of not being able to do activities because I am not fit.
- I want to be able to find clothes I like in my size.
- I HATE feeling tired all the time and getting sick WAY more often than I should.
- I want to actually feel good about my appearance.
- I'm tired of being the "stereotypical" overweight, unhealthy gamer. I want to be the "hot" girl gamer, NOT the overweight girl gamer.
- I REFUSE to spend my 30s as unhealthy, closed off and shut in as my 20s were.
- I want to be able to drop and do 10 pushups like it's nothing.
That is fantastic. Good for you. I'm glad youfound my post too. when I found my why and started focusing on that, I became so much more determined and consistent. The other thing I did was start focusing on how I would feel when I started achieving those goals. Let me tell you, whoa, what a rush.
So, my question for you, and really think on this, how will you feel when you achieve your goals? Not being the fattest one in your family anymore, being the hot gamer, etc?
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I have a few "why's"
1) I would like to actually finish and accomplish a goal.
2) My husband and I are going on our first vacation since our honeymoon, and I don't want to worry about how my clothes look on me the whole time.
3) I ride horses and it hurts a lot less to fall off when you are fit.
4) I see my father deteriorating physically because he never took care of his body. I don't want that to happen to me.
5) I now have a desk job and I don't want to fall into the typical effects of sitting all day.0 -
My two year old!
He is my why.0 -
I couldn't wash myself to my liking all of a sudden. After that I was like NOOOOOPE.
Plus my girlfriend had been gaining over the last couple years due in part to me feeding her. She was unhappy with herself and I felt it was my responsibility.
So far i have lost 23lbs and she has lost 11!0 -
jenmckane86 wrote: »I have a few "why's"
1) I would like to actually finish and accomplish a goal.
2) My husband and I are going on our first vacation since our honeymoon, and I don't want to worry about how my clothes look on me the whole time.
3) I ride horses and it hurts a lot less to fall off when you are fit.
4) I see my father deteriorating physically because he never took care of his body. I don't want that to happen to me.
5) I now have a desk job and I don't want to fall into the typical effects of sitting all day.Amanda_elainee94 wrote: »My two year old!
He is my why.Damien_Scott wrote: »I couldn't wash myself to my liking all of a sudden. After that I was like NOOOOOPE.
Plus my girlfriend had been gaining over the last couple years due in part to me feeding her. She was unhappy with herself and I felt it was my responsibility.
So far i have lost 23lbs and she has lost 11!
All excellent reasons why! Thank you for sharing. Aside from using this site, what do you do to help you achieve your goals?
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My WHY is 6 years old and she's going to the first grade.0
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I work in rural healthcare. On a daily basis I see obese elderly women trundling down the hallway for medical procedures to ease the pain and suffering caused by carrying too much fat.
I'm 35. Biologically, I'm at a turning point. My size and thickness is increasing. I look pregnant and struggle to reach my toes - I'm flexible, but I can't maneuver around my belly fat.
If I continue to do nothing, I will end up just like the obese elderly women I see in our hospital. I don't want to be like that. It's not for me. Dude, the change has to happen now.
Aside from using this site, I joined a Tae Kwon Do studio to get in shape. I didn't like our local gym. It wasn't friendly and I didn't feel welcome there. I sought out other places and found the martial arts studio. It's the best place for me.0 -
My turning point was losing my father in 2014.
We had a tongue in cheek bet going: first one under 200 wins.
It's my way of honoring his memory- coping with the grief.2 -
I have a few whys, some light-hearted enough, one pretty serious.
1. I want to go skydiving, but when I signed up for my 'maiden voyage' this last spring, I was mortified to see that I was over the weight limit for women.
2. I want to stop being the 'fat friend.' Most of my friends never bring it up, and will strenuously avoid making comments about my body even as they go on and on about their own bodies, their friends and family's bodies, etc... And yet, we all know. The silence is louder than words, really. (On a somewhat related note- a few comparatively quite slender friends have not been particularly supportive of my intention to lose weight. They may be concerned that I'll go too far (history of eating disorders here), but I am fairly certain that they just... don't want me to lose weight. That would upset the order of things, after all. Someone has to be the fat one. Riiiiight? *eyeroll*)
3. And the serious one: My mom nearly died of an aggressive form of breast cancer a few years back. She is morbidly obese, has type 2 diabetes, neuropathy in her feet, sleep apnea, etc, etc... She takes terrible care of herself, constantly makes excuses for why she can't feel better/do more/eat less ("I want to enjoy myself! I'm getting the dessert."), and her long-term prospects are not good. If she doesn't make drastic changes, she'll continue to decline until she can no longer work, or even leave the house. She is 57. She is too young to be in the condition she's in. Most of the people in my family are overweight. Most of them are in pretty good condition for being larger, fortunately, but not mom.
4. I don't want to follow in her footsteps. I want to be healthy and happy and vibrant into and past my middle years. I want to feel attractive (haven't for, oh, 60 pounds or so now). I want to go out and do fun things, be engaged in the world, be energetic, be happy. I want to not disappear in the eyes of men because I am fat (and therefore, apparently unf*&^able). I don't want to RESIGN myself to a fate that I have just let happen to me. This, really, is about self-determination and the further development of me as the person that I want to be. I am taking over my own life.0 -
My "why" is simple...
- Look Good
- Feel Great
- Live Well
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All great reasons why. When you truly know what you are striving to avoid or accomplish the journey makes it so much easier.0
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VryIrishGirl76 wrote: »My turning point was losing my father in 2014.
We had a tongue in cheek bet going: first one under 200 wins.
It's my way of honoring his memory- coping with the grief.
I'm so sorry for your loss. You are responding like a champion. Hats off to you!0 -
I want to improve my health and self esteem. Most importantly, I want to be there for my son as long as possible and be able to do activities with him while he is young.0
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rachellosesitall85 wrote: »* The little girl inside of me has had enough abuse; it's time to unravel her cocoon and spread her wings...
* I'm tired of being the fattest family member
* I'm sick of using my body as a fat suit. A security blanket.
* I don't want to follow in the footsteps of my diabetic, high blood pressured relatives
* I should be able to pick the men I'm attracted to and not accept those who date "big women"
* I deserve to walk into a normal sized store and come out with more than shoes and jewelry.
* I've hidden myself for far too long and I'm over being invisible
* I deserve more self-love and attention that what I've given myself in the past
Man, I could've written those very words, particularly about using my fat as a security blanket. In fact, I think that was one of the main obstacles to my making the decision to lose weight. Fat was 'safe' (well, not really, not truly, but it sure felt like it). Fat meant that most people would leave me alone, women would be nice (if occasionally condescending), and men wouldn't see me at all. With the exception of the chubby chasers, that is. There is nothing quite like going on a few dates with a guy just to realize he's only there because you are his body type fetish. Ummmm, no. Yuck.
Of course, being skinny sure doesn't solve everything and has its own host of social issues (former skinny person here- not particularly looking forward to all the creepers coming back out of the woodwork), but in general life is easier, and being healthy rocks!
I wish you well on your journey. We'll get to the next leg (maintenance) before we even know it!
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-So when I get pregnant this year (hopefully), I can have a healthier pregnancy for me and my baby
-So that my size is not the first thing people notice about me
-So that I'm not afraid to go out and socialize0 -
Wow, great thread! My WHY's are the following:
* I would like to stick with something for once, and what better 'something' than my health and fitness?
* I don't look fat because I have a small face and thin limbs. Everything goes to my stomach/gut, so I feel ashamed to expose that part of my body because I think people will be shocked/horrified/disappointed.
* I want to look good, period. Losing those love handles will make me feel more confident for sure.
* I want to grow old in a healthy manner. When I have kids, I want to be able to teach them by example.0 -
Lots of poignant responses. Here are my why's:
1. I love the feeling of being fit. At least what I remember of it
2. Once I hit 50, I lost my desire to look "hot". But my "no one's looking at me anyway" attitude has to go. Not only can I look much better than I do now, but I can look fit, polished, and put together, at any age.
3. I have a young grandson and may have more grandchildren as the years go by. I want to be able to do more than put them on my lap and read stories. I want to be active with them.
4. Mortality, or the thought of it, starts to rear its ugly head as you age. The penalty for abusing your body grows more imminent once you hit 50. At a minimum, my feet and knees will thank me for taking some pounds off. Sixty and seventy year old me will be grateful for the changes I am making now.
5. It's time to prove to myself that I don't have to "give it my all" to be fit and slim. I can incorporate exercise and a very moderate calorie deficit into my life without dedicating every waking thought to losing weight and getting fit.0 -
I am tired of being the "fat girl"
I want to be taken seriously at my Career.0 -
And I want to have a Baby.
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My why?
I am a competitive archer with Olympic dreams to make it to the 2020 Olympics, but I'm carrying more weight than I should. I want better endurance to be able to shoot the 8 hour days 3 days in a row. Three years ago I was about 15 lbs lighter and had more energy. Then I got a desk job and the weight slowly crept on. Now I want those pounds and a few more off.
Even top archers aren't always in the highest category of physical fitness, but I want to be better than I am now.0 -
My why is to:
-become faster in my cross country races
-have increased confidence in myself
-learn good eating and health habits now while I'm still young
-prevent myself from getting dangerous diseases
-be an example for my family
-actually accomplish a goal that I set out for myself
-have more energy
-and of course, have a fit, cute bod just in time for college :-)
I'm only overweight by 10 lbs or so and I'm still young, but imo it's important to make these healthy eating habits now before I head off to college next year.0 -
Because i want to be a positive role model for my Daughters.0
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rachellosesitall85 wrote: »* The little girl inside of me has had enough abuse; it's time to unravel her cocoon and spread her wings...
* I'm tired of being the fattest family member
* I'm sick of using my body as a fat suit. A security blanket.
* I don't want to follow in the footsteps of my diabetic, high blood pressured relatives
* I should be able to pick the men I'm attracted to and not accept those who date "big women"
* I deserve to walk into a normal sized store and come out with more than shoes and jewelry.
* I've hidden myself for far too long and I'm over being invisible
* I deserve more self-love and attention that what I've given myself in the past
Man, I could've written those very words, particularly about using my fat as a security blanket. In fact, I think that was one of the main obstacles to my making the decision to lose weight. Fat was 'safe' (well, not really, not truly, but it sure felt like it). Fat meant that most people would leave me alone, women would be nice (if occasionally condescending), and men wouldn't see me at all. With the exception of the chubby chasers, that is. There is nothing quite like going on a few dates with a guy just to realize he's only there because you are his body type fetish. Ummmm, no. Yuck.
Of course, being skinny sure doesn't solve everything and has its own host of social issues (former skinny person here- not particularly looking forward to all the creepers coming back out of the woodwork), but in general life is easier, and being healthy rocks!
I wish you well on your journey. We'll get to the next leg (maintenance) before we even know it!
Is so hard going from one side of the spectrum to the other. In my teens and 20's, I was a very skinny guy. I weighed 148 when I graduated highschool. At 5'9" that's skinny. I was teased all the time for how skinny I was, and bullied at times. When I joined the army, I bulked up to about 165. I was still lean, but string now. I felt great. Then, when my tour was over, I got lazy and went all the way up to 200 lbs. That's when I knew I had to get serious or I would end up with diabetes like others in my family. I was insecure, worried about being able to keep up with my kids, etc. I'm glad I decided to be serious and get back on the right track. You will get there. Stay consistent, eat right, exercise daily, and seek support. I'll support you the best I can too. Keep up the good work. I believe in you.0 -
because it feels good. Every time I lift more, every time I run farther. Such a power trip.0
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My why are my kids (Maxx-5yrs & Nathalia -3 yrs), I owe it to them to be PRESENT in their everyday lives. I was tired of being left out (by choice of my own) when my hubs and kids would go out on adventures. My husband knew that I was more of a homebody type of gal and was okay with it. Well played Mr. Depaz, he knew that eventually this 'laying here in bed on a saturday moring all by myself' would eventually get old and it did! I missed
out in making some awesome memories with my kids/hub while I slept away the hours in a day. I got to my goal weight within a year and now I am back if not heavier (I think, haven't had the guts to step on a scale). I look back and think of all that resource (time/dedication/determination) wasted and now I am back to square one. I want my kids to see their momma embracing life, be more energize & active, mantain a healthy lifestyle. THEY deserve the absolute best of ME and by all means, they will get it - That's a promise to them!0 -
My why are my kids (Maxx-5yrs & Nathalia -3 yrs), I owe it to them to be PRESENT in their everyday lives. I was tired of being left out (by choice of my own) when my hubs and kids would go out on adventures. My husband knew that I was more of a homebody type of gal and was okay with it. Well played Mr. Depaz, he knew that eventually this 'laying here in bed on a saturday moring all by myself' would eventually get old and it did! I missed
out in making some awesome memories with my kids/hub while I slept away the hours in a day. I got to my goal weight within a year and now I am back if not heavier (I think, haven't had the guts to step on a scale). I look back and think of all that resource (time/dedication/determination) wasted and now I am back to square one. I want my kids to see their momma embracing life, be more energize & active, mantain a healthy lifestyle. THEY deserve the absolute best of ME and by all means, they will get it - That's a promise to them!
You can do it. You proved you did it once already. they body will remember. Just stay consistent and you will get there.
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girlisarcher wrote: »My why?
I am a competitive archer with Olympic dreams to make it to the 2020 Olympics, but I'm carrying more weight than I should. I want better endurance to be able to shoot the 8 hour days 3 days in a row. Three years ago I was about 15 lbs lighter and had more energy. Then I got a desk job and the weight slowly crept on. Now I want those pounds and a few more off.
Even top archers aren't always in the highest category of physical fitness, but I want to be better than I am now.
That is so awesome. My daughter just started taking archery lessons a couple of months ago. We didn't realize how expensive that sport can be. Luckily her coaches are very nice and working with us. Were looking at getting her a used bow or maybe buying the one that she has been practicing with. She is a lefty shooter, which we both found interesting.
Those desk jobs are a pain in the butt. That's what started me on the downward spiral years ago. Let me know if I can help in any way!0 -
My why:
I had the 'luxury' of getting fit a few years ago. Of course I didn't realize how easy it was to gain the weight back or how hard it would be to lose again. Once you lose weight, when you gain it back, people notice that more than when you lost. And every time they see you and the weight you've put back on, there's a glint in their eyes and you know they're thinking, she gained some weight but they won't always say it. I'm sick of seeing that look. I give myself that look hundreds of times a day in the mirror. Another reason, losing weight, being fit, I can control. I can control what I put in my body, what I do to it. Losing weight or getting fit or whatever your health aspirations are aren't that easy but it's probably the most attainable thing to achieve (at least in my life). I hope that taking control, other areas of my life will fall into place. Which some of you may find naive. But being overweight has affected all areas of my life.0
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