I decided to put my weight loss program in overdrive because I'm going to a dance music festival on Memorial Day weekend. I wanted to be fit and attractive among the other dancers.

...and then, my ex, who was the love of my life wants to see me when I go to the festival. We are good friends, but haven't seen each other in 10 years since the breakup (the breakup was not acrimonious). And apparently, he is single at the moment. Hmmm.

I have to remind myself that I doing this for myself first. It's about me. But I admit I kind of want to knock my ex's eyes out.

I am feeling some pressure here. Anybody else feel pressure about weight loss?

Totally. The county fair this year will be the beginning of August, which brings with it temperatures in at least the upper 90's. Very hot. It's also bringing with it Billy Idol this year, and I am going, even if I have to go by myself. At 310 pounds, I don't know if I will be able to handle the heat. I'd like to lose as much weight as I can before fair time. Not because I want to go on any rides or anything (really, I have no desire. Heard too many horror stories I guess) but because I want to have fun, not be a big dripping ball of fat and sweat sitting in a medical tent on the verge of a heart attack or heat stroke.

pressure is always there for me because there is temptation everywhere and everyone knows about my resolution! That was my plan! To tell everyone at work and all of my family so that i have accountability! i have lost 19 pounds since jan 1st 2010 and i have people coming up to me everyday wanting updates and advice and it pushes me forward! I would feel embarrassed if i had to tell everyone i gave up or i gained back weight! I really want to meet my goals and that is one way i feel the pressure but it is so worth it! You knock his socks off girl!

Amen, i feel this all the time too.. I see pictures of people that were the same size as me but are now very skinny and it just makes me want to work that much harder to be "just as good" or "just as skinny" if not skinnier than they are!!! lol With your ex i can totally relate to that but more with people i went to school with i dont want them to run into me and say "wow Jamie got fat" so that is making me want to work harder!

I am going to respond in a slightly different way, and I hope it helps.

First, whatever motivation/reasons you have to pull out all the stops and get that last 18#s off, I am pullin' for ya, girl. Nothing wrong with making your ex. see what he's been missing out on, either. I love it.

Sometimes pressure backfires, so as far as that aspect of your post goes, you may find it helpful to use some Beck Diet Solutions techniques. Dr. Beck advises that you write your reasons for wanting to lose weight down(she calls them Advantage Response Cards) and review them several times per day. There is a whole Beck Diet Solution thread on 3FC..please feel free to check us out there if you like.

The other advice I have, and I am going to take my own on this one, because Lord knows, the final 10#s are the hardest, is, for what it's worth...I bought a book called Flip the Switch: Proven Strategies to Fuel Your Metabolism and Burn Fat 24 Hours a Day. I have read it all; some of it makes sense to me, and some doesn't, but nothing that the author suggests really could hurt much. He does make some claims about not needing to exercise so much, and other things that seem a bit over the top, but some of the tips seem to me to make sense.

Fidget..keep moving, don't sit at your desk for more than 15 minutes without moving. Sip ice-water throughout the day. Chew gum (sugarless of course)..get moving first thing upon awakening..he has suggestions for 10 minutes of getting yourself revved up in the morning..get as much as light as you can the first thing in the a.m. ..kinda a metabolic wakeup call..as I said, some of it makes sense, most of it couldn't hurt to try.

Good luck. I look forward to hearing of your progress.

P.S. thanks for making me look up "acrimonious".

I feel literal pressure and I want this weight off me!!!

Thanks everybody. I'm glad I'm not the only one and seeing the ex has made me extremely motivated. I'm not remotely tempted to overeat right now.

Did I mention my ex is extremely skinny? He was 5' 7" and 130 lbs. He had a 29" waist. And now he might only be slightly heavier. That blows my mind because my goal weight is 130.