How to avoid "hitting the WALL!"

Marathon runners often use the term "hitting the wall" when they run out of energy near the end of a long race. There comes a point in a race when your energy reserves are empty and your body must rely on insufficient forms of energy to get you to the finish line.
This term also applies to people who are trying to lose those extra 5 or so pounds. It seems that no matter how many hours you exercise or how closely you monitor your calories those last few pounds take forever to come off. It is at this time that people look to "quick fixes" to try and get to their goal weight. DON'T BE ONE OF THEM!
Remember that you are trying to change your lifestyle NOT just looking for a quick way to get you to your goal at the expense of putting your health at risk.
Instead of dwelling on what needs to be accomplished, why not give yourself positive encouragement for what you HAVE accomplished. I'm not a fan of weight scales so for me I use measurements as a way to monitor my client’s progress. Also there are things that are going on inside your body that are more important than just those extra 5 pounds. You may have to re-examine your goals and look at other factors which may be hindering your progress such as stress, water consumption and sleeping.
It is important during this time to keep a positive outlook as it is easy to become irritated with your inability to reach your goal as quickly as you would like. When you realize that this is a lifelong journey it should take some of the pressure off. Also begin to see how much hard work you have put in already and give yourself a reward such as buying some new clothes or some new music or even a rest from the gym. When you return you may find yourself re-energized and well rested. Try to change up your routine as the body gets used to the same program after a few weeks. Above all else though, keep reminding yourself of how well you are doing and how far you have come!