5 Reasons You Might Want to Lose Weight

​It isn't just about the number on the scale that will and should motivate you to lose weight. The "why" behind a weight loss goal can be different for everybody, but a handful of them keep coming up with most of my clients. 

​In this article, I'll discuss 5 of the most common reasons women want to lose weight in my experience and also argue that they can be achieved even if you don't weigh less. Let's dig in.

#1. Feel Better in Your Clothes

Most women on a weight loss goal can relate to this one. It's especially true if you have dresses, jeans, or tops that may not fit you currently but have done in the past. Maybe you love these pieces but haven't been able to wear them lately because you find them uncomfortably tight. 

It's only natural that your first thought is to lose weight to feel comfortable in those clothes again. You might be right. However, it's not just the number on the scale that will determine your size. It's also your body composition. When you have more lean muscle and less body fat, you might still weigh the same but look slimmer. 

So, to feel great in your currently tight clothes again, it's not as much weight loss but fat loss that you'd like to focus on.

#2. Energy Boost

Another motivation behind a weight loss goal can be to have energy for everything you'd like to achieve in life. Whether that's work, your spouse, or kids, you don't want to feel drained all the time. The more energy you have, the better mood you'll be in and the more productive you'll be in general.

You can achieve better energy levels by simply focusing on your body's needs a bit more, starting with a healthy sleep routine and your nutrition. How much and what quality sleep you get will determine many other feel-good factors in your life. Eating foods that will nourish your body and aid recovery will also impact your energy levels. Add movement to it regularly, and you'll not only feel more energetic but also better in your skin even if you haven't lost an ounce. 

#3. Increase Confidence

When you don't like the image of yourself in the mirror, your confidence can plummet. So naturally, most women think that if they lose weight, they'll not only look better but feel more confident in their skin. They are not wrong. However, instead of focusing on the number on the scale, you can boost your confidence in many other ways. 

One is to get as strong as you can so your body can lift heavy things, or you can do movements you never thought possible. Push-ups and pull-ups are exercises that many women believe they would never be able to do. My clients are proof that's not the case. Once you overcome such a mindset hurdle, you'll be able to transfer that to other areas in your life and become more confident and assertive.

#4. Improve Muscle Definition

Wanting to become lean and show off some muscle definition is a valid reason for losing weight. However, muscle definition doesn't equal weight loss but fat loss and gaining muscle instead. 

We already tapped into this principle in point one. Two women of the same weight can look very different depending on the food they eat and their exercise. You can gain and improve muscle definition by eating right and incorporating weight lifting into your workout routine. You will become leaner and more toned, and you might not see any weight loss on the scale. 

#5. Get Healthy and Live Long

Getting healthy and living longer is another popular motivation behind weight loss goals. Still, it isn't the only way to achieve it. Don't get me wrong, women who have a BMI higher than 30 will need to work on overall weight loss to reduce the risks of lifestyle-related illnesses. Still, even they can shift the focus from the scale to developing healthy lifestyle habits and allow the weight loss to happen as a result of those.

The best way to become healthier and lengthen your life is to add more movement, find yourself a balanced diet, allow your body to recover every night, and manage stress. That's it.

Conclusion

​This information isn't meant to say that you shouldn't want to lose weight. Instead, it's here to help you see that there are other ways to achieve some of the goals you have, even if you don't see weight loss straight away. A few quick wins in the first few weeks will get you more motivated to stay on track for the long run. 

It's about shifting the focus from that number on the scale to the real why and the reasons behind why you want to make changes to your routine. This way, you can genuinely enjoy the weight loss as a side-effect of doing the things that will get you to that real goal without being so hung up on the number.