Any advice for the last push

[GoodyBag]

I’ve lost a massive amount of weight, but struggling with the last 10kgs/22lbs.

My motivation is gone. I’m snacking more. The dark nights are really taking their toll as I’m just looking for cosy food, and not doing as much outdoors as I had been doing. I have a treadmill but just zero motivation.

If you’ve been there, can you tell me what worked for you, please? These 10lbs are what’s standing between me and a normal BMI for the first time in my adult life.

Have one decent dessert in the week very indulgent - bet it tastes way better than all the rubbish snacks

Congrats on the work done so far, sometimes we need a little break

Are you getting plenty of fibre in & drinking plenty of water?

Well done first of all

The last 10lbs for me took a long time but the key for me at that stage was more exercise as it balanced out not having to keep going into a bigger calorie deficit. I decided to lose half a pound a week over a long period of time rather than trying to lose 1lb or more it was too hard. The lower your weight the lower your BMR is so It was not realistic or sustainable for me to eat too few calories so I spent a few months trying to work out the right balance. I worked out that it was better for me to continue to build muscle rather than just worry about scale weight per se. Muscle weighs the same as fat but takes up less space and increases your BMR so I was less focused on the scale when I could see my shape changing and getting stronger. Now I maintain my weight with sensible eating and exercise, with some leeway for snacks or occasions. If I have had more snacks or an occasion than usual I might add on another workout that week to balance it a bit better. I am probably heavier than I appear visually from a first glance. It depends on what you are going for. Slim/althetic build will weigh more than a slim build and in my own experience going for slim build is harder more mentally gruelling and less enjoyable.

I bought some special outdoor wear items for walking like a snood, gloves etc and I still go out in winter unless it’s pouring rain I think the fresh air does me good. I work out with weights 4 times a week which is easier to do indoors.

You have to balance out what’s good for you mentally and what’s manageable. You could take some time to maintain your weight and take the pressure off before going for the last 10lbs or working out what will motivate you. What motivated you to start losing weight?

Definitely need to up the exercise the closer you are to ideal weight, because as PP has said, your BMR is is much lower so its really hard to get a calorie deficit

Like the PP, I have outdoor wear for these dark days. I have a beanie with a really good light on it, I have fluorescent snap bands that I attach to wrists and ankles, a florescent waistcoat to put over my coat and away I go - lit up like a bloomin Christmas tree :) But I live rural, no street lights and no pavements so I need to be seen. I wrap up warm if its cold, I have a full length waterproof to go over everything if its wet and I make sure my walking shoes are waterproofed Id rather do 5k out in the weather then on a treadmill, makes me feel so much better getting out

Make your meals more comforting. its the season for soups and stews and curries and the like. Big bowl of porridge in the mornings with piles of fresh fruit on top for the sweetness.. Ive made a really lovely saucepan of dhal packed with flavour and spinach, I was hungry there about 30 mins ago, instead of finding a biscuit I had a small bowl of that. I also like a yoghurt with fruit and oats, I add enough oats that I have a stodgy mess which I need to chew, and add chopped satsumas, grapes, kiwi and sit and eat that , surprisingly nice and oh so filling. Snack dont need to be cakes, biscuits, nuts, chocolate, it can be a soft boiled egg and a slice of wholemeal toast cut into soldiers to dip , of some lighter cheese and pickles. If Im having a wee drink I like to make up cocktail stick with a tiny silverskin onion. a wee cube low fat feta and a piece of ham and a grape . Just weigh the cheese and the smaller you cube it, the more sticks you get :)

And most importantly, keep the fluids up.

Dont let this blip derail you. You have worked so hard to get to this point, be proud of that and keep in mind where you want to be