I noticed on a couple of the posts you talked about how you were afraid of getting discouraged if and when your weight loss slows down. I still have 140 pounds to lose and doing the math it would take me a bit less than 1 1/2 years to lose it at 2 pounds a week, but I don't think of it that way. I just take it one week at a time. I too used to have that reasoning that because I have so much to lose, if I'm dieting then the weight should just fall off, but the truth is you can't just diet--you have to be eating the right foods that your body needs and when you are doing that, then the weight will drop off.
I just wanted to let you know that you can do this. You just have to think of this as a lifestyle change--something you plan on doing from now on. Sure there will be little road blocks and obstacles you are going to have to overcome and there will be days when you overeat, but that's life. It's how you handle those that tells you whether or not you will succeed at this.
Just please don't get discouraged if your weight loss slows down. I'm sure you will still have some weeks where it's not uncommon to lose 5 pounds and the next just a 1/2. Just make sure you journal your food and then when you start to slow down, look back at your past weeks where you did lose those 5 pounds and see what you did different during that week and that should help to keep that weight coming off.
I'll step off and relinquish my soap box now. I just wanted you to know that we're here for you and we want you to succeed--whether it takes you 6 months or 6 years.
Dawnyal
P.S. when I start feeling discouraged I look at the websites of fellow members who have done really well. Here are two that always help to motivate me. Brian and Katerina's story and Fred's page

Dawnyal...that was good advice you gave to Amata. We shouldn't look at the bad side...what if I fail ...what if I dont lose all I wanted to....we have to look at the positive side....when I lose weight....and even if you don't lose all you wanted, be happy for what you have lost already. And then recommit yourself. It's the old story of looking at a glass as half full instead of as half empty.

Let me add one more piect to that picture

If you DID NOT try then where would you be? the same weight that you were last year. If you lost only 10 this year you would be 10 lbslighter than you were last year and that is an improvement!

Did you know that even a decrease of only 10% of your body weight will Imporve your health tremendously??? you will feel more energy, be healthier, breath better, have less colds, have less strain on the heart? I could go on but have to get to work. just think about it, even the smallest weight droped is an improvement!

THough this thread was intended for Amata..I was encouraged and inspired! So, thank you. The truth is so powerful, I've had a major slip back with my weight in the last 8 months. But if I give up because I am so discouraged, where will I be next year? I could beat myself up over not getting my act together again sooner...but where would that get me? Nowhere and most likely much bigger.

Thank you.

Dawnyal - I've seen Fred's site before, but the site for Brian & Katrina is awesome. Very inspiring! Thanks for sharing.

Thank you very much for all of your support. Today, I renew my commitment to my new way of life. To eat for 1 person instead of 2 (or 3 when pizza is around). To exercise even though I don't feel it will help and I am often discouraged. To eat not for comfort or company or just something to do, but because I want to give my body energy to live. I am sure that many times along the way I will have to come back here and renew my commitment, but for today at least I am thinking clearly and know that this goal is not impossible. It is actually very natural. And after a while, my new way of life will feel natural, too.

As I indulged myself this past week, and kept thinking that this little cookie, or candy, or cafe mocha wasn't really going to hurt me, that I was still eating better than I was before I started dieting, or at least the same ... surely not more, I gradually started giving up on my diet. I was very disappointmented when I gained 2.25 lbs this week. Sue told me, though, that it is possible to gain a lot of water weight when you add carbs back in, and for now that hope is good enough for me. I had lost 20 lbs. before last week. I was so focused on how long it was going to take me to lose another 150 lbs. that I didn't realize how great it was to be 20 lbs. lighter. Or even feel good that I was eating more appropriately.

Thanks again. It is nice to have someone on your side.
Amy

Amy glad to see you with better spirits!! You have the right attitude and willsuccees. Sure we will have out ups and downs but success is in every day!