Finding it hard to see a difference after -30 pounds

jojo19812018

I started this journey on sept 20. I’m 5’1 and started at 198. I’m currently 168. I’m happy with 30 pounds down in about 3 months. The problem is I don’t feel like I look much different. I’m only on 1200
calories and don’t go over. I do a little bit of weights and cardio at the gym 2-3 times per week and average 8000 steps per day. I was hoping to hear from anyone who started on 1200 calories and stayed there until they hit goal. (Or any successes). I need to hear some inspiring stories. How long did it take and how much did u lose? I understand this is a journey and I have to be patient. I suppose I want to hear that I’m doing all the right things and the weight loss will keep happening. Im just having a hard time lately as I feel like I’ve made big changes and can’t see much in the way of results. Thank you 😊

JeromeBarry1

You, too, can have a Success Story. It's not too soon to start composing yours.

MsBaz2018

Side to side pictures. They'll clearly show you that you are doing the right thing. 30 lbs is NOT a small number.

lvose5119

Whilst I haven’t lost 30 just yet, I’m currently on 21lbs lost and I feel the same as you. Clothes fit differently but somehow I just feel or see a difference in myself. But I took a side profile photo at the beginning and have a side photo from today and the difference is clear to see. I suggest doing something similar even if it’s hard to do and see right now you’ll be thankful later

Running2Fit

Take progress pictures! I’m 5’0” and have lost 40 lbs so far. This was my latest progress picture - on the left me at 190 (my highest weight) and the right was me at 152).


I take progress pictures any time I feel like the weight loss isn’t making a difference and it is always encouraging.

dhiammarath

I cannot reiterate enough that taking progress pictures can be so helpful. I cannot see my progress in the mirror most of the time. The slight daily changes are enough that they get lost in my mental perception of me. Instead, I take pictures and put them side by side. Or sometimes, I take pictures of disembodied pieces of me to break the "whole" that my brain constructs. It is jarring to see, for example, that when I was sitting next to a super tiny woman yesterday and I took a picture of my legs... that my legs were not giant compared to hers (hers were caught in the picture by accident). I am bigger, sure, but I am not gigantor like my brain wants me to believe, and was telling me, reminding me, when I glanced at her.

Pictures help so much when you cannot see. Or, I should caveat: pictures help me so very much to see the truth and not what my brain struggles to reassert the pattern that used to be.

tirowow12385

jojo19812018 wrote: »

I started this journey on sept 20. I’m 5’1 and started at 198. I’m currently 168. I’m happy with 30 pounds down in about 3 months. The problem is I don’t feel like I look much different. I’m only on 1200
calories and don’t go over. I do a little bit of weights and cardio at the gym 2-3 times per week and average 8000 steps per day. I was hoping to hear from anyone who started on 1200 calories and stayed there until they hit goal. (Or any successes). I need to hear some inspiring stories. How long did it take and how much did u lose? I understand this is a journey and I have to be patient. I suppose I want to hear that I’m doing all the right things and the weight loss will keep happening. Im just having a hard time lately as I feel like I’ve made big changes and can’t see much in the way of results. Thank you 😊

Your BMI is 31 and you're two points away from going obese to overweight. Don't be stressed.


Something happened to me when I crossed into that territory and I was thinking to myself " so that's why overweight and obesity have their own category!" Even though for the longest time I thought they were the same thinge, more or less, fat is fat.

Don't start falling apart now, you're about to get started.

Girlheidi

I am down 21 lbs. I can fit back in clothes that I couldn't and I looked again at the photos of my summer holiday and yes, there is a big difference! Look back at full body photos - it is quite an eye opener and will encourage you.
I still have another 15 or so to go before I am happy! My OH thinks I need to lose more lol! But I will stop when I am happy :-)

lorrpb

We don't see ourselves accurately in the mirror and our memory of what we "used to" look like is deceiving. Pics and measurements and fit of clothes is the best way to establish the FACTS. I would never believe I was as overweight as I was if I didn't have the pics and a couple of clothing items to prove it.

emmamcgarity

Photos help. Also take measurements. But please eat a bit more. You are losing weight a bit fast. 1200 is not a lot of food. Slowing it down a bit will be healthier and will help you learn the skills you need for maintenance. FWIW I am 5’1” andchave lost 25-30 lbs going from a size 16 to a size 8. My weekly average is closer to 1400+

cheryldumais

I felt the same. Strangely no one even noticed until I hit 35 down. After that every ten or so I could really tell. It gets more and more obvious as the weight comes off. Trust me you are on the right track and 30 pounds in less than 3 months! Awesome. You may have to slow down a bit as you get closer to goal but you will get there. Congrats on your loss so far.

GottaBurnEmAll

I'm 5'1" and started at 210. I don't have a picture of me at 210, in my before pictures that I do have, I'm about 190ish. I started at 1200 calories, but I got very active during the course of my weight loss and ate more towards the end of it. I've lost 90 pounds.

Here's a picture of me around 170 compared to 190 , I think to give you some idea in the difference you've made.



This is my overall progress from almost start to finish:

jojo19812018

Thank you everyone for all your replies 😊

springlering62

I started at 220 and am down to 185, in three months as well. Like someone else said, no one noticed at all until in the past couple of days when suddenly everyone is commenting on it. Yet I feel bloated and gross right now because of holiday gatherings. I had to make cookies today and was beating myself up since I do my weekly weigh in tomorrow but after I entered the four or five ingredients in the (very rich) recipe I realized I had “only” eaten about 550 calories of cookies and sighed a breath of relief. I guess one of the biggest changes is learning to only eat a few and not scarfing down half a pan of chocolate toffee deliciousness and a half gallon of milk. My daughter is visiting and we went out last night and bought matching jammies to wear during (lo cal) hot chocolate by the fireplace. I bought much smaller sizes, praying they’d fit and I wouldn’t embarrass myself and to my astonishment they fit. I haven’t done the progress photos. Maybe I should. I still feel like the fat lady in the room, and still make fat jokes about myself. This whole process has been very unsettling and I’m terrified I’ll “fall off the wagon”. I’m determined this is not a “diet” but a lifestyle change.

smantha32

emmamcgarity wrote: »

Photos help. Also take measurements. But please eat a bit more. You are losing weight a bit fast. 1200 is not a lot of food. Slowing it down a bit will be healthier and will help you learn the skills you need for maintenance.

this. I was eating too low and my hair started falling out in clumps. I'm eating 1300-1400 now.

jesshooks

I didn't notice or feel too different between 190 and 165 - however, then I did. At about 175 I started doing at least 25m of interval cardio (running, HIIT routines, swimming) at least 6 days a week - just after I woke up, always on an empty stomach. That was in addition to the weight training 2-3 days a week. I also walked everywhere which came out to about 4-8km a day. It was also that point that I *really* started to pay attention to protein-fat-carbs distribution, vitamins, minerals, and total calories (including exercise). I had to experiment for a while until I found the balance that made me feel the best. My combo is 35% protein, 35% fat, 30% carbs. Which then changed in the summer to more carbs, less fat. Go figure.

My 2 cents - you need to eat your exercise calories in addition to the 1200 or your body is starving. Or at least that is what my research proved. I used a combo of MFP and Garmin Connect. With the exercise and the base 1200 calories, MFP reported that I needed to eat anywhere from 1800 calories to 2500 calories on any given day. And I ate every single one of them. The last 25lbs flew off in about two months once I started doing this.

That was my experience - but as we all know ... everyone is different!

kar328

I'm 5' 2" and started this journey at 248 lbs. I could not see any weight loss until I put my starting pic and one fifty pounds lighter side by side. I'm down about 105 lbs at the moment and there are still days when I don't see a thinner, fitter version of me, I see one who is not quite 248, but still up there as far as weight. Whoever said the mind is the last part of the body to lose weight was right. Take lots of pictures.

As for the calories, I never did the 1200, I set my goal to one pound a week. It's changed as I go, but last year I put on a few and my dietitian and I realized I wasn't eating enough, as I'd try to stay under the 1500 I have the calories set for, so I wouldn't see that red line on my page. She's gotten me to eat between 1500-1600 and those pounds came off way quicker than any recent weight loss. Saw her yesterday as the last five don't want to go away and she's figuring out that I need to eat more so that plan is now in action. I think you need to reassess your numbers.

Running2Fit

@GottaBurnEmAll - You look incredible! Such inspiring progress!

GottaBurnEmAll

Thank you!

tiffanyleilarsen

30 lbs in 3 months is an amazing loss. You are my inspirational success story.

jojo19812018

Thank you so much much everyone. Tiffany, honestly all I did was stick to my calories. A little bit of exercise but not much. The calories thing really does work and I eat whatever I want with my allowance. Thanks ❤️

StephyTheGreat

@jojo19812018 Its hard for you to notice it yourself because you look at yourself in the mirror every day.

About a decade ago I lost 80 pounds and I still felt like I was fat. Weightloss is tough, it messes with the head and even gives us like a low key body dysmorphia during the whole process. Try to remember that even if you think you dont see it, its there.

FindingPositiveMetamorphosis

@Running2Fit
@GottaBurnEmAll
I can see a big difference in both of your transformations! Great job!

Sambo_fitness

That's some amazing success!!!! How do your clothes fit?? If they're loose, time to go shopping! Look for the NSV's

DrusiliaDD

I didn't have that much weight to lose, I was only slightly overweight by BMI when I started. I'm down somewhere around 16-17 pounds now and I really struggle to see a difference. I'm at the point where I'm ordering new clothes because some things don't fit me any more, but I'm still convinced I'm one size bigger than I am. I ordered a UK size 8 skirt last week and when it arrived I was convinced it wouldn't fit, right up until I put it on. It's hard to see changes in yourself.

terril18

Wow! You and I are very similar!
I started my journey Sept 4th at 200.9 pounds. I am 5'1 and approaching my 48th birthday. I am at 1200 calories and I work out about 45 minutes of cardio 5-6 times a week. I am now done 38 pounds. the past month I have fluctuated between 35 and 38 pounds. 104 days in and have not hit the big 40...very hard

steveko89

30 lbs is certainly nothing to sneeze at. However, consider it in terms of a percentage; that 30 lbs is roughly 15% of your starting weight. How much visual difference is there between a 10oz of water in a glass or 8.5 oz of water in an identical glass?

Like others have said, it's difficult to see changes in the mirror day-to-day. Trust the process in knowing that the changes are there, just still hard to see.

HeyJulya

I am 54yo, and have lost 30lbs since 8/27/18 (185lbs-155lbs). I am on Keto (current macros-1053 calories
NCarbs13g:Prot53g:Fat88g). I adjusted my macros with every 10lbs lost, using MFP to calculate %s given a calorie goal. I oftentimes go over the daily calories, mostly eating more fat grams, yet I continue to loose 1-2lb a week on average. I have lost a lot of inches (most obvious to me on my hips/midsection) and two pants sizes. I think people are PC, particularly in the workplace where it is taboo to comment on a woman's appearance. My adult daughter mentioned I look smaller at our T-Giving gathering, but truthfully, I was very good at hiding my weight with Spanx on Spanx and long jackets before my weight loss. The thing is, I don't so much care if others notice. I care that I FEEL SO MUCH BETTER. I sleep better, I don't need to wear hot and tight spandex undergarments anymore to hide my rolls & ripples; I don't have unpredictable mood swings & depression from blood sugar swings and hypoglycemia; no more bloating, acid reflex or heartburn; adult acne is gone, no drenching night sweat; and no more guilt about what I eat and when I eat it. I have a spring in my step and the painful inflammation in my back, feet, knees, hands, etc. no longer haunt me day-in-&-day-out. Truthfully, I don't even exercise, not even a little bit, and I am ok with that too. I can now tuck in my shirt and wear a belt, or wear the seasonal clothes long since tucked away in my guest bedroom closet (... however, many of the styles are way outdated ). I just love that I can look in the mirror and see a normal looking body. I am doing this for ME.

jflongo

jojo19812018 wrote: »

I started this journey on sept 20. I’m 5’1 and started at 198. I’m currently 168. I’m happy with 30 pounds down in about 3 months. The problem is I don’t feel like I look much different. I’m only on 1200
calories and don’t go over. I do a little bit of weights and cardio at the gym 2-3 times per week and average 8000 steps per day. I was hoping to hear from anyone who started on 1200 calories and stayed there until they hit goal. (Or any successes). I need to hear some inspiring stories. How long did it take and how much did u lose? I understand this is a journey and I have to be patient. I suppose I want to hear that I’m doing all the right things and the weight loss will keep happening. Im just having a hard time lately as I feel like I’ve made big changes and can’t see much in the way of results. Thank you 😊

You have done an awesome job so far, keep up the great work.

Just keep in mind, your body will adjust to your calories after awhile, slowing down your metabolism. You may want to consider upping your calories to 1400 - 1500 calories for a month and see what happens. That may help restart your metabolism again. Up to you.

althara

Honestly, for some people, it's hard to see the weight difference in yourself until you're further along. I've lost almost 50 pounds from my highest non-pregnancy weight and I can't see a difference in front facing progress pics yet. It just means the majority of my fat loss has been visceral (which is great, because excess visceral fat is what increases various health risks). But I understand how very frustrating it is to not see a difference when you've put in so much effort.

Take pictures from various angles. Front view, side view, even your back. Eventually, you will see it in the pictures before you see it in the mirror. Our brains like to play tricks on us about how we look when we look in the mirror.

Also, use other methods of determining progress. How are your clothes fitting? How are your energy levels changing? What can you do now that you were unable to do or very difficult for you at the beginning of your journey? Start your list of non-scale victories and celebrate the changes you do see. Be patient for your brain to catch up with your body changes.

20Sam12

You're doing great and I have felt your pain in not noticing much difference after a 30 pound loss. I felt better and my clothes fit a little different but that was about it. At 50 pounds I was down a couple of sizes and all of a sudden others started noticing which was nice but not my ultimate goal. I'm now down 60 (in 9 months) and still moving forward. I have more plateaus than I did early on but I just keep with my goals and the pounds eventually come off. My calorie goal is 1300 but I usually end up around 1000 to 1100. I pay more attention to my macros than I do the calories. Six months ago I adjusted my macros and shot for under 50 carbs which helped. Recently had my blood work (all good) and cholesterol checked (a little high) so adjusted my macros again bumping carbs up a little and reducing the fat %. This isn't a 'diet' to me but a change in lifestyle to improve my health. Have patience, work on 1 pound at a time and congratulations on how far you have come!