4 months to fit into dress! 40 lbs or so....

First thing - don't panic. And don't set your target too high or you'll be gutted when you don't make it.

Good weight loss would be between 1 and 2 lbs a week so you should be able to do 16 to 32 pounds.

And I don't think you need to lose much to get the back done up.

I'm aiming to lose 60lbs for my wedding (-18 at the moment - in 7 weeks) so I know how you feel.

Do some research into diets to find one that you think you can stick to - I'm on slimming world and I love it.

And if you ever want motivation I'm here! Chubby brides of WW Unite!

I agree with Nicola-you still look great in the dress and not much to lose for the back to fit! Worse comes to worse, you can take off all the buttons on the lace with the exception of the top one so its more of a key-hole back.

Also, don't just diet- lifting weights (light weight, higher reps) will help speed up metabolism and tone the body more than just cardio. Good Luck and Congrats!

Lol, thanks! I'm hoping the reason it doesn't look good right now, isn't all because of the to tight back. Maybe its because the bust is huge. I don't know, I'm trying to stay cool. I have to find a way to make myself wake up in the morning. You would think getting married would be the inspiration and motivation I need but....not working. ugh.

I will try and lift weights like you suggested!

Maybe a corset back instead. Also a good seamstress can add a panel or gussets.

I have lost 20 pounds in four months with the help of my FitBit; Joe has lost about 30 with My Fitness Pal.

You're doing great and you look great too!

Don't say you have wasted 2 months when you have lost 5 lbs! That's great! Now that you know where you need to be to get that beautiful dress to fit they way it did when you first loved it...you will be able to keep up your hard work. Work a little harder. Try healthier eating and walking daily. You dont have to do crazy strenuous workouts to get to your goal. Cardio is key. Start with small walks, or aerobics and amp it up 5 minutes ever week or every couple days. I think you look great and you dont have far to go to get that dress where you need it. Good lUck!

The dress looks too big in the first pic and perfect in the second pic (hugging all the right curves). You may need to add some sort of panel to get the back to close.

There's no secret to losing weight. We all know how it works. Eat better, watch your calories and exercise more. My absolute best advice is to get a Firm or Beachbody fitness program that comes with a diet book and commit to both for the duration of the program. You got this. Mind over matter.

BeachBody has a lot of good weight training videos and HIIT videos that are short and awesome.

I could be wrong but I think the second pic is the original tryIng on of the dress. the first pic I think is the new one because it looks like she's holding it closed.

Honestly though - I wouldn't have thought for a second you are the weight you say you are - so I honestly think you just need to set a realistic goal and work towards it.

I know how hard it is - I've been fighting my weight for most of my adult weight - but for me the wedding was a big motivation. I don't want to look at my wedding pics and think 'ugh' and right now I know I will.

See if your FH can help out - dieting together can be a big help. My FH is skinny as hell, but he's sticking to the diet with me at home to help me, and only ever eats chocolate or anything bad at work when I don't have to see. That helps a lot.

I cut a lot of stuff out of my diet (went Paleo) and would run/walk 2 miles every single day and throw in weights/cross-training 3-4 times per week and it kick-started my weight-loss and I was able to drop around 30lbs in 4 months. Cut out:

-Carbs

-Sugar

-Processed foods

-Dairy

-most alcohol (would allow myself a glass of wine)

It was REALLY hard but I committed to not allowing myself any "cheat days" for 30 full days to completely get in the habit of eating this way. It took a lot of will power. But after those 30 days I no longer craved the sugar/carbs/etc. and made the following months that much easier and now I've been living this lifestyle for over a year and would never go back.

Thanks girls. Yeah the first picture is the dress now. It's not fitting at all right now and can't close. The second one which is a size 24 fit right but I could button it sort of. I bought a dress bigger and than I couldn't get it buttoned up at all. I'm going to exercise and eat right and read your comments when I feel bad! Lol

I'm going through something similar, only I have 11 months left to loose 50lbs and go from my current size 14 back to my previous size 4.

I'll admit, its very discouraging, however in the last month I've been slowly working on dieting and I've lost eight pounds.

I drink only water and unsweetened iced tea, sometimes hot tea in the morning with a teaspoon of 1% milk and three Splendas.

I also have been trying to follow the current Weight Watchers program. I lost an easy 20lbs on it in the past without even really trying (I was just encouraging my mother who was following it), so I'm hoping this time around it will be almost as easy.

Good luck a&j!

I agree with most of what the others have said.

If you're on Facebook, join in the Wedding Wire fitness group, its (WW Brides Shedding for the Wedding), share with your group your goals and everyone will support you. Check in daily for extra support.

For losing weight, its 80% what you eat and 20% exercise. I agree with lifting light weights and lots of reps to boost your metabolism (need to get in the habit of this myself again).

Cut ALL Soda, sweetened drinks (especially those coffeehouse drinks), not only are those expensive, they really pack on the weight.

Drink hot tea everyday (mint and chammoille are great for weight loss), as well as any oolong tea. Black tea is okay, but stick with herbal teas.

If cutting carbs will be too hard for you to keep, just limit it at first, don't go cold turkey off of the carbs/sweets. Just choose less processed sweets, and less of them. Instead of a big slice of cake, have a miniture cookie.

Man...i really should think about being a nutritionist...

I say start with a cleanse (natural just fruits and veggies and protein but no meat) ie hard boiled eggs... I also did the super shred diet it work great for me and I was able to eat often. Hope it helps!

This might have been mentioned, but I skipped all the long posts! Groupon or Living Social ALWAYS have boot camps or group fitness classes CHEAP! Like $10 a month cheap. Look for good deals in your area. Most are non-commitment, so after you finish one, just buy a different one. Group classes or a trainer make you accountable, so you can't talk yourself out of going. Plus, they have a routine for you to do, so you don't have to think about what you're doing. Throw away all the crap food you might have in your house. Don't "reward" yourself after a hard workout. Those calories have to come from somewhere so let them come from your hips and not a huge smoothie you drink right after. Good luck!

There is a great 12 week training program that is free that you can try to get you used to exercising and using weights. It is Jamie Eason's Live Fit from bodybuilding.com. There are also 12 week at home systems that you can look at too. I do weight watchers, and have used myfitnesspal. First things first, you need to begin tracking how and what you are eating. Keeping a log keeps you accountable. Also, measure out your food. You would be amazed at what the difference is in what you think is the serving size vs. what actually is the serving size.

Try and get as much cardio and work out as you can. I walk 3 times a day at work and take the stairs when I can (I am on the 8th floor). Simple things like doing squats and lunges while blowdrying your hair helps. And it keeps fitness on your mind. My FH thinks that I am insane but, he will catch me doing lunges while blowdrying my hair or doing deadlifts with the basket of laundry from the dryer.

Don't panic you will get there just eat healthy, lots of water no sugar and get on a good exercise routine. That is what I did and I am losing about 1 to 2 pounds a week. Just keep in mind how beautiful you are going to look in that dress and don't give up. Wishing you the best!!!!

I lost 20 pounds in 45 days and I know what ur going thru cuz i bought my dress to small on purpose! lol contact me asap and I can give you some very good advice. *********@*****.***

I second the eating tips, eat squeaky clean (maybe one treat or so per week works for me). But I've gotten some of the best results from changing up my workouts. If you are doing just cardio, try a weight training class (Body Pump, Group Power, Body Sculpt, etc), or try a new type of cardio (HIIT, tabata, kickboxing). I've also had a lot of luck with yoga! I go once weekly to a hot vinyasa class and its made a much bigger difference than I would have expected. It also helps with stress, and most of us eat more (and less nutritious food) when we're stressed. Challenge your body with something new and I bet you'll see results! Good luck Katie!

ETA: 10 pounds is a great accomplishment! You should definitely be proud of that!

I was in a pinch to lose weight last year to fit in my new years dress that I had bought a year before. Totally gained 15lbs and it didn't fit. I did a juice cleanse for 2 weeks and lost 15lbs BUT as soon as I started eating as normal again. The weight came back. I think a reasonable workout routine and diet is your best bet. Small changes, even like going for brisk walks in the evenings can make a difference. Thats a gorgeous dress and you will be a beautiful bride! Try not to stress.