I know, I know, think long term, sustainable but... there's a couple things comong up in my life that I really want to be thinner for. I already lost about 10 lbs then got derailed by the holidays a bit.

I started my exercise routine, my plan is to incorporate cardio on work days for 30 minutes and non-work days (3 days off per week) for 1 hr, I"m also going to put together a toning-routine for the mornings.

Diet wise.... I'm torn... I've tried most of them. I'm a Weight Watchers member (love the group support) but don't know if their program will net me the results I want???

I know I'm opening myself up for criticism here since I know it's REALLY not the best idea but I also REALLY want to at least try to make as big a dent in my weight loss by then even if I don't hit the 30 pound goal.

Any helpful ideas on calorie levels etc???

We don't know anything about you!!! How could we possibly answer these questions???? We don't know your age, your height, your current weight.

The heavier we are, the *faster* we lose weight - normally. I started out at 287 lbs, so for me, 15 lbs a month was doable. I didn't aim for that per se', but that's how it came off.

As far as calorie levels - again - we don't know anything about you.. different people require different things, not knowing anything about you makes it difficult (impossible) to suggest anything. Maybe a nutritionist can better help you out.

Maybe a little more information and we can help you further.

I think you can "try" to make as big a dent as possible and whatever resutlts you get - are the results that you get. The best way to do that would be to stay CONSISTENTLY on plan. The more you do that, the *quicker* the weight will come off.

As far as which plan to follow, that's also a personal thing. Which program are you WILLING to follow? Which plan are you willing to stick with? I am a calorie counter with a focus on whole foods.

I think if you aim low, you get low. You aim high, you get high. So on that note, if you want to aim high, by all means. But do so in a healthy manner and whatever results follow in that 2 month period, will be more than if you did nothing. So by all means start today. Focus on a healthy eating plan and exercise regimen and by the end of two months you'll have some progress.

Sorry :-( I think in my quest to avoid making my post too long I left out some important details. I'm 5"7 and 185lbs and mid 40's.

I agree with your sentiments on aiming high and want to make certain I focus on doing it in a healthy manner. My concern is not going too low on my calorie level that I slow my metabolism down.

Thanks for your reply!!

You can lose the weight in that time. It is possible. Don't beat yourself up if you don't make it in 2 months. Just stick to what program your on and you'll feel good with every pound you lose. We can do this together.

That would definitely be breakneck speed. I think 20 is pretty doable with your stats. I would drop intake to 12-1400 daily and workout every day--combination strength and cardio. Don't eat back your calories. Also, you are going to have to eat very clean--high quality protein and veggies and very moderate complex carbs.

Even those people who lose 100 pounds per year are losing only 8.33 pounds per month, and that is often extreme dieting. To raise it to 15 pounds per month is unsustainable. I think you'd keel over of electrolite imbalances and end up on your back. 15 pounds per month is a 52500 calorie deficiet per month. If you are taking in only -- say-- 1,500 per day, that is 45000 calories taken in. You would have to lose 1,750 calories per day. -250. I don't even think you could do that as an anorexic. Your metabolism would slow down to the point where you would be straining to just keep your heart beating. (I mean, lest face it, if 90% of what you eat goes to regular bodily function, and assuming 1,500 is okay, then 1300 of that is used to keep your heart beating, your liver functioning and keeping you alive. That gives you a deficite of 200 calories, enough to walk 2 miles for about 1 hour-- slowly walk.

Remember also that things you do like taking a shower, doing your job at work and getting out of bed and dressing are part of the 200 calories and they also take energy to do. I mentioned 1500 because it is probably already a restricted amount of calories.

This is not to say that a human being cannot go for several days without food. They can (and I feel should-- I like fasting myself). It's just that you are really extrapolating a nearly impossible set of numbers here-- all that cardio you want to do is going to double your energy use

You will lose weight, but I don't think you will lose 30 pounds in 2 months. maybe 15.

You really don't have that much to lose and what is really sad is... the less you have to lose, the more painfully slow it comes off. I want to say YES! "try this" but I can honestly say that if you lost 30lbs in 2 months it would have to be surgically or in a very unhealthy way. Can you give your self 4-5?

I think 15 is possible if you work out and eat right!

Can you? Hmmmm...

I'm sure it's theoretically possible...ANYTHING's possible.

SHOULD you? Well, now, that's another story entirely. But you already knew that, you even said so yourself. Sorry if I'm not telling you anything new. But I personally don't think it's a good idea for anyone to encourage something potentially unhealthy, so I'd say no.

I'm a few years older than you and about the same weight and I'd say 20 lbs. is doable if you diet and exercise really hard but I don't see how anyone our age etc. could lose more than that. But 20 lbs. makes a huge difference in how you feel, how you look, how your clothes fit, etc. and you can go on from there to achieve your weight, health and fitness goals.

Best of luck to you and wishing you good health and happiness!

I'm not a fan of time goals for weight loss. They almost never worked for me, and I tended to see any shortfall as a failure, rather than success. So if my goal was 30 lbs by a certain date, and on that date, I'd "only" lost 28 lbs, I felt like I'd failed rather than succeeded.

I also found that when I saw myself "getting behind" schedule, I'd become more desperate, and more willing to do unhealthy, and even dangerous things to meet my deadline.

Usually when the deadline came (especially if it was a special event), I was so exhausted from pushing and punishing myself that I needed (and felt I deserved) a break from all the dieting and exercise and weight loss pressure. That usually also involved allowing myself all of the foods that I denied myself during the race to goal. Which only led to me gaining all the weight back (and often more).

If you're immune to those pitfalls, more power to you. I don't however have any suggestions on how to do it in a healthy and safe manner.

Personally, I would recommend instead that you write down what you are willing to do, to lose weight, and aim for that instead. Exercise as much as you're willing to. Diet as much as you're willing to, and see what happens, but before you start decide those things. How much exercise are you willing to do? What is the lowest calorie level you're willing to live on (at least until the event)? Get those goals in mind, and then follow them as closely as you can, and the weight loss you achieve, is the weight loss you celebrate.

The importance of making those decisions now, is that you make them while you have a clear head. You know that eating 300 calories a day is not the smartest thing to do, but when you're trying to meet a weight loss deadline, it may start to look reasonable. Don't let yourself get so desperate for the weight loss, that you're willing to sacrifice your health and sanity to make the deadline.

Hmmm, well now that I know your *stats*, I'd have to say it would be next to impossible to lose 30 lbs in 2 months, unless of course you starve yourself which is clearly not an option - right? Losing 30 lbs in 2 months is certainly not worth starving yourself for!!!

It's not like you've got a huge bet riding on this right? Like someone will pay you a billion dollars if you lose 30 lbs in two months, correct? So therefore, you can CONTINUE on AFTER that 2 month period. That two month period is lots of time to make progress and lots of time to get some good eating habits down pat that will last you a lifetime and take you to your goals - eventually.

I think you need to take the scale and numbers away from this here equation and FOCUS on good eating/exercise habits for those 2 months. FOCUS on eating good, wholesome foods, staying within 1200- 1400 calories (like's been stated) get that exercise in and whatever comes off, comes off!

Do you have an eating plan in mind?

Thanks for all the input! I think I'm going to stick with my excercise plan which I think is moderate and long-term. I'm going to go with a 1200ish calorie plan and try "eating clean"?? It will be great if I hit 30lbs , if not... I'm that much closer.

So... is there an eating clean list/board??? Is it just eliminating the processed foods or low carb???

There's a "whole foods" section on the board. Perhaps check that out.

I wish you great success, but it already sounds like your expectations are a wee bit high for yourself. You may find a happier balance if you let what happens happen.

Totally unrealistic and you are in for a big let down if you only have 30 pounds to lose. If you have more than 100 pounds to lose, maybe but not healthy. Losing so much in 2 months means you lose muscle as well as fat which is very undesireable since your heart is a muscle. Congratulations on the 10 pounds you lost before the holidays, but you have to learn how to handle the holidays without gaining if you want to maintain.

Thanks for all the advice. I didn't gain over the holidays though, I maintained my loss ;-)