how much weight to 'feel' thinner

ReeseG4350

How you feel is more about what's inside your head than what you have on the outside. For the largest percentage of overweight people, particularly the grossly overweight/morbidly obese, they/we have developed a certain sense of inadequacy which can make a person feel fat or unattractive even when that is not necessarily the case. Anorexics are the perfect example of this phenomenon. They can look at images of themselves, tens of pounds severely underweight, with their bones protruding from every quarter, and yet they will see fat and flab.

So, it's more of a perception issue than a reality issue. And the other aspect of the "Why do I still feel fat?" syndrome is like the person who may be wearing a size eight or six - down from a sixteen or twenty-two - but is woefully out of condition and un-toned. The person may have a lot of flab and be in need of a muscle toning program to get them in shape so they can lose some of the flab. (This, of course, means they are likely to GAIN weight and they will freak out over that while ignoring the fact that their clothing size may well drop another size or two.)

So, how long before one 'feels' thin? There is no way of knowing. How do you feel in your skin? How do you feel in your head? Once you can reconcile those issues and realize, not only that you are worthy and you deserve love and you love yourself, that's the key. Respect yourself, love yourself, and you will actually begin to appreciate the person you see in the mirror.

Now, one last question: Only one answer. Why are you making the efforts to lose weight now? To look better?
To feel better?
To be better?

(Gosh darn! Who knew life could be so confusing and difficult?)

Just remember this whenever you feel tired or frustrated or just start feeling emotional cravings for something you know you really don't want. You deserve better and you are worth it. No. Really. You are!

Ready2Rock206

Totally depends on you. Some people feel thinner immediately. I am just starting to notice that maybe I am getting very very very slightly thinner. (50 lbs lost) - still no where near needing smaller clothes.

minties82

I started at 115kg and I feel a tiny bit smaller now at 93.2kg. I think I lost about 47lbs? Not sure, I'm a metric person.

What helps me is when I look at my kids. My 2 year old is about 14kg and my 4 year old is 18.5kg. I think...wow...I've lost more than that entire 4 year old person off my body! I surely must look better.

lizzocat

I didn't "feel" like I lost anything till I lost 30 pounds because clothes started to fit different and my face thinned out

PaulaWallaDingDong

I hit18 lbs this week and I'm still waiting. My backside is getting flatter and my legs are thinning out, but my knees still hurt and my pants waist is still tight. I know it'll come eventually. I've been living heavy for long enough that I really shouldn't complain.

justcat206

For me it's always had more to do with whether or not I'm bloated and how tight my clothes are. I can feel super skinny on a day that I'm dehydrated and wearing looser pants, even if I weigh more than I did last week when I was retaining water and wearing something tight.

simplydelish2

It all depends. I've lost over 120 lbs and yet when I look in the mirror I see the same person. I don't "feel" any thinner. My best guess is it will take at least 20-30 lbs before you start noticing a difference and another 20-30 for others to start noticing. Regardless, of when you notice the loss or when you start to feel it - stick to your plan. You can do this!

cosmichvoyager

I have read a variety of discussions on this site that boil down to the contrast between objective and subjective reality when it comes to body image/self-perception.

It's confusing! Sometimes I will look at a random part of my body and notice it is smaller but I don't exactly conceptualize myself as "thinner" and I can fit places I didn't before, like squeezing in a narrow booth at a restaurant. The thing I notice most is how much less my feet and knees hurt, tbh. I'm excited to keep losing weight for that reason!

I started at 253 and am at 226 now. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

atypicalsmith

A friend of mine, after losing 20 lbs., changed her hairstyle and I thought that's what made her look like she had lost weight. A couple of weeks later, I realized, yes, she had lost weight and she said now that she's lost 25 lbs., people are starting to notice. She's short but was about 60 lbs. overweight. People know I've lost weight because the shirts I was outgrowing years ago while gaining the weight are starting to fit me again.

astrose00

I started at 240lbs and felt "thinner" (not my choice of words) after about 25lbs lost. I'm now at 62lbs lost but still don't recognize the loss the way I should. It's totally mental. I went from a tight size 16 and am wearing size 10s (and some 8s) but still feel fat most of the time. My friends and coworkers think I'm crazy.

Sweet_Heresy

Whenever I start working out/eating better, I FEEL thinner in a matter of days...even though no weight loss has taken place. I just feel better.

Everyone notices that I've lost weight before I do. Lol. Glad I took progress pictures this time around, cause I saw huge results in 3 weeks even though the scale didn't go down much.

I have days where I feel thinner and awesome, and other days I feel like a gelatinous tub of crap. Depends on my mood I guess.

tekkiechikk

Started at 245 and now at 221... felt it around 18 pounds down (my office chair fit me better). Any my face is thinner, which is what people comment on most. Everybody will feel their weight loss differently because we lose weight in different places on our bodies.

6 lbs is a good start, keep going!!

katherine_startrek_fan

It took around 35 pounds for others to start noticing, and 50 for people to really comment. I'm tall though, so that plays into it as well.

MindySaysWhaaat

The first time I lost weight, I went from 253 down to 210. I knew my clothes were getting loose, but I still didn't really "see" the difference. Make a point to take pictures every ten pounds so you can compare, and even if you don't see any differences right away, don't give up because eventually they will come.

ashypashy7

I've lost 120 total, 50 down (pre preg weight) since having my daughter last May. I don't really feel different most days until I put something on that used to fit and is now too big. Other people started to notice after about 20 lbs. Often times we judge ourselves the hardest.