I'd like to get back to where I was several months ago. My biggest motivation comes from the pictures I took of my gradual progression months ago. I'd like to get back to that point.

Besides it being critical to my job, I'd like to get back to the point where I could go to the beach with an enormous amount of confidence. I am going to be in the area of Japan, Australia, Guam, etc within the next year, so there will be many beaches and much off time there. I'd like to make the experiences there the best possible, and being in the best shape is the best way!

My health first, since most of the women on my mom's side have diabetes, high blood pressure, ect..
Second is how I feel and my self confidence.

Found out just about everyone in my estranged dads family is a diabetic, my dr had told me that I was on the path to becoming one too. My knees always felt like they were working harder than they should have been. My boobs would reach 40ddd or even larger when I was heavier, so they made my back hurt.
And last but certainly not least I look better at a lower weight!

Health, and I just want be confident with myself, like ya this is me and I am 100% proud to be me.

Because I'm creeping up on thirty and have never had a life. I don't want to miss any more experiences

There's a few reasons! Firstly, I lost about 20 lbs in summer 2011, and I bought all new clothes! Now, none of them fit! They looked so damn good and I want that feeling back! Also, I live in the Arctic and my snow pants don't fit...it's minus 40 outside before windchill so that's a pretty darn good reason!

And mostly, I want to be able to run without having anything bounce around. Fitness used to be a big part of my life and I want that back!

I enjoyed reading everyone's posts. Keep it up, everyone!

1.) I don't feel like myself at this weight, my whole life I never weighed more than about 125ish. I feel alien when I go out, even after being overweight for 3 years now.

2.) I miss shopping for clothes other than just 'what's going to cover these rolls'?

3.) I miss my confidence.

4.) I want to be able to run around with my child and not get worn out so early.

5.) I want to not be the 'fat friend' at social gatherings.

6.) I want to live a generally more improved life.

I am 53, 16 months maintaining. I workout.

I have discovered I like exercise!

Mostly though, I keep up with my healthy lifestyle because my Mom didn't.

She has all the health issues that stem from a lifestyle of, to be blunt, being fat and making bad choices.

I do not want to be that person. The longer I continue on the healthy path the easier it becomes!

My primary reason for losing weight is to be a good example for my daughter. The second reason is for health reasons as my joints were killing me and my breathing was becoming labored. Third reason is vanity.

Initially it was vanity really, wanting to be slimmer and enjoy all the trappings that brings. Subsequently I've had a health issue with my hips (ouch!) which wasn't caused by my weight but is greatly affected by it.

I'd say it's still 50/50 though

1. To feel more confident
2. To be able to wear whatever i want and not have to worry about the design, in order to "flatter" (hide the fat) me
3. To be all round healthier so i dont get sick
4. To be strong and lean so that i am better at karate
5. To get a jaw line and a flat stomach
6. To feel sexier and more confident around my boyfriend
7. To just feel happier, because i feel great when my clothes slip on and i can feel my hip bones.
8. To feel beautiful and that i am worthy of love

It started off as a necessity of my job; I'm in the military and we have certain standards of fitness that HAVE to be met in order to be promoted or even just to retain our enlistments/comissions. That's not even including the reasons WHY we must (namely physical jobs, deployments, etc.).

In early 2004 I started to get very sick and was also gaining weight (The weight gain being due to inactivity and poor diet, not linked to being sick). My doctors worked for MONTHS trying to figure out why I was vomiting every day and nauseated constantly when finally one of them said 'eat better and exercise more'... and from that day on I have had my gastritis (as it was later diagnosed) under control. Working, eating right and subsequently losing weight was keeping me from being sick so I was hooked!

After that I started to focus more on aesthetics so that became like 90% of the reason. I was fit so the health/job aspects sort of took a backseat.

Once I decided to really move into fitness full time it once again became about employment; this summer I will be separating from the military and will be going back to school to earn another degree, this time in Personal Training. As a personal trainer my body is my calling card - employers want to hire someone who looks fit to represent their company/business, and clients want a trainer who looks like they know what they're doing. To be blunt, I would never hire someone who didn't have a body that inspired me so I assume that most people feel the same way.

I suppose in a sense it has sort of come full circle! Yes, it is 90% about aesthetics and 10% about health at this point... but that 90% includes my livelihood as well.

I want to lose weight because Im fed up of getting out of breath, being too warm all the time and feeling that Im being looked at.

I also want a better relationship with food.

Reasons that I want to be thinner:

1. because I am 34, 271 lbs and most of my friends at this size have type 2 diabetes, bad backs, bad knees and high blood pressure. I want to get rid of this weight before that happens to me! So far I am very lucky that I have dodged the bullet.

2. I don't want to be an obese bride.

3. I want to have a healthy baby.

Because I had lost 40 lbs a couple years ago, and felt so confident. I did it the wrong way, though- too much weight lost too quickly. I was tired all the time, lost my period. I gained the weight back and more, and I hate it. I want to lose some of the weight off- not all though, because I don't want to be as thin as I was (130 lbs, 5'8, muscular- too skinny!)
I want to be confident again, I want my clothes to fit me, I want to LOOK like the young, active, healthy vegan I am.... I don't want to be a binger anymore, I want to have a healthy relationship with food, eating intuitively, and of course, active