for those of us with less than 15 lbs to lose...

it's really true what they say... the less weight you have to lose, the harder it is. i, myself, have either 10 or 15 left to lose (i need to see how i feel after losing 10 lbs), and it's ROUGH. i'm already have a healthy bmi, but i'm definitely disproportionate, so i'd like to lose a little more. no matter what, the weight just doesn't come off. it almost makes me feel like my body wants to be this size.(i'm 5'9", 150 lbs, but completely a pear shape) i know that it's not true, and that i just need to stick with it and i'll get through this.

who else has just a little to lose? what keeps you motivated? what troubles and frustrations do you have?

oh I understand completly!  I have the last 10 to lose and no matter how much I do I can't get them off.  I'm waiting for the warm weather to come so I can start running again (I lost all my 15 pds by doing this last summer), but until then I'm just trying to maintain.  I would recommend toning up.  I just started so I'm not sure if it works or not, but I heard that by increasing your lean muscle mass, you burn more calories b/c muscles burns more than fat.  And you LOOK thinner b/c you don't have all that jelly wiggling.

Good luck and just keep it up.  Even if it's slow, it's still weight loss.

right now, i'm going to the gym 3-4 times a week, riding the stationary bike for about 11 miles, doing the treadmill, and also doing some of the thigh toning machines. i pretty much don't really care what my actual number weight is, i just really want to tone my lower body.

i'd love to train myself to run. i'm not good at it naturally, but i've heard it can be learned.

I may never hit an arbitrary number on a scale, but I figure I can tone it all up so I don't jiggle when I run. Many of us get so hung up on a number that we forget the big picture.

Sounds like you've got it right-it might take a while to get the look you want-which is unfair really...it's so darn easy to gain weight, but there are no shortcuts to anywhere worth going. :)

I am the exact same - 5'9", 150 (ok today its 152...) with a healthy BMI, and looking to loose a bit more weight.  I was at 148 for a while but have gained a bit back the past few days (dont really know why or if its permanent).  I am a pear shape too - smaller upper body and bigger hips/thighs.

I know I am hung up on numbers and just need to loose a few more pounds.  I cant stop comparing myself to other girls...  Its a 'sickness'.  ;)

Have you tried doing some sort of total body toning?  I take Pilates class once a week and my instructor really works us - at first we just concentrated on abs but now we do total body toning with resistance bands and the BOSU.  I love it and know it has made a difference in my body.

I also would love to learn how to run (have never been an athelete!) and am looking into a 'learn to run' program offered through the local Running Room store.  One class just started and I think another one will start in April, so I might sign up for that one.  I cannot imagine running outside in this weather - its minus 43 celcuis today! 

Personally, I think that you are all doing really great and are on the right track - but I think that everyone needs to remember that you cannot "diet away" genetics.

All of us are different (apple, pear, hour, box, etc) but at the end of the day, even with all the weight loss and toning, that is still our basic shape no matter how much we may wish it different.

So keep up the battle, but make sure that you are only fighting the fights that you can win. :0)

oh heather, you sound exactly like me. like, it's creepy. our lows are the same, and our fluctuation is the same. once i get into better shape, i definitely want to take pilates, not only to tone, but i've heard it just really makes you feel good. 

I think the most frustrating thing for me is the fact that the last few pounds are coming off sooooooo ssllllooowwwwlllyyyy. When I started here, I was consistently losing 1-2 lbs. a week. Now, if I lose a pound, I have to wait 2-3 weeks it seems to see it go! I've even increased my exercise. . . my Husband and I now swim laps in the morning Monday through Friday in addition to my daily yoga practice. Further, now that my exercise has increased, my appetite has also. This makes it harder to stay within my daily calorie allowance, particularly since I'm including more protein now since I exercise more. It's very hard to find healthy protein sources that are vegetarian friendly that are also reasonable in calories (ex. almonds, beans, natural peanut butter, tofu). Before I know it I'm almost to my calorie allowance and it's not even dinnertime yet! *sigh*

For me I plateaud for ages and I decided i had to stop focusing on those frustrations and remember I came into this not to just lose weight and be done with it, but to provide myself a healthier life and that is a goal I have already reached. 

In the meantime I work on eating a healthy diet and reducing calories but not obsessing about the numbers. I am also working on building my strength up again (I had a life threatening illness in early dec that changed my perspective a lot)  So far by focusing on building myself up rather than on the setbacks I've had it has kept me very motivated and I am at peace with myself... I think that will ensure that this spring/summer as I am more active that my body will continue to cooperate even more :)

Yes it does get slow towards the end of the actual loss though! :)

http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.s html

This website is the Couch to 5K website and it is awesome. It will take you from being a non-runner to running a 5K in about 6 weeks. I am on week 2 and I LOVE it!!!!! I am starting to enjoy the running portions more and more!!!!

This is a really great thread.  I too am thinking I'll be comfortable with my health in another 6-12 lbs.  It's been such a long time since I was down in this range that I'm not even sure exactly where my range is... It's good to feel the approach though!

I'm considering reducing how frequently I weigh myself.  I'm only a once a week weigher anyhow but if the weight loss slows to less than a pound a week, I don't want to take the chance of a rebound due to a psychological response to slow, seemingly non-existent weight loss.  Thankfully, the "pants guage" seems pretty accurate.  So far, I'm fitting into pants that haven't fit for years.  I'm looking forward to the new wardrobe!!!

Keep up the tips!  I find them really helpful. 

hmm this board looks familier to the problems I am having. I am 5'6 and my weight is 145. I have long legs,big hips and really flabby around the stomach area. I have been off and on of cal count and other diets and they used to work but now I am on a plateau. I have been on cal count now for almost 3 weeks and have only lost 2 pounds. I  only want to loose 14 more pounds. I have been sticking to the cal diet really well and have been excercising. I have the same hard problem to loose those last few pounds. Maybe we can all help eachother out? Keep eachother motivated. I know I am getting discouraged...

I only have 5 more pounds to lose but I just keep wearing my baggy pants and thinking that its OK if I don't lose it as long as I feel good about myself and am not indulging in self destructive behaviors. I used to be 115 - 120 and am now (GASP) 135! I remember when that would have freaked me out totally. I try not to weigh myself every day and as long and as the weight doesnt go UP, I feel ok about that extra 5 pounds.

Christen - I do really love Pilates.  It does make me feel good - when I am having a bad day, it really helps to relax me and make me feel a bit better.  Plus it is a good workout.  Depending on how the instructor does the class (quick pace, resistance band, long poses), I can be sweating and exhausted after, but I always walk away feeling great.  As for waiting to be in better shape... well I started in March 2006 and was very overweight (like 50 pounds higher at that time...) and out of shape.  I think it helped me tone and loose weight so I would say just go for it now, not wait! 

i think i definitely need to head to my gym's pilates classes.

it's just so frustrating, and i see it mentioned in this thread a lot. you think to yourself, well it's not THAT much weight to lose, so i'll eat some of this... and some of that..

A good way to "train yourself to run" is to join a group.  Pick a race in your area...a 10k is a good place to start, and find out what kind of training groups there are in your area.  Even if you live where it's freezing (I'm in Minneapolis...current temp -14C, feels like        ;   -22C), they exist.  You will probably end up loving it, but if you don't you know you can stick to other forms of cardio.  Some even chose for their first race to train for a half marathon or marathon; you'll be amazed what you can do once you are determined.

Hallo everybody!

I'm with you all on the same journey. I'm now 149.5 and I'm aiming for 140 by April, then perhaps down to 135 by August. I haven't had a hard time with the last bit yet. We'll see as I've only just hit this mark!

Joelle: You mentioned a lot about your dieting, and a bit about exercise. Are you doing an hour of cardio a day? It's tough since most of us are pretty sedentary throughout the day, so we've gotta get it moving! Only way to really firm it up and burn fat. Yep, weight training will help a lot to tone, but I always found that I'd turn to weights and weight machines sooner than just hopping around and sweating it off because it was easier. :D

I'm now happily addicted to exercise, and I feel awful if I don't get a minimum of an hour in each day. It's paying off as well. I've lost 15 lbs since last summer - but the majority of it was just in the past month! 9.5 lbs since Jan 10th. I just make sure that I also eat in the right food-group percentages and quantities.

Hmm, well there's my rant. Ha! Good luck everyone! I'm so excited for us. So close, so close!!

Ren :D

Wow ...what a great post.  Finally - other people in the same boat as me.  I am 5'9" too and want to be 145 lbs.  I started this cal count on Jan 4 and have only lost 5 lbs...(I started at 158).    Which isn't too bad because before I started this I was always trying to be careful of my eating but really wasn't.    But I am so discouraged.  Today was Valentine's and I will be up a pound or two tomorrow morning and it will take 3 days to get back to 153.  And then the weekend rolls around and I try to be good.  But I will be up a pound or two, and then it will take 2 or 3 days to get rid of that. It's a rollercoaster.   I find it so hard to eat less than 1700 calories a day.  I am moderately active -workout 4-5 times per week, and spend a lot of time of my feet at work.  I was thinking that the 1200-1300 calories a day was for much shorter people.    Every once in a while I can manage a day of maybe 1400 calories.   HOw many calories are you other tall people able to eat, and still lose?

FEI FEI777!  What a great resource!  I linked it and gave it to my non-working-out friends...and they actually think it's okay!  Thank you!  I've done countless 5ks, 3-10ks, a half marathon, and 7 sprint distance triathlons, so they think I'm always up to something "no good" to get them moving!! :-)

I've been plateaud at 180 for what seems like years.  I am a big, muscular, athletic, competitive 40-year-old at 5'9".  I weighed this in high school, and at the time, I thought I was going to die.  But, I realize now (in my infinite 40-something wisdom) that my weight is an indication of my strength ALONG WITH my love of all things bad for you.  I just need to find that balance b/w the two and get these last 15 pounds off.  The lowest I've ever weighed is 160, but I can also bench press 120# and squat almost 350#, so I guess with the bulge, I have to accept that I have some mighty strong muscles wrapped around my aging bones...and that's okay, too.

Good luck to you all!  I love this thread!

Hiya b_mck! I'm eating around 1250-1400 kcals a day. I'm aiming to lose though. If I'm just aiming to maintain, I'd eat 1500 a day. I'm realllllly careful not to go over 1400 right now (and that's only once in a while I even get that high). I know my body and as soon as I start to overeat, I'll just pile it all back on. I'm fairly active (even in the winter) and I find if I go any lower than 1300 kcals I get too tired.