If your last 15 lbs. seem as though they plan to stick with you for life, take heart. The last 15 lbs. are the most difficult for everyone to lose. As you lose weight, you need to adjust the balance of calories you're taking in with the calories you're burning. A minor tweak to your current eating plan can help you over a plateau. Losing the last of your excess weight doesn't require giving up all of your free time to exercise. Work out harder to spend less time exercising and burn off the last 15 lbs. healthfully.
Step 1
Check your calorie intake. Write down everything you eat and drink, and look up the calories in a calorie-counter book. Total the number of calories each day. Compare your calorie intake with the recommended intake for your gender and weight on MayoClinic.com's calorie calculator. Adjust your calorie intake to the recommended daily calories for your goal weight.
Step 2
Eat a protein source and a food rich in fiber at each meal or snack to keep you feeling satisfied. Walnuts, almonds, peanut butter, rye crisps, whole-grain crackers, raw vegetables with hummus, string cheese, yogurt without excess sugar, protein drinks and fresh or frozen fruit offer healthy choices for take-along snacks. Be prepared with your own healthy foods to withstand the temptation to consume foods or beverages that would undermine your goal to lose the last 15 lbs.
Step 3
Drink enough water. Water keeps you hydrated and helps reduce your appetite. Make water your priority beverage and reduce empty-calorie beverages such as soda and sweetened drinks.
Step 4
Cut alcohol out of your diet. Alcohol dehydrates you and interferes with fat burning. Alcohol undermines building and repairing muscles, reducing the effectiveness of your exercise efforts, the University of Notre Dame's Office of Alcohol and Drug Education says. Avoid alcohol, or limit it to an occasional indulgence to lose weight healthfully.
Step 5
Increase your exercise intensity. Choose vigorous exercise -- such as circuit training, roller blading or aerobic dance -- to counteract the effect your weight loss has on the amount of calories you burn during activity. For example, a 200 lb. man burns 728 calories jogging 5 mph for an hour. At 160 lbs., he burns 584 calories jogging for the same duration and intensity. Add interval training -- varying your workout intensity to increase calorie-burn -- for a healthy way to lose your last 15 lbs.
Step 6
Seek support for reaching your goal. Talk about your concerns, achievements, challenges and any anxieties or difficulties to prepare for change. For example, if you've been too self-conscious about your weight or seek a career change, you may face discomfort at the prospect of being free of the obstacle.
Tips and Warnings
- Consult a qualified therapist if you need help working through emotional issues about weight loss. As you lose weight, your body requires fewer calories to maintain the same activity level.
- Consult with your doctor about any medical concerns. Don't try to starve the weight off with a fad diet, fast, "detox" or other gimmick. These strategies cause your metabolism to slow down.
Things You'll Need
- Calorie counter book
References
- National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute: Balance Food and Activity -- What is Energy Balance?
- MayoClinic.com: Exercise for Weight Loss -- Calories Burned in 1 Hour
- MayoClinic.com: Interval Training -- Can It Boost Your Calorie-Burning Power?
- MayoClinic.com: Calorie Calculator
- University of Notre Dame's Office of Alcohol and Drug Education: Your Body and Alcohol
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