The last 10 are the hardest

MamaRiss

So I've been thinking about this phrase this morning Mostly because my weight this week has been going up down by about a half pound all week, while since I started full force in March, my weight loss has been consistant (once it's off, it's off and ususally a pound or two a week). As of my last offical logged weight I am 10 pounds away from goal. But I've been toying with the idea of changing my goal to 120-125.

So do you think the last ten pounds is a mental block, or an actual physical issue that the body has trouble getting those last few pounds off when it is getting close to it's ideal weight (does that make sense? I think I need more coffee)? If it's a mental thing, I could just say "Oh well, lets just lower that goal and then bam, the pounds will fly!"

FTR: I'm not concidering myself at a plateau yet, it's only been a week after all Just would like to hear (read) other peoples philosphy on those last few pounds, mental block or physiological?

annietud

For me its not a mental block. I'm always playing with 10lb. My body doesn't really look right below 160.I'm 5-7 in a us size 10.
I get near the 160 then have a holiday, then its back up. I'd like the dedication to get there and stay but life's for living in my book.2 weeks in Europe or the USA every 6 months ain't right when I can't enjoy myself. And I'm think I'm too lazy.

cookmtn

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/737101-relatively-light-people-trying-to-get-leaner?page=2%25252523posts-19474154


If you want a somewhat long read, this might give insight.

SueInAz

The last 10 are really just harder. Your body doesn't want to give them up because they are a cushion against times where you may not be able to eat for a few days. Go for the lower goal if you want just realize that the easy weight loss is gone and you'll be losing much slower from here on out.

Francl27

For me it's harder because I'm hungrier. And one cheat meal because I'm starving and have intense cravings sets me back 2 weeks... and by then I have another one... you get the picture.

So basically I have been maintaining for 3 months.

MamaRiss

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/737101-relatively-light-people-trying-to-get-leaner?page=2%25252523posts-19474154


If you want a somewhat long read, this might give insight.

Thats was a good read, thank you! Good to keep those things in mind as I get closer to goal and things get harder

cookmtn

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/737101-relatively-light-people-trying-to-get-leaner?page=2%25252523posts-19474154


If you want a somewhat long read, this might give insight.

Thats was a good read, thank you! Good to keep those things in mind as I get closer to goal and things get harder

Glad it helped!

Kalikel

I'm nowhere near that, but have read from so many people that the last 10-15 are the hardest that I think there is something to it.

I already know from experience that the more you lose, the harder it gets.

Good luck!

odddrums

I feel like it's harder because you've already adjusted so much that you have to work extra hard to keep losing. For me, I'm trying to slowly lose the last 10 so I can keep it off and feel less "fluffy" but I have to work out a lot harder to burn the same level of calories.

Now if you're not working out then I would imagine it can seem like a lot of extra work to lose the last bit, but I think it's just mental at that point because it will seem to come off slower and slower until you feel like you're plateauing.

Anyway I'm going to go eat 1/3rd of a pizza now. Yay for workouts!

ccjlgrider

Here's my experience. Last December I began working out with a trainer and wanted to lose about 15lb. Then after about a week I got whapped with a serious complex migraine disorder and was constantly dizzy 24x7 and the right side of my body went numb for months. I didn't know it was migraine at the time and so I was very concerned and was seeing doctors and getting lots of tests all the time. I was not getting better, only worse and have 3 young children that I couldn't care for without help. I sank into a deep depression as I sat in my family room, on the floor, in the dark with the blinds closed all the time. I lost 17 lbs in 6 weeks. I could not STOP losing weight. I thought I had cancer or something. It was awful. Yes, I got to my ideal body weight and looked great. I'm 41 years old, had struggled with that stupid 10-15 lbs forever and in 6 weeks, depression, and therefore no appetite, I dropped it in a snap! As I got to the neurologist, figured out what was wrong and as my medication started to work, I was still very debilitated but I was very gradually becoming more functional....and started cooking and eating again. And gained it allllll back plus 3lbs. Honestly, I think I wanted to gain it back. I didn't want to be that weight getting there like that. That was the scariest time of my life. I'm 9 1/2 months past the day that started and I'm back to about 95% and functioning normally. I started back with my trainer and doing couch to 5K and tracking my calories and i am losing it soooooo slowly. Ugh. It is so much harder because I'm not depressed and therefore am hungry like normal. So, I don't think my body hangs on to those 15 lbs because it needs them or thinks it might need them. I eat because I'm hungry and it takes the right combination to satisfy my hunger. When I was depressed, I lost all feeling of being hungry. What I did eat was total carb crap and I had basically zero activity. Just sitting there. Oh, I'd force myself go on a walk daily but I was limping around my neighborhood slowly because my leg was numb. My point is, if you don't eat, you will lose but that is hard to do b/c unless we are severely depressed we are hungry. You have to satisfy that hunger. How you choose to satisfy it determines weight loss. It is miserable to be hungry all the time so it really isn't possible to just eat less of the same old crap (unless you eat a teeny bit of crap and starve yourself like I was doing). You have to satisfy your hunger with nutritious food that is not calorie dense so you can eat enough volume to fill yourself up without going over your calorie limit. The closer you get to your goal, the less calories you are allowed and it gets harder to eat enough to satisfy and have a deficit. So, you have to fill up on fruits and veggies to get the volume to fill yourself up without going over calorie wise. Am I making sense?

ahoy_m8

The lower one's BF%, the more logging accuracy is required. Assuming you aim to preserve LBM, it's a small steady deficit you need. Small loging mistakes can erase your deficit.

littl3xlion

I personally think so, at least for me. For about a month I've been "trying" to lose the last 4 pounds. I put quotes around trying because I have only been half trying. I didn't have much weight to lose from the beginning, but I was very determined and had good self-discipline. Now, I'm just comfortable and am relatively content where I am at, so I find myself splurging more frequently now than from when I first started. So for the past month I've been maintaining.

Additionally, I have less margin of error for counting calories now, which has been very difficult this past month since I have been eating out more due to work.

SLLRunner

So I've been thinking about this phrase this morning Mostly because my weight this week has been going up down by about a half pound all week, while since I started full force in March, my weight loss has been consistant (once it's off, it's off and ususally a pound or two a week). As of my last offical logged weight I am 10 pounds away from goal. But I've been toying with the idea of changing my goal to 120-125.

So do you think the last ten pounds is a mental block, or an actual physical issue that the body has trouble getting those last few pounds off when it is getting close to it's ideal weight (does that make sense? I think I need more coffee)? If it's a mental thing, I could just say "Oh well, lets just lower that goal and then bam, the pounds will fly!"

FTR: I'm not concidering myself at a plateau yet, it's only been a week after all Just would like to hear (read) other peoples philosphy on those last few pounds, mental block or physiological?

The less we weigh, and the less weight we have to lose, the slower it comes off. I believe it's our body and not our mind that slows the weight from coming off.

This thing of weight slowing down is a plus because you don't want to lose too quickly because it will not be sustainable in the long run. I don't know about here at the boards, but in real life every single person who has lost quickly, including myself, has not been able to keep it off.

It has only been since I have learned to lose weight slowly, eat all foods in moderation, allow myself to go over calories at times, that I have been able to keep it off for any amount of time. I believe this is due to changing my relationship to food and learning moderation in all things. This may not necessarily work for all people, but it has certainly worked for me.

tesstcool

Im down to the last 2-3 lbs. my goal was 110 and ive been bouncing between 115-112 (maintaining) since july. I finally just got frustrated with aiming for that number and have accepted maintenance. Ideally i would like to get down to 100 (im 5ft tall so thats realistic), but honestly i just dont have it in me right now to exert that sort of effort. Im currently happy with my body and figured if i decide to crack down again i will go full force at those vanity lbs.

Phaedra2014

The lower one's BF%, the more logging accuracy is required. Assuming you aim to preserve LBM, it's a small steady deficit you need. Small loging mistakes can erase your deficit.

Yes that's exactly it. I'm struggling with the last 10 lbs as well and I realize I need to be more precise than ever to get get there.