Buy Walking VideosQuestion of the Week: Why Do I Want To Be Thin?
Eating healthy and exercising regularly is work. Sorry… I know you’d like to hear that it’s just a walk in the park after you get skinny and being thin is a piece of cake. It’s not. It takes some effort. When you get thin, you have to keep eating healthy and exercising to stay that way. That’s how it works.
So, it better be worth it, right?
Why do you want to be thin?
What do you think will be better for you when you are thin?
What problems do you think being thin will solve?
What if you get skinny and you still have all those problems?
Is being fat really the issue?
Is there a way to solve those problems NOW while you work your way to being thin?
When I have arguments with myself about overeating, the wild child inside of me discounts all the reasons that I want to be healthy. I have to have some serious ammunition to fire back at her to remind her of all the benefits of eating healthy. What is your ammunition?
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April 9th, 2007 at 8:29 am
It’s been a while since I responded to one of these. Sorry for the length of this post. I write until tears came. Not really, but it sounded nice. 😉
Why do you want to be thin? Good question. I search for motivation all the time. What usually comes to the surface is that I want to be thin so that I’m healthy. In other words, I don’t wish to be just thin – I wish to be and stay healthy.
What do you think will be better for you when you are thin? Again, I’m replacing the word “healthy” for the word “thin”. I will have more energy. For myself and for my family. My kids are young (2 & 3) and I need to be there for them with they are older. It also helps that my wife is significantly younger than I am, so I have a need to keep up.
What problems do you think being thin will solve? Problems? It won’t solve any current problems, but I do believe that it might help me delay some. My dad is diabetic – age related (Type 2). My brother was just diagnosed as “pre-diabetic”. That’s not just writing on the wall, that’s somebody taking a chisel and carving them out there then jumping up and down while waving their arms with a megaphone and…(you get the point). I need to do something – and NOW.
What if you get skinny and you still have all those problems? Then they were meant to be and dealing with diabetes will be easier if I’m not also battling my weight. (Gads, this is really making me think. Good questions. This answer alone might get me back on track.)
Is being fat really the issue? Yes
Is there a way to solve those problems NOW while you work your way to being thin? Yes. I NEED to get exercise into my schedule, which is difficult with two young kids and when I live an hour from work. I feel like a broken record saying that, because I’ve been saying the same thing forever now with no change in my situation. I know what you’re thinking, but I’ve tried – I really have. It’s pretty de-motivating too. I can’t seem to get going on a diet, because I think “what’s the point, if I can’t exercise?”
April 9th, 2007 at 9:39 am
Great questions! Here are my responses:
Why do you want to be thin? I’d like to think that my main goal now isn’t to be thin, but to be healthy and feel good about myself. Losing weight will help that, but if I reach those goals and I am still considered overweight, I hope that I will be ok with that.
What do you think will be better for you when you are thin? I’ll be able to fit into my skinny clothes and have more of a selection when shopping. I’ll be more comfortable in movie theater and airplane seats. I’ll be able to participate in more physical activities because I will be in good shape.
What problems do you think being thin will solve? Being thin won’t solve my problems. I’ve been thin in the past and still felt unhappy about my body.
What if you get skinny and you still have all those problems? I’m trying to work on my problems now so that hopefully I can be happy with the way I am at any size.
Is being fat really the issue? No, the issue is when I use it as an excuse to not take care of myself. I’ve used fat as an excuse to eat poorly, not exercise, and engage in negative self talk.
Is there a way to solve those problems NOW while you work your way to being thin? I’m setting healthy goals for myself each week that not only encompass healthy eating, but also taking better care of myself all. I’m trying to live for today instead of an unrealistic future where being skinny will solve all of my problems. I’m eating healthier while still allowing for splurges; I’m taking more interest in my appearance and trying to look at myself in a positive light; and I’m starting to encorporate activity in my daily life in a way that is fun instead of a chore.
April 9th, 2007 at 3:36 pm
I guess my goal is not so much thin. But to lose my belly. I used to have a flat tummy and I miss it. I never thought it was sexy when I was in school but these days…. 40 years old… biological clock…saggy parts, etc.
So I guess my motivation is to be sexy and feel younger. But mainly for myself. My husband is just the secondary beneficiary.
April 10th, 2007 at 5:43 am
Why do you want to be thin? What do you think will be better for you when you are thin? What problems do you think being thin will solve? – I want to have clothes that fit, and aren’t limited to some designer’s idea that overweight women have no sense of style. I don’t want my clothes to cost extra. I don’t want to wonder if the fat under my chin is very noticable when I talk to someone. I want to give my daughter a good example for healthy eating so she doesn’t have to face these same problems and can devote her time to other things.
What if you get skinny and you still have all those problems? – Obviously these all will be present to some degree even if I get skinny. We hear women complain all the time about not being able to find pants that fit. Body image is still an issue for skinny women (and when I was 50+ pounds lighter I still thought I was fat). I could still have unhealthy eating habits to model even if I lose weight. But I just can’t believe that they will all be as bad as they are now. I know there are more clothes out there that are just too tight. I am actively trying to make my eating habits healthier. I’m going to have to just work on the body image when I get there.
Is being fat really the issue? – Fat, and unhealthy eating habits.
Is there a way to solve those problems NOW while you work your way to being thin? – I’m working on the unhealthy eating habits. For clothes–I just keep looking at stores within my budget, but with fluctuating weight that makes it even harder.
June 18th, 2007 at 9:29 pm
Why do I want to be thin? Tired of hearing the constant banter in my head of eating – fat – big. What will be better? I’ll find a new outlet for my anxiety that isn’t so SELF focussed. Is fat the issue? Some…that an a wierd set of hormones that make me more suited to be a drill sergeant than a woman. I;m tired of being startled by my reflection in the mirror — I look old and worn down and frumpy. Is there a way to solve those problems NOW? Stay away from mirrors! I’m NOT eating that bag of M&M’s that’s just beyond my computer. My honey bought it for me to cheer me up. WHY does FOOD figure into that????
March 3rd, 2008 at 5:01 pm
I find that visualisation helps. Its not about being thin or fat, but about feeling good in your skin – and that it different for different people.
I lost 10 kg last year and have kept it off -through visualising the end goal all the time. I even created an online free tool to share it with others. (I felt I could give it a plug- since its free)
We all want to be loved and appreciated and admired – sometimes we confuse this with being thin!
So next time you worry about weight. imagine yourself as you want to be -then do something small towards it each and every day – find a mentor – I did -and she helped me up my protein, exercise and manage my adrenal glands.- but in the end – it was about feeling more energetic – not about thin – that was a bi-product.
March 12th, 2009 at 10:30 pm
I want to be thin to get more attention from the opposette sex and be taken more serious by everybody. Also, it’s a nice feeling, even when one is alone, to have light frame and flat belly as oppossed to a big dumpy heavy one and a double chin.