If you've had quite a bit of success with your fat loss endeavors and are now just trying to knock off those last few pounds, chances are you're struggling a little.

Not only can this prove to be quite frustrating as you're doing everything you did in the past that garnered success, but it may also feel like you're body is screaming at you a little as you progress onwards.

What's going on?

Welcome to the world of stubborn body fat.

Your body has a natural protective mechanism that prevents it from getting too low on the body fat scale. Like it or not, your body does not want to give up all your fat stores, despite even the hardest of efforts.

Because of this, it has many protective mechanisms to do just that - put a halt to your fat loss progress - FAST.

What are you able to do about it? That's where the following comes in.

Step 1.

The first thing you must do if you are in this situation is evaluate how long you've been on your diet. Has it been 6 weeks or more since you last took a diet break or even ate something that wasn't on your plan for that matter?

If so, it's time for a break. Now, I know what you're thinking - break? That will set me back even further.

Realize though that right now, your body has adapted to this low intake of food and is conserving everything you're eating, burning it as slowly as possible to ensure it lasts. As long as it lasts, fat will not be lost. See how that works? The body is smarter than you might think.

I'm not saying you have to go binging for a week, just have one or two days where you make an extra effort to eat more food. For the record, when doing this, it's going to be best to actually up the carbohydrate content of the diet more than protein or fat (due to various hormonal responses to carbohydrates).

Be aware that if you've been on a low-carb diet, this will likely result in some temporary water weight gain. Relax, however, this will be gone within a day or two again.

Step 2.

After the diet break, the next thing is to examine your workout. Again, when was the last time you changed things up here? If you've been regimentally sticking with your plan since it has been delivering results, it might be time to rethink this. Your body responds best to constant stimulation so STIMULATE IT! Toss in a couple of different exercises, change up your rep range for a workout or two, or simply just alter the order you do your exercises.

You'd be surprised at how much this simple change can translate into big results.

Also, have a look at your cardio. If you haven't been doing any high-intensity type of sprints, now might be the time to think about doing so.

These will ramp up fat loss to a much greater extent than steady state cardio will, therefore getting you better results.

Step 3.

Finally, the last step is to realistically evaluate your goals. Not to say that you shouldn't set a high standard for yourself, but do realize what is humanly achievable and what is not. If you are a female, you are going to need a higher level of body fat than males and there is nothing you can do about this. To try and mess with mother nature here is just asking for problems; problems that could really destroy your health status.

So, be sure that you are not chasing a goal that is just too far out of reach. Being able to keep reality in check is essential to avoid frustration over something that isn't accomplishable in the first place.

So, if you're struggling with those last few pounds, make sure you keep these factors in mind. Have patience with yourself and keep pushing onwards. Soon enough you will realize your goals, just as long as you don't get frustration get the best of you and give up.