Lost the eye of the tiger 👎

OAS5

I started at 272 and got down to my lowest 193 with a goal of 180. The 193 was just about this time last year, right around Thanksgiving. Now I just keep bouncing around between 195-200. I just sort of lost the eye of the tiger. I mean it's good I'm not gaining, but I just can't back into that crazy groove when you are losing weight and it's full steam ahead.
How do you get that back? It's just a lousy 15-20 pounds and I'll never forgive myself for going this far not to get to that actual goal.

sheahughes

Good work on the loss and the maintenance!
My suggestions are (and I'm not an expert) -

• Check that you're weighing/measuring food/condiments/beverages and selecting accurate database entries.
• Perhaps, since you have lost weight (congrats!) go through the guided set up process again - you may need to reduce your calorie intake a little more? You seem to be in maintenance which is great, you're maintaining your weight so your calories in are mostly balanced with your calories out.
• Tightening up your tracking should assist with the scale going down. If you can, increasing your exercise (both intentional and just in day to day life) will also assist.
• If you have been exercising and eating back all of your exercise calories, perhaps only eat back a quarter to half of them?

OAS5

Thank you for the suggestion. It's so weird because obviously I know what to do, I learned a freaking lot losing 75 pounds or so but just not putting it all together to lose the last 20. I weigh every morning when I wake up. I just have to put my mind up it, and do it, just do it, like Nike.

SuzySunshine99

It's okay to take a "diet break" after a major loss.
You're getting some good practice in maintenance.
Maybe just live at this weight for a while, don't beat yourself up about it, and then eventually get back at it when you're ready.
Weight loss burnout happens, but you know what to do when you want to lose those last 20 pounds.

kshama2001

That was me for about three months over the summer. I just wasn't willing to eat less/move more. Then my activity ramped up as my move got closer and then happened. I am also more active at the new place as it is bigger, I am still unpacking, there is otherwise more to do, etc.

I'm down about 10 pounds from the summer. It was easy for me as it was just life and I did not need to dig deep to make it happen.

Best wishes!

Thewonderofitall

I started doing Intermittent Fasting to lose my last 40 pounds. I do 16:8 Monday to Friday with Saturday and Sunday my "Zig-Zag" diet days. Even Saturday and Sunday I still eat below my recommended calorie level.

ahoy_m8

What an amazing job you have done! And how awesome that your maintenance break was so successful. Good on ya'! You undoubtedly have all the knowledge, skills and habits you need to be successful. Truly, maintaining at your ultimate GW is SO much more likely because of this maintenance break you have had.

I don't know what to say about "the crazy groove." Part of me wonders if the first-75lb groove is a different kind of animal altogether than the last-20lb groove. Like "crazy" vs. "low & slow." At this point, you are better served by low & slow. So maybe reframing your expectation is the biggest adjustment you need to make here. (Although, the smaller the deficit the more accuracy helps you, so if you haven't used a food scale up to this point, it might be really handy right about now.)

One option to consider is just trimming your intake to your GW maintenance level. On the one hand, it will be a slow loss. On the other, you will eventually get down to 180 and have no transition to maintenance. This builds on your strengths, as you clearly rock at maintenance. Just start being that 180-lb guy you want to be now, and the rest will follow. I recall a couple MFP-ers who accomplished 100lb loss and tackled the last 20lb that way just out of deficit fatigue as much as anything. And it works!

AnnPT77

I'm betting you want to stay at that goal weight for the long term, yes?

Do you think you can keep "the eye of the tiger" for the whole rest of your entire natural life? (I sure as flippity-dip couldn't, and I'm old so "rest of life" probably isn't even all that long.)

With 15-20 to go, I'd encourage you to switch mental modes to finding and establishing *easy* habits that will tend to keep you at a healthy weight long term, ideally permanently: Maintenance habit finding, then maintenance practice, basically . . . with just a mild calorie deficit in the picture for a safety net in case of oopsies.

I don't think people need to manage a whole long weight loss process this way, but I think nearly everyone would be well served by using the last few weeks to months of loss as a way to work out maintenance habits, with that safety net. Then, when goal arrives, all that needs to change is adding back a few daily calories, and continuing with an established process that' s proven to work . . . a gentle off ramp from loss to maintenance, if you will.

So, sure, a maintenance break is a good idea. But after that, I think working on a mindset shift and a practices shift is also a good idea, shifting gears from "full steam ahead", "crazy groove", etc., to happy and balanced permanent lifestyle.

Just a thought.

ninerbuff

When I have a client lose motivation, I have them carry the weight they lost in a farmers walk across the gym. A good reminder of how far they really came and hopefully inspires them to rededicate themselves to finish.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

MsCzar

ninerbuff wrote: »

When I have a client lose motivation, I have them carry the weight they lost in a farmers walk across the gym. A good reminder of how far they really came and hopefully inspires them to rededicate themselves to finish.

Every time I think of slacking off I think of how I can barely lift and carry ONE 42lb. bag of Costco Scoop Away kitty litter. And I've lost the equivalent of TWO.

I think what makes that last 15-20 so difficult is that you've reached 'good enough' territory. You're wearing 'normal' clothing sizes, easily climbing stairs, no longer being the fattest person in the room. It's easier to coast and tempting to allow breaks to become full regressions.

I have been having a huge struggle with the last 20 and like the OP, am riding a blind tiger. Not sure how to rekindle that initial inspiration, but my latest 22 day deficit break has left me bored with myself enough to slog on.

OAS5

MsCzar wrote: »

ninerbuff wrote: »

When I have a client lose motivation, I have them carry the weight they lost in a farmers walk across the gym. A good reminder of how far they really came and hopefully inspires them to rededicate themselves to finish.

Every time I think of slacking off I think of how I can barely lift and carry ONE 42lb. bag of Costco Scoop Away kitty litter. And I've lost the equivalent of TWO.

I think what makes that last 15-20 so difficult is that you've reached 'good enough' territory. You're wearing 'normal' clothing sizes, easily climbing stairs, no longer being the fattest person in the room. It's easier to coast and tempting to allow breaks to become full regressions.

I have been having a huge struggle with the last 20 and like the OP, am riding a blind tiger. Not sure how to rekindle that initial inspiration, but my latest 22 day deficit break has left me bored with myself enough to slog on.

This i could not agree more with! Yes to all of that, good enough, normal clothes, not the fattest person in the room. That was spot on. I still want that last 20 but that was right on.

angelexperiment

I too got to the 180s finally and regained about 12 so I’m getting it back off. You gotta get in the mindset really. It’s a goal you want to achieve but I find making other goals can help. Maybe something small and dumb but it works. Like take the stairs instead of elevator for a week or to be able to sign up for a five k or something

MercuryForce

MsCzar wrote: »

ninerbuff wrote: »

When I have a client lose motivation, I have them carry the weight they lost in a farmers walk across the gym. A good reminder of how far they really came and hopefully inspires them to rededicate themselves to finish.

Every time I think of slacking off I think of how I can barely lift and carry ONE 42lb. bag of Costco Scoop Away kitty litter. And I've lost the equivalent of TWO.

I think what makes that last 15-20 so difficult is that you've reached 'good enough' territory. You're wearing 'normal' clothing sizes, easily climbing stairs, no longer being the fattest person in the room. It's easier to coast and tempting to allow breaks to become full regressions.

I have been having a huge struggle with the last 20 and like the OP, am riding a blind tiger. Not sure how to rekindle that initial inspiration, but my latest 22 day deficit break has left me bored with myself enough to slog on.

Holy cow, that just put things into perspective for me! I've only lost one bag of kitty litter, but still... I knew things like hiking were easier because I am hauling less weight along, but a whole bag of kitty litter is

When I get discouraged, I tend to remind myself of things like "you managed to lose 25% of your body weight", but this really makes it more tangible.

elisa123gal

I think it is natural for some people to get "burned out".. or tired of dieting. Nothing wrong with doing what you're doing. That is maintaining for a while. Since you're here talking about wanting to get back to it.. you will. Keep your mind open to that.. maybe take some updated "before" photos for motivation... or plan something a few months out that will motivate you to lose.
Another option.. .why not eat at a very small deficit and lose the last super slow so you don't feel deprived. Another idea... take up a new activity that you will enjoy.. that will burn more calories and lose it through activity. Good luck.

OAS5

elisa123gal wrote: »

I think it is natural for some people to get "burned out".. or tired of dieting. Nothing wrong with doing what you're doing. That is maintaining for a while. Since you're here talking about wanting to get back to it.. you will. Keep your mind open to that.. maybe take some updated "before" photos for motivation... or plan something a few months out that will motivate you to lose.
Another option.. .why not eat at a very small deficit and lose the last super slow so you don't feel deprived. Another idea... take up a new activity that you will enjoy.. that will burn more calories and lose it through activity. Good luck.

Yeah motivation to not go back to what I was is there. When I put in my 38 jeans I think back to when I had to shop at the fat store and get pants that were made for an elephant.
Long story short we were going on a cruise and when we first boarded I decided to go up the stairs because the elevators are just nuts when first boarding. I was out of breath and stop on a landing and there was mirror and the sight was as bad as I thought it was not always feared to look. I had great too big jeans on because they were "comfortable" but I looked so bad.
I'm not going back to that no matter what! Maintaining is better than that of course. The last 20 is going to happen, just might have to till after the holidays. Thanksgiving and Christmas isn't the best time to lose weight in general. Maintaining I can do, I know that now. Thanks for all the replies, learned a lot.

MsCzar

OAS5, I hope you are hanging in there. Just wanted to say - being in much the same circs and after a 30+ day break that included quite a few binge-y, non-exercise days, my tiger can suddenly see again and is laser focused! I have no idea what changed to flip the switch, maybe not liking the way my body felt, or my new clothes starting to feel a bit too snug. Maybe it was simply Mercury in retrograde. Anyway, I just wanted to encourage you to keep on keeping on.