So I decided that I'm going to track my progress and my food logs in one thread to keep everything together. I'm an emotional eater so one of the most important things to me is elminating binges.

That said, I binged pretty badly yesterday but still woke up this morning at 134.

Today, so far, I ate:

veggie quiche (250), iced coffee (170), 2 dried figs (40), activia (100), homemade chicken shawarma (chicken 150 salad 40 sauce 75 oil 100) = 365, cucumber and dip (50) = 975

I got up really late this morning so I still have another meal to go

Can probably get by with some celery and pb post-gym (150) and maybe a boiled egg.

WARNING: TOTALLY UNSOLICITED ADVICE COMING

So you can take it or leave it or tell me to hush up...

I was shocked this morning to realize it's only 45 days until Christmas. 45 days! Yikes!

And then I saw this thread.

15 pounds in 45 days is a rather tall order, especially for someone without a lot of extra poundage to begin with. Just a thought -- could pressure to reach an unrealistic goal trigger binges as well? If you aren't halfway to goal in 22 days, will you binge in frustration? I know this is exactly the sort of situation that would spell disaster for me.

More unsolicited advice: would it be helpful to set a behavior goal rather than a results goal for the next 45 days? Like, "no binges," or "stay on plan." You can control your behavior, while the scale is sort of its own animal.

I apologize -- I know unsolicited advice is pretty annoying and a buzzkill to boot, but... well... 15 in 45...

Anyway, no matter what you do, I wish you luck and look forward to hearing of your progress!

thesame7lbs : You read my MIND!!!That's just what I was going to say!

Sourbaby: Your thread stuck out to me because 15 pounds in 45 days really is going to be a tough goal to make. I am also an emotional eater and used to make very similar goals (and sometimes still do!) and they always fail and I end up getting sad and angry and eat for like 10 days straight and wind up right back where i started.

I am trying to just change my habits right now before I change my weight. And I know as I change my habits, the weight will come off too. I wish you the best of luck with your goals, but urge you to change this one just a bit.

thanks guys - your advice is fair. i tend to set goals i can't reach so maybe this is another one of them.

maybe i should modify - particularly since i don't have any actual control over my weight - only what i eat.

perhaps i should make my goal 1300 calories a day for the next week. and go from there? ultimately i want to lose the 15 but realisticaly you're right, it probly wont happen by christmas.

revised goal - 1300/day for the next week. then i'll check in with my progress. thanks!!

After the "initial woosh" most people get in the beginning (the first week or two), I estimate a pound a week. I figure between the calorie deficit and exercising that this is reasonable. Therefore, if someone tells me I have 7 weeks till something, I aim for a 7 pound loss. This might even be too optimistic but its very reasonable! Maybe you could try for that? It is still a significant amount of weight and would def. be noticeable!

thanks guys for reminding me about perspective!! i'm not going to focus on a weight goal but instead a calorie and exercise goal and im going to start a new thread. here's to new beginnings!! cheers.