The Last Stretch is Interesting

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By my count, I'm within eight pounds of my goal. A few pounds ago, it was easy enough to just keep doing what I've been doing and think, "I'll get there when I get there." Now I'm looking at it and thinking, "It could be five more weeks." I keep looking forward to weigh in days. I spend way too much time thinking about how to distribute my calories throughout the day when I begin maintenance. Not to mention trying to estimate my maintenance calories. And when I think about the fact that I can probably have a morning and afternoon snack without gaining weight, I want to go buy a candy bar. I hate to wish my life away, but I'll be glad when this is over.

Replies

  • jaga13
    jaga13 Posts: 1,149 Member
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    I am close to goal and I fantasize about eating at maintenance.
  • dawniemate
    dawniemate Posts: 395 Member
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    It's never over lol ....great to be near your goal weight and what's 5 weeks when you have the rest of your healthy life .... :wink:
  • ncboiler89
    ncboiler89 Posts: 2,408 Member
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    By my count, I'm within eight pounds of my goal. A few pounds ago, it was easy enough to just keep doing what I've been doing and think, "I'll get there when I get there." Now I'm looking at it and thinking, "It could be five more weeks." I keep looking forward to weigh in days. I spend way too much time thinking about how to distribute my calories throughout the day when I begin maintenance. Not to mention trying to estimate my maintenance calories. And when I think about the fact that I can probably have a morning and afternoon snack without gaining weight, I want to go buy a candy bar. I hate to wish my life away, but I'll be glad when this is over.

    Well done!
  • Foamroller
    Foamroller Posts: 1,041 Member
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    It's just a number. I wouldn't obsess on a certain number. I've had a 5 months diet «break», same 5 lbs fluctuations, roughly same measurements. BUT, I've gone down over 2 jeans sizes, because the body has changed shape. RECOMP!

    Focus on fitness works for ME. Scales may lie, skinny jeans never lie.
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
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    @Foamroller , in some ways, the number I'm aiming for is arbitrary. If it were lower or higher, I expect I would still be focused on it when I got near it.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    see I don't focus on it that much. I am 10lbs..could be 20 weeks..might be 10...might be 8 who knows. I need to recalculate my TDEE.

    Having that much focus would drive me nuts...my maintenance will look a lot like my eating does now...with the exception of a Tim's coffee and maybe some ice cream this summer...not a biggy.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    Well it's nice to be in sight of your nominal scale weight goal so well done you

    to be honest maintenance makes very little difference if you've slowed down your rate of loss as you get closer to goal ... it's a couple of hundred calories each day .. easily used up .. basically what you're eating now is very close to what you'll be eating for life
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
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    True, but if I slowed my weight loss to what some people think I should, I'd still be doing this at Christmas. So, for me, the increase in calories could be as much as 700 per day. I tend to be goal oriented. When I aim for a target, I want to hit it and I want to hit it hard. When I get there, I want to know I got there, and then I can turn my focus to other things.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,372 Member
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    I've been 3 pounds from my goal weight for a year. I know the feeling... sort of. Always get derailed by some event or just because I'm hungry.
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
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    Francl27 wrote: »
    I've been 3 pounds from my goal weight for a year. I know the feeling... sort of. Always get derailed by some event or just because I'm hungry.

    I can't see myself being 3 pounds from my goal for a year. I'm the type of person that if I were that close for very long, I would throw all health concerns aside, fast for three days, and get this thing over with. (Don't take that as a recommendation.)
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,372 Member
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    Francl27 wrote: »
    I've been 3 pounds from my goal weight for a year. I know the feeling... sort of. Always get derailed by some event or just because I'm hungry.

    I can't see myself being 3 pounds from my goal for a year. I'm the type of person that if I were that close for very long, I would throw all health concerns aside, fast for three days, and get this thing over with. (Don't take that as a recommendation.)

    I thought I was too... but I get so hungry every time I lose a pound, I end up gaining one back.
  • ruggedshutter
    ruggedshutter Posts: 389 Member
    edited May 2015
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    True, but if I slowed my weight loss to what some people think I should, I'd still be doing this at Christmas. So, for me, the increase in calories could be as much as 700 per day. I tend to be goal oriented. When I aim for a target, I want to hit it and I want to hit it hard. When I get there, I want to know I got there, and then I can turn my focus to other things.

    I'm glad that I'm not the only one not adjusting my weightloss/wk when I get closer to my goal. I'm 10 pounds away as well and I'm keeping my 700 calorie deficit. My plan is to slowly increase my calories when I get to my goal but I'm doing a hard switch to full strength training and looking forward to dropping the cardio workouts.
  • HollandOats
    HollandOats Posts: 202 Member
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    Oh these rebellious bodies... they laugh while we make our plans....
  • GreenIceFloes
    GreenIceFloes Posts: 1,491 Member
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    I'm a good 15 lbs away, yet I have maintenance all planned out in my head. And if I got stuck 5 lbs from my goal for 6 months, I'd change my goal. :lol: