Tell me the benefits please

ladybug4233

So I am 5 pounds from my goal weight of 125. I am 5”3. I am doing 6 days of cardio and 3 days of 30 minutes of resistance training. ( sit ups, squats, push ups, lunges, triceps dips.) I am currently set to loose 1 pound a week. Except this last week I have consistently lost. I am pretty sore from working with a personal trainer and working hard this last week so I know why the stall. I see a lot of people recommend half a pound once you only have 15 pounds or less to loose. I get impatient and want to see results. So what are the benefits of reducing my goal to .5 pounds a week? Thanks for the help. I truly am trying to do what’s best for my body.

MichelleSilverleaf

Because your body only burns so much fat per day before it goes for other sources. It's enticing to want to drop those last pounds quickly but to do it well it takes time. With 5lbs to go, recomp might be an option?

nutmegoreo

It can also be helpful in transitioning to maintenance. Over the next 10 weeks, you'll be in a 250 calorie deficit instead of 500. Then when you are ready to transition, you are increasing by 250, rather than 500. It just brings you closer to your long-term plan. Many find that maintaining the loss is more difficult than losing it. Think about your long game.

PAV8888

What are you planning to change when you get to goal weight?

What are the benefits of achieving these changes sooner? The risks in doing so?

jennifer_417

The benefit is sustainability and a general lack of misery.

neugebauer52

jennifer_417 wrote: »

The benefit is sustainability and a general lack of misery.

Well said!

robertw486

jennifer_417 wrote: »

The benefit is sustainability and a general lack of misery.

And pizza!

Not only will slowing down help you get more used to maintenance, but for many those extra calories also help a lot on the workouts. If I'm dropping weight even a day or two at or near maintenance calories usually results in much more pleasant workouts, and often new PBs on times for cardio related stuff.

LivingtheLeanDream

You only have 5lbs to go, you're pretty much at goal and those last few wont make much of a difference really (I'm similar height and my goal range is 125-130, I can go from 125 to 130 over night with sodium or carb overload LOL).
Why not get your head around the idea of eating a bit more, still lose .5 a week and then maintenance will be an easier transition.

twatson4936

I just changed mine to lose .5 per week as I am within 7 lbs. Just the fact that I can eat 230 more calories per day has me ecstatic. I'm already at a upper BMI healty weight so taking my time to get the last 7 off will be much easier this way. Almost a no brainer.

CSARdiver

It isn't so much a matter of benefit, but of possibility. These recommendations are set to establish meaningful expectations. It isn't possible for the average person to lose 2 lbs of fat if they are at a low body fat %. This is also established so that you preserve muscle mass and limit your weight loss to fat.

It isn't as if this process stops once the goal is achieved, so I'm not sure what impact patience has. Once you achieve your weight goal you are going to have to establish a new goal to maintain which brings about it's own host of challenges.

Patience is a must. Time to flex this muscle.

Maxxitt

I find the additional 250-ish calories makes my workouts better, and my recovery days better.

yirara

I've been losing about 6 lbs very slowly. I don't want to lose muscle instead of padding, I don't want to feel miserable and don't want to have the feeling on being on a diet. I'll get there eventually, with the added bonus that transitioning back to maintenance will be so much more easy. Look at it this way: when you can suddenly eat more calories the risk of starting to binge is really big, especially if you had a big deficit. A small one is much easier to handle.