Is it true that the last pounds are also the...
- Thread starter Gustavo1
- Start date
Absolutely. The last few are most definitely the hardest because you have reached a good level of fitness and have to push yourself much harder and with food it's the time when you really have to focus on portion sizes and not just the type of food you eat.
It's absolutely true!!! (and equally frustrating)
I have my calories lean, I work-out like a demon and I have to fight like heck to lost 1/4-pound per week! And then my jack-ass brother comes along and boasts about how those obese fatties on Worlds Greatest Loser can lose upto 14 pounds in a week. Sheesh!~
But yeah....your body will sorta adjust & acclimate to your exercise. It used to take me 1,400 calories to do my 14.4 mile mountain bike loop, and now I can do it in about 850 calories! (using heart-rate monitor with calorie-counter to measure). Well, let's think about it...now I'm carrying about 50 less pounds; 50 pounds doesn't move itself, no longer do I need to generate/burn the energy to move that weight. My muscles have grown, my body has adapted and I'm doing it much more efficiently. Bottom line is, less weight on your body means less demands to move it and less demands to support it.
From what I'm gathering, the body has several mechanisms to deal with what it perceives is a scarcity of food....it doesn't know you're trying to get ripped & fit, it just knows you're depleting your energy bank. And you'd better exercise, cause excess lean muscle tissue is an energy user even when it sits unused; you're body will shed it if you don't keep a need/toll placed upon it.
So yeah, it gets tougher...but it is what it is and we press on in the face of caloric adversity.
I have my calories lean, I work-out like a demon and I have to fight like heck to lost 1/4-pound per week! And then my jack-ass brother comes along and boasts about how those obese fatties on Worlds Greatest Loser can lose upto 14 pounds in a week. Sheesh!~
But yeah....your body will sorta adjust & acclimate to your exercise. It used to take me 1,400 calories to do my 14.4 mile mountain bike loop, and now I can do it in about 850 calories! (using heart-rate monitor with calorie-counter to measure). Well, let's think about it...now I'm carrying about 50 less pounds; 50 pounds doesn't move itself, no longer do I need to generate/burn the energy to move that weight. My muscles have grown, my body has adapted and I'm doing it much more efficiently. Bottom line is, less weight on your body means less demands to move it and less demands to support it.
From what I'm gathering, the body has several mechanisms to deal with what it perceives is a scarcity of food....it doesn't know you're trying to get ripped & fit, it just knows you're depleting your energy bank. And you'd better exercise, cause excess lean muscle tissue is an energy user even when it sits unused; you're body will shed it if you don't keep a need/toll placed upon it.
So yeah, it gets tougher...but it is what it is and we press on in the face of caloric adversity.
Some people have a pretty tough time losing the first few pounds. Breaking habits and actually starting is tough on many individuals.
The first 5-8 lbs for me pretty much fall off as soon as I start resistance training. It is pretty amazing that soooo many people think that cardio and aerobics are the be all and end all of the way to burn calories and lose weight/fat.
The last few pounds(or percentage of bodyfat) are the killer for me. I'm getting there though....
The last few pounds(or percentage of bodyfat) are the killer for me. I'm getting there though....
Definately true and I hate the type of people that bikeswim mentioned:
"Yeah you lost 3 pounds? Well I lost 10 pounds in the past 2 weeks and all I've done was cut out soda. I don't have to overthink it like you."
"Yeah well, you're also 100 pounds over weight."
I think it also gets harder because your body doesn't really want to get rid of the last amount of fat. In your mind you think you want to lose 10-20 pounds to get that look you want but in reality you are at a healthy weight and your body is thinking it doesn't want to give up any more.
"Yeah you lost 3 pounds? Well I lost 10 pounds in the past 2 weeks and all I've done was cut out soda. I don't have to overthink it like you."
"Yeah well, you're also 100 pounds over weight."
I think it also gets harder because your body doesn't really want to get rid of the last amount of fat. In your mind you think you want to lose 10-20 pounds to get that look you want but in reality you are at a healthy weight and your body is thinking it doesn't want to give up any more.
OH FUDGE!!! So does this mean that reaching my goal of 160lbs after weighing 197lbs isnt going to be as fast as I thought???
After the 1st month of my workout program I lost 13lbs and went down to 184, so I thought that each month I was going to lose more or less the same amount (13lbs) and figured that in about 3 1/2 months I was going to reach my goal.
WAS I WAY OFF??? (keep in mind that i didnt know zip about losing weight)
And if I was way off, then should I expect to lose considerably less for my next weigh-in???
After the 1st month of my workout program I lost 13lbs and went down to 184, so I thought that each month I was going to lose more or less the same amount (13lbs) and figured that in about 3 1/2 months I was going to reach my goal.
WAS I WAY OFF??? (keep in mind that i didnt know zip about losing weight)
And if I was way off, then should I expect to lose considerably less for my next weigh-in???
Don't live and Die by the scale!! Remember if you are doing weight training you may indeed gain weight(lean muscle mass), but look and feel better.
My last go round. I started at 175 lbs...dropped to 165 and I am now at 180. However I look much better/thinner than when I weighed 175. My gut is gone, but my muscles are fuller.
My last go round. I started at 175 lbs...dropped to 165 and I am now at 180. However I look much better/thinner than when I weighed 175. My gut is gone, but my muscles are fuller.
The guy with the cool avatar is right!!!!!
For 3 weeks I rode my mountain bike for hours with sweat pouring from my helmet, played racquetball twice a week, swam for miles and did heavy weights. I kept my calories low. I felt leaner, looked leaner and I was expecting a good drop on the scale. I GAINED 1.5 POUNDS!
BUT....while the scale went up by 1.5 pounds, my body-fat% DROPPED by 1.7%, so my gain in muscle offset my loss of fat. The scale said I was a failure and the body-fat calipers said I CHILLEN'D...I mean, I ROCKED!!!!'
Gustavo....if you workout and do it right, you'll probably look awesome at 172-174. You're body-fat will be the same as when you were 160, but you'll have more weight by virtue of muscle-gain!
Don't let that scale get in your head. I only weigh-in once per month and even then it's with great hesitation and little consideration I grant those numbers!
The good work, KEEP IT UP!