how do you know when you're "done" (wt-loss)?

lsgordon02143

So I'm at the point where I know I'm within five pounds from my lowest sustainable adult weight (i.e. college/grad-school, exercising regularly weight). I had originally put in an attempt to get two pounds below that, on MFP, but I'm finding that almost every day, I'm basically exactly hungry enough to eat around 150 calories over my daily goal, which on a 1/2 pound per week loss, means essentially zero change expected. Should I assume that's it? And now I'm "maintaining"? My weight per se is still going down a touch, occasionally up and then back down, not yet steady for more than a week or two.

What do you guys do, or do differently,, when you feel like you're at your goal, and how do you know if you are "done" with the loss phase?

Thanks for any advice!!

psuLemon

I always say when you are in an acceptable weight level then just concentrate on reducing body fat. Until you get into the low 20's or high teens.

lsgordon02143

I always say when you are in an acceptable weight level then just concentrate on reducing body fat. Until you get into the low 20's or high teens.

How do you know if you are in a good fat %? I guess you have to go get it measured. In grad school I remember there was a thing twice a year at the health center with calipers. I'm also assuming that I can't use my weight-to-fat% correlation from 10-15 years ago, as a correlation now? Because if I could, that would put my fat % at around 22% which is probably fine with me. (I am 39, large-framed, and 5'8.5" tall.)

psuLemon

I always say when you are in an acceptable weight level then just concentrate on reducing body fat. Until you get into the low 20's or high teens.

How do you know if you are in a good fat %? I guess you have to go get it measured. In grad school I remember there was a thing twice a year at the health center with calipers. I'm also assuming that I can't use my weight-to-fat% correlation from 10-15 years ago, as a correlation now? Because if I could, that would put my fat % at around 22% which is probably fine with me. (I am 39, large-framed, and 5'8.5" tall.)

http://www.builtlean.com/2010/08/03/ideal-body-fat-percentage-chart/

AvsFreak

How do you know when you're done? When you're happy with what you see in the mirror.

neverstray

Never done. It just keeps going and going.. As you age, things change, metabolism slows down and you have to adjust. It goes on forever, I think. I don't think you ever just say, ok, I'm done now. It's a life long situations and committment. .