20 lbs

My sister gripes that every time she gets near goal weight, within a few pounds, she self sabotages. Probably not quite the same thing you're going through though.

Once a person gets off track it can be a challenge to get back on. I started with needing to lose 20# again this year. I now have 15 to go. It feels so much easier and definitely more fun on the gaining end of things than it does this losing side. But I'm hanging in there, every # lost is heading back in the right direction. What if you plan some new meals or try a new routine of activity to make it all new and interesting again? Plus in new stats and start over with a clean slate and new mindset?

Twenty pounds isn't that much so it'll take some time and patience to your goals so look at it half a pound at a time. Try to be kind to yourself every day; you can definitely do this.

I have approx 20 lbs left to lose. It's definitely slower going than the first 40. It's like once I hit 179, my ability to lose went out the window. I am down 8 pounds from that point, but it felt like it took forever. My doctor wanted me to slow down the weight loss, and it seems like my body took his words to heart.

I'm at 171 now but want to get down to at least 150. I am hopeful that I will lose that within 4 months (5 pounds a month) putting me at my goal around May/June. I know from previous weight loss diets, when my loss slowed down, I got frustrated and sabotaged my diet. I am determined not to do that this time.

If I don't make goal by June, I am willing to extend my efforts to September, before my birthday. I started at the end of August 2021. If it takes me a year, I will be happy. I know from reading various posts, that weight loss starts to slow when you don't have as much to lose. As unhappy as that makes me, I will do my best to be patient. Maybe eat at maintenance for a couple of weeks. That gives you more calories to satisfy the urge to overeat. Then start over. During my time here, I've kept track daily of what I've eaten and what the scale put me at. There were a few days where I ate closer to maintenance than a deficit, and when I started eating at a deficit, I lost again. I didn't believe that my metabolism could be tricked, but it seems to be the case. Or my body was ready again.

Good luck to everyone! Do your best to hang in there! A lot of us are in the same boat.

I've had 15 lbs that I've wanted to lose for the last couple years lol. It gets really hard when you're already a healthy weight and just want to lose a little bit more. My problem is I keep trying to do it without counting calories because I just don't find it to be a sustainable way to live But I just can't seem to get the weight off without doing it. It's so easy to gain weight and so hard to lose it. I'll think I'm doing really good, eating-wise. Eating sensible meals, not snacking too much. But then I add up the calories and I'm over! So frustrating. I don't want to be hungry!

angela_boinkers wrote: »

I’m in the same boat. I have about 20 lbs to lose, I’m at the top of a healthy bmi but have a gut…I can’t tell how many calories I should be eating.

Post your stats and we can help you determine your calorie intake if you like. Age, height, weight and activity level.

Plasicage wrote: »

I'm back to losing those last 20lbs after taking 4 month and 5lb weight gain break too.
This past 2 weeks; I didn't let myself go hungry, logged everything, ended up running 8 to 10km per day to have enough calorie allowance, and the scale is barely moving!! It attempted to move to 1lb loss. But it's so frustrating.
At least, I hoped, those first 5 lbs can come off easier. But no.

I get the whole going to sleep to avoid the hunger misery.
When I'm at work I consume a lot of caffeine/black coffee to get over the hunger. Even at home during the day.

I'm convinced that if I take the slower more balanced approach; tracking everything forever, focusing on muscle gains and some running but not everyday, just a slight calorie deficit, I would be better off in a year than giving up altogether again. But then results are super slow to come. Ugh 😔

Better to try then not.

The bolded would be true. In addition, taking that approach - doing something sustainable long term - is more of a help in understanding how to maintain a healthy weight permanently.

Aggressive loss rates, extreme expectation, punitively intense exercise, overly restrictive eating: That's an on-ramp to yo-yo loss and regain, realistically. Find relatively easy-to-sustain habits that lead you to a healthy weight, keep you there long term, without white-knuckled willpower or motivation. The time is going to pass regardless: Use it to find a sustainable long-term way of being, would be my advice.

Signed,

Year 6+ of maintenance, after losing from class 1 obese to healthy weight, after around 30 years previous of obesity.

AnnPT77 wrote: »

Plasicage wrote: »

I'm back to losing those last 20lbs after taking 4 month and 5lb weight gain break too.
This past 2 weeks; I didn't let myself go hungry, logged everything, ended up running 8 to 10km per day to have enough calorie allowance, and the scale is barely moving!! It attempted to move to 1lb loss. But it's so frustrating.
At least, I hoped, those first 5 lbs can come off easier. But no.

I get the whole going to sleep to avoid the hunger misery.
When I'm at work I consume a lot of caffeine/black coffee to get over the hunger. Even at home during the day.

I'm convinced that if I take the slower more balanced approach; tracking everything forever, focusing on muscle gains and some running but not everyday, just a slight calorie deficit, I would be better off in a year than giving up altogether again. But then results are super slow to come. Ugh 😔

Better to try then not.

The bolded would be true. In addition, taking that approach - doing something sustainable long term - is more of a help in understanding how to maintain a healthy weight permanently.

Aggressive loss rates, extreme expectation, punitively intense exercise, overly restrictive eating: That's an on-ramp to yo-yo loss and regain, realistically. Find relatively easy-to-sustain habits that lead you to a healthy weight, keep you there long term, without white-knuckled willpower or motivation. The time is going to pass regardless: Use it to find a sustainable long-term way of being, would be my advice.

Signed,

Year 6+ of maintenance, after losing from class 1 obese to healthy weight, after around 30 years previous of obesity.

Thanks!

I'm working on some 'lifestyle habit' changes now.
I knew on my 'diet break' that I was over eating, stopped at 5lb gain, and now back at it. So I have made some behavioral changes already. I'm fairly happy with my diet overall, not going back to previous foods, I just need to work on those binge periods. Like stress induced work comforting snacking, or eating out after not having properly timed meals and starving, watching tv and bored, etc.

Once a month, or every 2 weeks, is ok to indulge with friends, but snapping right back is an art form.

I noticed all my super skinny friends found the balance trade off between eating out, workouts, general eating, and maintaining slimness. I'm aiming there too.

I've gotten so much better at snapping right back into it the past year. I'm think I just told myself I had to. Especially after vacation.

I don't know how to control the binge eating. Wished I knew how to train my mind not to.

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OP, you said it yourself... "it's just plain overeating."

The closer to you get to goal, the harder it is. Now is not the time to give in and go over your deficit. Stay the course and the weight will come off. It's usually slower, but it will come off if you stick with it.

At 20 lbs, your deficit should be set to lose between 1/2-1 pound a week. If you're hungry all the time, set it to 1/2 pound.

I'm within 5-8lbs of my goal and still losing steadily, but I do NOT go over my deficit. Ever. One day is enough to derail me for a week or two.

Walkywalkerson wrote: »

Thanks for the replies and advice 😊
The refeeding thread is enlightening and will definitely try that.
And I have set my calories at half a pound a week loss and see if that helps with the hunger.
I think an extra 200/250 calories a day will really help.

Please do keep in mind, though, that a slow fat loss rate can play peek-a-boo on the scale with normal water/waste fluctuations for a surprisingly long time. Speaking as someone who's done a "go slow" thing for some months fairly recently - admittedly maybe slower than 250 deficit, even - there were multiple weeks that the scale hinted I wasn't losing, and even my weight trending app started to agree . . . but eventually, the expected loss emerged from the fog, longer term. Hang in there!