[Nile1988]

This thread is so good to read. You get to let out some frustration and give some motivation to yourself AND others. Awesome.

I would like to share my story.
I was at a pretty normal weight while growing up, a little chubbier than other kids maybe but not overweight (at least I don't think so). I had lots of friends and confidence. Then I started junior high school. First months went great and I was getting new friends there...or so I thought. Sometime before Christmas 1st year of junior high my whole class started to turn against me. I was a complete outsider. Needless to say I got extremely depressed from it. I lost all confidence I ever had and just isolated myself. So I started to comfort myself with lots of soda, candy and computer playing and chatting online. 3 years of Junior high and I had gained 33 pounds. I took these with me to High school and though kids werent so mean there I still had no real confidence to talk to anyone. I was very shy and awkward...
I still have those extra pounds today..maybe even a little bit more. I guess what motivates me now a days is that I have an album coming out in the beginning of october and I want to get healthy so I am able to keep up with everything that's gonna happen. Talking to newspapers, radio interviews, gigs etc. The other thing which is a huge reason to why I started is because every year my management has a Christmas party with all their artists..and my manager said that normally they ask the artists to bring a passport and SWIM SUTE...And I was thinking "There is no way I can have this body and be in a swim sute in front of all those celebreties" The thought of just doing that really scares me.
I of course want to be healthier too but I guess right now I focus on reasons more vain than health. But I am losing weight the healthy way so in reality I will get both someday

[Laureedee]

I don't really have any 'cool' motivations either. I want to be healthy, simple as that. No matter how much I might have once tried to convince myself otherwise, being 20, 40, 60lbs overweight is not at all healthy. Top that off with the fact that my dad is an insulin dependant diabetic and I could easily see myself down that same road had I continued as I was...yeah, I figured out real quick that that wasn't something I wanted for myself.

Some less important factors: I'd like to be able to wear cuter clothes (I too wear a lot of men's tshirts, or did anyway). I want to be a 'normal' size (looks-wise) for the first time in my adult life; being the chubby/fat chick gets old.

[caryesings]

One of my major motivators was quite practical. My job was being phased out and would likely be gone in 2 years. I knew at the BMI I was that I may not be able to even buy health insurance or price would be out of reach while I was out of work. It's now been 16 months and my BMI is closing in on normal and still employed!

I found a side benefit of tackling weight loss during job stress is that my eating and exercise are something I can control while the job situation is something I can't.

[AnnieDrews]

Why I'm losing the weight:

-I want to be able to breathe and move when I am older (60s and 70s). My fiance's mother isn't able to do that because of her lifelong struggle with weight. They have to call the fire department every time she falls in the bathroom.

-I want to be generally healthy, reduce my blood pressure and not contribute to my arthritis any more.

-I don't want to feel like an overinflated balloon anymore....seriously, that is what I felt like just before I changed my eating habits and started exercising.

-I want to feel attractive.

-After the weight loss (16 more pounds!), I will quit smoking.


I'm feeling pretty awesome these days. I even find myself jogging up the steps at work every now and then.

[Mickeypnd]

I think once you get to the point to where you can't even look at yourself in the mirror without cringing or hating yourself then you need to change something.

what motivated me is to love me because I'm only on this earth for so long and i want to be as happy as possible, and I know I can never be at the size I'm at

[ninepaw]

I'm 19 years old, I was 18 when I started this back towards the end of April. Truth be told, the biggest catalyst for me was just getting on the scale and realizing just how much I really weighed! I had suspected things, of course. My 18's were on the verge of not being acceptable to wear in public, I got kind of out of breath if I tried to go up the stairs too quickly.. .Things like that. So I bugged my stepdad to a buy a new scale, and once he did I got on it the next morning only to find myself weighing 266 pounds, more than I had ever known myself to weigh. I was shocked! Shocked enough to tell myself that I couldn't be that way anymore. I had to change things, and I had to change them NOW. So I came back to 3FC for the 4th of 5th time, started a blog, and began my journey of changing my life.

17 weeks(almost 4 months) later, I've lost 36 pounds(So 2.12 pounds lost per week!) and I'm feeling fantastic! I went through the Couch to 5K running program, and I can now jog 2.15 miles in 30 minutes, and I'm still working on my pace. I'm running in a 5k race on September 12th with my mom!

I look better, I feel better... And I'm just so darn proud of myself, it's insane! I'm 9 pounds away from being halfway to my final goal of 175... Which is a lower weight than I ever remember being. I am beyond happy with my progress, and I can't wait to see where this journey continues to take me!

[southernbelle102]

Nile - Thanks so much for sharing! I am glad that you fid this thread as helpful as I do! Congrats on your new album! That is awesome!! Good luck on reaching your goals!!

Laureedee - Any reason to lose weight is a cool reason in my opinion! I share a lot of your motivators!

caryesings - I totally can relate to your reasons to lose weight! I am a self employed photographer and have had to provide my own health insurance for years now. As a result of my obesity and health complications, I was only able to get a pretty crappy medical coverage plan. I am excited to meet with my health insurance provider to re negotiate after I lose the weight!! So glad to hear that you still have your job! Good luck!

Annie Drews - Those are all awesome! I am so glad to hear that you are feeling so great!!

Mickypnd - thanks for sharing! I can relate to that feeling of self loathing that the mirror can bring Good luck in your weight loss and journey to get happier!!

ninepaw - I am so glad that you are nipping this in the bud at such a young age!! Congrats to you for that! I want to start C to 5K soon too! You should be very proud of yourself for that!! Have fun at the 5K in September!!