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Losing the last 5-10 pounds
I need wisdom or just other suggestions on how to tackle losing the last 5-10 pounds.
I've lost 35 pounds in about two and a half years. Since the start of this year, I've lost 5 pounds, so it's been very slow going & I've been stuck at this weight for about two months. Here's what I've been doing - tracking my calories, focusing on eating 5 servings of fruit/vegetables a day, making 90% of my food choices "healthy" - I do have occasional treats, and working out. I track the time I spend working out, and I've doubled my monthly average since last year, so this part is definitely going well.
I'm 5'5", weigh 145 pounds, have a reasonably althetic build, & I aim for 1500 calories/day as my calorie base. I'm also training for a half marathon, so some days I add in extra calories, depending on how many miles I've put in.
How do I lose these last 5-10 pounds? (I'm using a range, because I'll assess how I look & feel after I lose the first five pounds.) Adding in additional workouts is pretty much out at this point due to my work/family schedule - I either need to mix up my workouts or modify something on the nutrition side.
Re: Losing the last 5-10 pounds
Southeastern Cycling
My Nest Bio and Cycling Advice
Agree. Also, maybe you don't NEED to lose 5-10 more pounds. Those last few pounds are the hardest to lose and keep off. This is where working out becomes a lifestyle change. If you want to go to extremes to lose the weight then when you return to your normal behaviors the weight may just end up going back on.
I do consider working out part of my lifestyle, not a short-term method of losing weight. I'm also unwilling to go lower on the calories, as I don't feel like that's sustainable (or, enjoyable really
) - 1500 calories gives me enough flex that I can have a glass of wine here & there, eat a cookie without freaking out, etc.
I'm okay with going slow, but I'm at a standstill at the moment. The only ideas I have at the moment are: go back to measuring my food for a week or so to be sure that I'm tracking accurately, & increase the amount of time I spend on strength training. With my schedule right now, I'm doing a lot of cardio, & only doing strength training a couple of times/week. I bought the NROLFW a few days ago, so I'm waiting on that to arrive to hopefully give me some tips.
Post a sample of what you eat on a daily basis and see if people have some feedback.
Sample food (actual food varies, but try to keep the calorie division between meals/snacks roughly the same):
Breakfast (around 350 calories):
-Coffee with skim milk
-Egg sauteed with a diced pepper on whole wheat english muffin + a light laughing cow cheese
-Sliced fruit
Snack (if I work out before lunch) - around 150 calories:
-Protein bar or nuts
Lunch - around 400 calories
-Leftover chicken marsala casserole
-vegetables (3ish servings) with 1 serving of a yogurt dip
-apple
Dinner (500 calories)
- Steamed asparagus
- Salad (variety of vegetables with squeezed lemon, little olive oil - no dressing)
- homemade spaghetti with sauteed vegetables, etc.
I agree, 145 might be your happy place.
I have a very good friend who is constantly struggling to lose the last 10...she cleans up her diet, adds in more exercise, etc., loses the weight, get tired of it being "perfect" and puts the 10 back on. She doesn't look bad w/ the extra 10, but she has to work really really hard to get/stay there.
Southeastern Cycling
My Nest Bio and Cycling Advice