Anyone with a long-term weight-loss goal knows how amazing it feels to see your hard work reflected on the scale — and how frustrating it is when that number gets stuck just a few pounds from your target weight. Sometimes, figuring out how to lose 5 pounds feels even more challenging than 50.
Do this: If you notice you’re constantly sore, tired, struggling to fall asleep, and/or dreading your workouts, swap out at least one of your HIIT sessions with longer walk or jog (at least 45 minutes). On a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 corresponds to no effort and 10 refers to an all-out sprint, aim for an exertion level of 6. “You should be able to have a conversation with somebody without gasping for breath,” says Matheny.
Tip #4 for How to Lose 5 Pounds: Don't Skip Your Post-Workout Meal
If you don't refuel, you may actually sabotage your weight-loss efforts in the long run, helping that last bit of weight stick around awhile.
Granted, you might not feel hungry immediately following your workout. Intense exercise sessions (performed at or above 75 percent of your maximum heart rate) or long workouts (performed for 90 minutes or more) may suppress appetite for up to 90 minutes after the workout is complete, according to a small pilot study in the Journal of Endocrinology.
That said, eating after your workouts is really important, and it could be the reason why you can't figure out how to lose 5 pounds.
“When you eat, your body repairs itself,” says Matheny. More specifically, eating a protein-packed snack that includes a modest amount of carbs will provide you with the nutrients needed to repair your muscles and replenish glycogen stores, the storage form of carbohydrates. If you skimp on your recovery snack, your body isn’t going to repair or add lean muscle, and your next workout won’t be as effective, says Matheny. (Try one of the 14 healthy post-sweat sesh snacks trainers swear by.)
Do this: For your post-workout snack, shoot for 20 to 25 grams of protein and less than 250 calories. And if your workout lasts less than 30 minutes, limit carbs to less than 10 grams. For workouts lasting an hour or longer, keep carbs under 25 grams. A couple of great options include one cup of Greek yogurt or a slice of toast with eggs. Again, this isn’t a tip on how to lose 5 pounds fast, but rather how to do so over time in healthy way, so don’t expect to hit your weight goal overnight.(Here are more pre- and post-workout snack ideas.)
Tip #5 for How to Lose 5 Pounds: Make Sleep a Prio
Regularly skimping on shut-eye does more than turn you into a Grade-A grouch; it seriously messes with your hormones by causing levels of ghrelin (your "hunger hormone") to spike, and levels of leptin (your "satiety hormone") to dip, which can make losing those last 5 pounds next to impossible.
“People who don’t get enough sleep are more likely to crave fat and sweets, have a slower metabolism and increased insulin resistance, and to eat more calories because they’re spending more time awake,” says Jonathan Valdez, owner of Genki Nutrition, food director of Guild Magazine, and media rep for New York State Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
For example, people who slept only four hours per night for five nights ate 300 calories more per day than participants who slept nine hours a night during the same time period, according to a small study in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. What’s worse, the bulk of those added calories came from sources of saturated fat, the kind that raises LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and can increase risk of heart disease, per the U.S. National Library of Medicine. (Discover how to eat for better zzzs.)
Do this: Aim to nab seven to nine hours of sleep per night, as recommended by the National Sleep Foundation. To make drifting off easier, create a relaxing bedtime ritual that excludes email and electronics. Following a nightly routine will help send the message to your brain that it’s time for your body to power down.
But Is it Really Worth it to Figure Out How to Lose 5 Pounds?
If you’ve tried everything on this list of tips for how to lose 5 pounds and you still can’t knock off those last few LBs, consider whether you’re chasing after an unrealistic number. At the end of the day, the really important numbers to pay attention to are your blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels. So long as those are at healthy levels, there’s no reason to stress over another 5 pounds, especially if you’re eating healthy, says Gans. Not to mention, if you’ve added strength training to your exercise routine, all that newly added muscle may cause your weight to stay the same — or even go up.
And if your solution for how to lose 5 pounds means cutting out entire food groups and obsessively tracking every calorie, it may be time to draw the line. “After all, life is too short not to enjoy a French fry,” Gans adds.
