Why did I want to lose 50 pounds? Certainly there were many reasons. And while there may have been some original reasons, I believe new reasons continued to arise as I made my way further along in the journey. Some reasons were functional, some were cosmetic, some were spiritual, and some were psychological. I think the key to pinpointing the reasons that are going to be the most motivating for you is to do that inner work that really digs down to uncover the core truth the speaks from your soul. For some the answers may be really simple or may come very easily; for others, it may mean being courageous enough to open up the heart of your broken places--to acknowledge what holes you have been trying to fill or what wounds you have been trying to doctor with unhealthy habits. It may be scary to go there. But, I promise it will be well worth it in the end.
Functionally, my reason for losing weight was to return to a body-size that would allow me to more easily participate in the kind of lifestyle I really wanted for myself. I wanted to be active--I wanted to bike and hike and go camping and be out engaging the world. Sure, I could still do those things at my then-current weight, but it certainly wasn't going to be as fun as it was in my imagination and in my memories from years past. And, of course, one of my biggest motivators was my passion for basketball and the dream of getting the opportunity to play on some sort of team again. That was definitely not something I could do at the time--I would have lasted about 30 seconds.
Cosmetically, I was not happy with my physical appearance. As grad school was drawing closer to an end and I reflected on the reality that I would soon be interviewing for professional positions, this became another huge motivator for me. I wanted a "look" to my body that felt more professional in appearance. As it was, I felt my body reflected adjectives like lazy, soft, and undisciplined. I was very motivated to do the work I needed to do in order to change those descriptors to self-disciplined. I doubt it's a coincidence that it was going to require a lot of self-discipline to do so!
I was also conscious of that feeling of empowerment that I obtained when pushing myself at the gym. I love weight training and the effects of building strength in my muscles. Thus, that feeling of empowerment was a huge psychological motivator for me--a drug of choice in some respects. There's not much that can compare to that feeling of being high on self-empowerment! I knew that if I was disciplined in doing the work I needed to do in the gym to create that feeling of being strong and empowered, that it would stay with me whenever I walked out the doors of the gym and back out into the world. It's all interconnected!
And spiritually, I was motivated to go on this journey simply because my body deserved to be healthy. I hadn't been treating it right and it was suffering because of it. Our bodies are a gift just as we are a gift to the world. I was motivated to persevere on the journey ahead simply because being healthy is something that is spiritually and ethically good. And it was also a gift that I could give to my family and friends who loved me and wanted the same thing for me.
These are just a few of my core reasons for embarking on this journey. I share them with you now hoping they might inspire you to think of the different reasons that might make up your own WHY. And also to highlight that our WHY can consist of many different reasons, and some of those reasons may also change over time. The varying reasons will also likely hold different levels of weight. For me, the self-empowerment issue was a real driving force because it tapped into some of my psychological needs as well as the physical needs. Perhaps you can start by asking yourself: "What is it that I am really needing in my life right now?" Then, reflect on whether or not there is any possible connection between that need and your health and fitness journey. Since everything is interconnected, I'm sure you will be able to find SOME connection. And if you can harness those two together, I believe that could potentially be a very powerful motivator for you in your journey.
Good luck in your soul searching! I would love to hear your comments if you feel like sharing.
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