LAST 10lbs BUT stuck, finding it hard and confused as to whats best

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Goldilukes
Goldilukes Posts: 45 Member
edited January 2015 in Getting Started
Hi all,

Hoping for some motivation or a little encouragement since I'm just finding these last 10 lbs so hard to get rid of. I started at 190lbs in 2013 and now I am at 134lbs. I managed to get to 129lbs before the holidays but have just lost all will for this since introducing all my enemy foods back in. They've gotten a hold again of my brain. I still walk every single day but find it so hard now with the winter here.

I lost the majority of my weight on low carb high fat woe and then last year I started calorie counting in the mix to bring it down further but because of my views on fats not being the devil im a little cautious of going low fat too. Im just sitting between 135 & 129lbs up and down throughout the whole of last year, I'm so fed up but every time I get near the 129lbs my brain goes mad making me crave chocolate and giving me headaches which just makes me want to comfort on toast all day until the headaches have passed ( which messes my success up) I can't seem to get passed that magic number.

I'd love to hear from others with similar experiences and any advice that helps you also would be great if you wouldn't mind sharing? Many thanks!
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Replies

  • Walter__
    Walter__ Posts: 518 Member
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    Take a break for a little while. Maybe eat at maintenance for a few weeks until you feel ready to tackle those last 10lbs again.
  • Goldilukes
    Goldilukes Posts: 45 Member
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    Thanks for the thought Walter.

    I suppose I was scared to take a break because then I'd find it harder to get back on track if I took an outright break but I may as well have been honest with myself from the start instead of playing around these last pounds and making myself feel disgustingly guilty and like a damn failure the whole of last year.
  • Just_Ceci
    Just_Ceci Posts: 5,926 Member
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    Change things up a bit. I lost my first 50 lbs by counting calories and riding my bicycle. (I pretty much eat whatever I want only in smaller portions.) When I got stuck, I upped the calories a little and added running into the mix.

    Find activities that you enjoy to add to your routine.

    Also, how tall are you? I'm 5'3" and my body is comfortable at around 135. Maybe you don't really need to lose 10 more lbs?
  • pplastics
    pplastics Posts: 135 Member
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    How tall are you? Maybe 129 is too low for you....headaches and extreme hunger might be your body's way of telling you enough is enough.
  • jahalme
    jahalme Posts: 7
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    Last time I was doing a weight loss program I got stuck for a long time very close to my goal and I finally lost the weight when I decided the number in the scale didn't matter... Just how good I felt ;) it could be stress.
  • Goldilukes
    Goldilukes Posts: 45 Member
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    Well done Ceci on the first 50lbs that's no small feat. I am 5'3 also but I have such a huge stomach area. Tiny arms and legs so I still feel fat. I have pcos though and ive read it's the typical body shape that goes hand in hand with that
  • Goldilukes
    Goldilukes Posts: 45 Member
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    PPlastics im 5'3 and 33 years old. I'm lightly active walking around 30-40 mins briskly every day. I have my cals set at 1300 but I often eat over that and gain so I can't see a way out of this at the moment. Im beginning to wonder if I'm just metabolically challenged. My doc thinks 129 or lower will be perfect for my height and I'm just under overweight BMI so I'm confused.
  • zdyb23456
    zdyb23456 Posts: 1,706 Member
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    I don't have much advice... I feel for you. I'm constantly struggling with the "last 5". I loose it, then gain it back. When I'm on track and strict calorie counting I feel hungry most of the time which after a week or so feels terrible. I start to feel "empty" inside - lol

    I try to focus on fitness goals to distract myself from such a strict diet. It helps some.
  • Goldilukes
    Goldilukes Posts: 45 Member
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    Yes yes Zdyb2345! It's me to a T. I end up feeling so empty and like what's the point in living being this miserable. I do amazing, strip the goal closer then end up with headaches and cravings through the roof. It's becoming a battle and half. I am frightened to start a running/ huge exercise program up because I feel if I don't keep it up im just gonna run right back to this weight it's got to be comfortable and for life or what's the point. Hunger is horrible!
  • tlharin
    tlharin Posts: 143 Member
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    Hi Goldilukes--we're at just about the same point (10ish to go) and proportions, though I'm only 5'1". I've found the same thing: getting to 130 wasn't really that hard, but moving any lower seems really difficult because it inherently has to be such a slow process. So slow, of course, because we need to consume a certain number of calories to be healthy and energized, regardless of the calorie deficit necessary to maintain the speed of our previous weight loss. It's hard to notice losing .5-.7 pounds a week, compared with when I was losing 2 or so a week. But it's still in a generally downward direction, so...

    As disappointing as it is, I think the answer is mostly to just stick with it. Our last 10 or so may take much longer than the beginning of this trip. I'm trying to shake things up by shifting my workouts to something more exciting and plan to keep going, no matter how slow.
  • Goldilukes
    Goldilukes Posts: 45 Member
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    How did you crack the goal in the end Jahalme? i am extremely stressed at times but sleep like a baby and try my best. Have been trying to destress lately to keep my bp down too.
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
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    Strength training is probably your answer. That last 10 pounds isn't going to make that much of a difference in how you look. I'm your same height and the difference between 135 and 125 wasn't really that big for me. When I got there I looked at myself and realized I still had flabby bits and wasn't happy. I fell off the wagon, gained the weight back and started over this year, this time lifting weights as well as running. The difference is huge.

    My weight is still in the low 130s but I'm wearing the same clothes I was wearing at 122-125. There's no more jiggle under my arms and I'm seeing muscle definition in my thighs that I haven't seen in over a decade. I still have a ways to go, and I really do want to lose a couple more inches off my waist, but this time I know I can do it by lifting heavy rather than by killing myself at 1200 calories.
  • pplastics
    pplastics Posts: 135 Member
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    Goldilukes wrote: »
    PPlastics im 5'3 and 33 years old. I'm lightly active walking around 30-40 mins briskly every day. I have my cals set at 1300 but I often eat over that and gain so I can't see a way out of this at the moment. Im beginning to wonder if I'm just metabolically challenged. My doc thinks 129 or lower will be perfect for my height and I'm just under overweight BMI so I'm confused.

    From what I have seen, at your age if you are under 141 you are a healthy weight. I would listen to my body. Discuss the low energy and headaches with your doctor.

    I also agree with SueInAZ. Lifting weights might be the answer to losing inches.
  • Goldilukes
    Goldilukes Posts: 45 Member
    edited January 2015
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    Thanks Sue, funnily enough ive been dying to run lately, probably to warm myself up but have to keep stopping because it gives me a pounding headache. Walking seems to be ok for me and I can walk damn fast without head pounding. I do love to lift heavy but suffer with shoulder and neck stiffness which was made worse by the weights. It's so disheartening. I can do anything with my legs no trouble but up top it's painful. Did you take pics of the comparison 135-125 lbs? Just being 129 for me my face looks much slimmer so I could only imagine Id not recognise myself at 125lbs
  • Goldilukes
    Goldilukes Posts: 45 Member
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    Hi Tharlin,can I ask what your starting weight was and how long it took for you to get to that 130 lbs? I agree it has to be a slow process and I don't mind it being slow because I understand slow and steady wins the race plus you've more of s chance of keeping it off but my problem right now is getting back on track and getting rid of my 5lb rebound demons that keep getting me when the going gets good. Then I can crack through to the next 5 with its set of problems lol
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
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    Goldilukes wrote: »
    Thanks Sue, funnily enough ive been dying to run lately, probably to warm myself up but have to keep stopping because it gives me a pounding headache. Walking seems to be ok for me and I can walk damn fast without head pounding. I do love to lift heavy but suffer with shoulder and neck stiffness which was made worse by the weights. It's so disheartening. I can do anything with my legs no trouble but up top it's painful. Did you take pics of the comparison 135-125 lbs? Just being 129 for me my face looks much slimmer so I could only imagine Id not recognise myself at 125lbs
    Sadly, I didn't take pics because they'd probably motivate me further. Face slimming is actually another reason I'm happier where I am now. Mine is almost too thin when I get down to the middle of the healthy range.

    I'm actually dealing with a pinched nerve in my neck and the resulting muscle stiffness (can't turn my head very far from side to side) and I was able to lift yesterday without a problem. Find moves that don't bother you, there are many different ways to lift. Or, if your lower body isn't a problem, just do lower body strength exercises. Your thighs and butt are some very large muscle and maintaining muscle there will go a long way to helping the process along.

  • SuzieQjones
    SuzieQjones Posts: 1
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    Hi, new to posting but not to the weight loss. 2 years ago after struggling with my weight I peaked at 156 lb. at 5'1 I was so uncomfortable in my own body, when I met my husband in 1995 I rollerbladed and worked out and weight 102. So many life changes to go into, but at 50 and knowing my Dad died of a heart attack at 53 scared me. My daughter had just got married and u just looked so fat in the wedding pictures....
    so something in my brain finally clicked after the wedding and I started going to the gym steadily. Cut out the garbage I was eating...and over 8-9 months I lost 25 lb. By Christmas my coworkers were noticing, it was almost annoying...:-). But I felt great at 126 and 5'1. Started yoga, and fell in love with not only the strength but the mindfulness. So now here we are 2 years later, Mom died last year been traveling and I've slid back. 10lb. I know it's not a lot, but it just keep creeping up!?! So I started back here Monday, keeping track and eating clean.... Sorry for the long winded post. This last 10 will probably be my hardest battle, so I feel you.
  • tlharin
    tlharin Posts: 143 Member
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    Goldilukes wrote: »
    Hi Tharlin,can I ask what your starting weight was and how long it took for you to get to that 130 lbs? I agree it has to be a slow process and I don't mind it being slow because I understand slow and steady wins the race plus you've more of s chance of keeping it off but my problem right now is getting back on track and getting rid of my 5lb rebound demons that keep getting me when the going gets good. Then I can crack through to the next 5 with its set of problems lol

    I peaked at 167, pretty easily lost the first 10-12 pounds by changing junk food/obvious overeating habits and adding easy exercise, and then started using MFP at about 156. The 26 or so pounds I've gotten off--and kept off--took about a year, and then I've been wobbling up and down 3-5 pounds for six months according to my dedication or lack thereof. It's not an impressive pace, that's for sure. But I'm proud of the new habits I have, and am more confident in my ability to keep off weight because I've approached this as a new relationship with my health rather than a "diet."

    You're absolutely right: getting back on track is the roughest part. And we do ourselves no favors beating ourselves up about every misstep or missed week/month/etc. Like running and other laborious and sweaty endeavors (can you tell I don't like running?), it only gets "easier" through practice, by keeping up with it. Alas, I know. Good luck :)

  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    Give this a read: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/737101/relatively-light-people-trying-to-get-leaner/p1
  • cheshirecatastrophe
    cheshirecatastrophe Posts: 1,395 Member
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    Goldilukes wrote: »
    Did you take pics of the comparison 135-125 lbs? Just being 129 for me my face looks much slimmer so I could only imagine Id not recognise myself at 125lbs

    I don't think I have pictures, but, FWIW, I am also 5'3" and 130 to 125 makes a HUGE difference for me. (assuming no body recomp/difference in muscle) My cheekbones suddenly exist and saddlebags disappear. (We have similar body types, it sounds like--flamingo arms and legs.)

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