What is/was your motivation for losing weight?

[Curveegrrl]

Re: What is/was your motivation for losing weight?

1) I was really fat and really sick of it. I've been overweight/obese all my life and was really ready to try something else.

2) The success of others. My parents have both had a lot of success on a Low GI diet. My dad has lost over 100lbs! If they could do it, so could I! And when I saw the success that a friend had been having on Atkins...how could I say no??

3) Japan. Have any of y'all seen how small people tend to be over here? People are small. And skinny. And have no bums. I know I'll never look Japanese, but I'd like to not feel like a moose. Or at least feel like a much smaller moose.

[Goldfinger]

Re: What is/was your motivation for losing weight?

1) THE BIGGEST LOSER
Here I am watching this 'reality' show last fall/winter. I was captivated by it. By the fourth week, I was incensed that they were losing 10, 20, 40 lbs and I was still putting on weight. I said to myself 'If they can do it, so will I. And I will beat their losses'. I faithfully watched the remaining shows including the finale, and stayed motivated by them. I guess the show did what it was supposed to, which is to motivate others to lose weight.

BTW, season 2 is now on. It's on NBC Tuesdays at 8pm. For someone looking for that extra bit of motivation, it's the show to watch.

[cleochatra]

Re: What is/was your motivation for losing weight?

You guys are so inspirational!

Pie-- you sound like you have a wonderful figure! I love your exercise of walking the acreage and planting vegetables! How cool are you! Gimmee some of that energy!

{{{Effie}}}-- that would motivate me...right out of wanting to go rafting! LOL!!! You go, girl!

{{{Sally}}} You know, one of the reason I put off meeting people is for that reason, too! I don't want to be the jolly fat girl everyone had the chance to meet! Whoopie!

{{{Lisa}}} Those are really good reasons! 5 and 6 really hit home for me, but both are SUCH different sentiments! I went from almost being weepy with mom-ness to a suddenly and totally righteous, YEAH! KICK THEIR BUTTS! It's amazing all the different emotions this journey awakens!!! BTW, you'll be the teacher all the little boys have crushes on!

{{{curve}}} It never occured to me before! People in foreign nations tend to be VERY thin compared to the US! Does their diet so differ from ours, or is it lifestyle coupled with really good genes?

{{{Goldfinger}}} If you love that show, hurry down to the Challenges forum and sign up for Shelly Lynn's "Greatest Loser ADBB Challenge!" There a bunch of us are working towards hitting those high numbers together, and we get to discuss the show every week! You in?

[Mandilee]

Re: What is/was your motivation for losing weight?

My motivation was really to change my physical appearance. I was always avoiding cameras, mirrors, and even some social gatherings. I never felt I looked good in anything. Better health, for me, was secondary. My general health has always been good, despite the weight.

[cleochatra]

Re: What is/was your motivation for losing weight?

Hi Mandi! Welcome to ADBB! I can relate! You'll soon be strutting your stuff in front of those cameras and mirrors, girl! I just know it!

[Mandilee]

Re: What is/was your motivation for losing weight?

Thanks! I know that staying around in here will help keep me motivated. I just refuse to buy new clothes until I'm ready for a smaller size!

[soliwit]

Re: What is/was your motivation for losing weight?

Health: I stopped smoking on 01/20 and 2 weeks later I had gained 4 lbs already, I was almost 200 lbs and I made the decision: I ain't gonna be one of those people that stopped smoking and gained 20 lbs and for SURE I ain't gonna weigh 200 lbs.
Cause to stop smoking to get healthy and then gain weight that is unhealthy just didn't make sense to me.
I wanted to be the exception to the rule and I am.

Vanity: when I did start losing weight and started to notice the difference I felt better and better about the way I looked.
I noticed that before I had been hiding myself, wearing wider dresses and such, I didn't even notice when I did.
I walk more straight now and feel good about wearing tighter cloths.
I look in the mirror and even think I look hot and I start to look good in pictures !

[Mishi]

Re: What is/was your motivation for losing weight?

1) For myself.
2) For my husband.
3) For my kids.
4) For my own self image and respect.
5) For vanity's sake.
6) For health's sake.

[carbsgottagotogetmefit]

Re: What is/was your motivation for losing weight?

Here's my top three reasons
1. Needed to break my addiction to food-(now I have replaced that with a scale addiction...ha ha)
2. Wanted to look good for myself and my husband (want to look good in my birthday suit so I can say, ok baby, the lights can stay on tonight...if ya know what I mean!)
3. Want to change my overall lifestyle to be a good example for the kiddos...

[Ailinn]

Re: What is/was your motivation for losing weight?

1. I want to quit hiding behind the weight and reclaim who I really am. I'm sick of not doing things I want to do because I use the easy excuse to myself that "I'm too fat". Time to take away that excuse and make myself get out there and live again.

2. Health. I've watched a friend struggle with diabetes and blood pressure problems and I know I'm on the way there myself. And I flat out refuse to do it.

[RunAwayMichelle]

Re: What is/was your motivation for losing weight?

Embarassment: My butt was so big I could not sit down in most chairs.

Personally hygiene: lets just say my arms were becoming too short for essential tasks.

Clothes: I had out grown the largest size sold at the only fat-girl shop in town.

But the real biggy was PAIN. My back hurt so bad I could hardly stand it and I was forced to sleep in the living room sitting up on the couch.

I hit bottom hard before I found Atkins and this board has saved me.

Thanks to everyone here I can buy clothes, sleep with my DH, fit into a few chairs, and ...my arms are long enough....

Thank you cleo for starting this thread, it's important to remember why we're here.

[cleochatra]

Re: What is/was your motivation for losing weight?

soliwit! Stopping smoking is a killer on the waistline! Kudos to you for stopping the weight gain before it became a problem!

Mishi-- woohoo! You go, karatemama!

carbsgottago! *LOL* You are too cute. I love your reasons. I definitely agree that giving our kids the greatest gift is not only a healthy mom, but the legacy of a healthy lifestyle!

Ailinn! You have SO hit on the reason so many of us struggle to lose weight!

I want to quit hiding behind the weight and reclaim who I really am. I'm sick of not doing things I want to do because I use the easy excuse to myself that "I'm too fat". Time to take away that excuse and make myself get out there and live again.

RunAwayMichelle-- it's so good to have you back! Seeing your reasons helps me, too! I, too, know the danger that is spilling over the sides of the student chairs at teacher conference day! *lol* I almost needed the Jaws of Life to extract me from the desk.

[NoMorePumpkin]

Re: What is/was your motivation for losing weight?

Originally: to get pregnant AND for other health related reasons: diabetes and high blood pressure.

Now...

1. VANITY!! I have never been thin and it's been a long time since I've felt good in my body and KNEW I looked good in my clothes. Now I want to look great in my clothes and look great "nekkid" too!

2. Health: Diabetes runs in my family and I don't want it. I also want to get rid of my high blood pressure.

3. Fitness: I want to increase my endurance and be able to do all those wonderful activities that skinny, FIT, people enjoy!!

4. To one day get pregnant and have a "normal" (read: not high risk) pregnancy. This also kind of works back to number 2 in that if I get pregnant this late in life, I want to be the healthiest I can be for my children so that I can live a long life and see them grow up to be strong and healthy, productive adults.

5. CONTROL: Somehow I've recognized that knowing I can control what I put in my mouth spreads to greater control over my life. In the past and even now, when I've controlled my diet and exercise, it has made me feel more in control and know that I can reach any goal I set for myself.

Punkin-kid

[Reveal]

Re: What is/was your motivation for losing weight?

1) Clothing boredom. Last winter I wore essentially the SAME pair of pants for five months. They were black and I could get away with it, but looking in my closet every day and knowing that I had no chance of getting into 99.9% of my clothes made me feel dreadful about myself.

2) I had bronchitis twice last winter, and it took me ages to feel better. I would get winded just walking up the stairs at work (two flights) and it would take the entire length of a VERY long hallway for me to catch my breath. At 28 that just felt ridiculous, you know?

3) I had that 'tick that might pop' full feeling all the time, and heartburn every day.

4) I also knew that if I let myself hit 240 then it was just a slide to 250, and I knew that one day in the next few years I'd wake up at 300 and have that much more to lose. I just figured it was better to start where I was at.

[soliwit]

Re: What is/was your motivation for losing weight?

Oh Cleo, let me thank you for starting this thread, this is really very interesting and well....confronting.

Thanks for making me think hard, I think there is more reasons for me to have started walking this path, but I ain't yet ready to put them to words (sometimes my knowledge of the english language is just not yet enough to find the right words either)