really struggling to lose the last 14 pounds, any tips.
santd
Posts: 234 Member
I know I've lost a lot of weight, but one would think I could lose the last 14 pounds and i can't. I go up and then back down, but I can't go under...its driving me nuts. when the scales don't move I just jump into the nearest cookie jar. why is it so much harder to lose fat at the end? fat is fat. any tips please. I eat three times a day, and I try not to go over 1200 each day.
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Try eating more... I know, it goes against everything that seems "natural"... but I promise it will work.... I did it on my 96lb weight loss journey... and IT WORKED. I would up it about 200 - 300 calories.... let me know if you have any questions.... but I have to ask, are you in a healthy weight range right now? If so, you may not need to loose any more.0
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I am stuck getting rid of the last 5 lbs. I have been maintaining for 5 months and decided to drop another 5 lbs but... not sure what to do. I drop the calories and lose but... it is not sustainable.0
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Thanks both, I've lost altogether in 18 months 182 pounds, but I've put 9 of those pounds back on, so I've now got 16 pounds still left to lose to get to 140 pounds. I don't want to get to skinny, just healthy. I'm 5 foot 2 inches so I shouldn't be heavier than 140 pounds, but struggling. Its my appetite I think, to be under 140 pounds, I think you have to eat like a bird.
I love my food, and i do eat healthy, but its the volume of what I'm eating i find hard to cut down. I need to get there because both of my knees are painful. I came on this sight to help me with the last stone to lose. But i seem to be going up not down.0 -
I am just now trying to lose the last 10 lbs. As we get nearer to our goal we should increase our calories and aim for a half a pound loss each week.
I increased my calories the other day and I have already lost another lb. Eating nearer your maintenance level will also help prepare your body for what it is going to have in the future. If you were to continue on 1200 cals to goal weight and then suddenly increase to maintenance number you could surely put some weight back on which would be very disheartening.
I am intending to increase calories slowly up on the next couple of months until I get to maintenance figure naturally so I will already be used to eating the right amount of healthy food.0 -
Sandra. I will watch this with interest. May I ask, can you log this so that we can see how these figures are working against final months of weightloss? I would find this very useful. Thanks!0
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Every body is different, so how do you know you shouldn't be over 140? Have you worked out your body fat percentage? I'd like to aim more for that number than any specific number on the scale as it gives a better indicator of health. Like someone else said, eat closer to maintenance aiming for slower weight loss.0
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I need a BMI of around 26, its 30 at present. I suffer pain with my knee joints and extra weight over 10 stones for someone 5 feet 2 inches is too much.0
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I think eating smaller meals and more of them (like 5 instead of three), and exercise before eating, is the key to successful weight loss myself. Its just putting it into practice. If anyone has any other tips i would really appreciate it.0
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For my last bit I really tightened up on logging accuracy. I entered everything in grams, I found the non-asterisked entries in the database whenever possible, I entered my own recipes etc. I set MFP to lose .5 lbs per week and I ate back half my exercise calories. I never had the stall that many people talk about. Good luck!0
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My tip is.... don't try to lose it. you don't need to, who cares what the scales say ??????
Your goal should be to try and lose inches....go down in pant sizes, not scale weight. Focus on body fat loss and not scale weight loss... that is the road to the body you want.
No one knows what you weigh unless you tell them.
If you weigh 120 and fit into a size 4 or weigh 150 and wear a sz 4.....what does it matter ??? By the way, the girl that weighs 150 will have 10x better body than the one that weighs 120....just saying...0 -
I know I've lost a lot of weight, but one would think I could lose the last 14 pounds and i can't. I go up and then back down, but I can't go under...its driving me nuts. when the scales don't move I just jump into the nearest cookie jar. why is it so much harder to lose fat at the end? fat is fat. any tips please. I eat three times a day, and I try not to go over 1200 each day.
eat more. the closer you are to goal, the smaller the deficit you need. aim for 250cals under maintenance, it may be slow but it'll come off!
also, try something new in your exercise routine.
if you have restricted your calories for a while, maybe have a week at maintenance with little exercise, and then start again after that.0 -
Maybe incorporate walking/swimming/strength training activity into your weight loss program, if you haven't already0
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I think eating smaller meals and more of them (like 5 instead of three), and exercise before eating, is the key to successful weight loss myself. Its just putting it into practice. If anyone has any other tips i would really appreciate it.
i would have to disagree, the key to successful wieght loss is a moderate calorie deficit and a lot of patience!
all you need is a healthy balanced diet (eating once, 3 times or 20 times a day is up to you, it mkaes no odds) and some regular exercise.0 -
My tip is.... don't try to lose it. you don't need to, who cares what the scales say ??????
Your goal should be to try and lose inches....go down in pant sizes, not scale weight. Focus on body fat loss and not scale weight loss... that is the road to the body you want.
No one knows what you weigh unless you tell them.
If you weigh 120 and fit into a size 4 or weigh 150 and wear a sz 4.....what does it matter ??? By the way, the girl that weighs 150 will have 10x better body than the one that weighs 120....just saying...
^^^^
I have around 6 pounds to lose to hit goal. This above is how I started thinking. Instead of worrying about the last 6 pounds I am working on getting fit and stronger.0 -
Ugh! I just went on webMd to calculate BMI, etc. I only planned to try to lose 5 more lbs. but it is saying I need to lose 10 to be in the "normal" range for an adult woman. That is depressing as I am struggling this week at controlling my eating. I was doing ok up until this weekend. Time to up the exercise some more, I suppose.0
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I think eating smaller meals and more of them (like 5 instead of three), and exercise before eating, is the key to successful weight loss myself. Its just putting it into practice. If anyone has any other tips i would really appreciate it.
Actually just the opposite in my experience. Read up on Intermittent Fasting (IF for short). I changed from my 5 cute little protein packed meals to 2 FEASTS a day and my weight dropped and my energy levels zoomed. This was also done by consuming more calories than I did with my 5 little meals. The key though is to research it yourself before you change anything and not just rely to advice on boards like this. IF is not for everyone but when it works it REALLY works.0 -
I agree with ntdrive, look into some strength training. A lot of women fear it because they think they will get bulky but more muscle you have the higher your RMR will be, the more cals you will burn on the daily and it is easier to loose weight, good luck0
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First, congrats at losing 182 lbs!
Second, how often do you vary your workout routines? If you aren't doing it now, do weight training or resistance training. Not only will it help you lose weight, your body will tighten up (so you will LOOK lighter) and believe me, you will be eating more, LOL. Weight training will make you super hungry and 1200 calories will not hit the spot.
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I agree, try upping that 1200 to 1500 or so.0
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BMI is not a good tool at all. It does not take into account your body frame. Body fat % is the measure of what weight you should be. You should work out your BF% and then decide where you want to be.0
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I find for me small meals several times a day works wonders... but the other thing that got me over the hump ( as it were) is kicking up and changing my exercise...I do more but change the workouts between cardio and strength.. cardio in the morning and lifting / resistance in the afternoon.. I know it sounds like a lot but my scale did not budge for a month not an ounce.. made me nuts...nows its moving back in the right direction.. stick with it!!!!0
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Thanks both, I've lost altogether in 18 months 182 pounds, but I've put 9 of those pounds back on, so I've now got 16 pounds still left to lose to get to 140 pounds. I don't want to get to skinny, just healthy. I'm 5 foot 2 inches so I shouldn't be heavier than 140 pounds, but struggling. Its my appetite I think, to be under 140 pounds, I think you have to eat like a bird.
I love my food, and i do eat healthy, but its the volume of what I'm eating i find hard to cut down. I need to get there because both of my knees are painful. I came on this sight to help me with the last stone to lose. But i seem to be going up not down.
You do NOT need to eat like a bird to be under 140! You also don't need to cut down the volume of what you're eating. You're only eating 3 times a day and 1200 calories, right? Please do not decrease that. I'm 5'4", 125 pounds and I'm eating around 1700 a day and losing. Eating 5-6 times a day, too. It feels so much better than when I was eating 1200 a while ago! In case anyone hasn't already linked you, here's a good thread to explain calories: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12
I'm not going to say "OMG YOU NEEEEED TO EAT MORE!!" but if what you're doing isn't working, it's definitely worth a shot. All I ask is that you please, PLEASE don't eat LESS.0 -
First of all, when the scale doesn't move or goes up STAY OUT OF THE COOKIE JAR! You are only sabatoging yourself when you do that. Not to say you can't have an occasional cookie, include it in your daily totals. Eveyone has plateaus or even setbacks, just get back on track! Tomorrow, or even the next meal is a new opportunity to get back on the road to weight loss. If you slip, up your activity or cut back a little for a day. If you are really stuck, look at what you are doing, increase your activity and don't eat back all the calories--I think that is a strange way of looking at weight loss anyway. You might also try upping your calories a bit. If you are adding a lot more muscle (which weighs more than fat) you may need the extra calories. Sometimes the scale isn't the best way to tell if you are losing. How are your clothes fitting? Are you getting more toned? Hang in there it will happen.0
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Eat more, try upping your calories to 1450 to 1500 plus most of your exercise cals back.
It will start coming off, slower but IT WILL come off. You will also feel WAY better.
Feel free to check out my diary for ideas. You will see that I eat several times a day but mostly all good, nutritious foods. I am weighing in at 114 getting down to 112. (lost too much weight last summer when my world fell apart, intentionality went on a mission to gain and went to far, now I am getting back to it) I am 5.3 and 44 years old.0 -
I know I've lost a lot of weight, but one would think I could lose the last 14 pounds and i can't. I go up and then back down, but I can't go under...its driving me nuts. when the scales don't move I just jump into the nearest cookie jar. why is it so much harder to lose fat at the end? fat is fat. any tips please. I eat three times a day, and I try not to go over 1200 each day.
You've identified your own problem-- stay out of the cookie jar! As your body loses it gets more and more efficient at what it does, and you don't need the calories you used to in order to survive.
When you're fighting for the last 10 pounds (as I am right now!) everything you did to get to that point may simply be the amount of eating/activity you need to maintain. There are a few options here: embrace your current lifefstyle and work on maintaining where you are now (which I refuse to consider as an option for myself) or commit to just one or two more lifestyle changes that you can commit to for a lifetime (a little more time at the gym, try a new sport, cut sodas, take the stairs). Embrace this as part of the healthier you that you've already made such great progress on, not a last ditch effort to push yourself to your goal-- or else you may find your goal weight impossible to maintain
Good lucK!0 -
Calculate your BMR and TDEE. Use the scooby calculator: http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/
Check out EM2WL (eat more to weigh less).
Get caliper measurements taken so you can keep track of your body fat percentage instead of your pounds.
Be patient.0 -
Congrats on your successful weight loss so far! Way to go!
Have you tried changing your workout routine a bit? I found by changing mine up and challenging myself again I lost the last 10lbs I was looking to lose. I think my body got so use to my usual routine, I wasn't challenging myself and burning as many calories as I was before. It worked for me. Best of luck. If you find yourself wanting to snack a lot and like peanut butter, get some PB2, it's filling and it's only 45 calories per 2 tbsps.0 -
Try not to eat the same amount of calories everyday. Sometimes if you are dead set on eating 1200 calories per day you will hit a plateau because your body will adjust to that amount. If you are nervous about increasing your calorie intake overall, try increasing it to 1500 every second or third day. It will likely get your metabolism working a little faster and the pounds will come off slowly but surely.
You said you had problems with your knees, so I'm sure that makes it difficult to do a lot of different cardio exercises, but maybe try researching some different cardio workouts that you can do that involve your upper body more so than your legs. You don't need to overdo it and workout for an hour a day or anything, even just 15 minutes more than your normal daily routine would potentially make a huge difference.
Congratulations on your success so far, and good luck with the last few pounds!0 -
Congrats on your successful weight loss so far! Way to go!
Have you tried changing your workout routine a bit? I found by changing mine up and challenging myself again I lost the last 10lbs I was looking to lose. I think my body got so use to my usual routine, I wasn't challenging myself and burning as many calories as I was before. It worked for me. Best of luck. If you find yourself wanting to snack a lot and like peanut butter, get some PB2, it's filling and it's only 45 calories per 2 tbsps.
Stay AWAY from PB2 it is not good for you.
Why eat fake food when the real deal IS good for you?
http://foodbabe.com/2012/09/16/the-truth-about-pb2-powdered-peanut-butter/
PB2 is Not Whole Real Food – When I talk about the foods I eat, I tell people I want to choose the most nutrient dense foods on the planet and PB2 is just not one of them. The beauty of a peanut is that it contains all of the nutrients nature intended. It has a healthy dose of fat, protein and vitamins. PB2 extracts almost all of the essential monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, leaching the vitamin E content which is fat soluble, therefore reducing the nutritional content of the whole food. The fat is what keeps you satisfied and reduces cravings making just a tablespoon of real peanut butter so satisfying. This powdered form looks pretty clean when you review the ingredients, but it’s just another way for manufacturers to trick you into thinking less calories is better for you. They have to add a mixture of sugar and salt into the powder to make it taste better without the fat. I know I’d rather have the fat vs. the sugar and salt!0 -
First of all, congrats on your amazing weight loss. You should be so very proud of all that you have accomplished.
The last 10-15 pounds is the hardest to lose. I have been doing this for two years now, and the 1st 60 pounds came of so very easily, but the last pounds (I have about 15 to lose as well) is taking forever. Just have the patience.
Here are couple of things that seem to be working for me (as the scale finally has started to go down after I have maintain for the past 4 months or so).
1) Eat more. I also ate at 1200 calories or so at the beginning, but you don't want to stay at this amount for the rest of your life. Try to increase your calories. I started increasing it by 100 calories or so and now I am up to 1500 + calories.
2) Change your workouts from time to time. Your body is most likely used to all the current workouts, so try introducing new workouts or change the intensity of it from time to time. This keeps your body guessing and this is a good thing.
3) At if you want to eat a cookie eat it. There is no point restricting yourself from things that you like to eat. Once again, try to remember that this is for the rest of your life and if you want to eat a cookie, then you should be able to eat a cookie.
For the last 4 months or so, I have not lost any weight. I have just tried to maintain my current weight and I think this was good for my body as it has been put through so many changes the past two years. Now, I think I am finally ready to lose the last 10-15 pounds or so.
Good luck.0
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