Question for those who have reached (or nearly reached) their weight goals

How long did it take you to lose the last 10 - 15lbs of weight to reach your goal?

From posts I've read, it seems like most people have quite a bit of success losing the first 1/2 of their weight rather quickly, but then the pace slows down and we struggle to stay motivated to lose the last 1/2 of the weight.

It's taken me just over a year to lose 20lbs (mostly through exercise and some moderate shifts in my eating habits) and I've got about 15lbs to go to reach my goal.

Just trying to set some realistic expectations for myself - since the first part of my journey was slow, I expect the second part to be as well - I'm just wondering how slow is slow...

It all depends on how hard you work.  For me it wasn't that the pounds came off any slower, it was just that my motivation started to decline.  You start eating a little here a little there and aren't so motivated to stick to a strict diet - so you have more higher calories days (indulgences) and thus the weight comes off slower.

Kate: I am the opposite. Despite eating 1200 cals a day, I am not losing weight and that drives me crazy.

I only have 10 more pounds or so to lose. If I restrict my calories to lose more than 0.5 lb a week then I stall out. As long as I keep my intake to lose 0.5lb I will lose (deficit of 250cal a day). If I have more of a deficit my weight stalls. I've accepted that and just make sure I am eating healthy and keeping up my dancing and walking.

Shara: I think you are right. I will up my cals. I was trying to get 800 cals deficit and it is not working :( it is not helping me to workout.

The closer you get. the slower it goes.  But you will make it there!  My new philosophy thanks to my son is "slow and steady wins the race".  If you try to speed it up by cutting way back on calories you are just screwing up your metabolism.  And as soon as you are where you want to be and try eating more you will just gain it all back.  Plan on losing on average 1 to 2 pounds a week when you get towards goal.

1 to 2lbs Heck I really only lost that much from about the fourth week into it. It has taken me almost 8 months to lose enough weight that im down to my last 15/20lbs and im basically only losing about a half a pound per week right now.........I had a couple of high weeks where I lost a couple lbs or more but basically half pound per week steady wins the race at least for me it is=)

Ahhh I am not the only person who suffers here...... I have the same problem....

I guess once I got to like 130, I upped my exercise intensity and duration, that really helped.  Its easier to run faster at 130, than 160.  I think exercise is key.  Try two-a-day workouts.

For me once I got to that point it started to be more about jumps here and there. I'd not lose for weeks then the scale would jump a pound or sometimes a few pounds in a short time. Then nothing. Wasn't really plateaus just not an even every week move.

Yeah - I agree, patience is the key...

Part of my problem is that I was never one of those "it's reasonable to lose 1 lb a week" types....God - I was lucky to lose 1.5lbs each month!!!!

I spent a lot of time on plateaus...basically my weight loss journey has been plateau for 3 months....lose 2 lbs in 2 weeks. Plateau again for 3 months...lose another 2lbs in 2 weeks. It's been insane - but I'll take the 20 lbs that I've already lost...

I'm still totally motivated to workout - I currently run anywhere from 25 to 30 miles a week. I workout 5 days a week (during the work week - because the gym is a 10 minute walk from my office - and it's nice to get away for lunch).

I'm trying to mix up my routines a little - being more consistent with weight training, I've signed up for a yoga class - anything to keep the momentum going.

Looks like it'll be this time next year before I can celebrate reaching my goal. That's okay - I'd rather do it slowly and know I'm doing it healthily and safely (and in a way that won't cause me to regain it if I eat a piece of cake or a bag of chips) - better late than never :) 

losing the last 10-15lbs is seriously a b***h!! the weight goes off more slowly, the plateaus last longer and are more difficult to break through! I was a size 20 at my largest and I'm now a size 6...my goal is to be a size 4 (i'm really small framed)...it took 2 years for me to get from a size 20 to a size 8...and I plateaued at a size 8 for a really really long time...i had to take up strength training instead of just doing cardio and i had to do my cardio every single day...i haven't dropped much in terms of pounds but i've lost inches and i'm down to a size 6...just need to take 2 inches off my waist now, just 2 inches...and i'm done (size 4 here i come!)!! yippee and hooray, and by that time i'll just have to worry about toning up and maintenance! I say don't worry about the pounds...it's the measuring tape that counts your progress best! my scale says i only lost 4-5lbs but i've definately lost inches everywhere and a whole dress size! i'm thrilled! never give up! take each day at a time and just focus on getting through the day with the satisfaction that u've done things right! u'll see results soon enough :)

Hey there!  It didn't actually take me too long...lucky like that, I guess.  I'd say probably about 3 months...maybe 3 1/2.  I honestly think it was the running. 

I'm sure you are...but because you run....are you eating enough???  I know that's a stupid question, but you gotta figure w/ the amount you're running (I was about the same before my stupid injury) I was burning about 700 cals per day...which is a ton of food.  Just checking. 

Otherwise, I'm sure it'll continue...slowly but surely...and plateaus are soooo maddening!

btw, it seems like u're pretty active already! could it be that u're having thyroid problems that's affecting your weight loss efforts? my cousin had so much trouble losing weight no matter much effort she put in her dieting and exercise...then she went to the doc got tested, and it turns out she had an underactive thyroid (which gave her a real slow metabolism and a hard time losing weight)...the doc treated her for it and the weight just started to melt off...it would help to see a doc to get urself tested for this...good luck :)

Hi,

I'm in the same boat! I have 9 more pounds to go and despite my best efforts, have been stuck for 2 months. I hear it is just really hard and time consuming to shed the last little bit, and I'm trying just to stay motivated and keep on living healthfully. Keep us posted on your progress!

I lost about 25 pounds two years ago just due to some difficult times in my life. When I realized about 10 had slipped back on I started logging my calories here (I was a member earlier). I had about a month of no real progress. Now in the last two I've lost about 4-5. It is hard because the difference in the number of calories for maintainance/wt loss/BMR is so little. It's so easy to mess up one way or the other and water weight plays heck with me. I admit I haven't been as dedicated to exercise as I need to be for really steady progress. I am much more aware of what I'm eating and know that at least it's healthy.

Whenever I get discouraged about the time it's taking, I say to myself that the time would have passed anyway. Better to loose one pound than to gain 2. Every now and then I try on something a little smaller and it fits! That feels great!