The Best Workouts for Losing the Last 10 Pounds

So, you've come a long way on your weight loss journey, but now, whether it's five or 10 pounds you're really struggling to lose that last little bit of weight. Don't worry, you're totally not alone.
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So, you've come a long way on your weight loss journey, but now, whether it's five or 10 pounds you're really struggling to lose that last little bit of weight.

Don't worry, you're totally not alone.

Nearly every expert we spoke with agreed: Losing those last few pounds is tough for pretty much everyone, and unfortunately, sometimes even more so for women.

"I like to refer to the last 10 as 'vanity weight,'" says Cassie Piasecki, a certified personal trainer and indoor cycling and Pilates instructor. "You've already gotten off a big chunk and you are healthier for it, but those last 10 pounds will really make you look awesome."

Mostly, they're so darn hard to lose because you're body doesn't think you need to lose anything more. If your current weight is healthy, as far as your body is concerned there's no serious reason for you to lose that last little bit of fat.

However, while it might be a little bit vain, you're on a mission to melt it away, and there's nothing wrong with wanting to go the extra distance so you can look and feel your very best.

So, what exactly do you need to do to get there?

Tabata Training

The Best Workouts for Losing the Last 10 Pounds

"As a fitness professional, I advise my clients to shake things up and to sweat... a lot," Piasecki said. "If they've been running, I tell them to start indoor cycling. If they've been doing CrossFit, I tell them to start shadow boxing."

She said workouts that offer a big calorie burn are always great options and that incorporating some sort of strength training is also of importance.

Billy Polson, C.S.C.S. trainer and owner of DIAKADI Fitness Performance Facility in San Francisco offered some similar advice.

"Whatever workout program you have been doing for the last few weeks, months or years, switch it up to something new," he said. "Our bodies are incredibly smart when it comes to acclimating to stimuli.

Shaking things up a bit is always a great way to rattle the cage and help your body break through a plateau."

He also emphasized the importance of strength training. Especially if you've only been doing cardio workouts, he said, definitely add some muscle-building strength training into your routine.

And finally, both experts mentioned the importance of following a smart nutrition strategy.
"Eating with that same 'shake things up' philosophy can help take those 10 pounds off even faster," Piasecki said.

Polson suggested keeping close track of your intake.

"Using the website EatingFree.com is hands down my favorite tracker for clients to use," he said. "It allows the client to not only see macronutrient levels, but it intelligently translates these groups into which food groups the client should be eating in order to make the most of his or her day."

Now that we've got the main points covered, it's time to take a look at which types of workouts are actually the best for finally blasting away those final few pounds.

Here's what the experts recommend.

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