Well, I am most definitely not yet a featherweight, but hold a spot for me in about 9months! Seriously I do roll my eyes a little about 10lbs to go,(wishful thinking on my part) BUT! I am really inspired by all of you who are close to goal and able to focus on other aspects of weightloss. Congrats! I really enjoy reading this thread.

I can appreciate that. I've been there! I'm having difficulty right now because I "joined" or more accurately "became part of" the 100 pound club and therefore I MUST lose 100 pounds. (In my head ) Right now, I'm not real sure I can get to 90!

The last ten are more mental than physical.

thanks a lot

I am so happy I found this sub forum. I feel funny discussing my weight "woes" around my larger friends. I mean they have 100 lbs to lose, I have ten so I can imagine how they feel. But to me it is more than just ten lbs..it is about feeling good about myself, about being in control, about being in a better mental state. I don't owe anyone an explanation as to why losing ten lbs is important to me, I just need TO DO IT!

It's funny...out of the subforums, I've gravitated toward the 100 lb. club and the Featherweights. Because I started at 260 pounds, I feel kinship with the people trying to lose 100 lb. even though I'm getting towards the end of the weight-loss part of my journey. I hope there's at least as much "well, she did it, maybe I can too" as there is "gosh, she's almost at goal, I have so much further to go".

Now that I *am* very close to goal, it's been really helpful reading this forum and the Maintainers forum. The discussions about getting off the last few pounds and deciding how to set a goal weight have been interesting and valuable.

FWIW, I've thought about dropping my goal, and decided that I might someday, but not now. I was obese for a long time, and I don't want to diet down to a weight that will be very difficult to maintain. I think my main projects for 2011 will be fine-tuning my maintenance regimen and perhaps changing up my exercise routine (which currently consists of walking, period). I might try to add some strength and flexibility exercises.

Wow Oboegal, congrats on your awesome weight loss. I am a fitness instructor and I truly believe that everyone needs to shake up their fitness routine....our bodies adjust to whatever we are doing. That is why you have instructors complaining that they can't keep weight off even though they are working out every day.....it is frustrating but the way our bodies work. If you are a runner try spinning, if you do Zumba add some resistance training, etc. Shake things up a little.

I agree. I get "OMG you're so skinny, why would you want to lose more?" when I say I'm contemplating 5 more lbs., but really I am right in the middle of my healthy weight zone for my height. Losing 5 lbs. would not put me close to underweight. But then I looked at my percentile compared with the rest of the U.S. and I'm below the 20th percentile, because so much of the population is overweight. So perceptions are skewed.

I had thought featherweights was for those with a few pounds or a few last pounds to lose, not just those who are told they are too skinny to be losing weight. Actually, the sheer number of girls on here who are losing weight even though they are already thin makes me feel rather out of place and discourages me from posting. I tend to feel like there's not any really good place for me, because this section that I feel was supposed to be for people like me really doesn't have many people like me... if that makes any sense.

~Katy

Don't feel discouraged! There are plenty of us in here who came here to lose the last few pounds (and now are maintaining) and there are several users who are still losing and near the end of their journeys.

The featherweights forum tends to be a little quiet at times, but trust me, there are people in your position here

I just wish the people more like us were more active. It's frustrating seeing nothing but people trying to reach weights so low I'd have ribs sticking out!

~Katy

I poke my head in here sometimes but I'm not sure if it's really the place for me either. I have anywhere from 14-29lbs left to lose so I'm definitely closer to the end of my journey than the beginning, but I'm still not at a healthy weight yet.

Losing the last bit has been hard for me because my motivation has certainly been lacking (it's really different when you're at a somewhat normal size and just want to finish your journey vs. at the beginning and know you need to lose it ASAP!) and the holidays haven't helped any either. Sometimes I also feel a bit annoying in the other forums because I realize that as a size 6-8 it's just not the same as how I was at a size 16. I like the 100lb club because I like hearing the perspective of others who have lost a good deal of weight. On the other hand, I don't want to be discouraging to other members who still have a far ways to go!

Mostly, I just wish the last little bit would magically come off and I could hang out with the maintainers. It certainly wouldn't be the best thing for me, though, because I need to learn how to eat correctly for a lower weight and part of the struggle to get down there is my learning process. So for now I just need to get in the right headspace to finish this marathon.

I'm here too! I don't feel very feathery at all, but I feel like I don't really belong in the other forums, so here I am. I don't talk about weightloss with my real-life friends because most are heavier than me, so this is the only place that I have to let it all out.

LOL I know what you mean. I hesitated coming on this board because everyone my height was gunning for the 110s and there were some people STARTING at my goal weight.

Then I realized we all sort of have something in common—we're all trying to get those last few pounds off, no matter where we're starting or ending up. Most of us here are close to or in a healthy weight range that it really does get harder when you get there and want to go lower.

There's support here regardless of your goal weight It's tough to lose when you're at the end, so we're all here for you.

And also it depends on your frame size. As a large framed person I just can't get to those lower weights and be healthy. As it is my ribs sort of stick out and I'm 133 pounds (and I'm short)!

I was in a similar situation when I was almost at an equivalent weight. I was about ~15 pounds overweight (according to the BMI) and fitting into a 6/8. It was like "ok, I'm overweight but I'm fitting into single digits for pete's sake!" and it was hard to stay motivated and finish.

Although sometimes I wish I had stopped there or stopped and looked at myself before just going by the scale. I know it's just easier to get down to something below a BMI of 25 just so the doctors leave us alone, but I really do think us large-framed lifters get shafted when it comes to that.

I think if I talked about weight loss as much as I wanted to that my friends would strangle me. Luckily one of my friends lost a substantial amount of weight so I can talk to her, but she's really the only one.

I don't feel feathery either, but I didn't want to feel feathery. I like feeling strong instead

This! I have to admit that a HUGE motivation for me at this point is that I just want to be left along about my weight. Lately I've had two different doctors complain about my weight, something I never dealt with higher weights????

I think part of it is that at this point I carry most of my weight still in my bust/upper arms and while sitting my stomach just sticks out like crazy so I imagine if a doctor sees me sitting I look a lot bigger than standing since they're only seeing the upper half of my body.

But like you I'm between a 6 and 8 and can usually fit into smalls in shirts with the occasional medium.

I don't think I quite meet the criteria for featherweight - but since I never thought that I would ever have any possibility of fitting in here getting close is pretty exciting. I guess I'll call myself an aspiring featherweight and I can post more in hopefully a short period of time!!