The scale says I lost 45 pounds but I literally dont see any difference in my body

meggie12342
meggie12342 Posts: 2 Member
edited November 18 in Health and Weight Loss
I understand that people say "give it time, you will see results" but I would think after losing 45 lbs I would see a difference. Nope. I started at 215 now im at 170 and a height of 5'7 so it's not like I was severely obese to the point it would be difficult to see immediate results. I eat a calorie restricted decent diet and try to incorporate cardio daily. So why am I not seeing results? It's not like I just recently started making lifestyle changes this has been going in for a while now. I am starting to get extremely discouraged at this point... Any advice??????

Replies

  • janjunie
    janjunie Posts: 1,200 Member
    meggie12342 wrote: »
    I understand that people say "give it time, you will see results" but I would think after losing 45 lbs I would see a difference. Nope. I started at 215 now im at 170 and a height of 5'7 so it's not like I was severely obese to the point it would be difficult to see immediate results. I eat a calorie restricted decent diet and try to incorporate cardio daily. So why am I not seeing results? It's not like I just recently started making lifestyle changes this has been going in for a while now. I am starting to get extremely discouraged at this point... Any advice??????

    Congrats on losing 45 lbs, that is a huge accomplishment, I don't know why you would get discouraged. You look at yourself in the mirror everyday of course you're not seeing results. The scale is proof that you're on the right track. I'm sure your clothes are fitting differently.
  • spiffychick85
    spiffychick85 Posts: 311 Member
    Oh I feel every ounce of your pain :| . If it wasn't for people telling me I lost weight I wouldn't believe it, then I catch a side eye glimpse in the mirror and I'm thinking ok...maybe I do look different, but can't pinpoint where. For me it's mental...it's one reason I struggled with an eating disorder most of my life, because I never looked small enough in my head. In these cases I trust the scale numbers, and pray my brain will catch up to the image everyone else sees.
  • SusanMFindlay
    SusanMFindlay Posts: 1,804 Member
    It takes our brains a while to catch up with our bodies. Often, the person we see in the mirror isn't what we actually look like - it's what our brains think we look like. This plays against us both when we're gaining weight (and don't see it) and when we're losing weight (and don't see it). It's also how some very thin people can genuinely believe they're fat; they simply don't see their real selves in the mirror.

    Ways around this:
    • Photos can help. Put a photo of you now next to a photo of you 45 pounds ago. I bet you look different in them - and seeing both "you"s at once, your brain won't be able to ignore the difference.
    • Ask a person you trust. Be clear that you're not fishing for compliments. Just a question like "I've lost weight, but I don't feel like I look any different. Do you see any difference?"
    • Go by how your clothes fit. I don't see myself particularly different in the mirror from 20 pounds ago - but I'm down several jeans sizes, so I know that objectively I must be thinner.
  • tiptoethruthetulips
    tiptoethruthetulips Posts: 3,371 Member
    Meggie post some before and after photos of yourself, make sure you aren't wearing baggy clothes in the after photos and I can guarantee there are differences.
  • vivelajackie
    vivelajackie Posts: 321 Member
    You see yourself every day. Do what others are saying and take pictures. Take measurements. It'll help!
  • Jriggs46615
    Jriggs46615 Posts: 50 Member
    I, too, see a difference in all three pics.

    I remember a makeover show several years ago that started off with a scale of people...very thin to very obese. The subject was asked to place themselves in the lineup, where they best felt they fit. The host would then take the person's stats and move them to where they really fit into the lineup. I only saw the show a few times, but every single time, the person judged themselves to be several sizes larger than they actually were. Perhaps that's your problem now - You're seeing what really isn't there.
  • Luna3386
    Luna3386 Posts: 888 Member
    Take measurements and pictures. Have you yet? If not, start now!

    Also, I'd start weight lifting. It will help change your body shape. I've been happy with my lifting results so far and I'm not to goal yet.
  • lilysillycat
    lilysillycat Posts: 159 Member
    I'm also 5/7" and started at 215 lbs. Today I'm at 177 lbs. My jeans changed from a size 20/22 to a size 14. doesn't your cloth fit differently? I can see the differences clear as day and night.
  • janjunie
    janjunie Posts: 1,200 Member
    @JessicaMcB I see a difference in all three as well. In pic B your thighs and stomach have slimmed down noticeably. Anyways great job, you obviously worked very hard to get to where you are today.
  • RubyLou25
    RubyLou25 Posts: 212 Member
    edited May 2017
    Measurements pictures and how clothes fit. I swear my hips and waist haven't changed a bit but they have. I have a pair of jeans that were too uncomfortable to wear because if how tight they are that now don't stay up without a belt.
  • bagge72
    bagge72 Posts: 1,377 Member
    Yeah my mind played that whole "pictures or it didn't happen" trick on me too. When you lose weight slowly, you really just get used to how you look during the process. And sometimes you only realize you look better, by looking at old pictures, or when people tell you.
  • Geocitiesuser
    Geocitiesuser Posts: 1,429 Member
    Just keep going OP! To be really honest we are just "smaller versions" of our overweight selves until we start getting truely lean. That's when the magic happens. So you just have to keep on keeping on!
  • Running_and_Coffee
    Running_and_Coffee Posts: 811 Member
    I lose weight first from my face and neck and legs and chest...then the hips and thighs happen a lot later on. People noticed even a few pounds on me pretty quickly (but I assume vice-versa!) because it's my FACE. I would bet that if you lose weight from everywhere at the same time, it would be harder to notice the progress. But there are advantages to that, too. (Like if you gain weight, people can't tell by looking at your cheekbones!!!)
  • Lizonia
    Lizonia Posts: 3 Member
    Great posts here! Meggie, 45 pound loss is an awesome achievement. I did feel a bit of this when I lost 38 pounds BUT I visited a friend that had not seen me in 6 months and she screamed with delight to see how great I looked. I began looking at myself differently....same person in the mirror but now I saw a thinner me. Go figure. Keep up the great work, take some measurements, compare pics of yourself now and at your 'before' weight. Do you have any before clothes? yeah, try them on now and take a pic. That reinforced it me. <3
  • pinuplove
    pinuplove Posts: 12,871 Member
    Go put on an outfit that fit or was even a little snug when you started. I guarantee you will see a difference in how it fits!
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    edited May 2017
    meggie12342 wrote: »
    I understand that people say "give it time, you will see results" but I would think after losing 45 lbs I would see a difference. Nope. I started at 215 now im at 170 and a height of 5'7 so it's not like I was severely obese to the point it would be difficult to see immediate results. I eat a calorie restricted decent diet and try to incorporate cardio daily. So why am I not seeing results? It's not like I just recently started making lifestyle changes this has been going in for a while now. I am starting to get extremely discouraged at this point... Any advice??????

    Sure, it took my eyes and brain a while to catch up with the scale. But what do your jeans say? (Or other, non-stretchy clothes.)
  • meggie12342
    meggie12342 Posts: 2 Member
    edited May 2017
    *UPDATE*
    That's the thing, I can still fit in clothes last year when I started this and they are not baggy and still fit ok. I probably sound crazy but there really is not a major difference to be 45 pounds down. I asked my mom if she could tell and she said she could see it in my face. Lol . then I asked my grandma if I looked like I had lost weight, she said yes, then I told her how much then she had a funny look on her face and said there was no way I had lost that much weight (she's one of those hold nothing back grandmas). I had messed up for a while bc as I said I was extremely discouraged but have been dieting and exercising for the past almost month and currently down to 160. Of course I still don't see much of a difference still but I feel alot better and healthier and can get through my workouts without feeling like I'm going to die. I've also started doing HIIT as well so I'm just hoping eventually I will see results..
    Also, thanks everyone for the help and advice. Really appreciated.
  • tiptoethruthetulips
    tiptoethruthetulips Posts: 3,371 Member
    Are you up to posting before and after photos? Let us see what changes are visible to us.
  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,129 Member
    edited May 2017
    I have lost 30lbs in the last 6 months and when I look in the mirror I hardly see any changes because they have been fairly subtle and slow over time, however last weekend got up the courage to compare my start picture and my current picture in my undies side by side on my newsfeed (won't post here because it would be against community guidelines) but looking at the 2 pictures side by side I was amazed at how much flatter my stomach is, how much slimmer my arms are and how much my thighs have trimmed down.

    What I can tell you is before I took the photos I still knew the weight was coming off and I felt better about it - my clothes fit better - like you they still fit, but when I started this journey they were starting to get uncomfortable, I have had no back pain since I took up strength training and stretching, my lung capacity has increased, my resting heart rate is down and I have even started a running program which I never dreamed in a million years I would enjoy. Not all benefits are visible, try and remember the reasons why you wanted to lose the weight.
  • kenyonhaff
    kenyonhaff Posts: 1,377 Member
    Sometimes we are the last people to notice changes obvious to everyone else. :)

    Also, keep in mind that even if NOTHING was visibily different on the outside the health benefits of losing weight are ENORMOUS. You've noticed it.

    Don't entirely trust how you look in clothes, either. I've lost 35 pounds and there are still clothing items I still fit. A lot depends on what you choose to wear...looser, flowy clothes, elastic waist pants, leggings and (ironically) well tailored clothes can very forgiving.

    If you really want to look thinner at 170 you may have to look at if you are wearing clothes that really fit...a surprising number of people wear clothes that are baggy, saggy, and over-sized.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    Have you taken progress photos and body measurements to compare?
    Have you stopped losing or still have awhile before reaching your goal weight?
    Do any strength training?

    Eventually you will see a visible difference and your clothing will fit differently if you keep losing weight.



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