What motivates you?

[lovesdumbo]

I made a commitment to loose weight in January. My goal is to loose at least 65 lbs-perhaps as much as 95. I've lost 21 lbs but the weight is coming off slower now and I could use a review of all I've got to gain with this long journey. I'd love to hear other motivators from all you WISHers.

Here's mine:
*First I am doing this for me. With 3 kids under 5 I haven't spent much time on me lately. I want to feel better physically and feel better about myself.

*For my family-I want to be able to keep up with my kids, I want to be around for a long time for my family and especially my kids. At 42 I am an older mother and I don't want to look too old when my kids are still in grammer school.

*I want to enjoy things I used to again like hiking and camping. Everything seems like so much work when you've got all that extra weight to carry around.

*Have a family photo taken.

*I want to shop everywhere but the Women's department.

*I think I'll get more respect at work.

*I think I'll dress better for work if I'm proud of myself and can shop anywhere.

Well that's the start to my list.

 

[kayeandjim00]

What a great thread!! I find motivation in some of the same things you mentioned. It's funny how much more I'm looking forward to all the summer activities with 48 lbs gone. Last year it seemed like too much effort to get out and even walk the several blocks to go to the various festivals. I could only find 1 picture out of all our Disney pictures in May that I could stand to see myself in. On our next trip I told DH I'm having my pictures made EVERYWHERE with every character I can find, every attraction, etc. DH is going to be very busy taking pictures of me! I was so tired of shopping in Lane Bryant. I felt like when I went clothes shopping I only had one choice and if I couldn't find it there I was out of luck. Now I'm shopping at the Gap and NY&Co and I love it! I'm so glad I have to replace my wardrobe as it's so much more fun clothes shopping now! I feel like I have choices!! I also feel more in control - I still have my days when I don't make the wisest food choices but by and large I'm making good decisions and taking better care of me! Cooking Light magazines and books are my new best friends, I'm learning how to cook all types of different things that are not only good but healthy. This has been such a rewarding journey and with about 46 lbs to go I'm so glad that I started it!
What type of plan are you using? You'll find WISH a wealth of motivation, support, and encouragment - hope to see more posts from you!

 

[Hannosmom]

I signed up for the 1/2 marathon in January. I think about it every morning, and then think about making good food choices for the day and getting my exercize done. It's really working for me.

 

[ZerasPride]

Let's see, my motivators:

*I love changing my cheat free clippie everyday!
*I wanna play tennis and wear a short outfit
*I wanna ski in the winter and be able to pick myself up when I fall down
*I was able to get into a size 18 jeans and I was wearing a size 28 - one day I'll be wearing jeans in a size 12 or dare I say it? Even a size 10
*I love seeing my face get smaller and smaller - I even wore my hair in an "up do" today and I would never had done that before with my pudgy face
*I want to buckle my seat on the airplane in June for my Disney trip without having to put a blanket over my lap because I'm too embarassed to ask for a seatbelt extender
*I love the way my DH looks at me - not that he didn't look at me lovingly before - but now it's more of a lustful look (gotta love that!)
*I can't wait for the day I can shop in normal sized clothing stores
*I have this visiion of myself at Hilton Head in the fall as a trim lady shopping in some of the trendy shops on the island

I could go on and on but I'll stop here. Thanks for this thread. I found out today that I am 29% of the way to my goal weight so I've got quite a ways to go. It's nice to review some of the things that motivate me!

 

[wiskband]

I did it for many of the same reason you have...........I think many of us have........So think about that for a minute...... we have all done it for the same reason and mostof us have been successful... the reason may be right, and you have them. You have already had a great start and the weight slowing down is typically, we have all experienced that. No one said ity would be easy but, it can be done.

Anyway, I think I my motivation began when "THE REASONS' occored to me! lol.
What has kept me motivated is of course WISH as well as the marathon.
I too enjoy changing my clippie as well as my Cheat free one. Although it may go back down to Zero, I keep trying! lol.

But most of all, for me, I now feel like I care more about myself.

I have 4 kids 2,4,8,10 and although, their still young for the past 10 years, its been all about them. Rightfully, but I had to begin to start taking care of me. In the process of that, it has helped me better take care of them as well as have more fun with them.

I love walking past the mirror now I then stop and go back and take another look, cause now, I like what I see! lol.
good luck, and feel free to IM me whenver, I think perhaps you and I lead paralel lives.

renee

 

[newholiday]

My brothers triple heart attack scared the cr-- out of me last May!

Before that I lost 16lbs prior to cruise plans I had for Nov 02.
Then my (5yrs older) brother had his heart attack. I looked at my own eating habits and decided it was time to cut the fat & sodium
Managed to loose the remaining 26lbs.

With the help of a friend, this board and fitday Im managing to keep it off, keep my body healthier.

 

[Desiree]

The fact that I want to start playing basketball and softball again without collapsing.

I also want to coach Devyn's teams when I get to where I'm not embarrassed to be out there helping out.

The fact that I have ALOT of clothes in my closet that I can't even wear. I want to be in those clothes again!

I dont want to suffer ailments due to obesity. I want to be healthy for the rest of my life!

I am also tired of shopping in Women's clothes. The clothes in the Juniors section is always so much cuter!

 

[mommyflower]

I have low blood sugar, so my main motivation is to get that under control. I don't want diabetes. I also want to have another baby and I didn't want to add the weight of a new pregnancy on top of the weight I gained with the first one. I want to look at myself and be happy with the way I look. I want to shop in the misses sized clothes and have choices. I want to feel good again. Low blood sugar has a lot of negative effects on your system and I am finally starting like they are going away.
Thanks for starting this thread. I think it helps to revisit why we began this journey!

 

[Kimickey]

Okay this may be long but I would like to share if you all don't mind. Back in January I was visiting my BIL and SIL in Boston and they made a bet with DH and me. We are going to Disney in August and it's a boy vrs girls bet. SIL and I vrs. BIL and DH (and by the way they are twins). The bet is which ever team comes the closest to their goal weight wins the bet. The prize is the winners get to have an entire day (children free) to themselves. We all are in need of free time, and what better way for the girls to win and get messages and pampered for the day or just shop with out or DH's trailing along. Or the boys to win and get to play uninterupted golf all day or get a back massage. And to top everything off, at the end the day you get to go out to Pleasure Island and shake our booty all night. It's a much needed break for who ever wins.

Mu ultimate motivation for weight lose is, I just had a baby in December and want I want to get back down to my pre-pregnacy weight.

I have a lot of summer clothes that I want to get into, that just don't fit the same right now.

Most of all I just want to be healthy & fit.

Exercising is fun for me, and finding new ways of getting/staying fit are ways to keep me motivated.

 

[lovesdumbo]

Thanks for all the great support. I have joined WW at work and have found that great too. It really seems to be a program I can follow. I don't feel deprived and I am surprised that I don't even really miss the fast food, donuts, bagels, or Coke.

I thought of a few more I forgot to list above:
*Saving lots of money by not stopping at Dunkin Donuts every morning.

*Want to drop DD off at dance class and not be afraid of all the mirrors. Same for trying on new clothes.

*It hurts when DS says "Mommy is big" but then he says his sister is big too-so everyone bigger/older than him is big but I don't want to worry that I'm too big.

*More energy to do not only the fun things in life but the not so fun things like housework will be a lot easier when I'm not carrying around all this extra weight.

kayeandjim-thanks for the idea about Disney photos. I absolutely want to get a family photo taken after a few more pounds. We have only 1 shot I took a few weeks ago and I'm hiding behind the stroller. Maybe the next time we go to Disney (October 2005 if I can wait that long) I'll splurge on a Disney photographer!

Renee-I think we do indeed share a lot in common. I don't know how you handle 4 children with diverse needs. I'ld love to have more but its so hard with 3 little ones and I'm getting too old! (I'll be 43 in May). I had feared I was pushing my luck with number 3 but we now have 3 beautiful and healthy children. We have been so blessed. Its hard to put myself first. I work while my DH stays home and by the time I come home he's just about reached his breaking point. So I feel like I have no time to myself. I'm hoping things improve this summer & next year. I now drive my oldest to preschool 3 days a week so he doesn't have to drag all 3 kids out only to have to pick her up 2 1/2 hours later. So I get to work late and then have to stay late and then we eat late and go to bed late and are always tired....But next year DD will be in kindergarten and I can leave for work as soon as she gets on the bus. The "baby" will be nearly 2 and the boy will be in preschool and hopefully DH will have an easier time of it. And DS(3) is actually starting to sleep through the night. My girls both slept through the night at 3 months but DS has always been a challenge.

kimickey-good luck to you and SIL on your challenge! I'm sure you could use a day of pampering and it sounds like all 4 of you will be winners!

Thanks again for all the support.

 

[disneysnowflake]

I started Low Carb on January 5, 2004. To date I've lost 20 pounds. I only weigh once a week. So far I've been cheat free.

What keeps me motivated is our upcoming trip in Dec to WDW. After seeing my photo taken at Christmas I cried. I was 205 pounds and looked awful.

There is no way I want to look that huge in my family photos.

Also, when I went on a field trip with my son's class we took a wagon ride around an apple orchard. The man who ran the orchard didn't want me on the wagon because he said I was too heavy. I never want to feel that embarrassed every again.

While my weight loss is slow I can feel myself lighter. My pants are looser. I like the way I feel.

I sure hope I can be at my goal by our Disney trip in December.

 

[JCJRSmith]

My reasons for losing weight:
1. I am in my 40's and would really like to be around to see my granddaughter grow up.
2. Heart disease runs rampant in my family on both sides
3. I got tired of my belly arriving five minutes ahead of me where ever I went.
4. I got sick of looking in the mirror and seeing a fat man staring back.