[Eliana]

No matter where you are, maintaining, just starting, a few pounds to lose, what do you THINK will be your last "few" pounds? You know, those pounds that are hard to lose? Is it the last 5? 10? 15? Where does that slow down happen?

For maintainers please, can you look back and pinpoint where that slow down happened, if it did?

I'm just curious because gosh these last 25 are stubborn! I didn't expect the slow down to happen this soon. 25 doesn't seem like "a few" to me.

[Meg]

Hi Eliana! I pulled out all my old records to check and see where it happened for me. During the year I was losing, I recorded my official weight, body fat percentage, and measurements every four weeks and this is what my weight did:

Start weight: 257
Week 4: 241 (-16)
Week 8: 230 (-11)
Week 12: 219 (-11)
Week 16: 207 (-12)
Week 20: 200 (-7)
Week 24: 191 (-9)
Week 28: 179.5 (-11.5)
Week 32: 163.5 (-16)
Week 36: 159 (-4.5)
Week 40: 152 (-7)
Week 44: 144 (-8)
Week 48: 136 (-8)
Week 52: 134 (-2)

You can see that I was losing at a pretty nice clip until I hit the weight right around where you are, then it slowed down. Nothing changed, I was still 100% on plan, never had cheat days, still weighed and measured everything, and counted every calorie. But my rate of loss dropped off. You can see that it took four whole weeks at the end to lose two lousy pounds!

I think the slowdown happens to most of us around the point where you are because it becomes really tough to create a calorie deficit once our weight is at or close to a normal BMI. Also, body composition plays a role. Looking back, I can see that my body fat percentage at 159 pounds was about 25% and our bodies are more reluctant to let go of fat once our body comp is fairly normal. So I think what's happening to you is perfectly normal and you just have to be patient! (easier said than done, I know!)

[SCraver]

Yeah... these last 35 poounds sure are stubborn.

Hee hee hee...

In all honesty, I think once I get below 200, it isn't going to get any easier. I am at the point where everyone is noticing my weight loss. I am feeling good. My clothes are fitting good. A few more pounds and I will be down to a size 14. It is hard not to stall out when I am feeling good about myself right where I am. I am going to spend the next two months really focusing on my running. Not that it burns all that much... but just that I want to focus on soemthing (for now) other than the number on the scale.

[guamvixen]

My worst was when I was weighing in between 160-180. The rest is sort of blurry. But I remember being "stuck" there for a while. After I got passed that hump, it was back to smooth sailing!

[caryesings]

I suspect I'm in it right now. Only 2 lbs down at my October weigh in. At this point I'm not willing to cut calories any further even if it means only 2 lb. month, as I really don't want to risk hunger that makes me go overboard. If its less than 2 lbs. down at November weigh in, I may reconsider...

[ShylahEQ]

I just want to get to 225. Something finally clicked in my brain. I think it's time I get there. So my last "few" pounds will be the push to 195. I will re-evaluate then. I may decide to go for a "Few" more at that point. hehe

[Slim CB]

I'm right there........I am at the last 9lbs and I have been stuck for a month...it really sucks!

[catherinef]

Going through this right now. I have been CRAWLING through the 160s, and it took me a couple of months to vacate the 170s. For reference, though, I hit a normal BMI at 184, and right around then is when it started to slow down a lot. I am well into the normal range now, and just trying to clear away the last few vanity pounds, and oh my gosh, it's going so slowly. I am very, very on-plan, as well.

[Coondocks]

Originally Posted by SCraver

Yeah... these last 35 poounds sure are stubborn.

Hee hee hee....

Im with you on that one

I think this 'break' that I have taken is what I needed. I've managed to stay pretty good with in 5 lbs for the last little while and if I can make it through weddings, out of town visitors, loosing daycare, working more hours, getting uncharacteristacally sick AND taking a vacation myself . . . I'm going to hit November strong and dedicated and hopefully those last 35 wont be as stubborn as I think they will be

[Eliana]

Originally Posted by guamvixen

My worst was when I was weighing in between 160-180. The rest is sort of blurry. But I remember being "stuck" there for a while. After I got passed that hump, it was back to smooth sailing!

Being the same height, this gives me hope.

[rockinrobin]

Well I am barely into the normal BMI range. Perhaps if I tried to go for the mid range or lower BMI, it would have most likely been a different story.

But since I decided to stay in the just barely into the normal BMI category, I didn't notice *much* of a slow up.

Looking at my stats, I see that I had a 7 pound month (my slowest) just past the midway point. But my last month prior to hitting goal I lost about 13 pounds, but a whopping 5 of those pounds was the actual week of hitting goal. Very strange. But I wasn't complaining!!

Keep plugging away my dear. Those pounds will have no choice but to come off of you. They may be stubborn, but you are without a doubt more so.

[krampus]

I think I am in my last 10 lbs now. I don't know what to expect. If I lose another pound and a half, I'll be the lightest adult weight yet.

[socalfelicity]

for me, it's these last 30 pounds. i can eat *mostly* how i want and maintain this weight...but getting down to goal? it requires changing some habits i have grown very accustomed to living with...like the daily sodas, the daily chocolate squares, the snacks, the nibbles, the cheese, and the sugar.

i wish it were 5 pounds- lol- but the last 30 is where it becomes really hard for me to lose.

[xty]

I wish I could be more helpful, but maybe it helps people to know they arent alone if they are like me...hehe

The first time I reached 165lbs, I didnt want it to be my lowest but I truly thought it might be. My body has had several "set points" and that particular one was VERY stubborn!

So was a much leaner, more toned 155lbs. I worked out with my trainer for a full year and the scale didnt really budge. I gained a ton of muscle, got smaller but the scale said ~155lbs.

I had never been lower than 139lbs until this year.

Really I have just never, ever known what the last x lbs were! Not even now when I dont really think i need to lose one more lb. Im about 126lb.

Im not sure! And Im not trying to lose weight, but I am trying to tone and gain muscle...and the jeans I bought one week ago are loose and Im thinking about putting them in the dryer. Lol. But since Im traveling, who knows if I weight more or less...sometimes I get smaller but weigh more due to muscle vs fat.

I guess I have just many times reached a point where I decided to stop caring what the scale said and concern myself more with how my body feels.

[Eliana]

My frustration right now is that I don't seem to be losing inches. Well, that's not entirely true. I am losing inches, but in strange places, not really where it "counts". My pants have not budged in months. In fact these last 10 pounds have not changed my pants at all. I've lost at my bra band, from my breasts, my knees (of all places), my fingers, my feet...but not my pants, not my arms, not my thighs, not my calves.

I went running last night, an extra workout. I ran 3 miles. It felt good. And I did it in my normal clothes, which is really odd for me. I don't work out unless I'm dressed for it. LOL! But I ran three miles on the treadmill and nothing changed on the scale this morning. I know, I know...it doesn't work like that. Believe me, I know. But nothing seems to be dropping that dag gone scale.

I don't want November 1 to roll around without me having lost anything at all because I've really put my all into it this month!! No chocolate! What? Me?