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How To Lose The Last Few Pounds
When you’ve been working hard to lose weight, it can be very frustrating when you get stuck at the last few pounds. This happens to a lot of people, and it can seem impossible to shift, no matter how hard you work.
Before trying to shift those last five pounds, think about your goals. Is your target weight too low? If losing that last bit of weight is too hard, question whether you would be able to maintain it, or whether you’re content to stay a few pounds over your original goal.
Get FITT
FITT stands for frequency, intensity, type, and time. As you get fitter, your body gets more efficient at exercise, so you might not be getting the calorie burn that you think you are. To fix this, modify the frequency, intensity, type or time of exercise to burn more calories and get your weight loss moving again and get FITT.
Try An Alternative
There are lots of surgery-free options to help shift stubborn body fat. These are often offered by salons and could include things like seaweed wraps, or CoolSculpting. Look around to see what is available in your area, and see if any of the options appeal to you to try out.
Find Hidden Fat
Fat has more than twice as many calories as carbohydrates or protein, so if you can cut back on fat, you can shave off a lot of calories. A lot of the fats we eat are added fats, so check your food for hidden fats in your diet. Use less oil when you cook, eat more stir-fry and salad, and switch to low-fat versions of cheese and other dairy products.
Watch Your Portion Sizes
It can be very easy to underestimate the amount that you are eating. If you’re finding the last bit of weight hard to lose, go back to basics with your diet and start using measuring cups to get your portion sizes correct, and to check they aren’t creeping up in size.
Serve your meals on smaller plates so you aren’t tempted to fill a large plate and then eat more than you need. For treats, buy single-serving options, like 100 calorie candy packs or individually packaged ice cream bars. This stops you from accidentally over-indulging.
Look at Your Drinks
There are more calories in drinks than you might realize. Juices, coffee shop drinks, protein shakes, alcoholic drinks, and smoothies can all pack a real calorie punch. With some smart tweaks, you can still enjoy your favorite drinks without hurting your weight loss. Swap to skinny coffee drinks, skip the added syrups, switch to unsweetened drinks, or just drink smaller portions.
While hitting a weight loss plateau can be frustrating, it doesn’t have to mean your weight loss journey can happen. Usually, a harder look at your diet and change in your exercise routine is enough to get you on your way again, and you can learn some good, healthy habits that will help you to maintain your weight loss when you reach your goal weight.
