What should I do?

Izzwoz

So I am about a pound away from my goal weight. And I have been about a pound away from my goal weight for about three weeks now. Admittedly, I haven't been quite as strict on my intake as I used to be, mainly because I feel ok with my weight and am struggling to resist temptation if it still fits within my TDEE goal. So the thought of moving to maintenance keeps popping in my head like the little devil sitting on my shoulder, telling me it's ok to eat up to TDEE.

But I also have this little skinny model angel sitting on the other shoulder, whispering this target weight in my head like something of a magic number that I really want to see on the scale - even if it was just for one day, to be able to say I made it, I did it, I got there. I would feel like giving up if I stopped now.

What should I do? Accept the fact that I have reached the natural limit for my body weight (5'9, 156 lbs, just so you know what I am talking about) and ignore the last little pound I wanted rid off - or keep going until the magic number shows on the scale, whenever that might be, risking getting frustrated that I lost 40 lbs in 4 months but can't shift the last one in 1?

What did you do when you got close? How tough was it to get rid of the last grams? Did they matter to you?

drop_it_like_a_squat

In my opinion, it's BS to clinge to a goal weight that badly it drives you crazy. You either feel good with where you are or you don't.
If you don't you have to get your *kitten* together and get back to it - you already told us why you're not losing that last pound so you obviously know it yourself.

astronomicals

Transitions from a deficit to maintenance should be done slowly... The faster its done the more "bounce back" you'll see.. Id add like 50-100 calories a week... You can most likely start adding calories back slowly and still lose that pound before you get back to maintenance. Win win.

Also consider that your TDEE has changed... Its lower cuz you're smaller.

Izzwoz

Transitions from a deficit to maintenance should be done slowly... The faster its done the more "bounce back" you'll see.. Id add like 50-100 calories a week... You can most likely start adding calories back slowly and still lose that pound before you get back to maintenance. Win win.

Also consider that your TDEE has changed... Its lower cuz you're smaller.

Yeh, I have recalculated my TDEE, scary how low it is and to think back to how much I used to eat! :-)

Thanks, you're probably right with losing the last bit that way, will ramp up slowly and hope to kill two angels with one stone, lol.

j6o4

Transitions from a deficit to maintenance should be done slowly... The faster its done the more "bounce back" you'll see.. Id add like 50-100 calories a week... You can most likely start adding calories back slowly and still lose that pound before you get back to maintenance. Win win.

Also consider that your TDEE has changed... Its lower cuz you're smaller.

true that i lost weight while upping my calories by 100 every week untill i hit maintenance

yanniejannie

Good grief.................it's ONE pound.........go to maint. and re-evaluate if you start gaining..........WHY are you people so hard on yourselves?? It's OK, honest!!!

Rachlmale

I know how you feel. I reached 0.2 from my goal weight and no I didn't feel that I should maintain because psychologically reaching that goal will feel more of an achievement! I am still eating at a deficit but am also a little more free more often so effectively, I'm not losing those last couple of ounces! I don't think it's a big deal, I'll get there when I get there and until then I'm quite happy living and eating as I do Good luck

Good grief.................it's ONE pound.........go to maint. and re-evaluate if you start gaining..........WHY are you people so hard on yourselves?? It's OK, honest!!!

because the weight they are at is not their goal. It's like competing in a race and stopping 2 foot from the finish line and saying 'well I did a good enough job'.

Edit: for the Big Bang awesomeness profile picture!!