Sparking People’s Interest in Losing Weight 3

Men aren’t the only ones motivated to lose weight for health reasons—women are, too—but the key difference between the gen- ders is in the timing. Whereas men are more likely to be motivated because they want to fix existing health problems, women are more likely to lose weight to prevent the health problems from occurring in the first place.

Is there a preferred trigger to cause a person to make the decision to lose weight? No. Whether the inspiration  comes from a desire to improve one’s appearance or enhance one’s health, what’s crucial is that the inspiration is important enough to motivate action. The take-home message when losing weight as a couple is to remember that weight- loss triggers are very personal. What inspires one person can make no impression on the other, so trying to persuade someone to lose weight for a reason that’s important to you is unlikely to be effective.