Why do I want to lose weight?

I have been overweight since I was 10 years old. I was a skinny kid and then we moved, I didn't know anyone and dived head first into books and drawing. I spent most of my days on my bed reading, writing, and drawing; anything but get out and get physically active.

By my mid-teens I had found some friends and had become more active and I did a lot of walking and started to lose just a little bit of weight. Then, at the very young age of 16, I got pregnant, this did not help me lose any weight. I didn't put much on with my son, and lost most of it over the next few years.

At the age of 22 I had my second child, and put on 50 pounds. I only lost about 15 pounds in the year or so after the pregnancy. Then over the last few years I just let myself slip even more till I weighed 5 pounds more then I did at my heaviest pregnancy weight.

Then, a year ago, I was told that my cholesterol was borderline high and with the family history of heart attacks and my previous trips to the ER for chest pains, I had made up my mind. It was time to fix things.

After spending almost a year reading nutrition facts and labels and trying to eat healthier, I realized I still wasn't losing any weight. I felt better about what I was eating, but not any better about my figure.

So, for Christmas, I asked for the Wii Fit. I started working out 2-3 days a week doing a random combination of exercises available through the Wii Fit. After a month of not really seeing much in the way of results, I had decided to switch to strictly cardio. Now I workout 5 days a week for 30 minutes or more and I have lost 12 pounds and 16 inches in 2 months.

I feel much better then I ever did. I don't get winded doing simple things any more. My pants keep getting looser and I've had to give away a bunch of clothes that are too big for me now. Which feels great.

Now we know I have medical reasons for trying to lose the weight but that's not the only reason. Like most of you trying to lose weight, I just want to look better too. I want to buy those clothes that have never fit me, I want to be able to wear a bathing suit with out shorts and a t-shirt over them. I want people to look at me and see me, not the extra weight I am carrying.

Why do you want to lose the weight? What keeps you motivated to work out and eat better? I'd love to hear what helps you and what keeps you going!