I'm 5'2 & 135lbs, Is it possible to lose 20lbs by summer?!

I highly doubt you would. Starting at a lower weight will mean it will take longer to lose that weight. PLUS if you're going to be building any muscle you will probably not lose as much as you want because you're already at a low weight.

Honestly, I would expect you to lose maybe around 10 pounds in that time frame. That's just under one a week which is kind of generous when you don't have much to lose. You should aim to lose .5 pounds a week when your goal weight is only about 20 pounds away.

But of course it does depend a bit on the exercise. if you don't do any weights or anything then maybe you'd be able to strip away the pound faster BUT lifting weights would be better. It's not good to do just straight cardio...then you get skinny fat. Who wants to be skinny fat when you can be toned and strong?

It may be *possible*, but you might feel more satisfied and less stressed if you focus more on progress and mini-goals than a deadline. :-) I am 5'4", started out on here at 165 and it took me somewhere between 2.5-3 months *I think* to lose 20 lbs. At the 5 month mark I hit 30 lbs lost. The smaller you are, the longer it takes to lose any particular amount of weight, and the closer you get to your goal, the slower the weight will come off.

I think you may need to redefine "bikini ready". Sounds to me like what you really need to do is start toning up. Weight loss will only get you so far. Try Jillian Michael's 30 day shred or something similar. By all means, keep up with the diet. But, instead of focusing on the numbers on the scale, focus on the tone of your body.

1400 is probably not enough if you're working out hard for 45 mins that often. You'll lose at first but you'll probably stall.

That's also probably a bit overzealous for someone your height... Are you coming from having been able to maintain 115 for any length of time in the past? I'm 5'2" and 115 is def not sustainable for me, but then I do have quite a bit of muscle on me.

I'd focus more on measurements (tape measure) than the scale. Throw in some weight training, not just cardio. W/ a deficit like the one you're creating, you're in danger of burning muscle along w/ fat, which will slow your metabolism and make losing really difficult.

So....first of all....5'2 and 135...that is actually my goal weight as I am also 5'2". Safe weight loss is 1-2 lbs per week. It is doable, however, you are already at a good weight and bmi and you want to push it further. That's fine, but it's going to take a lot more than 45 minutes and 1400 calories to get there. You're going to need a combination of cardio and strength training and honestly, you'll need to pump it up to get there. It will be a lot of hard work but if you are determined, I think you can do it.

I like the suggestion someone posted of tracking your measurements. Maybe not instead of weighing but in addition to it. Celebrate small successes along the way! MFP is a great way to track food and exercise progress. Good luck!

Yes, but it wouldn't be worth it to me. I'd rather be down 10 lbs by the summer, and then be down 20 pounds for every summer for the rest of my life. The quicker you lose, the easier it comes back (in my experience). If you want my advice: Don't ruin your metabolism. Think about it has a goal that will last you for the rest of your life--not a "Summer of 2012" goal.

Possible? Yes.

But it's a lot more possible to achieve the body you want by summer if you're not focused on the scale. Set your calories too low and don't get enough fuel, and you'll lose the pounds, but it won't guarantee you'll like the results.

I'm 5'2 and 130 lbs. I've been trying to lose 10 lbs for a year, using a restrictive 1200 calorie diet and massive amounts of cardio. I was miserable, and when I couldn't take being hungry I overcompensated with crappy food choices. I have recently been converted to lifting, and I am feeling stronger, tighter, and leaner. Scale hasn't moved, but I have tons more energy. Eating 1600 or more calories per day now, and I just feel happier. Best of luck finding what works for you, there is not one perfect way to get results.