Reasons to be Fit

Reasons to be Fit.

In January of 2015 I decided (again) to lose weight. My baby was 3 at the time. My weight had fluctuated around 150 for the past year. At the time I was at 156. At 5'6" tall, that was too heavy for me. I thought that in order to motivate myself I would write a list of all the reasons to be "skinny." I saved that list in my phone and here it is.

Reasons to be skinny (Jan 2015)
Wear leggings or skinny jeans without feeling self-conscious.
Look cute in clothes.
Go swimming with my kids without any embarrassment.
Look and feel good for my husband.
Feel more comfortable.
My kids could be proud of me.
I could be more healthy.
I could be more active.

Since then, I have lost more than 15 lbs. I'm hovering around 138. I'm not at my "goal weight" yet, which I had previously determined to be 135 lbs. This is the lowest I have weighed since having my first child more than 11 years ago. I realize that the number on the scale is no longer my goal, but rather my body fat level and the way that my body looks is far more important to me.

I've come a long way. More than just physical changes. I have learned A LOT about fitness, myself, and goals. One of the most important things in my journey thus far has been those "reasons to be skinny" which today I would rephrase as "reasons to be fit." I can't really say which of the reasons is the most powerful for me. At different times, different ones were important. Once I made the decision, and then the commitment those reasons were the driving force behind my changes.

Today I will add some more benefits I have discovered about fitness:
Increased stamina and energy.
A feeling of being in control.
Added confidence.
Able to lift heavy things and work harder.
Able to participate in more physical activities. Paddleboarding? Sure, I'll try it. Mountain Biking? No problem, I can make it up the hill! Wakeboarding? Let's go!
Feeling attractive to and desired by my husband. (Let's face it, men are visual. He loves me no matter what, but his attraction has definitely increased and has spill-over effects in our entire marriage.)
Happier overall.
Satisfaction over reaching for a goal.

What are your reasons to be fit?

Write them down. Ponder them. Read them. That I think is the very first step in achieving success.