So, It took me a year to lose 40 lbs.

If I had been TRYING the entire time, instead of roughly six months I"d have lost more.

but

no time like the present. I've set myself my first longish term goal.

I want to lose 70 lbs by jan 1st 2011.

That is roughly 5-6 lbs a month. This would put me at 190. I remember wehn I lost 70 lbs before and weighed 190. I was a size 18 and a 1x. I thought I was smokin'! And really, my ultimate goal is 175. and i cna knock that other 15 out in 2011. This is very reasonable for me.

But how will I get there, with all the off and oning I've been doing.?

I've decided to set myself quarterly evaluations. I will take time out to answer questions I make myself about my diet/fitness. Every two months I will do a mini eval. and I will mark on the calender daily, for each day that I stay on plan (as well as doing the points challenge here on 3fatchicks).

I Find that, even though some people can't stand to let the whole 'diet' thing be so consuming, I do best when I'm really truly focused on it, when I'm half @$$ing it, I find I don't lose. Which will be fine once maintenance rolls around. (other than around the holidays I Don't really gain when I'm 'off the wagon', I just sort of maintain.)

I'm also participating in the 2010 challenge, and a monthly biggest loser challenge on sparkpeople.

This YEAR. The ENTIRE YEAR. I am going to make my year to shine and sure life gets in the way, but I"m going to try and be really MINDFUL of all the little ways I can get derailed and not let them knock me off track. I think mindfulness is a great skill I learned from dbt that can be used for weight loss.

Good for you. I'm trying to step it up this year as well. I had some months (especially in the early part) last year that I wasn't trying. This year I'm trying to lose an average of 4 lbs a month minimum (I want to beat that a few months so I can reach Onederland before 2011).

Good for you! That sounds like a very attainable plan and goal, and I look forward to seeing you achieve it. You're smokin' anyway, but weight loss will only enhance how pretty you already are

awww, thankee arctic mama. :P

and aclai, we will both do it, I'm sure.

You can do it my friend. I KNOW you can. And you KNOW you can!

What a great outlook. And I think it's fantastic you maintain when you're off plan. That in and of itself is an accomplishment. It means you aren't overeating. I either try and lose/maintain or I don't try and I gain. I never just maintain without effort. And "maintaining" for me actually means "plateau". I've never actually tried to just maintain...ever.

So here's to a great 2010 and thinner 2011.

You can totally do it! I think it's good to have a plan and a goal. (for life in general, not just weight loss!)

What a great plan!! Shows you've really thought about what does/doesn't work for you.

Thank you for sharing it. I'm going to "steal" your idea to do quarterly evaluations. Those will be beneficial to me, also.

Glad to be of some help!