When I started back in late December, I didn't have a motivation. When I lost my first 10 pounds, I drew up this small list:
- Be able to do the splits and put my feet behind my head.
- Walk up 5 flights of stairs without being out of breath
- Put on clothing without having to think about how best to disguise bulges.
Now that I can do all three of those things after 3 months, I'm aiming for:
- Run 10 miles.
- Be able to push a wheelchair bound person for longer than 30 minutes.
- Feel comfortable having photos from the side being taken - AKA spontaneous snapshots.
My motivation to start losing weight was that I've been unable to conceive. I want desperately to be a mother, and am willing to do everything in my power to make that happen.
But, while that's still a strong motivator at this point, it's not the only one. Maybe not even the primary one anymore.
I am doing this now in large part because it feels SO GOOD to be proud of myself. Not feeling better about myself because I weigh less, but because I'M the one making it happen. I never thought I could do this, never thought I had the strength or determination to do it - and yet I AM doing it, every single day. The pride I feel is addicting.
I can relate to pretty everything you lot are saying! I think I'm going to print all of these thoughts out and stick them inside my diary. So whenever I open it I'll think of you all with the same ambition as me. And from your tickers I can see how well you're all doing! That's going to be me. Watch this space!
I think the most important thing that I've read in this thread is people who are wanting to become mothers. I'm at University at the moment, so when my degree is finished one of the first things I would like to think about is having a child of my own. I don't want to have to wait 4 years til I graduate, and then struggle to conceive and have to wait even longer.
- so I can be as active and athletic as I know I am
- shop in every store
- to feel good, look good, and not be scared of pics at my sister's wedding
- have better self-esteem with regards to my body
- add years to my life
- run a 10k
- skydive!
- be able to do 10 regular push-ups
- wear high/calf boots
- wear high heels without committing shoe-icide
- better footwear in general, without having to find wide sizes
- go to the beach without wearing a suit of armor
- be able to surf competently
- earn a black belt
- find jeans without having to go on a hunt and search expedition
- never set foot in lane bryant again
- take pictures at special events, vacations, etc. without being terrified
- not get "the lecture" from my doctor
- hot girls!
Originally my motivation was to not be in pain when I put my jeans on LOL, then it became to run in a 5K race, now it is to not be embarrassed at the beach this summer. I get on that treadmill and just think about my thighs and rear view, then I tell myself to throw all my stress out there on the ground and run over it. Feeling great and looking good are my constant motivators, but my daily motivation changes.
For me its a number of things,
- Just to be and feel healthy.
- To wear clothes that are comfortable and when living in Florida no one wants to spend summer in hot dumpy clothes.
- Feel like going to the pool isn't going to be weird.
- Keep my joints and muscles from hurting, sleeping better.
- Pictures, i'm tired of avoiding, or dreading photos especially since I love having pictures to look back at.
- To not feel weird when I run into someone that had seen me last about 80lbs ago.
- I used to be athletic, I want to be that again.
- To not feel uncomfortable in smaller seats.
- The anxiety and depression that could be lessened by health and exercise. (HUGE one foe me) Maybe be able to not take anti anxiety meds ( or as much)
- To have people get to know me before they make harsh judgements based on my weight.
I know its a lot but its helps to write it out, that alone serves as motivation.
Oh! one last thing! I like to move my ticker down!
I have lost the weight and am now maintaining, but one of the challenges I've discovered in maintenance is sometimes I feel goal-less. It's like, "I got to goal weight, now what?" Fitness goals have never inspired me that much, really. But in reality, I DO have a goal. My goal is to be roughly (allowing for daily fluctuation) the exact same weight tomorrow that I am today. And the same weight a week/month/year/5 years from now. That is my goal.
But when I was losing, I didn't have many specific things I was working towards, I just wanted ALL of it. I wanted the confidence, the self esteem, the beauty, the clothes, etc. And a lot of the things that I "got" when I got to goal weight surprised me with how much they thrilled me. Just little ways my everyday life has changed now that I'm thin compared to when I was overweight.
A few things that I didn't even realize I wanted but absolutely love now that I'm thin:
- Going into pretty much any clothing store (American Eagle, Hollister, A&F, GAP, etc), grabbing a small top and a size 0-2 pair of jeans and having them fit. Shopping is infinitely easier now which actually makes it fun! Sometimes I don't even try stuff on, I just flit around the store thinking "Oh that's cute" and sure enough, it fits when I grab it out of my closet to wear. Much better than going back to the dressing room a hundred times trying to find a halfway decent pair of pants or something.
- The random comments people make about my size. NOT compliments, but just statements that I'm thin. They state it as matter-of-factly as if they were to state that my hair is brown. Somebody was telling me a story about a girl they knew, and when they described her they said "she was an itty bitty little thing like you." It made me smile all day.
- Meeting new people who have ONLY known me as skinny-Megan as opposed to Megan-who-was-overweight-but-lost-a-bunch.
- People treat me more like a lady. Some of this is because I make more of an effort to be girly, and I carry myself with more confidence. But now doors magically open in front of me and people are always offering to carry things and such, haha.
- Claiming my femininity! This is kind of similar to being treated like a lady, but it's more personal. When I was overweight and lumbering and felt awkwardly large, I definitely didn't feel pretty or feminine. I'm not a curvy volumptuous woman, but I embrace my willowy lithe dainty version of feminine beauty.
There are lots of others. I still have self esteem issues, I still have problems in my life (I think somewhere in the back of my head I assumed I'd lose weight and my life would be magically perfect), I still have "fat days" and I'll never be a swimsuit model, and I still get frustrated with calorie counting and such from time to time. But all in all, it is 100% worth it! Having a body I'm proud of is better than I could have ever imagined.
To fit into my size 12/14 dress for prom (I have a little less than three weeks... to lose about one half to one dress size... I'm going a little crazy).
To fit into my size 12 dress for either Fine Arts banquet or Graduation.
To be able to wear a bikini next summer (this summer is a little too close... and not necessarily to wear a bikini to a beach... but to be able to put one on and have it actually look good on me... even if only somewhat so).
To be able to look in any store and know that even if the clothes don't look good on me... that they at least would fit.
Health. I want to be able to do things without my weight or lack of fitness to ruin it for me.
Confidence. I will never be the life of the party... but I want to be able to walk outside without worrying if my stomach is visible... and then try to cover myself up. I don't wear spanx or anything... so yeah.
And more... I know there's more. But right now... these are the big things.
I think the most important thing that I've read in this thread is people who are wanting to become mothers. I'm at University at the moment, so when my degree is finished one of the first things I would like to think about is having a child of my own. I don't want to have to wait 4 years til I graduate, and then struggle to conceive and have to wait even longer.
I'll keep you in my thoughts We go in in July to get some more tests run (we're not in a HUGE hurry, but we'd like to be pregnant in the next year or so), and hopefully by then I can have lost enough fat weight that things will look more positive.
There are lots of others. I still have self esteem issues, I still have problems in my life (I think somewhere in the back of my head I assumed I'd lose weight and my life would be magically perfect), I still have "fat days" and I'll never be a swimsuit model, and I still get frustrated with calorie counting and such from time to time. But all in all, it is 100% worth it! Having a body I'm proud of is better than I could have ever imagined.
I think I'm going to struggle with this, I've always thought to myself "If only I were skinny I'd be happy" blah blah blah
I'm only at the beginning of my weight loss journey, but I need to work on my self esteem and body image also.
One of my biggest fears is working so hard to get to my goal and still feel like that fat girl in a skinny body. My mind needs to lose weight too, does that make sense? lolol
Last edited by fancypants; 03-21-2011 at 02:11 AM.
- so some of my clothes that are a bit snug will fit better, and I can buy new clothes in a smaller size
- every pound I lose gets me closer to my goal - and once I get to 166 every pound lost will be the lightest I've ever been!
- Getting a toned, tight, body is huge motivation for me
- Because I feel so much better
First and foremost is my health. The older I get, the more aware and concerned I am about cholesterol and heart health.
Second of all..and this is silly...an old "friend" of mine from fifteen years ago suddenly popped back into my life. In all honesty, way back in the 8th grade, I had a crush on a boy at school and it motivated me to lose quite a bit of weight. He turned out to be my first love, my first kiss, and my first broken heart. Recently, we found each other on facebook and have been reminiscing and talking a lot and would like to get to know each other all over again after all these years. So once again, despite him not knowing it, he is helping to motivate me back to being attractive and healthy. Funny how history can repeat itself.
We go in in July to get some more tests run (we're not in a HUGE hurry, but we'd like to be pregnant in the next year or so), and hopefully by then I can have lost enough fat weight that things will look more positive.
