How to lose "that last 10 lbs"

I know, I've dropped off the face of the planet. So, if I still have readers out there, I sincerley apologize for letting you down with a lack of posts lately. As soon as May came, I knew it was going to be harder, especially with my boot camp I run all summer long. In between that, there's kids, husband, house, yard, activities, church responsibilities, oh, and my other blog to manage (as I'm sure you all can relate to). Trying to get 2 posts/week might be hard with summer, so I'm going to do my best to post once a week, most likely Sun or Mon for the next few months. And also, if you have any ideas or questions for this blog, post them! I love to hear your ideas so I can answer your questions (most likely you're not the only one wondering).

Lately, I've been asked..."how do I lose that last 5-10 lbs"? While it's true that those pounds are the hardest to lose, it can happen with a few of these tricks below.

1. Do more intense cardio. Your metabolism tends to naturally slow a bit as you lose weight. To offset the sluggishness, try increasing the intensity, but not the length, of your workouts. This appears to be more effective for burning calories and boosting your metabolic rate than increasing the amount of time you put in. If you've been walking at a moderate pace for 30 minutes, for example, try doing 2-3 min of intervals of walking and jogging.

2. Change your strength-training routine. Toning exercises are another great way to increase metabolism. That's because muscle burns at least four times more calories than fat—so the more muscle you have, the leaner you'll be. I recommend doing at least 30 minutes of strength training, twice a week. (My boot camp is a great way to change up your routine and challenge your body! Or find one in your local area.) But there's one more key: you have to continually challenge your body to keep getting results. If you've been doing your own never-changing workout for months, it's time to give your body a push. Try learning some new exercises, using heavier dumbbells, adding plyometrics, and combining mutliple muscle groups together in one exercise.

3. Eat a little less. One of the things I hear all the time is, "I haven't changed a thing, but suddenly I'm not losing weight." And I say, "Yup, that's exactly why!" Women often forget that the smaller their body, the fewer calories it requires. Say, for example, you started off weighing 165; you'd need about 2,475 calories a day to maintain your weight. (That's if you exercise most days of the week. You'd need less if you're not as active.) If you get down to 140 pounds, you'll need only about 2,100 calories—375 fewer calories a day. To figure out your calorie needs, multiply your current weight by 15; that's roughly the number of calories you need each day to maintain your weight if you're not exercising regularly. To keep losing, you'll need to eat less or exercise more—or both.

4. Reevaluate your goal weight. A lot of us have a magic number in our heads—and sometimes, sorry to say, it's not attainable or even healthy. You might be struggling because you really shouldn't be 130 pounds. Maybe 140 is the right weight for you. Make sure your goal is a sensible one (a BMI calculator can tell you the best weight for your height). You may realize that you've been at your healthiest scale number all this time.

5. Give yourself more time. Some women are realistic about how many pounds they should drop, but they often don't know how long it should take to lose them. In a recent study, for example, women who weighed 200 pounds wanted to get to 140—a reasonable, healthy weight for their height. But they wanted to get there in just two months. Experts agree that to lose that many pounds in a healthy, keep-it-off kind of way, most women would need at least six months. Stick with your healthy habits and be patient—you will get there.

6. Watch what you're sipping. A large Mango-A-Go-Go smoothie at Jamba Juice, for example, has 660 calories; a 16-ounce Starbucks Strawberries & Creme Frappucino has 580 calories. It's no wonder that research shows that a majority of the extra calories Americans get come from what we drink—not what we eat. Regular sodas, fruit drinks, high-cal blended coffees and smoothies can pile on hundreds of calories a day. That's enough to stop weight loss and cause you to get stuck at your current weight—or even lead to weight gain. Try sticking to water or seltzer mixed with a splash of fruit juice.


7. Get support. The weight loss journey is like running a marathon. Those last few pounds are the most frustrating and slow to come off, and it's the most likely time for people to give up. If you don't have people cheering you on during the last bit of it, you'll be less likely to cross the finish line. In fact, a recent study found that participants needed extra support during the last six months of a weight loss program in order to keep losing. So get yourself a pep squad. Find a workout buddy. Join a boot camp. :) Or have your best friend, mom or hubby check in with you every few days to give you some you're-almost-there encouragement.