Motivation for Weight Loss: The Why

So, when considering weight management, you have to come up with a big "why" or you'll never stick with it long enough to find the "how."

As mentioned in a recent article, my friend at the Y, Joanne, who was plodding along in the comfortable land of denial, until her son cried because he was afraid he'd lose her to obesity. Suddenly, Joanne was presented with a "why" which has sustained her to a committed year of effort and a realistic weight loss in that time of 40 pounds.

Spend some time developing your "whys." Engage loved ones to help if needed.

I teach weight management to people at the Y and personally commit much time to my health and weight management and yet, I recently had a powerful illustration of the importance of a "why."

I had allowed myself to drift back into actions, which caused me to be heading toward a size 14. I was still exercising, eating well, and generally maintaining my health, but I was still going up the scales.

Enter my husband's 20-year reunion. An old "rival" would be there. Suddenly, I had a powerful "why." I refined the "hows" I know work, and in two months, I had myself in a size 11 gorgeous, short flirty dress for the reunion. By the way, I'm glad to say the "rival" and I put the silly past behind us and became friends.

So … that's a big "why" that just got erased for me. What now? My "why" now is watching my 72-year-old mother struggle to maintain her independence because she has consistently failed over the past few years to practice good health. Once a proud size 12 voluptuous beauty who walked miles, ate well, took herbs and vitamins, and conscientiously watched and maintained her healthy body size, she is now a size 20+ whose obesity has contributed to a new diagnosis of the early stages of diabetes. As well, she cannot walk far without becoming exhausted and falling.

I have a lifetime ahead of me to remember what poor health choices can and will cause in my golden years if I don't stay the course.

Another "why" was vividly illustrated for me yesterday. I saw an obese woman laboring to get across the grocery parking lot with a young child. She was barely able to pull herself into her van seat. I had a Joanne-like fear for her child: how much that girl needed her mom! I thought of my own gorgeous 4-year-old son. "He deserves to have a healthy mother," I thought, a "why" vividly slapped into my awareness.

HEALTHY GOAL FOR THE WEEK: Develop firm "whys," contemplate them daily, and the "hows" will follow. You'll never get far off the healthy track again.