how much gym work and how much riding?

[Zen]

My plan is to eat and act as though i'm at my desired weight and be healthy about it

No can do. You'll be starving yourself.
Try Weight Watchers. At least go long enough to get the required materials to do it on your own.
I lost 40 lbs using their points system and got my initial education about healthy eating there (i've since learned a lot more through college classes and other reading).

I know there are quite a few WW success stories on TE.

[Tuckervill]

No can do. You'll be starving yourself.

How so?

If you mean going from 2500 calories a day to 1500 calories a day, that might feel like starvation, but it really would only feel that way until you adjusted.

Didn't someone say here recently that it was recommended to them to determine the maintenance calorie level required for the desired weight, eat that, and let your weight "drift down"? I think that's what the poster is suggesting she is going to do, in so many words.

That's not starvation, unless it is under about 1300 calories. Active people of normal weight for their height who exercise can eat more than 1300 calories to maintain their weight.

Karen

[jayjay]

.... determine the maintenance calorie level required for the desired weight, eat that, and let your weight "drift down"? I think that's what the poster is suggesting she is going to do, in so many words.

That's not starvation, unless it is under about 1300 calories. Active people of normal weight for their height who exercise can eat more than 1300 calories to maintain their weight. Karen

I am so glad I found this thread ! I am very much like the author of this thread, 50 pounds over my ideal (I'll bargain at a 40lb weightloss, however), and need to calculate the Ultimate Lifestyle for my healthy weight, and just PLUG IT IN. I am starting today, figuring out the caloric needs to maintain 135, late 40's, with very active lifestyle of hiking most mornings with young spirited very athletic GermanShepherd , and afternoons of either a bike ride or another hike (with doggo). Then figure the calories around it, and I know I'll start losing a lot right away, and eventually it will slowdown, until I find the right balance. In the mean time, I will have gotten a lot of practice for my ultimate weight and lifestyle diet needs, catered around the whole foods I cook from scratch (including a treat of a little bit of homemade icecream most days (with less fat, less sugar!) and a big slice of homemade wholegrain toast some mornings , with a little bit of butter or a little more of peanut butter.)

I realize there must be so many diet programs which cash in on a dieter readjusting needs as they go.. making it very complex and very difficult for many people to adhere to, most importantly, never even reaching that level of 'reasonable maintenance' lifestyle that the dieter is working towards. In my thinking , I need to learn Who, Where, and What that point is. I must carefully calculate Who I am, What my cravings are, and Who I want to be, and theoretically figure out the plan according to ME, and then just Do It. It will be really hard at first, but it will get easier and easier and easier, and when I reach my goal weight, I will have had at least a year of maintenance practice.