10 Pounds or Less

when you don't have much to lose <15-20 lbs, you should actually eat more than if you have more to lose. Try changing your goal to lose 0.5 lbs/week and make sure to eat back your exercise calories. When you don't have much to lose you don't need a large caloric deficit. If your deficit is too large you risk burning muscle, instead of fat, to use as fuel. Also when you get to this point it is better to focus on BF% and how you look and feel vs a number on the scale.

I have to post this again:

http://www.hussmanfitness.org/html/TPAdaptation.html

The law of unintended consequences

Your body is an amazing feedback system aimed at balance and survival. Humans are at the top of the food chain because they are able to adapt to their environment. Every action produces a reaction. Every change in its environment triggers a survival response. It's important to keep that in mind when you plan your fitness program. If you treat your body as an enemy to be conquered, you'll produce unintended results.

For example, if you severely cut off the supply of food to your body, it will defend itself by slowing down its metabolism to survive starvation. The body will shed muscle mass the same way that you would throw cargo from a plane that was low on fuel, and it will reduce its thyroid activity to conserve energy. The body will also actually defend its fat stores. In anorexia, muscle loss can be so profound that fat as a percentage of body weight actually rises. Extreme carbohydrate restriction also causes muscle loss, dehydration, and slower metabolism, which is why even successful Atkins dieters can have a significant rebound in weight after they stop the diet (don't worry – the advice on this site will prevent that from happening).

As another example, if you put your body under stress through overexertion and lack of sleep, it will respond by slowing down, reducing muscle growth, and increasing your appetite for junk food, carbohydrates and fat. If you feed your body excessive amounts of sugar and quickly digested carbohydrates, and it will shut off its ability to burn fat until those sugars are taken out of the bloodstream.

This website will show you how to work with your body to quickly produce the changes you want. In order to do that, you need to take actions that push your body to adapt – to build strength, burn fat, and increase fitness. You need a training program, not an exercise routine. You need a nutrition plan, not a diet. You need a challenge, not a few good habits you usually try to follow except when you don't.

I only had 10 pounds to lose (I lost 8 before switching my focus to strength/resistance training). Definitely choose .5 per week and eat back all calories you burned during exercise. If you do dip under 1200 don't do for more than a couple of days.

I'd like to squeak in- I have nine pounds to go! I've had really good success starting out by lowering carbs to <100 per day and upping my protein. My macros on MFP are 40% carbs, 30% protein, and 30% fat. Also, are you taking measurements? If you're exercising, you might be starting to put on some muscle, which is denser than fat, so your weight might not change a lot in a given period of time.

Anyway, last-ten-pounds high five! We can do this!

I find that I usually am on a seesaw - lose 2, gain 3, lose 1, gain 2, etc - very frustrating. Any helpful ideas? I haven't posted a weight loss amount for the above reason as this happens every week :grumble: . I'm looking for friends that are in the same situation as me-we can help each other succeed!

I am also on my last ten pounds. Ugh! I have been at a standstill for weeks! I am almost wondering if it's my body's way of telling me that I don't need to lose the last ten? I am 5' 9" and weigh 140. My goal is 130, but I have literally been hovering between 138-140 since December. I have NOT been able to get below 137. I wonder if I am missing something, or if my body is telling me to stop. I would be okay at 140, but I have a bit of a pooch about the belly still, that I want GONE! I would love to join a last ten pounds club, as it's pretty obvious that I need advice:)

Jenn

Are you eating your exersise calories ? Are you drinking enough water? getting enough sleep?

You might also find the links below helpful...

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficit


This is just a part of it! please read the link above


Generally someone with a BMI over 32 can do a 1000 calorie a day (2 lbs a week) deficit
With a BMI of 30 to 32 a deficit of 750 calories is generally correct (about 1.5 lbs a week)
With a BMI of 28 to 30 a deficit of 500 calories is about right (about 1 lb a week)
With a BMI of 26 to 28 a deficit of about 300 calories is perfect (about 1/2 lb a week)
and below 26... well this is where we get fuzzy. See now you're no longer talking about being overweight, so while it's still ok to have a small deficit, you really should shift your focus more towards muscle tone, and reducing fat. This means is EXTRA important to eat your exercise calories as your body needs to KNOW it's ok to burn fat stores, and the only way it will know is if you keep giving it the calories it needs to not enter the famine response (starvation mode)



Good luck on your journey

I'm down to my last 8-10, too. Have been seeing a steady decrease the past 6 weeks, so I hope that keeps up! But I would love some friends for motivation on here! Send me a request!

I exercise pretty intensely 6 days a week, sometimes 2 times a day (I am training for a Tough Mudder April 9, a half marathon May 16, and a full marathon in the fall - either NYC or Philly). I've been trying to cycle my calories through the week, I find that it helps with hunger on days that I work out 3+ hours and keeping my body "guessing" on off or lower intensity days. By cycle I mean I try to average 1300-1600 for the week, but go over and under that daily. For example my net caloies would look like: M 1200, T 1600, W 1100, R 1500, etc. etc.

To lady doing 1.5 hr bootcamp every day..Too much cardio..u r probably eatong into your muscle mass..
Remember muscle mass jncreases metabolic rate..which
Equals more kcal burned at rest.
Switch up routine and add strength training 3x wk at
high weight 8-12 reps for 45 -60 min..and vary cardio..high intensity
interval training most effective..
Try tabata intervals 3x week before strenght training sessions..
Google for tabata protocol instructions.

Lisa N.
(I am a Personal trainer)