this last 5kg........

[LostInGeenEyes]

grrarrrlll, I've been running for a year now, and while I've lost half the weight I wanted, this last 5kg WILL NOT SHIFT! sooo annoying. It seems like, no matter what I do, I always end up eating junk food and ruining what WAS a really good day... help!

[tiger boy]

LIGE - the number on the scales is really just that - a number.
Taken on its own it is not a real measure of your overall health and fitness. It is only one measure among many. Don't just believe the glossy mags about how skinny we all should be. Think about the (predominantly) healthy lifestyle you lead. Running (and other exercise) requires fuel to burn. If you are not shifting weight one way or the other, then you seem to have found the answer to the equation energy in = enrgy burned.

[Grechy]

I have been in your situation LIGE a few years back but as time goes by the more you run, you just develop runners habits and when you increase your weekly kms over time you will naturally improve your diet as you wont want to feel like crap after doing so much training.

If you are still running in 5 years from now and you have become more serious by then, you will look back and laugh at when you had these concerns. More training, better diet go hand in hand. You just need to develop that mentality where you are always motivated.

[Rowey]

Hi LIGE

After a year of running you are likely to have gained a bit of muscle mass- that may be the reason. That number target you were aiming for, was that one you chose or one recommeneded by a doctor or reliable website? It may als be that you have reached your ideal weight.

all the best and cheers

rowey

[Em]

I spent some time worring about those last 5kg, then it became to exhausting and I decided that my body had just found it's balance.

I was only chasing an arbitry figure anyway, my BMI is on the low side of acceptable so losing any more would just be silly, I would probably end up more prone to injury and illness than I would by just being happy with a bit of extra insulation for winter

Sometimes we need to let go and be happy the way we are, having lost a bit already I am sure you can look back to last year and be quite pleased to have reached the stage you are at now (get out an old pair of fat pants to remind yourself)


However! If you are deadset on dropping some more and it is bothering you do this

A) don't be ruled by the scales or a specific figure, it will drive you crazy

B) treat junk food like a treat, it's not evil and perfectly ok to indulge, but save it for after a big day, like a long run, not on a rest day and be moderate in how much you eat. Don't have packets of chips and biscuits in the house, if you are having a treat just buy a single item, like an ice cream cone, rather than a tub of ice cream, that will save you from scoffing too much.

C) have a look at changing your training to increase the intensity. If you are not doing a weekly speed session then after a year it's a good time to add one. It would be great if you could join a club or running group to do these with. If you are already doing a weekly speed session then add a weekly tempo run or fartlek session to the program. For example instead of a steady 40 minute run add 15 to 20 minutes of faster paced running in the middle, or 6 to 8 bursts of 1 minute of speed before relaxing again. This sort of session will take an ordinary 40 minute run and really give you metabolism a boost but without taking any more time out of your day.

D) on your non running days consider adding a cross training session, if you belong to a gym try a spin class or something, even a swim. If you don't belong to a gym try a bike ride or even a nice brisk walk in your lunch break, it all helps.

A long post, but I hope something helped.

[kazd]

I think all of that is spot on. Really got serious about my running last September and wanted to lose a few kgs along the way. The first few were hard but as soon as I stopped focussing on the weight and started focussing on the running the rest just went.

Pay attention to diet, but don't diet. And definitely don't cut out all junk food - it's ok to splurge every so often (says someone who is currently obsessed with lemon cheesecake !!). Concentrate more on how you feel rather than the number of the scales because that is the most important thing.

[Kaz Kokoda]

Anyone who wants to attain their lowest/ideal body weight will tell you the last 5 kg is the hardest. The more overwieght you are, the more the body will want to purge the excess, with exercise/diet management. I think it's the body hanging on to those 'longest well known' pounds. And I read somewhere that the 1st place that the weight goes on is the last place it will come off.

Add age into the factor and its scary - at 20, all I had to do to lose weight was stop the nibblies for a week, now at 48 its stop the dinners and alcohol for a couple of months, and step up the exercise which is also more than I ever used to do. But then again, I overindulge more than I ever used to too = I just work harder to stave off the consequences!

[Adsa]

Interesting as for the last 12 months i have been unable to move the last 5kgs and have almost tried everything except from starving myself. For the last 2 1/2 months i have actually given up alcohol to see if that helps.

Any way I am not overly concerned with my weight now and happy to be able to run and do the things i enjoy with out feeling like I am slugging around extra weigth.

[hvls]

Don't stress over it! I used to be overly concerned about the numbers on the scales and would get frustrated if they weren't shifting (down). Then I got frustrated with being frustrated, so threw away the scales! Since I've done that I've focused more on enjoying myself- running, biking, swimming, climbing, kayaking blah, blah, blah, and I've dropped dress sizes.

I now strongly believe that life's too short to be preoccupied with weight issues, instead fill the void with being happy and doing what you enjoy. This is bound to lead to a healthy lifestyle.

[1jasperjax]

I think I have your same five kg. I put on 15kg when I gave up running for two years. I lost ten which just seemed to fall off. Now the last dreaded five have been sitting there for months. I think that we just need to do something differently, just need to get the energy to do that

Good luck.