Hey all just curious where you all get your motivation from. For me it's been watching reality shows about obesity as well as this forum of course.

From getting slimmer.

I get my motivation from remembering how people treat me when I'm fat. I am motivated by the fact that yesterday I asked the sales girl at Express to grab me a size 2, instead of a 4 instead of trying to squeeze myself into the only size 16 anywhere in the store and being upset that it didn't fit me, like used to be the case. I am motivated that yesterday for the first time in my entire life I bought an American Eagle size 0 pair of jeans and they actually fit me. I am motivated by the fact that no one looks at me like I have no business shopping in stores like AE, Express, banana Republic or even places like Louis Vuitton and Tiffany's. I am motivated by walking into anywhere and knowing that not a single person there could call me fat. I am motivated by the fact that between self-pay sleeve surgery and plastics I have spent more on creating the new me than I grossed my entire first two years of having an adult job and holy cow it would be expensive to get fat again. I am motivated by not waking up every morning and feeling like I'm worthless because I can't control my size. I suppose I am most motivated by never again wanting to feel that deep, lonely sadness and constant shame and humiliation that I felt when I was at my highest weight.

So the shorter version, I am motivated by the fact that losing weight massively increased my happiness and gaining it back would cause substantial emotional pain, lol.

I get my motivation from wanting to get back to the fitness level I had when I was in the Army! I was to be able to do all of the physically challenging things I did then and go even farther. I am motivated by my children and being able to show by example how to live a healthy lifestyle. I am self motivated to look on the outside the way I feel on the inside! I feel like an Army Ranger on the inside but look looked like more like a Jabba the Hutt on the outside.

I am well on my way to making my outside look like I feel on the inside, still have a ways to go but, defiantly closer than I was a day, week, month, and year ago! I am a warrior, I will not quit, I will succeed!

I used to watch Gillian McKeiths "You Are What You Eat" on BBC where she counseled obese patients and guided them through the process of improving their food intake and health. Now I watch the obesity realted reality shows like "My 600 Pound Life". They rmind me that that is where I was headed and how blessed I am to have this tool to help me stay on the straight and narrow road to improve my own health.

Also, I do not want to have another stroke.

I get my motivation from my 5 yr old daughter I can do more things with her and the happiness in her makes it all worth it!!

The way I feel keeps me motivated. The great people on Bariatric Pal keep me motivated. My husband keeps me motivated. The way I look in clothes keeps me motivated. My good health keeps me motivated.

Oh, and my sister. We are pretty much the same size right now. There is NO WAY I'm going to let her be thinner than I am anymore

Looking at old photos of myself. And holding up the teeny tiny "doll clothes" that I fit into now. And remembering how many NSAIDS and pain meds I used to take every day.

Oh yeah, and the fact that pretty much everyone I know (clients, friends, family, acquaintances) knows I had surgery and I refuse to be the sad failed WLS story.

Now that I am in this position of taking care of my husband, I am motivated to be able to do the things he used to do, that now I will have to do, following his surgery. Things I couldn't have physically done prior to WLS. I am motivated by the kind and caring folks on BP who have pumped up my self-esteem, and strength to do for him what he has done for me in the past with MY surgeries.

I am motivated by the way I feel everyday now, especially after a good work out. It still amazes me how crappy I used to feel and never realized I could get my health back. Never feeling like that again motivates me.

I am motivated by my husband. We share laundry responsibilities and he tells me that it is so weird and quite funny to fold my jeans. He says they are so tiny! I went from a size 26 to a size 14/16. I am looking forward to smaller sizes in the future because I love his reaction.

I am motivated by my Father N Law who tells me how pretty I look. He swears I lose more weight every time I see him. Not really the case as I see him about every two days now.

I am mostly motivated by my children and grandchildren. I know that every lifestyle change I made, I have done it to remain here for them much longer than my Mom did. She passed away at 66 from complications of type 2 diabetes and sleep apnea. These were results of letting her Rheumatoid Arthritis get the best of her. When she gave up, the pounds came on fast. She developed type 2 diabetes, lost her toe, then a toe on her other foot, then her foot and then a leg. this disease really takes a toll on folks that cannot get around as easy. She saw no path to better health and paid the ultimate price.

I am completely motivated by what happened to her and how it makes me feel as her daughter. She should still be here today.

I never want my children to feel the way that I do!

That is my motivation!