I have been working so hard at getting this weight off and I have a few stresses that go along with it.

One, my aunt really wants me to wear my Grandma's wedding dress for my wedding at the end of March. The problem is, my Grandma was a good 5-6 inches shorter than me and just smaller. She wore it for her 50th anniversary and had it altered, so I know it's bigger than when she was first married, but I'm just afraid it isn't going to fit. She's sending it to me in the mail, so I've never tried it on. My cousin tried it on, but she's 4" shorter and weighs about 80 pounds. SHE said the arms are small. Hmmm...and it was too short for her so I'll have to add lace.

I don't know.

I love the idea, but realistically? And is this going to upset me?

Dress aside, I'm trying my best to lose at least 10 pounds by then...just 10!! To do so my diet is perfect, adding in a once a week ice cream treat only. My exercise is ramped up!! I'm talking going all out in spin 3 days per week, lifting strong again, doing HIIT, running and walking as much as I can fit in, including during the five minutes I have here and there at work, averaging 3-4 miles on top of my regular daily workouts.

And I'm tired! I mean I'm drained! I popped a vitamin this morning hoping that will liven me up, but I remember this feeling from back when I weighed 235 and was not working out. It's that same kind of fatigue.

So I just need a little pep talk and a little encouragement. Can I really do this?

You can lose the weight but I doubt if the dress will fit. Can you use part of the dress ? Or the veil ? The dress will be too short, if youadd lace to a 50 year old dress I doubt it will look good. The dress will have natural discolartion from age and the lace would be new, not a good addition, I don't think.

I felt this when I was in the midst of wedding planning, but I thought it was that and not weighing 250, lol...

My only suggestions are to keep taking those vitamins! Add in a B on its own, itll help with the sleepyness. Get more sleep, too... Are you getting enough? Can you some how add maybe a 1/2 hour for a week or so and see if that does the trick (along with the vitamin! lol)?

As far as the dress goes, I vote what bargoo said... can you wear the veil? Or maybe have part of gma's dress made into an awesome headpiece or accessory like a clutch or something? hhm.

Good luck, and I'll keep thinking.

Yes, you can do this....but maybe you are trying too hard. Girl, you are 162 lbs. That so great!! And if you can lose 5 or 10 lbs by the wedding, great. If not, that's OK too. It sounds to me like you are really working hard, maybe you don't have to work so hard. A wedding is stressful enough all by itself, why add all this added stress. Stick to your normal routine and just don't worry about it! You need your energy!

Question...The wedding is in 2 months, if you don't wear your grandma's dress, what were you planning on wearing? I know I had my dress wayyyyy before the wedding (I can't wait to get to my wedding weight!!! - 211) Maybe you can make a flower girl dress out of it, or use part of it. Don't stress until you have it in hand!

I'm with Sandi. Don't push yourself so hard (to please your mom and to reach an arbitrary number) that you can't enjoy the process. It's YOUR wedding, you should be able to enjoy both the engagement and the big day. I hate to think of you dragging yourself down the aisle exhausted and disappointed about a dress when you deserve to feel radiant and unstoppable.

Be kind to you! Your grandma would want you to be happy way more than she'd want you to wear her dress, and I bet your mom would too, if she stopped to think about it.

Sandi, my plan is to put off shopping as long as I can. LOL! I'm so frustrated with myself for putting 20 pounds back on. It's a hard pill to swallow when a wedding is coming up, you know? It's my second wedding and this stress aside, we're both looking forward to this being easy-going and relaxed. It's very, very small with only the closest of family and friends, about 25 guests. My original plan was to wear something elegant from Nordstroms. I was just dieting down to see how close I could get to where I had been. Now my aunt threw this wrench into the mix. I do love the idea, but I'm also putting a lot of stress on myself about it.

I figure, if the dress fits, great, but I'm having my doubts. If it doesn't, I get to say, "Thanks, but you people are just too tiny." And then I get to go back to sleek and elegant.

I have no advice, but I am sending out good luck vibes to you. Don't sweat the deadline. I am sure you you will be a beautiful bride in whatever you choose to wear.

Eliana it sounds like the dress will be to tight on your arms too. Good Luck
on your weight loss. on your upcoming Wedding!

Ooo! You could be all 'its way too tight on my arms... I guess I shouldn't have done all that lifting!' and then, lol, no worries!!

There you go!! This is my out, thank you!

The chances of that dress fitting are about zero. Even if you we a perfect weight for you. Give it a shot, but don't stress at it.

My mom got married in a white mini party dress. My mom is 2.5 inches shorter than me, she is way mor petite than me and she I was 12, before hitting puberty and i was skinny, I could wear that dress, never after. She (and my sister) are just tinier people. Oh well!

Good luck to you though. And just relax. You have done gat and undoubtedly look great... Get what you feel comfortable with, not with what you can make work.

Frustrating, isn't it? I grew out of my mom's clothes very early. My rib cage is enormous in my family. I never wore any of my grandmother's clothes, so who knows how my body compares to her's, but judging by everyone else in the family I have very little hope. Even though she had some girth, she was just tiny. Tiny shoulders, tiny bosom, etc.

I agree with nixing the dress - weight loss isn't going to change the basic geometry of frame differences between you and your grandma, and that is one source of stress you CAN shelve, even if the rest persists.

The Nordie's dress sounds like a great idea, and I remember how excellent you looked in the last number we saw on you around here

As for the fatigue, I'd suggest cutting back the exercise a bit and focusing in on one or two smaller exercise goals that don't involve huge daily effort. Exercising hard, every day, while trying to cut calories enough to lose weight, is nearly two opposing efforts (you need calories to build muscles and if you are in deficit to lose, it's very difficult to get sufficient muscle built with your efforts as compared to maintaining).

If you really need to lose inches, look into exercise programs like TTap or Callanetics. Neither are hard cardio and both are AMAZING for reshaping your body and streamlining it, while increasing lean body mass. That is my very best recommendation.

Congratulations on your engagement and upcoming wedding! That is wonderful news, which had i been on this website more i would have already known.

I vote for NOT wearing your grandmothers dress also. But no worries - you get it in the mail, you try it on, it fits or it doesn't. Yeah, easier said than done.