What are the “last 10-15lbs”?

cherrybomb526

I know that as one gets closer to their goal weight, weight loss gets harder and slower. However, I’m wondering how people define what the last 10-15lbs are, since often goal weights are arbitrary or estimates (and I see a lot of people modify goal weights when they find themselves unhappy when they meet their first goal).

So, for myself, I am 5’1” and am muscular with a large frame. My lean body mass is 121lbs. Ideal weight charts and BMI would have me weigh 105-130lbs, which would put me at an impossible body fat percentage (or have me lose substantial muscle). I’ve set a goal weight of 155, because I think I will be at a healthy weight then, but we will see. I noticed I started struggling with loss around 170lbs. It feels silly to call it the “last 15 lbs” when I see lots of women my size whose starting weight is my goal weight!

So I guess my question is— how much (for you— I get that it’s personal and varies) does the difficulty of the last few pounds relate to physiological facts and how much to mindset? If I’m expecting it to be hard, it will be! But also I know there’s less wiggle room calorie wise.

Thank you!

AnnPT77

If you're struggling, that's enough of a reason to go slower, at any weight.

My weight loss didn't slow down by itself, I had to slow it down deliberately. It wasn't hard. The point is not to brag, the point is that what happens and how it feels is very individualized. There may be common trends, but your individual experience is the one you need to manage and respond to. (Plus "knowing" something will be hard can be a bad place to start a mindset. )

Because some expert researchers believe fat lost rate is limited by the amount of fat we have left to lose **, it's conservative, in term of lean mass preservation and health, to lose at a slower rate when we have less fat.

In your case, if your estimates of lean body mass are accurate, the rules of thumb would suggest slowing loss 10-15 pounds from your goal weight. Why not? The only downside is impatience.

** Specifically, that idea is that our bodies can only metabolize X calories of fat daily per pound of fat on our body, so with fewer pounds of fat, fat loss is limited. Weight loss over that rate would have to come from losing lean tissue, like muscle. The estimates of X that I've seen are in the 20s or low 30s of calories. Most rules of thumb for safe weight loss rate stay conservatively far below that.

CMNVA

For me, I am 55 y/o, 5'7 and not very muscular at all. I feel very comfortable weight-wise and clothing wise right at about 142 lbs. Based on my build though, I'm probably better served at about the upper 130s (close to 140) but it's too hard for me to get there.

Right now I am at my heaviest weight ever (161 lbs). Not sure what happened to me this year but my weight really shot up from my usual definition of being overweight. Anyhow, for the first time I'm working with "my last 20lbs" versus 10 or 15. But it's tough.

lemurcat2

I think it's harder for a couple of reasons. For many of us who are smaller (I'm 5'3), as you get close to goal you can't have that high a deficit vs. when you were more overweight. Higher deficit provides more room for error and also lots of feedback (easy to observe losses in a shorter period of time) that can help motivation.

The other reason, at least for me, is that near my goal (say 130, if my goal is 120), I may feel like my weight isn't ideal but is also perfectly fine, so deciding to blow off a week without trying to keep a deficit is much easier than when I was in the obese or even overweight range (or when I was frustrated that none of the clothes I wanted to wear fit or hated how I looked in photos).

Both of these are probably going to vary some person to person, especially the latter. I find it easier to focus on goals other than weight loss when closer to goal that also tend to have the side effect for me of weight loss.

sardelsa

For me the last 10-15lbs is when I am fairly close to my goal bodyfat or body composition, and not really to do with my weight. I would say only the last 2lbs were the hardest for me because I got a bit lazy and looked great already and didn't feel like spending another month in a deficit just to get ultra lean.

sarabushby

I often think this is odd when I see ppl post about this subject. My own experience is that I’m usually just losing 10lb or less to get back to my preferred maintenance level. Each time I do it I lose exactly in line with my CICO predictions/measurements based on my food diary, calories burned measured with HRM and the ‘3,500 calories per lb’ rule. I can’t help but see it just as basic maths.

(But yes, I do accept that this is only based on my own experience...)

lemurcat2

I think it is basic math, but other things make it feel harder (for some), especially if you started losing from a higher weight.