Very slow weight loss if you've not much to loose?

cask16

OK so slight rant, possibly aimed at those who didn’t have a huge amount to loose to begin with.

For the past year I have been counting calories and for the past 9 months or so have added exercise to my routine.
I began at 137lbs (5ft 4) and have realised that I have taken a whole year to loose 10 stinking pounds!

I DO feel much fitter (thanks to Jillian Michaels) and I do have cheat days etc but generally I stick close to my 1200cals - how on earth can I have made such little progress in a whole year?

Advice please?

maureenec

I don't have advice, except to say that the last 5 - 10 pounds are truly the hardest. You just don't have as much to lose, so it's proportionally more difficult. According to MFP it should take me 8 weeks to lose this last 8 pounds, but I'll be surprised if it takes less than 6 months. My body just sort of seems content with where it is, know what I mean?

I feel your pain! Have patience.

cask16

Thanks Maureenec!

I agree that MFP is a bit over optimisitic!

I shall indeed try to be patient and maybe try upping my weights or something to kick my body out of its comfort zone!

satxtrap

Since your diary is not open to look at see if this link can help you. Here's a snippet from it.

"Obese/overweight individuals tend to lose more body fat and retain more lean tissue (this explains why obese people can tolerate extremely low calorie diets better than already lean people, and why lean folks (close to their goal weights) have a devil of a time losing the last few pounds and need to be extra aware that they need to avoid an ultra low calorie approach to losing those pounds)."

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/TrainerRobin/view/myth-or-fact-calories-in-versus-calories-out-3500-calories-one-pound-and-should-i-eat-my-exercise-calories-62012

grrrlface

I'm on my last 15lbs now, been at this point for a good few months. I was 140lbs at Christmas time, been losing/putting back on the same 3-5lbs since then. I'm 5'3" so quite similar height.

I was getting the idea from the forums here and other sites that cutting cardio, upping calories and focusing on heavy weights was the way to go. I'm aiming to do this throughout August and see what my results are at the end of it.

I did, however, up my calories and start lifting heavy at the beginning of this week, I have lost 2lbs this week and back to my lowest weight so far. I do moderate-intense cardio 1-2 times a week and walk the other days for 1 hour and this will be my plan throughout this month.

Hope that's in anyway helpful! lol

syrevitch

I need losing 10 lbs. But alas. MFP is toooo optimistic ). But counting calories gives me an idea how much junk I can eat a day! An this control and exercising allows me to feel better.