1. For Your Long Term Health

We all know that being overweight can lead to a number of serious health problems like heart disease, diabetes and stroke (just to name a few) but yet we all tend to ignore these facts and eat away. Losing weight and exercising can improve your life in many ways, but in the long term it will help you stay alive longer, which his always a great thing.

2. For Your Career

Statistics have shown that overweight people get promoted less often and gain less respect from their co-workers. The thinking behind this research is that people tend to assume that fat people are lazy because they don't put much effort in to their appearance, and therefore they won't put enough effort in to the company.

3. For Your Self Esteem

We are depressed because we are overweight and we are overweight because we eat to make ourselves feel better from our depression. Can you see the vicious cycle at work here? If you lose weight you will have more energy, your clothes will fit better and you will feel better about yourself.

4. For Your Company Health Plan

In case you haven't noticed many of the companies we work for are starting to encourage weight loss and exercise programs in order to save money on health costs, which is a huge drain on the bottom line. So why should you care? The next step is likely to be an increase in health costs for overweight persons. Sounds like discrimination but it is legal in most states and already being discussed. We spend enough money with rising gas and food prices, a spike in insurance won't help your personal budget.

5. For Your Wardrobe

I know, vanity really accomplishes nothing in the grand scheme of things but doesn't it feel nice when you look and feel great in your clothes? Almost all clothing lines are tailored to fit skinny people and some companies stop manufacturing clothes over a certain size. Losing weight will open a whole new world of clothing opportunities for you.

6. For Your Friends

How many of us have turned down an event with friends because we were too out of shape. Too shy to go on a trip to the beach or can't join the softball team for fear of embarrassment, or turned down a hiking trip because you would be out of breath. There are a lot of opportunities to spend time with friends and family that get thrown away simply because of your obesity.

7. For Your Kids

Childhood obesity is a huge problem in American and when your kids see you eating fast foods, cookies, chips etc, they want the same. When they see you -not exercising they have no desire to do it either. You may not care enough about yourself to lose weight, but I'm willing to bet you care enough about your kids to change your ways. Set a good example and be around long enough to see them grow up.

8. For YOURSELF

I don't want to come off sounding all sappy and dramatic here but life is way too short to spend it sad, tired and with no energy. There are so many great things to do and see in this world and being overweight will prevent you from doing many of them and will cut short your life eventually. Don't you want to enjoy life while it's here? The list above includes many great things but you owe it to yourself to lose weight.