I'm doing it because:

I want to be able to roughhouse and play with my son without getting winded
I want to be a good example of health to him
my health
I want to be able to do strenuous hikes without huffing and puffing
vanity
I want to know what it's like to not be "the big guy"

i am doing it mostly because i want to be healthy, i have really low self esteem, and in my opinion, i know i will never be sexy or whatever, but i dont want to die at 40 years old either...my mom passed away last year and she was only 52. I am 17 now, if i start now, i know i can fix it

~Emily.

For me its a case of why did I do it, and why do I still bother exercising and trying for more fitness?

I did it because suddenly I woke up from years of denial. I did it because I wanted to be in control - and to become the person that I wanted to be. I did it because I was going to die earlier than I needed to. My kids didn't need that or deserve it. My son is severely disabled, and although I don't want to look into the distant future - I need to be fit for him as long as I can be. I wanted to be more employable, I wanted better confidence, I wanted to enjoy better sex with Mrs Ferret, I didn't want to get out of breath as easy as I was, I didn't want my health to get worse. I wanted to get fit enough to keep up with our new husky puppy.

But sure - vanity played a part, I did want to look sexier, younger, smarter etc. Despite what I said above - I did it for myself. I didn't want to be called 'Big Man' down at the Red Lion anymore.

So thats why I did it. Why am I still eating healthy and exercising four months after hitting target weight? Because I found that the rewards justify the effort - I want to maintain that, even improve it. Losing weight isn't a goal for me any longer, but for all of the above, maintaining it long term is. I firmly believe that only lifestyle change - and the mentality behind it can produce long term weightloss. Slimming diets alone, by whatever name, rarely give long term results.

Well said, Toothless Ferret.

bikini season is creeping up !! i wanna look extra hot this year hehe

There are so many reasons I want to loose weight.

One of the main reasons is my husband. He is such a good man, and he deserves a hot sexy wife that is going to live her life to the fullest for a very long time! He is a big reason, and a good reason to loose weight.

But, I must say the BIGGEST reason is for myself. When I look in the mirror I don't see me. I see me wearing a 'fat suit' (you know, the ones they use in the movies.) I have always thought that there was someone else inside. Someone energetic that wanted to do exciting things, travel the world, wear beautiful clothes...oh, everything a woman wishes they could be.

It seems like people keep telling me that I am great the way I am. That is very nice of them, but I'm sick of settling for 'the way I am'...so I guess that is the best reason. I want to be all I can be!

Lets see, why am I doing it?

1) While I'm home, to set a good example for my parents
2) To be a good example (and a success-story) for my future patients as a doctor
3) To be the one woman in the family that broke the curse of weight issues without anorexia, bulimia, surgery, or laxative abuse
4) Because I have a defect in my hip and I want to avoid hip replacement surgery for as long as possible (I know, gotta keep it low-impact)
5) Because I'm tired of being too big for "regular" clothes stores, and not the right body type for Lane Bryant (although they do have great clothes )
6) Because I want to have more energy in my life
7) Because I want to hold on to the hottie of a boyfriend I have (nah, he's latino... he likes bigger women, but I want to look good for him)
8) Because salsa dancing gave me a new lease on feeling like a woman, I just need that one extra step to make me feel like a sexy one. :-D
9) Because I have nothing but pounds to lose, and years to gain in life expectancy

And most of all...

10) To quote that silly commercial - "Because [I'm] worth it!"

of course i wanna look good - be a freakin' hottie, but the deeper meaning under that would be to have more confidence. also, one of my main reasons and maybe the biggest is for my daughters. they're very young now and i want to teach them to eat healthy and also live in a body that shows i practice what i preach. it would be like going to a trainer who is severly overweight, but they're teaching you to exercise...somethin's not right there, ya know?

No. 1 reason = longevity (don't want to die before my time of a hear attack, diabetes, whatever) and I want to be there for my children and granchildren (when I have them)

No. 2 reason = vanity and revenge (as Ivanna quoted "looking good is the best revenge" geared towards and ex)

I do it because:

1. I want to live a happy life full of energy to do the things I want to do!
2. I am getting married to the guy of my dreams in about 2-3 years and I want to be the most beautiful, happy bride I can be!

OOO i just thought of one more thing for a reason why I want to do this...

I'm tired of getting "the look" from people when I'm shopping for clothes. or any other time when people decide to give me "the look"

I would say health reasons and all that stuff.. but that line passed awhile ago, im a pretty healthy guy now...
so...
vanity. vanity all the way baby.

Im doing it for a few reasons. First, my health, that one is pretty obvious... Secondly, im too vein and proud, and thus am extreamly mad at myself for letting me get big, so thats partly what turned it around, especially a photo of someone took of me when I was at my biggest. But the biggest part of the motivation for me was that I fell in love with someone but I knew I couldn't have him, with him being a beautiful skinny little person that he is. There was a period of about a month and a half when I didn't see him at all and thats when I lost alot of weight, next time I saw him, he saw how much I had changed and suddenly there was a little spark there hehe. So now my motivation is to get down to being as skinny as him which should happen within the next few months. But right now, I'm happy, I have my beautiful boy, im 40lbs down and life is good.

Oh and tight jeans and tight t-shirts... definetly a big motivational factor there... lol

I want to break the trend, my mom died 6 1/2 years ago of a heart attack, she was 53 years old. I found her dead, my 2 year old daughter was with me. The two generations of women on her side also died of heart disease. I cannot let this continue. I have 3 daughters now and know that I need to be a good role model for them, not by talking about it, but by doing it. I want this for me though too, I was always the fat girl. Then I lost a ton of weight before getting pregnant with #2, was the skinniest I have ever been. I loved it. But now 6 years later, and another baby and I was still making excuses. This is it, I am not giving up, I am not laying down and accepting being fat. Dammit, I do not want to ever wear clothes that say XXL or Plus sized again. I am having a clothing burning party, and not looking back.

Katherine

you go boy! i'm definitely doing it for health and my family 1st, but i'd be lying if i said i didn't care about lookin' hot! ya know? plus, all of my favorite stores - i can't shop in right now...well, i buy purses or watches or something..but no clothes..kinda sucks!