What's Your Motivation?

[Asclepius]

Today will mark the end of week 3 for me and, as so many others have related, this week was quite underwhelming in terms of weight loss. (A grand 0.9lbs)

Today as I sat, peeing on my ketostick contemplating the elegance of blue cheese dressing and the questionable fashion sense of David Lee Roth, I asked myself, "Self, what motivates you to continue with this WOE when in the last 7 days you've only lost the equivalent of a hand full of M&Ms, 6 paperclips, and some belly button lint?" Frankly I was drawing a blank... until I looked down and saw that nefarious fat roll (you know -- the one that oft' times obstructs visualization of all things south) with the red mark of a waist band that look like crimson lips, giving it an altogether sinister sneer. That's when I had my answer: My motivation for today is that ugly red line that comes from having to suck it in to get things buttoned.

With that in mind, I'd love to hear what sorts of things keep you motivated when it seems you're merely treading water?

Oh and if anyone knows the magic word to tell my body it's ok to start losing weight again, I'd love to know it.

[Georgiana]

A few months ago I would have said that I want to lose weight to look better in cute clothes, yada yada...

But now I don't really care about weight loss and recording my weight is just an interesting game (see which foods are good for me, which are not... it's like in the chemistry lab ). I think the reason why I am following this woe is to be healthy. If I weren't doing Atkins I would most probably binge on sweets, chips and pizza (college life, you know...), which sounds to me like the recipe for health disaster.

[Chicklady]

LOL. Did you weigh that belly button lint?
Cheer up. I've gone backwards the last couple of weeks....just plain overeating while trying to quit smoking. I quit trying to quit. Goal weight first! Why? I'm tired of lifting my belly roll to clean underneath it! I'm tired of getting "heat rash" from my thighs rubbing together. I could go on. What it boils down to, is being fat isn't healthy, physically or mentally. Don't worry about your slow loss this week. next week might be the same....or you'll woosh. Your body is rearranging fat, and since you have such a (relatively) small amount to lose, it will take longer. But you'll have a woosh here and there that will remotivate you

[determined2shrink]

I have alot of different things for motivation.

1. The pair of pants that my inner thighs rubbed right through.
2. I always keep a pair of pants handy that im 5 to 10 lb away from buttoning
3. I put on the pants i couldnt get up past my thighs 2 months ago that now fit loosely
4. Look at skinny pictures of me
5. Remind myself how i want to show up a few people i know that feel the need to tell every stranger that walks by on the street how fat i got.

And the most important of all...

Just take one look at my little princesses and think how i never want them to have to grow up feeling rejected like i did. Me getting healthy is the first step to making my family more active and healthy.

[sugarsack]

to look better and feel better... my son gets married in 3 weeks and i am looking forward to having grand babies in a couple of years and i want to be able to keep up with them

[chiloe]

Don't forget to take your measurements! It will help when the scale is playing mind games with you!
I started Atkins because I was feeling lousy. I had no energy after working all day to deal with my own family.
I want more energy and stamina and to enjoy life, not just feel like I'm surviving through each day.
My fat was actually getting in my way at work. I am a preschool teacher for physically and developmentally disabled and/or medically fragile 2-4 yr. olds. I have to get right down on the floor with them and get in some awkward positions is order to support them in a certain position for their physiotherapy and my fat is literally getting in the way. I do a lot of lifting too and I was so tired by the end of the day when I got home and my family suffered for it.
Also, I don't like how I look in photos or videos so I want to be comfortable in my own skin.

[the man in blue]

Great question! My motivation is that I'm sick and tired of being obese. Im a large big boned man that carries my weight very well, but I see my gut sticking out when I look in the mirror and Im done with it. I need to get to a healthy weight so I can perform my job and not have to worry that my weight will not get me killed since I don't have the endurance of a "normal" weight person. Also, I dont want my boys growing up being embarrassed by their fat father or worse, eating themselves into the state I have lived since the age of 16! I'm motivated and I will get down to a healthy weight like all of you will

[FLdoodette]

Girl, you are such a trip! But, as usual, you posed an excellent question: Why are we doing this?

I got sick and tired of feeling sick and tired. Admittedly, I'm pushing 60, but I felt much older ... achy, weary, slow. And when my size 16s started fitting like sausage casings, I finally had enough.

Even though I've had to make some modifications because the sat fats did a number on my HDL levels (more olive oil and fish, rather than cream and beef), Atkins is the only plan that gets the weight off my bodacious tushie. And, baby, I have tried 'em all ... low fat, juice fasts, Slim Fast ... pleh :P

I've really done a complete turnaround in two months ... from a total refined carb-head and a slug, to not eating a bunch of crap and going to the gym 5 days a week ... that's like a miracle to me!

Short answer: I'm doing Atkins for my health because, without that, what have you got?

[MrsYvette]

Well this is the easiest question of all for me.
I won a trip for 2 weeks to Hawaii. I want to be able to enjoy the water and weather in a swim suit. The thought scares me but it keeps my mouth from opening and eating the bad stuff. We are going in May and I will be wearing a 10 when we go.
I have not been doing very well with the scale but have dropped 2 pant sizes and headed down one more so all is well.

[Misnagid]

Three years of thrush and being so tired that I spent a day of my vacation last summer lying down while my husband and kids went off and did the activities we went there to do.

Learning at 43 that I'm not getting any younger and things that were relatively easy five years ago are a lot harder. I don't want to face dealing with this at 48 or in my 50s.

But the thrush is really the big incentive. I guess my enemy is my friend, since it reminds me all the time that I need to stick it out.

The Ketostix give me a lot of patience though. If all those ketones are going down the drain, then the scale is going to move eventually. The fat cells are holding on to water but they'll give it up eventually.

Hang in there! It didn't move an iota for twelve days when I was a couple of weeks into induction.