For those losing the last 10 lbs - what's the secret???

designerdiscounts

I'm guessing only 30 minutes of cardio plus about 20 minutes strength training daily just isn't enough to get rid of those last stubborn pounds, is it? I eat very well (if anything I'm not eating enough) and work out every day. I get enough sleep and am not overly stressed. So what gives? What's the secret to losing those last stubborn, stubborn pounds? Should I up the cardio to 45 or 60 minutes daily? I just bought "ripped in 30" and "6 week 6 pack" by Jillian Michaels and will be adding those to my routine, hoping they do the trick. I'm also considering replacing a meal with a protein shake, I always feel thin in the morning after a protein shake for dinner.

I guess I'm just venting but if anyone has the magic combo, please share :-).

xaintes

Love to hear any tips as well...

hunterzmomma

love to hear too

erickirb

I'm guessing only 30 minutes of cardio plus about 20 minutes strength training daily just isn't enough to get rid of those last stubborn pounds, is it? I eat very well (if anything I'm not eating enough) and work out every day. I get enough sleep and am not overly stressed. So what gives? What's the secret to losing those last stubborn, stubborn pounds? Should I up the cardio to 45 or 60 minutes daily? I just bought "ripped in 30" and "6 week 6 pack" by Jillian Michaels and will be adding those to my routine, hoping they do the trick. I'm also considering replacing a meal with a protein shake, I always feel thin in the morning after a protein shake for dinner.

I guess I'm just venting but if anyone has the magic combo, please share :-).

It comes down 80% to diet. The last 10 should come off slow to ensure you don't lose muscle while you lose fat. In other words your goal should not be to lose more than 0.5lbs/week. On top of that you should change up your workout routine every 4-6 weeks to keep your body guessing.

A clean diet, intense workouts with a small caloric deficit should get you there. If you have not tried HIIT training I would highly suggest this.

lornainak

ditto here... I have seen a photo of a friends friend who did nothing but zumba. No weights, no other gym excerise and man on man she is ripped... Has an 8 pk to prove it to, so guess where I am going for my last 10lbs. You guessed it, Zumba baby!

Macacadopai

Bump!

MissAnjy

I've been stuck on my "last 10" since December 13th. On December 13th, I weighed in at 159lbs and this morning MAY 5TH, I weighed in at 159. I've been busting it for a LONG time, but nothing seems to be working for me
I'd love tips as well.

EMc4452

Yes I'd love to hear this also...

McDougal416

Dr. Oz was saying the other day (now, granted...this was for women over 40..but I don't see why it wouldn't be the same for us gal's under that) that to lessen our workouts. Not to do as much. Also..your body might be in a rut..so change something up..maybe give yourself a break inbetween workouts..like a day? Or something...sounds like you might need to do something drastic to kinda shock your body into doing again. I've also have always been told that you only need to work out 2-3x a week to maintain and 4x-5x a week to lose....Good Luck!

kdiamond

I'm guessing only 30 minutes of cardio plus about 20 minutes strength training daily just isn't enough to get rid of those last stubborn pounds, is it? I eat very well (if anything I'm not eating enough) and work out every day. I get enough sleep and am not overly stressed. So what gives? What's the secret to losing those last stubborn, stubborn pounds? Should I up the cardio to 45 or 60 minutes daily? I just bought "ripped in 30" and "6 week 6 pack" by Jillian Michaels and will be adding those to my routine, hoping they do the trick. I'm also considering replacing a meal with a protein shake, I always feel thin in the morning after a protein shake for dinner.

I guess I'm just venting but if anyone has the magic combo, please share :-).

It comes down 80% to diet. The last 10 should come off slow to ensure you don't lose muscle while you lose fat. In other words your goal should not be to lose more than 0.5lbs/week. On top of that you should change up your workout routine every 4-6 weeks to keep your body guessing.

A clean diet, intense workouts with a small caloric deficit should get you there. If you have not tried HIIT training I would highly suggest this.

This. 80% (if not more) diet. More cardio isn't the answer...you will lose muscle mass that way if you don't support it by eating. So its a wash.

stang41992

bump

Nataliethin81

I'm guessing only 30 minutes of cardio plus about 20 minutes strength training daily just isn't enough to get rid of those last stubborn pounds, is it? I eat very well (if anything I'm not eating enough) and work out every day. I get enough sleep and am not overly stressed. So what gives? What's the secret to losing those last stubborn, stubborn pounds? Should I up the cardio to 45 or 60 minutes daily? I just bought "ripped in 30" and "6 week 6 pack" by Jillian Michaels and will be adding those to my routine, hoping they do the trick. I'm also considering replacing a meal with a protein shake, I always feel thin in the morning after a protein shake for dinner.

I guess I'm just venting but if anyone has the magic combo, please share :-).

It comes down 80% to diet. The last 10 should come off slow to ensure you don't lose muscle while you lose fat. In other words your goal should not be to lose more than 0.5lbs/week. On top of that you should change up your workout routine every 4-6 weeks to keep your body guessing.

A clean diet, intense workouts with a small caloric deficit should get you there. If you have not tried HIIT training I would highly suggest this.

Agree. Definitely try out the HIIT, it's so effective!

ldon37

I am close to my last ten pounds too. Not sure myself, but I would think you'd have to up your cardio and/or increase your intensity. Maybe just keep switching up your workouts so your body doesn't get used to the same thing everyday. Also, have you considered calorie zigzagging? This is supposed to keep your metabolism burning higher. I wish you the best of luck!

scgma

I am there too...for me the scale got stuck !!! It really scared me but this week it has started moving again. I am sticking to it!! Really, I was so tempted to settle for "getting close" . I am healthier and moving more and have more energy soooo why not enjoy my new self. BUT !!! I really want to be in the" lower levels normal" BMI not" just barely normal". Sooooo I am changing up the exercise a bit , adding more strength training and really staying on top of the diet. AND like I said the scale is moving again...

maureak

I always thought I had a set weight and could never get below that. What I found out was that with no extra effort, I could get to that weight pretty easily.

I found that I had to crank up my work outs to get to those last 10 pounds (with no changes in my normal eating plan). Every week or two, I throw in a high energy aerobics session (I use the on-demand exercise shows from cable). Or I might add an extra 5 minutes on the treadmill, at a much faster pace than normal.

halejr23

First ... patience. You will hit plateaus that can be annoying but don't give up. Second, 50 minutes of exercise a day is very good ... especially if you are doing it 4 or more times a week.

Look carefully at your intake. You may not be eating enough. Being under calories is great but you don't want to be under by a lot. I try to not be under by any more than 150-200. There are those days where you just aren't that hungry and it is hard to take in all the calories needed but they should be few and far between. Yes, you need to eat back as many of your workout calories as possible.

I have to say it again ... patience. I went close to 2 months without losing any weight. I got frustrated until I started thinking about my workouts. They were getting more intense, I was using more weight, I was lasting longer without mini breaks. Yes, 1 pound of muscle is the same as 1 pound of fat. But the same "volume" of muscle weighs considerably more than fat. So, maybe you are replacing fat with muscle. If so, this is a VERY good thing. The more muscle you have the more efficient your body is at burning fat.

Hang in there. Keep working at it and your plateau will disappear. I stopped weighing myself regularly then one day noticed how loose my clothes were. I weighed myself and was shocked that, without even thinking about it, I had lost 10 pounds!

voom1396

I'm in the same boat, although I have not been behaving these past couple of weeks. I am also open to suggestions.

Jessicapages

Bump

designerdiscounts

I'm glad to see so many others feeling the same way (sorry you are having the same issues though!). And thank you for suggesting HIIT, which I actually had to look up, lol. I am sort of doing a HIIT workout 3 days a week: 13 minutes elliptical followed by a full body cycle of free weight lifting exercises and lunges. Then repeat the cycle 2 more times. The elliptical is set at 3 incline. Would that be considered HIIT? The other 3 or 4 days a week, I run 3 miles outside at a 9 or 10 min/mile pace. Later in the day I add some ab work, stretching and pushups.

I feel like I could up the intensity of the workouts a bit but don't want to overdo it and crash or send my body into some sort of "holding onto the weight" mode. I have seen some positive results in my measurements but I'm impatient. I can't imagine shooting to only lose .5 lbs a week! Then again, I haven't lost anything so .5 lbs loss would be an improvement :-).

robin52077

The secret?

Get this...

the secret is to EAT!!!
STOP starving yourselves!!!!

If you are doing a large deficit and expecting it to work, it won't.
You should be eating VERY close to maintenance, about a 250 calorie deficit (set it to 1/2 lb per week) and make sure your activity level is right. You are not sedentary.

I am 5'2" and maintaining at 107 by eating 1800-2200 a day, lots of protein, good carbs, good fats, and heavy strength training. Right now it is more like 90% nutrition and 10% exercise. And that exercise needs to be weights. Heavy weights. A little HIIT for cardio, but no need for those pointless (at this stage) hour long elliptical sessions.

Clonekuh

I've heard a lot of people say they have to eat more to lose weight. Maybe tune your MFP settings down to lose 1lb or 1/2 lb per week and try to stay on those calorie goals. Hope that helps. Plateaus are a total bummer.