Why do YOU want to lose weight???

[2cute4u_04]

I'm always encouraged by hearing peoples stories of why they want to lose weight.. it keeps me on track... so if your reading this post please write something...anything even its its just one word!!!

[2cute4u_04]

my reason... i turn 21 in september.... my whole life i have been fat... i was a 9 1/2 pound baby lol....i want a milestone in my life to be me being healthy and feeling beautiful.. and not just the girl with the pretty face....plus diabetis run in my family on both sides... i dont want to be a culprit of it...i want to wear the cute outfits with the belts and not feel like i look disgusting... i want to put on high heel shoes and be able to walk properly and not just for 10 seconds...and most of all i want to stop wearing jeans and long sleeves when its 90 degrees outside...

[2cute4u_04]

oh yeah i forgot something else... i want to be able to sit in the backseat of a 5 passenger car with two other people and not be asked to sit in the front...to put my REAL weight on my license...and to finally get life insurance and not be embarrased to tell my weight...i guess i want to lose weight for alot of reasons

[Dogbert199]

I'm 35. At 19 I was a soldier in Uncle Sam's Army during Desert Shield/Desert Storm (stateside).

At 21 I was running 6.4 miles a day and training in Aikido 3 hours per day.

At 27 I was over 300 pounds and I've never recovered.

At 32 I went from 355 to 302.

At 34 I married at a weight of 380. . .

Six weeks ago I was at 397.

I'm doing this for my wife, for my daughter, for my nephew.

I'm doing this for me.

I don't want to wake up in fifteen years wondering where the last fifteen years went.

[burkee]

I just want to have energy,not miss out in life like when I take my kids to an amusement park I want to be able to fit on the ride.
i want to go to a regular clothes store.
I JUST DONT WANT TO MISS OUT IN LIFE ANYMORE

[Meggen]

I want everyone to see the real me. The one inside who is just as beautiful as everyone else. I want to be able to go to a "normal" clothing store and buy jeans, instead of having to go to "plus size" stores and pay 4 times as much, and most importantly I want to be healthy and make sure I'm around for a LONG LONG time, cos I finally found my soulmate and I don't wanna miss out on one single moment with him.

[unitydkn]

this is from my journal



do you all have that one outfit that is in your mind that keeps your hopes up?...that on thing that you just can't wait to wear?.. I have this dress from the last time I lost weight that I LOVED.well 2 dresses really.. one has spaghetti straps,is knee length and black iridescent royal blue with no waist just form fitting from sweetheart neck down.. I FELT beautiful in it.. the other was green crushed velvet that was also form fitting but with long sleeves and was perfect for christmas party's...I want to fit in them agian so bad by fall...

[Greenwitch]

rats,I had a whole list written and my laptop shut off and I lost it. LOL

Here it is again, and I do hope to revisit my list often:

To not worry about dying from a heart attack at a young age.
To live a long life with my dh.
To inspire my dh to lose his 80+ pounds so he can feel better about himself too.
To regain my sense of sex appeal and femininity that I feel is lost.
To wear clothes with a shape to them, not these oversized loose tops that I some how think don't show I'm a big person. Hhahaa
To get my sharp jawline and cheekbones back!
To turn heads like I used to!
To not walk into a room and immediately size up the furniture and sitting arrangements.
To slide into a cozy booth in a restaurant and not feel squashed.
To fly away on a trip and not worry about fitting into the seat or needing an extension.
To dance. I don't dance anymore because I don't want anyone to see me.
To shop in a variety of stores, not just 4 main ones with limited variety.
To have the energy and ability to do anything I want.
To not hate the summer because I'm overheated from start to finish
To put on an outift and actually match the mental picture I had in my head and not be disappointed by the large distorted image in the mirror.
To not become a full blown insulin dependant diabetic.
To feel light and move easily, not feel thick and lethargic.
To not feel bad or pretend it doesn't bother me when my skinny friends talk about their weight or some fat person when I'm right there in the room.
To dress up, come into the room, and watch my husband burst with pride.
To not ache all over.
To stop snoring.
To lower my blood pressure.
To fit into a really really cool fall jacket I have that I have NEVER worn because I bought it as a 3x.
To NOT have an x in my size tag!
To maybe wear shorts one day. I've never worn shorts.
To be proud of myself and like myself and not look like a shapless blob.

I think I could go on for days. LOL But thanks for asking. It's good to reinforce our reasons, isn't it.

[Charran]

I want to have great quality of life as I get older and do all the things that I let my weight prevent me from doing while I was younger. I want to see my youngest DD grow up! I want to be able to chase my future grandchildren around! There, of course, are about a page more, but these to me are the ones that stick out the most!

[dan_ak]

I'm tired of being the "fat guy". I have been overweight ever since I can remember.
I want to be healthy.
I want to fit into normal clothes.
I want to be comfortable in social situations.
I want to be able to actually feel good about myself.
I want to look good.
I want to get out and date and not feel self-conscious.

Just some of the many reasons...

[shaeintx]

I want to lose weight so I can be more healthy and look better. . My father recently having a heart attack has really hit home with me as far as making better choices for a healthier me. I want all the years I can have with my kids.

[Irenie]

I am just tired of being tired ... tired of being ashamed of who I am . I feel like I am an old women at 40 .

[Dorr185]

I want to model again, but this time not as a big and tall model.

Plus, I love designer clothing, I couldn't wear it at my biggest, I can wear it now but it doesn't look as nice as I want it to.

[elhill]

I want to wear designer clothes and look and feel good!

[ldypgmr]

Very simple:

1. When I shake my bootie I don't want to cause an earthquake or throw the people across the room off their chairs!

2. I want to wear sexy clothes.

3. I want to have sugery so that the sisters point north instead of south!

4. As I age, I don't want to live in a nursing home because I can't move due to my weight!

[NDHuntress]

I want to have the energy to get out and dance with my friends.
I want to set a good example for my kids about taking care of myself.
When I graduated from high school at 175 (and everyone thought I was overweight) I wore a size 14 and looked good. I want to look like that again.
I want to be able to wear button fly jeans.
I want to be able to wear a little black dress and look good.
So many more.

But most of all I want to live a long happy life and not have all these health risks looming over my head.

Last September I walked in the local Heart Walk with a radio morning show crew. They asked me who I was walking for and I told them I was walking for myself. That prior to getting back to lo carb I was heading towards a heartattack with the way I was eating and eating and eating some more.

[2cute4u_04]

ok keep them coming...everything so far so good

[BaronE]

I want to live long enough and be healthy enough to dance at my grandaughters wedding. she's 3 now.

[happy07]

'Cause I'm tired of being embarrassed about my weight.
I want to buy shirts that don't need to cover my hanging tummy.
I really want to feel sexy again (can almost remember what that felt like).
DH and kids need to see what I look like thin (they never have).
I don't want to die early. My kids are all teens/young adults now. There's gonna be grandbabies someday!

[FatFreeMe]

The list is long. Mostly, for my health. I had a knee injury 4 years ago and sometimes I am still suffering from that. But until you lose mobility, you have no idea what you'd miss. I did this while getting off a plane to go visit my parents, and spent the week getting around in a wheelchair, trying to keep up. Since then, I have high blood pressure and a hiatus hernia. I just want to get back in control here!
p.s. being one of the last Red Hot Mommas would just be a bonus! lol

[susansmk]

For all the reasons I've read here and so many more...

My wish: to go one whole day without thinking about my weight/size in any way. I mean really, it's something every day. One day, it's realizing I need to buy some summer clothes and instead of feeling excited like most women, I feel dread. Another day, it's wondering what my husband is really thinking when he looks at me - then covering up as best I can. The next, it's the realization that I just can not keep up with my son while we're playing. It's always something. I would just really love to have ONE DAY where I don't have to think about it.

Gah...that sounds superficial, doesn't it?

[joylorene]

For all the reasons I've read here and so many more...

My wish: to go one whole day without thinking about my weight/size in any way. I mean really, it's something every day. One day, it's realizing I need to buy some summer clothes and instead of feeling excited like most women, I feel dread. Another day, it's wondering what my husband is really thinking when he looks at me - then covering up as best I can. The next, it's the realization that I just can not keep up with my son while we're playing. It's always something. I would just really love to have ONE DAY where I don't have to think about it.

Gah...that sounds superficial, doesn't it?


NOT AT ALL!! That sounds like me!!! I hate clothes shopping it really makes me cry! and my size is on my mind 24/7 also.

[CNYMom]

I want my daughter to not be embarassed to have the "fat mom".
I want to chase a man and have him not mind being caught. (I wouldn't mind being chased, either!)
I want to be able to run fast enough to catch one. (Hee, guess where my mind is today! :lol: )
I want to look as sexy as I feel today.
I want to feel even sexier ;)
I want to be excited about wearing short sleeves, capris, and shorts, instead of dreading the changing of the season.
I want to look at a completely naked me in the mirror and not cringe.
I want to live long and prosper. (Hee! I'm cracking myself up today :agree: )

[kyrasdad]

To be comfortable.

After all of it, I've decided that the thing I hate most is how uncomfortable it is to be fat. It's maddening. I'm talking physical and mental comfort; the kind where you are never quite content because you are so large, so fat, that it's impossible to sit or lay or stand and feel natural in your own skin.

I did tons (I mean tons) of reflection on this in the past. As my weight has declined, I realized that I was just damn uncomfortable at 350 pounds. All the time. Every day. So many of the other reasons listed come down to comfort. Clothes fitting, airline seating, social awkwardness.

I don't think anyone loses weight to fit into clothes, although that's nice and many people think they do. They don't lose it to be a better father/mother/spouse. They lose it for themselves. And that's for the best. If nothing else in this world is yours, your body is. You probably will not sustain this process if you externalize your motivations. It has to come from within, for yourself.

So, I got to thinking. Did I do it so I could get into smaller clothes? So I could advance my career? So I could play with my little girl better? So I'd have more self esteem?

It came down to this. I am vastly more comfortable in every situation at a smaller size. I never realized how freaking uncomfortable life was (on all levels) until I lost significant weight. I am far more relaxed and at ease now. I'm not keeping a mental inventory in public spaces about who is looking at me wondering "how did he get SO fat?" I'm not gauging a chair's capacity before I sit; I'm not wondering if the airline will charge me double. I'm not as worried.

It's all about comfort.

[j13]

I don't want to die.

Everything else comes from that.

-j.

[Reginia]

To me, overweight is ugly.
Health reasons

I'm always encouraged by hearing peoples stories of why they want to lose weight.. it keeps me on track... so if your reading this post please write something...anything even its its just one word!!!

[Reginia]

Thou shall say ditto to this too.

I want everyone to see the real me. The one inside who is just as beautiful as everyone else. I want to be able to go to a "normal" clothing store and buy jeans, instead of having to go to "plus size" stores and pay 4 times as much, and most importantly I want to be healthy and make sure I'm around for a LONG LONG time, cos I finally found my soulmate and I don't wanna miss out on one single moment with him.

[meierdjm]

To be comfortable.

After all of it, I've decided that the thing I hate most is how uncomfortable it is to be fat. It's maddening. I'm talking physical and mental comfort; the kind where you are never quite content because you are so large, so fat, that it's impossible to sit or lay or stand and feel natural in your own skin.

I did tons (I mean tons) of reflection on this in the past. As my weight has declined, I realized that I was just damn uncomfortable at 350 pounds. All the time. Every day. So many of the other reasons listed come down to comfort. Clothes fitting, airline seating, social awkwardness.

I don't think anyone loses weight to fit into clothes, although that's nice and many people think they do. They don't lose it to be a better father/mother/spouse. They lose it for themselves. And that's for the best. If nothing else in this world is yours, your body is. You probably will not sustain this process if you externalize your motivations. It has to come from within, for yourself.

So, I got to thinking. Did I do it so I could get into smaller clothes? So I could advance my career? So I could play with my little girl better? So I'd have more self esteem?

It came down to this. I am vastly more comfortable in every situation at a smaller size. I never realized how freaking uncomfortable life was (on all levels) until I lost significant weight. I am far more relaxed and at ease now. I'm not keeping a mental inventory in public spaces about who is looking at me wondering "how did he get SO fat?" I'm not gauging a chair's capacity before I sit; I'm not wondering if the airline will charge me double. I'm not as worried.

It's all about comfort.


I totally agree. My weight has held me back in so many areas of my life and I'm hoping by losing weight, it will open up new possibilities.

Danny

[kyrasdad]

I totally agree. My weight has held me back in so many areas of my life and I'm hoping by losing weight, it will open up new possibilities.

Danny

It will. I am not there yet, but having lost what I have so far has made a huge difference. (and hey, it's not every day this Cowboys fan will agree with a Sooner!) :)

[j13]

It will. I am not there yet, but having lost what I have so far has made a huge difference. (and hey, it's not every day this Cowboys fan will agree with a Sooner!) :)

On the behalf of Philadelphia, I'd like to say "BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!"

Sincerely-

-j.

(who bleeds Eagles green.)

[Dorr185]

I don't think anyone loses weight to fit into clothes

I'd be the first person you met who fits this description then! I mean, I had some other reasons, but they weren't even important enough to motivate me. If it were not for clothes, I'd still be 406 pounds.

Have you seen Prada's 2007 summer men's collection! It's legendary and I MUST own it!

[Annie128]

I'm doing it for health issues.

[Takes_time]

I'm approaching the Big "D"...diabeties. I haven't needed any medication but the doctor says I'm dancing with the devil. I'm lucky that some how my blood presure is holding and all the cholesterol levels are good too. However, I know I can't expect that to continue with what the scales are telling me.

Plus, truly...I want to be an inspiration for my kids. Think about it. They see me set goals, keep pushing to reach them, finally achieve them... I think it could help them in life to see that whatever their weakness...it can be overcome with God's help.

Finally, I want to continue being with my kids and Husband. I have a great family..."I don't want to miss a thing" if you know what I mean.

[joylorene]

OK last night we were watching our favorite tv show King of Queens and my 7yr old daughter (bless her heart) says you know - you & dad are like Doug & Carrie only backwards and knowing what she was getting at but figured I needed to hear it I asked why? Because your big like Doug and Dad is little like Carrie. OK I have many other reasons but I figured that if my 7 yr old compares me to a large man on TV I BETTER LOOSE WEIGHT!!!

[susansmk]

Plus, truly...I want to be an inspiration for my kids. Think about it. They see me set goals, keep pushing to reach them, finally achieve them... I think it could help them in life to see that whatever their weakness...it can be overcome with God's help.I think that is the best reason...in some ways even better than doing this for health reasons. Truly, it was one of the motivators for me, and I appreciate your post. Thank you for reminding me!!

[happy07]

For all the reasons I've read here and so many more...

My wish: to go one whole day without thinking about my weight/size in any way. I mean really, it's something every day. One day, it's realizing I need to buy some summer clothes and instead of feeling excited like most women, I feel dread. Another day, it's wondering what my husband is really thinking when he looks at me - then covering up as best I can. The next, it's the realization that I just can not keep up with my son while we're playing. It's always something. I would just really love to have ONE DAY where I don't have to think about it.

Gah...that sounds superficial, doesn't it?

Not superficial at all. I was already fat when I met/married DH, so he's never known me thin. Sometimes I wonder how he really feels when he looks at me. Not that I'm brave enough to ask... :nono:

[Reginia]

Like someone else said, being overweight is uncomfortable for various reasons. When I read that the other day, I thought, "That's exactly the phrase that I've been looking for."

[kyrasdad]

One thing I would throw out here that everyone who has been TDC-fat knows...society hates fat people and being hated is a powerful motivator. I don't think it is something that you can hang your hat on as motivation, but it definitely has played in for me.

It wasn't a motivator for me at the start, but once I lost significant amounts and (having never, ever been thin) saw the difference in how people treated me, I probably would have to say, not going back to being treated that way is a strong motivator for me to maintain and increase my weight loss. I'm not gonna comment on the injustice of it all, since I cannot change that, but if you're 100 pounds overweight, it's there. And it's not just in the occasional rude remark, it's omnipresent. I am not sure I fully realized it was there until I lost the weight and things improved.

Anyway, that plays into the whole discomfort thing. I would like to say I did it for health, but like most human animals, I'm fairly shortsighted. I would rather have had a cake than be healthy (obviously since I spent 40 years fat). It was mostly for comfort. All kinds of comfort.

[Greenwitch]

kyrsasdad you hit it right on the head.
Years ago I dropped 75lbs (from 296 to 221..and a GOOOood 221 ;) )and the world opened up to me. Some might argue that I opened up to the world, but it wasn't that way. It was the world. I admit that sure, heads turned when I dressed up "nice" and all that ego stuff, but the thing I noticed was that people looked me in the eye, rather than up and down. I was no longer invisible. I wasn't "ma'am", I was one of them.

I saw a Tyra Banks special where she put on a fat suit and went out in public. She even said it herself; people treated her as if she was invisible. She was the one dodging people while walking through a crowd, rather than squaring her shoulders and just walking. She said no one looked her in the eye. She took up space, but she didn't exist, know what I mean?

I know that before I ever lost wieght I didn't realize this difference either. Then when I did, like I said, the world opened up to me. Then when I regained the weight I really felt the indifference and the world close, and THAT was and still is hard to take.

It's like when people assume that because you're fat you are a lazy slob with bad hygiene, lower intelligence, JOLLY (which is like saying we're too stupid to know we're fat so we sit and juust laugh like stupid clowns who are obvlivous), overeating pigs. I never did eat 3 cheese burgers and 12 orders of fries and quarts of ice cream and 18 hotdogs and buckets of chicken and hid behind dumpsters at fast food take outs crying and shoving food in my face. I don't even like chocolate, for crying out loud! So the assumptions are on so many levels, it's sickening. Being fat to me is not only physically uncomfortable but it's emotionally and spiritually distressing. And if I hear one more person say "Well, then just lose the weight" like it's such an easy snap of the fingers, I'll flip out. :lol:

[joylorene]

Boy do I understand that also!! 4 yrs ago when I lost close to 40lbs it was like I became this beautiful butterfly and everyone just flocked around me and then I started to wonder what was I before the ugly hunch back??? I mean people were making comments about me that had never even taken the time to talk to me before but now it was like I had recovered from some disease and they were more than happy to tell me how WONDERFUL I looked. bugged me

[DietMonstr]

I want to FEEL better. I hate feeling slow and sluggish and awkward when I run.
I hate 'feeling' hungry all the time and thinking about my next meal constantly.
I want to be able to look in the mirror and like what I see.
I dont want to keep wasting money on bigger size clothing.
I dont want those feelings of depression and frustration when i can't fit into the jeans i bought a month ago (or the jeans cutting into my stomach when i squeeze into them anyway)
I dont want everything i eat to be scrutinized, and i dont want to feel anxious everytime i eat.
i want to feel sexy, i want to be able to wear a jean skirt and a tank top in the summer time (last summer i wore jeans everyday so i wouldnt have to show my body)
i want to establish good eating habits so i dont instill bad ones in my future children (its ok Mom, i know you meant well).
I want to make healthy eating a way of life, not a chore.

[katwoman]

Bumping this thread--mainly because of the historic event of a University of Oklahoma Sooner and an Oklahoma State University Cowboy agreeing on something! No seriously, this is a great thread and I missed it somehow the first time around. Thought provoking!

I'm not sure I could possibly list all the reasons, but the most important for me are:

1. health. I have too many people depending on me to let myself continue the unhealthy habits I've had all my life.
2. My children are pretty much grown--when the grandchildren start arriving I want to feel like playing with them in ways I regret not doing with my own girls.
3. Someone earlier (Scott?) hit the nail on the head when he said being overweight is uncomfortable in all areas of our life. I'm sick and tired of being uncomfortable in my own body!

[inchbyinch]

I want to have the freedom to be ME again...I used to be a toned 150. Playing competive soccer and running 4-5 miles a day. Now...at 27, I am 330...and can barely walk up a flight of stairs. I no longer feel like I am the outgoing, carefree person who loves to try everything. Instead my weight has made me a prisoner of fear...fearful of not fitting (physically and mentally)...not wanting to go to a new restaurant..not wanting to travel..etc.

My wonderful husband has never said anything about my weight gain...he says he simply loves me for me...but ya know what, as lucky as I am to have that...I want a husband who will WANT me ..ya know.,,.,that lustful kind of want! And we have lost that. We also want children (we've been married 5 years) but I don't want to have children when I feel this way about myself and I am this unhealthy. I need to concentrate on ME and fix ME and get ME back on track.

So after all that blubbering,...I guess the easy and short answer is I want my life back.

[LacyOkey]

I want to actually look like a strength athlete not just a fatty that picks up heavy stuff.And of course better health better sex,better everything.
I used to be around 180 and it was amazing how many "friends"I had.Funny how I realized who were actually my real friends when I started gaining weight

[Moonrise]

I want to lose weight so that I can:

wear the gorgeous bellydance outfit that arrived today from India
go riding
go biking
go swimming!
be even more of a clothes hog (alas, the limited budget)
and so that people can see my dance moves better

M

[Giant]

I don't want to die.

Everything else comes from that.

-j.


This was mine...so I'll just say: To ride Rollercoasters.

[Penweary]

I want to be able to do anything my son asks of me, wether it is to ride a rollercoaster or ride a bike.

I want to FEEL good about the way I look so I can really be 'myself'. I am not nearly as outgoing in RL as I am in cyber.

I want to stop worrying about health problems. I am 35, I really don't have any yet but at this weight they cannot be far off. I don't want cellulitis, diabetes, immobility or amputation. These things TERRIFY me. Thank you Dr. Atkins for this breakthrough diet that can help me avoid all these things. I only wish you were still here so I could tell you so in a letter or better yet in person.

I want to be comfortable having/be able to have sex in more than two positions.

The aforementioned are not ranked in any particular order. :p

[X-carber]

I want to lose weight because...

I want to play with my kids outside
I want to stop saying "This is what I am going to do when I lose weight"
I want to wear Lingerie
I want to shop at any store at the mall and not just the plus size stores
I want my blood pressure to come down
I want to teach others how to save there lives
I want to sit in those little seats at my kid's school during meetings
I want to walk across the floor and not sound like the giant in Jack and the Beanstalk (fe, fi, fo, fum)

[jschwab]

Rollercoasters are definitely the big one, but I am more about Atkins than losing weight. For me, the WOE comes first and the weight loss is the proof that it is the right way to eat. This is my first ever attempted diet, because I never believed in any before. My husband is doing Atkins, too, for health (he weighs 140 pounds).

Janine

[angiemama]

I want to weigh less than my husband.
That is a huge psycological issue for me. Not that he doesn't love and adore me. It is my problem, not his.
I don't want my daughter to learn bad habits from me. She is 19 months old, and I don't want to teach her what a "diet" is, I want her to learn how to eat what is best for her body naturally.
I don't want to be the "your mommy is fat" mommy of the class (aren't kids brutal)
I really want to have more clothing options than old lady.

[diemde]

A lot of reasons to do this, but to generalize it... I just want to feel better about myself. Prior to starting lc in 2003, I had given up on doing anything to control my weight since it just seemed impossible to do. It still amazes me how much easier this WOL is as compared to all the other weight management processes that are out there.

[MizKitty]

I'd like to wear a tucked-in shirt and a belt with my jeans.
I'd like to wear a swim suit and not feel self-consious, (although that's not going to happen without some nip-tuck surgery.)
I want to send my diabetes into remission.
I want to qualify for life insurance.
I want to feel sexy and pretty.
I want to stop asking myself the question "what's wrong with my husband, why does he still desire me, can't he see I'm a fat slob?"
I want to fit in my wedding dress.
I want to fit in the boxes of nice clothes I've hidden in the attic. (In the clothes, not the boxes... lol)
I want to be able to sit in one of those $10 plastic lawn chairs.
I want to have the energy to go out and enjoy life.
I want to learn to ride a motorcycle. (Planned goal reward).
I want to wear a pretty, feminine, floral print, summer dress and feel like a princess in it.
I want to see my jawline, ribs and my hipbones.
I never want to hear the compliment "you have such a pretty face" again.
I can't wait to get past the feeling that every one is staring at me... first because I was so fat, and now because I've lost so much weight. I look forward to having been a normal size for so long, no one really remembers the fat me.
I want to go to Six Flags and enjoy all the rides.
I want to go to one of those water parks. Oh, I've ALWAYS wanted to do that!
I want to feel like I'm participating in life, not sitting on the curb watching it go by.

What food could possible taste as good as accomplishing all that will feel?

[Takh_Prime]

my veins. when i see them i feel strong. They snake through the back of my hands and from my wrists up my forearm. When I workout they bulge out like bungie cords. I want them to bulge all the time like they used to.