The scale says I lost 45 pounds but I literally dont see any difference in my body
meggie12342
Posts: 2 Member
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??????
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Replies
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Start taking progress pictures. I didn't think there was much difference when I dropped 20lbs until I compared a current pic with my day 1 picture. There was a big difference in my mid section.
You have lost weight so you are in a deficit and doing it right.11 -
Your eyes are not always reliable witnesses, have you noticed any change in how your clothes fit?7
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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.4 -
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.4
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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.
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I have an alternate perspective to share- there might just not be much of a visual difference at this point given the stats and the many ways you can carry weight. You could be right that it isn't visually apparent right now.
The attached is my start weight (213, 5'10"), 47lbs down, and current day (130). There was little to no visual difference between photo a and b even though I had lost the scale weight. I think the issue can sometimes be, when we are obese, we feel like 40-50lbs is this huge amount to lose and that therefore will reflect a picture closer to my current day- we want all the instant gratification because BIG NUMBERS. We kind of neglect to realize that the appearance of that loss will be mitigated by how high our weight was to start, how much of the initial losses were water/glycogen related, how much visceral fat we potentially carry, etc.
Keep on keeping on OP, you're doing an awesome job! The losses will one day be apparent and you'll be glad you fought for it even when you couldn't be "sure" of the results26 -
JessicaMcB wrote: »I have an alternate perspective to share- there might just not be much of a visual difference at this point given the stats and the many ways you can carry weight. You could be right that it isn't visually apparent right now.
The attached is my start weight (213, 5'10"), 47lbs down, and current day (130). There was little to no visual difference between photo a and b even though I had lost the scale weight. I think the issue can sometimes be, when we are obese, we feel like 40-50lbs is this huge amount to lose and that therefore will reflect a picture closer to my current day- we want all the instant gratification because BIG NUMBERS. We kind of neglect to realize that the appearance of that loss will be mitigated by how high our weight was to start, how much of the initial losses were water/glycogen related, how much visceral fat we potentially carry, etc.
Keep on keeping on OP, you're doing an awesome job! The losses will one day be apparent and you'll be glad you fought for it even when you couldn't be "sure" of the results
well I can see a difference in all 3 pics.so wtg.9 -
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.1
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You see yourself every day. Do what others are saying and take pictures. Take measurements. It'll help!2
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CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »JessicaMcB wrote: »I have an alternate perspective to share- there might just not be much of a visual difference at this point given the stats and the many ways you can carry weight. You could be right that it isn't visually apparent right now.
The attached is my start weight (213, 5'10"), 47lbs down, and current day (130). There was little to no visual difference between photo a and b even though I had lost the scale weight. I think the issue can sometimes be, when we are obese, we feel like 40-50lbs is this huge amount to lose and that therefore will reflect a picture closer to my current day- we want all the instant gratification because BIG NUMBERS. We kind of neglect to realize that the appearance of that loss will be mitigated by how high our weight was to start, how much of the initial losses were water/glycogen related, how much visceral fat we potentially carry, etc.
Keep on keeping on OP, you're doing an awesome job! The losses will one day be apparent and you'll be glad you fought for it even when you couldn't be "sure" of the results
well I can see a difference in all 3 pics.so wtg.
Agreed. I think that the pictures show how people often don't see themselves correctly.5 -
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.4 -
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.1 -
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.3
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@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.1
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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.1
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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.1
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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!1
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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!!!)0
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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.2
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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!2
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