Last Ten Pounds

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trex_drapes
trex_drapes Posts: 9
in Introduce Yourself
Hi,

I'm new. Have been counting calories on this site for two weeks now. I am at that difficult time where the last ten pounds decides that they will just hang around despite the amount of exercise I do. I figure that I need to make some dietary changes to push me through to the finish.

I'm a31 years old, 5'7" and weighed 180 lbs. when I started trying to lose weight. I put on most of my weight while working on my master's and working full time. The stress and the snacking did me in. I went from a size six to a size twelve in two years. I knew I was gaining, but ignored it, because I was used quick weight loss...in my 20s...oh boy, things have changed.

I currently weigh 169 lbs. I have been sweating like a maniac doing Zumba, Yoga, Kickboxing and intense weight training since November 2010. I began changing my diet...while I was eating better, I was eating too much. I have been able to drop 11 pounds being ignorant about portion control. My goal in being here is to become more aware of appropriate portion and a true reading of what I am putting in my body. I figure if I combine some smarts about eating with my determination to burn fat at the gym...then I can reach my goal.

Losing weight is more difficult than I thougt it would be. I never really looked at myself as "getting" fat. My mother would comment occassionally. It was when I went to visit family out of town that it hit me. Some of them were very open with their disbelief that skinny T was big T now.

So here I am...let's get to getting rid of it!!!

Replies

  • donnadickens
    donnadickens Posts: 19
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    OH MY! Do I agree,,, I'm at my last 10 lbs..and it is hard work.. Stick in there!!!
  • young1726
    young1726 Posts: 347 Member
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    If you're just starting to make that change to control your portions, the last 10 pounds shouldn't be too hard. If it's something you have been doing for a while now, it may take some changin up to get there. You can do it! Good luck! :)
  • DayAtATime
    DayAtATime Posts: 72
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    I am trying to lose that last 10lbs also. I seem to be stuck but if I am totally honest with myself, I am not as rigid with my diet as I was in the beginning. So, I probably need to be more consistent with my "clean" eating and I would drop those last lbs. Just a thought...are you eating or exercising differently than when you lost the first amount of weight?
  • chach918
    chach918 Posts: 80 Member
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    My advice is too add 10% more to your weekly calorie burn. If you are burning 2000 calories a week exercising , make it 2200. Also, unless you are eating 1200 calories a day , drop the amount by 100. Good luck.
  • hpsnickers1
    hpsnickers1 Posts: 2,783 Member
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    Take a look at the links in my signature. "Relatively light and looking to get leaner". Losing weight is about 80% diet so yes eating healthier will help. It's a long post but great reading.

    But when you are already at a healthy weight it makes it so hard to restrict enough calories to make a difference without the risk of sending your body into Starvation Mode (instead of burning fat your body slows down your metabolism and burns through muscle mass while hanging onto fat). You can do cardio until you are blue in the face and it won't help you lose fat but will help you lose muscle mass. If you increase your muscle mass you will increase your metabolism and you will burn more fat during rest, normal daily activities and even sleeping. You won't bulk up. That's almost impossible for women to do.

    Also check out "an Email Response That Might Help Some..." She explains it so well.

    Don't go under 1200. this is a general baseline number for Starvation Mode and a good number to go by. Food is our energy source. If we are not getting enough of it then our body starts thinking "stop burning fat and conserve that fuel". We don't want to lose weight, we want to lose fat. But we can't beat our bodies into submission with exercise. Too much can have a detrimental effect on the body.

    Here is another link: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/190357-wanna-lose-weight-eat-something.

    You might have to search this post. I couldn't get the URL to work.
  • trex_drapes
    trex_drapes Posts: 9
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    Thank you! DonnaD! You too.
  • trex_drapes
    trex_drapes Posts: 9
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    Thank you for the encouragement Younfg1726! Can't wait to report some good news!
  • trex_drapes
    trex_drapes Posts: 9
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    Hi DayataTime,

    I have drastically changed my eating habits over the last two weeks. I read the flat belly diet book based on the recommendation of my husband...who never diets and am following many of the principles described in the book. They have a lot of recipes for 400 calorie meals.

    Honestly, the most helpful part of the book dealt with a discussion on the differences between emotional and physical hunger. I am learning to really understand when my body needs fuel versus craving a donut left in the kitchen at work. I have been teaching myself to stop eating on impulse and that has cut around 400 calories a day if not more!

    You hang in there too. To more directly answer your question,YES, I am eating much better. The first ten came off with the increased activity and cutting fast foods out of my diet.
  • trex_drapes
    trex_drapes Posts: 9
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    Hey, thanks for the advice Chach918!
  • trex_drapes
    trex_drapes Posts: 9
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    Hi HpSnickers,

    Thanks for all of the great resources. I will take a look at these tonight when I get home.

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