The Motivation to Lose Weight

As a wife and stay-at-home-mom of two young children, I've watched myself gain weight over the years. I am not happy with how I look, or how I feel for that matter. I desperately want to change, but the months and years have passed with no improvement. My new approach is to clearly lay out what my motivation is to lose the weight and keep reminding myself of those reasons. If you are trying or wanting to lose weight as well, these will likely apply to you too.

My Health
It is no mystery that the overweight and obese are at much greater risk for a variety of health problems. From diabetes, to heart disease, to fatigue, to cancer, to cellulite, any way you look at it being too heavy is hard on your body. I notice how my energy is low, and my body is sluggish. This wasn't the case when I was at a more healthy body weight. I want to feel good again, and have lots of energy throughout the day.

My Body Image
I just plain am not happy with how I look anymore. Being a wife, this is especially important. I want to feel confident and beautiful for my husband. I want to know for sure that he is attracted to my body, and not that he is just "putting up with it." When I am unhappy with how I look, it's hard to come across as a confident, well put together woman. I feel judged right away, as if people look at me differently now that I weigh more. I have a difficult time being happy and fun-loving when I am preoccupied with how I don't like my body. Even though I now my husband still loves me, I feel a little as though I have failed him. I really do want to please him, and I don't feel that I'm doing my best when I'm overweight.

My Kids
Oh, how I wish I had more energy to keep up with them. I want to be the fun mom who plays sports with my kids, and can easily run around town with them to get whatever they need. With my energy so low right now, it's hard to just get them clothed and fed each day. When I'm feeling sluggish, tired, and unhappy with myself, I am certainly not being the best mom I can be. I will snap at my kids for the littlest things, and not have any patience at all. Even from a young age, children can pick up on so much. They now when mommy isn't happy, and I don't ever want them to think of mommy as someone who sits on the couch all day and yells at them.

Besides keeping up with my kids and giving them a happy mommy, I also want to set a good example for healthy eating and regular exercise in their lives. I don't want them to have to struggle with obesity or being overweight when they get older. The best way to instill good eating habits in them is setting the example myself. If I am eating lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, that's what they will want also. Likewise, if I'm eating potato chips and ice cream, that's what they will want to eat as well. Also, excercising together as a family is not only a good way to stay healthy, but also a wonderful way to spend quality time together.

My Sense of Accomplishment
This last one is just as important as the first three reasons. I want to feel like a CAN do something! I long for the satisfaction of putting my mind to something (in this case, losing weight) and seeing it through to completion. The pride I will feel, and the self worth I will realize is priceless. Turning my life around in this way will truly change who I am, and how I feel about my self.

As I keep these four motivations in my head, I know I can acheive my goals. It really does help to put it all out there. These are definitely important things for many people struggling with weight to consider. If this doesn't motivate, I don't know what will!