Losing much more slowly closer to goal. HELP!

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Lisa1971
Lisa1971 Posts: 3,069 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
This is so frustrating! I have 13 more lbs to go until I reach my goal and my losses have slowed dramatically. It's only about a pound every 3 weeks and I hate it!

I've increased my exercise and decreased my calories and nothing is helping. I'm drinking a TON of water everyday and my sodium is very low.

Any suggestions?

Replies

  • brooklynsfinestballerina
    brooklynsfinestballerina Posts: 136
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    Maybe you're not eating enough..
  • JacksMom12
    JacksMom12 Posts: 1,044 Member
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    I"m pretty sure that's normal.
  • mangorabbit
    mangorabbit Posts: 219 Member
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    Unfortunately, patience. The closer you get the harder it will be. (Less of you to burn calories, etc etc) I have read people suggesting a break from trying to lose and going to maintenance or similar for a bit to help 'shock' your metabolism back into burning more, but I have no data to back that up.

    Be strong, you CAN do this!
  • WifeMomDVM
    WifeMomDVM Posts: 1,025 Member
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    I can't see your diary, but for me the key to losing the last few pounds is really cleaning up the diet. And I mean CLEAN. If it comes in a box or a can, don't eat it. Make everything from scratch - lots of lean meats, lots of fresh fruit and veggies, avoid all the "white" carbohydrates - rice, bread, potatoes.

    Nothing to drink but water.

    And remember, while slow.... 1 lb every 3 weeks is STILL progress. Don't get frustrated - you want to be able to lose it and keep it off for life, so best to just nail down all the habits required right now. :)
  • Paige1108
    Paige1108 Posts: 432 Member
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    The closer I got to my goal the more important it became for me to eat all, and I mean all my calories. I set my rate of loss at .5lbs/ week, this is recommended all over the site for the last 10ish lbs and I ate all my calories and all my exercise calories and I lost about .5lbs every ten days. If I didn't eat all my calories I would not lose.

    Your body is now reaching a very healthy place and it's happy to continue to burn fat, if it's always getting enough food to make it run, but if you skimp on the food now your body will happily save the energy (as fat) for when it needs it.

    I hope that made sense, I'm not a writer. Good luck on your journey.
  • purpadillo
    purpadillo Posts: 45 Member
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    As someone else suggested, you may not be eating enough. Also, are you doing more of the same exercises or different exercises? Your body will eventually get in tune with the same exercises and it will be harder to move so you need to change it up. I was stuck in a slump for a long time and I totally switched up my exercising (went from mostly treadmill to the stair climber). I got things moving again. When I did run, I did intervals and tried to avoid just running at a steady pace.
  • davisrl0
    davisrl0 Posts: 93 Member
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    I dont necessarily have any advice, because Im in the same boat as you. Im here looking for suggestions too, and to say that I can totally understand your frustrations. I've been on a 2 month long plateau. VERY frustrating, yes....but what Im doing is a new way of life and I try and look at it that way. Whether I lose or not, the way Im eating and moving my body every day is good for me and it makes me healthier every day. I am committed for the long haul (been working on it for 11 months). Ive lost 58 pounds and want to go 10 more, but these 10 are NOT budging. Ive tried everything from cutting calories, to adding calories, changing exercising, resting...I feel like Ive tried it all. Im 5'4" and 146-147 lbs, so Ive got the 10 more to lose.... but its stuck. I actually went down to 145.5 last week for the first time and then I popped right back up to 147. So, I dont know. Im SO close to my goal and these last 2 months have been nothing short of frustrating. But we can do it. We can stick with it. No matter how long it takes, as long as we are making the good choices, it will happen...eventually. :wink:
  • varnerific
    varnerific Posts: 48 Member
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    Lisa, I can't see what your final goal is, but I'm curious. How tall are you? You said you're 133 and a size 4/6. How much smaller are you wanting to go? I think you and I both started at 196. I'm only down to 147 now but my final goal is 135 an I'm 5'8". Maybe your body just doesn't want to go any smaller. ???
  • 4theking
    4theking Posts: 1,196 Member
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    As you get closer to your goal you have to get more creative to get the results you want. Try eating your days carbs in a short window 3-4 hours in the evening. Also, have one day a week that you eat over maint. calories. For exercise choose intense, short duration workouts.
  • Lisa1971
    Lisa1971 Posts: 3,069 Member
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    Lisa, I can't see what your final goal is, but I'm curious. How tall are you? You said you're 133 and a size 4/6. How much smaller are you wanting to go? I think you and I both started at 196. I'm only down to 147 now but my final goal is 135 an I'm 5'8". Maybe your body just doesn't want to go any smaller. ???

    I am 5'4. :smile:
  • lupa01
    lupa01 Posts: 162 Member
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    Unfortunately, patience. The closer you get the harder it will be. (Less of you to burn calories, etc etc) I have read people suggesting a break from trying to lose and going to maintenance or similar for a bit to help 'shock' your metabolism back into burning more, but I have no data to back that up.

    Be strong, you CAN do this!

    (Less of you to burn calories, etc etc)
    Never looked at it that way but makes sense.
  • Sublog
    Sublog Posts: 1,296 Member
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    This is so frustrating! I have 13 more lbs to go until I reach my goal and my losses have slowed dramatically. It's only about a pound every 3 weeks and I hate it!

    I've increased my exercise and decreased my calories and nothing is helping. I'm drinking a TON of water everyday and my sodium is very low.

    Any suggestions?

    Its normal. Weight loss is not linear, and as you lean out, your weight loss usually slows. Just be consistent and patient.
  • TinaDay1114
    TinaDay1114 Posts: 1,328 Member
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    I dont necessarily have any advice, because Im in the same boat as you. Im here looking for suggestions too, and to say that I can totally understand your frustrations. I've been on a 2 month long plateau. VERY frustrating, yes....but what Im doing is a new way of life and I try and look at it that way. Whether I lose or not, the way Im eating and moving my body every day is good for me and it makes me healthier every day. I am committed for the long haul (been working on it for 11 months). Ive lost 58 pounds and want to go 10 more, but these 10 are NOT budging. Ive tried everything from cutting calories, to adding calories, changing exercising, resting...I feel like Ive tried it all. Im 5'4" and 146-147 lbs, so Ive got the 10 more to lose.... but its stuck. I actually went down to 145.5 last week for the first time and then I popped right back up to 147. So, I dont know. Im SO close to my goal and these last 2 months have been nothing short of frustrating. But we can do it. We can stick with it. No matter how long it takes, as long as we are making the good choices, it will happen...eventually. :wink:

    I am in the EXACT same boat as the OP, as davisr10, and Paige1108!!
    I am 5' 5" and within the last 4 lbs. of my goal, and have gained/lost the same 3 or 4 lbs. over and over and over again over the last 2 months, even at 1/2 lb. a week, mixing up the exercise, and eating back all my calories.

    I think it's true that it's this way for a LOT of people when they get within the last 5-10 lbs. Hang in there -- we're struggling too!! But I think we can do this, over time.

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