So my birthday is August 13th... today is March 12th... I have been doing some number crunching and here is my plan! I have lost 30 lbs so far (in 7 weeks!!) and I am very ecstatic about that! But I have figured out if I can lose a minimum total of 2 lbs a week (averaged out), I can be at 191 lbs by my birthday... My goal is between 170-180, not sure what I want till I get there, but that goal weight is based on the higher range of where I should be at for my height. SO I guess my question is, is that birthday goal completely irrational for me to think it might work or should I be being a little less optimistic?

Also, part of my question is, I have seen different threads for "30 lbs by Valentines" or "30 lbs by Easter", I was wondering, how can you determine how fast you can lose those pounds by a certain date other than being 100% OP, because we aren't REALLY supposed to exercise, and exercise doesn't really make you lose faster on this diet(or so I have been understanding) and it's not like you can be more than 100% OP, so really just being 100% strict OP is how you get to these numbers correct? Or am I just rambling? lol

Anyways, I am feeling very optimistic about my weight loss. This is an amazing diet and I love this forum and all of you!

It's always good to have a goal! As long as you don't get discouraged if things stall along the way, or at least remain open to letting your body lose at its own rate - the last thing you want is to turn a positive goal into a negative experience

The "30 by" threads are really just another way to encourage each other to stay on plan and push forward! It's not a race, or a "let's lose a set amount of weight within a specific period of time". It's more - let's be accountable to each other for staying on plan, so that we are as successful as possible in the next x number of weeks.

I also wanted to add on here because I didnt want to start a new thread... that last night I was in a small group wind up event thing... and there was a trifle and EVERY SINGLE PERSON had a plate of it. It had butterscotch pudding, whipped cream made with honey and syrup and carrot cake... and it was LITERALLY shoved in front of my face and set in front of me even after I said no a couple of times and I STILL moved it over to the person next to me! I am very proud of myself! Told my husband when I got home and he high fived me! What a supportive guy!

These kinds of questions are great for the daily chat, where the most people will see them

Setting a timeline may or may not work. I set my goals but not the date. I don't get to choose how my body chooses to release the weight, only that it will!
Although it is fun to try to determine where we will be, when, be sure to relax and let the program work, without the timeline expectation.

At my present 10 lbs/mo, I could conceivably be at goal by late July. However, if I'm not there by then, all is well. This isn't a race. I'll get to goal. And what do I get when I get there? I get to learn to maintain, which is actually HARDER!

Exactly, scorbett and lisa, I hear you both! Scorbett, that is what I kinda thought those threads were about, I guess I was just checking to make sure there wasnt a secret "whoosh" trick I didnt know about

I definitely do not have my hopes up for that goal! Like you said Lisa, it is fun to try and crunch the numbers and imagine where we might by by such and such date...

Good for you for resisting the dessert! I usually take a bar with me when I think a "yummy" will be served. (I just don't understand "food pushers". They wouldn't do it to a diabetic. Well, obesity is a legitimate health issue as well!)

I've number crunched. It's fun if you can be a neutral observer. But remember, some bodies have huge steady losses & others are the tortoises on this journey. We all end up in the same place eventually - if we stay on plan. There are just so many variables!