2frustrated: I know where you're coming from...my husband is happy with my weight, everyone in my family says I don't need to lose...it makes it hard sometimes to get/stay motivated. I have 2 reasons I would like to get my weight back down:

1) Totally Superficial.....I just don't feel as confident at this weight. I have these horrible thoughts everytime I run into someone I haven't seen in a while that they are secretely delighting in the fact that I don't look good anymore (I know that sounds lame). I usually am a very confident person and I don't want to see that person die because of a few extra pounds.

2) I think everyone here can agree that women are judged on the basis of their looks to a large extent. I don't want to be perceived as the "fat, lazy" woman (which I will become fat if I continue down this path for a few more years). I think thin and fit women have an easier time with success in the rest of their lives.

IPgoad: Frito is adorable...here are pictures of my walking companions:

I think it's hard to stay motivated at this point because, honestly, these are vanity pounds. I'm in a healthy weight range for my height, I eat decently and am active and fairly muscular, and it isn't going to make me healthier to be 10 pounds slimmer. I'm at a point where, in terms of cost-benefit analysis, and in terms of what I feel to be my overall quality of life, it is worth more to me to splurge occasionally with my eating, or to sleep in occasionally instead of going to the gym, than it is to micromanage my diet and exercise to release a couple more pounds.

But the vanity does kick in, and that is what keeps me coming back to the board, and doing my little up-and-down thing with the weight!

Amen to that! I, too, am at a healthy, normal weight for my height. I just want to get lower.....vanity. You said it.

If you don't feel confident, then I don't think it's superficial


i third this

For me? I have basically 3 motivators.

1) I'm slightly overweight at the weight I'm at. For me to be healthy I should weigh under 150lbs. Of course, that's arguable, because I do have a larger bone structure and according to some sites the weight range I'm in is just right. But the fact that I gained roughly 20lbs in a year or two is frustrating. I don't want that number to double in another 2 years.

2) Insecurity. I've always beens self conscious of my body. I've always felt like I was the "big girl" and I don't want that feeling to stay. One reason I know that I'm doing this the right way this time is that even though I'm 20lbs heavier than I was in high school I "feel" thinner than I every have before.

3) Eating habits. I have horrible eating habits and if I continue with them I could easily reach a much higher much less healthy weight. I'm also concerned that I could fall even further into an eating disorder, which is the last thing I want. I want to have normal eating habits... I want to be one of those peope who listens to their hunger and basically eats whatever they want because it's about HUNGER not restrictions or good/bad food...

Well I know why I want to lose my 10lb (or so) - it's to get back to the weight I used to be before I had children (the last child in particular). I still have clothes in the wardrobe that I can't get into (although I'm gradually throwing the too-small things out, as they are going out of fashion). But at the same time, I have this little voice that tells me that I'm just getting older, the extra weight is inevitable, and I'm basically still healthy and fairly slim. Also, I'm married to a man who weighs nearly 400 lb, and can't seem to stick with any weight loss programme. It took about 15 years for me to realise that I can't do anything about his weight, it's up to him (yes, I know I can be supportive, and I am). But I end up thinking, "what's the point?"

This is so true. My first goal was to lose 10 % of my weight. My next goal to be under 200. After doing height/weight charts with my doctor and hired a trainer and got some exercise and eating education - I chose my goal weight to be between 150-155. Well..... now I'm 143, a size 8 (with room) and even some tops that are a size 6 and a size 4 jacket and I'm thinking hmmmm. I now weigh what I did in college, and that 10 pound weight loss would put me at my HS weight. And I'm wondering if I need to be ten pounds thinner than that?

You're absolutely right. They are vanity pounds. I am lucky in that I have an external motivator at the moment, and that is my brother's wedding in september. I'm not sure I'm going to get to 125, but that is the lowest I would wish for my weight to be. Right now I'm going to focus on 10 pounds, and see what the world looks like at 133-135 or so, which was my HS weight - and I looked darn good :wink: .

Plus, then I know my bridesmaids dress will need to be taken in a smidge and will fit perfectly :wink:

It's definitely a challenge though. I found this board only recently, which has aided in my motivation and I've started counting calories again and actually working on it and focusing again - I was coasting for a couple of months happy with where I was prior to reading about this in Oprah's magazine.

I love the people here.

Michelinwoman I love your dogs they are so cute, I love walking with Frito he is really great and a good motivator

I've just been asked to model in a fashion show (fundraising, not professional)! That could be motivating!

Good for you! Just pretend it is professional when you're out there strutting your stuff

Thanks, michelinwoman!

My motivation is very extrinsic (with the possible exception of #3) it is as follows:

1. (Very well-put, by the way.)

2. My boyfriend is one of those tall, slender, athletic types and I don't want to be seen as being his "pudgy girlfriend" if we go to the beach and all body flaws can be seen.

3. I want to overcome my history of crappy eating and exercise habits.

4. I come from a family where bad eating and no exercise are pretty much the norm. The extended family that I grew up around will even badger the thinner ones for being "unhealthy" because in their minds, you're not "healthy" unless you have a "few pounds" on you. A big part of me wants very badly to rebel against this because I know it's a load of horse maneur. That might be a stupid reason for motivation to lose weight, but I do have a bit of a rebellious streak sometimes and it can be a motivator.

I have bad feet and I love running. Every extra pound I take off reduces the force on my feet when I run

Plus...I've never not self sabotaged. I dont know what I could "naturally" be if I didnt sabotage myself back up to overweight when I got close. What would I be if I just ate well MOST of the time and exercised the way I like to.

My family is the same way. They act like overweight people are "better looking". At one time, they will say I look "scrawny", but will also poke fun at my "fat rolls" on my side. I'm thinking maybe they would like to lose weight (or, as in my case, never let it get out of hand in the first place) and it makes them insecure that I may just succeed.