How to lose the last ten pounds

October 4, 2007 8:34 AM

Why are the last ten pounds the hardest to lose?

Is it actually the case that some fat is more "stubborn" than other fat? Why is that? Does the body hold on to this weight for some prehistoric function? Are we genetically programmed to keep this weight? Is losing the last ten pounds of an otherwise straight forward weight loss plan known to be considerably more difficult?

I am curious to know why losing this weight is more difficult, why would it be inconsistent with previous losses, and why this fat collects where it does, in my case around the gut.

If it is more difficult to lose the last of this weight, how does one alter their diet/cardio/strength training routine to accomodate this issue?

posted by mizrachi to health (10 comments total)

They are the hardest to lose because your body naturally wants to store *some* fat. People who keep those last ten pounds off are the kind who are in the gym daily, are active on the weekends, and watch their diet carefully. Or it's in their genes.

Some fat is normal.
posted by dead_ at 8:36 AM on October 4, 2007

Is it actually the case that some fat is more "stubborn" than other fat? Why is that?

It seems that way because a smaller you means that your body consumes fewer calories. It takes more energy to move 200 pounds a mile than it does 170 pounds. And since most calorie consumption is just about normal body processes (breathing, maintaining temperature, etc.), the smaller you is just not able to run up calorie deficits the way the larger one could. And if you've been exercising, you've made your body slightly more efficient at using the energy you give it, making the calorie deficits even harder to get.

Your options are:

eat even less (which sucks but will make the most difference)

exercise even more (which is less effective)

combine the two (which super-sucks, but might get you back to your previous loss rate)

keep with what you're doing, which will still get you there as long as you're running deficits (this has the best chance of working long-term)

ramp up your metabolism with stimulants (risky for your health, probably won't work long term)
posted by Mayor Curley at 8:45 AM on October 4, 2007 [1 favorite]

Set a goal to lose 10 pounds less than your current target, and when you get to 10 pounds over your goal, you're there.
posted by The World Famous at 9:05 AM on October 4, 2007 [1 favorite]

Sorry if that was unclear: Set a target weight 10 pounds less than your current target. Then it won't matter that the last 10 pounds are the hardest.
posted by The World Famous at 9:06 AM on October 4, 2007

Yeah, I think Famous has it.... it's a psycological thing. You know you're close, so you might ease up a bit. I did that when I lost 70 lb. two years ago.... then when I finally got going again, I ended up losing more than my goal by a few pounds.
posted by Doohickie at 9:16 AM on October 4, 2007

I don't think it's a psychological thing. Your intake and excercise rate determines your final weight more so than your loss rate. As you approach your equilibrium weight, you lose weight more and more slowly. You either need to eat less, excercise more, or wait longer.
posted by RustyBrooks at 9:51 AM on October 4, 2007

I think it is a combination of factors: part physiological and part psychological. How much of each probably depends in part on the person trying to lose the weight.

For me, it's been mainly psychological. I have this bad habit of feeling like "well, I'm close, I can let up a bit and finish it off later." Then "letting up a bit" turns into terrible eating habits, and so on.

What seems to have helped me is changing the goals I am mainly focused on, and start focusing on some specific fitness goals rather than weight. For those, I have a lot farther to go and it helps me maintain focus. To reach some of those goals, I need to eat healthily and exercise consistently (by a happy coincidence, the same things I need to do to lose that last bit of weight).

It's like sneaking up on your weight goal by shifting your focus to other goals that require the same lifestyle choices.
posted by greenmagnet at 10:19 AM on October 4, 2007

dont concentrate on 'weight'.
do concentrate on being healthy.
do concentrate on having a certain body fat ratio
do concentrate on certain fitness levels.

it drives me insane to hear people say they want to lose '12 pounds' or some such garbage. are you going to be any healthier if you diet for a few weeks and exercise and lose 10 pounds of muscle because you weren't eating enough protein and carbs to support proper muscle maintenance and growth?

if youre trying to lose 10 pounds of body fat, and you succeed, youre probably going to replace at least a couple of those pounds of fat with muscle. so dont target so much on weight. target more on size or preferably, again, fitness and body-fat percentages.

on the other hand, if youre trying to get down to a specific body-fat percentage, i recommend you try the wonderful crossfit program, which is frequently mentioned on this site. it involves compound exercises, weight-training and aerobics at high-intensity levels. it will REALLY boost your metabolism and get the fat burnin. i, and a lot of others have had great success with this, although it is in fact, very hard work.

do you have a personal trainer at a gym? you might try getting one and working with them on a fitness plan.

also make sure youre eating often enough. 5-6 small meals a day at 2000 calories total is a lot better for you than eating even just 1 or 2 large meals at 1500 calories. you'll notice a big difference if youre not already doing this.

nonetheless, dont worry so much. just stay healthy and enjoy your fitness.
posted by kneelconqueso at 10:32 AM on October 4, 2007

If you're stuck on a plateau, considering changing it up a bit. Eat something different. Do a different form of exercise.

Currently, I'm onto my last 20lb. So close and yet so far from my goal ...
posted by ysabet at 11:13 PM on October 4, 2007

I agree with kneelconqueso. I think my reason for weight loss (I compete in a weight class sport) is one of the only acceptable reasons to make a target poundage the goal. Otherwise...what's the difference between losing 28 and 30 pounds, or 10 and 12lbs? For ME it might mean weighing 163, and fighting 174lbers, instead of losing the last 2, and competing at 161. But I doubt anybody but me and the scale can tell that I'm 161, rather than 163. I'm pretty fit at either weight.

My advice to people who don't put up with the madness of weight class sports is this: turn the mirror into the scale. What matters is not some arbitrary number, but whether or not you are satisfied with your level of fitness. Now, for people really out of shape, the scale is a great tool in the early stages of weight loss. BUt ideally, the process is about transforming your body, not about weird arbitrary limits.
posted by HighTechUnderpants at 3:31 PM on October 9, 2007