Help!!! Can't Seem to Lose the Last 2-3 Pounds

[Mizvk]

Hey everyone! 

I have been watching my weight and eating healthy for as long as I can remember (probably middle school). I was sitting around 128-130 pounds for the past year or so and I was really happy with that number. I went on vacation for a week this summer and let myself splurge. It's about the only time I don't make myself feel guilty for eating what I want. I "gained" about 8 pounds, was up at 137.8 pounds (probably a lot of water weight and not fat), in the next 7 days, I "lost" 5.5 pounds and was down to 132.2 pounds. I got as low as 130.6 pounds in the few days after that but then all of a sudden it started increasing!!!! I am now sitting anywhere between 131.5 and 133 pounds and it won't go anywhere!!!! 

I eat 1200 calories a day, and before anyone says that is too little, I am very petite. I'm barely 5 feet tall, all legs, barely any torso. 1200 calories for me is very filling. I would have to actively try and gorge myself to eat more and I would feel very full. 

I am a teacher so have been more active since after vacation getting my classroom together. I burn anywhere between 1500-2000 calories a day depending on my activity so I have at least a 250 calorie deficit every day, usually more like a 500 calorie deficit. Why can I not lose these last 2-4 pounds? I don't get it!!

I am eating as I always have, been more active, and it's harder to lose weight now than it ever was to maintain my weight when I was at 129 pounds. I feel like before vacation my weight barely changed. Even if I had one cheat day the scale didn't move and now my weight won't get back down below 130 pounds and I am scared it's going to keep going up! 

That being said. I do measure my waist and high hips regularly, and at 132 pounds, my measurements are half an inch smaller than they were when I was at my lowest weight of 128.4 pounds. Is my scale malfunctioning? Am I putting on weight somewhere else! I can't figure it out!! Help please!!!! Thanks!! 

[AmandaGeorge]

Welcome to the world of Fitbit, @Mizvk!

I used to find the same too, before I got my Fitbit, but maybe your body just needs a break from losing weight for a while?  Focus on something other than your weight for a month or so, then try something totally new to you... it doesn't have to be anything out there or even cost any money, but doing sit-ups or squats or jogging or whatever is new to you or that you haven't done for a very long time to sort of reawaken your body and hopefully those last few pounds will melt away without you trying... just give your body a bit of time to recover from your holiday then try something new and different for a while which will hopefully be all you need to lose the last little bit.

[Heybales]

Water weight.

For any number of reasons - stress over losing final pounds sounding like it right now.

Also suggest target weight range - you'll drive yourself batty attempting anything smaller than 3 lb range that happens naturally.

Keep up waist measurement, since that mainly along with increased weight will tell a better story.

Ditto's to taking diet break.

Eat at maintenance, unstress body for 2 weeks.

Then take a 500 cal deficit for a week.

Maintenance for a week.

Repeat.

250 cal deficit is most reasonable for final lbs - but it can be hard to get accurate on food logging and calorie burn with such a small margin.

Your food logging could easily be off (labels are allowed up to 20% off on info besides your own inaccuracy), your Fitbit on daily calorie burn could be off.

Or if your schedule and mind can take it - the 5:2 method in study was able to help weight loss easily.

5 days a week eat at maintenance Fitbit tells you.

2 non-consecutive days eat at 25% of that average maintenance figure, sounds like upwards of 500 for you but below too.

That provides an average deficit of 22% which is pretty reasonable, and allows plenty of time for body hormones to be in best possible state.

[Noire7]

Remember too the smaller you are the fewer calories you burn per day, adding a 2nd workout a day isn't a bad idea, strength train with your first then 8-10hrs after you recover do 30mins of cardio, do that for a few weeks and make sure you aren't over eating and eating high processed foods the salt will add water weight 🙂