Weighting for Motivation

Last month my bff and I hosted a small intimate Girl's Day Out event. We thought it might be a good way to help all of us have a get-away from the kids and men for a while and enjoy some girl time. And it was! We asked each woman to bring their favorite dish and we supplied the drinks and the opportunity to meet some other fabulous women. For many of these women it was the first time they had ever met however instantly we all seemed like old friends. As we talked, laughed, ate and drank I couldn't help but think about how diverse the every day lives of these women were. Married, divorced, single, separated and dating. Working moms, sahm, wahm and student. New mothers, no children, toddlers, school-age children and adult children. The ages ranged from 20 something to almost 60 and each one of us had something in common. The conversations were fun, candid and enlightening.

We discussed many topics that women discuss when they get-together: shopping, men, children, celebrity crushes and of course weight. It didn't matter the age, size or shape of the woman, we all shared a successful or not so successful story about our struggles with weight. Whether we exercise, diet or have just been blessed with an awesome metabolism, we all connected when it came to losing and/or maintaining weight. As we shared low-fat recipes, exercise regimens and for some of us, secret wishes of liposuction, I realized that almost all women have some sort of obsession with our weight. However, our motivation to lose or maintain weight varies.

Some of us are motivated by health reasons, some by wanting to look better in and out of our clothes and others by outside influences. My motivation was my age. When I turned 40 I realized that my metabolism was pretty much dormant. I had been gaining weight and pretending not to notice. When my clothes got too tight I just brought the next size up and I placed the blame on the cut of the pants instead of my inactivity. It wasn't until I went on the scale on January 1, 2010 to once again start a New's Resolution of losing weight and gasped in disbelief at the number I saw. Then, I did something I never did before I showed my husband the number because I needed someone to know how serious I was and to keep me accountable. (I know I must have been crazy but I meant business!) It worked because I kicked my butt in gear and started on my weight loss journey and in six months I had lost 25 pounds and in one year 50. Although my metabolism is no longer dormant it still can take naps every once and awhile so I have to make sure that I keep active and watch what I eat. It's not easy but for me it is a necessary part of my life now.

Whatever our motivation, one thing that is for sure is that we all want to look in the mirror and like what we see no matter what size. What is your motivation for starting and/or maintaining a healthy lifestyle? Share your successful or not so successful story with us; you never know, your story may be the motivation someone else is waiting weighting for!