To look good or to perform better?

unnichaacko
unnichaacko Posts: 116 Member
edited September 2016 in Fitness and Exercise
Why did you start your weight loss/gain/maintenance journey? To look good or to perform better in your daily life activities? Or both?

That being said, what is the goal of your entire journey or for these upcoming three months.

I try to set short term goals. This year I had couple of goals, among which one was to do at least one handstand push- up which I have succeeded in today and my next goal is to do ten handstand push ups as a set. I have done three today :smiley:

Also, I am very new in MFP. I created my account cuz' I eat bad (junk) food and this is taking a toll on my performance. By logging food in this site, I have managed to eat healthier and I hope it will make my performance better in future.
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Replies

  • clh72569
    clh72569 Posts: 280 Member
    Both. To look good actually fitting my clothes and also able to keep up with my children without getting out of breath.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I never really started a weight loss journey...four years ago I started a health and wellness journey because at 38 years old I had about as sh!tty blood work as one can possibly have and my doctor was pretty blunt in stating that I would be extremely fortunate if I wasn't very sick or even dead by early 60s if I didn't get my *kitten* together.

    At 42 I do the things I do namely because I want to be a healthy and capable person and my two young boys need their dad around...everything else is just gravy.
  • singletrackmtbr
    singletrackmtbr Posts: 644 Member
    I'm 46 and I've always trained for athleticism and functionality. Once I got my diet in check the aesthetic gains started to happen. I won't complain but it isn't my primary goal.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    I was never on a weight loss/gain journey that "started"

    I've always worked out- I've always had some level of physical fitness in my life. I grew up on a ranch- and I worked 5 years in construction- I played college soccer which included off season weight training.
    I effing love working out.

    I love looking good- and being strong as hell.
    I'm also a bellydancer- so getting to ripped isn't realistic for me.

    Goals this year for me are breaking through the bench plateau and my busting my DL plateau.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    edited September 2016
    Both, but I started out intending to lose weight. Then I got my butt back in the weight room, and all goals changed. I still want to lose about 15 pounds, but I'm more excited and determined to hit my deadlift PR than lose those pounds.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    I started out for health reasons, followed by performing better in my daily life. Looking good was not a big factor at the time. More recently looking good became more important. However, now I am back to health reasons and have had to reverse a bit and start eating more.
  • Leadfoot_Lewis
    Leadfoot_Lewis Posts: 1,623 Member
    unnichaacko wrote: »
    Why did you start your weight loss/gain/maintenance journey? To look good or to perform better in your daily life activities? Or both?

    My motivation/focus has always been aesthetics and strength. Work on those and guarantee you'll perform better in your daily life activities. ;)
  • unnichaacko
    unnichaacko Posts: 116 Member
    Leadfoot_Lewis wrote: »
    unnichaacko wrote: »
    Why did you start your weight loss/gain/maintenance journey? To look good or to perform better in your daily life activities? Or both?

    My motivation/focus has always been aesthetics and strength. Work on those and guarantee you'll perform better in your daily life activities. ;)

    Haha, mine is strength also.
  • peaceout_aly
    peaceout_aly Posts: 2,018 Member
    unnichaacko wrote: »
    Why did you start your weight loss/gain/maintenance journey? To look good or to perform better in your daily life activities? Or both?

    That being said, what is the goal of your entire journey or for these upcoming three months.

    I try to set short term goals. This year I had couple of goals, among which one was to do at least one handstand push- up which I have succeeded in today and my next goal is to do ten handstand push ups as a set. I have done three today :smiley:

    Also, I am very new in MFP. I created my account cuz' I eat bad (junk) food and this is taking a toll on my performance. By logging food in this site, I have managed to eat healthier and I hope it will make my performance better in future.

    Why did you start your weight loss/gain/maintenance journey? To look good or to perform better in your daily life activities? Or both?

    I originally started running (3-years ago), random body weight/strength training work outs 2.5 years ago to look good. I then transitioned into hula hooping and yoga to get more flexible and feel healthier overall about two years ago. Then a year ago I discovered lifting. I had been feeling really "blah" about myself and got myself into a strict routine of heavy lifting (mixed with some cardio and stretching). It's a good mix of aesthetic and strength goals. I want to be healthy, and I want my body to reflect that.

    That being said, what is the goal of your entire journey or for these upcoming three months.

    I want to be able to squat 200 lbs. 3x3 on the Smith and get up to 135 with barbell squats (which probably won't happen because winter + a bad food = difficulty balancing). I also want to increase core strength.
  • jmt08c
    jmt08c Posts: 343 Member
    I've always been active; swam for 16 years including college. Got into lifting after that to keep in shape and haven't looked back. Long term goals include benching 225 for 4x12 and squatting 225 for 5x12.
  • denversillygoose
    denversillygoose Posts: 708 Member
    5 years ago, I just wanted to look better. Then it dawned on me that I'm pushing 40. Now my focus is strength, flexibility, and getting better and better on my bike. The next three months is when most of my miles are put in.

  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    edited September 2016
    Why did you start your weight loss/gain/maintenance journey? To look good or to perform better in your daily life activities? Or both?

    S the first question was I started because I was fat. As for looking better? or performance? I wanted to be in better health/fit at my age.. I can't help that I got a three for one.
  • prettygirlstorm1
    prettygirlstorm1 Posts: 721 Member
    i wanted to look good in clothes!!! I still eat junk food I just make sure it fits into my daily intake!!! Down 30 would like to lose 30 more!!!
  • johnnylloyd0618
    johnnylloyd0618 Posts: 303 Member
    to get rid of a nasty looking belly. I was about 180 (on a 5'6 frame) not the best feeling I must say. I started some light cardio, changed up the diet and starting feeling better. I have dropped about 40 lbs, about 10-15 vanity pounds left but well on my way. Started doing TRI and DUO events, well I was hooked. With the "feeling" better, improved performance, I now want the looks to show off the hard work...
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
    I didn't really have a start. I was always working out or being active of some sort. There have just been varying degrees of adherence. Sometimes I lost focus and got soft. My main drive is always performing better and feeling better. The appearance follows suit. If I was more worried about my appearance I would take measures to correct that, (get leaner), but I am ok with where I am.
  • dreaming13000
    dreaming13000 Posts: 68 Member
    BOTH! I want both and I will have both :) Initially, though, it began after baby # 1, continued through baby # 2 and has crossed over to so many sports and adventures. Plus I really love going to the Dr. for bloodwork. I even had one Dr. ask if I was an athlete do to super awesome HDL cholesterol levels.

    In the next three months, I intend to have the strict and the kipping pull ups mastered (ie, I can do more than 10 at a time, right now I'm at 2 at a time) and I intend to be at my "cut" goal weight (9 more lbs-ish)
  • Therealobi1
    Therealobi1 Posts: 3,262 Member
    i started to lose weight for a group holiday. so it was to look better
    focus now is becoming stronger
  • Keladelphia
    Keladelphia Posts: 820 Member
    I started my weight loss journey exclusively to look better. With that being said once I really got into Olympic lifting (about a year into losing weight) my goals switched from training almost completely for aesthetics to training almost completely for strength. So to answer the second part of the question my overall goal is to at the very least qualify for nationals; my three month goal is to add at least 5 kilos to both my snatch and clean and jerk (along with a few crossfit specific goals, strict ring muscle ups being one of them).

    Congrats on achieving your HSPU goal OP!
  • peleroja
    peleroja Posts: 3,979 Member
    I've been maintaining my weight for years now and picked up running about a year ago, never having done much exercise before. I like running and I notice that even a couple pounds down sometimes makes me faster, but truthfully, I primarily do it because it burns calories and has helped me build muscle.

    If, to get better at running, I had to look fatter, I wouldn't do it and I'd just keep chugging along at the same mpw and pace forever, so I guess that's proof of where my priorities lie...
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    I've never have done a "journey".

    I've lifted for 35 years for the most part because I like it. Not because I was overweight or underweight, but because it was what I did.

  • cerise_noir
    cerise_noir Posts: 5,468 Member
    edited September 2016
    Both. Started my journey 4 years ago (but had a loooong break that ended just over a year ago) with the intention of just losing weight. Now, I lift as I want to look good and become stronger, too.
  • trigden1991
    trigden1991 Posts: 4,658 Member
    Started off for sports, moved toward vanity, detoured to strength when I started powerlifting and now back to perfecting my physique whilst keeping up conditioning and functional strength.
  • kwtilbury
    kwtilbury Posts: 1,234 Member
    I shoot for a balance of physique, performance and strength (probably in that order).
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,611 Member
    No "journey" here either. The overweight thing was a recent, temporary state.

    I decided to lose weight because:

    a) I wanted to fit into a particular cycling jacket again.
    b) I wanted to be able to cycle up hills and long distances again.

    16 weeks later, I reached my first goal ... took a 1-month break ... 16 weeks later, I hit my second goal.

    I've been maintaining for almost a year since ... and yep, back in the cycling jacket again (it's actually too big for me) and cycling up hills (took on Mt Wellington last summer) and cycling long distances (400K randonnee in August, plus other shorter ones earlier!) :)

    Next three month ... more cycling, hopefully faster.
  • MsAmandaNJ
    MsAmandaNJ Posts: 1,248 Member
    I started losing weight because I had put too much on again. At 5'6, 250 lbs, I couldn't believe it. I keep at it to continue to feel better (where did my back pain go??), fit into old clothes I loved, shop in "regular" stores, be able to keep up with my neice and nephews, and just not get winded walking up to the third floor. Often times, I find myself flying up the stairs now, just because I can. I enjoy working out, especially now that I'm lifting again.
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    I started out just wanting to drop a few pounds to feel better about myself. Then vanity took over.
  • trigden1991
    trigden1991 Posts: 4,658 Member
    Hornsby wrote: »
    I started out just wanting to drop a few pounds to feel better about myself. Then vanity took over.

    It always does
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    I initially started wanting to look better as well as be able to lift my baby in her carseat and stroller into the car without struggling. That was about 2.5 years ago

    Now I do it for aesthetics, strength and because I like it.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    To cheat the Grim Reaper......and once I discovered that I actually enjoyed running, performance (I'm 60 and well past worrying about my looks.....)
  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,590 Member
    As part of my treatment plan for medical conditions that I have.

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