Sticking with something hasn't been my problem. I was a vegetarian for 3 years and lost 50 lbs. Then vegan for 1 1/2 years and lost another 15. Then was Paleo for the last year and gained 16 and my lipid panel went up over 30 points. My motivation is that THIS WORKS. Per my home scale this morning I am down 13.2 lbs since I started 4 1/2 weeks ago. I was so tired of being fat and uncomfortable in my body. Not too far down the road it would lead to health problems. Not going to let that happen.

I need to be able to keep up with my grandkids, if I ever get any.

Not sure about ankles, but 1 pound is equal to 4 pounds of pressure on your knees.

Motivation of the day, I can wear the new pants, now I want them to be comfortable! LOL

It is amazing how much pain being overweight or obese can cause. Much of mine is gone, not thru WL alone but because of WL, I move better and more. The movement and strengthening is what is taking away most of my aches and pains.

Lisa, I just love the 'you're not allowed to cheat' aspect of IP.



Who woulda thunk it?

I cheated on so many other diets,

and on this one they told me not to ....so I'm not cheating.

BUAHAHAHAHAHAHA

#1 health and family. I am a widow and single mom to an 8 year old and he can't lose another parent! Already have high blood pressure and just turned 40, so need to make an immediate change for my health and my little boys future.
#2 sick and tired of feeling blah (tired, out of breath, back pain, knee pain, feeling self-conscious).
#3 yeah, I am single again and want to look nice to some day maybe, possibly go on a date....

My motivation is- I don't want to get diabetes (which runs in my family) and I want to be healthy and stay around as long as possible for my 7 year old daughter. I also like being able to get out and skate, run, jump with her!

My motivation is being able to buy the clothing I love and not just what fits me...also don't want to avoid family beach vacations because I'm too self conscious to be in a bathing suit. We're planning a Caribbean cruise later this year and it would be awesome to go to the store and pick a bathing suit I like and not what covers the most surface area.

I'd also like to avoid future health issues....I had GD with my first pregnancy and would like to see if I can avoid it the next time around.

My motivation is I'm very active in my town. I'm on several committees and organizations which often leads to my picture being in our newspaper. I'm tired of hiding in the back row or feeling terrible about myself every time I see a picture.

Looking down at my huge belly, my size 17 pants and 2x shirt... and pictures of me when I was fit

That is exactly what I have felt being over my normal weight. And I want to save those horrible thoughts and feelings in some way so I can remind myself in the weakness moments what I don't want to be anymore.

I sooo understand you!

My motivation is my happiness and confidence, especially to chase positions I know I am capable of in my career, if I could only be confident enough to. Also, my health. I have never been this size and I miss when I could go play any sport, without having to think about "am I fit enough?"
I want my life back Food should not have the power to control me.

What motivates me? Waking up every morning feeling great and happy, knowing that I am doing something for ME, that keeps me from feeling sad and depressed like when I was 100 pounds heavier.

I never again want to start my day thinking that I need to get my health and weight under control today and thinking that, like the day before and the day before that, it will never happen.

What else motivates me? The days which go by now where I do not feel, hear, sense the discrimination and distaste with which people treat the obese as if we are stupid idiots and lazy. It is nice to be a "normal" person walking through society and be essentially unnoticed.

How many people would see that as a pleasure in life but for me, I love not having people look at me with disapproval, pretending they don't see me.

So success for me is moving from having people pretend they don't see me to people really not seeing me!

I have many, many motivating reasons.....
1) My health. Diabetes runs rampant on both sides of my family. I am going to get it, there is no doubt. But, I can work my tail off to prolong it as long as possible.
2) I'm closing in on 30 and desperately want to start a family. I'm giving myself until June 1 to lose as much as possible so that I can phase off and we can hopefully be pregnant by august (I know, I know......things don't EVER work as planned when it comes to these things. But I'm going to try my best!)
And finally 3) my selfish reason.....I want to wear skinny jeans and a sleepless shirt this summer and not feel like a whale!!


Keep up the good work everyone! I love the support of this forum. I read/stalk more than I post, but everyday y'all keep me motivated!

To finally feel the satisfaction of making it to goal. After many diets in my life, I have never reached goal. I am looking forward to the challenge of becoming a maintainer, as opposed to a dieter.