Why are you doing it?

V

viciousness

New member
I know this seems like a stupid question, but sometimes we all really need to be reminded why we're changing our lives to become better people. A lot of you are doing it for your health (a very respectable reason) but I've noticed lately that everytime I weigh myself and everytime I count up my calories I find myself simply thinking "soon I'll be skinny!" I've never felt unhealthy as far as being out of breath or unable to participate in activities I've wanted to do (148 at 5'6), but shouldn't I be at least a little thrilled at the idea of some newfound energy? It just seems odd to me that my main goal here is simply to look good in a bikini again. I think vanity is enough to keep pushing me.

I'm a sad soul. :)

But anyway, what are your reasons? Are you doing it for your kids? Your husband? Your size 6 pants?
 
That makes 2 sad souls :)

I want to look good in that bikini. And I want to look good for my husband, I want him to desire me, and think that I am sexy. Though he says that he would love me even if I were covered in shit!

The energy, health, and over all feeling good is just a bonus :)

We're so Vain!!!!!!!!
 
Hahaha!

I know exactly what you mean. Looking good for my boyfriend is like my number two reason for doing this. I know I don't look awful now, but I could look a lot better.
 
Last edited:
My dad's family is riddled with heart disease-his brother had a heart attack at 33 and died in his mid sixties of heart disease. His mother had quadruple bypass surgery in her sixties. Dad had bypass surgery in his mid 50's and his sister had a heart attack in her mid 50's. Their father died of emphesema, as did my maternal grandmother and one of my maternal uncles (at only 63). My mom's family is also rife with cancer.

My ex, with whom I have two teen age sons in addition to my daughter from a previous marriage, is 21 years older than me and in extremely poor health. I don't want to leave my sons orphaned as teens or even at college age. I have a 1 and a half year old grandson I want to see grow up and torture his mother the way she did me.

So, yes, vanity has alot to do with my desire to better my health and lose weight. But equally important to me is living longer and without cancer, heart disease, emphesema, etc.

My mom is only 58 but has already had to hire out lawn work, etc, for a decade. I want to be able to cut my own darn lawn in ten years!
 
I'm doing it for vanity reasons--I'd love to be able to wear a miniskirt this summer! I'm also doing it to halt the process of weight gain--it's been a steady 3 to 4 pounds a year for the last four years and I'm sick of it. I want to also become a better runner. I want to be a good example for other people too. Wow, lots of reasons!
 
Nice 'reminder' thread! As for myself, I'm losing weight to be a healthy mom and wife. Isteading of hiding from life, I want to be a part of the action. And of course, I want to fit into smaller clothes. No more buying clothes to hide my flaws -- I'll buy clothes to flaunt my healthy figure!
 
me...

Well of course I am doing this for vanity..but I am also doing this for health reasons. My grandma passed away when I was in the 3rd grade due to strokes. She was only 60 years old. I don't want to end up like that. My grandparents missed out on a lot in the past few years. I wish I still had them hear because there is just so much I want to talk to them about, but I can't change the past. I can change my future though. I have been heading down this path towards a stroke and death at 60 (like my grandma) since I entered high school. It's time for me to change my path to where I die of old age...not of bad health because I was overweight.
I would kill to beable to wear a bikini this summer. I haven't been able to wear one since jr. high. I want to beable to wear jeans that fit. And to beable to try on clothes when I shop with friends and buy those clothes and look good instead of feeling like a tagalong that holds the bags.
 
I'd be lying to myself if I said I wasn't doing this for vanity. Of course I am. I want to feel completely beautiful and sexy on the outside. It will also help with a lot of self esteem issues.

But also, I see what bad shape my parents are in because they didn't take care of themselves at a younger age. They have diabetes, heart disease, and problems with their bones/joints. That could have been easily prevented at a younger age with diet and exercise. And I know that if I don't change my life now, that I am going to be exactly like that soon.
 
I would love to be able to say it's for health, but it's not. I've never felt that out of shape or anything.

There's two reasons for me, and the second is connected to the first...

1. I want to be sexy. I don't feel it right now, and I want to.

2. I want to do some things with my kids (and by myself) that I've held back on because I've been self-conscious about my appearance, like swimming at the beach, etc.
 
I HAVE to do it for health ... diabetes is only the 1st on my list of poor health. If I don't do this I might not have children which I really want in the future.

I however WANT to do this for vanity reasons, it would be nice to turn a few heads and have my sweetie want me more lol
 
Well, of course I want to be sexy, lol. I want to look great and feel great. But another reason is so I can set a good example for my daughter. She is only 6 months right now but if I slowly change the way my husband and I eat and exercise then by the time it starts to rub off on her then we will be doing good. Also, I want to inspire my husband to be healthier. He is 22 years old and has been on medication for high blood pressure since 18 years old. He is not overweight, it is a genetic thing but he does not exercise or eat loow sodium like he is supposed to in order to keep it under control. I just want us to be healthy. Both his and my families have so much heart disease and diabetes and young deaths. I want us to rise above all that.
 
oh there are so many reasons to list here, but my top 5 keep me going...

1. Good health.
Don't want to get diabetes/heart disease which runs in my family. Also, tired of my own aches and pains.
2. Do cool stuff again!
Being out of shape is boring. I want to ride horses, learn to surf, run a 5K, enjoy skiing, etc, etc.
3. Get the jobs I deserve.
I work in a competitive, male-dominated industry. The honest truth is I'll be given some favor is I lose the fat. 'Nuf said.
4. Pure vanity.
Want to look like a million bucks in whatever I wear.
5. Screw the haters.
because they don't think I can do it, but I can... and I WILL!
 
Last edited:
heidilw said:
That makes 2 sad souls :)

I want to look good in that bikini. And I want to look good for my husband, I want him to desire me, and think that I am sexy. Though he says that he would love me even if I were covered in shit!

The energy, health, and over all feeling good is just a bonus :)

We're so Vain!!!!!!!!
Click to expand...

Same, except that I am a guy, so just flip everything around.
 
I'm doing it because:

I want to be able to roughhouse and play with my son without getting winded
I want to be a good example of health to him
my health
I want to be able to do strenuous hikes without huffing and puffing
vanity
I want to know what it's like to not be "the big guy"
 
i am doing it mostly because i want to be healthy, i have really low self esteem, and in my opinion, i know i will never be sexy or whatever, but i dont want to die at 40 years old either...my mom passed away last year and she was only 52. I am 17 now, if i start now, i know i can fix it :)

~Emily.
 
For me its a case of why did I do it, and why do I still bother exercising and trying for more fitness?

I did it because suddenly I woke up from years of denial. I did it because I wanted to be in control - and to become the person that I wanted to be. I did it because I was going to die earlier than I needed to. My kids didn't need that or deserve it. My son is severely disabled, and although I don't want to look into the distant future - I need to be fit for him as long as I can be. I wanted to be more employable, I wanted better confidence, I wanted to enjoy better sex with Mrs Ferret, I didn't want to get out of breath as easy as I was, I didn't want my health to get worse. I wanted to get fit enough to keep up with our new husky puppy.

But sure - vanity played a part, I did want to look sexier, younger, smarter etc. Despite what I said above - I did it for myself. I didn't want to be called 'Big Man' down at the Red Lion anymore.

So thats why I did it. Why am I still eating healthy and exercising four months after hitting target weight? Because I found that the rewards justify the effort - I want to maintain that, even improve it. Losing weight isn't a goal for me any longer, but for all of the above, maintaining it long term is. I firmly believe that only lifestyle change - and the mentality behind it can produce long term weightloss. Slimming diets alone, by whatever name, rarely give long term results.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top