Why isn’t that last 10 pounds of fat coming off, after you’ve already lost 20, 30 or even 50 or more pounds?
There are things you can do to get rid of those last 10 pounds: safely and permanently, without taking any “fat burning” or “carb blocking” pills.
Interval Training
More Cardio
I don’t mean do daily, and I don’t mean from 30 minutes to 60 minutes. I mean DO cardio at least twice a week, ideally three times a week, if you’re currently avoiding it or doing it only once a week.
Make two sessions a week HIIT, and one session a week steady state.
Combine
One of the best ways to lose weight, including getting rid of that last stubborn 10 pounds, is to combine both cardio and weightlifting, as a combination of these exercises will ensure maximum possible fat loss.
- This means between intense weightlifting sets, jump on the treadmill and run 8 or 9 mph for one minute (do not hold on!).
- Or, do a few wind sprints in the gym’s basketball court if your gym has one.
- Or rapidly jump rope for a minute.
- Do box jumps or squat jumps.
- Then go back to the weightlifting set.
- Focus on the following weightlifting exercises: deadlift, bench press, leg press, seated row, lat pull-down, standing overhead barbell press, seated chest press, barbell lunge.
- Doing MORE crunches and situps will NOT help you lose the last 10 pounds of fat. Don’t even go there.
The next step should be to walk as much as you can. Avoid elevators, using the car for as little as a 5 min drive, etc. Making this habit a part of your lifestyle can make a lot of difference.
In addition, using a pedometer is very beneficial too since it helps you stay on top of your workout and not give in to any temptations that may hinder your progress.
A pedometer will reveal to you if you’re spending too much of your day sitting.
Many activities can be done while standing or pacing, such as talking on the phone, texting, eating a snack, even watching TV.
Keeping tracks of steps with a pedometer, in and of itself, won’t melt off stubborn weight, but it’s a good tool to give you feedback for whether or not you had a lazy day.
Finally, what may be preventing you from losing that last 10 pounds of stubborn fat is a mistake you’ve been doing all along: holding onto the treadmill.
Stop this at once. It’s a bad but popular habit at gyms all over the world. I’ll never know why people of all ages and fitness levels are drawn to holding onto a treadmill while walking.
This is a saboteur of weight loss. It can very well stand in your way of losing the last 10 pounds of “stubborn” fat.
Pump your arms and follow the advice in this article and you will see the fat finally vanish.
Lorra Garrick is a former personal trainer certified through the American Council on Exercise. At Bally Total Fitness she trained women and men of all ages for fat loss, muscle building, fitness and improved health.
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