I have been doing my specific weight loss plan for a while now, and am close to hitting my target weight. But I seem to be unable to get past this last 10 lbs or so. It's like I am afraid (subconsciously?) to finish and live in the "real world." Is that weird? Or am I just lazy, impatient and self-justifying? Or maybe I am all that, but does labelling myself help any? I keep stepping off the path and failing to make progress towards my goal, yet I feel as if I still want to get there, (I guess, except when I am eating things that I shouldn't!) Urgh!

OMG I'm literally going through this EXACT thing right now. I hate it and I want to throw a huge fit all day long over it. I also don't know if it's some kind of fear, or if I'm getting lazy and unwilling to work as hard, or what! Whatever it is it makes me feel very disappointed in myself!

No advice for you unfortunately, just commiseration!

the last 10 lbs, are literally the hardest thing ever, not just you! everybody!

hang in there, keep it consistent for a while, if you're really stuck- switch it up!

I haven't lost my last 10lbs. So ... I can't help you.

One thing to consider is if you lost the last 10 lbs would you be able to maintain it? For me the answer is probably not - which is why for the last year I've not lost them.

DEPRESSSSSSSION induced by JohnP. THANKS A LOT! BOO!

THIS - depends on the individual. For me, losing 10 lbs would be the difference between being able to guesstimate and eyeball and have nibbles and bites here and there, and having to track everything carefully. So I'm more interested in maintaining a smaller pants size and keeping fit for now (also it's ThanksChristmas so I'd be a fool for thinking I am actually going to see any weight loss between now-New Year's).

As I've gotten closer to goal, I've really had to shift my thinking. For so long, it was "lose weight lose weight lose weight" that it became daunting to me to think about what life would be like once I reached goal. As I truly started shifting my focus to maintaining my healthy lifestyle, it didn't seem so frightening.

The weight is still coming off, but my real joy is now trying to a new exercise class, or taking an hour-long walk during lunch, resisting temptation when I go grocery shopping or finding a new healthy food or recipe. At the end of the week, I don't always weigh myself anymore, but I do still journal my food and exercise.

My point is, and I do have one, I was concerned about -- "what am I going to focus on once I hit goal and I don't have that gratification every week of losing weight?" The answer is, I focus on the overall lifestyle and I congratulate myself along the way for each accomplishment! Focus on all the great stuff you're doing for your life and health and celebrate everything, not just the pounds dropped.

Not just completing a weight loss goal (which I'm not even close to yet), but finishing up anything significant is a big issue for me - a big report for work, a crochet project, whatever. Just finishing up means it's done - it's no longer part of my life, I have to move on to something else that is more of an unknown - a new work assignment, a new craft project - all unfamiliar and strange and scary in some way. So I often procrastinate. I get the project just up to the last step and then I need to really push to get it completed. I imagine moving from weight loss mode into maintenance mode is going to feel equally strange, unfamiliar and scary.

So, not having been where you are with weight loss, I can't offer any insight specific to that, but I think moving to a new phase is just going to be hard for a lot of people, not just you.