I need a word, please.

[jeneralist]

When do we want to lose something?

There are many times we might want to get rid of something. We can talk about getting rid of junk, cleaning out our closets, getting past old ways of thought. "Losing" is not used for these examples. We lose football games, we lose $10 that fell out a hole in our pockets, we can even lose hope. "Losing" is bad.

Why, then, do we speak of losing weight?

I'm looking for a word or phrase that refers to intentionally lessening one's mass, that makes it sound like a good thing to do. "Shedding" a few pounds is close, but I know you can come up with something better.

Donating extra carbon to the global Goodwill?

Comments

[vgnwtch.livejournal.com]

I prefer to think of "coming into balance", "acheiving health and fitness", and "growing into myself".

[persipone.livejournal.com]

I'm a big fan of "conditioning" and "fitness." After all, weight isn't the problem- bodybuilders are real, if rare. The problem's fat. And since just "loosing" things from your diet often doesn't work- you've got to add exercise- I think an overall focus on fitness rather than weight would be a lot healthier.

[onyxtwilight.livejournal.com]

Discard, drop, jettison, slough, eliminate, purge?

I don't know that there's a way to say "lose weight" without using a negative word, if you're committed to referring to the extra weight itself -- which, in fact, has to be let go, cast aside, melted away.

Re-gain a healthy weight, perhaps.

[tigira.livejournal.com]

I like this idea. I wish I could think of some more. Perhaps:

Leave behind the superfluous weight?

or "Throw away the extra wait," perhaps "Discard the extra weight."

I would want something that also implies not picking it up again.

Set yourself free...

[squishydish.livejournal.com]

Howsabout:
You need to FREE yourself of about 20 pounds?