There's a certain feeling of panic every time a class reunion invitation comes in the mail. Has everyone else put on 10 pounds? How do you explain your recent divorce to people you haven't seen in 15 years?
If you want to drop 30 pounds in a month, it might be time for a reality check. "If you're up front with yourself, you have a much better shot at losing weight," says Dorfman. If a nightly glass of wine is non-negotiable, don't skip it, and instead cut calories from lunch or dinner. If you like having a chocolate treat in the afternoon, nix the croutons on your salad.
"There's a perception that if you keep cutting calories, you'll keep losing weight," says Dorfman. However, by drastically cutting calories, you can inadvertently cause your metabolism to slow down. Instead, she suggests eating throughout the day, selecting foods that keep you satiated.
Though Dorfman doesn't recommend crash diets, cleanses, or detoxes as healthy, long-term weight-loss solutions, she admits that doing something radical with your diet may jump-start healthy eating. "Sometimes people need a dietary slap in the face," she says. "A detox can simply mean you are taking out things that are sabotaging your efforts."
Professional athletes visualize their big events from start to finish, and Dorfman suggests you steal their trick. "Picture yourself at the reunion—what kind of dress you're wearing, how you'll wear your hair—but be realistic. Don't picture what you looked like when you were 20." Visualizing how you want to look will help you stay on track with your diet.
