Those last three lbs!

So recently I gained about 5 lbs andhave been able to lose 2 lbs. But nnow that I have the last three to go it's getting really hard! I wanna do it the right way and NOT starve myself but I just keep gaining and losinf the same 1 lb. I was able to lose weight before and keep it off now tho it just seems much harder! 

Funnyface -

Patience.   3500 calorie deficit is necessary for that 1 lb per week.  Up the exercise, drink plenty of water, and watch the sodium.

Log everything to make sure you aren't hiding more calories then you think.  Depending on your size, how tall etc.  You could take it more aggressive, but that's just short term. 

The better thing.   500-600 calories less a day then you burn.   We have a good group weigh in on Monday's in the 6-10 lb group.  Check it out and join in.

Best wishes, eat healthy and stay active!

thanks for the advice! I just gotta be patient it's just frustrating and does not feel very good! I do think I'll check out that group tho! I just wish the weight would come off faster!

Funnyface --

I completely get it!  I am within 2-3 pounds of goal and had to deal with my first weight gain week of .5.  Even though I KNOW my calorie deficit was nearly 4561 last week.

Sometimes it isn't fair...........  BUT the good news was that one day after my offical Monday weigh in I dropped back 1.5 #.  

So my patience paid off -- I just dug my nose in deeper and hit the gym harder!

Good luck!

I have been trying to lose the last 3pounds for too long!  I got there miraculously before my weddng in feb, and by march had them all back!  Ten weeks ago I decided to get tough, I am exersizing at least 5 times a week (jogging, mountain climbing, walking, yoga, surfing) and have eaten an average of 1250 calories - for TEN WEEKS and still have not removed any weight!!  This is soo frustrating, I am very strict and working my butt off yet it still remains?!  I dont want to drop any more calories, and with a toddler to look after I have no time or energy to exersize any MORE.  But Im just not sure how to get there?

Tani -

What is your daily calorie deficit?  Are you absolutely sure that your calories are 1t 1250???

Try a couple of days off -- and eat! Then come back at it strong -- shake it up for your metabolism.  Perhaps its too dependent on those calories and is holding them.   Try Atkins for a week and then come back at it low calorie. 

Sodium?  Nutritional analysis??  Enough fiber?

Give some specifics and we might be able to come up with a few thoughts on how to get by the stall.

Usually patience............. groan, but thats soooo not active.

Hey Suntraa,

Thanks for the reply.  Well, as I live on the other side of the world and most of the products are quite different than those listed on this website, I log everthing manually.  I have been counting cals for years an have a great knowledge of what everything contains.  I also read labels, weigh measure, and check up on myself with certain things (ie. before cooking my tuna steak I weighed it and looked it up).  I weigh my cereal and yogurt in the morning.  I count bites of my daughters meals on my log.  I would be very suprised if I am not calculating correctly.  

I have tried shaking things up, in May it was my birthday and I had a relaxed week.  I think the daily average from that week was 1400, so the next week I ate less to average it out to 1250.  I had another relaxed week last week, where the average for the week was 1350, and am now making it up this week.

As for exersize I do 30 min jogs, 1 hr walks (up hill, flat and down hill with stroller) Yoga 1 1/2hrs, surf 30mins and climb up local mountan, hard 50mins!  Oh, plus housecleaning and incedental walks.  I make sure I do at least 5 x ex a week.  Not sure what that makes my deficit exactly.

I am 167cm (5'6 i think) and 56kg (123pounds).  I would like to be 120 pounds.  and Im 26 and pescatarian (no meat just fish and seafood).

Thats a fair bit more info! oh and as for patience, I think 10 weeks is very commited and very patient!

Tani -

You sound like me............the scale is my best friend.   I too log the nibbles I eat, sometimes to my chagrin.

According to guidelines -- your caloric intake should be between 1250 - 1500.  1250 is for extreme weight loss.

Another site I found was:

http://www.nutritiondata.com/tools/calories-b urned

This lists out your ideal nutritional breakout.

Here are my suggestions:  Bump those calories up a bit in whatever area you are lacking -- and mix up your exercise.  Sounds like you are doing mostly cardio.  Try to do some strength training or core work - Pilates/Yoga.   You may need a bit more balance.

You are right 10 weeks is a long time to wait -- you get the patience award this week.... lol.

Btw, I've been to NZ - so beautiful -- I am hoping to take my boys  there someday -- it is such an active amazing place.

The other question is.... why the 3 more pounds -- a 19.8 BMI is enviable to most.   Are you certain that this isn't a good weight for you?

As for me......... I had a goal of 99 lbs (45 kg) and am still thinking there are a few more I could go -- I am petite -- only 5ft.  (152 cm) -- so I understand the number thing......

Watch sodium levels -- flush with enough water at nite.  Watch nuts and other high fat foods.  What is your fat% -- perhaps take that down.   I've been running around 12% fat -- 54% Carbs -- 34% Protein -- with Protein grams around 90.   I seem to be losing that 1lb per week -- but I REALLY calorie restricted myself to avg. during the last month of 910.   (Remember I am short! )  I know my body likes protein as fuel -- egg whites w. veggies for breakfast, salad with tuna or grilled chix for lunch.  Dinner LOTS of veggies and about 3 oz. protein.  

I hope that helps -- I'll keep thinking!

Im not sure but I have come to the conclusion that this is the amount of calories I have to eat to maintain.  It really sucks, and if most other people ate this amount they would experience 'extreme weight loss'.  If I were to eat 1500 i would certainly gain weight.

You have given me something to think about in terms of just where those cals are coming from.  I always thought that a cal is a cal and allow myself to eat a homemade choc chippie cookie in lou of extra bread or something later.   I am going to try and eat more low fat food and cut out the sugar.  The thing is, by allowing myself a daily 'bad food' I felt like it was keeping me sane and not making myself feel deprived and more able to stick to a low calorie diet.  One peice of chocolate at a time I suppose.

In terms of why the 3 more pounds, well, your BMI is lower than mine, (at 5 ft you must be TINY) yet you still want to drop lower.  Its mainly because I have been there recently enough to remember how good it felt.  How much more confidence I had, and how great my jeans looked!  As a lpear, that last three pounds mainly comes off my thighs which are my main concern.  (dont talk to me about squats, you should try my mountain!)

Any ideas on strenth training at home? Or something child friendly?  I do yoga, admitedly not as often as I should, but I do.

Im glad youliked NZ!  It is a very special place, the more I travel and know of the world the more I realise how priviledged I am to come from such a special little Island nation.  My husband is Canadian and we are currently living in Australia, which, where we are is significantly warmer than NZ at the moment!  Aussie is no New Zealand though.

Just re-reading, I see you eat tonnes of Protein, that could be another of my downfalls, as a vego I have come to love and rely on ye olde starch.  Absolute minimal at night time however.

To surmise I suppose trying to clean up my 1250 cals would be the best start.  Although, I did think a calorie was a calorie...........

(sorry for taking over with my novels funnyface - is any of this similar to you?)

Tani -

I understand about the deprivation thing! Yes being thin means you don't get a lot of calories -- but think about this -- I have to have mine below 900 to really get the weight loss.

Try cutting refined sugar and flour products for 2 weeks..... One day at a time. 

Try to get most of your carbohydrate calories thru veggies.  Protein thru eggs (I use whites only) and cottage cheese.  Fruit is cool, but don't overdo it.   Bank a few calories just in case you need to have that delicious choc. chip cookie.

All calories are not the same.   I have found that by eating a protein bar vs a protein shake I hold on to more weight, even though its the same calories.  Just because one is mostly water and the other mostly solid.

Asparagus is a good natural diueretic as well.   So eat more of that.

I try to eat double the amount of grams of food for calories over the course of the day.  For example today I am at 880 calories but 1600 grams of food.  This allows me to feel fuller (less deprived) while still maintain an aggressive caloric pace.  

Good luck -- and I loved Australia as well!  Is your mountain Ayers Rock -- awesome climb!

Haha no worries! But yes it is kinda similar I too have those last three lbs and well they just are not coming off very well. Although to be honest It's the nuts that gets me. They are very easy to overeat and miscalculate. BUt I don't know I eat about 1250-1320 cals on average and I used to lose lbs at 1600-1500 calories. So now this year it seems like I am having troubles. I am 5'7 and 119 lbs but I have a small frame so every extra lbs kinda shows up. Haha of course! :P Anyways I have alot of yogurt and nuts and fruit in my diet.

Oh my god you guys make me feel enormous!

Oh not even girl you look very slim in your photos! I think your just lean muscle and muscle weighs more then fat! So honestly standing next to you you would appear smaller! :)

ah ha ha haaa funnyface your funny.  and too kind.

Well, you guys have inspired me to take a closer look over my log and 'clean up' my calories.  While its true I have been sticking to 1250, they arent always the best choices, and probably quite high fat some days.  (tonnes of almonds, avocado, dark chocolate and salmon).  So for the rest of this week I am becoming more aware, adding more fruit, protein and vege and by next week I am starting afresh, with some serious rules about cutting out the junk.  Im not going to reduce my calories (yet).  Im just going to try swapping them round and see how that goes for a while!

Thanks heaps and I will let you know how it goes!

PS. Oh, and no my mountain is absolutely NOT airs (sp??) rock.  I have yet to get there, cant wait to visit but can only live coastal.

hi everyone,

so this is the 3 lb club.  count me in.  

Im 5'4" with 116 lbs right now.  trying to go for 113 vanity weight.

I just started and has no idea how much calories i eat.  i just eat healthy i guess.  I bet Cc can help.  Im doing 1 hr pilates and 45 mins. tennis 5 times a week.

Thanks for the thread. I learned pescatarian but im not ready for that.  Perhaps lay low the beef and chicken every weekends.  i dont eat pork. eoww!  I also learned patience, lots of water and less sodium.

Love NZ. fresh air, milk, fresh everything!

people are totally nice and have the time of the day :)

Well I like that idea of eating as clean as possible! : ) Truth is today I went over budget by 200 calories! gah You know the lame part...I just kept eating nuts again! My whole diet seems to revolve around nuts and yogurt. I really do think I need to eat more fruit veggies and just other food! jeeze :P

Cc gave me a B yest'day. I think it was because of the butter.  I tried being good today.  I hope I get an A.

Really? nuts?  Nuts are bad?  no wonder its hard loosing.  even unsalted ones?

But i know fruits are not so good too if you want to loose the last 0-5lbs.  veggies are better. more fiber.  Fruits has so much sugar.

well, my coach advised me no fried, more veggies, less fruits.  So far from our thread more water less sodium

funnyface that made me laugh. Blimin nuts aye. Im so with you. My downfall is almonds, although if there are Macadamias in the house its all over rover.  I even think I like them better than chocolate.  The worlds best food, chocolate coated Macadamia nuts.  Seriously, what more could you ask for.  Fat and calorie free I suppose.  200 over sucks, its really not that much, but when you eat so little, you dont have much to play around with!  I go on a weekly balance, much easier to give and take that way.  You guys?

As a vegetarian I am supposed to eat lots of nuts, I find the less I eat the more I crave em.  I have considered counting out say 75cals worth of them and wrapping individual packs.  Might be more inclined to stop.  Havnt gone that far though.  Funny, I dont like peanuts though, but I love peanut butter.

Hey, anyone get out the tape measure?  I know that sometimes that can be much more reliable than the scales.  Around my wedding time I was much much smaller, but not compartively lighter.

So far Im doing really good on my clean up, it feels great to be concerned with health not just calories.  I have been eating much more protein, and upped the fruit and low fat dairy.  The crusts from my daughers peanut butter sandwidges have been beckoning (so much better with another dollop of jam!) and I have been restraining!

Anyway its bedtime and Im spouting rubbish,

amazed everyone has been to NZ!

Good luck tommorow!

Ahaha tani you re right on with the macadamia nuts! Now those...wow after reading your post I just had to pop one in my mouth...if only to remind myself how delicious they are! hehe When i was in Hawaii I could not get enough of those chocolates plus even though I'm not much of an ice cream person...there was this local Ice cream parlor everything fresh made. And of course they had macadamia ice cream with fudge swirls. Very tasty. : )

I love almonds, pecans, and walnuts but have you ever really given pistachios a chance? They are such a beautiful green color vibrant in fact and taste lovely in some chocolate yogurt. 

Anyways good for you on restraining from those crusts!!! I too will try and focus more on health less on calories!

okay now this is a rediculous post but i have to do it. number one nut = macadamia. 2, almond 3, walnut, 4, pistachios 5, cashew. and the rest can be made into spreads (ie hazelnuts and peanuts -which arnt even nuts anyway).  I concur with pistachios, i make an awesome pistachio crusted snapper, and pistachio and ginger crunch. 

that out of the way I have some great news and nobody in the world to tell who might even remotely care but you guys!!!!

I went for a run this morning, came back and before I jumped in the shower I tentatively stepped on the scales........ 55!! or 120!!!! yaaaaaayyy! Given, I had not had breakfast or a drink of water and I had been sweating for the last 40mins AND they are my old scales, not my super acurate digital ones, but its a good bloody sign. I jumped on again this afternoon and back up at 56/123 but thats post breakfast etc.  So, while I think that this reading is probably inaccurate and temporary, its still the best ive got for a while and very encouraging.

Yeah way to go!! :))) I bet that must of felt really good! 

I need to get back to your level of dedication, although today I only ate 100 or so calories over. Still my thighs are not making me too happy! haha

Anyways good for you Tani!!!!!