Honestly, proving to someone who doesn't believe in you that YOU CAN DO IT is pretty motivating to me also. You'll show him!!! LOL

There is another one I have to add to my list. I feel the same way ... less of me = better for parachute



Hmm.... I needed to find more girls like you in college?!? I went to the wrong school! haha

I am losing it for God and then of course I receive the blessings that a healthy body gives...like a healthy doctor report, longer life (hopes), more energy,better attitude, smaller clothes, etc.

This past October I went to the Doctor because I thought I was having chest pains a few days prior. It ended up being heart burn, but my blood test results showed that I had high triglycerides and a possible concern for a higher risk of becoming diabetic in the future.

I am currently attempting to adopt two children, and realized that my health affects more people than just me. So I decided it was time to fix what I had spent that last 15 years destroying, my body.

I have been working out since October and have been feeling better than I can remember.

So my motivation is mainly my future family, and since eating better and working out it has become spiritual as well. I think I have been a glutton and I think food was taking priority over God in my life.

Way to go Jeff! I hope the adoption goes through. This one hits home for me as well because I am in fact adopted. If you have any questions or concerns from a persons point of view who was adopted don't hesitate to ask.

Everyone has great reasons for loosing weight. Keep it coming.

to fit into my skinny jeans...to be toned and healthy looking...ehh used to be motivated by guys...but not anymore. now i want to run and tone for me and to have more energey!

tex

Let's see...

1. Skinny jeans (and other clothes) - my fat clothes were getting tight.
2. My sprint triathlon in April!
3. Don't want to look pregnant until I actually am!
4. Want to look good naked.

There's probably more, but that's what I've got for now.

Good thread, Ara!

What motivates me?

4 years ago, I took off 100 lbs in 6 months through hard exercise and diet.

Today, I eat what I want, but I pay for it with hard workouts to balance things out. I've stayed +/- 5 lbs and went from size 40 to size 31 jeans and have stayed here since my initial loss.

I love the ability to wear just about anything without thinking about how I look.

To keep me going and stay fit, I find new challenges.

I was never into sports, I ran a 5k, did a marathon, then the IronMan, and now 6 marathons later, running and sports is a huge part of my life and keeps me going.

I'm willing to try just about anything that keeps you moving and motivated.

Group fitness classes at the health club are perfect to stay motivated, you get to know the others and it's always fun no matter what you try.

I do kickboxing, step aerobics, cardio weights, spinning, pilates, anything and everything. I find that most of the classes I attend are all women, so it makes it even more fun to participate.

I spend more money on exercise clothes, running shoes and bike stuff than just about anything else, because I simply love doing all of that, and if buying something new puts a little extra spring in my step, all the better.

With all of the energy I have, I can play sports for hours on end with my son and never get tired of it.

While running, I always have a big smile on my face because I'm so happy that I'm simply able to do it so well now.

There are so many great things about getting into shape, it's hard to put it all into words, but it feels great.

Exercise lets me clear my brain once a day, and get a fresher start and run my business even better.

Part of what got me going and keeps me going is to find a challenge that you can't imagine yourself ever doing, like running a marathon. Sign up and figure it out along the way. I never thought in my life that I would be able to do such a thing, and now I look at running 26 miles as simply a long morning workout.

I don't eat as much of the junk as I use to, but I still do and never think twice about it. Dieting is not something that I could ever do long term, to me that is just about constantly depriving yourself. Instead, try to balance it out with hard workouts, where you really work up a sweat. Walking for 30 minutes is a start, but if you want to make a real impact on your overall fitness, step it up a notch and put in all the effort you can.

If all I can spend is an hour at the gym, I do everything I can to make the most of that hour, setting quick goals like how many calories can I burn on the elliptical, etc, and really go at it hard. For the rest of the day I feel just great knowing I put in a great workout.

Above all, you have to do it all for yourself. I saw a picture of myself at a conference when I was overweight and thought, wow, that's not who I want to be and my life changed forever.

There are so many things that motivate me. I want to fit into a theater seat-I want to fit into a bathing suit and not have to wear a shirt or cover up over it-I want to be healthy and watch my children grow up and start their own families.....I could keep on going and going like an energizer bunny on this.

What I really want--to hear my husband say, "You're beautiful".....

Nikki, I'm sure that your husband thinks that you are beautiful no matter how you look. They just forget to say it. I have to remind my husband ALL the time to say sweet stuff. Guys don't need to hear, "You look great babe!" so they forget that we do.

Inspirational story Six. Thanks for sharing.

I'm motivated to not only look like my "before before" modeling photo (posted on my profile,) but to also be in the best shape of my life.

Hahaha! Yeah, damnit! I miss complaining about all those jerks out there who kept undressing me with their eyes! Now they just wanna hear what I have to say and respect me as a person. And that hurts.

I am still new to this, but what really motivates me right now is the fact that I just got a puppy and he has a lot of energy that needs to be expended. I am so out of shape that I can't even run around the block with him. Its not fair to the little guy

My rock hard abs under the layer of "protection". I want to see my abs withouut sucking in my gut.

It's a catch 22, Ara. When you have guys hitting on you, you get sick of it - but when they no longer hit on you, you miss it. I should have appreciated it more! Haha! Hopefully I'll get back there - I was a hot little thing! Sigh.

My massive inferiority complex helps. If a guy is noticably stronger or generally better looking than me, as most are, I get agitated that I'm not the best that I can be, pushing me into excercising. I want to be strong and good looking (it may be arrogant, but I believe weight loss is all I need to do really - bone structure isn't bad, BUT BACK TO THE POINT. =P)Though due to the dark evenings of winter, I haven't been biking and so haven't excercised for about two months, though I'm hoping the initial great weight loss of restarting an excercise routine will motivate me to carry on. 10 miles a day, every day, every week is what I'll begin doing again. Last year was a practice - this year I'm going for it, no question.

Wow, that sounds a lot like my situation exactly;only I don't really have a hope or a prayer of getting my ex-gf back so I'm in it for me and me alone.

Basically after 7 great years with my ex (who I nearly proposed to) I had a bad year when everything in my life fell apart (career, finances, health, etc.) and I shut her out when she tried to help and, to make matters worse, projected all my negative feelings at her, so she justifiably left and pretty much found someone new.

Now, besides the health benefits (which is the main motivator), I'm supplementing my motivation with anger for a) letting myself fall so far, so hard in that year; and b) making such a huge mistake.

I'm working to overcome the sins of gluttony and laziness, to glorify God. My daydream is to lose so much weight that people who know me, but don't know Jesus, comment on how good I look, and I can tell them about God's grace, and what He did for me.

I'm human, though, so I have another, more secular, daydream. My hubby and I are going out to a fancy dinner, all dressed up (maybe that cruise I've been wanting to take?!), and people look at us, wondering what I see in HIM, not vice versa!

Sarah

Hahaha! Yeah - my boyfriend has always been chubby - but I'm starting to get fatter than him. And that ain't right!

LOL at Michelle!

I forgot to mention I do have a specific goal in mind. Dara is participating in the U.S. Transplant Games in Philadelphia in July, and they are holding a 5k that anyone is allowed to run or walk, not just transplant recipients. I'd like to finish the 5k in 45 minutes or under, with a combination of (mostly) walking and running. I used to be able to do a mile in 15 minutes, so, if I get into shape, this should not be a problem. I realize 45 minutes is not very fast, but compared to where I'm at now . . .

Great great goals. Whenever I start to lose motivation I think of not only my goals but all of yours. Together we ALL can do it!

Yeah, I'll keep these goals in mind, too. All but the trying to get the attention of the opposite sex. That's the one thing of which I'm afraid.

Yea but you will be in such great shape to run away... or beat em up. Which ever you choose.

True, true, but I wouldn't want my husband and son to feel unneeded. Acting the defenseless damsel in distress has its perks, sometimes.

Oh, wait, we're not supposed to let the guys know that. Um, never mind.

Picked one up during my walk...

Puppy followed me home.

Owners grateful.

I miss him.

I want to be fit not fat. haha

I am about to turn 23 and don't have the confidence I should.

I want to run in a marathon in the next 5 years. I'm writing 26.2 on my treadmill. I just think if I don't get moving now I never will.

I'm starting a new job, moving to a new city, its an excellent time to get into a routine.

I want to gain a couple of inches. I don't usually watch oprah, but she had a show for men only with this doctor, and he said something about for each 35lbs you lose you gain an inch in your man hood.

That's one of my main motivators. That, and fit people. Fit people remind that that it is possible to be in shape.

i found a bathing suit by billabong that i am going to work towards. 10lbs and i'm going to but it. i want to wear it this summer and feel good in it.

and i only meant for him, because he has listened to me complain about it every single day for the past 3 years. i don't want to complain anymore.

Christians have an interpretation of the Bible known as the Third Temple: one's own body. Striving for perfection in all your duties is also consistent with teachings such as the Parable of Talents. However, doing it for yourself straddles the dangerously thin line of self pride, so some devout Christians prefer not to have that as their main motivation.

I respect that, but I am a firm ex-Christian. I just can't get several decades of Jesuit training out of my system

As for me, I do it because it's consistent with my mid-life male sexual fantasies (which most definitely are silly, but I don't care) plus I like feeling strong and fit.