Are You Losing Weight For Beauty, Or For Health?

Dieting is extremely popular these days. With the current epidemic of obesity and the constant bombarding of ultra-thin media images, many are trying to do something about it. 60 percent of Americans say they’d like to lose 20 pounds. But is it for the right reasons?

Sure, you’ve heard people say it before: “I just want to be healthy.” Is the true motivation here really health, or is it more about appearances? Are you thinking less about being in shape than fitting into a pair of size 2 jeans?

See how many of these items apply to you:

-You have clothes in your closet that haven’t fit since 1990 – but you hang onto them in hopes that you’ll wear them again.
-You get inspiration from models in magazines.
-You sacrifice healthy eating to ensure that you’ll lose weight fast.
-You don’t care about exercising as long as you hit your goal weight.
-You constantly picture yourself with the perfect figure.

Sure, it would be great to get into some of those old clothes again and walk around with the confidence that you look great. But I think this will ultimately leave you empty. Instead of focusing on how hot you want to look, keep in mind some other health-related goals, such as:

-Being able to walk up stairs without getting out of breath
-Having more energy throughout the day
-Keeping up with your kids – even playing with them

It’s easy to get caught up in the search for the perfect body – but you’ll feel so much better just being at a healthy weight.

Claire

(image from iStockPhoto)