I think the last ten pounds are the hardest to lose. Maybe this is because sometimes we set unrealistic goals and our body is already at a natural weight that is a few pounds more than we would like but is actually closer to the realistic ideal for our age and height.In my case, I've managed to get down from my heaviest weight of 215 to a current weight of 162. Given I'm sixty nine inches tall I'm no longer considered overweight by any official standards. But before I was pregnant I weighed about 150 and I felt much better at that weight. So I would like to lose the last ten pounds.
Above are two virtual models. The one on the right weighs 205, which is what I weighed just after my baby was born. The left one weighs 162 pounds, my current weight. These virtual models are 5 feet nine inches. If I really looked like the one at 162, and didn't just weigh the same as her, I probably wouldn't be so keen on trying to lose more weight. But sadly this is not the case. My excess weight seems to have settled on my face, back of my arms, and around my stomach.
My baby is two years old now. It's taken me a long time to lose fifty pounds. I discussed this in the post-pregnancy post. I basically lost the weight by reverting back to pre-pregnancy eating habits. My eating overindulgences during pregnancy consisted of lots of vanilla icecream and apple pie, some chocolate, lots of healthy bread slathered with butter. But my main diet was quite healthy, with a big focus on legumes, greens, fish and nuts.
So in the last two years, I've mainly avoided the sweets and tried to limit my bread and butter indulgence. I've never felt hungry and continue to eat what seems like a huge amount. I guess this has been possible because I've been breast feeding all this time and that uses up a lot of daily calories.
But I know I've stabilized at my current weight and need to take special action if I want to lose ten more pounds.
My goal is to lose this over the next eight weeks by ramping up my weekly walking routine and by avoiding bread and any food products with sugar in them. I would like to walk a minimum of three miles at least four times per week. I'll try to really focus my diet on brown rice, greens, oatmeal, lots of legumes, nuts and fish. (I will try to keep my meat consumption to a minimum, though I still have to cook it regularly for my husband.)
I won't be counting any calories and I won't be limiting myself in any way. I don't think it'll be necessary to experience hunger pains in order to reach this goal if I stick to the walking mileage goal.
So wish me luck. I've already delayed starting on my goal, but the new start date is January 23rd (after my baby's second birthday party). By sometime in mid to late March I would like to report that I've succeeded.
Progress Update March 11th: I completely failed. I've lacked motivation and haven't stuck to my goal of regular walking or watching my excess food consumption. I've lost a pound and am now at 162. That's after several weeks since I last wrote. The urgency just didn't seem to be there. Other priorities took hold.
But now I'm getting the first taste of spring. I'd love to be very fit and slim again. So I am going to try this again. Give me eight weeks to lose 10 pounds as per method above. I think my motivation is really on side this time. That's a central key to weight loss for me. I want to look great when the short sleeve season comes. Check back here on May 10th. I'll be successful this time! Anyone want to join me for this deadline?