Why are the last few pounds the hardest?

cherys

I've been reading some success stories to keep motivated and so many people say the last few pounds are the hardest to lose. Why is this?

ritzvin

The more you weigh, the more calories it takes to maintain that. Maintenance calories, and thus deficit-amounts of calories drop at lower weight. (For sedentary petite folks, maintenance may be less than 1400 calories at/near their normal weight range).

sijomial

The last few pounds weren't the hardest for me - I had all the various estimates involved in working out my calorie balance all dialled in by then and lost at the desired rate.

There's lots of factors involved (especially concerning adherence) but they are personal and not universal.

If people have a lot to lose or have a fast initial rate of loss then losing slower towards the end is probably a good idea. But slower isn't the same as harder.

AnnPT77

Maybe you should ask the people who say that?

I didn't find the last pounds harder, but they were slower . . . because I intentionally gradually slowed down loss rate to coast into maintenance.

At a slower loss rate, accuracy becomes more important (or unintentional variations have a more material impact); and normal weight fluctuations (from things like water weight shifts) obscure the slower results on the scale more routinely, making self-assessment in short time periods more challenging (and for some, more of an emotional roller-coaster).

sardelsa

For many people the last few lbs can be slower since water weight is more likely to mask progress, also you don't have as much wiggle room in your deficit as you used to and it can be easy to go over your goal. It can be hard for some people to deal with that.

Also if you are getting leaner, and depending on how lean you want to go it can be difficult for your body to get down and stay there. I find this to be the case when I get lower in bodyfat% my body starts to resist a bit and I get more hungry, workout performance starts to go down and energy levels get low. I'm pretty good at dealing with it provided I am incorporating different techniques (refeeds, diet breaks) and not staying too lean too long.

whmscll

My last 5 lbs took FOREVER to come off. Partly because I was tired of being so strict with hitting my calories and logging that I began slacking off. Once I buckled down again, the weight came off like before (which was still slowly...half a pound a week).

epangili

I was curious just how LONG will the last 8 lbs take to lose...
https://www.webmd.com/diet/obesity/features/take-off-those-last-10-pounds

My opinion, I think it's more difficult for women because of hormonal fluctuations of menstrual cycle plus for me, I'm learning to not emotionally overeat and I LOVE food!

cherys

Some really insightful answers here. Thanks.

scarlett_k

I always wonder this as I've seen people stating anything from the last 5 to the last 25 pounds being the hardest to lose. It seems like it's just an anecdote and some people find it harder than others.

rainbow198

I didn't have too hard of a time losing those last few pounds.

After I hit my goal, I decided to lose another 5 pounds to give myself a weight maintenance range.

It took a while because I chose to take it easy on the weight loss and started eating a little more to prep for maintenance.

Sounds counter-productive I know, but it worked great for me and my body and hormones seemed to appreciate the extra calories and not being so aggressive with the weight loss.

So it wasn't a struggle for me at all. It just took time.

MomLarisa

This is definitely true for me. I'm already at a healthy weight but trying to get down to the lower end of the healthy range. I only "get" like 1210 calories a day even though I'm 5'11 and not tiny framed. I feel hungry frequently and even when I stick to calorie goals I still feel like I jump around quite a bit. I'm just trying to have faith and stick to tracking and staying honest and am going to give it a couple months to hopefully creep my way down to goal weight.

missysippy930

For me it was slower not harder, simply because I was consuming calories closer to maintenance level, and less body weight burns less calories.

pinuplove

Because I was *kitten* sick of eating in a deficit by that time 😂

AnnPT77

Didn't think of it this way before my PP, but there's also the basic nutrition-math problem: When I was obese, I could (mathematically) fit in a pretty decent calorie deficit, say even 1000 calories/day for 2 pounds/week, and have enough calories left to get decent nutrition thus (one hopes) keep my health up. (Not saying that would've been my best choice, even then. )

As I approached goal weight, even a pound a week (500 calories daily) would begin to be nutritionally and energetically punitive, and that starts to have feelings as side-effects (hunger, low mood, fatigue, whatever), especially after being in a deficit for a long time.

Hunger, low mood, fatigue, etc. . . . are hard.

I'd argue that keeping on with an aggressive loss rate makes the last few pounds harder, even if it might* make the last few pounds faster.

* "Might", if compliance suffers and major eat-fests start being interspersed between on-goal days - very individual and situational. Non-compliance, i.e., feeling out of control: Also hard.

whmscll

MomLarisa wrote: »

This is definitely true for me. I'm already at a healthy weight but trying to get down to the lower end of the healthy range. I only "get" like 1210 calories a day even though I'm 5'11 and not tiny framed. I feel hungry frequently and even when I stick to calorie goals I still feel like I jump around quite a bit. I'm just trying to have faith and stick to tracking and staying honest and am going to give it a couple months to hopefully creep my way down to goal weight.

As long as you are eating below your maintenance calories, you WILL continue to lose. It will just happen more slowly. I recently lost 20 pounds MFP said I should eat at 1250 calories. Tried and couldn’t do it. Upped calories to 1350 and had days that I ate MUCH more than that. Still lost the weight, although it took 7 months.

cherys

@whmscll - I'd like to do it your way. I am happy to lose slowly. I do really want to lose but know if I go on a strict diet I'll rebel and eat too much. Doing it really gradually feels like a good way to practise maintenance for life. I don't mind if it's 1/2lb to 1lb each week as long as it keeps slowly nudging down the scales.