Everyone has different reasons for wanting weight loss surgery. Here are a few common reasons. Rank them in order of importance to you, personally. (There are no right or wrong answers) Just thought it would be interesting to see what motivates folks here on BP.

Looks...feeling attractive and confident

Health...resolving health issues, getting off meds, decreasing risk for illness

Mobility...gaining new opportunities provided by more athleticism and mobility

Longevity...adding years to your life with decreased risk of illness and healthier lifestyle

Romance....wanting to be attractive for your partner or in pursuit of a partner

Family.....motivation to do the surgery for the people you love. Decrease their worry, set an example for kids, ability to be more active and involved with loved ones.

Others I forgot....add any others you think are important!

My list would be...

1. Health.

2. Mobility.

3. Longevity.

4. Family

5. Looks

6. Romance (Will admit this might rank differently if I were not married to a solid guy for 25 years)

Health

Longevity

Family

Mobility

Looks

Romance

1. Family--I got two little ones

2. Health--only in my 30s but my BP is atrocious

3. Mobility--I was already very mobile but that would eventually change as I aged.

4. Longevity--eh, who wants to live forever?

5. Looks--I was way way hotter fat, and way more confident fat too. Certainly did not do this to be a saggy, mush bag.

6. Romance--married for 11 years to a great guy who loves me big and not so big, but has already warned me he may trade me in for a "bigger one" if I get too small. so certainly not for romance.

1. Looks - I'll admit, I'm vain. I want to be more attractive. Sad as it is, but being more attractive will also help my career, either with my company, or make it easier to move companies if I want to.

2. Mobility - I love international travel. I hate that my weight has limited what I could do, no hikes, no climbing bell towers, etc.. I hate that I slow my travel companions down or prevent them from doing things they would want to do. It was deeply embarrassing

3. Romance - I'm single, and being more fit will certainly widen the pool of potential partners

4. Health - I'm unfairly healthy for my weight. But I want to stay that way

5. Longevity - My family is almost too long lived! I don't necessarily want to live longer, but I want to be healthy in my old age.

6. Family - Single, no kids. My family is pretty great and loves and supports me no matter my weight.

1. Health...already off BP meds, would like to get off CPAP soon, both parents had type 2 diabetes hoping I dodged that bullet...

2. Mobility...getting in and out of my car one leg at at a time like the old days and hiking...

3. Longevity...adding years to your life with decreased risk of illness and healthier lifestyle

4. Active vacations with family...

5. Looks...getting back into my clothes that looked good on me and not having to buy anymore bigger sizes!

My Mom had bypass back in the 90's she never reached goal weight, and I realize now she basically followed no rules. She actually drank meat tenderizer before eating so she could eat more (people have died from doing this it burns through your esophagus). She ate whatever, ice cream, Kentucky Fried Chicken, alcohol, carbonated beverages etc. She was always burping and threw up a lot, I thought weight loss surgery was equal to self induced bulimia. It wasn't until I had friends that had the surgery that I realized my Mom was not the weight loss surgery norm. She also got super wrinkly and saggy to the point where people thought she was my Dad's Mom (they were both born in 39).

I still thought I might wrinkle up like her, but I was willing to take the risk for 1-3. I have no plastic surgery plans, I am no where near goal yet, but I think if I keep up the strength training I might not get super saggy or wrinkly. I can also eat without burping out loud and stopping when full prevents vomiting.

For those that are curious Mom had RNY, I had the sleeve 6 weeks ago.

1. Longevity

2. Health

3. Family

4. Looks

5. Mobility

The first three are really close together for me, so it was hard to choose the order. My main motivation for doing this was so I could live longer and healthier for my fiance. I feel like he deserves to have someone to live a long, healthy life with.

Health - Mobility - Longevity - Family - Looks - Romance

1. Looks

2. Mobility

3. and down, no particular order.

1. mobility, i had a stroke 5 years ago that affected my legs. i use a wheelchair and cane but I’m hoping to get my legs back,

2 health, i’m in BP meds, cholesterol, Cpap machine, Is like to be done with all that.

3 Activity, hubby and i like to kayak, plan to travel in the RV, hit the beach, camp.

4 Family, is like my whole family to learn how to eat healthier

5 looks, it would be nice to. look and feel better

6 Romance, well I’ve been married for 31 years and i understand sex gets better with weight loss soooo, bring it on

I am still in process of trying to get approved etc but here is my motivation list:

1) mobility and pain. (I like to be active, play soft ball, go on hikes, chase my daughter down the beach... tho I have been heavy all my life, it is finally catching up to me. It is getting to where my knees hurt on stairs, or I can't run as fast in softball, or I look up how long or steep a hike is before I commit in case it is gonna wear me out, or my feet hurt after a long day of work, or I hurt myself more easily doing athletic things, or the bottoms of my feet hurt when I stand too long shopping, or when I DO hurt myself it hurts MORE because I weigh more so more weight/pressure on the joint etc...

2) Being "normal"
As in not worrying if this (chair, trampoline, horse, playground equipment, bike, yoga ball etc has a 300 lb weight capacity...) I am always afraid I will break stuff just using it... This also means shopping in the normal section at Walmart, fitting Halloween costumes, finding stuff in a thrift store that I could actually wear, or not worrying about rollercoaster seatbelts not fitting.
As for looks (I just wanna be normal. I don't want to be "the fattest person in the room"). I don't want people to snicker when I am looking at swim suits, or oink at me when I eat a sandwich... I don't want that to the only thing they see or remember about me. I just wanna be NORMAL!

3) family (I have a daughter, I want her to be healthy. Most of my "family concerns" are covered under mobility, tho, obviously, I wanna do the fun, athletic things mentioned above with her)

5) health and romance and "being pretty":
I have no major health problems (beyond the ones mentioned under mobility about just being dang HEAVY amd that slowing me down somewhat). I take no medication other then Advil for pain, and I have never had a serious boyfriend.
I don't want to DEVELOP the one and would sort of like to develop the other.

6) Longevity
I could lose 100 lbs and die in a car accident tomorrow.
And, compared to the others, I don't wanna live to be 100 WITHOUT mobility, family, health etc. I want a GOOD life however long that happens to be.

And DO YOU have a Motivation List yourself????

1a and 1b. Longevity/Family. I decided to get the surgery when my daughter was born. I decided I wanted to be around as long as possible for her, and never wanted my size to dictate what I could or couldn't do with her.

3. Looks

4. Health... The only health issue I had was sleep apnea. Glad to now say HAD... Past tense

5. Mobility... I actually had pretty decent mobility, shockingly for a 400+lb guy.

Edited November 12, 20187 yr by BlueCrush

Longevity
Health
Family
Mobility
Looks
Romance

HW 314 SW 296 GW 177 CW 169

Health - longevity - mobility - family - looks. Romance? What’s that?!? Lol

Also high on my list - being able to fit in seats - like on an airplane, at a restaurant and at the movies!

My list is:

1. Health.......I am sick and tired of being sick and tired.

2. Mobility.......I have had surgery on both my knees and my back. The weight is NOT helping either of those issues. I am normally an active person and I truly miss getting out and playing golf or going for long walks with my hubby.

3. Romance.....He can say my weight doesn't bother him until he's blue in the face. I don't believe it. I want to be comfortable being with my husband again.

4. Looks....heck yeah I want to be the hot grammy!

5. Longevity....I would like to be around for the grandkids!

6. Family.......I put their needs ahead of my own for 20+ years....it's time for me.

Edited November 12, 20187 yr by Jenwill630