i know everyone has different reasons.

so what are yours?

(i'll post mine later on.) :)
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OK.

here are my reasons:

~ i want to feel better about myself, physically and mentally.

~ i want to fit in clothes i haven't worn in years.

~ i want to be able to walk up a flight of stairs or play a game of basketball without feeling as though i'm going to keel over from exhaustion.

~ i want to be an inspiration. (as inspirational as everyone has been for me.)

~ i want my girlfriend to look at me and say, "wow! you look scrumptous!" :p (although she does do that now. still, i want to *know* i look scrumptous!)
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My pants are a little tight

I hate my body in swimsiuts, and I miss out on a lot of summer fun.

I don't want to ever be bigger than a size 6-8.
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I gained a lot of weight when I was going out with an abusive boyfriend, because I'm an emotional eater. I'm finally starting to really lose it all, and I'm really proud of myself for this.

I've never been this big in my entire life, and I want to go back to feeling really good about myself, back to being able to hold my head up high and KNOW that I'm delicious. You know?

In this society, people make you feel like shit if you're not a toothpick, and it sucks.

I also want to be really healthy, and by being healthy, I mean that I don't want any more fried foods (for the most part ) in my diet, not so much artificial sugars, the whole deal.

These are my reasons for wanting to be thin again.
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I hate <i>feeling</i> heavy--like I'm lugging around extra weights around with me all the time. I've been a little overweight my whole life, and it would be nice to experience being fit, especially since that's how I see myself. I've come to realize that unless I love myself and feel good about myself first, I'll never lose the weight--I used to think that I could all do that afterwards.
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Originally posted by boundless
I gained a lot of weight when I was going out with an abusive boyfriend, because I'm an emotional eater. I'm finally starting to really lose it all, and I'm really proud of myself for this.


my reasons for gaining all the weight i did, were extremely similar. It was a combination of emotional issues that did it for me. I truly believe that you cannot lose weight until you are in a state emotionally where you are strong enough to do so. Losing weight is not only a physical journey but an emotional one was well.

My reasons for wanting to lose weight were quite simple, i wanted to feel better about myself, i wanted to be healthy. When i was at 260+ i felt nothing but disconent and disgust for myself. I wanted to be able to be fit into siz 6 and 8. i didn't want to end up with diabetes or any other illness. I felt i owed myself more than that. And damnit i wanted to wear all those cute little summer outfits and swimsuits and feel good about myself. It's difficult to be a 21 year old girl desperately trying to find something other than a hideous looking outfit in the plus size section.

Boundless- i completely agree about society, i get treated so differently now. Men hold the door open for me, my co-workers listen to me, i was taken more seriously in class. I don't get stared at when i eat, etc, etc. i could go on forever and it just pisses me off. While i appreciate that i am treated with respect now, it should have been that way all along. But that is the way our society is, food is the last unacceptable addiction. I mean think about it, insurance will cover rehab for drug addicts and alcoholics, but they will not cover weight loss programs, etc. It drives me bonkers *deep breath* end rant.

So back to the orginal question at hand, i wanted to lose weight to feel better about myself, to look in the mirror and be happy with what i saw looking back and i can't say the difference it has made to finally be able to look at my reflection and smile.

~laru
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these are all tremendous reasons.

:)
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I want to feel attractive. I don't want to constantly compare my body to the other girls I am around and feel like a blimp.

But above all:

Discipline. I always feel so out of control, in every aspect of my life. I'm disorganized and chaotic, constantly dropping classes at school, sleeping too much, I'm late to EVERYTHING, etc. I want to prove to myself that I can have control. I think if I conquer this, I think other parts will fall into place as well, and it will teach me that I can do anything I put my mind to.
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Originally posted by CharlitSumtymz
I want to prove to myself that I can have control. I think if I conquer this, I think other parts will fall into place as well, and it will teach me that I can do anything I put my mind to.

Yeah, me too. If I can have the energy and will to do this, than I can have that energy and will to do other things too. Actually, right around the time I started my new routine, I also began doing other things that I had given up on or forgotten about.
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well, i wish i could say 'to be healthy' but i'd be lying. i want to be thin because that is what people consider beautiful and i want to be beautiful.
i want to be healthy but for once in my life i want people to do a double take at me like they do with all my thin friends.

i know that's a really sad reason, but it's the truth.

-kelly, who is not feeling so great about herself today:m
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Hey Venus honeypie, you know what you just said is really dangerous for your self-esteem. :a I've seen a picture of you and I think you're beautiful and don't need to shed an ounce of weight.. I know that you'll be frustrated with that because if you feel you *know* something about yourself you won't feel that someone saying anything otherwise is being sincere.

But really. I think with you, the issue is not necessarily weight - maybe it's just self-esteem. I'm a UK size 8 (that's really small). The sizes after that in the UK - 10, 12 and 14, are all considered slim. So you get the picture - I'm quite small. I'm not skinny - I'm curvy and what many would consider 'perfect'. But I don't feel it. I want to be smaller. I want bigger boobs, smaller hips, etc. But I'm actually coming to a place now where I can eat chips without feeling terrible... without taking pills that affect your digestion so that you don't digest your food.. without messing with anything like that. Without giving it much of a thought other than "ooops, my bad."

I'm just about to eat some chocolate, and lasagne, and then more pasta after that. I'm having a movie afternoon (Cruel Intentions and Legally Blonde). I feel good today. Please please please try to feel good about yourself too.. yeah? If your boyfriend, god-like as he may be, didn't like you, he wouldn't be with you. I think all men want is a pretty face and a good attitude - and I'm sure you have both, so you'll be fine. No matter how the media portays the ideal woman, all men want is a woman who'll be a good friend. I think men and women basically want the same thing.

I hear what you're saying.. I understand totally.. when I was with *evil Kris* I wanted his friends to fancy me. But you know, now I don't need that, because I feel good about myself, and even if someone came up to me and said that I wasn't really fanciable, I don't think I'd mind. Because I fancy myself and that's all that counts. :e

There are times in the past where I can look back and say "yep, I had an eating disorder" - I took pills. I weigh 112 pounds and the doctor says I'm dangerously underweight. I know you weigh less than this.

So take care of yourself. Really, whenever I see anything you've posted, I think "yay!" and I don't want you to be sad. I feel crappy sometimes too, but it's nothing that a bit of dancing and snuggling up with a book won't fix. :)

I relate to everything you've said.. so if you do need to vent, you can always e-mail me at bruceylicious666@hotmail.com if you want. :)

Skinny women are not healthy. You need some fat on you - for us women having fat stores are especially important because if we don't have enough fat we get fertility issues (I don't know enough about that so I'll look into it). The best way to be, I think is like Kate Winslet. Have you seen her? She's womanly and curvy and men love her. She's beautiful. She has felt bad about her weight in the past - but look how much people love her!!! It's fine to aspire to be loved, but not at the expense of your health. :)

Jordie :b
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hey everyone!

i've actually been contemplating my reasons for wanting to lose weight for a few days now (since this thread started). There are a few reasons:

--last summer i weighed 115 (i'm 5'8), and when I got home from college, i weighed 128(!!!)--my summer clothes didn't fit, and i was growing out of most of my winter stuff as well.

--working out and eating healthy has turned out to be quite a hobby for me. i'm sooo bored at home. i have a job, but i still have tons of free time that I feel is well spent getting in shape.

--i don't want to end up a size 12 like my mom. NEVER.

i think that's about it. Thanks for listening!

jeni
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Originally posted by jezebel36
last summer i weighed 115 (i'm 5'8), and when I got home from college, i weighed 128

A healthy weight for someone who's 5'8 with a small frame is from 130-150. :t Of course, if you don't have much muscle you'd probably weigh less...*shrugs*

This is not directed at you, Jeni, but it makes me really, really sad that so many people on just this board speak with utter revoltion at the concept of being over, like, a size 6. While I *am* working at being more healthy, I'm glad that I've been overweight--it's developed me as a person. That I can love myself and be myself, even if I'm not what society sees as beautiful or perfect, speaks a lot for anyone. I can also recognize when I'm going to far--if I start worrying about not being this or not looking like that I can say "hey, who gives a shit if I'm not perfect? If I think I'm ok, then that's good enough for ME." I can also handle being on the outside of society in other aspects of my life (being pagan, bi, vegetarian, etc), and for the first time in my life, I feel like I'm in control. I wouldn't give that up for the world. [end tangent] :q
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Hey, Dallandra, I'm pagan, bi and vegetarian too! ;b

Jordie
xxx
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:O
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I'm one of those people that even at my "ideal" weight, I'll be no where near a size 6. A 10 most likely. I'm just genetically built thick, and the only time I was a size 6 was when I was making myself very sick to do so.

My reasons for wanting to lose weight:

-I don't feel good at the weight I am now. I have back pain and foot pain. I don't like the way I feel at the end of a long day.

-I can't be active like I used to be and IT SUCKS.

-To be healthier.
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Originally posted by Rose Bud
I'm one of those people that even at my "ideal" weight, I'll be no where near a size 6. A 10 most likely. I'm just genetically built thick, and the only time I was a size 6 was when I was making myself very sick to do so.


that is SO me.

i'm 5'11" and i'd be a stick figure at any size below a 12.

:)
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Yo,
I wuzn't about losin' da weight to begin wit, but my goshdern lazee arse put on like 5 or so pounds on my hiatus frem da gym so I am slowlee but surelee gittin' em suckahs off. My clothes got a bit titer and aneeone who knows me knows I HATE clothes shoppin'. I am not about to go thro' da madness agin!
I am focusin' more on becomin' more defined and muscular. Why? I nevah wuz dat athletic az a kid (mum wouldn't let me do jack becuz I nozebled allll da time) and I guess I'm makin' up frem lost time.
Oh yeah, most importantlee - my dad's side seems to have lotsa cancer goin' on and I am tryin' to do whatevah I can to lessen da chance of cancer fer myself.
Take care. BI bis.
Me, the Flea
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<font color=green>
-New boyfriend coming to beach in 2 weeks...
-want to be more centered and focused
-want to build muscle
-want to fit into clothes more easily
-want to have healthy exercise and eating habits
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i hate how i have to unbutton my pants so that i can be comfortable as i drive. that seems to be my main reason these days.
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Originally posted by cooling_grrl


that is SO me.

i'm 5'11" and i'd be a stick figure at any size below a 12.

:)

I'm not very tall though, I'm only 5'5". Just that having muscular legs runs in my family, so I can't help but be a bit heavier than "ideal" because of that.

And really, looking back, I wasn't "fat" when I was a size 10. I thought I was, but when I look at photos from then, I really wish I could look like that again.
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Originally posted by Rose Bud
And really, looking back, I wasn't "fat" when I was a size 10. I thought I was, but when I look at photos from then, I really wish I could look like that again.

Don't you hate that? When I was my current ideal weight years and years ago, I thought I was really fat...I think because of the bastards at school who made me think that. :c Shouldna listened to em!
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Originally posted by Dallandra
Don't you hate that? When I was my current ideal weight years and years ago, I thought I was really fat...I think because of the bastards at school who made me think that. :c Shouldna listened to em!

here here.

i *wish* i was the size i was in high school.

all my friends were like 5'2" and 90 pounds.

i thought being 5'11" and 180 was fat.

:: sigh ::
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this may be too personal of a question but, how many of you are over 200lbs or getting close to it?
obviously, i'm asking because i am. but it's funny because people are always amazed when i tell them how much i wiegh. the always think it at least 75lbs less than i am. I guess i should feel fortunate that i look smaller than i wiegh.
-kelly, who is stuck and 20lbs and hasn't lost anymore and who is really pissed about it. (at least today i am)
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Originally posted by shade72
this may be too personal of a question but, how many of you are over 200lbs or getting close to it?
obviously, i'm asking because i am. but it's funny because people are always amazed when i tell them how much i wiegh. the always think it at least 75lbs less than i am. I guess i should feel fortunate that i look smaller than i wiegh.
-kelly, who is stuck and 20lbs and hasn't lost anymore and who is really pissed about it. (at least today i am)

I am. This is one of those things where I wonder sometimes, how did I let myself get like this??
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i'm a big girl.

now, i'm not saying that's an excuse to be 200-plus pounds! :p

i was VERY active in high school. i excelled in three sports year-round.

once i hit college is when i ballooned to more than 200 pounds.

and like rose bud, i have wondered how i got this way.

i can answer that by saying: bad, bad, bad overeating and NO exercise for a long time.

i ate the WRONG foods for a long time.

now i'm realizing my problem and am fixing it.

i've lost 24 pounds and i'm still going strong.

i've also realized that the weight will come off slowly and that it's healthier that way.

:)
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My reasons are ...

1) I want to control what I eat, rather than be controlled by what I eat.

2) I want to feel healthier, more energetic, and I don't want to develop diabetes or heart disease.

3) It would be nice to be more confident too. :)

That said, most people seem to be concentrating on the being more confident bit - and like dallandra says (whilst not directing it at jeni), some people go over the top on this. Then they blame their resulting health problems on the media for showing us stick insect models and actresses, and lose sight of the health issues about being overweight.

My attitude is this - wanting to fit into smaller clothes, or look like models, is not the best reason for losing weight - because if you get carried away with it, it leads on to appetite suppressant / amphetamine addiction and anorexia nervosa, all you're doing is substituting one problem (comfort eating) with another (drug addiction). However, wanting to be healthy, and wanting to avoid developing type 2 diabetes, are good reasons for wanting to lose weight. :) You don't make yourself healthy by taking controlled or illegal drugs.
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Originally posted by shade72
this may be too personal of a question but, how many of you are over 200lbs or getting close to it?
obviously, i'm asking because i am. but it's funny because people are always amazed when i tell them how much i wiegh. the always think it at least 75lbs less than i am. I guess i should feel fortunate that i look smaller than i wiegh.
-kelly, who is stuck and 20lbs and hasn't lost anymore and who is really pissed about it. (at least today i am)


I am. I've been told that I don't look like I weigh as much as I do, but that's mostly from my mom, not many other people say that, and mom's always try to make their kids feel good.

I know how I got this way. Or, well, when I was 8, i started gaining weight, and it never really stopped. I was always active, riding my bike from 6-9 miles a day, and only eating healthily, and was even on a jump rope team from 2nd-5th grade. but none of that helped me lose anything.

when I was 15, I started a medication, that made me balloon from 220 to 265 in about 4 months. i weigh about 275 now, and I'm working so hard to change all this around. I'm on a different medication that will help with my mental problem, and instead of make me gain, it's supposed to help me lose. I eat healthier, and I started tae bo today, and areobics yesterday. (light areobics. that's spelled wrong isn't it?)

I think I have some kind of medical problem though, since I've always been over weight, and eating healthy and exercising didn't help in the past... :(

but i'm trying it again. If it doesn't work this time, I'll try to find out what's wrong with me.

I do have all the symptoms for Polycystic ovary syndrome, so, *sigh* , who knows.

anyway, losing weight to look better. feel better about myself. be healthier. pretty much a lot of what has already been listed.

i know this is a long post, I just needed to say it, i feel better now that I've typed it all out. :)
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I've had my thyroid checked before, and nothing was wrong with it. they checked it because i guess it has something to do with depression too?

well, it turns out I'm bipolar, not depressed. and I just got blood work done 2 days ago, and surprise! my doctor decided to check my thyroid again. (I swear I've had it checked once a year for the past 5 years)

but thanks for the idea anyway! :)
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ugh, i'm bi-polar too.
i've always been heavy, but when i went on a paxil/depakote combo, i gained about 80lbs. that was 4 years ago. i'm still fighting to get off that wieght. i would be so happy to be at my high school wieght and i was overwieght then too.
funny how they put already overwieght, depressed people on a med that will cause them to gain more weight
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I started taking Tegretol, and gained like mad. And now, i'm taking Tegretol and Topamax...Topamax is supposed to make you lose. So I'm hoping that with eating better, working out, and being on this medication, and I'll lose some.

I'm sick of not finding clothes that fit right. Or not finding clothes at all. oh yeah, I forgot to mention that I started Tegretol a year and a half ago. I'm only 16 now. So I don't want to go back to my highschool weight, obviously. although I wouldn't mind being back at that 220, because I didn't hate myself then, and it would be easier to lose from there, than from where I am now. Not that i hate myself now, just don't like looking at myself unclothed in the mirror.... Anyway, I start college in January. (...I dropped out of highschool. got my GED. got kicked out of my dad's house. blah blah blah) but with all that...man, I want to go to college so bad. So, I'm going in january, and hopefully by then, I'll have some sort of better schedule...and be looking better. thinner. buying smaller clothes. (they don't cost as much!!)

whew, I sure am talkative today.
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