Feeling discouraged.

Captainbodiddly

I am 50 pounds down, from 344 to 295, and my clothing size hasn't changed a bit. I can't see any difference whatsoever, and I'm starting to think that people who do are just saying so because they know I'm trying and they're being nice. I'm eating 1,200 - 1,700 calories a day, walking 3 miles a day and going to a personal trainer 3 times a week and can barely move afterwards. I knew this would be hard, but I'm making literally no progress.

tiptoethruthetulips

That is a great weight loss. I imagine if you took a photo today and compared it with a photo from when you were 344lb that you would see lots of differences. If there isn't much difference it means you have lost a lot of fat from around your organs and you must be feeling healthier.

Clothing can be difficult, when I was overweight I squeezed into elasticised waistbands and other clothing was too small, it took a lot of lost weight before I needed to buy new clothes.

You are making plenty of progress - more than you realise. Keep going forward!

CharlesScott78

First off, congratulations! 50 pounds is a tremendous amount of weight to lose. I would have to agree with the poster above - it is hard for people that have a lot of weight to lose to see the difference in the mirror. Pictures are the very best way. I had someone tell me that people with a lot of weight to lose basically see ourselves from the neck up in the mirror. I take front, back and side photos each week in the same clothes for just that reason. While I don't really see it in the mirror, it is very obvious in pictures.

I wish you the very best!

88olds

whaleybob wrote: »

I am 50 pounds down,...my clothing size hasn't changed a bit. I can't see any difference whatsoever,..I'm making literally no progress.

If you’re down 50 lbs, you literally are making progress, its a fact.

Our brains don’t like change. Best thing for our brains is basically today as a repeat of yesterday. I think our brains hate weight loss in particular. Maybe because weight loss is the result of countless little changes.

But you have lost a significant amount. It’s a fact. You say so in your post.

Maybe try this. Can you spend some money on a tailor? Go buy something new and get a good fit. Yeah, it will be something that you soon hope will be too big. Starting at 285 lbs I was about 260 when I bought my first new suit. Game changer.
I was about 230 when I met Harry the tailor. He taught me how to dress. It made a really big difference in my overall effort.
Worth every penny I spent. Try it. You might be surprised at what you can learn from a skilled tailor.

And this in general- to lose 100 lbs I had to reinvent my effort about 4-5 times. Keep an open mind. Significant weight loss will take you places you don’t expect to go. Frequently our biggest obstacle is our own resistance. Good luck.

Terytha

Two things I've noticed/learned since losing 50+ pounds.

1) Visceral fat goes first. When you're very heavy, fat builds up around your internal organs. That goes first, and since its inside you, it makes less of a difference visually. A slightly overweight person who loses 10 pounds will lose like 3 pant sizes, while a quite obese person will see nothing. But trust me, your organs are thanking you for the extra room.

2) Your brain lags. If you posted pictures I would see the difference but you would not. I have dropped 2 shirt sizes myself and literally cannot see myself, I see the same person as I was. What you see is very much influenced by what you expect to see. You can't always trust your senses.

megamom

Measure measure measure, I can't stress how important that is. When I wasn't seeing a difference in the mirror I was seeing it in the tape measure, also check your BMI. I do that also and it is motivated. It took me 55 pounds before people started commenting but still I felt fat and it took my brain several months to adjust to what the mirror was telling me. I still avoided mirrors like the plaque and still gave myself lots of room to get around things when I didn't need to. When people told me I looked great I doubted it. It is a brain game and you have to just train your brain along with your body. You are doing great so keep it up and one day the brain and body will click and you will see and feel it.

seltzermint555

You are making huge progress. That is a VERY big loss and a major accomplishment. As others have mentioned, the beginning of a major loss is when it's hardest to see the difference in size.

I remember being very proud of my progress as I went from 307 down to 280-ish and a lot of people in my life didn't seem to notice or "see it" and I did wear almost all of the same clothes. Later on, I would have times...let's say from 240 to 229...just 11 lb, but I'd need 2 sizes smaller clothing and everyone I knew seemed to make a comment. Sometimes it really does go in waves!

Another thing I'd do is go and try on clothing and buy yourself just 1-2 new items. Even if they are technically the same size as your old clothes (and you may be surprised that you can go 1 size down!)...I bet they will fit differently and make you see the difference a little more in your body.

LyndaBSS

If you had bloodwork done, I'll bet your doctor would be doing cartwheels in the hallway. Changes are happening, even if you can't see them. Congratulations on your loss! 💙

MySlimGoals

Keep going! You've lost heaps and you're not that far away from going down a size. But you need to keep at it. The distance between clothing sizes is larger when you are heavier. They get closer together as you drop in weight. Once you go down one size the next size down won't be far behind.

annliz23

Dont give up you are doing well, I have not lost weight for a while but I have noticed my legs are getting firmer, it takes time to see a change but you can do it.

Luke_rabbit

Even if you don't notice it, your heart, lungs, liver, and joints are all doing happy dances!

When my husband lost from 300 to 190 lbs, almost all of the size changes occurred over the last 50 lbs (he went from a 44 waist to a 36).

Also, ask your personal trainer to dial back. You should be able to move mostly pain free the next day. It's counterproductive to risk injury.

Hugs and good wishes and congrats on your amazing accomplishment!

Chris_J99

Keep going! You can do this. 50lbs is amazing work 😁. Your body will catch up. I bet your internal organs are super pleased with your progress 🙌🎉

IAmTheGlue

Go to the store. Get the biggest bag of dog food you can find. It's probably 50 pounds. Carry it up and down the aisle. Even just put it in a cart and push it around for a while.

50 pounds is a big deal. A big, huge deal...so, Congratulations on your progress!!! Just keep going!

tryingagain5

Don't give up! Keep going! Even (especially) when you don't feel like it.

You are making progress! It's your head that says you aren't. I sometimes have the same discouragement as you and that's when I need to get out of my own head and start thinking positive thoughts instead of negative ones.

50 pounds is a big deal and as the others have said your internal organs are thanking you.

I also like what the person who said about going to the store and picking up a 50 pound bag and lugging it around the store.
Or pick up a 50 pound dumbell and carry it around the gym.
You"ll find out in a hurry how much that is. And that is no longer on your body.

Congrats on the 50 pound loss! Keep going!

fatoldladyonamission

50lbs is a fantastic weight loss though I do totally understand what you're saying. I started at 325 and am currently at 288 and I don't think I can see any difference in me either. The only people who say they can are my husband and daughter. I think that's because they're the only ones who know I'm trying to diet. Literally nobody else has noticed, which can be quite soul destroying.

All I'd say is that you know the numbers, you know the weight is coming off and if you're anything like me you'll be able to feel the difference in yourself. I find it's silly things that I notice, like it's easier to get up from the sofa or when I had to climb 4 flights of stairs the other day it didn't leave me gasping for breath. Those things are huge motivators for me and nice to know when nobody else sees a change.

Keep going, you've made a massive change already, well past that all important 10% that the medical types talk about. You've got this and you'll soon find people start to notice. Well done.

keytracker51

I'm certain given the weight loss of 50 pounds there is a difference. I think what you are experiencing is your brain denying the weight loss.

I lost 220 pounds at one point and didn't see much of a change until I had lost over 100 pounds so I started noticing other changes. How about in your car, do you have more room between you and the steering wheel, or do you find that when you sit in a booth at a restaurant you now have more room? It's those little things that add up to big losses. Your brain can't deny these type of instances. Eventually these little positive improvements lead to bigger achievements and the brain can't ignore those as you'll notice clothing not"looking the same...sloppier fitting". There is as much need to exercise you brain as there is a need to exercise your body as you go thru major weight loss

The pictures idea helps tremendously but look for those small subtle changes and continually remind yourself of what you can now do, or can now wear, etc.. You are making great progress! Noticing the small changes helps you to self motivate and stay on track and they will lead to bigger changes that not even a stubborn brain can deny.