Motivation

[lollycakes]

This might be too personal a question for some of you, but if you don't mind sharing, what is your motivation for weight loss?

For myself - it's a bit of a complicated story. I've been talking to someone online for quite a while, and we get on incredibly well. I have feelings for him, and says that in a way he does love me, however more recently, my weight has cropped up as issue for him in the sense that he's just not attracted to me physically. It hurts to know that, but I understand it - I'm not going to resent him for having his own personal tastes! But my feelings for him have me in a position where I'm not willing to give up on the possibility of being together. Is that ridiculous? Perhaps it is, but I guess we all need to draw motivation from somewhere! I want to visit him next year around his birthday, but I want to look and feel my very best. He's incredibly supportive of me, and whatever happens, I'm sure we will remain friends. But it's important to me to see him, face to face and in person, at least once. And I'd like for him to be proud of what I've achieved, whatever happens between us.

So, that's my motivation. And it helps to announce it out loud (well... out loud online!) because it's another way to hold myself accountable.

 

[Teapot]

This time last year I was over 19st.

Feeling terrible physically and emotionally. I was considering caving in and going to the doctors for anti depressants which I desperately didn't want to do. I felt so frumpy and hated the clothes I was wearing but mostly I hated the way I was feeling, everything required so much effort. I had to take responsibility for how I was, so I did eventually. It was like the sun had come out and week by week the results were amazing. I concentrated on shifting the weight and had the best dieting results ever in my life.

In the 4 months since stopping LT I've put on 2.5st. So frustrating. My motivation this time is slightly different, but much the same. I 'feel' as heavy now as I did at 19st. Although not depressed, I could slip that way and I refuse to. Somehow inside my head, it's been saying 'you've done so well, you should be rewarded for all the hard work and effort. You should be allowed to eat what you want, whenever you want, because you did it!'

I've done my 'celebrating' and it's not all it's cracked up to be. Time to start changing my relationship with food while being able to eat long term! I am now taking responsibility for my future weight. For the first time, I've known what it's like to be slim and a size 14 - and it feels fabulous! I want more fabulous. I want to wear my clothes again!!!!

Lollycakes, start off doing this for the 'man in your life'. Do whatever you have to to keep going. Your motivation may change over time. Just remember every lb you lose in weight is a lb transferred to your confidence and that is one of the most amazing side effects of losing weight. He may be the one, who knows. Get yourself ready to meet the right man on the right terms for you.

Kay x x x

 

[hayleyholly]

The reasoning behind the losing weight I have never told a soul, more for the fact that it upset me, so I used different reasons. I chose to lose weight for myself, to stop being questioned, and to feel better about myself, but also something much deeper. In January 2012, I found out I was pregnant, all of a sudden my world changed around me, and even bigger changes were to come. Excitement hit me, being pregnant with my first child, so me being me announced to the entire world of Facebook that I was pregnant - something I would later regret massively (I was not 3 months gone at this point). By February 2012 I had started spotting, and although this is apparently normal I checked into our local A&E to get myself checked out (this was the Friday). A&E do not have the funding to do scans at the weekend, so I came back on the Monday for an ultrasound. That is when I received the most destroying and devastating news of my life, the nurse could not find a heartbeat. This turned out to be my turning point, my reasoning for losing weight, afterall I had just announced to Facebook that I was pregnant. I took two weeks off work, and I have to admit they were absolutely fantastic with me, I couldn't have asked for a better employer. Yet, when I returned someone (to be fair they didn't know) had asked how the pregnancy was going, and that was when it hit me, I needed to lose weight, to stop people re-raking old ground, and to try to move on. If I wasn't fat, and if I didn't look pregnant - everyone would know, and I wouldn't be questioned anymore.
I am now four stone lighter, happier than I ever was before, and now trying for a baby

Good Luck everyone xxx

 

[Miss_Clare]

About 4 months a go I tried suicide.. I was so depressed about my weight the comments from vile people and how I was letting it control my life by worrying so much about what people thought about me that, i'd have panic attacks when getting dressed for a formal occasion.. job interview/wedding/family get together ..etc
After countless trips to the hospital for blood tests and having to hide what I had done from my family and friends I felt so much guilt and got out of that mind set of feeling sorry for myself and decided to give myself a second chance and turn my life around, I'm still jobless but I have got myself 5 rare breed sheep who I see as my children (strange i know) but I would go to the ends of the earth for them and they are helping me a great deal with my weight loss without a car visiting them twice a day religiously is on foot!
I have realised since having my sheep that I want to make a career out of farming, possibly one of the most difficult career paths to go down especially being over weight but next September I will be joining an agricultural college and I intend to be a whole lot lighter and a weekend course for smallholders in february! Life is looking so good for me in 2014 so far! I am so positive and so determined to make this work!

Another thing that motivates me are my sisters 4 children, my niece and 3 nephews.. I want them to be able to look up to me, come to me for advice, look to me for support when they need it.. I want to inspire them that if things get hard to the point you feel like you cant go on, that you can and can turn things around for the better and live life to it's full potential!

 

[lollycakes]

Good luck, Teapot! You've done it once so you know you can do it again.

Hayleyholly, I'm so sorry you went through that. I'm really glad you found the strength to move on and lose the weight, though. Good luck with trying for a baby!

Miss_Clare, good luck with agricultural college! I've always found that "for my health" or "to feel better about myself" was never a great motivator for me, but having a goal to meet has put me in an entirely different frame of mind.

It's interesting to hear people's different motivations. It's sad that sometimes it takes something awful to spur us on, but I suppose every dark cloud needs a silver lining.

Good luck everyone!