New to diet. Starting Jan and want to lose 20 lbs by my Birthday in March. Vain hope? Here’s to success to us all

It very much depends on how much you have to lose. I lost 26 pounds in 8 weeks ending up very close to my target, but some people are slower losers than that and some lose more quickly. Good luck, and I hope you make your target. It helps to make smaller mini-goals as you go along, the next stone, 5 kg, an inch or cms off waist etc. Whatever feels right to you, and also don’t forget the non scale victories (NSV), getting into previously impossible clothing or dropping a size. The world is your oyster (and oysters are very low carb as well).

I’m starting on Monday, Scotty. I want to lose 25 lbs and also have my birthday in March. I really hope we can do this.

Some excellent advice there from Mixnmatch, but whether you reach you ultimate goal or not, you can be sure that you will put a good dent in it, if nothing else. Everyone’s body behaves slightly differently, so your loss might be faster or slower than someone else’s but it will get there as long as you persist. Try not to measure your success against that of others, ‘cos that can just get disheartening. Having mini-goals and looking for NSV certainly helps when motivation gets shaky. And of course, there is a wealth of information, advice and support waiting for you on the forum too, which has helped to get many of us to our end goal.

Best of luck to both of you, Scotty and Squidge – keep us posted.

Mini goals sound like a good idea – that might stop me feeling like a failure and giving up if I don’t do as well as I hope.

Thanks to you all. I was quite excited to see people had replied as I am new to any interaction of this kind. Feel as though I’ve got friends already. Will take and try all advice and let you know how I get on. Friend starting it with me. I will try not to be competitive or disheartened by comparison. As you say any loss is got to be good. Here it goes!👍😀

Hiya
I am starting tomorrow and also have a birthday in March, I’m hoping to have lost some weight by then so I don’t feel as unfit and uncomfortable as I do now.
Lisa