Hi Stacie,
First of all, have fun in the D.R. I have been there, we went to Puerto Plata. Good times.
And I think you could totally be under 200 or VERY close in 10 weeks.
Don't sweat it too much though. Just have a good time, it doesn't last long.
I'm in the same boat as you, I'm going to Jamaica in 7 weeks TODAY. Ahhhhhh.
Cheers!

Hi Stacie! Oh vacation sounds so nice!!! I think we've all been in your shoes, telling ourselves we'd lose weight for a special occasion well in advance and then realizing we haven't done much about it! It's ok... you still have plenty of time! (I usually hit panic mode about 2 weeks beforehand so you're safe!)

IMHO, I'd say try to take it weekly. Set weekly goals of 2 lbs. or so... you can easily lose a healthy 2 lbs. a week which will bring you close. Only you know how your body reacts to losing weight, how much you can lose, etc. but I think if you set your goal at 20 lbs./2 lbs. a week, anything more than that will just be icing on the cake! And heck, your confidence will be so much higher at that point you'll be strutting your stuff in a bathing suit! (Do you already have a bathing suit? You could buy one as motivation and keep it hanging somewhere [on the fridge, hehe] where you'll see it all the time!)

I've found it's so much easier to deal with mini-goals than huge goals. And make sure to share your goals with everyone! It'll help to keep you accountable! Lots of water and exercise too!!!

YOU WILL DO THIS!!!! Keep us updated!

be sure to remember how much FUN you're going to have - the people you're going with want YOU and your company, not how you look in a swimsuit. Don't get all wrapped up in thinking that if you dont' lose XXXX amount of weight then you're a loser who doesn't deserve a vacation LOL

Maybe think of increasing your exercise so the wobbly bits are a bit firmer in a bathing suit? buying a suit with a bit more coverage? cutting back on portion sizes and calories and all the usual to be sure, but have some fun too!!!

Gosh...don't be so tough on yourself. This it's important to think about whether it is important to crash off weight so that you will look good on vacation, or to lose weight slowly so that it will stay off. Try not to stress out about this because that might encourage a binge.

I am going on a beach vacation smack dab on Christmas Day. What I am going to do is take walks so that I get used to walk a long distance. We walk a lot on vacation. Between that and eating some healthy meals, I know some weight will come off and I can go on walking tours. What is tough is getting to the vacation spot and wanting to eat and drink like crazy.

Try not to hate yourself. If you are shopping for bathing suits get one of those tankinis that has a skirt for a bottom. These give you good coverage and are slimming.

I made a lot of good choices today and plan to exercise tonight before I go to bed.

I am planning on making my own cover-ups for over my bathing suit, so I will probably start working on those soon as a goal.

Thanks for the support so far.
Stacie

I have to update my weight loss. My computer crashes and it has been weeks since visiting this site. But I am down 18 pounds. I am eating 6 times a day. DO NOT MISS YOUR MEALS ! Breakfast is oatmeal and fruit, 10am is a quick snack, carrot sticks or 6 almonds, a small apple, lunch is huge salad with chicken, and veggies,sometimes I will make a salad and wrap it in a whole wheat wrap! Snack at 3 which is a 4oz cottage cheese or yogurt, then a good dinner with chicken, fish, veggies, sometimes sweet potato, and then usually I bake a small apple about 8pm with a bit of cinnamon and nutmeg on it. Since eating this way, the weight is dropping a bit more quickly. I walk 2 - 3 miles every night. You can easily do this in 10 weeks. I buy the Carol Woir bathing suits and I have a great cover up that I ALWAYS wear unless I am going into the water.
HAVE A GREAT TIME !!!!!!!!

I am sooooo in the same boat. Though I do have a little longer to lose the weight before I have to venture to the beach. And honestly its really the only thing that is keeping me motivated to lose the weight. I dont wanna have pics of me chubby in a swimsuit again.

This is a nice plan. You get plenty of food, so you are satisfied. I just have to make more time to eat.

I'll tell you what Stacie, in the last 10 weeks I have lost 22 pounds...and I have been doing this for MANY months. I think you could probably get close to your 200 pound goal with total dedication and hard work. That means no cheating, no giving yourself a "free" meal, day or weekend. If you really want it, you'll do it. Better choices is a good start for day one...but best choices and NO bad choices will get you there faster...

Now, if you do your best, and still don't get to that magic number, I guarantee that even if you only take off 10-15 pounds, you will still feel great. There is something magical about that first 10 pounds. You feel lighter, more confident, and more in control. And to be honest, a bathing suit doesn't instantly look better on a 199 pound woman, compared to a 201 pound woman. My point is, if you try...and try hard, you will feel great about yourself no matter how much you weigh.