The last 5kg (probably)

Jacq_qui

Anyone else struggling with this. Any motivating tips!?

Scales are moving....at snails' pace!

Strudders67

Keep at it. If it's the last 5kg, I'm assuming you now have your Goal, in the set-up screen, set at losing 0.25kg a week (and if you don't, it's generally recommended that that's what you should be set to), so it's going to be slow. Depending on how tall you are, your deficit may not even be 250 cals a day. That makes it very very slow. But remind yourself that it's better than putting the weight on very very slowly and it's healthier (physically and mentally) than trying to lose quicker.

Look at how far you've come. Think back to why you started doing this. And know that in a few months you'll be there, having learned portion sizes and what works for you, along the way.

Keep weighing yourself, but remember the scales fluctuate a lot and it may be weeks before you see any noticeable drop.

yirara

Yes, the scale will be moving as you only have a bit to lose and the last few kg are the slowest. Think about it: the lighter you become the less calories your body burns by just being alive. That means the calorie deficit that is possible while staying healthy gets smaller and smaller. For 5kg expect to lose at a rate of about 0.25kg per week. This can easily be masked by water weight fluctuations, btw. Thus you might find a week where you don't seem to lose weight, and another week where things move faster. Thus it's important to track extra thoroughly, using a food scale for everything with calories.

Jacq_qui

Thank you both for this. I've just checked my goals and I'm still set at 0.5kg weight loss per week. Whilst I don't realistically believe I can lose 0.5kg per week for the last 5kg, is there any advantage to upping my calories at the moment?

I'm 5'7', 68.5kg, BMI =23.5 According to the scales my muscle mass has increased, my weight is dropping, but the bodyfat percentage hasn't moved that much (32%). (not sure what is left to lose, but there you go) Another 5kg might not even be enough I suppose.

Sawjer

jacqQ2017 wrote: »

Anyone else struggling with this. Any motivating tips!?

Scales are moving....at snails' pace!

I see that as a good thing, means you are losing the last of your weight at a healthy pace and it won't come back on as quickly/rapidly if you start to lax. Keep going, you got this last 5kg!!!

If you really want to lose the last of your 5kg quicker and have correctly been logging your calories per week, lower your calories by 100 per day, drink 4 cups of green tea, drink 2 litres of water a day, that should do it.

yirara

What's your daily calorie allowance? If it's 1200 then it probably means that you've chosen a too large deficit as mfp will never give you less than 1200 calories because it's unhealthy. If 1200 is sufficient to nourish your body and an amount that keeps you happy is something you need to decide.

I prefer to eat more to be honest. I lost 6kg that I'd regained by not so much setting a weekly goal because I know MFP doesn't estimate my calorie needs correctly but by setting my goal to 1400 calories per day plus exercise. That gave me a loss rate of 0.27kg per week. But of course this is very much based on age, gender, size, weight - and individual factors. If I'd chosen the guided setup and 0.25kg per week mfp would have given me 1280 calories per day, and I would have lost faster than predicted. Or more likely been grumpy, and would have eaten masses of candy and crisps every few days instead of the daily nice desserts that fitted perfectly into my 1400.

Hanibanani2020

I would personally be aiming solely for recomp at this stage not weightloss

Jacq_qui

Sawjer wrote: »

I see that as a good thing, means you are losing the last of your weight at a healthy pace and it won't come back on as quickly/rapidly if you start to lax. Keep going, you got this last 5kg!!!

If you really want to lose the last of your 5kg quicker and have correctly been logging your calories per week, lower your calories by 100 per day, drink 4 cups of green tea, drink 2 litres of water a day, that should do it.

Thanks for the encouragement

Jacq_qui

yirara wrote: »

What's your daily calorie allowance? If it's 1200 then it probably means that you've chosen a too large deficit as mfp will never give you less than 1200 calories because it's unhealthy. If 1200 is sufficient to nourish your body and an amount that keeps you happy is something you need to decide.

I prefer to eat more to be honest. I lost 6kg that I'd regained by not so much setting a weekly goal because I know MFP doesn't estimate my calorie needs correctly but by setting my goal to 1400 calories per day plus exercise. That gave me a loss rate of 0.27kg per week. But of course this is very much based on age, gender, size, weight - and individual factors. If I'd chosen the guided setup and 0.25kg per week mfp would have given me 1280 calories per day, and I would have lost faster than predicted. Or more likely been grumpy, and would have eaten masses of candy and crisps every few days instead of the daily nice desserts that fitted perfectly into my 1400.

Yes MFP has set it 1220 which is really low, I agree. I never eat that little because I often end up with a tonne of exercise calories to eat back and I always assume that fitbit over estimates the burn so if I eat the calories back I'm probably over 1220. I'm going to change it to 0.25kg anyway. I agree there is a much higher chance of a weak moment when your calorie intake is so little.

Jacq_qui

Hanibanani2020 wrote: »

I would personally be aiming solely for recomp at this stage not weightloss

Interesting. I figured with such a high percentage of body fat it was probably too soon for that. I will read up though, thanks.

sijomial

Beware that bathroom scales (BIA devices) can't actually measure bodyfat or muscle mass - they just send a low voltage current through some of your body, measure your electrical resistance and make some huge assumptions.

Some can be reasonable (mostly four point and commercial grade ones used carefully and consistently to minimise hydration level variations which badly mess with BIA accuracy) but equally many are totally hopeless.

If you have been losing weight and the fat percentage isn't apparently declining I would personally raise an eyebrow or two.....
Don't make decisions based on dodgy data.

Jacq_qui

Thank you. Yes I've definitely been a bit flummoxed by the fat loss thing- the app considers me severely overweight so I have already discounted that part of the app!

Would be nice to use the ones in the gym to compare, but they're not open here yet.