Too weird for weight loss

So I've been participating in a weight loss program since the beginning of the year. It includes a social element which, frankly, is making me feel like a total weirdo. You see, my #1 priority in life is not to lose weight, it is to be happy. I've realized over the last year or so that I need to maintain a healthier lifestyle in order to sustain the level of happiness I'm accustomed to, and dialing in on that healthy lifestyle is my program goal. And if I lose a pound or 60 in the process, then yay, but what I ultimately want is to continue living like I'm 21, even though I'm creeping ever closer to 40. (I'll be 39 in less than 2 months! Yikes!) So everyone else is talking about making these great sacrifices - no more chocolate, no more wine, no more bread - but I just can't bring myself to permanently give up anything that I love. If I want chocolate, I'll have chocolate. If I want a frozen strawberry margarita, I'll have one of those too. If I want 6 of them a few times a year, why the hell not. If I want 6 every night, then there's a problem, but a few times a year on vacation or my birthday is not something I'm willing to give up.

Small changes, moderation, being more active - these are the things I can get behind. Total lifestyle 180? No. That's not realistic nor is it sustainable. I'm sticking to the philosophy that you can eat anything you want, just not all at once.*

*Richard Simmons may or may not have said that. Someone quoted that at me once but I've never been able to verify it.