I got tired of hiding my body all of the time. I wanted to be normal weight and see how that felt.

And I'm 40... I can't continue to abuse my body and expect to stay healthy. My mom is obese and now has bad knees and type II diabetes. I didn't want to go down the same road.

As for sticking it to meanies in the past. I've found that doesn't work. The mean people remain nasty and will likely not compliment you. And if they do, it will be an an unflattering way.

But if bitterness helps you, I say the more power to you.

This and I was sick of standing infront of my closet every morning in tears trying to find and outfit that didn't make me look awful. I was sick of wearing boxer shorts under skirts to prevent my thighs rubbing together, sick of shopping at Lane Bryant, sick of being humiliated every time I ran into people I knew who didn't know I'd gained weight, tired of feeling like the fat friend, sick of being the fattest girl in the office, and I had just had enough. I also wanted a baby and knew I couldn't do it at the weight I was because being so fat stopped my periods. I have since had a baby, and spend 5 seconds getting dressed because I look amazing in everything in my closet. I'm the skinny girl in the office and I'm thrilled to run into anyone. I can shop wherever I want and I never wear boxers under my skirts.

To be healthier. I'm tired of feeling like crap and looking like it too.

For my self esteem.
When I walk past people laughing,I assume they're laughing at me.No clothes flatter me.I feel ashamed when I order a dessert or clean my plate when I eat out.I blame EVERYTHING on my weight.

definetly for my health esp so i can see my daughters grow up :) ... And to say FINALLY I DID IT!

My daughter was my main motivation. I grew up with a mother who had (has) a *very* poor self-image. She was the very deffinition of a yo-yo dieter, and always the super unhealthy "fad" ones. She also tried to get me onto diets from middle-school on (usually consisted of eating and drinking nothing but canned tuna and grapefruit juice), constantly questioned what I ate, and said I'd never get married because "Guys don't like fat girls". So I ate and got fat and was determined to find a husband anyway just to "show her". (thankfully the husband I found is an absolute jewel who doesn't treat me any differently whether the number on the scale is going up or down).

In short, I didn't want my daughter to feel like she had to be skinny to be considered valuable, but that good health and fitness is something you do for *yourself* because it helps you get the most out of life (energy, strength, self-discipline, etc.) and not because people won't like you otherwise.

This is definitely one of the main reasons for me too.
I let my weight control me and there were times that I didn't want to leave the house because I hated the way I looked. I also wanted a better sex life with my husband. When I gained over 93lbs our sex life was pretty much non exsistent. I hated having sex cos I couldn't enjoy it. I was supposed to move to Korea to be with my husband, hes in the Army, and I didn't want to be one of those fat americans that foreigners always talk about. My husband and I r currently seperated and one day I remember him telling me that the low sh**ty self esteem I have is not hot and that he f***en hated it. That really hurt. But I knew that it was true. Now, losing weight is all about me getting my self confidence back and feeling great about myself. I haven't felt that way in forever. And the fact that my husband wants a divorce fuels my anger and keeps me pumping hard at the gym. I silently thank him for that.lol. My life is so out of control and counting calories and exercising is something that I can control. It helps me stay sane in these times when all I want to do is break down.
Last but not least, my health, when I weighed 293lbs I could barely move. I was exhausted and my body ached. I don't ever want to feel like that again. I now feel like a 28 yr old instead of a 68 yr old.

Bitterness is a little hidden reason I have deep down inside, that I don't usually talk about it. I'm doing it to feel comfortable with what I see in the mirror.

And also so I can outrun the zombies when they come. Rule #1: cardio.

Ah, yeah, outrunning the zombies is kinda important.

Because I want to-
1. Be in a position to have a healthy pregnancy(s) before I turn 35.
2. Be small enough to fit in chairs, booths, airplane seats, roller coasters, etc. and to buy clothes in a normal store.

I did it because I really wanted the muscle I worked so hard to gain to show. I put decades into working out, but I had to drop 20 pounds before I felt like all my hard work was showing.

Because I was sick of being everyone's 'fat friend' and also because I hated myself every time I looked at my reflection. And for health reasons. But mainly because I just hated myself. I kind of like what I see now - apart from my nose, but I'm dealing with that. I broke it in a riding accident years ago and it didn't heal straight so I'm hoping to sort it out then I will be happy.

And speaking of riding, being thinner means I can ride ponies again. I hated when I had to give up my beautiful little lightweight pony for a chubby little cob because he was the only thing that could carry me. But thankfully, I can ride PROPER ponies again!

My reason is because of health, My fiance' and I really want kids eventually, I have PCOS and my doctor believes that if i lose weight it will increase our chances with getting pregnant and having a healthy pregnancy, So thats my first reason, and my 2nd is I wanna feel more confident about myself, I remember the days when i was alot thinner and i felt alot better about myself!

You know, many people have asked me why I decided to lose weight. What, after 19 years, fueled my motivation? And I never had a good, well-constructed response to that question.

I want to be healthy. I've already ruined myself in a lot of ways. I am covered in stretch marks, the ugliest varicose veins you'll ever see, and I have horrible skin from years of bad eating. At a very young age. I began imagining what these things could become in my late 20's and beyond, and the thought terrified me. So there's one reason.

I wanted self confidence. I am a wannabe musician but obviously at 304 pounds singing wasn't even easy, let alone possible because of my self loathing ways. I constantly thought (and still sometimes think) people are laughing at me. I just needed to be able to find self-love.

I wanted to be happy. I have found that becoming active has helped my depression and panic attacks in SO many ways. I feel amazing now that I can beat my athlete brother at a game of tennis. It just gives me pride being physically strong and capable.

I wanted to care enough about myself to look nice. My fat photos aren't just bad because I'm fat in them, it's because I look awful. I never wore make-up, my hair was a wreck, my clothes were whatever fit from wherever I could find them, and I was not a good representation of the optimistic, care free girl within. I am not saying be vain and care constantly about your looks, but something about taking pride in one's appearance is so fantastic. I have been gaining more and more of that pride everyday. And now I can fuel my obsession for clothes! I am finding my own sense of style and I LOVE IT.

To stop being a liar. I always lied to people. I would tell everyone I was afraid of roller coasters but I was secretly above the weight limit for them. I would tell my more active friends I couldn't go hiking because I was sick. I would refrain from anything that had to do with eating in front of friends and say I had homework and couldn't go out.

The little things. Fitting on roller coasters. Wearing skinny jeans. Being able to jog across the crosswalk and not just walk briskly. Getting one lazy day a week instead of seven! Being able to flex and see actual muscle under all the fat. Being knowledgable about something important to me - weight loss.

Overall, just for the life changing aspect of it. And to be honest, I never imagined my life would be changing this much - it's SCARY. But in the end, that's why I started this. I want all of the above and more in HEAVY doses. One day I want a relationship, I've never had one! I want to experience life to the fullest and catch up on what I have missed. :)

I'm sorry this was so long. It's just something I have been trying to answer for a long time. I still don't have a short answer but this works for me.

*to be healthier
*to look and feel better
*to have more self confidence
*to shop in any store i want
*to not feel like I am "wearing failure"
*to prove to myself I CAN do this
*to "wow" my friends back home
*to be the pretty girl I am underneath this extra thick coat
*so my insides match my outside.
*to be much less self conscience
*to have strangers hit on me (vain but I miss it!)
*to be able to run or exercise with ease
*to buy clothes from stupid cheap high school stores when they have ultra mega clearance and actually wear it and look good in it
*to dress for how I feel and want to look instead of what kind of fits or makes me not look fat
*when i get pregnant, to be able to see a difference between my tummy and a baby bump

bunch more I am sure :P