I keep a list of motivations to help keep me on track when I need a boost. Whenever I think of a way in which my life will be improved if I lose my excess weight, I add it to the list. I'm nervous about posting this, seems very personal, but here's my list so far. What are your reasons for being on the plan? Maybe I'll find some new motivations!

• More professional appearance for work.
• Wear cute clothes.
• Shop in normal stores – no more Lane Bryant, plus sizes.
• More energy.
• Do fun things with kids/get kids more active. Specific goals are to do the school Jingle Bell Walk/Run in December, and go on the Scouts tubing trip in January.
• Look decent around the pool.
• No diabetes, heart disease.
• Won’t feel crammed into airplane seat or other tight spots - won't have to worry that one day the belt on the plane won't quite make it. Won't get that look coming down the aisle "I hope she's not sitting next to me!"
• Won’t break any more toilet seats (this actually happened to me, fortunately I was at home).
• Won’t get “that look” upon meeting people, second glance when passing people.
• Kids won’t feel embarrassed (they've never made me feel bad, but I'm sure they feel embarassed sometimes).
• Better sex (maybe I should move this to #1!).
• Stop snoring.
• Wearing a belt.
• Chairs won’t squeak so much when I sit.
• Will be able to ride rides at the amusement park.
• Will be able to tie shoes more easily.
• Will be able to buy underwear at Victoria’s Secret.

I really only have a couple reasons for wanting to lose the weight.
1. Fit into a beautiful Wedding Dress.
2. Won't huff and puff going up stairs.
3. Feel good about myself again.
4. Diabetes runs on both sides of my family and it scares me that I might have it.
5. Just look and feel great again!

~Lisa

Schmoodle and Piiper33,
I can relate to some of those things you wrote!
Here's my reason for losing:
Because I've been heavy all my life and I'm sick and tired of being this way.
Of course to feel good inside and out.
To wear cute clothes. Maybe even wear some short shorts!
Like you, Schmoodle, to not get stares and looks from people.
For my husband. Not because he has ever gotten on my case about it, but for that very reason. He deserves a thinner me!
To avoid the obvious health risks.
And of course to be able to fit any compact seat without being uncomfortable. Like a concert venue or even some restaurant seats.
You know when you sit in restaurant booth, how close the table is to the bench seat. Well I'm big on top and when I used to get seated in a seat like that, I was always spilling food on my chest because everything was too close.
That was embarrassing!
And finally, being smaller than my Mom and Mother in Law.

Reasons why I am here:

#1- My body is my temple, I've let it crumble way too long. I've abused it, rejected it, ignored it, taken it for granate, destroyed the wonderful condition it was in when I inherited this body... I want to right what I can, so it can serve me many more years to come.
2-Lower my cholesterol.
3-I have high arches, and I ask a lot from my feet and knees, I want to
thank them by reducing my load on them.
4- Diabetes runs in my family, I want to reduce the risk factor of getting it.
5- I want to have energy to run, skip, kick box, hopscotch or anything else that gets my fancy.
6- I don't want to have to ask for a seatbelt extender next time I fly.
7- I want to be able to swap/share clothes with my friends...99% of who are not obese.
8- I want to be able to turn a few heads from my beauty, not my size.
9- I don't want to deal with chaffing skin & heat rashes anymore, I'm sick of it
10- I want to be able to sit in any chair without being afraid it will break from my weight...
11- I tried doing this on my own and did not succeed... I'm here because I need the support of you all, who know what I'm going through, been there done that and moving on together!

Cheers! kitty

Wow, this is great, thank you for sharing ladies. I actually teared up here reading through your lists. I can so relate to some of your reasons, and now I've got a few more for my own list!

This is a great thread! Some of my goals are already met (since I've been on the beach over 3 years but I'll post anyway).

My doctor wanted to put me on cholesterol medicine (now close enough to normal that she is okay with it)
I was on three medications for blood pressure (now on only one)
I had pain when I walked due to plantar fasciitis and a bone spur - pain is gone now that I lost some weight
Number one reason - To be here to see my son grow up
I hated wearing size 18/20 clothes (now in a 10)
to be able to be more active with my son and Scouts

My biggest motivation are my daughters- I want a healthy lifestyle to become such a habit for me that it is just naturally passed on to them. I don't want to pass on some of my bad eating habits.

Selfishly, I just want to look good, FOR ME and no one else. I don't have unrealistic aspirations to be super thin, I want to be a toned, healthy size 10.

Thought it was a good time to chime in on this thread since this weekend has been very much a time of mental reassessment for me. Its a good reminder of why I started this WOE a year and a half ago (in no particular order - except perhaps #1):

1. I do not want to be another diabetes statistic
2. To prove to the 'voice in my head' that I can do it and that I'm not 'meant' to be anything but what I make of myself
3. Be more active - hike the grand canyon, go white water rafting, scuba dive, whatever
4. To go out with my husband on a fancy date and feel sexy
5. To look good in a bikini
6. Visible muscle definition
7. Never having to unbutton the top button of my pants again
8. Travelling comfortably
9. This is the only body I get and there are no 'do-overs'
10. More energy

A spaghetti-strap tank top and split-side skirt.
My black satin cargo pants, size 12, gathering dust in the closet.
Pecs, delts and biceps currently hiding under layers of fat.
That look, the one men give you, when they like what they see.
Going dancing again!
Stamina, strength, energy, joie de vivre.
Sex--wild, unashamed, naked sex with the lights on!
And yes, health, long life, good numbers on the blood tests--but what good is all that when you hate yourself because you just can't stop eating?
So I guess I'm shallow but I will admit that I need to look good and feel good first before I even want to live the full 74 years the life-expectancy tables tell me are possible!

L

Great Idea.....

1- Too look and feel sexy
2- To Wear Cute clothes- shorts and short skirts and not be embarassed of my fat thighs.
3- To be healthy for me and for my family- I want to be able to do physcial things with dh when the girls are up and gone.
4- To wear a sexy bathing suit.
5- The sex thing- ( although great ) for me it comes down to feeling sexy in my own skin.

ps- this would be a great sticky as well, we can add to it and pat ourselves on the back as we achieve our goals.

Honestly, I'm losing just because I want to eat healthily. Part of me wants to have a completely flat stomach, skinny legs, tiny butt, perky boobs, etc, but you just don't know if that's going to happen (and in my case, likely not, especially the perky part.) But most of me just wants to be healthy and HAPPY being healthy before time to start popping kids out. We'll see what happens!

My motivation to start...getting rid of the baby belly and extra padding on my hips.

What I've realized the longer I've been chatting with you gals...to get control of myself so I don't mindlessly or emotionally eat my way through life. I can see how I could lose focus and let pounds creep on. I'm VERY good at gaining weight if I open that door. This will be something I will have to deal with my whole life, and the more I set up the right frame of mind now, the less I will have to struggle to lose later.

Kara

Liannie - Thank you, this sums up exactly how I've been feeling. I've been beating myself up for quite awhile now, because I *know* without a doubt that if I don't correct things NOW, I will get type 2 diabetes, I will get heart disease, and my chances for cancer are pretty high. I know currently my cholesterol is too high. But still - do I do anything about it? Not for more than a day or two. And I hate myself for not taking care of myself....which just leads to more negative feelings and depression.

I've been away from the beach for too long. I feel cautiously optimistic this morning that I can make it back. I have a really hard time taking baby steps b/c I want immediate results. But maybe I'm finally ready to start taking the little steps. This morning I was awake early enough to exercise before work, and instead I chose to stay in bed. I'm mad at myself for that but then I made a creamsicle "shake" for breakfast and brought a few snacks instead of stopping at a drive-thru - so that's good!

So, anyway - after all that rambling is my list of motivation:
*to learn to love myself and feel good about myself, which I believe will be easier if I know that I'm taking care of me
*a pair of very expensive capris in my closet that I bought last time I was in shape that always made me feel cute....I will wear them next summer!
*to not have a tummy roll
*to be strong
*to feel comfortable enough in a bathing suit so that I can play with my kids in the pool at parties instead of hoping someone else will take them in (happened yesterday)
*to not pass on my food issues and bad body image to my children - the bad genes are going to be enough
*to be able to bend over comfortably to paint my toenails!

I'm printing this list out and keeping it with me!

This is such a nice thread.

I share many of the same motivations as those of you above. Clothes in the closet that don't fit, the sex thing, feeling more in control of my eating habits and all that.

And, then there are the pictures. I'm tired of shying away from taking pictures b/c I don't like seeing myself overweight.

There, I said it.