Weight Loss Slowing When Approaching Goal - Why

starling01

What is the mechanism that causes weight loss to slow down as you approach your goal? My body doesn't know 'goals' and goes along taking and using food where it can most easily find it. Deliver fewer groceries than it needs, it will go take the difference out of the pantry. I don't get how that's related to weight loss goals other than the obvious difference in personal body weight so 'need less, use less'.

I've experienced this both ways, at least so far. The first time, the time I lost the greater portion of my weight, the last 5 pounds came off very very slowly. This time I'm losing almost twice as fast on what should be roughly the same amount of calories with the same MFP sedentary setting. (I say roughly because I'm exercising modestly more this time and eating back some of the calories burned, how many I'm not exactly sure since the my tracker (and MFP) are supposed to overestimate them, but my intention is to keep the net close to the MFP goal.)

I'm very close to an original goal of 125, 4 pounds short. If I stop now, my weight loss rate has accelerated as I got closer. If I continue to my newly revised goal of 120, maybe it will dramatically slow the way it did the first time and the way it does for a lot of other people. Why?

(Note: Last 2 days I struggled with a lot of personal difficulties and dealt with the anxiety by eating almost nothing - definitely not typical for me! Two days wouldn't make a difference anyway.)