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Determining Your Why for Weight Loss

Determining Your Why for Weight Loss

Determining Your Why for Weight Loss

It is very important to determine and establish your “Why” when you want to lose weight and switch to living a healthy lifestyle. Your Why will help with your weight loss and keep you accountable to your goals. Your Why will also change and/or expand as you and your needs change.

Determining Your Why for Weight Loss

For me, my Why for losing weight was survival. I wanted to live for myself and for my daughter’s sake. At the rate I was gaining weight (that was exasperating health problems), I probably would have been dead within a few years. Several months into my weight loss journey, I found out I was going to be a grandmother. My Why expanded. Not only did I want to live for myself, but I wanted to live for my grandchild and to be able to enjoy and play with her. Further along on my journey, my Why expanded to include wanting to be attractive to myself and others. Then, as I became stronger and more mobile, my Why expanded more to include my desire to compete in running and adventure races.

Take the time to really figure out your Why. Do you want to lose weight to fit into your old clothes sitting in the closet? Is it to enjoy and play with your children/grandchildren? Is it to reverse illnesses such as Type 2 Diabetes, asthma, or arthritis? Is it to be able to move about freely and without pain? Is it to be able to walk up a flight of stairs without gasping for air? Is it to look better in a bikini at the beach this summer?

Really define your Why. Write down all the reasons you can think of for wanting to lose weight. Then highlight or circle the top two or three reasons. Write your list out again with your highlighted reasons at the top of the list in order of priority. Post your list where you will see it throughout the day. Post it on the bathroom mirror so that you see it first thing in the morning, at your desk at work, on the refrigerator, at your computer. Keep a copy in your purse or wallet. This will help keep you accountable. If you are having a weak moment, look at your list. Let it be your reminder of why you are making the lifestyle changes you are making. When your reasons change or expand, rewrite your list and repost it.

Determining and writing out your Why can also be applied for any lifestyle change you want to make including gaining muscle mass and strength or increasing your speed and agility. You can use it for other life changes you wish to make as well, such as starting a new home business, making a career change, doing a major renovation on your home, etc. No matter your goals, let your Why help keep you accountable.

I have successfully lost more than half my body weight. You can read my story here.

View Comments (36)
  • Great idea. I like the point that you need to figure out the “Why”. I think that may be why I have been struggling lately. I have been having one health problem after another and it just doesn’t seem to help get me out of my funk. I am going to try your suggestions once my doctor says I can start back on a plan. Thanks!

  • When I decided to lose weight, I did it because I saw the health problems my mom was having and knew I was following in those steps, and I didn’t want to go there. It took me 6 months to lose 30 pounds, and I’ve been able to keep most of that weight off for 11 years now!

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