one more reason for me at least.. I want to look cute when I preggo... the first time around, I was bigger, not as big now.. but, ever see those tiny little preggo girls... awe how cute....
AND THOSE MOMMYS OUT THERE THIS IS FOR YOU... NO MORE GOSH DARN MUMMA POUCH!!!

I want to be hated...because I am the skinny chick!

I second the cute baby-belly JustForUs - I saw the cutest lady at the gym today, very petite all around with a perfect little 6 month belly. Love it! I was grinning from ear to ear at her... she probably thought I was creepy. Oh well!

I third the cute baby belly thing! Plus size clothes suck, plus size maternity clothes are made from circus tents and old curtains Oh and justforus, lol on the pouch thing! I LOATHE my pouch! *Amanda looks down, noting that her belly is less like a pouch, and more like a bean bag chair*

I'm not even a mommy and I have a belly pouch!

I love the one about your butt no longer being your enemy ..That is a good one! I too want to fit in my clothes, attract the RIGHT kind of man instead of the inevitably sleazy ones I seem to attract now (low self esteem ). I want to be a positive example to my son, i don't want him to turn to food for comfort. All the activities that I love, or at least most of them, would be more fun if I was physically fit. I want to be aware of the experiences I am having instead of the way I look or how disgusting I feel that I look all the time. I'm pursuing my graduate degree then my doctorate while working full time and being a single mom. That requires energy and ho ho's and mountain dew are not cutting it anymore! I want to adopt in 3-5 years and I will definitely need to be healthy to keep up with TWO crazy kids! Last but certainly not least I want to look HOT!!

I used to feel very similar to you ladies. But I was only making myself more depressed about who I was. My goals are much different now and the motivation has completely changed too. My list for losing weight:
1. To be healthy
2. To live longer
3. To be stronger
4. To have more energy

Losing weight isn't about improving my self esteem anymore. I have improved my self esteem, but I've done it by believing in myself. I tell myself that I am pretty. I don't say that I'm fat. If anyone else thinks it, who cares? I mean really? Why should someone elses opinion matter when it comes to how YOU look? In this world there is always going to be someone who thinks you look fat, ugly, or whatever.... As for men.... I want one... one that loves me exactly as I am, whether I weight 250 or 125. I weigh 240 right now, and just last night I ran into a high school class mate... he was so sweet (and VERY good looking). We exchanged numbers. I have treated myself like **** for too long. From now on I respect myself. All that matters is RIGHT NOW. I really think if people focus on improving their self esteem their weight loss will come more naturally, because you'll be doing it for the right reasons. I'm really sorry if this offended anyone, but it makes me sad to remember that I used to want to lose weight for petty reasons.

I知 joining in with these lists:

1. I never again want to be reduced to tears in the mall when my mom agrees that I really am getting very fat.
2. I want to be able to walk through town without worrying that every laugh is directed at me.
3. I want to be able to own sexy lingerie.
4. I never again want to have to decide between shopping at Torrid (where I feel too old) or Lane Bryant (where I feel too young).
5. When my boyfriend tells me that he finds me attractive, I want to be able to believe him.
6. I want to go to the beach wearing less than jeans and a t-shirt.
7. I never again want to go to 15 stores without finding anything that fit much less looked good.
8. I want to be able to look at pictures of myself without wanting to cry.
9. I want to be able to travel abroad without being afraid that people will think I知 just a fat American.
10. I never again want to get sympathetic looks in clothing stores.
11. I want to be able to go shopping with my sister without a sales person directing me to the plus-sized aisle.
12. I want to be able to join the gym.
13. I don稚 want people to assume I知 lazy.
14. I want people to want to get to know me.
15. I want to be able to tell friends that I知 hungry without worrying what they値l think of me.
16. I want to feel like a woman, not a fat woman.

I really feel you on these one's girl...in particular the one about Torrid/Lane Bryant. Do you live in Michigan too (I ask because I didn't think Torrid was a chain)?

Torrid is a chain - it's a subsidary of Hot Topic.

While I agree that there are definately more "pressing" reasons to lose weight (like health), seeing as we're in our 20s, many of us aren't really feeling that pressure just yet (like Jilly said). My weight loss journey started when my doctor gave me a pamphlet about prediabetes, telling me I was a prime candidate. I was 19! So, yeah, for me, and I'm sure for everyone else here, health is important - but I'm not going to lie - the smaller clothes and the compliments is really what keeps me going month after month. It's not like people in our society would walk up to someone like me and say, "Great job for keeping those Type II Diabetes monsters at bay!" - no they're going to say, "You look great." It's just part of the game.

I don't have any health problems either... but I work in healthcare and see a lot of weight related problems.

I shouldn't have said they're petty reasons.... I guess my point was that it makes me sad that a lot of you girls want to lose weight for reasons such as fitting in. I used to want to fit in, then I realized that I don't want to be like everyone else. I mean I do want to be a healthy weight, but I am now realizing that when I believe the good things about myself rather than the negative (ie. everyone thinks i'm fat and lazy) then people start to treat me better. It's all reletive to how you treat yourself. If you hate yourself then why should anyone else like you? I used to feel exactly like all of you did, but for ME it was defeating my purpose.... instead of finding motivation to lose weight/get healthy I thought of myself as a failure. I never believed in myself. I'm trying new things, I go out more now... because I don't worry about what strangers think of me. There are a lot of shallow people out there, so even when everyone thinks you're beautiful you'll still attract a lot of losers/players/fakes. This is what helps me, and I've never been happier or more comfortable within my own skin. Again, I appologize for calling your reasons petty, but I think you all are wonderful people and shouldn't feel so down about yourselves.

Sara G

There's a great quote I picked up from someone on the 100 lb. board about this:
"Let's love every bit of who we are. Hating yourself does not speed up your weight loss." Goddess Jessica

I wouldn't say it's about fitting in, I would say it's more about feeling comfortable in your own skin out in the world. They might not be the least superficial reasons to lose weight, but they are motivation nonetheless. And motivation is what I need the most.

ab