Lost 104lbs this year but..

With 32lbs to go i'm finding it really hard going.

Feeling fatigued,cant sleep well at night i'm lucky to get a solid 5 hours.

I have upped my calories to anything upto 3000 on certain days as i know my body is just crying out to maybe cut back abit on the diet and give it a rest for awhile.

If i don't get my hours cardio in a day i feel like i'm letting myself down and slacking and that i'll fail when i'm so close to the finish line.

Anyone else been in a similar situation?

I speak from experience when I say that I know how you are feeling.  In the spring, after losing 15kg and being within touching distance of a healthy BMI, I found myself in exactly the same place.  I was mentally and physically worn out.  I fell off the wagon and wound up back where I started in 3 short months....

What I wish I had done at the time was to recognise my stunning achievements to date, and take a little break.  Maintained for a few months, changed my exercise pattern and taken up some new activities.  This is my advise to you and anybody in that situation.  You have achieved so much to date.  But the hard part is where most people fail - recognising that and maintaining it.

So forget about that 32lbs for a few months.  Take the time to learn maintenance, and to explore some new sports.

Good luck and well done on everything you have achieved so far,

Ax

OMG, demerara. that is what happened to me too. I was 10 pounds away from my goal after losing 80 pounds. then I started to feel worn out mentally and physically. I didn't appreciate my achievements and fell off the wagon. here I am now, I will have to start from the beginning again. :( 

Grimp, be careful. try to appreciate your hard work. maintain carefully for a while and change your workout routine a little bit. you have come a long way. remember that.

grimp, I think maintaining for a while is great advice!

Grimp, I know exactly how you feel. I just lost 90 pounds and knowing I have 50 more to go still, I became stuck and it all felt like a routine. Luckily, I had great friends and family to tell me just how much I had accomplished and it gave me that reality check of, "hey I have lost alot of weight" and I just try to remember that when I get down on myself. And you've lost even more weight than I have! I think you should be very proud of yourself, but if you need a break, then take it and maintain,but just don't go backward.

Good Luck

maybe we should all start a thread or  keep in touch through this one so we can share how things are going  with us. I too have had the same problem.  after losing 70 lbs though, last year( 50 of that within a 5 month period, due to calorie counting and exercise) I plateaued in sept. and have not lost any more weight since. I have however lost quite a few more inches since.  I have basically maintained, maybe gained a few here and there, off and on, maybe 5-7lbs up from my lowest now give or take.  don't completely get away from the plan whatever you do.  I do exercise daily 2-3 miles, and pilates for 30 mins.  you do not want to have go down the road that you have already went down again. remember this is a life change, a way of life that we have to adapt to, we have to do what fits us and is healthy.  Just try to maintain for a while, but don't get off course, it is very easy to do.  I realize when I am only off for a week or so how quickly you can lose so much ground. you certainly do not want to give up all that you have gained.  I am determined not to give up and to find  my new plan to get  me going down again. I am at210-215 down from high of at least 280. I am in size 16-18 5'4"-5'5" Not sure exactly need hubby to measure my height.  I think it is closer to 5'4" now.  I have lost 2 inches due to back injuries and surgery. the back going out on me was my catalyst to lose the weight, my numbers ( blood work) were perfect the last visit to dr. he was very impressed.  I am sure that your health has improved with your weight loss. so that is huge plus.   just hang in there. take a rest... keep doing some exercise if you can.  when we lose a large amt of weight, we are bound to plateau at some point, then we have to reconfigure our calories  based on how much exercise we do or do not get and go from there. I know what I " need to do" but have trouble following through getting to the next level. I seem to be stuck at about 2300 calories with 400 or so burn, with one free day a week ( maybe a few too many free days lately too)...  maybe we can all help each other........ It does feel like starting over at this point, Just dropping 300 or so calories now, seems like a daunting task, but I know it is doable.If I can walk 3 miles why can't I cut a stinking 300 calories.... ugh...  I still need to lose about 50 more lbs also.... would be ecstatic to see 160 again,  will be happy with 180 though.

Everyone is right, you have accomplished so much!  Don't give up...everyone hits a plateau...it took me almost 3 years just to lose 50lbs, since i would plateau all the time, but i never jumped off the wagon.   I took a breather and watched what a ate and worked out enough, so i wasn't killing myself over it.  I think the thing that helped me the most was trying different things.  Also, I didn't focus so much on the dieting but making better food choices.  I also made small goals like running a 5k all the way to finally completing a marathon.  If I can do it, I believe anyone can do it....just put your mind to it!  I decided to join cc in order to finally lose those last stubborn 10lbs and to try something different!!

Thanks for the replies.

Well ive upped my calories by 650 a day and so far i am feeling alot better for doing it,im eating a light meal 3 hours before bedtime which has helped me sleep abit better and for longer.

I went through something similiar. I had lost about 40 and was just mentally tired of it. I decided to maintain for a while. Ended up taking off about 6 months, but did a good job keeping things in check. Then I decided to finish the job and managed to lost another 45-50lbs. I would highly recommend taking a planned break if you need it. You have to be ready both mentally and physically to do this. No sense in causing frustration.