Obesity: Finding Inspiration for Change

Maybe you've tried to lose weight before. Maybe you've tried lots of times. But for some reason, you had a hard time sticking with your plan. Perhaps you felt that even though you did your best, the weight didn't stay off. So why bother? Your goal may have seemed out of reach.

Losing weight might have been especially hard if you were trying to do it for other people—because your doctor said you had to or your partner wanted you to. Or you were worried about what other people thought of you.

What might be different this time if you made a change for reasons that were important to you?

Imagine what you want your life to be

Imagine for a minute that you wake up tomorrow and you've lost some weight. What would you do that day that you aren't doing now? What activities or experiences would be part of your life? These images might be more than fantasies. They might be your reasons for making a change in your life.

Now imagine your life in three months—or six months or a year—from now. As you move along your journey to a healthy weight, you might see yourself doing even more things that you didn't think were possible.

Forming a new habit or reaching a goal is easier if you do it for a reason that matters to you. It doesn't matter if the reason is big or small. It only needs to be important to you.

It can seem hard to make changes if all you see is the effort ahead and not what's waiting for you. Seeing a picture in your mind of where you want to be can help you get there.

Do you share some of these reasons for change?

People may have short-term reasons for wanting to reach a healthy weight. They may want to:

  • Have more energy and less stress.
  • Feel good about how they look after years of feeling self-conscious.
  • Feel more confident.

Or they may have long-term reasons, such as wanting to:

  • Lower their chances for health problems.
  • Wear clothes they couldn't wear before.

Are any of these reasons the same as yours?

It can help to know that other people have the same goals that you do. But you will probably also have your own reasons for thinking about making a change.

What matters to you?

Think about the reasons you have for wanting to reach a healthy weight. Write down your ideas if you like. You may have one reason or several for wanting to lose weight.

My short-term reasons for wanting to lose weight:





















My long-term reasons for wanting to lose weight:





















With reasons for change that mean something to you, imagine your new life at a healthy weight. You can enjoy the things that you want to do. You really can do it.