@dassahjoy I’m 5’1” and my goal weight was 103 lb. I finally got rid of the last 5 lb down to my goal weight and to me it didn’t really make a noticeable difference. Going from 115 to 108ish-110 was noticeable though so I’m staying in that range now
@mrwong Congrats!! How did you do it? I'm 5'3 and 118/119 and always have a belly. I work our regularly, walk 10k steps a day, weight train and never manage to have a flat stomach. Do you just have to cut calories severely?
@enoob57 Thank you! I always have a tiny bit of belly and for me it didn’t go away even when I got to 103, so I’m going to try hitting weights and eating more protein for recomp to try to get a flatter stomach. But to get to 103, I really didn’t do any exercise more than my normal yoga/ 1 mile of walking a day. All I did was calorie count (casually, not with a food scale) and stay at 1200 cal/day for a few months. I believe it took me about 6 months to be consistent and reach my goal weight
@mrwong Wow, I'm really impressed!! It's not easy to stick to calorie counting for that long. Good for you!! I have the same belly issue, I'm fairly small and narrow and don't gain weight anywhere else. It's so hard to lose, good luck!
Be patient. It may take a long time, but since the next six months are going to pass anyway, you may as well be more fit by the end of it. Rushing through will only be discouraging.
Consider adding exercise instead of restricting calories more. Added benefit: building muscle and getting stronger in the process rather than wasting away. For me, swimming and elliptical were really effective, and I got super healthy as well: it was great for my hobbies like backpacking and skiing. For me, this was a healthy way to achieve my goals, whereas trying to get those last 10 pounds off via restriction would have meant eating too little for my body...and would have been totally unsustainable for me.
@dassahjoy I'm 4'11 and the last few pounds make a huge difference on my frame! It sucks. I carry any extra weight in my stomach and upper arms, so even going from 107 to my current 104 is a huge change. And my secret is just being a boring old lady who eats healthy and exercises daily.
@dassahjoy Yes those last 5-10 lbs make a big difference. I'm 5 feet 0 and weigh 106 lbs now. My prepandemic weight was around 112 lbs but I was forever trying to get back to my college 105 lbs weight. During COVID I got up to 131 lbs, my highest weight ever. It took about 2 years, but I did end up losing 25 lbs with the last 10 lbs being the most difficult. About 6 months ago, I incorporated lifting heavy and stopped running on the treadmill. I also do pilates, Lagree, and yoga regularly. I think lifting heavy and increasing protein helped the most with the last 10 lbs. My family and friends noticed my weight loss only within the last 10 lbs. They couldn't tell I lost my pandemic weight during the first 15 lbs lost and only during the last 10 lbs. My pants fit so much better now. It's totally worth doing my best to lose the last few lbs.
@dassahjoy I am same height. Same goal weight. Current weight 117. I got to our goal. I ran marathons to do it - i hate running with effort but i literally wanted that weight. I hit my goal HOWEVER. Every man and his dog told me i wasnt looking good - but i felt i looked my best. I didnt FEEL my best though (important differentiation!)
Fast forward 3 years now im 117. I cant run those distances any more the body doesnt allow it. I cant run for performance anymore its super slow and basically cardio between strength/weight days. I get nothing but compliments NOW (when i want to lose a lil weight still in my atupid brain). But i look back on my marathon timeframe photos and i can NOW see i look like a dang bobblehead doll and “the people” were right! I didnt look good. Also 110lb doesnt let me eat fuck all if im not running a billion kms a day. And it just isnt worth it to be at battle with my body every single day i like my food far too much!! So I concentrate on shit outside the scale.
5-10lbs will make a difference but it wont necessarily be perceived positively. Better to concentrate on having some muscle mass and not on the scale too hard.
This is exactly the opposite of answering your question, but I gave up on those "last 5 lbs" and started dedicating more time to muscle and gradually added more protein and veg to my portions at dinner.
My portion sizes feel much more sustainable (those "last 5 lbs" meals had me feeling like a rabbit), I'm in better shape than I've been since college and I just feel better about myself, number on the scale be damned.
I'm now 15 lbs above my initial "goal weight" with no regrets.
@dassahjoy I’m in my 40s and my adult weight has fluctuated from 100-120ish at various times. Into the 140s when I was pregnant. I think some of it depends on your build however I actually think what’s more helpful is having a body fat feature on your scale. I know it’s not super accurate but it helps you see the trend in your body. Also putting on muscle you may weigh a bit more but your body will look much more toned/strong.
@dassahjoy Yes they do! I’m 5ft 3.5”. Pre-pandemic at around 117 pounds I was a UK 4 on top, 6 on the bottom half. Fast forward to 3 months ago at 130 pounds I was a UK 10 on top, 12 on the bottom. Started lifting weights and cutting out processed food and am now at 125 pounds and a size 8. For me the last 8 pounds I have left to lose equate to 2 inches off my waist and 1-2 dress sizes.
@dassahjoy Everyone is different, and you're the only one that can say for sure whether it's worth it or not. BUT...
I recently cut from 112 to 105 and the difference in how I look and feel is huge- it's like night and day. For me, 5 pounds is a clothing size, so at 112 I couldn't wear half the stuff in my closet.
The 'secret' I guess (for me at least) is not being in a hurry; i.e. eating at a moderate deficit over a VERY long time. I think I lost maybe 1/4 to 1/3 of a pound per week on average. It's really not that different from what I eat in maintenance, just v small differences. I feel like I could do this forever without feeling restricted.
@dassahjoy I don’t feel like it makes a significant difference in my body from what other people notice, but I definitely can tell on myself. I had 2 babies in the last 2 years and people tell me I look the same as before, but my old jeans are still tight on me and I know losing another 10 lbs (and recomping back to my more muscular shape) will make my non-stretchy old clothes fit me comfortably. Til then it’s leggings for me!
@dassahjoy Sadly, it made quite the difference. I say sadly because I had to switch up a lot of what I was doing lol. But I finally feel lighter on my feet and better about my appearance. Basically, I got rid of only doing HIIT. I’ve been doing only killer high intensity workouts for years and while it was a lot of fun to push myself, my appetite was pretty high. Instead, I stick to steady state and I no longer get bloated or insatiable. So I don’t eat large meals that leave me stuffed. Also I don’t mindlessly snack. Those bites add up. And I try to keep starchy carbs low. Aside from fruits and veggies, I don’t really eat much rice or bread and stuff like that. I stopped eating out once a week. Now I only do it if I’m invited out. Saves money too! Went from 115 to 105lbs at around 5’4.5” Never been this low, and this is all it took.
@dassahjoy Lost 4 lbs and a significant difference in the way I look. I am 5'1 for reference. Are you to be 111 LBS and now moved to 107. Calorie deficit and increasing my walking has yielded me this result, in a period of about 70 days.