Why do you want to shed weight?

Do we all share the same reasons why we want to shed weight? Do you have specific goals or just a general feeling that you need to shed weight?

My reason was 3 fold.

I wanted to get healthy so I would live longer.
I wanted to LIVE, not just exist.
and
I wanted to feel good about the way I looked.

I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired.  I want energy and good health to get on with my life and enjoy my family and friends.  I don't want to be stuck in a hospital or be bedridden or on medication for the rest of my life.

The first time I lost all of my weight, I did it for the wrong reason. I wanted to be thin because I thought that it would give me self-worth. I was wrong. I kept most of it off for a couple years then gained it back plus an extra 50lbs. I was in my 20's then. This time was totally different. I had went through the sudden, but not unexpected loss of my morbidly obese father. At the end of his life, he was miserable and unable to do much for himself. He had to rely on his children for a lot. He was sick and very unhappy. I did not want that for myself or my sons. Almost a year following and another 20lbs gained,  I made a decision to make better food chotces and move my body. I had to go for revision surgery for a botched hysterectomy and was so unhealthy that I could not walk across the doctors parking lot without being winded. I was scared for myself! That day I decided not to put tons of pressure on myself to be thin, but to make better choice for my health. When I had lost probably about 90lbs, I just about had a nervous breakdown. My self-esteem was at an all-time low. Instead of feeling better about myself, even though I felt so much healthier, I was lost. I no longer had my food or my size to hide behind and the real reasons I was obese came to the surface. It was then that God took me on a journey of healing. He showed me my worth in Him and I have never been the same. I am so grateful! I am a new person inside. A whole person for the first time in my life. God did change my outside, but only so I would let Him change my inside. I an  whole new Me inside and out!

Sorry about the loss of your father.

Congrats on your weight loss and finding the real you during the process!
I need to work on my spiritual side...

Thank you Ruth,
You are so kind. You always have a nice or encouraging word, or great advice. You are a blessing to us. I appreciate you so much!

 Health, to be around for my kids and to be a good example to them, also to help as many people as I can. And Im not gonna lie I want to look good also, 

# 1 Reasons why I want to lose weight: fear of what effects age would have with excess weight. I'm generally pretty healthy- don't have a laundry list of complaints that typically come with obesity. But I *know* being young is the only thing on my side right about now. I don't want to find out how much worse it can get. Kind of like labor..I was feeing good right up until 6CM, but I didn't want to find out how much worse the pain could get @ 10CM...so I took the epidural LOL.

Wow , those are all powerful reasons. I hope those who lurk and are having trouble getting started are reading these and finding inspiration.

I felt I had no choice - I couldn't just get fatter and fatter and sicker and sicker. I was running out of choices of where to buy clothes and being able to fit into chairs/airplane seats etc. I was "thisclose" to being in a wheelchair and it scared the hell out of me.

I wrote this list of things/reasons why I want to lose weight back in May of 2009:
-I want to feel excited and good and proud of myself
-I want people to see a change in me and really see my true beauty
-I want to go tubing with my family this summer and be able to lift myself on a tube
-I want to buy a cheap bathing suit on sale at a department store
-I want to fit and look good in a skirt or pair of shorts
-I want to borrow my sisters clothes
-I want to feel proud of my body
-I want to have to never worry about weight restrictions, or whether I will fit into a seat
-I want guys to look at me and find me attractive and beautiful
-I want to be that girl that guys dream about
-I want to be able to touch my knees to my chin, and sit in funny positions in chairs
-I want to shop at cute boutique stores in the mall that my friends shop at
-I want to be a girl that makes guys nervous and stumble with their words
-I want to be picky, and not stare at a guy and think that I would/could settle for him
-I want someone to go out of their way to try and impress me
-I want to not have to wear spandex gut busters everytime I dress up
-I want to have muscles and a flat stomach
-I want to fit into fancy dresses without having them completely re-altered or special ordered
-I want to be able to fit into all my old clothes I can no longer fit into
-I don't ever want to feel this shame and embarassment I feel when I am ignored/rejected
-I want to show up every person in high school who never took a second thought about me
-I want to be one of those women on a cover of a magazine who are standing in one leg of their old pants
-I want to be a good role model for my patients and family
-I want to ride on airplanes without worrying about fitting in the seat
-I want to ride rollercoasters again
and finally...
-I want to be able to look back and finally say, "I did it.  I actually did it!"

I know some of them are silly, but these are what's mainly driving me to go through this much work to lose weight.