[tricon7]

I've gotten to within 15-20 pounds of my goal - sometimes reaching 15, not going above 20 for, it seems, forever. I just can't seem to drive the stake in those last remaining pounds. I've lost and regained them more times than I can count. It seems that whenever I get real close, I get depressed about something or stress out and binge, erasing all the gains and I pack on another 10 pounds. Sometimes I have mini-binges where I lose it for only one or two days and eat cr*p all day long. You'd think one or two days wouldn't make a huge difference, but the scales and tape measure sniff it out like a shark sniffs out chum, and there goes my momentum.

I have heard that the visual difference between one's goal weight and, say, 20 lbs. above it, are very noticable. Those last few pounds are admittedly the hardest to lose, but when they do go, the muscle definition and body shape takes on a clarity that's like night and day (I understand).

I do learn from my mistakes, and I think my most important lesson is - prepare, prepare, prepare. Anticipate problems before they happen so I can stay on-track. For those of you who've reached your goal weight, I'm curious if you managed to stay on track to the end?

[Doughnut]

I'm not at goal but I have been within 15 pounds of it so many times over the last 10-15 years i've lost count. Every time I've gone from, typically late 150s to 144 ish I've just given up and gradually the weight's crept back on. I have done this dozens of times and it's tiring. This latest plan started in October and I'm now at approx 137-138 (I weigh in tomorrow). I stalled in December at 142 and was there for 3 weeks and I so very nearly gave up again. This time I just didn't. A friend at work said to me to keep on doing what I was doing, wait it out and the weight would start moving again which it did. This time I just decided I didn't want to give up again and like you I really want to see what difference those last few pounds make.
You also said about having mini binges etc. I've always done that. The difference between previously and now is that I keep going, get my head on straight within a couple of days. Years ago someone on this site said that the key to getting back on track was just forcing yourself to get through one good day, even if you don't "feel" like it. One good day begets another and all that. It's always stayed with me and now I just force myself onwards.

Keep going, the only person stopping you is you.

[LockItUp]

I've been struggling more in the last couple months (last 10 pounds or so) than in allllll the rest of the months and pounds. Seriously every single little pounds makes a difference at this point. I have a bad weekend my pants are TIGHT on Monday. It makes it so I can't get too off track or I'll literally have nothing that fits. In a way it's good, in a way it sucks. I've only been in this weight range (low 140s/high 130s) since Mid-December so I'm no expert at maintenance! But I've tried to switch focus to building muscle and making sure I eat enough so it doesn't trigger binges. If I get too hungry at this point I'm a freaking crazed rabid hyena!

I wouldn't have thought so 90+ pounds ago, but feeling hungry is more unbearable now then it was back then. I can't stand to feel starving, before I almost welcomed it because I knew I was making progress (I'm just talking hunger from a normal calorie deficit, nothing crazy).

I definitely don't feel like I'm at "goal" body-wise, but I'm ok with my weight.

[EStew]

This is something I can totally relate too, how can it be so hard when we are so close!? I have lowered my calories by about 200 a day hoping for it to come off.

[tricon7]

Originally Posted by LockItUp

I've been struggling more in the last couple months (last 10 pounds or so) than in allllll the rest of the months and pounds. Seriously every single little pounds makes a difference at this point. I have a bad weekend my pants are TIGHT on Monday. It makes it so I can't get too off track or I'll literally have nothing that fits. In a way it's good, in a way it sucks. I've only been in this weight range (low 140s/high 130s) since Mid-December so I'm no expert at maintenance! But I've tried to switch focus to building muscle and making sure I eat enough so it doesn't trigger binges. If I get too hungry at this point I'm a freaking crazed rabid hyena!

I wouldn't have thought so 90+ pounds ago, but feeling hungry is more unbearable now then it was back then. I can't stand to feel starving, before I almost welcomed it because I knew I was making progress (I'm just talking hunger from a normal calorie deficit, nothing crazy).

I definitely don't feel like I'm at "goal" body-wise, but I'm ok with my weight.

Although I'm relatively close to my goal, I'm not happy with my weight. I still have a couple of inches to lose off my belly which, when I'm wearing a tight shirt, is VERY conspicuous. Until it's FLAT I'm not going to stop my calorie deficit. The nice thing is that the more it goes down, the more in-shape I'm going to look, and it's going to become increasingly more noticable at this stage.