Why Can't I Lose the Last 5 Pounds?

SPECIAL OFFER: - Limited Time Only!
(The ad below will not display on your printed page)

SAVE EVEN MORE! Say "Yes" to Fitness® Magazine today and get a second year for HALF PRICE – 2 full years (20 issues) for just $15. You also get our new Fitness Band and Total Body Express Band Workout ABSOLUTELY FREE! (U.S. orders only)

Email:

First Name:

Last Name:

Address:

City:

State:

Zip:

100% Money-Back Guarantee: You must be pleased, or you may cancel any time during the life of your subscription and receive a refund on any unserved issues – no questions asked. Fitness® Magazine is currently published 10 times annually – subject to change without notice. Double issues may be published, which count as 2 issues. Applicable sales tax will be added. E-mail address required to access your account and member benefits online. We will not share your e-mail address with anyone. Click here to view our privacy policy.

« Back |

Why Can't I Lose the Last 5 Pounds?

Expert weight-loss tips to help you reach your goal weight.

By Bethany Gumper

Question: "I just can't get the last 5 pounds to budge. What gives?"

Answer: First, ask yourself whether you've set a goal weight that's too low -- your body may be telling you that the weight would be hard to maintain. "If you're sure you need to keep losing, remember that the final 5 pounds are very different from the first," says Madelyn Fernstrom, PhD, director of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center's Weight Management Center. The more weight you drop, the fewer calories your body needs -- so it becomes harder to create the deficit required to slim down. Aim to shed 2 pounds a month (instead of per week, like you did when you had more to lose) by burning 250 more calories than you consume every day. Here's how: Shave 100 to 150 calories off your daily diet (skip your nightly glass of wine, for example) while you also burn an extra 100 to 150 calories (jog for 10 minutes more or take three 10-minute walks throughout the day).

Step 1: Cut 100s of Calories Without Missing Them >>
Step 2: Burn More Calories at Every Workout >>

Originally published in FITNESS magazine, September 2009.