Those pesky last 10 pounds
You hear it - heck, you probably say it - all the time ~ “If I could just lose those last 10 pounds” ~ It’s the never ending battle.
There’s a reason those last 10 pounds are so hard to lose and it’s because your body does not want to let them go. The leaner you get, the harder it becomes. While you are trying to lose weight, your body is resisting and trying to counteract it by decreasing metabolism and increasing hunger cues.
The 80/20 rule will no longer be good enough and flexible dieting most likely won’t do the trick. That’s not to say that it can’t be done. But it will require a different type of commitment and discipline, as well as the ability to maintain those results you achieve. There is a cost to getting very lean and it usually comes with some deprivation and anxiety around food.
It comes at the cost of giving up a slice of birthday cake, Friday night pizza night, or popcorn at the movies with your kids. You will most likely have to decline invites out for cocktail night or dinner with friends. Or if you do decide to go, you may end up obsessing over the menu and calorie content of the food rather than relaxing and enjoying your evening.
Those last 10 pounds you are carrying might be exactly what is providing you the balance and happiness in your life. They are what give you the freedom to enjoy the social and cultural and purely pleasurable side of food. They are cooking together with friends, licking the spatula when baking with your kids, and having a glass of wine (or two ;)) with a girlfriend when you need to vent. They are grabbing a taco from a street truck or a giant pretzel at a sporting event, or an ice cream cone on the boardwalk. They are the bread you dip in your pasta sauce on Sunday night dinner or that overly sweet yet delicious frappucino you give yourself once a week.
I don’t write this to discourage you from reaching your goals, but rather to point out that it is a good idea to evaluate the process, the commitment and sacrifices it will take and determine if it is worth it.
If the answer to that is yes, then go for it! It will be challenging mentally and physically, but you can do it! Your goals are yours and yours alone and I hope you knock it out of the park! Working with a coach will be extremely helpful during this process.
If the answer is no, then it may be time to go through the mental game of accepting your happy weight. The one where you feel good in your skin and can fuel your body with the proper nutrients while leaving room to just live, enjoy and indulge. The 80/20 rule for life! Finding a coach will be extremely beneficial in this process as well as there are a lot of mindset shifts that need to take place when it comes to accepting a happy weight over an ideal weight. When you put the scale away, you can focus on so many other areas of health and wellness ~ progression in strength training and power and endurance; or flexibility and mobility; or you can focus on improving your fitness level for your sport or your passion rather than for weight loss.
There are so many ways to improve your overall health that have nothing to do with losing weight!
It comes down to your goals of course, but also a look into what is driving those goals. Taking the time to really explore what you are looking to achieve and what you are ready, willing, and able to do to achieve it is your first step!