Tips please, from those who've reached their goal weight!
SuffolkSally
Posts: 964 Member
Firstly congratulations!
I joined MFP a year ago, and have exceeded my original weight loss target. I've revised my goals, and I'm now 6lb from achieving my new target weight.
Other than the obvious answer (patience!) I wondered if anyone had any tips to share about shedding the last few pounds, as according to what I read on the message boards they are notoriously stubborn! What was your experience?
Did you, as some suggest, reduce your projected weekly loss? Try varying your diet regime in any way? Change your exercise type or intensity?
Very interested in any thoughts to prepare me...
(I'm reposting this topic here, not sure what the right category is!)
I joined MFP a year ago, and have exceeded my original weight loss target. I've revised my goals, and I'm now 6lb from achieving my new target weight.
Other than the obvious answer (patience!) I wondered if anyone had any tips to share about shedding the last few pounds, as according to what I read on the message boards they are notoriously stubborn! What was your experience?
Did you, as some suggest, reduce your projected weekly loss? Try varying your diet regime in any way? Change your exercise type or intensity?
Very interested in any thoughts to prepare me...
(I'm reposting this topic here, not sure what the right category is!)
0
Replies
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Im interested in knowing this as well. I have eaten at 1200 calories, I have eaten at the low end of my BMR, I have eaten at the high end of my BMR, I have eaten at maintenance with 500 cal deficit, I have netted no less than 1200 and I have tried zig zagging, Nothing is working for me. I have currently changed my weekly loss to 0.5lb loss and am gonna try to do that. Its been two years and I keep fluctuating from 138-142lbs.....my GW is 135 but my UGW is 130.0
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I didn't have any trouble with the last 10 lbs. I increased my calories by changing the setting to .5 lbs per week, and that's all I did differently. Good luck and congrats on your progress so far.
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My advice:
Lift with heavy weight. The scale number is not important. I've gone down a dress size without losing a lb since November (September - end of December was primarily cardio) with lifting as my primary exercise since January.0 -
Honestly, switch the MFP ticker to maintain current weight and eat back your calories. I hit my goal weight , but decided to lost 2 more pounds.0
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This isn't really a tip, but I reached my goal weight and then started eating more (maintenance, plus eating back exercise calories). I kept losing inches, but not weight. Kind of annoying since I've already bought a new wardrobe and I'm a petite size 2 and I don't want to shop in the kids' section. Maybe try upping the calories and lift weights.0
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Im interested in knowing this as well. I have eaten at 1200 calories, I have eaten at the low end of my BMR, I have eaten at the high end of my BMR, I have eaten at maintenance with 500 cal deficit, I have netted no less than 1200 and I have tried zig zagging, Nothing is working for me. I have currently changed my weekly loss to 0.5lb loss and am gonna try to do that. Its been two years and I keep fluctuating from 138-142lbs.....my GW is 135 but my UGW is 130.
How long did you try each of those things? Are you weighing your food with a digital scale?
One thing about having a smaller deficit is that you have to be more accurate with your logging.0 -
My advice:
Lift with heavy weight. The scale number is not important. I've gone down a dress size without losing a lb since November (September - end of December was primarily cardio) with lifting as my primary exercise since January.
^^This!0 -
The last few pounds were definitely the hardest for me! It took me longer to lose the last 8 than it did to lose the first 60. What finally worked for me was increasing my calories. i was still trying to eat at 1200, plus all exercise calories (which I had been doing since the beginning) but I was starving all of the time. When I finally upped it to 1320 per day, plus exercise calories I finally started seeing small losses again.0
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My advice:
Lift with heavy weight. The scale number is not important. I've gone down a dress size without losing a lb since November (September - end of December was primarily cardio) with lifting as my primary exercise since January.
Good for you!
Just at the moment I'm working with the scale number, using calorie counting, healthy eating, and exercise. It's each to their own on this one, but I've decided to get to my goal... once there, though, as well as shifting to maintenance eating I do intend to try heavy lifting, some of the stories on here are very inspiring!0 -
I agree with the suggestion to do strength work (lifting or otherwise). I thought I wanted to lose a little more weight but after doing a good amount of strength work, I dropped some inches and I'm totally happy where I'm at. I don't know how to lift heavy and don't have anyone I can trust to teach me so I do bodyweight and free weight exercises. Bodyweight is my favorite because it's really easy to scale it to your level and I can't see myself ever running out of ways to make them more difficult as I progress. Nerd Fitness has some free workouts on the website and You Are Your Own Gym is a great book as well. If you're doing compound exercises, you'll only have to do a couple to get a great full body workout.
Edited to add: I've gotten more "have you lost weight?" and "you look great/slender" comments since starting strength work than I did previously even though I've lost no weight since then.0 -
Im interested in knowing this as well. I have eaten at 1200 calories, I have eaten at the low end of my BMR, I have eaten at the high end of my BMR, I have eaten at maintenance with 500 cal deficit, I have netted no less than 1200 and I have tried zig zagging, Nothing is working for me. I have currently changed my weekly loss to 0.5lb loss and am gonna try to do that. Its been two years and I keep fluctuating from 138-142lbs.....my GW is 135 but my UGW is 130.
How long did you try each of those things? Are you weighing your food with a digital scale?
One thing about having a smaller deficit is that you have to be more accurate with your logging.
I tried each for four weeks and the scale just kept going up with each a few ounces here then it was a pound there and eventually I freaked and dropped them low again. When I ate at 1500 I maintained for 3 months because i was eating that while doing Insanity and I lost nothing with the program. I have a weight watchers digital scale that I use for grams and ounces with my meats and then I use measuring cups for stuff like that. Just last night I changed my goal to 0.5lb loss per week and I'm gonna attempt to eat that0 -
I didn't have any trouble with the last 10 lbs. I increased my calories by changing the setting to .5 lbs per week, and that's all I did differently. Good luck and congrats on your progress so far.
Did you eat back exercise calories or just what the .5 was daily?0 -
What if you don't have a gym membership to use the weights to lift heavy nor the space or money to afford heavy weights at home. All I have are dumbbells that goes up to like 20lbs a piece..0
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My advice:
Lift with heavy weight. The scale number is not important. I've gone down a dress size without losing a lb since November (September - end of December was primarily cardio) with lifting as my primary exercise since January.
Good for you!
Just at the moment I'm working with the scale number, using calorie counting, healthy eating, and exercise. It's each to their own on this one, but I've decided to get to my goal... once there, though, as well as shifting to maintenance eating I do intend to try heavy lifting, some of the stories on here are very inspiring!
Super; to each their own. You asked for advice and recommendations, and I gave you mine. I interpret your response as a.."thanks, but no".
No harm no foul. Though, your profile says: "I'm near the point where I want to change from targetting weight loss to maintenance and building strength, and measure inches and bodyfat% with as much interest as I currently take in the scale."
Why not do that now? If you're still eating at a deficit and strength training, you will lose weight and bf%, preserve LBM, and look much better than with cardio alone.
I'm not looking to argue, so I apologize for my curt dialogue. But strength training NOW is key to get you where you want to be.0 -
I didn't have any trouble with the last 10 lbs. I increased my calories by changing the setting to .5 lbs per week, and that's all I did differently. Good luck and congrats on your progress so far.
How long did you do that for to lose that last 10lb?0 -
Im interested in knowing this as well. I have eaten at 1200 calories, I have eaten at the low end of my BMR, I have eaten at the high end of my BMR, I have eaten at maintenance with 500 cal deficit, I have netted no less than 1200 and I have tried zig zagging, Nothing is working for me. I have currently changed my weekly loss to 0.5lb loss and am gonna try to do that. Its been two years and I keep fluctuating from 138-142lbs.....my GW is 135 but my UGW is 130.
How long did you try each of those things? Are you weighing your food with a digital scale?
One thing about having a smaller deficit is that you have to be more accurate with your logging.
I tried each for four weeks and the scale just kept going up with each a few ounces here then it was a pound there and eventually I freaked and dropped them low again. When I ate at 1500 I maintained for 3 months because i was eating that while doing Insanity and I lost nothing with the program. I have a weight watchers digital scale that I use for grams and ounces with my meats and then I use measuring cups for stuff like that. Just last night I changed my goal to 0.5lb loss per week and I'm gonna attempt to eat that
God, how frustrating! Applause from this corner for sheer stamina!0 -
My advice:
Lift with heavy weight. The scale number is not important. I've gone down a dress size without losing a lb since November (September - end of December was primarily cardio) with lifting as my primary exercise since January.
Good for you!
Just at the moment I'm working with the scale number, using calorie counting, healthy eating, and exercise. It's each to their own on this one, but I've decided to get to my goal... once there, though, as well as shifting to maintenance eating I do intend to try heavy lifting, some of the stories on here are very inspiring!
Super; to each their own. You asked for advice and recommendations, and I gave you mine. I interpret your response as a.."thanks, but no".
No harm no foul. Though, your profile says: "I'm near the point where I want to change from targetting weight loss to maintenance and building strength, and measure inches and bodyfat% with as much interest as I currently take in the scale."
Why not do that now? If you're still eating at a deficit and strength training, you will lose weight and bf%, preserve LBM, and look much better than with cardio alone.
I'm not looking to argue, so I apologize for my curt dialogue. But strength training NOW is key to get you where you want to be.
This! Strength train and don't put complete blind faith into MFP calorie goals - particularly if you don't have much to lose.
I started out using MFP numbers set for losing 1 lb per week, sedentary, which gave me around 1460, and I ate most of my exercise calories. I lost way too fast - about 17 pounds in 2 months. I also kept getting colds - seriously I think I had four different colds in two months. And then I plateaued. So I changed to half a pound per week and lightly active (1770 cal) in the third month, and lost a couple more.Then I changed to maintenance for the holidays (2010 cal) and came back from vacation to my goal weight.
Now I'm still at maintenance calories but upped my activity setting again to "active" (2150 cal :bigsmile: ), still eat back my exercise calories, and have gotten more serious/diligent with my heavy lifting. (Yesterday I burned about 900 calories, it was the day after my strength day, I ate every bit of those 3000 calories, and was still ravenous this morning.) I'm the same weight but clearly tightening up and getting smaller.
I really wish I would have started out eating more calories and lifting heavy. If I had, I'm confident I would be rocking my goal body right now instead of my goal weight.
Oh - I'm 6'0" and weigh 153 - 155, 38 years old.0 -
What if you don't have a gym membership to use the weights to lift heavy nor the space or money to afford heavy weights at home. All I have are dumbbells that goes up to like 20lbs a piece..
Get a gym membership. Look for places that offer subsidized rates for lower incomes, such as YMCA or city parks and recreation facilities. Or at least start with what you've got - body weight and 20 lb dumbbells - until you can make a gym membership a priority in your budget.0 -
My advice:
Lift with heavy weight. The scale number is not important. I've gone down a dress size without losing a lb since November (September - end of December was primarily cardio) with lifting as my primary exercise since January.
Good for you!
Just at the moment I'm working with the scale number, using calorie counting, healthy eating, and exercise. It's each to their own on this one, but I've decided to get to my goal... once there, though, as well as shifting to maintenance eating I do intend to try heavy lifting, some of the stories on here are very inspiring!
Super; to each their own. You asked for advice and recommendations, and I gave you mine. I interpret your response as a.."thanks, but no".
No harm no foul. Though, your profile says: "I'm near the point where I want to change from targetting weight loss to maintenance and building strength, and measure inches and bodyfat% with as much interest as I currently take in the scale."
Why not do that now? If you're still eating at a deficit and strength training, you will lose weight and bf%, preserve LBM, and look much better than with cardio alone.
I'm not looking to argue, so I apologize for my curt dialogue. But strength training NOW is key to get you where you want to be.
It was intended to be quite a specific question about reaching target weight....
I do intend to try heavy lifting, from when I reach my goal weight - the reasons for that are based on quite a lot of reading for one thing, and my individual circumstances for another. There are pros and cons for different theoretical approaches of course, but they're probably a different topic. In my particular case my exercise is under medical advice because of auto-immune issues. I don't, in fact, do "cardio alone", I also do strength training in the form of body resistance and weight work and monitor my bodyfat percentage.
Having said all that it would be very interesting to hear from anyone who's reached their goal weight (as opposed to other success measures) by switching to lifting heavy in the last stage.0 -
My advice:
Lift with heavy weight. The scale number is not important. I've gone down a dress size without losing a lb since November (September - end of December was primarily cardio) with lifting as my primary exercise since January.
This
and the road map thread (search for "in place of a road map" - sorry I don't have the link)0 -
My advice:
Lift with heavy weight. The scale number is not important. I've gone down a dress size without losing a lb since November (September - end of December was primarily cardio) with lifting as my primary exercise since January.
Good for you!
Just at the moment I'm working with the scale number, using calorie counting, healthy eating, and exercise. It's each to their own on this one, but I've decided to get to my goal... once there, though, as well as shifting to maintenance eating I do intend to try heavy lifting, some of the stories on here are very inspiring!
Super; to each their own. You asked for advice and recommendations, and I gave you mine. I interpret your response as a.."thanks, but no".
No harm no foul. Though, your profile says: "I'm near the point where I want to change from targetting weight loss to maintenance and building strength, and measure inches and bodyfat% with as much interest as I currently take in the scale."
Why not do that now? If you're still eating at a deficit and strength training, you will lose weight and bf%, preserve LBM, and look much better than with cardio alone.
I'm not looking to argue, so I apologize for my curt dialogue. But strength training NOW is key to get you where you want to be.
This! Strength train and don't put complete blind faith into MFP calorie goals - particularly if you don't have much to lose.
I started out using MFP numbers set for losing 1 lb per week, sedentary, which gave me around 1460, and I ate most of my exercise calories. I lost way too fast - about 17 pounds in 2 months. I also kept getting colds - seriously I think I had four different colds in two months. And then I plateaued. So I changed to half a pound per week and lightly active (1770 cal) in the third month, and lost a couple more.Then I changed to maintenance for the holidays (2010 cal) and came back from vacation to my goal weight.
Now I'm still at maintenance calories but upped my activity setting again to "active" (2150 cal :bigsmile: ), still eat back my exercise calories, and have gotten more serious/diligent with my heavy lifting. (Yesterday I burned about 900 calories, it was the day after my strength day, I ate every bit of those 3000 calories, and was still ravenous this morning.) I'm the same weight but clearly tightening up and getting smaller.
I really wish I would have started out eating more calories and lifting heavy. If I had, I'm confident I would be rocking my goal body right now instead of my goal weight.
Oh - I'm 6'0" and weigh 153 - 155, 38 years old.
Awesome!
What exercise did you do to burn 900 calories?
Nice to meet another tall person, btw! And wow - that's lean!0 -
First of all, if that is your current picture, You are gorgeous. I don't think you need to worry about addional weight loss. But, if you are talking about weight maintenance, you are just going to have to look at the labels and switch the snacks you eat to something less. Again, I know we all fear putting pounds back on once we have ditched em, but you look great. Congrats by the way.0
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First of all, if that is your current picture, You are gorgeous. I don't think you need to worry about addional weight loss. But, if you are talking about weight maintenance, you are just going to have to look at the labels and switch the snacks you eat to something less. Again, I know we all fear putting pounds back on once we have ditched em, but you look great. Congrats by the way.
Aw, thank you! :blushing: The pic is from last July and I've lost more since then.
I'll switch to maintenance when I hit my target, which is now only 5lb off. Based on other people's stories I was expecting the last bit to be tough, although actually (touch wood) I've had significant weight loss this month so maybe it won't be the struggle I anticipated.
Just wanted to learn from other people really. I expect maintenance will be a challenge, but I know there's loads of threads on it - more bedtime reading!0 -
As you get close to your goal weight, that number can become unimportant. I wanted to get down to 120. I have a 6" wrist and 14" calves at 5' 1, so in the past when I got into the 110's I looked bony and unhealthy. Now, I'm between 115-117 depending on what kind of mood the scale is in and I'm a US size 2. The last time I had the measurements I have now, I weighed 105 pounds. I wouldn't trade the body I have now for that one because I look so much more fit. I lift heavy(ish) now and I think that made all the difference. Of course, I also do cardio and count calories but I do lift weights 3 times a week.0
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Forgive me for being opportunistic, but anyone is welcome to join us on the "Last Ten Pounds" group forum, we are all struggling with the same thing! http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/12168-the-last-ten-pounds
Steph0 -
Forgive me for being opportunistic, but anyone is welcome to join us on the "Last Ten Pounds" group forum, we are all struggling with the same thing! http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/12168-the-last-ten-pounds
Steph
Oh, cheers! That made me realise I should have searched the threads, oops. See you there.0 -
What exercise did you do to burn 900 calories?
Nice to meet another tall person, btw! And wow - that's lean!
I have a 7 mile-each-way bike commute to work which burns 600-700 calories a day. And then I walked around town a few miles that evening for the other couple hundred calories burned.
Lean only because I have not a lot of curves to speak of. Extra fat goes straight to my belly and not my lovely lady lumps, sadly...
Love other tall girls - nice to meet you too!0 -
For those last few lbs, I found that calorie counting really helped.0
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The last few lbs are definitley are hardest to shed!
I agree with the previous posters. Focusing on strength training is important. Also increasing my calories helped. I had mine set to lose 0.5 lbs per week towards the end.
Another thing is to watch your sodium and focus on clean foods. I really had clean up my diet to shed the last few.0 -
I didn't have any trouble with the last 10 lbs. I increased my calories by changing the setting to .5 lbs per week, and that's all I did differently. Good luck and congrats on your progress so far.
Did you eat back exercise calories or just what the .5 was daily?
I have always eaten back exercise calories. I think it came to 1420 average plus exercise calories for me.0
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