What motivates you? - Page 2

[e.naomisandoval]

• the mirror
• buying size 2 clothing for the first time in my life
• feeling stronger
• achieving new goals
• reduced pain (like, WAAAAAY reduced!)
• measurable results - scale, tape measure, body fat
• feeling better all the time
• my kids becoming more fit and active
• my husband becoming more fit and active again
• becoming "me" again; regaining parts of myself that I put aside when I became a mom
• structure and discipline
• success breeds success; it's spilling over to other areas of my life
• increased confidence
• competitiveness - mostly with myself - there is always some new challenge and there always will be

[veronicam]

Honestly, reading everyone's responses is quite motivating as well!

[spughy]

Originally Posted by ChristyMarie

Honestly? I'm vain.

But I also love the side effects:
-I sleep better
-I NEED that hour of ME TIME
-I like being able to lift stuff when I need to
-The health benefits rock

I think the biggest thing is the sleep issue. On days I don't work out I do not sleep as well.

: This is totally me! I sleep sooooo much better if I've had a good workout with at least half an hour of lifting heavy, heavy weights. My energy level has gone up so much too - six months ago I was completely, fully wiped after a day with someone else's baby (or my own child), but now I have no problem heading to the gym after dinner.

And I really like the sensation of sore muscles (to a point ). I like knowing I *have* muscles - and I like being able to impress people by whipping off 10-20 military-style pushups anytime. For extra wows, I do military pushups with my 4-year-old on my back. Yes, I'm a circus freak, but it's fun.

Also, I have one pair of jeans that I bought in a hurry from a consignment store, about a year after I had my daughter, when my brain still thought I looked like I did a year *before* I had my daughter. Right now, I can get them up to my hips, but they won't do up. A few months ago, they wouldn't even go up all the way. One day in the not so distant future, I will wear those jeans, and look super-hot, even though they are no longer in style.

[ambereva]

My daughters. I need to BE the role model I want them to have.

[HappilyEvrAfter]

I do have a couple of serious ones:

First, I saw a man finish a marathon with two prosthetic legs and it stuck with me. Not the first time I'd seen that, but I felt that if he was able to dedicate and push himself to do that then I, having no health issues, could put in a couple of hours on two good legs to keep the health I've been given and not take it for granted so much.

Second, we had a safety briefing earlier this year (right around the time I started cleaning up my health) and a guy with a badly mangled leg spoke.
He admitted that he'd made some poor decisions surrounding the accident, but when he finally woke up three days later the doctor told him that he had his previous physical fitness to thank for his survival....and keeping his leg.
Had he not been exercising, eating right, keeping his muscles in the shape they'd been in then his chances of being able to have kept his leg would have been greatley decreased. Not to mention the fact that his whole system was able to keep him going while waiting for emergency treatment.
He'd been in terrible, terrible shape after being shot through the propellers of a largish boat.

This of kind of sent home a message to me.
I know the chances of something major happening to me accidentaly are somewhat low (fingers crossed), but my health is largely IN MY CONTROL and I want to be able to say I pulled through whatever may happen and be there for my son because I took the time to make exercise and diet a priority.

Thirdly, setting a healthy example for my son and burning his energy are high priorities.

Fourthly, I don't want to spend money on a home video game system.
If we sit inside together in front of the tv I almost always get the question, "How come WE don't have a Wii?"
That never comes up if we're outside kicking a ball or bike riding.

The weight loss, smaller clothes, clearer skin, better hair are all niiiiiiiiiiice reasons (i totally agree!!!), but those up there are more of the profound inner reasons I keep fighting to make this of a long-term, on-going committment.

[e.naomisandoval]

Just thought of more:

• The fact that something like 2/3 of adults and 1/3 of kids are overweight and I was one of them for more than just a few months the first time in my life
• Belly fat = cortisol = cause of cancer - SCARY! This was my wakeup call!

[lifeguard]

I can come up with a list of 100. I have in fact done so several times in the effort to keep myself motivated. But when it comes down to it losing weight just doesn't cut it - I lose so incredibly slowly that it doesn't keep me going through the rough patches.

I agree with a pp who said if working out is a chore than you're doing the wrong workout.

I now do powerlifting & truly look forward to my workouts. And when it's tough having a goal that is more concrete than to look better is so much more motivating imo.

[Coconut Chronicles]

Originally Posted by ChristyMarie

Honestly? I'm vain.

But I also love the side effects:
-I sleep better
-I NEED that hour of ME TIME
-I like being able to lift stuff when I need to
-The health benefits rock

I think the biggest thing is the sleep issue. On days I don't work out I do not sleep as well.

this is totally me also. I like what I see in the mirror and I work hard to maintain it. I definitely agree with the sleep thing also.

[MsVyky]

Results motivate me. I'm smaller 10 months postpartum than I was pre-pregnancy (And I was never overweight to begin with)

I just bought a closet full of size 2 jeans last night after the last few weeks of people telling me to pull up my pants, or get a belt. THAT is all I need to keep on going. Maybe next month I can clear them all out to make room for size 0's.

The mirror doesn't lie to me. I love it for that. I love being able to flex my arms and see muscle and not jiggly triceps.

Maybe it makes me vain, but I'll be vain and happy.

[Penelope]

I love feeling fit and healthy. And I'm modeling for my kids a life of activity and good self-care. And I really enjoy having my clothes fit me and feeling like I look good.

Plus, my cholesterol is down and I've found that I love running half-marathons... planning my fifth next month. And I love having time alone, to myself, to think and make plans and tune out and so on.

[busymama77]

More motivation! I weighed myself for the first time since going on my low carb diet and exercising and I've lost 8lbs in 5 weeks!! 2lbs away from my goal weight, but I think I'm going to try for another 5lbs to 10lbs!!

[e.naomisandoval]

Originally Posted by busymama77

More motivation! I weighed myself for the first time since going on my low carb diet and exercising and I've lost 8lbs in 5 weeks!! 2lbs away from my goal weight, but I think I'm going to try for another 5lbs to 10lbs!!

INCREDIBLE!!!!

[journeymom]

This is a WONDERFUL thread!

I'm so tired of being tired, being stiff and inflexible, of having no endurance. I'm the youngest of my siblings, by several years. They're all in better shape than I am.

Originally Posted by e.naomisandoval

Just thought of more:

• The fact that something like 2/3 of adults and 1/3 of kids are overweight and I was one of them for more than just a few months the first time in my life
• Belly fat = cortisol = cause of cancer - SCARY! This was my wakeup call!

Absolutely. My mother died of lung cancer three short years ago. It was horrible for her when she was in decline. This was pretty much the proverbial wake up call I needed. I've never smoked but what do I do that can possibly cause cancer? Eat too much. Too much meat, too much refined foods, not enough fiber and plants. I don't move enough. I suspect I'm danger of colon cancer, breast cancer, just cancer in general. I have so much control over this part of the equation, and it would be such a shame if I didn't do anything about it.

My father has osteoporosis (yes, men most certainly suffer from it) and it has totally warped his body. He used to be more than six feet tall, he's probably 5' 3", and his back is severely hunched now. He's had a compression fracture in his spine twice in the past two years.

I do NOT want to look like that and be that fragile when I'm his age. And he's 87 years old and still has his wits. He's a smart man stuck inside a fragile body. Calcium supplements will only help so much. The best insurance is strong muscles and exercise that hardens those bones.

- I want to feel better and be stronger.

- I don't want to get cancer.

- I don't want to get osteoporosis.

[busymama77]

Originally Posted by e.naomisandoval

INCREDIBLE!!!!

Thanks, mama. I'm beyond siked and motivated now!!

[phathui5]

I want to feel better about how I look. When I'm in the low-mid 120s, I'm happier with my shape.

I enjoy exercising because it gives me time to myself.

I don't enjoy cutting back on sweets, but I do it to lose weight.

[lab]

I love my body! That is what motivates me.

I love the way I look - I love the way I feel - I love the way other people respond and react to me.....

I'm healthy!!!

Also - I am a MUCH better parent when I work out every day. Less frustration. And let's face - I have three teenagers - I need less frustration!!

[KarenEMT]

I wasn't sure of what was motivating me, other than feeling healthy & strong & powerful all the time now that I'm fit.

Then I did a race last Friday night & won....the first athletic thing I've ever won in my whole entire life. It took me 38 yrs to accomplish this and I never want to be "out of shape" again. Getting to this point and accomplishing something tangible with my fitness, it is such a wonderful feeling

[busymama77]

Originally Posted by KarenEMT

I wasn't sure of what was motivating me, other than feeling healthy & strong & powerful all the time now that I'm fit.

Then I did a race last Friday night & won....the first athletic thing I've ever won in my whole entire life. It took me 38 yrs to accomplish this and I never want to be "out of shape" again. Getting to this point and accomplishing something tangible with my fitness, it is such a wonderful feeling

That is way beyond awesome, mama!! Good for you!!

[ParisApril]

Originally Posted by HappilyEvrAfter

Or, in other words: "I the endorphin high".

I do too! It's a great thing to be addicted to.

Originally Posted by ChristyMarie

Honestly? I'm vain.

But I also love the side effects:
-I sleep better
-I NEED that hour of ME TIME
-I like being able to lift stuff when I need to
-The health benefits rock

I think the biggest thing is the sleep issue. On days I don't work out I do not sleep as well.

Me too! I lifted heavy yesterday and slept like a stone last night.

Honestly what motivates me is mirrors or windows or black computer screens, really anything I can check myself out in! Who me, vain? Seriously though when you set aside time every day to work out it is nice to see the results. I put a mirror over my stove in the kitchen, I'm in there cooking a lot. So now I get to check out my upper body when I'm in there. I have been rocking the heavy weights lately so it's nice to see the sweep of my shoulder or my improving back muscles. Yes I'll stop and flex for the mirror! Why not?

Having my DH comment on how sexy everything is helps too. And having friends comment on how great I look especially after 2 kids feels great.

[goldenwillow]

My motivation... feeling good. I was heavy all my life. I have lost 147lbs and kept it off for 7 years now! If I am not interested in working out I am sure to at least walk 1/2 hour to an hour a day and that helps keep me in check.