Struggling with last few pounds

HM2206

I gained some weight last year and am in the process of losing it. I lost the "critical" ones and have a few more to go - about 10lbs till I'm back at my old, ideal weight.
Seeing as I am not overweight at this point I'm aware they will be harder to lose. I'm at approx. 500 calorie deficit per day which means 1 lbs per week, but if I end up at slightly less than that, that's ok too.

I'm eating healthy fats and protein, no junk or sugars.

Last week I "burst" and had to cheat days in a row. I had too much wine and a fatty dinner, so I think I went slightly above my maintenance calories, though not outrageously much. I usually weigh myself on an empty stomach Monday morning, but due to the cheat days I waited two extra days and weighed today. I am up almost 1 lbs since last weigh in, despite eating little the other 5 days. However I am on my period and it could be a normal fluctuation.

What depresses me is that I feel like it costs SO much to lose those final ones. Seeing as my TDEE is low I have to eat very restricted to lose, and I simply don't have room for the occasional treat without going hungry to bed. It's hard for me to have one or two glasses of wine and I'm afraid I'll finish the bottle and go on a binge, so I stay off it altogether.
I'm also health concerned and don't eat processed food at all, so my only option is to stay on a very healthy line with spirulina, egg whites, salmon and all "uberhealthy" stuff. I don't want those chemicals and transfats making me feel worse.

I'm just so sick of this and demotivated. I count the hours till I'm going to bed again so that the day will be over and I'm one step closer, sometimes with the help of some sleeping tablets. It's my summer break and I don't have much to do - looking for a job but no luck. There is just nothing to brighten my day, and with this clean diet I'm just utterly bored and depressed. I feel like while I'm trying to lose those last ones I'm not living, just merely existing, waiting for it to be over.
And even with a somewhat effective weight loss, summer will be over before I'm at my goal weight.

Anyone been here before? Or lost the last vanity pounds effectively?

TiffieLand

OMG I'm in the exactly position as you. I'm losing those last 10 pounds. I'm short + losing slow. I'm counting the days to go by even though I'm on summer vacation and shouldn't want it to go by T_T. I think you should pick a hobby to do while at it. I'm learning how to play guitar to pass the time. I'm also helping out with house chores and cooking meals everyday. It's actually really time consuming. Anything you have been wanted to learn or try out?Find anything that you want to do that keep your mind off of it.


""I feel like while I'm trying to lose those last ones I'm not living, just merely existing, waiting for it to be over.""

Sometimes I feel this way too.. I have plans when I'm skinny / at ideal weight.

foofyq

It super sucks. I've managed to lose the last "vanity pounds" before so I know that it is possible. Right now it feels like I'm just stagnate and have been for almost a month, even though I haven't changed anything activity or eating wise. My only advice is don't weight yourself every day. I don't own a scale because it makes me go totally crazy. I only weigh myself like every other week when I visit my parents house. That way it's spaced so far out that you are more likely to see the numbers go down if you keep doin' what you are supposed to be doin'. :-)

LastMinuteMama

I'm struggling with this too! I don't have much to lose. If I don't measure/weigh everything that goes into my mouth I see no progress. It's very frustrating! It makes it very difficult to eat at a restaurant, go to a cookout, or anywhere that I am not preparing the food. Let's face it, if you don't know exactly what's in something - the calorie counting is just a crap shoot.

Some people will say that you don't have to obsess over tracking, but with a slight deficit to lose a 1/2lb a week is there any other way?

After only a few weeks of being diligent (measuring, weighing, portioning every meal), I felt burnt out and tracked nothing over the weekend. I feel defeated.

My jeans feel tight week after week - no progress!

Meerataila

It's summer. Go outside, run, swim, walk, hike, anything to keep you from driving yourself crazy over the admittedly extremely annoying last pounds. And if you're active every day, you can eat a few more calories, too.

HM2206

It's summer. Go outside, run, swim, walk, hike, anything to keep you from driving yourself crazy over the admittedly extremely annoying last pounds. And if you're active every day, you can eat a few more calories, too.

I usually walk or run at night, I live in London and it's too hot during the day now.

I'm actually afraid of eating back my calories - I did for some time and I didn't lose so I suppose I overestimated the amount of calories burned and the margins are so small now. So now I just try to move as much as I can and not count it.

Meerataila

It's summer. Go outside, run, swim, walk, hike, anything to keep you from driving yourself crazy over the admittedly extremely annoying last pounds. And if you're active every day, you can eat a few more calories, too.

I usually walk or run at night, I live in London and it's too hot during the day now.

I'm actually afraid of eating back my calories - I did for some time and I didn't lose so I suppose I overestimated the amount of calories burned and the margins are so small now. So now I just try to move as much as I can and not count it.

It is easy to overestimate calories, that's true. I don't always eat mine back either, but if I'm so miserable I just want to go to bed to get the day over with, that tells me maybe I didn't eat enough. Too high of a deficit can really take a toll on mood and energy. I would love to live where the high in July is 75 degrees, but then again, London has some major air pollution issues, too, so maybe not.

Edensienna

It took me over three months to lose under 3lbs when I got loser to my goal weight. It was very slow and demotivating.

Keep pushing.. I would try to find a new fitness focus or try new fun ways to exercise. You look and feel good so those last few pounds will be a bonus when they finally go.

dswolverine

Yep, I hear ya! I would love to lose 5 more pounds but since losing weight (and lowering my daily caloric needs along with the weight loss), scraping those last few pounds off are rough. I put my loss on hiatus and have been hovering in maintenance for about 6 months but i would still love to lose that little bit. Frustrating, but i'm hoping when i decide to shift from maintenance back into loss i can do it! Good luck!

carencae

I soooooo know how this is. I was working out 3-4 times a week and not losing any weight. I was terrible. I would wake up in the night hungry trying to exist on 1300 calories a day. Half the time I couldn't hardly stand it. I am down 40# and would like to loose another 10 at least. I started my weight loss journey at 215 # all I wanted was to lose 50#

I actually gave up for a month and now my wedding date and cruise is coming up and I really need to drop the other 10 at least!

I will be following this thread.

HM2206

It super sucks. I've managed to lose the last "vanity pounds" before so I know that it is possible. Right now it feels like I'm just stagnate and have been for almost a month, even though I haven't changed anything activity or eating wise. My only advice is don't weight yourself every day. I don't own a scale because it makes me go totally crazy. I only weigh myself like every other week when I visit my parents house. That way it's spaced so far out that you are more likely to see the numbers go down if you keep doin' what you are supposed to be doin'. :-)

Yes I've realized I can have some bad fluctuations. I once tried to weigh myself before and after I went to the loo and there was a significant difference. I might be containing quite a bit of food now - I don't go often and I eat a lot of fat/protein and not so much fiber. I might get a fiber supplement again like I used to.

I usually weigh once a week.

HM2206

After another week of hard effort, I've only lost 0.2 kg / less than half a pound

I feel like I might as well not be moving at all. Maybe it just takes a bit longer to show?