How I lost the “last 5 pounds”

I’m 63 yo, 5’2” and maintained at 129 for 8 months at 1200 cal as well as eating half my exercise calories back. But, I wanted to be in the 125 range. I was happy I figured out how to maintain, which involved very strict counting during the week and some sloppy counting over the weekends where nibble food seems to be everywhere. If I overshot too much I didn’t record it, maybe 2-3 meals a month.

In 6 weeks I’ve lost 5 pounds and I did two things. I decided to record ALL food all the time, and if I got hungry, binge type hungry (always at night) I ate an ice cream bar. That would put me over by 200 calories or so, end the craving, was yummy, and didn’t slow my weight loss of a pound a week (which I didn’t think I could do at my age and size). The key was not to get really hungry, and for me, eating a piece of meat or cup of grapes wasn’t going to cut it. I needed something high fat and, well, decadent. Klondike ice cream bar to the rescue!

I wanted to post because it always comes back to the basics. Record in log, stay within calorie count, and so on. Even for the last 5 pounds. Even if you go over a little. If you go over a lot, you will sabbotage your hard work. If you get into binge mode, are you eating enough? Always the same and if things get “stuck” then go back to these basics because if I can lose 5# at my age, height and weight, I figure anyone can. Now, of course, comes maintaining at my new weight.
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Replies

  • Evamutt
    Evamutt Posts: 2,261 Member
    great post
  • swim777
    swim777 Posts: 599 Member
    Great post! Thanks!
  • workinonit1956
    workinonit1956 Posts: 1,043 Member
    I don’t log my “NEAT stuff” either. The way I look at it, it’s part of my everyday activity and thus supports my “lightly active” choice on here. I have my Fitbit connected to MyFitnessPal, and eat back the calories that I get from that. The Fitbit automatically records my walking for exercise, the only thing I manually enter is Pilates, and that is really more to have a record of purposeful exercise because it doesn’t burn very many calories.