Lost 50lbs but can't see a difference

myfightforfitness

WordWhisperer wrote: »

SapiensPisces wrote: »

It can take a long time to "see" yourself as you are now. The suggestions above (comparing pictures, pants, etc.) are good ways to help that. I also like to find pictures of 50 lb things (fish, cheese, etc.) just to "see" what's been lost. I'll get you started:

I kind of want to kiss your feet for this. Thank you. I'd been thinking of it as lugging around an extra six gallons of milk every minute of my life, just so I could feel some sense of accomplishment.

I've lost 52 pounds since December 29, @myfightforfitness, and I honestly can't see it either. I can kind of feel it inside, but I do wish I could see it too.

RespectTheKitty wrote: »

I totally understand. I have lost 40 pounds so far, gone from 255 to 215, and everyone is telling me I look great, but I still see the same fat, hideous creature from before. It obviously has something to do with one's own self-esteem, and perhaps some therapy could help sort things out. But if that's not for you, there are other things you can do, such as focusing on other changes you have made in the last few months. For example, I can run 3 miles, and I couldn't do that before. What can you do now that you couldn't do before?

Congratulations on losing the weight... that's a huge accomplishment, and you should be proud.

Thanks guys I'm glad I'm not the only one!
I guess I can also feel it in the inside and like I can walk abit faster than before and for much longer without getting a numbing pain in my shins

ktilton70130

I have lost 33lbs and no one at work or family has said anything. I reflect on it and say to myself I must be really fat for no one to even notice an entire toddler I have dropped. So if you have family and friend support take it for what it is because being on the opposite end when no one has said anything makes you feel like crap. So take a bow and keep moving, go shopping your new wardrobe will get those eyes open.

sunflowerhippi

I went from a size 18 to a size 8 and I still look in a mirror and feel like I am still just as fat as I was when I was a size 18 at times. It is an issue that takes time to work through and realize and it is something that is within yourself.

hugs and great job in the weight loss so far and keep it up. Your mind will eventually catch up.

cross2bear

Try stacking 50, 1lb blocks of butter on a table. Literally, that is what you have unloaded. Its a remarkable achievement, dont sell yourself short on this accomplishment. And remember, studies shows that for each pound of body weight lost, there is a 4-pound reduction in knee joint stress among overweight and obese people with osteoarthritis of the knee. Researchers say the results indicate that even modest weight loss may significantly lighten the load on your joints. So you have just relieved your knees of 200 lbs of pressure, and thats GOTTA be good for you!! Congrats!!

myfightforfitness

ktilton70130 wrote: »

I have lost 33lbs and no one at work or family has said anything. I reflect on it and say to myself I must be really fat for no one to even notice an entire toddler I have dropped. So if you have family and friend support take it for what it is because being on the opposite end when no one has said anything makes you feel like crap. So take a bow and keep moving, go shopping your new wardrobe will get those eyes open.

Hey great job on losing the weight, keep at it and trust me the comments will come all at once out of know where! Good luck!

myfightforfitness

sunflowerhippi wrote: »

I went from a size 18 to a size 8 and I still look in a mirror and feel like I am still just as fat as I was when I was a size 18 at times. It is an issue that takes time to work through and realize and it is something that is within yourself.

hugs and great job in the weight loss so far and keep it up. Your mind will eventually catch up.

cross2bear wrote: »

Try stacking 50, 1lb blocks of butter on a table. Literally, that is what you have unloaded. Its a remarkable achievement, dont sell yourself short on this accomplishment. And remember, studies shows that for each pound of body weight lost, there is a 4-pound reduction in knee joint stress among overweight and obese people with osteoarthritis of the knee. Researchers say the results indicate that even modest weight loss may significantly lighten the load on your joints. So you have just relieved your knees of 200 lbs of pressure, and thats GOTTA be good for you!! Congrats!!

Thanks a lot for the support guys! And good luck on your journey x

Josh_lol

You could go off of how tight / loose your clothes feel since you lost the weight.

Ready2Rock206

Yup. I've lost 50. My pants fit the same - I look the same. I am the same. Eventually though the weight has to come off from somewhere where it will show. Just gotta keep trucking along!

Maria_Fatima

Pictures? Clothes that didn't fit before? Feeling lighter? Being able to lift heavier, run faster? Occupy less space when sitting somewhere? Being able to cross your legs more flexibly? Feeling more bones and less fat? Eyes seem any bigger?
The list is just endless

samanthachen

First of all, I started with nearly the same stats, and I felt the same. Unfortunately, the more you have to lose, the longer it might take to see changes. However, it also depends on your body types; many people will carry their loss differently.

Secondly, it's extremely difficult to see these positive changes because we still see ourselves pre-loss. I can't speak for you, but when it comes to myself, I worry that I still see "fat me" as a form of motivation and protection. But that's terrible. I deserve to see all of my hard work. It's like my brain is attempting to prevent me from getting complacent.

I promise you, friends and family have noticed. I promise you that beyond the number on the scale, your body is feeling this change. Take measurements and photos for reference. That might help you see the changes a bit faster. You are nearing the point where you should start seeing the physical changes. For some reason, everything over 200 for me was slow. It even took me forever to get into the next pant size down, even though 30lbs were gone. Then ONEderland hit, and all of the sudden, you are going through sizes like it's your job.

Keep up the amazing work, and congratulations! 50 pounds is such a wonderful accomplishment!

myfightforfitness

Josh_lol wrote: »

You could go off of how tight / loose your clothes feel since you lost the weight.

That's true thank you

Ready2Rock206 wrote: »

Yup. I've lost 50. My pants fit the same - I look the same. I am the same. Eventually though the weight has to come off from somewhere where it will show. Just gotta keep trucking along!

Aww I wish you the best of luck with the rest of your journey x

Maria_Fatima wrote: »

Pictures? Clothes that didn't fit before? Feeling lighter? Being able to lift heavier, run faster? Occupy less space when sitting somewhere? Being able to cross your legs more flexibly? Feeling more bones and less fat? Eyes seem any bigger?
The list is just endless

You're right I can feel more of my bones now! Lol

myfightforfitness

samanthachen wrote: »

First of all, I started with nearly the same stats, and I felt the same. Unfortunately, the more you have to lose, the longer it might take to see changes. However, it also depends on your body types; many people will carry their loss differently.

Secondly, it's extremely difficult to see these positive changes because we still see ourselves pre-loss. I can't speak for you, but when it comes to myself, I worry that I still see "fat me" as a form of motivation and protection. But that's terrible. I deserve to see all of my hard work. It's like my brain is attempting to prevent me from getting complacent.

I promise you, friends and family have noticed. I promise you that beyond the number on the scale, your body is feeling this change. Take measurements and photos for reference. That might help you see the changes a bit faster. You are nearing the point where you should start seeing the physical changes. For some reason, everything over 200 for me was slow. It even took me forever to get into the next pant size down, even though 30lbs were gone. Then ONEderland hit, and all of the sudden, you are going through sizes like it's your job.

Keep up the amazing work, and congratulations! 50 pounds is such a wonderful accomplishment!

Thank you so much you're comment about being in the 100's and fitting into smaller sizes has excited me as I've finally hit onderland! :-D

rennickm1986

You went from almost 40 bmi which is morbidly obese to 31ish bmi which is obese class 1 and close to being categorized as just overweight. It can be hard to see a difference in oneself between heavy and heavy, but you dramatically improved your risk of health problems.

Wicked_Seraph

I'm in a similar boat - I've lost 35 pounds and I don't think I look any different. My mother and boyfriend disagree and say there IS a noticeable difference.

Try taking pictures: from the front and from either side. Also, keep in mind the paper towel analogy:

The lesson to be learned is that fat, like paper towels, comes off in sheets. When you are heavy, you are big around. And when you are big around, that fat is spread over a MUCH larger area - just like that outside towel sheet. The closer you get to the lean you, the more each lost pound of fat shows, because it is spread over a smaller area.

While the outside sheet may only cover 1 layer of the roll, the inside sheet may go around 4 times. That last sheet looks like it gives you 4 times the results of the first sheet, but in reality, the results are the same - your perception is just different! And you’ll never see the inside, if you aren’t patient while the outside is coming off!

Trying to remember this helps immensely. As someone who weighed 226 lbs at 5'5, I was very obese. I've lost 35 pounds - which, on a frame like mine, isn't going to be immediately apparent. Just keep at it!

jvanessa89

I'm 5'10 and have lost 60 pounds so far and I'm only just recently starting to notice changes on my body. Other people have been noticing for months. I think I see myself bigger than I am.. it takes a while for the brain to adjust. Looking at progress photos and taking measurements help you see the progress.

Francl27

I lost 80 pounds and I don't see the difference either.. until I see old pictures or try on my old clothes.

emmylootwo

Four years ago, I went from 300lbs to 150lbs. I never noticed any difference in the mirror until one day I suddenly did, and I cried because I didn't look like "me" anymore. It's a tough transition mentally. I'm sure you look fantastic. Give it a bit more time. Try on some old clothes, start taking some full body pictures.

myfightforfitness

Hey thanks everyone for all the responses :-)

AnninTX

My question is when can I expect to see a difference in myself? And has anyone ever experienced this? [/quote]

It may take time to "see" it but you can feel it right now. Go to Sam's or a big grocery store. Get 50lbs of potatoes. Carry the bags in your arms up and down every aisle twice. Take them back to the produce section. Put all the bags down. I promise you will "feel" the difference. This trick will send a message to your brain and body. There is no denying or missing the sensations. I wish you the best with your journey

brdnw

i can totally relate to feeling uncomfortable...but still you must take many photos all the time. i lost 95lbs and when you keep looking at pictures you can see the difference, it becomes so obvious and it really gives you that extra motivation. this is my progress photo:

https://instagram.com/p/-cg5rXkrBN/embed/

plus you can see when i lost 50lbs i probably felt the same way but you're just around the corner til you start to see much more dramatic results.