Only needing to lose a few pounds?

beautyforashes0890 · August 2018

My clothes have been getting snug and I weigh a few more pounds than I’d really like. I’m still in the healthy range, just not happy with how clothes fit and whatnot. I also tend to put a couple of pounds a year, which adds up in the long run. (About 10 lbs more than I was 4 years ago) I’m eating at a deficit + exercising which seems to be successful so far .. but I’m curious if the weight will come off slower since I’m at a Lower weight to begin with?

L1zardQueen · August 2018

The last few pounds are the slowest. You need to be accurate with your calorie counting, there will not be much room for error.

Do you use a food scale? Do you pick the correct entries in the database? Do you exercise? How do you determine your calorie burns, if you do?

beautyforashes0890 · August 2018

I don’t use a food scale, but I measure everything including sauces. When in doubt, I overestimate the calories (if I eat out or something). I try to double check all food labels. And I do HIIT workouts, logging as circuit training. I only eat half back of those calories unless I’m extra hungry.

booksandchocolate12 · August 2018

A food scale is more accurate than measuring cups. And since you only need to lose a few pounds, you need to be as accurate as possible.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XpHykP6e_Uk

nat8199 · August 2018

I have been working on losing just about 8-10 pounds this summer to get from clothes being too tight to my ideal weight. It has been a slow process, but definitely possible. I don’t weigh my food either and use the same process as you with measuring and overestimating if I feel I should. I have also had some weeks where I lose nothing from the scale, but then suddenly lose 1-2 the next week. I think patience and persistence is key.

sardelsa · August 2018

It can be slower for some since you have less wiggle room in your deficit. If what you are doing is working that is great, but you may at some point break out the food scale for more accurate logging if you find yourself stalling. Keep in mind water weight fluctuations can mask progress at this point. Patience and consistency.

nooshi713 · August 2018

I'm on my last 15 lbs. I weigh everything. The process is slow.

beautyforashes0890 · August 2018

I’ve been considering a food scale, especially if my weight doesn’t budge for the next couple of weeks. Any recommendations for an affordable one??

RadishEater · August 2018

Got mine for about 15$ from wegmans. It’s the Taylor brand.
Most useful features are
1 being digital
2 can do grams and pounds/ounces
And most importantly 3 the tare button which lets you zero the scale with a bowl or food on it.

Also weighing things is less hassle then measuring out food with cups and what not because you don’t have to worry about your accuracy since the scale does that for you.

RadishEater · August 2018

And yes being in the healthy range and trying to lose the last couple of pounds generally will lead to a slower weight loss.
But it’s a good prep for maintenance, where you will pick a range and perpetually lose and gain within it.

DoubleUbea · August 2018

beautyforashes0890 wrote: »

I’ve been considering a food scale, especially if my weight doesn’t budge for the next couple of weeks. Any recommendations for an affordable one??

HERE IS a two minute review of a food scale by a MFP user. I picked up this scale for under $12 with free delivery. (in the video he says $10)

AnnPT77 · August 2018

sardelsa wrote: »

It can be slower for some since you have less wiggle room in your deficit. If what you are doing is working that is great, but you may at some point break out the food scale for more accurate logging if you find yourself stalling. Keep in mind water weight fluctuations can mask progress at this point. Patience and consistency.

This.

It kind of gets under my skin when people say "the last few pounds are the slowest", without explanation.

Experientially, it is true for many. (For sure, it's going to be harder in practice - because of compliance and energy levels - to maintain a high loss rate with little left to lose). Arithmetically, it's certainly true for people who stay at the same calorie level as their weight drops (and their TDEE drops along with it, all other things being equal). Losing slower with only a few pounds to lose IMO should be slower, because going slower reduces health risk.

But I've seen nothing that says someone who can and does maintain a 1000 calorie daily deficit (vs. their own real TDEE) is going to lose fewer than 2 pounds a week. Sure, compliance will be more difficult (maybe literally arithmetically impossible, since ya gotta eat something sometime, or keel over). Sure, fatigue and weakness will more than likely drag down TDEE.

Speaking personally, my loss rate slowed down because I slowed it down intentionally.

OP, loss rate should be slow with only a few pounds to lose, because losing fast is a health risk, and who needs a health risk? With 10 pounds to go, a loss rate more than 0.5 pounds a week is likely to have some kind of negative consequences, over a period of time.

As that slow a rate is a 250 calorie daily deficit on average, and a 250 calorie error is pretty easy to accumulate in various ways, meticulous tracking becomes more important to success, as sardelsa says. So does consciously keeping your daily activity high (avoiding subtly resting more, basically) and your exercise intensity up (not letting fatigue creep in).

Also, you'll be amazed how much easier and quicker weighing food is than measuring it, once you learn the tricks. Greater accuracy is a bonus.

Best wishes for great success!

Maxxitt · August 2018

I find the last pounds slowest because the deficit necessary to lose more than a pound and a half a month puts me below a healthy # of calories for my age, height and weight.

spiriteagle99 · August 2018

I came on MFP with only 8 pounds to lose, the result of two long road trips that included more junk food and less exercise. I lost a pound a week for 8 weeks, largely by going back to healthy eating and exercise. Logging my food meant I had to really think about what I was eating rather than eating mindlessly. After I got to my goal, I stayed on MFP because I wanted to maintain that loss. I ended up losing 10 more pounds, since it took a while to figure out my actual maintenance level. Also I never weigh food, so I generally overestimated what I eat, rather than underestimating. I've managed to maintain the loss for over a year. So no, it doesn't have to be difficult to lose the last few pounds.

Only needing to lose a few pounds?

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