Hi everybody!

I am a bit fighting with myself, so I need your judgement. And/ or encouragement....

My goal is to loose 10 pounds until my birthday (10th September). My weight loss was steady, but very slow until now.
So I actually planned to go on some "quick fix diet" for one day a week (eating just watery cabbage soup, around 400 cal). That way, i would reach my goal in september.

But I did so good with my eating behaviour. I am binge free, exercising a lot, feeling good....I feel better than I did in years!!

I know that that good feeling would probably go away with dieting....But I want to loose that weight!! As soon as possible.....

Donīt know what to do....

But I think I am quite confinced about not going on a strict diet....

Any opinions/ thoughts/ experiences???

Kate

Hey fellow Virgo!!! (I'm Sept. 18)

Well, it seems to me you have it figured out already. I would NOT recommend going on any "quick fix" diet. I think you'll easily achieve your goal by doing exactly what you are doing now: not bingeing, exercising, eating well. I wanted to be at goal as fast as possible, and I tried to severely restrict my calories, and it led to CRAZY bingeing. Severe restriction just doesn't work with us, Kate. It's probably the most counterproductive activity we can do regarding weight loss. And if you restrict too much (for a short period of time), you WILL NOT lose weight, and I'm speaking from personal experience. The best thing we can do for our bodies is give them what they need everyday. They like that.

So my vote is for serenity!!!

No wonder I like you ladies SO much, I'm ALSO a virgo! Sept. 1 WOOHOO!

Kate~you are doing an AMAZING job of making healthy lifestyle changes! You are my exercise hero, running for 30 MINUTES!!! And you have been binge-free---YAY you!

Starving yourself on some crazy "quick" diet will do a few things. Yes, you will lose weight---but this weight will always return quickly, and often brings friends and family with it! PLUS, you will possibly awaken your inner binge-beast, who you've successfully sedated. PLEASE don't wake that beast!

I think it is the scale-monster (cousin of binge-beast) torturing you again! Do you really care what that number is?!??!? You are becoming healthier, by exercise and eating correctly. You are adding healthy muscle and losing fat. So, maybe the numbers may not change as fast on the scale. But you are HEALTHIER. Plus your size should get smaller as you tone up. Do you measure yourself? If not, please consider doing this. Many people will remain the same weight but will become smaller and more toned. Again, who really cares if they weight 400lbs if they wear a size 4?!?!?

Keep up your excellent work!!!! You are a smart chickie and I know you will not let the scale monster lead you to the binge-beast!!!!

September 2nd here!!

I simply cannot do a timed weight goal. Not only does it drive me crazy ... it just doesn't happen that predictably.

I agree with everything that has been said. For me serenity comes from knowing that I'm leaning deeper and deeper into good habits that I can keep. You said yourself that you feel good. That's what it's all about.

September 1st here! lol! Nice to see so many fellow Virgos. I had been trying to lose 16 lbs by my birthday, but i had a couple bad weeks and its just not going to happen, so im thinking i should do away with it altogether. What matters is that you're feeling good about yourself! I'm just happy that im eating healthier, trying to get exercise in, and making some progress.

Kate

I have done the strict restricting of food and it always backfires. I end up on a endless binge and gaining massive amounts of weight. Even with my failure when restricting, it is still very tempting to give it another try. After all who doesn't want to lose a few pounds quickly. Unfortunately those pounds come back so quickly. The scale never moves as fast as I want it so it still remains so tempting to severly restrict. Now I talk myself out of it because I just can't take any more gaining weight. I remind myself that the scale is moving slowly but it is not going up.

You are doing what you should be doing. Eating sensibly and exercising. You could change what you are eating a bit. Sometimes eating the same old things and your weight stalls. The same with exercise sometimes doing a different type of exercise seems to help get a few pounds off. Otherwise I would keep on doing exactly what you are doing. Three months binge free is nothing to sneeze at. From my standpoint that is increadable. You feel good and your serenity should be top most. You are doing fantastic

Ok, thank you all for your encouragement!! And your wisdom....

Yeah, sometimes I KNOW what is right, but I have a hard time being reasonable when it comes to weight loss. Strict diets always lead me to bingeing, but the thought: Hey, I could loose 10 pounds in 10 days! is tempring to me. Tempting, but dangerous....

It´s strange, but even the thought of going on a strict diet leads to massive greetings of my binge beast....

While i was thinking if just eating that fancy soup would be a fantastic idea or not, I got another brilliant idea: clipping the hedge. 164 feet hedge, 95 F. Just me and my funny little electric hedge shears.
I wished that there would be a rule that you have to pay 5 Dollars before you say this two sentences: "Hey, you are really busy in that heat!" and "That isn´t a suitable work for a WOMAN!". I could make luxury holidays then.
I worked for 5 hours. After that, i was hungry like ****. And today my whole body is aching...

Maybe I shouldn´t step on the scale for a few weeks. Maybe measure myself would be a far better idea....You know, my body changed in the last weeks, but the scale hasn´t honored that change.

After all, it seems that exercising helps me more than just focussing on the food.....

Hey, we can celebrate a huge, at least two weeks long Birthday party here in September!!

Kate (who isn´t dieting!!)

P.S: I deleted my Birthday goal...after all, it was just pressure for me!

Unusually heavy home type work is a real boon for me. I do have to plan my food carefully (or I eat like a big male gardener).
You are right, skip this goal. Next September ... you'll be awesome slim!