7 Reasons to Lose Weight {with free printable} #FattyFriday
I promised you all that I would give you an update every Friday about our weigh-in and our successes and failures so I have to keep my promise. I have a Fatty Friday failure this week, but I’m still here to talk about the struggle because the struggle is real and I am hoping that you all will relate. I’ll also give you 7 reasons to lose weight and a free printable to keep you (and me) motivated!
There are many reasons that I call this week a failure, but the most obvious one is that I didn’t “diet” this week. I didn’t go crazy and eat everything in sight, but I didn’t stick to my “eat tuna every day” either. I had pizza one night and M&Ms for dessert. I ate a salad one night, but then ate the bread that goes along with it. I ordered a chopped steak last night which is within my eating plan, but then I ordered brocolli cheese casserole and then had ice cream for dessert. I just failed on so many levels.
Last night was our weigh-in night and Benjamin had a soccer game so I knew we couldn’t go to Tyler. I think that fact was in the back of my mind all week and I knew I wouldn’t be held accountable for any weight gain because of that. Herein lies my problem, my daily struggle. Showing a new, lower number on the scale is not the reason that I am trying to lose weight…at least it shouldn’t be. Updating you all with my successes is not the reason I need to lose weight…at least it shouldn’t be. Then, what are my reasons to lose weight?
I read a statement this week that the number on the scale is only a measurement of gravitational pull that it takes to keep you from floating away…or something like that. When you put it into perspective, that number is just a number and it’s not why I want to lose weight.
Here are my reasons to lose weight:
1. Health
My family has a history of heart disease and diabetes. As my health record shows, I am prone to develop every disease or illness that anyone on either side of my family has developed. About a month ago, my blood pressure starting rising and it never really went down. I am now on blood pressure medicine to keep it in control. I’m headed down that path to heart disease and the only way to combat that and diabetes is to get my eating under control and lose weight.
2. Family
I’m all the time writing about how active my boy is in sports and other activities. Last night at soccer, the coach was asking us about what other sports Benjamin plays and he commented that we keep him busy. My comment to him was that we don’t want our boy to get big like us. I want to be there for my boy as he gets older and continues to play sports. I want to watch him grow up and have a family of his own. I want to model for him what it means to eat healthy and be healthy. I want to enjoy my family, no matter how big or small it may be over the years.
3. Comfort
Being over 300 lbs is not comfortable. Remember when I talked about how parenting at 369.8 lbs was not fun? I’m not comfortable in my clothes, in my car, in a chair, in my own skin. I know that there is a level of body acceptance that I have to reach and I need to be comfortable with my body at whatever size it may be, but I don’t have to accept that I have to live in this overweight body for the rest of my life.
4. Mind
Did you know that overweight (obese) people are 260% more likely to develop dementia? Um…I didn’t, but now that I know, this is a new reason for me! I have always said that I don’t want to grow extremely old because I don’t want to be an imposition on anyone else. I canNOT develop dementia. No way!
5. Depression
This has been my struggle since I was a child. I talk about my depression often on this blog, but I never really thought about it relating to my weight. It makes sense, though, that my hormones are out of whack more so when I’m overweight and not eating healthy. I take a strong dose of medication for depression, but that doesn’t mean that I want to take it for the rest of my life. I’ve lived medication free in the past when I was being healthy, but the psychological and physical stresses that the weight puts on me causes further depression.
6. Incontinence
I’ve written about my incontinence issues a few times and extra weight makes that “little” issue even bigger. It’s gross and embarassing and if losing weight could mean that I don’t have to deal with it, then this is one more reason for me to stay motivated.
7. Money
Besides the obvious cost of eating so much that things cost money, healthcare costs increase as I stay this size. I have more medical issues and aches and pains. I have more risk for other health problems. Things get expensive and if I improve my health, my costs improve as well.
I could probably sit here all day typing all the reasons to lose weight, but I’ll just leave it at 7 for now. If I keep reading this post to myself every day, or keep this printable posted at work and at home, maybe I can finally conquer this weight…or at least start feeling a little better finally.
Free Printable
{just click the image to print}
I applaud you for trying to stay focused. It is so hard to loose weight because it usually means changing our habits, not just going on a diet short term. I have weight that I am trying to shed from the babies that just isn’t easy. Celebrate all the days you do stay on target, not just the days you slip off the plan. Give yourself a hug from me
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I was wondering where you were going with money, but healthcare costs- duh! You are so right- I don’t feel pressure to lose weight because of how I look at any given weight, but for health reasons, they are always a motivator!