Finding Your Reason WHY Behind Weight Loss

By Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN, LD 

Having a strong reason for wanting to achieve a goal is key to successfully reaching it. This principle is especially true when it comes to weight loss. 

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Before getting started on a plan to lose weight or change your diet, it’s important to dig deep and identify your reasons for wanting to see those changes. Discovering the thing that weight loss can provide, the thing that you want more than anything at the moment, will give you the motivation you need to stay on track. 

This post provides a blueprint for figuring out your “why” and how to set goals related to what you want to achieve. 

Identify the Driving Reason Behind Wanting to Lose Weight 

Start by asking yourself what you want out of weight loss. The following list includes common motivators for many Americans trying to lose weight: 

  • Reducing blood pressure or cholesterol levels to decrease your risk of heart disease and stroke 

  • Decreasing inflammation related to joint pain, so that you can exercise and do yard work with ease 

  • Managing diabetes and maintaining stable blood sugars 

  • Being able to play with your grandkids or go on family trips that require a lot of walking and activity 

  • Looking better and wanting to improve how you appear to yourself 

Make Goals with This Reason in Mind 

Now that you know your driving force behind weight loss, take some time to create goals that focus on your why. As with all goal setting exercises, be as specific as possible! 

If you want to improve your blood sugars, identify a few tangible actions that will help you get there. Your goals could be to reduce your soda consumption from five to two days a week and go for a 15-minute walk every other morning. Remember to add “to improve my blood sugar” at the end of your goals to keep that as the primary reason. 

If your goal is to look better, close your eyes and try to imagine what that looks like to you. Do you want to fit into your favorite dress? Write that down and even make note of the accessories you want to wear or what you want to do while wearing that outfit (dancing, a dinner out, etc). Maybe you simply want to look more energized. Make a goal to monitor how your skin looks instead.  

Get Started! 

Once you know your why and have identified actionable tasks related to this reason, it’s time to get started with your weight loss journey.  

Start by working towards one or two goals and go from there. When you need motivation in the moment, during a tough workout or when you really want a soda, think back to your reason why. You can even put a photo that symbolizes this reason on the fridge, on your mirror, or in your gym locker to keep you going. 

Note from Healthy For Life Meals: We’re here to help you accomplish your weight loss goals and achieve what you want out of losing weight. Our plans include delicious, fresh, nutritionally controlled meals so you don’t have to worry about planning, measuring, cooking and clean-up. Get started with one of our 1200, 1500, or 2000 calories-per-day plans, and get closer to reaching your goals! 

Stef Keegan