Last 10 to 15 "vanity" lbs
ColeyCannoli
Posts: 147
Anyone else out there down to those pesky last ten or so lbs? Are you finding that you have to change things up to keep losing? It seems like since I hit 143 my body has fluctuated a lot more and it is harder to keep that downward trend.
Any advice?
Any advice?
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Replies
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Nope, but if you get any good advice, please let me know, I'm in the same boat!0
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Im stuck too Ive added weights and may try calorie cycling0
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I'm approaching that point, too - would love any pointers...0
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I'm feeling the same way i'm going to try to up the cardio0
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I'm working on my last 5-10. I've found that adding strength training has helped (it boosts your Base Metabolic Rate because muscle burns more than fat, even while resting). Also I have increased duration and intensity. It seems to be taking longer to shed the last few than it did to lose the first 25, but I can definitely see that my body is becoming tighter. Hope that helps.0
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I hit 155lbs and have been stuck here for about 6 months... The reason why it's been so long I think is cause i got so frustrated that I wasn't seeing any changes (inches or weight) that I just threw my hands in the air and said forget it! But I'm gonna try really hard to keep on track with my workouts... I obviously am just too impatient. LoL! I'm also 5'7" and looking to get to 125lbs. I was there before, no reason why I cant get there again!!0
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Same thing here. I have to lose around 8 more pounds, and it has been pretty difficult, I am trying not to focus on the number so much and just develop a lifestyle that is easier to maintain.
I use tumblr, and there is a fitblr community. This entry comes from a blog I follow.
Source: http://noexcuses-justresults.tumblr.com/
1. Do more intense cardio. Your metabolism tends to naturally slow a bit as you lose weight. To offset the sluggishness, try increasing the intensity, but not the length, of your workouts. “This appears to be more effective for burning calories and boosting your metabolic rate than increasing the amount of time you put in,” says Dr. Manson. If you’ve been walking at a moderate pace for 30 minutes, for example, try doing intervals of walking and jogging.
2. Change your strength-training routine. ToningStrength exercises are another great way to increase metabolism, says Wayne Westcott, Ph.D., fitness research director at the South Shore YMCA in Quincy, Massachusetts. That’s because muscle burns at least four times more calories than fat—so the more muscle you have, the leaner you’ll be. He recommends doing at least 20 minutes of strength training, twice a week. But there’s one more key: You have to continually challenge your body to keep getting results. If you’ve been doing your own never-changing workout for months, it’s time to give your body a push. Try learning some new exercises or using heavier dumbbells.
3. Eat a little less. ”One of the things I hear all the time is ‘I haven’t changed a thing, but suddenly I’m not losing weight.’ And I say, ‘Yup, that’s exactly why!’” says Kathy McManus, R.D. “Women often forget that the smaller their body, the fewer calories it requires.” Say, for example, you started off weighing 165; you’d need about 2,475 calories a day to maintain your weight. (That’s if you exercise most days of the week. You’d need less if you’re not as active.) If you get down to 140 pounds, you’ll need only about 2,100 calories—375 fewer calories a day. To figure out your calorie needs, multiply your current weight by 15; that’s roughly the number of calories you need each day to maintain your weight if you’re not exercising regularly. To keep losing, you’ll need to eat less or exercise more—or both.
4. Reevaluate your goal weight. A lot of us have a magic number in our heads—and sometimes, sorry to say, it’s not attainable or even healthy. “You might be struggling because you really shouldn’t be 130 pounds,” says Karen Miller-Kovach, R.D., chief scientist for Weight Watchers International. “Maybe 140 is the right weight for you.” Make sure your goal is a sensible one. You may realize that you’ve been at your healthiest scale number all this time.
5. Give yourself more time. Some women are realistic about how many pounds they should drop, but they often don’t know how long it should take to lose them. In a recent study, for example, women who weighed 200 pounds wanted to get to 140—a reasonable, healthy weight for their height. But they wanted to get there in just two months. Experts agree that to lose that many pounds in a healthy, keep-it-off kind of way, most women would need at least six months. Stick with your healthy habits and be patient—you will get there.
6. Watch what you’re sipping. A large Mango-A-Go-Go smoothie at Jamba Juice, for example, has 660 calories; a 16-ounce Starbucks Strawberries & Creme Frappucino has 580 calories. It’s no wonder that research at Purdue University shows that a majority of the extra calories Americans get come from what we drink—not what we eat. Regular sodas, fruit drinks, high-cal blended coffees and smoothies can pile on hundreds of calories a day. “That’s enough to stop weight loss and cause you to get stuck at your current weight—or even lead to weight gain,” says Dr. Manson. Try sticking to water or seltzer mixed with a splash of fruit juice.
7. Get support. ”The weight loss journey is like running a marathon,” says Miller-Kovach. “Those last few pounds are the most frustrating and slow to come off, and it’s the most likely time for people to give up. If you don’t have people cheering you on during the last bit of it, you’ll be less likely to cross the finish line.” In fact, a recent Australian study found that participants needed extra support during the last six months of a weight loss program in order to keep losing. So get yourself a pep squad. i.e. Tumblr! [MFP also!]0 -
I am in the same boat as ya'll. I have an MFP friend that happens to be a trainer. Here is her response to me this past week!
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For you, I'd have you eating most or all of your exercise calories daily, with a day where you don't eat your exercise calories every third or fourth day. That keeps your metabolism from dropping which it'll do more quickly for you since you're close to your goal weight. Here's a blog post of mine on the subject: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/TrainerRobin/view/myth-or-fact-calories-in-versus-calories-out-3500-calories-one-pound-and-should-i-eat-my-exercise-calories-62012
That'll work for you with the following caveats:
1) Ensure you are measuring your intake properly (see http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/TrainerRobin/view/measuring-versus-weighing-your-food-63132.
2) Take into consideration that when eating prepared meals (e.g., frozen pizza, frozen diet meals, etc.) and when eating out, that the listed calories are typically 20% higher than stated on the label/menu/website. If you eat these things, take the calories they SAY you are eating and multiply it by 1.2 and that'll add the extra calories you're really eating.
3). Ensure your exercise calories are right on since you're eating them. This is critical. Most websites and especially MFP significantly overstates many calorie burn reports (e.g., for a run of mine where I typically burn about 375 calories, MFP will tell me that i've burned almost 700). If we eat those overreported calories, we'll find ourselves not making progress.
4) Ensure you're eating good clean, food rich in fiber. I track fiber as an element on MFP because it helps me keep on track in terms of clean foods. If I'm good on calories but didn't eat super clean, it'll show up in my fiber reported/displayed.
5) Realize that at the point where you are in your journey, you may reasonably expect to lose only a quarter to a half pound a week if you're really, really good with your diet and exercise. IT's slow at this point, which can be frustrating -- which is why many folks never reach that ultimately goal weight. If you can wrap your head around that reality, and deal with it while still living your life, you'll reach your goals!! It won't be easy ... harder than the rest of your journey for sure ... but it's doable.
I hope that helps you out. If you need anything else from me, don't hesitate to ask.
The best of luck to you!!!
Robin
Robin can be found on MFP under TrainerRobin but she does have criteria she sets to accept your request on her profile! :happy:0 -
Ugh! You're singin' my number. I hit 142 and had to work VERY hard to lose another 1/2 pound. This week, I'm trying to cycle my calories and I actually cut out some of the cardio after reading some articles that seemed to indicate that strength training is much more effective at this stage. Still doing some pilates though...
Let me know if you find something that works for you!0
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