I have some events coming up in the next few months. A vacation in Hawaii, Thanksgiving in Florida, Christmas in Ohio and Michigan, and then our wedding and honeymoon next May. Each of these events brings with it its own motivations for looking and feeling my best.
The Swimsuit
For the trip to Hawaii, I don’t want to feel self conscious in a swimsuit. Vacations are meant to be fun and relaxing, not spent worrying over “thunder thighs” or “belly pooch”. And while I’m not going to obsess over how I look, if taking some time beforehand to work on what I can means I can enjoy my vacation comfortably and without worry, then it’s time well spent.
The Family
Thanksgiving will be spent with my very large extended family. Dozens of aunts, uncles and cousins who have no reservations telling me that my butt is huge, or that I shouldn’t eat that pie because I’ll get fat. It’s just the way my family is. I don’t want to give them any fodder for comments if I can avoid it.
The Vanity
Christmas brings more family time, but this time, it is my fiancés fam. They are awesome people, and non-judgmental compared to my own family, but still. One always wishes to look her best before the future in-laws!
The Wedding
This is the Big One. No bride wants to merely look “good” at her wedding. She wants to be stunning, radiant, magnificent, a downright angelic goddess. I want my fiancé to take one look at me coming down that aisle and nearly faint at the vision he beholds. I want to look back at the photos and not have any regrets about how I looked in any of them.
The Plan
I’ll be leaving for Hawaii in a little over a week (eek!). That’s really not much time to get my body into what I personally consider “bikini ready” for myself. So I started a long time ago. I got my nutrition dialed in, and was able to lose weight at a slow but steady pace of one pound per week until I got to my goal, and then I just had to maintain. I started in mid-April, and reached my goal by the end of June. So it took some time.
The Pitfalls
If you have an event coming up that you would like to lose some weight for such as a vacation or reunion, here are some roadblocks to watch out for in your journey.
Unrealistic expectations. Despite what “this one weird trick that doctors hate” might tell you, you’re not going to lose 20 pounds in two weeks. If you are incredibly disciplined, you may be able to lose 2 pounds per week, but you’re likely to be hangry the whole time, so it isn’t sustainable for long.
Not planning far enough ahead. If your event is next week, there is not much you can do at this point. Check your calendar now to see what’s coming down the pipeline later on that you can be ready for. Be realistic about what you can achieve in that time. Aim for losing one pound per week, and be sure to drink plenty of water. And don’t wait to start! Start early to give yourself a buffer if you have a bad week.
Going back to old habits. Having a short term goal like looking your best for a vacation or party is great. But making it part of a longer term goal and a permanent lifestyle change is even better. After the event is over, don’t throw away all your hard work by going back to your old habits. Stick with it, and when the next event rolls around, you won’t have to lose those pounds all over again.
What events do you have down the road that you want to look your best for?