[EmilyLarnder]

Hey everyone. I'm doing a calorie deficit in hopes of losing 2 lbs per week before my vacation this year.
I work at a grocery store right now, and watching all the good food spikes my appetite. I'm home now, and I was making my lunch for tomorrow (spaghetti squash, chicken and broccoli w light alfredo) and I was snacking on the spaghetti squash while the chicken was cooking. I know I could have eaten worse, but I'm afraid of not reaching my goals.

[shcirerf]

I get where you are coming from.

I would look beyond just the vacation, and look forward, to a lifestyle!

Life throws us crap all the time. Vacations, weddings, graduations, holidays, babies, yada, yada.

We can do everything right day in and day out, and not make, "the goal"

That is in all reality ok.

What I learned is this! It has to be a realistic, lifestyle, not just "ONE" "THING"

Do the best you can with your current goal, but, look beyond that, long term.

Life can be crap shoot! I thought I had it by the tail, last spring. Well, that went in the crapper.

It's long story, but, there were days, when I had to choose, food, or workout, I did not have, due to family stuff, stress, the will to do both.

So, each morning, I had to, when I got up, choose. Some days it was food, some days it was, exercise.

It was hard. But, I made it! One choice at a time.

[Inkrid]

Hi EmilyLardner,

Losing two pounds a week is HARD. And often not sustainable, in that if you lose too quickly, often it comes back after the event! I am definitely eating less, but it's not easy!!! I agree, look BEYOND The Event!

[Treasa]

Hi EmilyLarnder - I have to agree with the others. There is ALWAYS something that you'd like to look fabulous for. Right now, I'd like to be able to fit into a lovely pair of flow-y pants that I used to wear. They're a size M. I wanted to wear them to the engagement party I'm throwing for my niece in 3 weeks. It was sort of a mini goal when I started getting serious again about weight loss at the beginning of February. It's not looking good. I can get the pants on but they're too tight to be flattering and I think I need to be about 15 pounds lighter to wear them, maybe 10 with a girdle but my girdle days are pretty much over. 15 pounds in 3 weeks is not going to happen. But you know what? Healthy living (which for me includes weight loss) is not a race! Maybe I'll get into something truly fabulous for the wedding. Or the next one. It's going to happen if I just keep plugging along.

It's hard to accept sometimes because my first 30 pounds seemed to fall off. Every pound after that has been hard won. And I've just had to accept that the weight will come off slowly but surely. But I know that what I'm striving for is long term weight loss and so perhaps the most important thing to keep in mind is that I KNOW I'm never going to be 214 pounds again. I have the tools now - even if they don't help me lose weight quickly anymore, they do keep me from regaining. And that's HUGE! Think back to how happy you'd have been 20 or 30 pounds ago to be the weight you are now!

[pinkalarmclock]

I always have goal dates in mind, and never get them. Lol. But hey, losing weight is losing weight. Even if bumpy and slow.

I'm not sure if you mean less as in calories or volume, but I strive to decrease calories in each part of my meal so I can eat more volume wise. My best decision ever was switching from 120 calorie multigrain bread to 45 calorie wheat bread. Also, laughing cow 35 calorie Swiss cheese wedge, omg. I've gone from just having a sandwich for lunch to a sandwich and an entire bag of steamed broccoli.