Harder to lose when closer to goal weight

hclayton46

I've lost 65 lbs in the past 2 years and I'm within 15lbs of my goal weight. Now that I'm so much closer to goal, it is much more difficult to lose.

My typical day at work is sitting in an office until lunch time where I go to the gym and then sit on my butt another 4 hours until its time to go home.
My workout shedule:

Mondays -cardio aerobics/kick box
Tuesdays- circuit training- more strength
Wednesdays- whatever I feel like
Thursdays- full body bootcamp
and I usually manage a 3 mile walk in the evenings a couple times a week.
Calories burnt per day range from 250-400, more if I do an evening walk

MFP has my calories set at about 1200 to lose 1lb/week. I know this seems to be too low for my activity level. How do I know how much more I should be eating? I do try to eat at least 100g of protein a day.
Any responses/recommendations appreciated.

myownadvice

It is a natural for it to get harder to lose weight the closer you are to your goal. From what I have read here on MFP, you should adjust your goals down to 1/2 lb per week when you are as close as you are to your goal. I haven't lost as much as you but am approximately the same distance to my goal (I have 17 to go). I hadn't lost anything for about three weeks so I changed up my goals to the 1/2 lb per week and the weight has re-started coming off. When in doubt, up your calories and see how your body responds. As long as you are eating under your TDEE, you shoudn't gain anything and the right amount may get you losing again.

It also looks like you work out plenty so I'm not sure I would mess with that part of it.

maileeyang1

I am so glad you started this thread. I am in the same boat. I'm trying to look around to see if there are other suggestions to help me lose the next 5 pounds to reach my goal weight. Right now, I am 120 which is within the normal and healthy weight range for women my height (4'11"). I joined MFP almost 6 weeks ago and managed to lose 4 pounds the first 4 weeks. I was so hungry eating the minimum caloric intake set by MFP and other people seemed to lose more weight by combing exercise and increasing their good intake. So that was what I did. I added 200 more calories into my daily intake and did Insanity and by the end of the week, I didn't lose any weight. I panicked and went right into the old routine of 1200s. My weight-in day is coming up in two days and I am getting nervous about it because I don't feel like I am losing any. Any suggestion is greatly appreciated!....