to motivate: list why you want to lose weight, what are the advantages

GROUP CHALLENGE!!!

 I think reminding yourself everyday why we want this change in our lives is a big motivator (its part of the beck program for changing your thinking)

I keep a deck of index cards with all the reasons I want to lose weight and I read them twice a day, more if i find myself wanting to compromise my food plan.  It really helps.  I read them and I think do you want this advantage or do you want the food.  Can't have both.  Here's part of my list.  Love to hear some of your reasons.  (I also keep response cards, I'll share them at another time)

The Avantages of Losing Weight

-i won't have to ask for the seatbelt extender on the airplane

-i won't scan the room to see if i am the biggest person there

-i will, for the first time in my adult life, be able to cross my legs!

-i will enter an elevator and not wonder if they are thinking "have we hit our overload limit"

-i will be able to think of something other than this food obsession.  i will have more space in my head to dream big dreams

-i will find a life not limited by the restraints that being overweight has put on me

-my blood pressure will improve

-my diabetes will become manageble and i will avoid the horrid complications of this disease

-my children will be proud of me and they will know they have a mom who never gave up

-i will ride a bike...wow

-i will swim and swim

-i will turn over in bed with ease

-maybe my thighs won't run together!

-i will have more energy

-i will ride a scooter on vacation

-i will ride in a convertible and feel the wind in my hair and not be worried people are starring at me.   i will ride in a little car and feel ok

-i will go to the water park with my family-

i will go shopping with another female, wow that would be a first.  I never allowed myself this because of being so embarrassed of my size

-i might get a pedicure or a manicure

-maybe i could have the courage to get a massage

-intimacy with my husband would be easier 

-i will leave the granny panties in the store

   This are just a few of my hopes and dreams.  As you can see I have denied myself alot of joy in life because of this weight. You could argue that some of them i could already do, but the thing about being so big all your life is that you come to believe either you can't do things, or more often than not,,,,,you do not allow yourself to do things because you feel such shame.  I want to break away from all the shame and really truly be free.  Today, this minute that is what is most important to me.  It is more important that any treat I could eat.  Reminding myself daily really keeps the prize front and center.  For me, weight loss will truly be a dream come true.  I do not want to leave this world without realizing this dream.  Won't you join me and list your reasons.  I'm sure we share so many in common and I may find some of your reasons to add to my list.

ibeckforme - wow that is quite a list and you said that was only some of them? I don't think I have thought through that many of them - but here are a few I know of off the top of my head:

* I want to sit through an entire movie at the theater and not have bruises on my hips from the seats.

* I want to buy a swimsuit at Wal-mart (at $25) instead of Katherine's ($125) - why is it that manufacturers think that an extra 2-3 yards of material costs $100?

* I want to buy a new car without having to make sure I fit between the seat and the steering wheel.

* I want to ENJOY my future grandkids! My oldest is almost 19 now - so it won't be too many years now before he starts providing me with some.

* I will reduce the risk of becoming diabetic (it runs in my family and I had gestational diabetes when I was pregnant)

* My children will be proud of me - instead of ashamed (although they have enough compassion to not let their shame get the best of them or become public knowledge)

* I will be able to buy "real" jeans again - you know without an elastic waist band.

Just a few - I'm sure if I thought about it some more, I would come up with tons more.

Sunni

I want to be able to shop in the regular sizes

I want to be able to get on a ride without having to sit in the tester seat

I want to run without feeling like I'm having a panic attack

I want to have more energy

I want to be able to put on clothes without looking like cottage cheese

This is a great post! Always great to write down why you're on the weight loss journey.  So here are my reason (in no particular order):

* I want to improve my health and lower my risk for heart disease and cancer

* I want to play tennis, bike and run again without being winded

* I want to be able to say that I've accomplished the amazing goal of "Losing 100 pounds"

* I want to look better and feel better about my body

* I wan't to be able to wear small sizes again

* I want to be able to wear a bathing suit! 

Hmm.  I've been thinking of what I could say that might differ from everyone else's reasons, but mine are quite like everyone else's.

I want to live to 2050. 

I want to see my grandchildren graduate from college (when I have any).

I want to feel healthy

I want to know what it feels like to see a normal sized body in the mirror.

I want to do sports and have fun with it.

I don't want to be the fat sister.

I want to look pretty in clothes.

I don't want to be judged first on my size. 

Mainly, I want my heart to last my whole life.

Edited to add: get off 90% of my medications.

What a great idea!! Thank you!

I want to feel as beautiful as my fiance says i am when he marries me in July.

I want to wear cute/sexy sundresses!!

I want my children to be proud of me.

I want to snowboard with my son and play volleyball with my daughter.

I want to ride rides in amusement parks and sit on planes without extenders.

I want to be carried over the threshold and not worry that he will hurt himself.

I want to shop with my daughter and wear cute clothes.

I want it all...i want to look back and say the fat part of me is done and over, the rest of the healing is done, I am finally free of that prison that i hid in for so very long.

I want to ride the roller coasters again!!!!

I want to be ready when one of my children comes home and tells me they are getting married!

I'd forgotten about that:

I want to wear a pretty dress when my son finally gets married and be shocked about how good I look in the photos.

There are so many reasons! I'll list some highlights:

I don't want to have to make excuses when my friends want to hike, or bike, or just walk a long distance, and I'm afraid I won't be able to keep up. Even though they're understanding, it's embarassing. Sports, I wouldn't be good at even if I were thin, so I'll keep staying away from those!

I want to feel confident that I'm attractive and that my romantic options aren't limited to only a small segment of the population.

I want to live a long life.

I don't want to be immediately judged by my weight instead of by my intellect, abilities and personality.

I want more clothing options and to be able to shop with my thin friends.

I want to be able to get on and zip up tall boots, and I want to be able to walk in high heels without feeling like I'm going to pitch over and die.

Getting on planes and roller coasters comfortably was on the list too but I got there months ago, thankfully!

This post brought me to tears......

I dont want to die at 31 like my mom.

I dont want to die at 58 like my grandma.

I dont want to leave me family alone.

I want to live a LONG life.

I want to have children and be able to see them grow up.

I want to feel sexy and cute and look it!

I want to thank Beck for this post it was an amazing one!

I need to copy and paste these things.

By Opening Day of Baseball 2010-I want to be able to sit comfortably in a stadium seat (and look good doing it)

I want to be able to move in warmer weather without sweating like a pig

I want to shop in the Ms Dept, not the Women's.

I want tall lace up leather boots (high heels)

I want to be comfortable in front of the camera (naked)-now before anyone has a heartattack...LOL  I do some erotic photography on the side and I would not mind being in front of the camera one of these days....LOL

I want to enjoy the upcoming year(the very active ones I am sure) with my kids who are only 9 and 7.

I want to prove their grandmother wrong (my MIL) that I can be smaller than a size 14.

I never want to have to lie about my weight again(or use the excuse, I don't know).

When the Dr takes my BP, I want them to use the small cuff.

I want to be able to see my C-section scare without the use of both hands and a mirror.

Hmmm...I think I will add more to this and post it

And Sourmena "I want to feel confident that I'm attractive and that my romantic options aren't limited to only a small segment of the population." Me too.....

I want to feel comfortable inside my body

I want to stop being so clumsy! (I am always bumping into things because I don't understand how big I am.)

I want to walk into virtually any store and know if I liked something, they would have it in my size.

I want to buy a pair of Frye campus boots. (I can't do that yet, the opening is 14" but my calves are a littler bigger than that.)

I want to be myself and pursue the things that obesity has kept me from pursuing.

I want a super cute 2-piece bathing suit and a trip to the beach to learn to surf!

I want an active lifestyle full of new experiences.

I want smaller breasts that aren't the first thing people notice about me!

I want to wear the vintage clothes I find!

I want to sit down for a long period of time and not have the waistband of my pants cut into my tummy.

I want to be healthy, I want to teach my future children healthful eating and exercise, I want to have the energy to play with them and keep up with them. I don't want to die.

I would like to do something for myself and complete it

Feel and look sexy again

Take better care of myself

Stop taking pills that enable my knees to bend so I can walk

Move around a lot faster

Engage in some sports activities

Be the first to stand up in a crowd and not the last

Feel some energy and want to get up, stop dragging my feet in the am

Its been great reading what everyone has to say here.

*I am going to be healthier

* I am going to look good in my jeans

* I am not going to be a fat old lady

* When I see someone I haven't seen in a while, they are going to do a double take.

* I am going to donate all my fat clothes.

* I am not going to worry when I have to step on the scale at the doctor's office

1. I am very into fashion, so I want to be able to buy the clothes I adore.

2. I am tired of not being able to wake up in the morning. (Since I have gained the weight back, I just can't seem to force myself out of bed)

3. I want to be okay with taking the stairs.

4. I want to go out to a nice restaurant and not feel guilty.

5. Whenever, I have kids I want to be a good example to them, so they know how to make healthy choices. 

6. I do some full figured modeling now, maybe if I lose enough weight I could do some "regular" modeling.

7. I want to be able to wear a swim suit and not feel like a beached whale!

When I lose weight:

I will be healthy

I will be able to shop in 'normal' stores and finally dress as I really want to

I will turn heads when I walk into a room and make jaws drop at how good I look

I will not have to be scared I am going to die young due to poor health

I will run with ease

I will live my life without feeling like a slave to food

I will enjoy a healthy, active lifestyle

I will feel proud of myself (maybe for the first time) at what I have accomplished

I will learn to dance

I will wear a bathing suit and not think that everyone is looking at me, thinking about how gross I look.

That was surprisingly hard to type, but reading back, I am glad I did!

Oh, and Texmom... I totally know where you're coming from about being the fat sister.  Sometimes it honestly feels like no matter what I do or how far I come, that is how the world (and maybe also my family) sees me.

Logically, I know that can't be right, but on my bad days, I can't help feeling it.

Shaylese,

Good for you for doing plus sized modeling!  That is fantastic!  How do you get into something like that?

@ cidsational - Some lady walked up to me on the street and asked if I wanted to model for her plus size magazine. It's fun, something different that I only do here and there, but if I had the time and a few ounces more confidence I would probably do it more often.

That does sound fun.  :-)

Dancing is one I left off. Thanks for reminding me, Cid! I love dancing but I feel clumsy at it (I really am pretty bad) and awkward at clubs (less so in places like Montreal where they treat fat chicks like queens for some reason, not that I'm complaining!) and have never felt comfortable doing the salsa or tango classes that my friends take.

Mygirlblue and Mayday,

How nice to meet you.  

Everyone's posts remind me of more things I want to do with this life after fat, and some I can start now (if modified)

I love to dance.  I move around now, but real dancing is out of the question due to my size and the shape of my feet, legs and knees.  But...next year I'll do more.

I have always wanted to wear Go-Go boots.  I know they aren't called that now, but my calves were always too big, even in Jr. High.  Perhaps I can get some nice boots when I am smaller.