Those last few pounds

Have you ever done an evaluation with a nutritionist on what is you ideal weigh ?
Because some people are not ment to be very thin.
Maybe you can't go below below 200 because you're not supposed to.

 

you should be less focused on reaching a goal weight, and more focused on maintaining a weight for long periods of time.

Congradulations on your existing weight loss though. but for now, it is healthier to focus on helping your body adjust than to be worried about losing those last few pounds. losing alot of weight sends your body into whack. your metabolisem will want to try to put it back on. over time, you can train your metabolisem. once your body is more accoustomed to the weight you are now, the easier it will be to lose a bit more.

You probably hit a point where your body is not ready for you to lose more because it still has your old metabolism speed. just focus on maintaining for a while.

it is like people who are putting on muscle. eventally, you hit a wall where you cant incresse the weight of your lifts. you just need a different approch.

 

We focus too much on the number that's on the scale.

You've lost over 100 pounds. That's quite an accomplishment. But it might be time to refocus and start looking at measurements.

If you put on 10 pounds of muscle, you're not going to be happy with the number that's on the scale (211 pounds) but you are going to like what you see in the mirror.

When you are carrying a lot of weight around, your muscle strength gets out of balance- your legs get strong and your core muscles (arms, back, abdominals) get weak.

Start focusing on the measurements of your waist, chest, upper arms and thighs and start thinking more about getting your muscles- core strength and weightlifting capacity- back in balance.

 

I just have to say congrats. Maybe talk to a nutritionist (not a yoyo diet organization)? Or if you're at college maybe they have one there?

 

Wow - I also have to say congratulations on doing what you've already done! That's amazing!!!

I'd agree that you're not going to be able to push it. Try doing other things in terms of exercise and see what happens. What you've done already is truly inspiring.

 

First of all, congratulations.. Second of all, most of us are turned on by thin/"hot" bodies, but truth be told, sometimes the last few pounds can be endearing, so you do not need to worry about them as much as you think you do..

I'm struggling with the same desire to lose a few lbs though. One thing you might want to try is consume most of your calories that are low on the glycemic index.. Foods that are high on the glycemic index (potatoes) are absorbed into your body quickly and so you feel hungry soon after eating. Eating foods low on the glycemic index (which I believe are the majority of fruits and veggies) will keep you full and satiated for longer, so you won't feel like you need to eat as often.

Another important thing is, if you enjoy pop...You don't need to give it up entirely, just do not have a can or bottle a day. Maybe treat yourself after a long, hard week, or make it a monthly thing. I know "they" say that 1 can of pop a day will lead to a weight gain of 10 lbs over one year, but quite frankly, I think it is worse for your teeth than your waistline. I went to a Benedictine college, so forgive me for bringing religion into this, but one of the key "rules" that the monks (and us students) were supposed to follow is: "all things in moderation". What I'm trying to say is don't get so focused on losing weight that you forget to enjoy yourself.

 

New to the forum, but training and fitness are interests for me, so I got motivated to try and help a bit. Some questions though.

What do you normally eat in a day?
Any physical activity to encourage weight loss?

 

Oh My God, Con-freakin-gratulations on your achievement Jon!! I am totally in your boat, so I can empathize with you 100%.

I want you to pay close attention to my story, because the parallels are uncanny, and I bet I can predict what will happen next. I was about 220 lbs through most of my early teens, yes I was fat. The first time I tried to diet, I got all the way down to 170 lbs. Over the next year I gained it all back plus more, ending up at 230 lbs. I dieted again, and got down to 185 lbs. A year later, I was up to 260 lbs! I couldn't understand what I was doing wrong, and why I kept gaining it back with bonus pounds each time.

The last time I did this, I tried something different. My mom's a dietician (yeah, I realize the irony), so I did some research in some of her books and figured out a few things. At 260 lbs, I stopped dieting, and instead I gave myself 5 simple rules to follow;

1. No fast food, ever again, whether they market it as "healthy" or not.

2. Cut out ALL food with trans fats. It has trans fats? I don't eat it. I also cut back significantly on foods high in saturated fats, but didn't cut them out.

3. Limit all processed foods. For example, real cheese instead of cheese slices ("American cheese", God what a stupid thing to be proud of). On the other hand, all fruits and veggies (except potatoes) are considered to be zero calories and therefore unlimited eating.

4. Cut back as much as possible on sugar. A sub-rule, no more soft drinks (including diet soda, it's just as bad).

5. Replace ALL white flour foods with whole grain and whole wheat foods (they fill you up more).

I also cut back on portion sizes, which was probably the hardest part for me. It took a while, but I went from 260 to as low as 195 lbs. I'm an adult now, and my target was 185 lbs, just like you. But I couldn't break below 195-200, no matter what or how hard I tried.

But I didn't let it get to me. I learned that weight loss has two equally difficult steps;

1. Losing the weight.

2. Keeping it off.

Rather than try to force those last few pounds, I decided to focus on seeing if I could hold this new weight for any period of time. They say that 95% of people who diet gain it all back plus more. I came to the conclusion that it was more important for me to try and keep this new equilibrium than to expend my efforts on those extra few pounds and risk bouncing back up again. So I shifted my challenge from losing those extra few pounds to trying to maintain a stable weight.

That was 4 years ago. Today, I weigh about 210 lbs. Yes, I gained a little back, but I stopped the "yo-yo" cycle. I can tell you, other than adhering to those 5 rules (and I could never go back, and I've never felt healthier in my life!), I haven't dieted in 4 years. I proved to myself that I can (reasonably) maintain a new equilibrium for an extended period of time.

Interestingly, I'm now ready to see if I can shift this equilibrium down a little. I'm no longer after a specific target weight, I'd just like to try and keep it below 200 lbs at all times. I'm going to try a few more adjustments in my eating habits, but I do know that portion size is still my Achilles heel. I also have a mental problem with leaving any food on my plate, which I have to get over.

By the way, for those who say to take up exercise, while it's super healthy for you, it will probably make you GAIN a little weight - it is not a weight loss method, period. It actually makes you hungrier, a natural consequence of the body doing more work. I strongly recommend exercise for your health and well-being (I've become addicted to the endorphines I get from jogging), but it will not promote weight loss. That's all about your eating habits and what you choose to put in your mouth.

So..... Here's my advice, Jon. Stop your dieting right now. You've made a remarkable achievement, and you need to acknowledge this. Because you've hit a plateau, take it as a cue to stop and catch your breath. More importantly, shift your mode from weight loss to keeping it off. See if you can hold this new weight without dieting for at least a year. If you can, it will mentally prepare you for the next few pounds. If you can't, then it's telling you that you haven't yet found a new "normal" for your eating habits, and that's the problem you need to address first.

Let me put it this way, if you have to choose between being 201 lbs or risking going back to 295 lbs and beyond, you are way, way better off where you are now.

I hope I've helped you a little, and you can bet I am cheering for you! If I can do it, then you can do it, and if you can do it, then I can do it! Let's be each other's inspiration.