Setting Meaningful Goals for Weight Management
When starting your weight loss journey, especially with GLP-1 medications, it's tempting to focus solely on numbers: pounds lost, clothing sizes dropped, or inches shed. But Dr. Sowa has found, through treating thousands of patients, that those who achieve sustainable, long-term success—defined as 15% or greater total body weight loss maintained long-term—share one common factor: they have clear, meaningful "whys" that go beyond appearance.
The Problem with "Skinny" as Motivation
These appearance-based motivations might get you started, but they rarely sustain long-term change. Dr. Sowa puts it simply: "Skinny isn't motivating long-term." When the journey gets challenging—and it will—these surface-level motivations often aren't powerful enough to keep you committed.
The most successful patients find deeper reasons to pursue health. They connect their weight management journey to what truly matters in their lives: their relationships, responsibilities, health, and personal fulfillment.
Meet Meghan: A Tale of Two Weight Loss Journeys
Consider Meghan's story. In her early twenties, after gaining weight in college, she underwent bariatric surgery. She lost 100 pounds quickly—but then gained it all back, plus more, over just two years.
At 34, she tried again, this time with the SoWell Method and Wegovy. Three years later, she's maintained a 125-pound weight loss and feels confident she'll keep it off for life.
The difference? Her "whys."
During her first weight loss attempt, Meghan's motivations were:
But for her successful journey, her whys transformed to:
These motivations connected to her health, her responsibilities to loved ones, and her daily quality of life—providing a much stronger foundation for lasting change.
When "Skinny" Is Actually a De-Motivator
For some patients, like Janelle, focusing solely on weight loss can backfire. Janelle had been overweight her whole life but liked her body. Her weight fluctuated between 220 and 280 pounds, even as an active water aerobics instructor.
Being "big and healthy" was part of her identity. When health issues emerged in her forties—high blood pressure, prediabetes, and a family history of stroke and type 2 diabetes—she knew she needed to make changes. But the idea of significant weight loss frightened her.
"That's not who I am," she told Dr. Sowa.
Dr. Sowa reassured her that even losing 10-15% of her current weight (25-40 pounds) would likely improve her health problems. A low BMI wasn't the goal.
Janelle's whys became:
Every time Janelle lost 10 pounds, Dr. Sowa would check in: "Janelle, do you feel good?" The answer was yes. "And do you still feel like yourself?" Again, yes.
After losing 40 pounds, Janelle's blood sugar improved dramatically, her blood pressure approached normal, and she felt so good that she wanted to lose 10 pounds more.
How to Identify Your Meaningful Whys
Categories for Meaningful Whys:
Your Whys as Success Markers
Your whys serve a dual purpose. Initially, they provide motivation. But as time passes, they also become a valuable record of your success.
Once you've achieved a goal, it becomes easy to take your new state of health for granted. One of Dr. Sowa's patients had the goal of "not getting winded while walking up subway steps." A year later, she was lifting weights twice weekly and focusing on new fitness goals. Whenever she struggled, she'd review her original goals to see how far she'd come.
The Bottom Line
GLP-1 medications can be powerful tools for weight management, but they work best when paired with clear, meaningful motivations that connect to your core values and life priorities.
By identifying whys that matter deeply to you—beyond appearance—you create a foundation for lasting change. These motivations will sustain you through challenges, help you celebrate meaningful victories, and remind you why your health journey matters, not just for how you look, but for how you live.
