Reasons for dieting/lifestyle change

So much talk about dieting and fitness, has me wondering what your motivation may be.  Could it be your spouse wants you to be more fit, health related issues, just to look better in clothes, any reason or maybe you are one of the lucky ones trying to gain weight in a health way.


I am going on the SBD since others  UKY members are having such success.  I have two reasons, one is health reason as I have a bad hip and extra weight is not what it needs, plus to look better in clothes.

i need to be able to fit into my entire wardrobe again!!!!!!!!!!!  it sucks, i'm SO limited.

and yet i still eat.......it's a neverending cycle with me. 

also i want to feel right and healthy and hot again.  now, i just don't.  and it hurts our sex life as i'm always saying 'no'

to look better in clothes..fit into them again.. also get healthier..  and exercising has actually  boosted my moods  ..hard to believe..

My reasons are mostly health-related. My health is fine right now (except for the fact that I'm overweight), but I'm scared of heart disease, diabetes, etc. I want to live to a ripe old age and be as healthy as I possibly can be. But ... if a side effect of weight loss is that I look cute in a bathing suit as well, then who am I to complain!?   

Im doing it for a bit of what everyone said. My looks, my clothes, my health, my GOD I have so much to lose! lol

To look and be healthy.  I hate how I look right now.  It makes me sad really!  I fit into a size smaller last year and bought all new clothes.  I want back in them again!!!

I've been trying to lose weight very gradually since I began taking meds for high blood pressure -- a little more than 2 years ago.  Also, I am fairly certain that I struggle a bit with insulin resistance as I have PCOS.  I didn't do so well the first year (2003) -- when I was still living in the States, but I dabbled a little with the South Beach Diet -- not long & not faithfully...and I did begin walking more, somewhat regularly.  My real progress began after moving to England -- with Steve helping me to improve my diet significantly (cut out junk food other than the occasional dessert or odd meal out--we don't eat out much unless we're traveling).  Also, walking everywhere here & going on hikes.

I'm doing it for my emotional well-being, first and foremost.  I'm just mentally tired of being overweight.  And that's connected with my health -- I feel better, phsyically and emotionally, now that I'm starting to lose weight.  I'm doing it so that I'll have a better chance of getting pregnant in the next few years.  I'm also doing it for cosmetic reasons -- I want cuter clothes...I want to shop in "normal" stores...I want to be able to wear whatever I want!  

And I hate to be a weirdo about this, but I can't call it dieting, because that's a temporary thing.  I call it a change of lifestyle, because that's exactly what it's been thus far.  My way of eating and my attitude toward food has done a complete 180 in the past 67 days!

To be healthy physically and emotionally. My father died of a massive heart attack at 39. My 38th birthday is looming and I am rather aware of my potentially bad genes. I also do not get depressed when I exercise regularly. I have a coworker that I go to the gym with every morning but I am VERY bad about eating too much in the evening. I have so many clothes I dont fit into.......<sigh>

I agree with Lola. I don't call it dieting because I am not taking a temporary measure. The changes I have made are permanent and I'm still on my way.

My motivation was to be a normal weight. Now I'm in the normal weight range but at the top of it. I have reached the 'dream goal' I set for myself nearly 40 pounds ago, and now I'm striving to actually look good. The day I dip into the 10 stone range will be such a victory for me, even if it's just 10 stone 13!! I am now 2 pounds away from that, and 15 pounds from my 'ultimate goal' of 10 stone even. (Which even though a great victory for me, is still half a stone from the bottom end of my healthy weight range, and 1 and a half stones from the toned and lovely girl I saw the other day on Celebrity Wrestling or some such nonsense, who is exactly my same height!! argh)

Good work Carla!!

..to keep up with all you Hot Ladies!   (women are so competitive!!    )

hope it's going well!!

I'm trying to get back into a healthy pattern of eating and exercise...one where I can be comfortable with my body, fit into my clothes (refuse to go buy a bunch of new ones and can't afford it either) and still enjoy my life.  So far the weight is coming off VERY slowly, but I hope that it is for life.  I think I went a touch crazy with some of the foods that I wouldn't normally eat in the US...big fry ups for breakfast, crisps, chips, fried fish, etc.  And gave up exercising as much as I used to.  Plus dating a guy who LOVES to eat.  But I'm getting us both on track without either of us feeling deprived!

I'm pregnant now, so can't really do any slimming.  But after the baby's born I'd like to be as healthy and fit as I was in my early 30s.  I plan on eating along the GI lifestyle programme after the baby is born.  I have much heart disease in my family - all of my father's brothers and sisters have had heart attacks by 50, and my father's niece recenly died of a heart attack at 39) and want to be fit and healthy for my kids.

I've never had a weight problem, but I have had 4 surgeries on my knee joints and extra weight causes pain in those joints. 

As I've always been really athletic, I have a lot of fitness goals post-partum.

I was an itsy bitsy little thing as a child, but started gaining weight in High School. I'm losing weight for myself because I long to feel comfortable in my own skin! Both my husband and I have a history of heart disease & heart attacks in our families- diabetes in my family, etc. But so far, so good. I've been spared any major illnesses except the annoyance of PCOS- which can be really helped by losing weight. (Also makes it harder to lose, but there ya go!) I, too want to shop in "normal" shops. I want to just throw clothes on and not think about it!

My husband and I have both changed our lifestyles by eating the right way and doing exercise! We're doing this for ourselves and for each other. We want to live a very long life together and also want to have a baby in the next year or so. So, I want to lose weight for myself. to better my chances of having a  long life my hubby and to hopefully make it easier for me to get pregnant and get back in shape afterward.

I worry, though. It does seem that no matter how much I lose, I always seem to see myself as a big girl.  I have to work on that, I think.

You all are an inspiration to me! Thanks for sharing your goals and your personal triumphs- it helps me so much to know that I'm not in this alone!

XJen