I think having a goal and a carrot is always better than a stick and is what drives a lot of humans. That is why today our “incentive” based culture has got out of hand!!
But having a true life goal that is something of a “stretch” but is truly attainable with planning and commitment would be awesome to work towards.
But in my experience, you have got to “want” to do it for the right reasons. Losing weight can’t be the primary goal. It should be a secondary goal or a benefit outcome from the primary goal. For example, saying “I always wanted to do an extreme endurance event and need to do it before I get too old” is the personal goal that will get you out of bed every morning and committed to your “ “regime”, which coincidentally is the French word for diet. A by-product of reaching your goal will clearly be getting fitter which will benefit you in the future (but you need to keep up the “regime” once you have completed or you will regress)...
I applaud you for getting to this point to air this in public as this is the first step in stating to achieve your goal by exposing it to people who will support you.
Food is a funny one. We have such a relationship with it. Along with water, we need it to survive but it can be so easily and unintentionally abused....
I have always been stupidly fit, 6’3” and 13 stone, 2:01 800m, 49 mins for 8 miles but 9 years ago my body decided to attack my pancreas and now I have been type 1 diabetic since. Lost 3 stone in 6 weeks and only have have put 1.5 back one and have stuck there. Even though I was never a big eater and did not care hugely for sweets or chocolate or lots of carbs other than for training, I now have the oddest relationship with food as I need to eat to stay alive but can’t indulge in any way.... I have not had a Mars or snickers for 9 years or any form of dessert or cake but my driver when it makes me feel like **** when we all go out for a meal and I have a steak and literally 3 French fries, no starter, no dessert is I want to stay alive for as long as possible to see my kids grow up and to be able to be there for them... that is my “primary goal” 24x7x365.
So what I think you are doing a frigging awesome. Go for it, set yourself the right primary goal and make sure you have an awesome support network.
I’ll defo sponsor you if you also do it for charity..
Stu