Lyndi Cohen on weight loss: Why you can’t shed the last 5kg

Dietitian Lyndi Cohen reveals why you can’t lose the last 5kg and the mindset shift that helped her.

Stuck trying to lose those few kilos and wondering why your body just won’t budge?

Maybe you’re not meant to lose them?

I know, it goes against everything we’ve been told, but those “stubborn” last few kilos?

That might actually be your body’s happy weight.

The place where your hormones are balanced, your energy is high, your sleep is deep, your mood is stable, and you’re not constantly thinking about food.

It’s the weight where your body thrives.

But because society and your Instagram feed have conditioned you to think you should look a certain way, especially in your swimmers, you feel like you’re failing.

Lyndi Cohen says maybe it isn’t worth trying to lose that last 5kg.

So you restrict more. You train harder. You obsess over every bite. And still … nothing.

I used to live in that cycle. I’d skip social events, scared to “undo” my progress.

I believed I couldn’t be happy or healthy unless I hit a certain number on the scale.

But the more I tried to shrink, the more my world did too.

Here’s what I wish someone had told me earlier: when your body drops below its natural set point, it fights back.

Your metabolism slows.

Hunger cues become louder.

Obsession takes over. And what started as “discipline” turns into a full-time mental load.

Now? I eat dinner out without guilt. I enjoy dessert without obsessing over every gram of sugar. I still care about my health, but I no longer revolve my whole life around keeping myself as small as humanly possible.

The truth is: losing those last few kilos often means losing something more important, like your freedom. You give up late-night gelato runs, spontaneous brunches, energy, joy. You lose yourself.

To be clear though, I’m not talking about the last 10kg, 20kg or more.

If you’re finding it hard to lose that weight, it might be a cue that you’re using the wrong approach.

Diets have consequences … A LOT of consequences.

They slow your metabolism. Increase your cravings and hunger.

And turn you into a food obsessed human. Making it near impossible for you to keep the weight off in the long term.

Lyndi Cohen is a dietitian who promotes healthy body image.

In saying that, I’m not denying the fact diets work in the short term.

But typically, what we see is that over time people regain more weight than before the diet. And this, my friend, is why we have a multi-billion dollar industry of diet companies.

Where their whole business model is on you becoming a repeat customer.

There is a way to find a weight that is comfortable for you.

It’s not going to be through restriction and punishment.

And sometimes it’s worth realising that it’s the goal number in your head that’s the problem, not your body.

So if you’re in a calorie deficit but not losing weight, maybe, just maybe, your body is telling you that you’re already exactly where you’re meant to be.

You are not failing.

You are not lazy.

You are not undisciplined.

You are human.

And most importantly, confidence is not found in a number. It’s found in knowing you are enough right now, exactly as you are.

Ready to feel at ease with food and find your happy weight without dieting?

My free Happy Weight Guide will help you break free from the exhausting cycle and learn how to find a weight that feels good for you.

Lyndi Cohen is a Sydney-based dietitian and nutritionist who is also the author of best-selling book The Nude Nutritionist. She has more than 300,000 followers on her Instagram @nude_nutritionist where she calls out wellness wankery and nutrition nonsense to promote a healthy body image. You can also visit her website www.lyndicohen.com

Originally published as Lyndi Cohen on weight loss: Why you can’t shed the last 5kg