Reasons why people want to lose weight can differ. However, there is a stigma associated with obesity in our society as a result of which people fear to admit that they wish to lose weight.

Here’s a look at some of the reasons

•     Health: once people realize that they have become vulnerable to some disease such as heart disease, they get tempted to adopt a healthy lifestyle by losing weight.

•     Pregnancy and medical procedures

•     Live long and prosper

•     Self-image and confidence: some obese people are conscious of how they look and it impacts their self-confidence. The low self-esteem can also lead to depression.

People with a lot of body fat

•     are harder to intubate,

•     have a higher risk of incisional hernia post-laparoscopy,

•     have a longer operation time,

•     have a higher risk of catheter site infection, and

•     have a higher rate of serious postoperative complications.

While following a healthy diet and exercise plan will certainly help you lose weight, what drives people to lose the weight is what will help them to keep it off.
“I hated the way I felt. I was never conscious on how I looked. I was always made fun of for being so fat. People made fun, teased, called me names etc I could go on, I was hurt but never thought to change myself” one of the obese people said.

Losing weight can be related to many things

1.     Depression

2.     Poor nutritional diet

3.     Medical illnesses

Obesity is no picnic for those who struggle with it, but new research sheds some light on why so few ever find their way to a healthy weight. It turns out that overweight and obese folks hold starkly different views on diet and exercise than their normal-weight peers, the study found. Namely, taste is their top consideration when choosing what to eat, nutritional labels are rarely examined, and their relationship with food tends to be more impulsive and emotional.

Below you see four different responses to the following prompt

I am losing weight because…

1)    I feel like I have no choice; others make me do it

External motivation [Losing weight is not entirely your decision. You feel that you have to do this because someone, like your partner or your doctor, insisted.

2)    I would feel bad about myself if I did not

Introjected motivation [Your reason to lose weight is only partially endorsed by you. Although you have chosen to lose weight, you are doing it to avoid feeling guilt or your ego is involved.]

3)    It feels important to me personally to accomplish this goal

Identified motivation [You decided to lose weight because it is valued by you. You have a positive view of your choice to lose weight.]

4)    It is a challenge to accomplish my goal; because it is fun

Intrinsic motivation [Your motive to be healthy is done for its own sake because you value being healthy. You eat healthy and engage in some sort of physical activity for the pleasure of the activity.]
Research in the field of psychology in self-determination theory has shown that the type of motivation is more important than the amount of motivation when pursuing a weight-loss goal.