How I lost the “last 5 pounds”
fiddletime
Posts: 1,868 Member
I’m 63 yo, 5’2” and maintained at 129 for 8 months at 1200 cal as well as eating half my exercise calories back. But, I wanted to be in the 125 range. I was happy I figured out how to maintain, which involved very strict counting during the week and some sloppy counting over the weekends where nibble food seems to be everywhere. If I overshot too much I didn’t record it, maybe 2-3 meals a month.
In 6 weeks I’ve lost 5 pounds and I did two things. I decided to record ALL food all the time, and if I got hungry, binge type hungry (always at night) I ate an ice cream bar. That would put me over by 200 calories or so, end the craving, was yummy, and didn’t slow my weight loss of a pound a week (which I didn’t think I could do at my age and size). The key was not to get really hungry, and for me, eating a piece of meat or cup of grapes wasn’t going to cut it. I needed something high fat and, well, decadent. Klondike ice cream bar to the rescue!
I wanted to post because it always comes back to the basics. Record in log, stay within calorie count, and so on. Even for the last 5 pounds. Even if you go over a little. If you go over a lot, you will sabbotage your hard work. If you get into binge mode, are you eating enough? Always the same and if things get “stuck” then go back to these basics because if I can lose 5# at my age, height and weight, I figure anyone can. Now, of course, comes maintaining at my new weight.
In 6 weeks I’ve lost 5 pounds and I did two things. I decided to record ALL food all the time, and if I got hungry, binge type hungry (always at night) I ate an ice cream bar. That would put me over by 200 calories or so, end the craving, was yummy, and didn’t slow my weight loss of a pound a week (which I didn’t think I could do at my age and size). The key was not to get really hungry, and for me, eating a piece of meat or cup of grapes wasn’t going to cut it. I needed something high fat and, well, decadent. Klondike ice cream bar to the rescue!
I wanted to post because it always comes back to the basics. Record in log, stay within calorie count, and so on. Even for the last 5 pounds. Even if you go over a little. If you go over a lot, you will sabbotage your hard work. If you get into binge mode, are you eating enough? Always the same and if things get “stuck” then go back to these basics because if I can lose 5# at my age, height and weight, I figure anyone can. Now, of course, comes maintaining at my new weight.
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Replies
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Great commitment! Not everyone can appreciate what losing the last 4-5 pounds can mean. Yes, just a number, however if that's your goal what a great feeling to reach it!10
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This is great to hear! I'm 45, 5'2", and just getting to my last 5-6 pounds (I'm at 138, my goal is 132), and I've been concerned that it will take forever. I had a maintenance break from November until July and stayed at about 142, now I'm trying to power through to 132.
I already record everything, even big meals that take me over. I've noticed that one day a week "way" over my calorie goal kills my progress for the rest of the week. At maintenance that's okay, but it's really hard to keep a deficit with a weekly burger, beer, and fries!18 -
great post
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Thanks for the post. I’m also 63, but a bit shorter than you. I’ve been at 129# for about a month now and 125# is my next goal. I’ve been using MFP since February. Just this morning, I was realizing that I’ve gotten sloppy about tracking; especially when I have meals out. This is a good reminder that keeping to basics works. Congratulations on your success.9
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Great post @fiddletime.
Having gone from 130 to a maintenance of 100-105 at 5'1, I certainly agree tight and accurate logging is the only way to get those last few lbs off.
I also found increasing my NEAT was a game changer. Nothing drastic, just getting off my butt a little more often, doing things manually instead of depending on machines. (ie:My undies last a lot longer hand washing, my wood floors are happier being swept instead of vacuumed, so are my ears).
I don't know what your maintenance cals will be, as per MFP, but mine were 1200 sedentary, with 200 extra for an hour of exercise.
Over the years I have kept my NEAT 'inefficiencies' and have found my maintenance calories have slowly crept up. First my TDEE became a steady 1400 with 5 hr exercise, then I had to start adding extra when I switched from conditioning/cardio to lifting/walk, row, then my TDEE switched to 1600.
Right now I am not doing any purposeful exercise, (various reasons) just gardening and walking (stroll) and am still maintaining at 1600.
Once back in the gym I will do a 2/3 week log. I expect a TDEE of 1700-1750.
I would think the positive calorie creep has been due the slow increase in cals (exercise only, then TDEE) has actually given me more energy and I am moving more without realizing it.
(Just thought I'd throw the cal creep stuff in incase any petite, light people who are a little older reading this thinks they will be low cal for life.)
Cheers, h.
(Maintaining ~9y, 65yo)
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Good questions and answers! Love this information. I have been struggling of late, almost giving up on the last 5# that I want to lose. It is because I don't want to give up the extras like a cookie here and there or a drink here and there. I did put back on 10# over 2 years that I had been maintaining and realize I can't have both. I just have to decide. I'm 64, 5'5" and 129-132# with a goal of 125#. My calories are set at 1440 and I don't eat back my 5 day a week 1 hour walk calories, but need to get tighter on my logging. I've tried 1200 but am starving and very likely to binge on sugar, which is my eternal vice. I've tried going full fat on some things, like adding cream to my coffee and eating full fat greek yogurt to curb my hunger. Seems to work some during the day, it's the night time after supper that gets me. I've tried IF by skipping breakfast but that didn't budge me. I'll keep trying
Thanks all for your input. 11 -
Thank you so much for posting this! I’m 62, 5’2.5”, and at 135 currently (from a high of 183, losing 10 of those before finding MyFitnessPal).
I would like to get down to 125 eventually, I think.
I have also paid attention to my NEAT, and am losing around a half pound a week on 1400 + exercise calories. I record everything I consume and don’t do “cheat” meals/days. It’s reassuring to hear that I can expect progress to continue! Thanks again 7 -
Thanks for posting @fiddletime. I was a bit like you this time last year, I was hovering at 128/129 and wanted to achieve my dream goal of 125 - like you I knuckled down to logging every single thing and in 6 weeks I had achieved it. Those last 5lbs can feel unachievable at times but its doable when we commit to doing it
p.s I'm 5ft 2/ 49 and my TDEE averages 1900. I'm only somewhat active compared to what I used to be but I've found my groove workout for around 30-40 mins 5 days a week. As @middlehaitch has said improving NEAT really helps us shorties increase our TDEE
Congrats 5 -
Absolutely love this post. When I opened the thread I was half-hoping for a miracle cure LOL. But it really is that simple, accurate logging and sticking to the plan is the key to success. I'm back on MFP for the third time, as, due to sloppy/no logging, I went over my maintenance weight - and then some. So back to the grindstone for me.
@fiddletime I loooove your profile pic as well, you've the best smile!7 -
I really like your ice cream bar solution. I have been fighting the last 5 pounds for 4 months now. I'm taking another maintenance break because I'm so frustrated. I'm gonna try this next time I feel the urge to binge on carbs late at night. 200 cals of ice cream is way better than 600 calories of crackers.11
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Kathryn247 wrote: »This is great to hear! I'm 45, 5'2", and just getting to my last 5-6 pounds (I'm at 138, my goal is 132), and I've been concerned that it will take forever. I had a maintenance break from November until July and stayed at about 142, now I'm trying to power through to 132.
I already record everything, even big meals that take me over. I've noticed that one day a week "way" over my calorie goal kills my progress for the rest of the week. At maintenance that's okay, but it's really hard to keep a deficit with a weekly burger, beer, and fries!
In 6 weeks I only went over big time once. That was by 1500 calories and I binged two pieces of cake and a piece of pie, and set myself back a week. I could maintain, like you, doing that, but I wanted to not feel the “now I’ve started and I don’t ever want to stop eating this sugary food” thing.
It shocked me how easy it was to feel satiated and yet still lose weight. Because at 200 cal over a couple days a week, I’m still losing weight, although more slowly. It’s great to see the fat dimish and the clothes fit better. I’d already done the hard part to get to 129.
I’d also love to see my TDEE go up a little as maintenance for me on MFP is 1340 and that seems pretty accurate.
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I'm down to my last 5lbs and really struggling. I feel like I'm maintaining, not losing. This post really helps keep it in perspective.13
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Great post! Thanks!0
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I started struggling with the last 10 pounds. And the first 5 of that took months, but I did get it off and keep it off. I had to return to logging and revisiting the basic rules of nutrition. The last five pounds is elusive but I have taken off two then regained it a couple of times, but without regaining more than those two.
I also measure my girth in the morning, that wakes me up. Daily exercise really helps put my appetite in line with what my body needs and not what I want for entertainment. Also, reading your post, and the responses, and putting in my own response, adds sunshine to my efforts. Thanks.13 -
This is a great post and follow-up posts; just what I was looking for as I am in the same boat. It's so frustrating! My stats: 60 years old, 5'8" - started at 167 lbs last November, now at 157 and want to get to 153 and maintain. I did fluctuate to 153.5 a few times but I seem to have settled at 157 for the past few months. I have re-committed to meticulous logging and adding more exercise/movement. I have nothing magical to add; it's just nose to the grindstone, and accurate measuring/logging.
Thanks!7 -
Great thread, @fiddletime !
I'm going to take the liberty of self-promoting a little here, as NEAT improvements have been mentioned several times, and I think this thread has some good ideas for using NEAT as a component of weight loss:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10610953/neat-improvement-strategies-to-improve-weight-loss
It's definitely something I think about and work on, to help keep my TDEE up a bit at age 62.
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^^^
Great explanation of NEAT, BMI and EAT in that link. On the NEAT area I stopped using MFP to give me calories in some non-exercise activities. The two big ones for me were playing the fiddle and playing the clarinet, which I do 2-5 times a week. I also cut out gardening.
I felt that part of the reason I didn’t lose weight for 8 months was that these activities were probably very very inaccurate on MFP. I decided to consider them the same as climbing an extra flight of stairs or parking far away from the store and let my fit bit track them (I don’t have my Fitbit linked to mfp). .
Along with tightening up logging, weighing food, etc., I think that this has better enabled me to predict my weight loss based on calories eaten and work outs. I’m getting a sense that, while weight loss or gain isn’t linear, I better understand the ups and downs of my weight on most days. Thanks for bringing that up @AnnPT77.6 -
I don't even try to separately log incidental individually minor NEAT activities, BTW - maybe should've been more clear about that on the other thread. It's just bonus calories. I agree that logging those things is likely to be more hindrance than help.
I've occasionally logged something NEAT-ish but really major, like when I spent several hours going up and down a stepladder, installing shelving brackets & shelves in my garage (since I'm usually pretty sedentary) . . . but I logged it as shorter and not at all intense activity.
The idea is just to do more, and hope it shows up on the scale over time. Not usually enough calories all of a sudden that there's danger in this, IME. But it helps.
I def don't log banjo practice, either!
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I don’t log my “NEAT stuff” either. The way I look at it, it’s part of my everyday activity and thus supports my “lightly active” choice on here. I have my Fitbit connected to MyFitnessPal, and eat back the calories that I get from that. The Fitbit automatically records my walking for exercise, the only thing I manually enter is Pilates, and that is really more to have a record of purposeful exercise because it doesn’t burn very many calories.
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Thank you all for the really helpful info here. I'm 5' 4" down from 175 to 135 (over a year) and I've been maintaining there for a couple of months. I'd really like to try and get down to 130, be a bit leaner and then reassess, no rush to get there though. Thanks for showing me that there is a way...
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I wish I played the pipe organ. I think moving both hands and feet at the same time for half an hour would be something to log! As it is my flute and accordion probably not. The accordion weighs quite a lot, its maybe more in the bulking arena.7
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Thank you so much for these posts, definitely struggling with the last 5, wonderful ideas for me to try.
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I wish I played the pipe organ. I think moving both hands and feet at the same time for half an hour would be something to log! As it is my flute and accordion probably not. The accordion weighs quite a lot, its maybe more in the bulking arena.
According to the Compendium of Physical Activities (https://sites.google.com/site/compendiumofphysicalactivities/Activity-Categories/music-playing), playing the accordion (seated) is a 1.8 MET activity, and flute (seated) is 2.0.** Pipe organ not stated.
For comparison, mild stretching is 2.3, whirlpool sitting 1.3.
** No, I can't justify flute being > accordion. I'm just reporting.
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@fiddletime and others - still having success? Looking for inspiration (and clearly was getting tired of adding a 45 minute treadmill walk) to lose these last 5 pounds. 😤2
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Lost my last 5 by sticking to the same thing I did for months and not getting off track. Logged everything, got my water in, stayed in calories and hit close to macros and exercised. Boom!CeeBeeSlim wrote: »@fiddletime and others - still having success? Looking for inspiration (and clearly was getting tired of adding a 45 minute treadmill walk) to lose these last 5 pounds. 😤
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I'm not @fiddletime, but I suppose I'm "others".
I've been slacking off exercise (can't do on-water rowing, my true love, because boathouse is closed due to state of emergency). I'm trying to counter that, because it's bad for my strength, health, and long-term independence. That's more of a struggle, psychologically.
But if weight were all that counted (sadly, it's not), all is well. I'd been working, since roughly last October, on losing a few pounds in maintenance. The absence of oh-so-tempting restaurant meals - even though I'm a decent cook - has made it easier to stick to that tiny deficit most days, so my loss rate has accerated a little. I was going for 0.5 lg/week or less . . . hitting that or a little more, recently. Below 130 a couple of days, recently - first time there since early 2018.
Body comp is suffering, though, I fear.2 -
@kcmcbee @AnnPT77 Thanks! I guess continued accurate logging and patience is key. @AnnPT77 - interesting - you were going for 0.5lb a week or less? Hmmm. My .3 weight loss per week (on average according to Happy Scale) has been messing with my head. Guess I’m getting anxious with me being soooo close to goal - a little less than 5lbs. Doable by June 21 or too aggressive?0
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CeeBeeSlim wrote: »@kcmcbee @AnnPT77 Thanks! I guess continued accurate logging and patience is key. @AnnPT77 - interesting - you were going for 0.5lb a week or less? Hmmm. My .3 weight loss per week (on average according to Happy Scale) has been messing with my head. Guess I’m getting anxious with me being soooo close to goal - a little less than 5lbs. Doable by June 21 or too aggressive?
I don't know. At this point, I don't really believe in setting "X weight by Y time" goals, I just set habit goals ("X net calories most days") and let it play out. At a healthy weight already, it's just fun'n' games, to me, really. I'd like to be a little lighter, but it's NBD.
In my world, if you're losing at .3lb/week on average, and a few pounds to go, what's to argue with? :drinker:8 -
I don't know. At this point, I don't really believe in setting "X weight by Y time" goals, I just set habit goals ("X net calories most days") and let it play out. At a healthy weight already, it's just fun'n' games, to me, really. I'd like to be a little lighter, but it's NBD. In my world, if you're losing at .3lb/week on average, and a few pounds to go, what's to argue with? :drinker:
Me! Me! Me! <jumps up and down!>
I've been using this "less restaurants" period to (finally) do something about my "Christmas gainz"!
And since things went well, I actually decided today to move my range down from 154 (where it has been the past few years) to 152 for now!
BTW #1 Note what trendweight gives as a loss rate. Which goes to show that regardless of apps, we still have to interpret the results ourselves!
BTW #2. Why I like working with weight trend: Let's consider two 60 day time spans in close proximity and within this time period: March 6 to May 5: scale -4.8 trend -2.9 and March 8 to May 7: scale -3.0 trend -3.0 In context, I would say that it is obvious that this is an effective 3.0lbs loss over 2 months (-175 Cal a day, -0.35lbs a week) (and not a 4.8 loss)
So, yeah, *I* don't think there's anything wrong with less than 0.5 lbs a week--in fact, I recall a year where I breathed out 11.2lbs which would be an even slower loss!
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I use Trendweight also. Guess I am going super slow..one day it said I would lose these 10# by 2056. I figured..good..I will be 107, but will be at my goal!😂. (Must have been a glitch that day..been more reasonable since then)6
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