One of my long-term goals is to get back down to my ideal weight. Admittedly, I have a long way to go but I’ve lost 16ish pounds from my heaviest nonpregnancy weight ever so I need to be pleased with that because at least it’s a start.
I’m not going to lie–losing weight is hard for me. Small setbacks derail any progress I make and then it takes awhile to get my focus and discipline back. It’s during those times when I really need to revisit my motivation for why I’m trying to do it in the first place.
That’s what I’m taking some time to do today and also share it with you on the off-chance someone else is struggling and could also use a little pick-me-up.
On the surface, I have all the normal reasons behind my choice to lose weight wanting to have a normal dose of self-esteem and be healthier and a good example for the child and look better in clothes and be okay wearing a bathing suit and shorts in public and actually being in pictures But, deep down, there are other reasons. Reasons that are probably slightly abnormal but in my brain make total sense because I’m mildly fucked up.
Reasons like:
- I don’t want the weight on my driver’s license to be a lie anymore
- If I go missing, and they have to put my weight on a missing person poster, I don’t want to be ashamed
- When I have to get on the scale at a doctor’s office, it’s no fun to have them think you weigh less than you do and then they have to move that black box up to the next range and I know what you’re thinking, nurse.
- I’m too broke to buy more fat clothes but I have plenty of smaller ones. Free clothes shopping is where it’s at.
- When I say I ate my weight in something, I’d like to not feel like I just said I ate the equivalent of an elephant
- If I keep gaining and my husband keeps losing, I might wind up weighing more than he does. He’s 6″1′. I’m 5″3′. That can’t happen.
- I want to go parasailing but I won’t because I have to tell them how much I weigh.
- Do you ever stand next to someone and feel like two of them equal one of you? Me, too.
- I might want to get on a seesaw one day.
- My 20 year high school reunion is in May. There’s still a 1% chance I might go.
How about you guys? Are you trying to lose weight? What are some of your reasons for it?
P.S. Does anyone remember the episode of Mad Men when Betty called it “reducing”? I’m not sure how I feel about referring to it like that although it makes total sense but I’m glad we’re not living in the 60s and that’s what it’s normally called because that would make me feel even worse.
Wow, 16 pounds lost is awesome. Way agree on the clothes situation.
Great job. You are inspiring me. I never want to weigh even close o my husband. My mom was always heavier than my dad- ew!Now, at 82- with Parkinson’s she weighs 120!!! Being 5’2″ is not kind to any extra pounds. A good 20 lb weight loss would make my bones and my heart,and my joints happy! Continued Goddess speed.
Love, SMD’s Momma
I’m short, too, so I understand the difference even 20 pounds can make!
Haha you’re funny. I’m glad our driver’s license doesn’t have weight on them! I also find it hard to lose weight, especially now that I’ve had a kid. After I had Maria i didn’t expect the weight to fall off but i did hope exclusively bfing would help. Nope. When she was 7 months old I joined WW (again) and weighed in at 2 lbs less than the day Ibhad her. I was trying to lose 15lbs (5’0tall) when i got pregnant so adding another 30 to me was HARD. I’m officially below my pre pregnancy weight and going to keep going. For me i got a fitbit and partake in challenges with 5 other (equally competitive) family members, it’s working too (along with tracking in MFP). I just want to be healthy and i really want new family pictures done this summer when we’re away. Though i love our last ones i was 20 lbs heavier than i am today.
Catherine recently posted…Should You Have a Separate Bank Account to Budget for Your Kids?
I really need a support network; I think that’s my problem. I don’t have a good one. But congrats to you on being below your pre-pregnancy weight! That’s awesome!
I totally know what you mean about weighing as much/more than your husband. I’m 5’5″ and my husband is 6’2″ and he weighs MAYBE 5 lbs more than I do? Needless to say, these are facts that I like to ignore 🙂
Marcie recently posted…life lately
I try to ignore the shrinking gap as well.
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! these are hilarious; esp #3. when i was heavier and had to go to the doctors, i’d always watch the nurse’s face as she was weighing me because i KNOW she was secretly judging me!!!!
kathy@real talk recently posted…favorite finds
It’s the worst feeling to know that they’re thinking “hmmm, she doesn’t look that fat”.
That is great that you already lost 16 lbs! Losing weight is hard for me too. I could be doing great all day and then ruin it because I’m stressed. It was so much easier when I was younger. I want to lose weight because I’m job hunting and I just feel sloppy in my bigger size suit. I want to wear my old work clothes again.
Karen recently posted…A Short Story Review // Mama Cried
I totally understand because I do the same thing. I think that from now on, when I feel like I’m going to ruin it, I’m going to sound a Karen alarm and email you instead. We can do this!
I’m trying to be more active and make healthier choices in what I’m eating 80% of the time. I would love to look better but really I want to feel better. My weight is too much for my ankles and knees right now.
It’s hard for me to lose weight too. Quite easy to gain it though.
SMD @ Life According to Steph recently posted…February Recommendations
Fortunately, I don’t have joint pain but I just feel gross with all the extra weight. It so needs to go.
I am so right there with you!!!! I agree with every last one of your mildly fucked up reasons too….except parasailing bc this girl does not do heights!!! But I completely get where you are coming from and I get easily derailed too!!! I have been in a rut for several months now and I am really trying to push myself lately because I need to see a change and some progress before I lose myself completely!
Congrats on 16 lbs! That is awesome! What did you do to get there?
Nadine recently posted…Confessions
I used to be really good about exercising and when I was, I made better food choices plus writing it all down. I need to do that again.
Congrats on losing 16 pounds, that’s great!! UGH I hate the doctor’s scale, it always weighs me heavier than my scale at home does! And I have totally been there when they have to move the black box up more, is there anything more demoralizing?? I totally get what you mean about getting easily derailed, that is so me!
Julia @ Grace Makes New recently posted…Loving Lately…
I don’t think I’d find it as demoralizing if they didn’t have the scale in the middle of the damn hallway! Where everyone can see it and walk by and then of course, they never reset it to zero. Makes me so angry.
RIGHT?!? Is it really necessary to put it where everyone walks by? Is this a sideshow?
Julia @ Grace Makes New recently posted…Loving Lately…
Nice work!!! Planning is always the best first step! Such a journey.
Thanks! Planning is key. I need to do a better job of that.
Congrats on the weight loss!! These are hilarious, and have had the same thoughts once or twice.
Glad I’m not alone 🙂
Bhahahaha to Betsy calling it “reducing”. That shit cracked me up. I really struggled with Fat January Jones.. not quite as much as I struggled with Megan’s teeth though.
Teh Megan recently posted…Confessions {2/25}
OMG, my grandmom used to call weight loss “reducing” and we were all overweight- including her. She is where I got the endless candy/snack situation that is forever on my bar server. People come in my house and go straight to it!
Megan’s teeth are THE WORST. I can’t look at her.
congrats on your 16 lb loss so far – that is awesome.
I love all of your reasons.. I don’t have a drivers licence yet so I definitely want my weight not to be a lie when i finally get one lol
Kristen recently posted…The best me; training for tuesday
Thanks! You don’t have a license? Did you have one in Australia and it didn’t transfer? If I had to take the test again, I’d say fuck it. I don’t need to drive that badly.
I do not have a license, and my australian one expired in like 2012 (o3 2013? don’t remember). but I’m not a citizen and it’s so flipping hard to get one, so difficult and time consuming that i havent done it yet. and i’d basically be like a 16 year old and have to take all the tests and all the learning and blah blah i just hope i don’t get pulled over, lol. i got pulled over once and i told the judge i couldn’t get a license until i was a citizen and she was like yep thats right.. ok you’re good to go. i was like, that’s not right but ok! haha.
Kristen recently posted…The best me; training for tuesday
The tests would be reason enough for me never to do it again. Also time consuming paperwork. Nope. No thanks.
Love the humor in your post but don’t be so hard on yourself!
Ali A recently posted…I’m so over the cold.I’m so over the winter. New…
It’s something I’m definitely working on.
I also don’t want to buy bigger clothes. Plus winter is ending so I can’t hide in layers and coats. I also want to look better in a bathing suit & fit in my wedding rings again.
lisacng @ expandng.com recently posted…A day in the life of a mom who gets the day off without her kids
I had to have my rings resized after I had Erica.
I definitely need to look better in a bathing suit. How I currently look is horrifying.
I think whatever reasons you have it’s great! A big part of that is “looking good,” but more importantly it’s feeling good.
Tonya@Budget and the Beach recently posted…Following My Passion for Storytelling!
16 pounds down is great! I laughed at some of these like the poster one! but basically you gave me even more reason to lose weight haha
Kay R. recently posted…Off to …
Bahahahah @ #8! PREACH!
Why does losing weight have to be so much harder than gaining it? I’m in the SAAAAME boat right now. The struggle is real.
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