Why should I understand why I want to lose weight?

You know if you need to lose weight. You can tell by the way you look, by the way you feel, and whether your clothes feel tighter than an unopened pickle jar. But to be able to make changes—sustainable changes—you not only have to know what you've done to your figure. You also have to know why you're abusing your body—in the form of the emotional and physical triggers that led you to gaining weight. To start, perform a self-administered "why" test—that is, keep asking yourself "why" questions about your weight until you come to the real answer about why you want to lose weight and why you can't. It may go something like this:

• Why do you want to lose weight?
  Because I want to fit into my old pair of jeans.
• Why do you want to fit into your old pair of jeans?
  Because I'd have more confidence.
• Why do you want more confidence?
  Because I'll feel better trying to meet new people.
• Why do you want to meet new people?
  Because I'm recently divorced and hoping to start a new relationship.
• Why do you want to start a new relationship?
  Because I'm feeling lonely.

And that's likely where the thread of questions stops—where you can link the first question to the last answer. You want to lose weight because you're lonely, but the likely cause of your weight gain is the very same thing—that you're lonely.