"Only 10 LBS to Lose"?

sarahmbm
sarahmbm Posts: 36 Member
in Motivation and Support
I've been doing MFP on and off for over a year now, and I've managed to lose close to nothing. I'm not comfortable w/ my current weight, but I'm not really overweight either. I know I'd look and feel better if I was ten pounds lighter, but I keep cheating b/c I (and others around me) keep saying, "Eh, you're not *really* overweight or anything."

I'm frustrated. No, I'm not *really* overweight, but I do weight more than I ever have in my entire life, and at 36, I know losing the weight is just going to get harder and harder. Any advice from those of you who only have ten pounds to lose? How do you keep yourself from talking yourself out of making good decisions?

Replies

  • Full4Life
    Full4Life Posts: 172 Member
    OMG! I *seriously* could have written this.

    Look:
    "Looking4ward2life Just wanted to say that I fell back on bad habits last couple of weeks (and probably added about 5lbs in the process). Got discouraged. As an aside (not an excuse), I had convinced myself it didn't matter after some girls at work admitted they hadn't noticed my weight-loss. "But you've always been skinny," they said... which is pretty much everybody's response when I tell them I want to loose the last 15lbs and tone up. I guess for most people if I'm not clinically obese, then there's no point. Like I said... although I find this attitude frustrating, I'll often use this pet peeve to talk myself out of doing what's best for me and into being lazy and comfort-seeking. Sorry I let myself down, but I'm back on track again... I just wish there was a similar tool to log my work so I could improve that, too!"
    2 days ago
  • mmddwechanged
    mmddwechanged Posts: 1,687 Member
    What I find difficult is how slowly the weight comes off. Often it looks like I'm gaining, but it is quite normal to fluctuate five or so pounds. With only ten to lose, a three pound gain can be very discouraging. I know that if I stay at a calorie deficit and weigh and measure what I eat carefully I'll continue to lose even if it doesn't show up on the scale because I only lost .1 pounds or whatever that week. I was feeling pretty happy with myself before Christmas, and I'll get there again. The mind games we play with ourselves and the rediculous things we let others convince us to believe is the hardest part of the journey in my opinion.
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
    I still don't have a grip on it. While I'm vain, I'm apparently not as vain as people who have no problem maintaining a super low weight. (I'm 103 right now, when I was younger I was in the 90s).

    I look very young for my age and being thin is partly responsible. I try to keep that in mind when I consider losing weight, or at least maintenance. I also try never to get above a certain weight because it might be too hard to lose it.

    I've taken some intense sewing and tailoring classes and am ready to start sewing for myself. I keep trying to buckle down and lose a few pounds. It's hard though, I badly injured my ankle 10 months ago and still can't run.


    Surround yourself with vain, superficial, thin people.:laugh:
  • larainew
    larainew Posts: 17
    I have the same problem. Everyone says I'm skinny. I am thin. I don't NEED to loose those last 5 lbs! It's hard to stay motivated, even to just stay in shape. I totally fell off the bandwagon the last month with way too many cookies and gained about 5 lbs. I just saw the doctor for a checkup and he said, "You'll always be skinny." Well, he's wrong. Most of the adult members of my family are obese and have diabetes. They were as thin as me at my age, and I don't want that to happen to me.
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    I was recently 9 pounds heavier than I am now, and it was also the heaviest I had ever been (even though it was still very slender by most people's standards). Well, I was heavier during pregnancy, but that doesn't count because it was pregnancy related (which is the natural needs at those times). But, for me I kind of crept up in weight because I had stopped going to the gym, was eating a lot, eating sweets a lot, and going out for beers with friends.

    Once I just started going to the gym again, lifting free weights, counting calories it was easy for me to just drop the weight. I actually lost more than I intended (I didn't set out to lose 9 pounds, I just wanted to get fitter). I had to increase my calories to prevent further weight loss.

    But, all that aside, when I decided to get fit again I felt very much how you are describing. I didn't know if I would be able to lose weight and I felt bad that I was the heaviest I had ever been (and it was not like I had just had another baby).

    My dancing has improved a lot with recommitting to my fitness. I just decided I didn't want to act like an old lady. I'm only 34. But, honestly at this point I wouldn't mind if I gained a little. I weigh 100 pounds. And the weight loss was slow, as it should be for slender people.
  • steph0924
    steph0924 Posts: 78 Member
    I've been doing MFP on and off for over a year now, and I've managed to lose close to nothing. I'm not comfortable w/ my current weight, but I'm not really overweight either. I know I'd look and feel better if I was ten pounds lighter, but I keep cheating b/c I (and others around me) keep saying, "Eh, you're not *really* overweight or anything."

    I'm frustrated. No, I'm not *really* overweight, but I do weight more than I ever have in my entire life, and at 36, I know losing the weight is just going to get harder and harder. Any advice from those of you who only have ten pounds to lose? How do you keep yourself from talking yourself out of making good decisions?

    Yes, ^^this is me also. I easily went from 162 to 145, but to try to drop lower than that is very difficult for me. I very much could stand to lose 10 more pounds as I am only 5ft 2in and 38 years old. I know I would feel great at 135, but I do believe I sabatoge myself for some reason. I also have not been able to find that just right number of calories to eat per day. What I have going for me is that I workout hard everyday (P90X), but I am so tired about thinking about and planning what I am going to eat everyday, that I usually just end up eating whatever is around whether it is healthy or not. I do have to say I have the whole "maintenance" thing down (just thinking positively here).
  • sarahslim100
    sarahslim100 Posts: 485 Member
    By exercising more and cutting sugar and salt. I eat more veg than ever before. Michelle bridges books are helpful for recipes eg. Crunchtime
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
    I have the same problem. Everyone says I'm skinny. I am thin. I don't NEED to loose those last 5 lbs! It's hard to stay motivated, even to just stay in shape. I totally fell off the bandwagon the last month with way too many cookies and gained about 5 lbs. I just saw the doctor for a checkup and he said, "You'll always be skinny." Well, he's wrong. Most of the adult members of my family are obese and have diabetes. They were as thin as me at my age, and I don't want that to happen to me.


    Right. You don't need to lose 5 pounds, but it's excellent insurance, especially if you are a small woman. Similar health issues for every member of my family as well.
  • 5stringjeff
    5stringjeff Posts: 790 Member
    I lost 20 lbs earlier this year, but after a two-week business trip, I found that I had gained 8 pounds back. So here I am, back on MFP, losing "only" 8 pounds. But I know what I ought to look/feel like with that weight off, so I'm working at it, because that's the goal I set. Likewise, losing those last 10 pounds is your goal, not other people's goal, so don't let other people talk you out of it.
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    I have the same problem. Everyone says I'm skinny. I am thin. I don't NEED to loose those last 5 lbs! It's hard to stay motivated, even to just stay in shape. I totally fell off the bandwagon the last month with way too many cookies and gained about 5 lbs. I just saw the doctor for a checkup and he said, "You'll always be skinny." Well, he's wrong. Most of the adult members of my family are obese and have diabetes. They were as thin as me at my age, and I don't want that to happen to me.


    Right. You don't need to lose 5 pounds, but it's excellent insurance, especially if you are a small woman. Similar health issues for every member of my family as well.

    Right! A lot of people get negative if they think someone is losing weight for vanity reasons and not for "health". But, at a certain point it's all for vanity reasons because having a few extra pounds puts no one at risk for weight related illness. So, what. We have every right to maintain the youthfulness of our body for whatever reason we choose. Especially where it's not that hard to do, so why not. And there are reasons more than major health or vanity. Being at my slender fit place (for my body type) also improves my dancing, agility, flexibility, grace, and even my confidence with moving and dancing and wearing the costumes. It's ok to take care of ourselves beyond the very basics of basic health. And it's ok to work towards feeling our best. It's easier to work on it sooner, rather than later.
  • isabulle13
    isabulle13 Posts: 18
    I'm glad to find this topic! I could have written pretty much the same thing :-)

    I am in the same boat - while I'm happy in general and accepting I will most likely never be 115 lbs again (at least not in a sustainable, balanced way), I still want to lose those 10 pounds, because I feel better in my skin, but also my knees don't hurt as bad when I run, my abdominal fat is not as bad either (and that's really the one I want to get rid of).

    But it is slow, and hard to keep motivated when everyone around rolls their eyes (I am 134ish now for 5'3" at 36yo), esp. people who have more weight to lose than me, and even more so when they're going with it. So trying still to keep motivated...
  • mbsa00
    mbsa00 Posts: 1
    I also just want to lose around 10 lbs, and at my age (58) it's hard to do. But I know I feel much better a little lighter and can feel the difference (hopefully soon), so that's more my motivation more than what I look like.
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
    I have the same problem. Everyone says I'm skinny. I am thin. I don't NEED to loose those last 5 lbs! It's hard to stay motivated, even to just stay in shape. I totally fell off the bandwagon the last month with way too many cookies and gained about 5 lbs. I just saw the doctor for a checkup and he said, "You'll always be skinny." Well, he's wrong. Most of the adult members of my family are obese and have diabetes. They were as thin as me at my age, and I don't want that to happen to me.


    Right. You don't need to lose 5 pounds, but it's excellent insurance, especially if you are a small woman. Similar health issues for every member of my family as well.

    Right! A lot of people get negative if they think someone is losing weight for vanity reasons and not for "health". But, at a certain point it's all for vanity reasons because having a few extra pounds puts no one at risk for weight related illness. So, what. We have every right to maintain the youthfulness of our body for whatever reason we choose. Especially where it's not that hard to do, so why not. And there are reasons more than major health or vanity. Being at my slender fit place (for my body type) also improves my dancing, agility, flexibility, grace, and even my confidence with moving and dancing and wearing the costumes. It's ok to take care of ourselves beyond the very basics of basic health. And it's ok to work towards feeling our best. It's easier to work on it sooner, rather than later.

    I usually emphasize health because that goes over better. But there's nothing wrong with NORMAL vanity. It's a sign of mental health as far as I'm concerned. How do we know that (some) people are depressed? They take no care with their appearance. I don't think that everyone stops caring about their looks when they get old, either, although they may be more realistic about what they can achieve.
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
    I lost 20 lbs earlier this year, but after a two-week business trip, I found that I had gained 8 pounds back. So here I am, back on MFP, losing "only" 8 pounds. But I know what I ought to look/feel like with that weight off, so I'm working at it, because that's the goal I set. Likewise, losing those last 10 pounds is your goal, not other people's goal, so don't let other people talk you out of it.

    Yes, you have to follow your own compass. But that can be hard in a world where so many people need to lose much more weight and act as if the rest of us have maintained because we have magic genes.
  • zniwburd22
    zniwburd22 Posts: 7
    I hate it when people tell you, your thin enough! I think they secretly want you to stay that way! or when they tell you, well your getting older, your not going to stay thin forever! they can kiss my booty and just watch me lose! LOL
  • gorgeousness999
    gorgeousness999 Posts: 12 Member
    I have 10lb to 1 stone to lose. At 10lb I will look fine. I JUST CANNOT do it, either! and I also am sick of people telling me I look fine, oh there is nothing on me. 1 stone makes a massive difference on me, especially coz i am only 5.2" tall. Right now i look like I'm 9 months pregnant and that is really bad. Took pictures of myself this morning to shock myself. THey have worked! I am motivated today! Good luck, you can do it. Stop listening to people who de-motivate you or say you look fine. Lets just shift that 10lbs ! xx
  • Checkiy
    Checkiy Posts: 12
    I'm 37, 5ft 6lbs and weigh 153 lbs. This time last year I 'only' had 10lb to lose. I didn't and now I have between 15lb - 20lb to lose. Am not letting that turn into 30lb in another year's time!

    Don't do what I've done!
  • starsandsass
    starsandsass Posts: 17
    I'm the same. I started exercising in 2010 when I was 20 because I was really unfit and didn't like how I looked. I'm about 5,5 and weighed 51 kg and wasn't really happy with my body but I didn't know anything about fitness or weight loss. I was just naturally slim and skinny fat however I thought I needed to loose weight but really I just needed to tone up and eat better. Fast forward 2 years and I'm now 58kg. Sometime over the two years rather then getting healthier I put on weight. Now I'm trying to get back into shaped and I'd give anything to be 51kg again haha

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