So you want to lose 5 pounds…Why are those last pounds so hard?

Dietitian advice if you’ve asked this common weight loss question

I often get asked about how to lose 5 pounds. People expect a Dietitian to suggest a bunch of nutrition tips and strategies. Instead I approach this question in a different way. I’d like you to take a deep breath and be open to thinking about those last 5 pounds with a fresh perspective. Stay with me and read on…

What is it about those last 5 pounds?

Those last 5 pounds that so many of us focus on and are determined that we would just be happy “IF” we could lose those. Those last 5 pounds are the thing that feels like is getting in the way of being totally okay in our body. Those last 5 pounds feel impossible to budge.

What do those last five pounds represent to you?

In my experience, some people believe that they would see themselves differently if they lost the last 5 pounds. They would finally achieve that confidence that they want to feel so badly. That they can finally stop feeling bad about the body they are in.

Unfortunately, I don’t believe you. What I am hearing is that you are uncomfortable in your body and in just being you. You are uncomfortable with being okay as you are.

For many of us, those last few pounds are a beautiful symbol of us enjoying the flexibility and freedom of an unrestricted lifestyle.

Those last few pounds are there, likely, because your body functions and feels its best there. We don’t get to decide the number on the scale. We are all meant to be different sizes and shapes.

However, we do get to decide how we are going to treat ourselves in this amazing body that we are given.

What if I told you, that those last five pounds are not the key to your happiness or your body confidence?

I find that we get so focused on fixing a perceived flaw, that when or if we can even achieve that “fix”, we end up finding another flaw or another goal to work towards. This is why I believe the “last 5 pounds” become the eternal goal and we end up wanting a little more and a little more. We as humans are designed to want progress and are goal oriented by nature, but the goals keep coming and we never really reach that finish line.

Unless of course, we change what the finish line looks like. I have written about developing confidence before and I’d encourage you to read this article if you are struggling with confidence.

I truly believe that by shifting you goals, you can achieve the feeling you are searching for in your effort to lose those last few stubborn pounds.

So you want to lose 5 pounds…I challenge you!

I challenge you to shift your goals to something other than a number on the scale. I challenge you to explore what truly serves you best, as you are, here and now.

• What would it look like, to focus on what your body can do?
• What would it be like to focus on doing the things that make you feel your best?
• Would you be able to step back from all the mental math and listen to what your body is telling you?
• Can you trust when it is tired or hungry or full?

Sit with these questions and percolate them. With time, practice and self-compassion you can get there. I promise you the last 5 pounds of weight loss really don’t matter. You can be ok in your body right here, right now.

You might also like these previous articles on our blog related to this topic:

The Reasons Why You’ve Hit a Weight Loss Plateau
Avoiding Diet Talk and Body Bashing
Dietitian Answers to Your Top Weight Loss Questions
Intuitive Eating 101: Freedom From Dieting for Weight Loss

Looking for more support for weight concerns or improving your relationship with food and your body?

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