Need advise on loosing these last few pounds.

[Devasingh]

Hello everyone,,

I am seeking some advise on some possible routine exercises to help me loose these last 13 pounds. A little bit about me is I work part time and go to school part time. During my free time I am attempting to stay in a workout routine at the local gym however, I am limited on some of the things I am able to do due to some health issues. I have had 2 back surgeries and facing a 3rd plus I knots on the bottom of my feet that keep me from being able to run. My current routine is every other day at a local gym which is due to not having enough time in the day for everything every day. When I go to the gym I will 1st walk on the treadmill for about 10 mins or a 1/2 mile which ever is 1st. My pace fluctuates due to the pain in my back at times. Then I move on to the exercise machines (cant think of the technical term here) 1 day I will focus on upper body on these machines and the next I will focus on lower body. When I 1st signed up at the gym I was given a workout routine and I have stuck to this. Once I am finished there I will then go to the cycle for 10 minutes or get back on the treadmill for 10 mins or another half mile. 

When I first started I was pushing 275 and I managed to loose 100 lbs using this routine within about 4 or 5 months. I am now down to 163 and my goal weight (which is the average weight for my height) is 150. But after doing this for months I cant seem to get that last little bit back off or even replace the fat with muscle in my mid section. My calorie intake is good and I do not overeat as that has never really been the issue rather then just not getting off of my rear haha. 

Thank you for any advise.

[WavyDavey]

Hi @Devasingh and welcome.

First, congrats on your weight loss, especially in the face of some health issues. I know that makes it more difficult, so patience can be a big factor. We all have to work within our limitations.

It sounds like you're getting good exercise. I find in general that weight loss is more motivated by dietary change than exercise amount. So you may want to look at how many calories you're taking in, maybe reducing those and/or fat intake. Fitbit makes it easy to log food and it's a valuable tool. Best of luck.

[BruceM]

As one who lost a little weight by changing my lifestyle I can advise you that the last few pounds will be difficult. I decided in 2002 to lose 30 pounds by changing my lifestyle and changed a little every year. In 2012, I weighed my goal of 155. I decided to keep losing but I had stopped all my bad eating and was walking 10 miles a day (easy because I'm retired). I've been under 150 at times but can;t sustain that. So I"m between 147 and 155 ( go over during the holidays). You'll have to change something to drop more pounds without a crash diet which in my opinion is never permanent.

Just find something that keeps your weight up and stop it or find an exercise you can do to burn calories and start it.

Also consider your health. If you're healthy determine - including asking your doctor - what good more weight loss would do for you. If you don't find a good answer to that question it may not be worth the effort. Just my opinion.

[Dominique]

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@Devasingh wrote:

I am now down to 163 and my goal weight (which is the average weight for my height) is 150.

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What is your height, if I may ask? There is no such thing as an "average weight" for a given height. The most commonly used ratio of weight to height is BMI, but even that gives a range for weight (and that range is quite wide) rather than a single "average"  number.

You said you lost 100 lbs in 4-5 months. This is enormous, to the point it is hard to believe: 5-6 lbs per week implies an average daily deficit of 2500-3000 calories. Very few people could sustain that for several months. But if it’s really the case, the last thing you want to do at this point is try to lose even more.

[emili]

@Devasingh .. any pounds, last few or first few are usually as a result of a caloric deficit. You may want to restart your allowance and tracking of calories for the last few pounds. There are some things with great weight loss that you won't be able to do away with, loose skin is one of them. What you may be trying to replace with muscle, may not actually be fat. None the less, focusing on weight training now may be a great way for your to "take a break" from focusing on losing and build up strength. Do it for a few weeks and see how you feel and if you notice any composition differences. then, restart your calorie counting and see how things go from there. You aren't in a race.. do what feels right and makes sense.