The next part of the plan

Ok, so here's what I'm thinking ...

My ultimate goal has always been to reach - and maintain - a healthy weight. I didn't follow any crazy diets or trends, I just focused on shifting to a healthy lifestyle. I watch what I eat. I pay attention to fiber, calcium, protein and carbohydrates. I even exercise when it fits into my schedule (I park half a mile from my classes just to get in an extra mile walk each day!).

And now, I am on the brink of FINALLY entering my healthy weight range. Despite the controversies that exist out there about the Body Mass Index (BMI), I truly believe it is a good guide for judging your weight in terms of your health.

BMI is your weight compared your height. Sure, it's not 100% in determining if someone is completely healthy, but unless you are a body builder or pregnant, it's a pretty good guide. I advocate it's the best out there for those of us without access to a BodPod. Trust me, your doctor uses it whenever she advises you on weight issues. I find that when people complain about the idea of BMI, they are generally just lying to themselves (and making excuses) about their own weight and the impact it may be having on their health. But I digress ...

I am 5'4" so, in order to be in the "healthy" range, I need to weigh between 108 and 145 pounds. Since 145 is the MOST I can weigh to be healthy, I don't want to hit 145 and stop. Instead, I want a buffer.

Wouldn't it be nice to go to the doctor, step on the scale - fully clothed, in the middle of the day, wearing my shoes - and still weigh in as "healthy"? Since weight fluctuates by a few pounds in a day - heck, it fluctuates in a week, right? - I want to lose enough to create a buffer. I never want to weigh more than 145 again. Seriously.

So, here's what I'm thinking: I will focus on losing weight down to 140 by Thanksgiving. Then, I will shift into maintenance mode in order to survive the holidays and finals. If it involves more weight loss, great! But that won't be my goal. The goal is to be 140 on January 2. Then, once I get through the holidays (hopefully unscathed!), I will re-evaluate my goals based on my numbers. Would it be too crazy to try to weight 125? Just throwing that out there.

I'll be honest, I'm really scared of what's going to happen to my weight as I try to learn maintenance. Weight loss I understand. There are millions of articles out there about how to lose weight, and I've probably read most of them. Sadly, there are very few on maintaining your current weight. So, I feel like I'll be heading down that path pretty blind.

With this plan, I have the next 8 weeks to start researching a maintenance plan. And with my buffer, I'll be able to experiment without backsliding out of the "healthy" range.

At least that's what I'm thinking ...