I thought it would be good to see what others use as motivation.

Of course the scale is a big motivation, but I like using other things as well. My goal weight is just too far away for me to even imagine it as a reality some day.

Examples of things I use as motivation:

:biggrin: I keep a piece of clothing near the front of the closet that I would like to fit in next. One that is just a little too tight to wear in public. I try it on once a week and when it fits, wear it !

:smile: I stopped wearing my wedding rings a couple years ago because of my weight gain. I try them on once a week. They are still a little too tight for comfort, but when they fit, I will wear them again ! I love my rings and will be so happy to have them on again !

:biggrin: I am currently in "Banster Hell" , but am trying to take off 2 more pounds before my next fill appointment ( when I'm sure they will have me step on the scale) on the 25th.

Please share things you use as motivation.

What motivates me is....my measuring tape sitting atop my bathroom counter, better than the scale! Love the idea of putting a tight piece of clothing in front of my closet, will try that..it feels soooo good to slip into something that has been 'snug'. Also, last but certainly not least...the idea that maybe I can toss my Diabetes meds with the weight loss.

I have not yet been banded and don't know what ''short term'' goals I will set for myself but my main goal is to be healthy and see my little girl grow up and be able to be there to guide her through the good and bad.

Thanks for the replys.

Keswick Lady, Tossing the Diabetes meds is a great one. I hope you will be able to do that soon. I was able to stop taking my meds for acid reflux, but that was from the hiatal hernia repair that was done during the lap band surgery.

The measuring tape sounds good too. I did not take any before measurements or before pictures and now I kind of wish I had. My surgeon's office did not take any either. He has some very basic requirements, like BMI of 40. I did not take the photos because I just can't stand seeing myself looking so bad. I might be able to find some from a family gathering that would be close to my largest, but I avoid being in the shot.

Jeepman, Being around for your little girl is a great one! She needs you in her life for a very long time. Seeing her grow up and all the other things that life will bring to her will be a great joy for you as well. Being around for my son, my grandson, and my husband are good motivation for me to think of as well. I love them all so dearly and they all depend on me. Thanks for bringing that to the front of my list of motivators.

I have "the big picture" goals of being more slender, healthier, more able to get around. I have a LOT of traveling, for example, that I want to do, a DH who's on board with that, and the funds to do it. What's stopping me? Too fat. I know, don't let your fat hold you back yada yada yada. Well, it does. Frankly, honestly, it does.

Short term, though...First I wanted to lose 10% of my weight. Then, I wanted to "get down" to 335 which I last weighed in Oct 2003 when I had my gall bladder renmoved. THEN I wanted to get to 328 (almost!) which would be a 2nd 10% lost. After 328 I want to get to 290 which is what I weighed in 1995 when i was 40 and quit smoking. After 290 I want to get to 265 which is my "Disney World" weight (Love Disney world but heavier and I don't have as much fun) then 245 (just cuz it's under 250!) and so on.

I have/had SO MUCH to lose if I look at all of it, it is overwhelming. So I set those smaller "milestone" goals.

Clothing; when one is this large it takes a lot of weight to drop a size. I was 5x tops, 2x bottoms at 405. I'm 3x tops, 1x bottoms now. Not a LOT of difference yet. But I know as I get smaller, less weight will mean more, size wise. I'll also be ecstatic when I can go to a local store and buy clothes instead of ordering on line.

So my motivation is my desire to be healthy (I was borderline a LOT of things, most frightening, Diabetes II. I've backed away from that cliff and never want to get so close to it again) and active. I have a lot of life I want to live, and every 10 pounds gives me more energy. It feeds on itself that way. My mini goals are how I mark my progress.

My mini goals are quite simple and they do involve the scale. For example, I weight 255 now. My mini goal is to get down under 250. When I get there, I will work on getting down under 240. And so on.

I also have a list of reasons why I want/need to lose weight on the front of my refrigerator, and believe it or not, I do look at it before I go in there!

I went to my neice's wedding Jan 09 and felt awful, the outfit I wore made me look twice as fat as I was and I felt I looked 20 years older than I was, I sat in the corner like an old woman and was too ashamed even to go to the ladies.

my brother in law is having a 40th birhday party in Nov this year and even though I will still be far from my goal weight, I want to get a new outfit and get up and dance , have fun and feel better about myself.

I usually go abroad each year with a few of my slim girlfriends, my next holiday is going to be so different! I am going to go for long walks and not get exhausted, I am going to wear nice clothes for dinner each evening.

my long term goal is to have my daughters proud to say...there's my mum. I know my girls love me to bits and always tell me so, but I would love to have them be proud of me:thumbup:

good thread hummingbird...

one of the biggest things that motivated me was when i first saw my collar bones after years of them hiding. it made me feel "normal" and kept me moving forward with my weight loss.....

josie

What motivates me is watching that scale move down.

If Only: My turning point was also a wedding. It was my big brother's wedding and a glitzy affair with a lot of beautiful people there. It was awful and I made a vow I would never again look that way. One of the pics is going to be my before picture. Now I can't wait.

Thank You so much to all that replied to this thread. I sometimes have trouble with my own motivation and it helps so much to hear other people's. You all have had great ones and some I will adopt for my own !

I am still in banster hell and sitting on this plateau, but will get my 2nd fill on Fri. the 25th. Thinking of these motivations helps.

I'm not banded yet (soon I hope!) but I already have motivation. My motivation is first myself being healthy for the first time in my life, my grandfather he is paying out of pocket for me to get this surgery, my mom, my brother, and this may sound stupid but also for my future children. I want my kids (that I will have someday) to have a healthy mom and know i will live for a long time. I cant wait to get banded!