I was talking with some of my sisters tonight about their goals and desires in regard to health, weight loss, exercise etc. It was a fun, insightful conversation and I left with some great ideas I want to implement, but I also left with a lot to ponder. One of my sisters lost a lot of weight a few years back. She looked great and seemed happy but has gained much of it back due to pregnancy, stress, life, etc. She kept talking about how differently others started to treat her after she lost the weight, both for good and bad. She actually said one of the reasons she put much of the weight back on was because she felt some people only wanted to be her friend because she was "skinny".
This has got me thinking about what my motivation to change is. I have only been at this for a month now, but I feel great and feel like I look better. I think for the most part my motivation is personal and for me, but at the same time others perceptions of me are a motivator too. I'll be honest I am looking forward to the day when someone says, "My you're looking good? Have you lost weight?" Is this a bad thing? Does this make me a vain person? Does this mean I am on the path to gain back the weight I hope to lose?
I know I am probably over analyzing things but I think motivation has a huge effect on long term success. I want this to be a long term, forever thing I just hope I want it for the right reasons.
I realize not everyone here is trying to lose weight, but I was just curious what you feel is the motivation for you to be healthy?
I don't think it's vain to be want to be noticed for all your hard work. Who doesn't like to hear something nice about the way we look? You can always tell those people apart who truly don't care about their looks, whether they are "fat or skinny". I'm sorry that your sister had "friends" like that. I can't even comprehend wanting to be someone's friend because they are thin. That's so odd. Especially at our (over high school) age. Anyway, be who you want to be and choose your friends wisely. :)
ReplyDeleteI just posted a big, fat comment and it didn't show up. Now I'm annoyed. And don't have time to redo it. So here's the gist. I'm sorry your sister had that experience, that's weird. I mean sheesh, we're all outta high school, right?
ReplyDeleteAnd it's not vain to want a compliment or encouragement once in a while. When I spend hours cleaning the house, it's nice to have my husband come home and tell me it looks good. Same with my weight. It's nice when people notice.
Oh, I guess it did, and my second one was longer! Hhaha!
ReplyDeleteCammy, I love this post. I was going to talk about some of my motivational reasons today in a post if I had time, so I'll save my long comment for then, but I will say this: having people notice is a huge motivator. I love it when people say stuff. My weight loss is suttle and sometimes I wonder if my hard work is doing something. It helps me realize that it is paying off. Hang in there. It seems like people don't start noticing until you loose 20-30 pounds. Can't wait to see all the changes you've made.
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ReplyDeleteAfter working hard (and it does require hard work and discipline to lose weight) while also developing good habits for eating and exercising it is perfectly acceptable to hope that someone will notice. No Cammy you are not a vain person ,we all enjoy compliments and validation for our achievements. That's called be a human.
ReplyDeleteMany people who lose weight do put it back on again. My own commonsense opinion as to why that happens is that they haven't developed good eating and exercise habits along with their weight loss. They've lost weight but have not really changed their mind set or lifestyle.
I do have acquaintances who have lost weight and kept it off so I know it's possible.
What motivates me is I like how my clothes fit. I like how I feel with fewer pounds to carry around. I like feeling stronger. I like feeling like I have control instead of the food having control. I have NO athletic talent and I've never been fond of exercise but I realize that if I will continue to do it I will be able to participate more in life as I age. I like that I'm developing some discipline in my life and hopefully my personality.
True friends and true women of faith should be supporting your efforts and goals. We should be encouraging and cheering each other on as we try to become better and stronger women in all areas of our lives.
Just keep doing what you're doing cause I think you're doing great and I bet you're looking great too. When we feel good about ourselves we're able to reach and and serve others better.
YOU GO CAMMY!
Cammy! This is a great post and very thought provoking. I like Alicia actually have too much to say about this and will post about it but I think that you've got some great things to think about because it is very individualized. My motivators change constantly and that is part of the mental battle.
ReplyDeleteKeep up the good work!
My motivations are these: having more energy, feeling strong, not feeling achy when I step out of bed, sleeping better, being a good example to my kids and husband of how fitness and healthy eating can be fun and exciting, not tedious and torturous.
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