Besides getting to a certain # on the scale I'm sure there are others here who have a list of incentives for getting to that number as well. I would really love to hear yours.
I have only a few at the moment, though I'm sure I will add more as time goes on.
To fit into my Pyramid Collection top that's waiting for the day to be worn for the first time - Accomplished 10/14
To Kayak & Canoe at the beach house next summer.
To be able to buy a bike and take rides around the lake.
To surprise my brother at his official Army retirement ceremony.
To be able to take a trip to Alaska without having to worry if I can fit in a plane seat.
For the day to come when I don't feel so self-conscious I try to hide in a dark corner. Even with family.
To be able to hike and take nature walks with my dog.
To be able to walk into any clothing store and find something in my size!
To be able to find a bra that fits with an A cup!! (Maybe TMI, but I'm tired of stores only carrying bras with DD-H size cups! Sorry plus size stores, but my girls are little. LOL
To take a ride on the back of my Dad's motorcycle.
To have more room in my dresser.
♥ Jesslan
Last edited by Jesslan Rose; 11-18-2014 at 01:50 AM.
I want to get up and get dressed into what I want to wear, not what will cover my body the most.
I want to not cry every summer because I don't look good in anything.
I would LOVE to start doing active things with my child (like sledding) instead of feeling embarrassed that I'm breathing heavily while walking up a big hill.
I want to fit into the wedding dress that I want instead of looking for any dress with sleeves.
my incentives are, first of all, being able to go to a clothing store and look good in anything i pick and them always having my size! and second of all, i want the people who made me feel like crap about my body to be crazy with jealousy!
I guess mine is vanity...I just want to look good.I was only about 30 lb overweight and I lost it all.My health was not affected but I felt unattractive.I really feel attractive now that I have lost the weight and in control of my eating.I like being thinner and happier.
1. To keep up with my kids. doing that now.
2. Get dh to be motivated by my lost and join me. Very concerned about dh, having lots of health related issues due to weight but he doesn't want to lose. (Not bugging him about it, just doing my own thing)
3. To look as good as I did as a teen or better
To be on the outside the same woman I am on the inside.
In a few weeks, I'll be a certified image consultant. I truly don't believe style is limited to people of a certain weight or size. BUT - style is unique to every person and it takes confidence and self-love to really embrace it.
How can I teach women about their own style, when I'm not confident and happy with my own looks? Inside, I'm a healthy, sexy, strong and confident woman. I want to lose weight so I can BE her.
Image is our second language. At 50+ pounds overweight, I don't like what mine is saying.
To improve my power to weight Ratio so I can cycle and rock climb better. Losing 40 pounds would be amazing.
To feel like my old self
I spend my time mainly with athletes and I don't want to be the fat girl anymore, I used to have a rocking body and all the weight has really damaged my self esteem especially in relationships. I feel I've come to terms with my weight, now I want to slowly change back.
To be able to enjoy shopping and wearing cool clothes again!
It was just for a bit of fun really. And it was a lot of fun on the way down.
Now I have lost the weight I appreciate feeling healthier and all the other things you don't realize you are missing when you are fat...or at least I didn't realize. I could list them but I won't bore you.
But the real motivation was just to give it a go and to see what happened.
And at 281lbs, by God it happened.
One of the few blessings of trying to lose from a heavier weight is you drop so fast.
I am not sure I would have been as motivated if I only had 30 pounds or so to lose.
But with a 100lbs, the smallest changes kick the scale's @rse to the curb. I loved that.
You give up soda. You lose. You give up chips. You lose. You skip dinner. You lose. You go for a run. You lose.
At first it was for health and to do better at physical activities like hiking faster, climbing mountains-that kind of stuff. Also I didn't feel physically comfortable at a high weight, everything felt hard(dealing with clothes, moving, feeling hot all the time, not having energy....). I felt completely awkward and wanted to feel comfortable in my body. Now though its really just vanity lbs.
Now I have lost the weight I appreciate feeling healthier and all the other things you don't realize you are missing when you are fat...or at least I didn't realize. I could list them but I won't bore you.
IanG I would actually love to hear some of the things you missed when you were overweight! ! Please Please Please? I've been very overweight my entire life and would really like to use your experiences as additional motivaters!
Well, here goes. The big one for me was when I was 281lbs, I did not feel particularly unhealthy or ill. It's only now that I have lost the weight that I realize how tired I was actually feeling all the time carrying all that extra weight around. I have so much more energy now and a lot less aches and pains that I used to think were just "normal". But they weren't. That's what they mean by "the silent killer". I am also off of BP meds and cholesterol meds. Part of me knew these were due to the weight though.
I have less anxiety (I thought I was just tightly strung, which I am but carrying the weight around only made it worse).
I don't snore any more.
When I sleep, I get better rest. So I sleep less. I used to just think that I just liked to sleep.
I don't sweat anywhere near as much as I used to. Again, I just thought this was "normal".
My bowel movements are more healthy (no more piles/bleeding/soreness).
I get less heat rashes on my thighs and stomach. Again, I did not associate this with weight. I just thought it was jock-itch or something.
I can breathe easily.
I do not get out of breath climbing stairs.
I don't smell bad as often. I can wear the same shirt and pants several days, if I have to.
My shoes do not wear out as fast. And my clothes last longer.
My skin is better (less pimples).
My joints are better. Again, I thought my knees used to hurt just because I was getting older not because I was heavy.
The toilet does not creak when I sit on it.
I can now climb ladders confidently. I used to think I was just scared of heights. Nope. A 281lb guy on a ladder just ain't stable!
Women sit next to me on the train. I used to think they didn't just because I was a guy.
My oral health is better. Less food in - less tooth decay.
Strangers smile at me.
I can pack more clothes in a suitcase when I travel.
I am better looking than I thought I was. I used to think I was "born ugly" in the face department. But looking back, that was just fat. If you have been overweight a long time, like I was, you may not know who you really are when you look in the mirror.
People take me more seriously.
I could go on and on.
But I did not realize any of these things at my heavier weight were due to my weight.
Of course, there were also things that I thought weight loss might help that it never did.
I thought it might make my marriage stronger. In fact it did the opposite.
Health for myself and for my family. Was on the way to being a third generation diabetic. Uncle got dementia and is only 22 years older me. We have a daughter who just turned 4.
The great news is epigenetics. Look it up if you haven't heard of it. Most awesome word in the English language. For virtually all if not all chronic diseases WE are in control. No destiny is determined by your genes. Propensity might be but not destiny.
For me giving up grains, sugar, and processed foods was worth more than all the gold in the world. You could give me a choice of winning a 300 million dollar lottery but having to eat wheat and hands down I'd say no in a second.
So grain free no sugar worked for me beyond my wildest imagination. Stronger, more vibrant, more vigor now at 49 than 19. Recently have gotten strong enough to do a pullup. I could never do that as a teenager.
So why lose weight? Yeah I look better. But I feel AMAZING. Every day, all day. As I said, worth more than all the money in the world.
What are your incentives for losing weight?
doing that now.
