What are your goals/motivations/rewards? - 3 Fat Chicks on a Diet Weight Loss Community

Gryph · 05-14-2008, 07:44 PM

Yeah, I know, that's kind of a huge general topic--but in my case, all of mine kind of fall under each of these.

My friend just recently got a pixie cut--looks GREAT on her. For a time it inspired me to get my hair cut short myself, but after mulling over it a while, I realised that I don't have the hair for it--my hair is super curly and would probably just turn out looking like an afro!
So I decided against that, but also made the decision that, once I've reached my goal weight, I -am- going to start treating myself to some new things. Like, actually looking for hairstyles, getting a monthly trim so my hair grows out longer, faster (I've been growing my hair out since sixth grade when it was chin-length, and in four years, it's only gotten to my shoulders!), and maybe invest in some -nice- make up rather than the cheap stuff you just pick up at Wal-Mart. That, and treat myself to some new pants and generally a nicer wardrobe.
Something else I've found out is that I'm actually shorter than I thought I was--a year ago, I thought I was 5'4", but recently I discovered I'm only 5'2"! Okay, so some of you are probably thinking, "Why the heck does she want to be shorter?!" The answer? I can't really be sure, but there's something about generally being "small" and "petite" that I've always liked, and that probably stems from the fact that I've pretty much been overweight my entire life and believing, as most do, that I'm "big-boned". I'll never be as small as my 4'10" friend (but oh, how I envy her!), but I'm smaller than I thought I was, which is more than good enough for me. (:
Today I also tried tightening my belt on my ROTC uniform pants, and I found that it made me look significantly slimmer (Not too tight--the last time I adjusted it was when I was ten pounds heavier), and not only that, but that my pants are starting to really bunch up. They used to be tight before!
This kind of goes with my goals--I want to be at my goal weight by the start of the new school year so that I can immediately go in and get myself some new uniform pants! (Seeing as I'm the supply officer now, I'm in charge of that stuff

) It was also my intent to get my driver's license at the end of the school year, but thinking about it, I'd rather have the picture made when I'm at my goal weight. That, and next summer, I plan to go on a trip to Germany for two weeks with the school to our town's sister city, and to repay a visit from the exchange student from that sister city who stayed over -here- two weeks! So, there are goals number two and three--look good for my driver's license photo AND for the passport photos!

So, now--what's your motivation? What are your goals, and what are you rewarding yourself with when you reach your ultimate goal weight? =o

Erika79 · 05-14-2008, 09:40 PM

Great question! I look forward to reading everyones answers.

First off- I completely understand you about the "short" thing.. congrats on being shorter than you assumed

I'm the exact height as you, 5'2" and I LOVEEEEEEEEE my short-ness, as does my husband. The whole 'petite' thing is great for me... and DH is 5'7", so we're just the perfect height for eachother.

As far as my motivation-
My number ONE is, obviously, my health. I do have a young daughter (she's 2!) and man.. 2 year olds are ACTIVE lil' thangs. My own mama is overweight (obese).. and while she spends an insane amount of time with Alexis, she can't do many "physical" like things. I want to be ACTIVE with my daughter (and future grandchildren, should I have them!!) and I want to BE here for my child.

A big motivation is that I lost 90 pounds in 2003 (then I was married and a child, and gained a lot back).. that was the first time in my adult life I had been healthy/slim. I know what I look like when I'm of average weight, and I WANNA GET THERE AGAIN! That's really motivating to me. I have LOTS of small clothes hanging in my closet!!

One of my longer-time goals is a cruise DH and I are taking in October 2009 to Bermuda!!

It's already booked, a beautiful balcony room in the AFT of the ship.. and I want to be WAY smaller than I am now. Bermuda equals bathing suit!! And lots of time spent on the beach, and the pools on the ship. Lots of shorts wearing. And TONS of pics taken. I'm SO excited about that vacation (btw, sans child! We're celebrating my 30th birthday/5th wedding anniversary that year).. and this cruise is a huge, huge, huge motivating factor for me.

As far as my reward in the end?
CLOTHES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My husband is actually putting $5 in our checking account for every pound I lose

and I'm allowed to "use it" when I hit goal, and I'll be buying all new clothes with it. I freakin' LOVE clothes when I'm smaller (not so much now, because it's frustrating)... so I can't wait to build up my wardrobe when I hit goal.

sunback · 05-14-2008, 11:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Erika79

My husband is actually putting $5 in our checking account for every pound I lose

and I'm allowed to "use it" when I hit goal, and I'll be buying all new clothes with it. I freakin' LOVE clothes when I'm smaller (not so much now, because it's frustrating)... so I can't wait to build up my wardrobe when I hit goal.

Erika - I LOVE this idea!! I'm going to go convince my hubby to do that for me too....

olguitha · 05-15-2008, 12:45 AM

i love erika's husband, i mean he's soooo supportive!!!
the thing that inspires me the most is wearing a bikini, that actually look good on me, nd get a tan in the beach with my gals, i know it's silly but i've never do that.

freethetoys · 05-15-2008, 03:53 AM

short term goals for me
in 5.5 weeks i am of on holiday to rhodes, so iwould love to meet my target weight i set ,myself 2 years ago. which is 12 stone 168lbs.

freedomreins · 05-15-2008, 05:58 AM

I love threads like this! They are so motivating

My goal is to hit my first goal of 150 by May 30th, as I leave for Spain that day (or the next...?). I really hope I can make it, but I have been playing with the same two pounds or so since the middle of March so we'll see!! I am definitely going to be out in the sunshine and on the beach in my bathing suit, so that is a huge motivator for me. My original motivation was a cruise I went on at the end of March, and I managed to get down to about 153 then, so not too far off my goal. I'll be vacationing in Spain and Germany until about the 18th of June, so my goal then is to make smart choices and maintain as close as possible to whatever weight I am when I leave, and then when I get home, I would love to be 145 by the beginning of August. I think that will be my ultimate goal, but I may need to go a bit lower if I'm not satisfied at that point, though I suspect I will be.

I bought a new t-shirt yesterday and it is a little bit snug and even at nearly my goal weight I am not comfortable wearing tight clothes yet, so I am hoping that it will get a bit looser and then I will be fine to wear it. That's also motivation.

I don't know what my rewards will be... I have noticed that I am more confident now, and that is in itself a huge reward. If I can afford it, I would love to go buy myself some new clothes or go on vacation with my mom for a few days when I am home once I reach my goal in August (as I'm at university right now). I love using trips as motivators! I used to avoid the pool - I really want to go spend an afternoon splashing around and laying by it and be comfortable in my own skin!

reddahlia · 05-15-2008, 06:08 AM

My goal is to get healthy. I'm engaged and we're wanting to have kids. I don't feel healthy enough to nurture a new life or really even enjoy my own fully. My motivation is all that, plus a wedding in 5 months!

I'm starting to seriously stress about how far I have to go. My fiancee also wants to lose weight and is diabetic. I worry for him and I want to help him, so I know I need to be a good example. My rewards will be gaining the kind of life I want, enjoying life with my new husband, my son, and the children we will have. Plus, we're planning little rewards along the way; clothes, trips etc..

Gryph · 05-15-2008, 07:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by olguitha

i love erika's husband, i mean he's soooo supportive!!!
the thing that inspires me the most is wearing a bikini, that actually look good on me, nd get a tan in the beach with my gals, i know it's silly but i've never do that.

Noo, I know what you mean about the tan thing.
I'm part Irish (A LARGE part Irish) and I've inherited the fair-freckled-skin bit. Now, I love having fair skin--I wouldn't trade it for the world, and I wouldn't even really bother with a tan (Mom's side of the family has a history of skin cancer, so I have to be really careful in the sun) if it wasn't for one thing . I DO have these little dots on my legs where the hair grows, and that's always been a big source of my embarrassment about my legs...so I'm hoping that I can hide those by getting a slight tan.
But more on subject...I myself have never really gone out for a tan, either! So that's something I'm considering.

saoirse79 · 05-15-2008, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gryph

Noo, I know what you mean about the tan thing.
I'm part Irish (A LARGE part Irish) and I've inherited the fair-freckled-skin bit. Now, I love having fair skin--I wouldn't trade it for the world, and I wouldn't even really bother with a tan (Mom's side of the family has a history of skin cancer, so I have to be really careful in the sun) if it wasn't for one thing . I DO have these little dots on my legs where the hair grows, and that's always been a big source of my embarrassment about my legs...so I'm hoping that I can hide those by getting a slight tan.
But more on subject...I myself have never really gone out for a tan, either! So that's something I'm considering.

I call it chicken legs, I have it too, also Irish, I think it looks just like a plucked chicken, sigh... I hoping some fake bake would cure it, but I'm afraid the tan will get caught in them and just make it look worse! I've done my arms and face before, but because I never show my legs, I've never tried doing them before....good thing I don't live somewhere warmer eh? I be roasting in my long trousers otherwise, I don't think they'll work in Morocco though. Oh the panic over Morocco, I'm really excited to go away, but I don't have any clothes to wear, and don't really have the money to go out and get a bunch of new clothes in a size I don't plan on being very long... Although my big moitvation is I've bought one item of clothing in everysize down to my goal size (UK 10, US 8) and I like to keep trying on the next one down until it fits...

BellyUp · 05-15-2008, 09:16 AM

Once I reach 130lbs, I'm going to get my hair dyed and styled. It's looooong over needed so it's a big motivator for me! The boyfriend and I are going to cali in a month and a half so I might hold off a couple weeks to get it dyed (so I can be 'no-roots' cute for california), but at least I'll have permission!!!

At 115lbs I'm going to buy some new skinny clothes! I have a lot of clothes I can't wear that I have from when I was this weight last time. So even if I don't get to buy a lot of stuff, it will feel like I'm getting a new wardrobe!

At my final goal of 105lbs, I'm going to buy myself a cute new swimsuit! Not a bikini mind you...that will never look good with my stretch marks, haha, but a swimsuit all the same. And I'm going to finally put my apt. pool to good use! Hoepfully it won't be too cold by then, haha.

About the plucked chicken legs look, I totally have it to and it sucks! Tanning REALLY helps with mine. I use Designer Skin Spellbound tanning lotion stuff when I go, and it smells amazing and really makes my legs look A LOT better.

wisher · 05-15-2008, 10:38 AM

I have lots of motivators/reasons for wanting to lose weight.

My biggest motivator is simply feeling good. The more weight I lose the better I feel about myself and there's nothing quite as satisfying as feeling confident.

I'm also a total shopaholic and clotheshorse so that's a big motivator too! I'm really into fashion and I'm constantly seeing things in stores, catalogs, even on other people that I would love to wear but can't really right now because of my weight.

I'm also dating a guy who really takes care of himself and has a fantastic body! He goes to the gym 4-5 times a week and it's totally an inspiration to me, he makes me want to look just as good as him!

My goal is to reach as size 6/8 (honestly I think I'd even be happy with an 8/10 but I might as well dream big right?). I'm not exactly sure what my actual weight would be at that size but I'm guessing around 150 since I'm a size 12 right now at 195. My goal is not based on any magic number though, that's why I'm not sure my exact goal weight, it's based on how I LOOK and how I feel about myself. When I'm happy with what I've made of myself that will be my goal!

As far as rewards go, as I mentioned above I'm a total clothing nut so all of my "rewards" are treating myself to a new piece of clothing. I don't go out and get something only when I reach a goal though, I reward myself whenever I'm feeling really good about what I've done and where I'm at.

Kitegirl24 · 05-15-2008, 12:08 PM

I am motivated for a lot of reasons....first of all, I have always had 5-10 unnecessary extra pounds on my frame and I want to be truly PETITE all over, not just "short"! Besides my health, my confidence has suffered as well my entire life, because I am super self-conscious about how I look weight-wise. I don't think I'm ugly or anything, sometimes I even feel cute, but that weight always keeps me from looking in the mirror and thinking, "WOW! I feel hot!"

So that is my main motivation to change.

Other little things include wanting to look great in a bikini by the end of the summer, since I am studying abroad in Spain this year and planning on hanging out on the beach. And I LOVE shopping, but trying on piece after piece of clothing is so frustrating when everything fits (except the chest/stomach). So I am planning on saving the money I make over the summer, and just doing my shopping before I leave the country. That way, I can reward myself AND get some new clothes that show off my figure.

aerogora · 05-15-2008, 01:32 PM

I want to weigh less than my hubby!! I know it sounds strange but I have always thought that the woman should weigh less and of coarse, my luck, I end up marring a very lean guy weighing in at a whopping 160 pounds!! But I am getting close. Another goal is to be healthy, which includes a healthy BMI and body fat percentage. I am out of the "obese" BMI range so I am happy about that, now I am working to get out of the "overweight" range.
I am saving my stimulus money and I am going to spend it on new clothes when I reach goal.

olguitha · 05-15-2008, 06:29 PM

i just remebered something, i wanna be a bee for halloween, my family always make this huge halloween ball, and i wanna look like this:

and not like the little girl in blind melon's video

saoirse79 · 05-15-2008, 08:10 PM

I LOVE THIS THREAD!!! So, so positive! Aerogora totally feeling you on the skinny man thing, my boyfriend has put on 15 lbs in the last year and is barely hitting 160, and he's 6'4"! I can't wait to weight less than him and feel small in his arms, TG he put on the weight, otherwise I'd have to be down to 140...hmmm just had an idea, maybe I'll stay the weight I am and put suppliments in his food until he's fatter than me! Just kidding, obv ;-) And Olguitha I love the bee comparison! I always felt a bit like that little girl!