What's your motivation for losing weight or living a more healthy lifestyle?

**PrairieRose** · 12-30-2008, 11:28 PM

Is it purely vanity or health related need based? Is it because you think your life would be greatly improved or that you'd just love to get back into those doggone skinny jeans again?

For me, it started when Gripey got put on a low cholesterol diet and then I helped with dying friend. I thought to myself if this were me, oh, my poor family trying to lift and move me, etc.... . That was honestly a motivational factor for me. That and seeing my friend die at such a young age made me want more, better for myself than I had been giving to myself.

Now I have to admit that having good health and stamina and yes, even vanity motivates me.

Next?

**Drgnfly423** · 12-30-2008, 11:44 PM

My biggest motivation right now is getting in shape before I get pregnant. I want to be sure I can lose the weight after! Also, most of the women in my family are obese. I've always feared that I would be overweight, too. I just know now that I have to be more careful than most with what I eat and how much I'm exercising.

**kittykatstrong** · 12-30-2008, 11:49 PM

For me it is both.

I want to look sexy for my hubby. He thinks I am sexy at any weight but I dont, kwim.

The second reason is I want to be able to play with my kids without getting tired. Even now I have to drag myself off the couch to play with them and I dont want that to be there memory of their mom.

**EmilyD** · 12-30-2008, 11:50 PM

My main motivation is health concerns.

I have diabetes, high blood pressure, high blood lipids (fat/cholesteral), depression/bipolar, acid reflux, osteoarthritis in all my main joints ... etc ad nauseum. I am also a uterine cancer survivor.

I want to lose weight to help all the above, plus it would help me to get around better. I also want to be able to play with my grandkids and not be tired all the time. Another very good motivation is to prevent going to a nursing home. I would rather be dead then go to a nursing home.

**MrsClaus** · 12-31-2008, 12:25 AM

To be honest both but more for health reasons.

I have PCOS and that puts me at a higher risk for diabetes, heart attacks, high blood pressure and strokes among other things. My joints ache and most days I feel blah.

DH has high cholesterol and needs to be eating alot healthier than he is right now.

**imagine** · 12-31-2008, 02:24 AM

It would be health issues for me and wanting to be a more healthy mom.

It all started with Hubby finding out he had high blood pressure during cataract surgery. That started me wanting to see if I was healthy. I had been very tired and not sleeping well at all.

Found out I had high blood pressure. The final straw was when the doc said didn't ask ( first time anyone had ever mentioned my weight)" Do you want to go a nutritionist or weight watchers?" I told her neither and she said then come back in 2 weeks and I'll check your weight and blood pressure" 2 weeks later I showed up with a journal of what I ate, a list of my blood pressures, list of exercise,a report that I had been dreaming - because I had slept, lower blood pressure and was ten pounds lighter. I felt good!

She asked " do you want to go to the nutritionist or weight watchers or just keep doing what you are doing?" I picked the later. She asked to see me in a two weeks to check my blood pressure and my weight. I felt great!

All was good that week so She planned on seeing me in 6 months. Told me I could come in from time to time and use the scale for free to keep me on track. She even set a goal of what she would like to see me at by summer ( the next appointment)

I guess I just needed some sleep and to see how good I could feel.

The push she gave me helped out a lot.

**MRAHoffman** · 12-31-2008, 06:38 AM

I am a 3 year (4 years on 2/1/09) Breast Cancer survivor and prior to dx, my diet was HORRIBLE!!!! Shortly after dx, a family friend sent me an article by a registered dietician who is a 3 time cancer survivor. I do the diet RELIGIOUSLY 6 of 7 days a week...BUT, because I knew that if completely deprived I would never stick with it, I give myself 1 "treat" day a week, but there are certain parts I stil l do on this day. The more I read, the more I realize there is a direct correlation with diet and my "kind" of cancer (someone on the BC message board I belong to just posted yesterday that a certain diabetes drug helps reduce our HER2 levels...my kind of cancer...by 85...not to mention I read LOTS of studies that are diet based). If I had a choice between chemo again and diet...diet wins

Take care and God bless.

Heres a whole BUNCH of breast cancer/diet related articles...some more scientific, others in lay terms

http://her2support.org/vbulletin/sea...earchid=311126

The diet:

[ame="http://her2support.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=26595"]The Breast Cancer Diet (with checklist) - HER2 Support Group Forums[/ame]

**DJ1972** · 12-31-2008, 07:24 AM

motivation for me = fear of a preventable illness which results in a long suffering death. It's not dying that I'm afraid of, it's the process of...

**inneedofhope** · 12-31-2008, 07:30 AM

i want to look good and feel good. For me it is both vanity and health. i think healthy = looking good for the most part, so it is a double whammy to eat better and exercise. I am single and very much ready to date, so getting into those skinny jeans would be a big boost for me. I also feel crappy most of the time and am tired of being tired and miserable.
Imagine- i am impressed with your doctor's commitment. That kind of support would be very helpful to many of us out here.

**Momto2Boyz** · 12-31-2008, 07:44 AM

For me, it is a little bit of both. After having my second child I was pretty big (over 200 pounds). While I didn't have any major health concerns (that I knew about), I had back pain, and tons of knee hip and ankle pain, that all went away once I lost weight. I've lost a total of about 50 pounds over the last 5 years and would like to see another 25 go, in the next year or two.

But I would also love to look smokin' hot, and wear a bikini again in public, so I would have to say vanity is a factor in my wanting to lose a bit more weight. But health is my reason for at least maintianing it at this point!

**nancycg56** · 12-31-2008, 07:51 AM

Health is my reason. I was diagnosed prediabteic on Halloween and I DO NOT want to take any more medication.

I cut out white sugar altogether, make sure I don't go over 200 grams of carbs (per dr.) in a day, and exercise as if my life depended on it ~ which it does.

I test my blood sugar at least 4 times a day ~ more if I think I need to ~ so that I can keep it under control and I think I finally have a handle on it. There are still some things that shoot my blood sugar up even though they are not that high in carbs so it's been a hit or miss kind of thing. I'm just trying to see what foods work and what don't.

**imagine** · 12-31-2008, 09:20 AM

Originally Posted by inneedofhope

Imagine- i am impressed with your doctor's commitment. That kind of support would be very helpful to many of us out here.

Yes she is great! She is actually a Nurse Practitioner working with her husband the Doctor of the team.

She suggested I slow down on all the volunteering. Said she remembered being that way when she stayed home too. Said to remember to do what was best/right for me. To take time to take care of me.

I like the team a lot. I've been impressed.

26 more pounds to go to the summer goal the doc has set for me.

Here is the link to my weigh ins
[ame="http://www.frugalvillage.com/forums/showthread.php?t=111723"]Imagine's weight ins - Frugal Village Forums[/ame]

**annymoll** · 12-31-2008, 09:37 AM

I want to be vibrant and healthy.I don't want the diet and fitness related illnesses and complaints that I see so often in people that I view as young.(I see people in their late 30's that are already complaining of joint pain, overweight, smokers, heart issues). I want a better life for myself.

**madhen** · 12-31-2008, 09:41 AM

Longevity and quality of life. I want to live longer, and all studies point toward exercising being a major component of that, and if I'm going to be tottering around at 100+ years old, I want my muscles to work!

**madhen** · 12-31-2008, 09:45 AM

Originally Posted by MRAHoffman

I do the diet RELIGIOUSLY 6 of 7 days a week...BUT, because I knew that if completely deprived I would never stick with it, I give myself 1 "treat" day a week, but there are certain parts I stil l do on this day.

There is a decent workout book called "Body for Life" that has the same philosophy. I lasted about 2 weeks on the program, because it is pretty rigorous, but it REALLY works, if you can go the whole 6 (I think) weeks.

One of the things he pushes, though, is that one day off. Both to give your metabolism a little kick in the rear, and also to give you that psychological "vacation" every week.

I may have to hunt that book out again....