I cant lose the last bit of weight. NEED ADVICE!

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ashleyrae2188
ashleyrae2188 Posts: 2
in Health and Weight Loss
I am 5'8" and when I started I was 234 pounds. I currently am 156.3 however the lowest I have gotten has been 153.9. For about a month now it has been so hard for me to lose weight. My goal is to get down to 145/140. Not sure yet which one because I don't want to look like I'm too skinny (if that makes sense). I was eating 1200 calories per day and entering my workouts which gave me more calories and was at a standstill so I tried upping my calories to 1360 and not counting my workouts. I usually workout 4-5 times per week and my workouts consist of eliptical, going for walks, zumba classes at my gym strength training and for about 3 weeks now I have been weight lifting with my boyfriend. I try to eat as healthy as I can and try to be mindful of protein which can sometimes be hard for me because I don't eat red meat and don't enjoy eating white meat all that much as well. I am beginning to really feel hopeless. Any advice I would really appreciate.

Thank you
Ashley

Replies

  • harleigh67
    harleigh67 Posts: 131
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    Everyone's body composition is different,

    If I were you I would check your closest hospital or large university to see if they have a BOD POD. Go have the test done It is highly accurate,doesn't take long. it can detect even small changes in body fat and lean body mass (i.e., muscle, bones and organs). Body composition is one of the best indicators of overall health. The feedback you receive from your BOD POD test can be used to measure the success of your nutrition and/or exercise program, monitor for obesity, a risk factor for major diseases, like stroke and diabetes, help you lose or gain body fat safely, fine tune your athletic performance and more.

    It would let you know if you should or can lose those last few pounds.
  • AmyWininger
    AmyWininger Posts: 150 Member
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    I'm 5'8 and I'm stuck at 155 as well!! Lowest I've been was 154.0! I keep hovering around this weight. :( I know how you feel.
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
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    For those last few pounds, it all comes down to accuracy of logging.

    1. Plan on only losing 0.5 lbs per week (set MFP to that goal).
    2. Weigh and measure everything.
    3. Make sure you are not over estimating your calorie burns.
    4. Try setting protein to 1g per lb of lean body mass.
  • ashleyrae2188
    ashleyrae2188 Posts: 2
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    So should I set mfp to losing .5 lb per week and then also manually input my workouts into mfp?
  • Edensienna
    Edensienna Posts: 180 Member
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    I have less than 10lbs to go and it's very difficult to lose.

    .5 lbs per week is pretty optimistic. My body wants to hold these last few pounds and its been an uphill battle. Trying to stay motivated is a real challenge. I would like to read any suggestions for shifting here last few pounds. That goal is in sight!
  • SPNLuver83
    SPNLuver83 Posts: 2,050 Member
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    If you were eating 1200 calories and eating back your cals and now switched to a straight 1360 without eating back you didnt up your calories, you decreased them. If you are going to strength train and lose the last bit (which you need to strength train to do so kudos for making that choice!) then you NEED to actually up your calories. Eating that low will only cause your body to eat your muscle, not build it. And the more muscle you have, the faster your metabolism and the more fat you burn.

    At 5'8 you should probably be eating AT LEAST 1600-1800 a day. AT LEAST. Up your calories, strength train at least 3 times a week and I can bet your fat will start coming off.
  • PEIIslandGirl100
    PEIIslandGirl100 Posts: 62 Member
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    Hello! Same boat! It sucks! Lets all log like crazy - measure and weigh EVERYTHING!
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
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    So should I set mfp to losing .5 lb per week and then also manually input my workouts into mfp?

    Yes, that is what I would do.
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
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    If you were eating 1200 calories and eating back your cals and now switched to a straight 1360 without eating back you didnt up your calories, you decreased them. If you are going to strength train and lose the last bit (which you need to strength train to do so kudos for making that choice!) then you NEED to actually up your calories. Eating that low will only cause your body to eat your muscle, not build it. And the more muscle you have, the faster your metabolism and the more fat you burn.

    At 5'8 you should probably be eating AT LEAST 1600-1800 a day. AT LEAST. Up your calories, strength train at least 3 times a week and I can bet your fat will start coming off.

    All of this is assuming her calorie inputs were correct, as in weighing and measuring everything. Which we can't do, given the information she has provided.
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
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    For those last few pounds, it all comes down to accuracy of logging.

    1. Plan on only losing 0.5 lbs per week (set MFP to that goal).
    2. Weigh and measure everything.
    3. Make sure you are not over estimating your calorie burns.
    4. Try setting protein to 1g per lb of lean body mass.

    This.

    The last 10 lbs is where I found that I really had to weigh my food, not just rely on measuring cups.
  • Ejourneys
    Ejourneys Posts: 1,603 Member
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    I recommend checking your body fat percentage. Also, keep in mind that the closer you get to goal, the slower the pounds come off. That's a good thing, because it means there's a better chance those pounds will stay off.

    I'm 5'5" and 152 right now, and with daily weighings I can fluctuate up to 153.5. My goal is 150. However, my body fat percentage according to my calipers is 27.6, which places me in the middle of "ideal" for a woman my age.

    chart-lg.jpg

    My longest plateau so far has been for 48 days. Since the beginning of my weight loss I have had the goal to lose a half pound per week, though my current average is still slightly above that, even with the slowdowns. I'll get there when I get there, but I rely on my body fat percentage more than I rely on the scale.
  • yfdery
    yfdery Posts: 1 Member
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    I've actually tried to lose my last 10lbs for a long time now. I thought that just cutting carbs alone would help, but I realized that I needed to do more because it wasn't helping. I'm 5'7, currently at 157.8lbs (from 168). So, I lost 9.7lbs in about 3wks. I think that my issue was sugar intake. So I cut back on pastas (unless it was whole wheat & low servings), cut out the sodas (I now drink 1 can of a diet drink at least once a month now--if I do drink it, its a half glass per meal), drink plenty of water (4 glasses a day), and eat more protein & vegetables (excluding carrots and corn because of the sugar). Since I work from home, I get bored easily and so I am always looking for something to eat. So I do a protein bar or shake with water for breakfast, for a snack I do the same, for lunch or dinner, have a big portion of a salad or a fish with veggies or whatever you would like that is low in carbs and sugars, and then a bar/shake with water for dinner. My appetite has decreased and I don't crave for sugary snacks at night anymore. If I do crave something sweet, I eat special k cereal with unsweetened almond milk, and exercise. Its worked for me so far. Even over thanksgiving (which is a challenge that I've NEVER won), I lost 2lbs because I watched my servings and I wasn't craving anything. Give it a try, you can always adjust your meals to what works for you. It was killing me at first because like I said before, I always wanted to eat something, but one I got the right protein bars & shakes, its worked out great.
  • SPNLuver83
    SPNLuver83 Posts: 2,050 Member
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    we can't but she can.
  • bob_day
    bob_day Posts: 87
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    Return to the path that got you from 234 pounds to 156.3.
  • Loseitdolly
    Loseitdolly Posts: 13 Member
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    The last 10 are so tricky. I have been maintaining at my old weight loss cals for awhile which is frustrating because I feel like I am doing everything right. I just started the JUDDD calorie cycling thing and the weight is coming off. The premise is similar to calorie cycling, but whatever science it is based on it works! In just one week (including a very indulgent Thursday and Friday thanksgiving feast) I have gone below a plateau weight I haven't seen since before my pregnancy 3 years ago! There is a JUDDD forum on MFP too, just not very active but has some old info. And the down days are not fun at first but get way easier after the first couple.
  • baranthal
    baranthal Posts: 3
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    I've run into this same roadblock myself. The last few pounds, especially if your trying to get to a pretty low body fat % is all about the type of foods that your eating. Eating a clean diet, incorporating a resistance program will help grind away those last few pounds. During large scale weight loss, you were losing, fat, lean muscle mass, and water. At the end of your weight loss period, you really don't have much lean muscle mass/water to lose anymore so it becomes much more difficult, and your diet/exercise routines have to be a bit more strict.

    Hope it helps, I'm struggling to get down to a 9-10% body fat % myself right now.. and it sucks balls.

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