Pounds Don't Slide Off Anymore
It's Been a Long Slog
When you're 10 pounds out from meeting your goals, you're also starting to feel the day-in, day-out slog of what you're trying to accomplish. Those last 10 pounds are like a mountain you have to climb right before the finish line.
You're Getting Bored
With the restrictions—your firm workout schedule and your need to stick to a formula—you're probably starting to get bored. Sticking to calorie restrictions, hitting the gym even when you don't feel like it and drinking all that water can get mind-numbing, especially when the end is in sight.
Your Goal Might Not Be Right
The last 10 pounds could also be the hardest because they might also be pounds your body wants and needs. Is your weight goal the right one for your size, age and health profile? We all know muscle weighs more than fat, and if you're working out hard, perhaps you're safely lean but stronger. You don't want to lose muscle just to see a particular number on the scale.
You're Sick of 'No'
It gets old, saying no. And if you've already lost a significant amount of weight, you might feel emboldened to stop saying it so much. That could mean you're undermining your efforts to get after that last 10 pounds—or at least making it a whole lot harder to get rid of them.
You're Fighting Evolution
Remember, we haven't lived among this kind of abundance for very long in human history. Our bodies evolved to send hunger and eating signals in order to build up and store fat in times of famine. As you've restricted your eating, your brain has worked with your hormones to do whatever they can to get you to eat more—more sugar, more fat, more salt. Those last 10 pounds aren't going to come off without a physical—and mental—fight.
You're Hearing Fewer Compliments
Your external motivators might have changed over time, too. When you first started losing weight, the compliments were frequent and encouraging. As others have gotten used to the lighter you, they've laid off the high-fives and support. Your will to get to those last 10 pounds has to come from the inside now.
