Why You Can't Lose the Last 10 Pounds

The biggest problem many people are facing who want to burn fat and build muscle is to lose those stubborn last 10 pounds.  It's not necessarily easier but actually simpler to lose those first 10, 20, or 30 pounds because you once had so much fat that the body could freely utilize it for energy.  As you start to wind down your fat percentage and you only need to lose the last 10 pounds it's going to require you to take a much different approach then before.

Not too long ago when we were cavemen it was a lot more difficult to come by food than it is today.  With the fear of scarcity of food it was the bodies job to keep a certain baseline of fat on it so that it wouldn't starve should there be a famine or shortage of food.  And this is a huge reason why it's so difficult to lose those dreaded last 10 pounds.

One most take a much more different approach when trying to lose the last 10 pounds over the first ones simply because it's a whole different ball game.  Hormones are going to be a big factor when it comes to getting rid of the last of your fat that's hanging on your body.  The four hormones to be concerned with are leptin, cortisol, insulin and estrogen.

Leptin is the hormone that basically tells the body if it's starving or not.  When leptin levels get too low, such as when you're in a famine, they tell the body to stop burning fat as a fuel source and to hold onto everything it can to preserve its resources for survival.  During a diet when calories are really restricted it's going to be critical to have a cheat day or some cheat meals thrown in.  This will boost your body's leptin levels back up to normal and the body will go back to burning fat instead of holding on to it.

Cortisol is the next hormone that you're going to have to deal with.  It's widely known as the stress hormone and is responsible for the majority of belly fat that one holds in their abdominal region.  So the basic way to combat high cortisol levels is to reduce your stress and also use lactic acid training techniques.  Lactic acid buildup is the burning sensation you feel in your muscles when you're lifting weights and it naturally fights against cortisol.  To focus on building up lactic acid while you're training, spend more time on the concentric part of the exercise.

Next up is the hormone insulin and it's probably one of the hardest hormones to keep under control.  To keep your insulin levels stable it's a great idea to stay away from sugars, artificial sweeteners and white flour products.  Also be sure to eat 5 meals throughout the day around 3 hours apart to keep your metabolism going and your blood sugar levels stable.  The last thing you want to do is eat a candy bar on an empty stomach and have your blood sugar levels skyrocket and then crash back down.

Last hormone we're concerned with when it comes to losing the last 10 pounds is estrogen.  High estrogen levels are also surprisingly found in men too and is one of the root causes for man boobs.  Having too much estrogen in the body stores fat in the thighs and hips area, where many women hold a lot of their fat.  To keep your estrogen levels low be sure to stop consuming any foods or products that have soy in them and focus on foods that are higher in testosterone to naturally combat it.  Some more tips on lowering estrogen levels are to eat organic meats and dairy, whole foods, foods with zinc, lifting heavy weights, eating more cruciferous vegetables, eating whole eggs, eating more monounsaturated fats and de-stressing your life.

There are the secrets on how to lose the last 10 pounds and after reading this I'm sure you've realized that you're playing a whole different ball game.  You're going to have to change your approach when losing the last 10 pounds but with everything you've just learned it should be a whole lot simpler.

Josh Schlottman is a Napa personal trainer and also runs a Napa Boot Camp. He is an ACE certified personal trainer and has been personal training since 2006. Go to his fat loss blog to find more ways to lose the last 10 pounds fast. And if you got something out of this article then also check out his Xtreme Fat Loss Diet review.