Advice about staying focused

I didn't want to read and not respond but I don't have very good advice. I have trouble with this a lot too. I just try to take it one step at a time. So not worry about the whole day but take each meal or snack as it comes.

It looks like you are already doing a fabulous job by losing 43 pounds. Keep it up!

When you remember the basis of weight. If you have more calories than you burn in a day/week, you gain, if you have less calories than you burn in a day/week, you lose. So having slip ups doesnt stop your weight loss if your overall picture is your burning more than you eat. Slip ups just slow it down. It is ok to live

I take each week as a new week and try my best to plan meals, plan exercise, and remember why I am doing this, to be healthy.

you can do this!!

Do you exercise? Because that's where I started my journey, and at the outset said I would not change my eating drastically. I found that I naturally changed my tune when I started seeing and feeling results - looser clothing, inches and pounds disappearing, overall feeling better... I started wanting to protect my efforts, and that meant making better choices.

I've tried changing things in my diet in the past and could never sustain it for very long before I did the same thing, retreated to the nearest Wendy's and ultimately gained even more weight.

It's now been over a year for me, and my lifestyle is quite different than it used to be.

Don't deprive yourself, though. If you want burgers, for example, you need to fit them in or you're going to snap one day. Like hapoo100 says - it's OK to live!

Congratulations on doing such a great job so far! One question I have: have you done anything to acknowledge all of your hard work and success so far? Sometimes, you can suffer from burnout or fatigue, in any sort of long term goal. Celebrate it, do something fun or relaxing for yourself.

One day each week, my wife and I allow ourselves a day to "spike" our calories. Calling it a spike day sounds more positive than a cheat day. It's done in moderation, but gives us something to look forward to on those days when you just want to pig out. Instead, we know that on Saturday we can allow that indulgence.

I have surpassed my goal weight doing this, and my wife managed to get past an ugly month long plateau doing this.

Change your language and how you see food. Candy isn't a "slip." It's just food. Add it to your food diary, see where it fits with your overall daily calories and move on. No need to feel bad. Keep your eyes on the bigger picture.

Agreed with this. You have to make peace and call a truce with the foods you love. I'm not saying have that piece of candy everyday, I'm saying until you are hyper disciplined you need a cheat day or at the very least eat the foods you love in MODERATION but not everyday of course and when you do have it... LOG IT! Make it fit into your calorie goal for that day.

Don't beat yourself up about it or if you WANT to beat yourself up about it punish yourself with 300 straight jumping jacks, 100 situps, and 75 pushups.... just kidding of course.