Uhhh ... I'd LIKE to be more healthy so that when I start a family, I am at my best. However, right now? It's totally about looking good in whatever I want to wear, when I want to wear it. I'm tired of carrying around this belly fat & I'm tired of looking at myself sideways in a mirror to see if I look as horrible as I think I do.

Anyway ... yeah, healthy is important, but for me ... it's like third.

It's definitely about looks for me. The health is a nice added benefit, so is the self-confidence, but when it comes down to it, it's about how I look.

When I first started exercising, it was about my health. I had some medical issues and I thought exercising would help. But I also didn't think it was possible for me to lose weight or change my appearance. So, since I didn't think those goals were possible, so, of course, they weren't my motivation. But now that I know what is possible in terms of my appearance--that's what it's all about.

For me, it was primarily mental/emotional health then secondarily physical health. Of course, I didn't really process how bad my physical health WAS at 369 lbs until I'd lost the first 80-90 or so.

My appearance definitely factored large into the mental/emotional health aspect, and looks were the catalyst that jump-started this process. But looks alone aren't enough. Physical health, how I feel physically, is just as important if not more so.

So for me, it was all about health - but two different aspects of it.

Vanity was my main driving force :) Being healthy is something that is an added perk. I've never had any major medical problems to spur me into action though.

To me, its about being healthy. When i started, it was about the numbers on the scale.. but now its about feeling great from the inside out, looking in the mirror and liking what i see, having the long lasting energy(not just the quick sugar buzz) to keep up with my children, and to be here when the all get married.

But i will also agree..i want to look hot and sexy..and have all the guys spin thier heads...

ang

Hi all! I'd LOVE to hear from some of the other maintainers, too, as to what happened during their journey -- it sure would be useful for those of us along the way! :)
Kira

Well, I'm a new maintainer, just at ten months, but here goes.

I started the weight loss journey unofficially back in 2005 when I was at my high weight of 174. I lost down to the high 130 range when DH & I first got together, because I stopped snacking and had a lot of extra exercise that I didn't have before. ;) Didn't plan to lose weight, but loved the way I looked slimmer. Maintained at the 135-137 range for close to two years, then bam... 10 pounds in what felt like two weeks. Then 10 more... then I found my way here. I said I wanted to be healthy and didn't want to be out of breath on the stairs, but lets be honest - I was mad that my pants were too tight again and I looked bad.

So, is it about health or vanity now... both. During my weight loss journey last year I started paying attention to what I ate and really upped the good stuff.. Now I get sick less, feel stronger, and I've noticed the weaknesses and weight related sickness in my family members (mom specifically). I don't want to be there. Not at all. So on that hand, about health. On the other, I am still very driven by the number. I weigh every day and chart it. I have a six pound spread for my maintenance and after a bad weekend and upped exercise I'm right at the high mark today. My clothes still fit just fine, and I'm pretty sure I've added some muscle since I set the redlines, but I haven't changed them. Probably won't. If my weight doesn't swing back down next week I'll cut my calories for a couple of weeks to come back down. I've not let myself stay at redline more than a week so far this last ten months. Don't want to gain five pounds, though maybe if I did all the sixes I bought at goal would fit! :) I went and bought lots of pants at goal, then lost another 8 pounds and an entire pants size...

I'd like to say it is all about health, because I feel like that would be a good sound reason that doesn't sound like ego. Can't do it though, because I just bought my first ever bikini and a lot of it is about staying hot for that. I may settle down some as maintenance goes on longer, but I don't think so. I believe it will always be some health, some vanity.

Hope that made sense. :)

Health reasons because I have asthma that is a little better with weight loss.
And to look good also.
And yes a 5lb gain would make me Very mad! I have worked to hard to gain back 5lbs ...I wanna continue to lose then maintain for health and Hotness!

I hear this little voice in the back of my head that is saying I do this all for health, but who am I kidding....it's for the size 8's

In the end it's 99% about appearance for me. But to GET that appearance I need to improve my health so right now I focus mainly on how much healthier I am and how much better I feel. I'm just shy of having lost 50 pounds and I see inches lost on the tape measure but other than a more slender face, when I look in the mirror I don't see an improvement on the body yet. I know the improvement is there, I just can't see it.

For the first time in my life, it was all about health. I seriously thought I was going to die at any moment 16 months ago. I NEVER want to feel like that again. I never want to struggle to get out of bed and walk like a 70 year old Parkinson's victim for the first hour after rising. I could go on and on, but you morbidly obese people know what I'm talking about. MY health has greatly improved and I am forever grateful. I used to get cold/flu's that lasted for days on end, major body and back aches, foot/leg pain...ALL GONE! I haven't had a cold in over a year. It's a miracle.

I'm going to be honest, it all started with LOOKS. I wanted to LOOK better. Health wasn't really the issue (I was only 21).... Now that I have been doing this for almost a year, health is very important to me. Looking hot is just an added perk :)

I think at my highest weight, I started because I wanted to be healthier. I started eating healthier and feeling healthier. I struggle now because I feel I am very healthy, I eat a very healthy diet and I'm comfortable with my weight. I may still be considered overweight but I really don't care. I feel that health has to do with many factors and if you are eating healthy and exercising then you are being healthy.

For me, health is a big motivator. A while ago, my doctor read me the riot act in the most gentle way possible, i.e. "Lisa, you're a grown up now and only you can be responsible for your choices, but I want you to understand the consequences of your choices: [Insert long, super-scary medical talk about PCOS, insulin-resistance, diabetes, possible infertility]." Utterly terrifying!:fr: She wisely avoided talking about other obesity related diseases that wouldn't hit for 15+ years and focused on the ones that could come in the next 5.

All that being said, let's not kid ourselves: I'm 22 years old. I want to look good and for guys to find me attractive. ;) But, I really, really, really don't want to deal with all of those scary diseases either!