At what point should I expect to see a change?

gracebridges90

So, I've been working out 5-6 times a week and found the calorie intake that is perfect for me and I have lost now 5 pounds so far in a month. I guess my question is, does anybody have any feedback on when they started to see a difference? Meaning your pants fit looser, arms are smaller waste smaller, etc. I haven't seen anything yet, but I've only lost 5 pounds so far. I am more than willing to be patient But I guess that I'm scared even if I lose weight, that I'm still going to see the fat me. Is anyone else afraid of that?

MarKayDee

I constantly worry that no matter what I will only see the fat me.
Then I nearly slip and fall on my pant legs because even though I didn't notice them fitting looser and sitting lower they are. If you keep looking for the change you might never see it, after all a watched lot never boils.

happyfeet1993

That's exactly how I feel! The number on the scale doesn't really do much for me cause I still feel like I look the same! I lost 20 pounds last year and I still felt like I hasn't changed.
My advice is to take measurements of your waist hips and bust.
And only weigh and measure yourself once a week.
Also take photos!!
Before and after photos are one of the best ways to see a difference. I'm taking them every 2 weeks personally.

Therealobi1

That's exactly how I feel! The number on the scale doesn't really do much for me cause I still feel like I look the same! I lost 20 pounds last year and I still felt like I hasn't changed.
My advice is to take measurements of your waist hips and bust.
And only weigh and measure yourself once a week.
Also take photos!!
Before and after photos are one of the best ways to see a difference. I'm taking them every 2 weeks personally.

I agree with this. Its only when a friend posted an old picture of me and then a newer one I actually saw the difference. I really do think my mind plays tricks with me.

I had test shorts that I would put on every two weeks, that really helped me too. Watching them get looser and looser until they were ridiculously big was great. I think when your friends and colleagues start noticing is nice too. Another thing I have tried to stop doing is comparing myself to others as we are just all different heights and frames.

Good luck and keep going.

_Emma_Problema_

Honestly, focus on how you feel. I gained about 10-15 lbs over my winter break and yeah, my clothes fit a bit tighter but overall I don't see a huge difference when I look in the mirror. The difference for me is how I feel eating crap and not working out. If you focus on your energy level and how good it feels to achieve your goals, you take some of the pressure off of seeing a change in the mirror.

Also, the physical changes are different for everyone. People lose weight in different places and it might not always be from where you want to see it first. Be patient.

Soccermavrick

I weight in once a week, and take measurements once a month. The scale was the big thing early on, but the measurements really helped during weight plateaus. I also would recommend taking a starting picture or two to compare to later. (You do NOT have to post them anywhere, they are for you.) I missed that step, and while I can look back at pictures from around then, I am fully dressed so that takes something away.

I would say it took a few months before I admitted that I could see a difference. (I started at close to 40% BF and am sitting at 23.5% now.) And I still have days, but honestly when I look at pictures I can see a major difference. This past fall I pulled my jeans out, that had been tight, and they now fall off without a belt on. Now Co-workers did not seem to take note for a good 7 or 8 months, but I also did not talk that much about it either.

So do I still see myself as FAT? No, but that does not mean that I am quite where I want to be either. And most people, though also are overly critical on themselves, but that is something we all have to learn to temper. I am not 18, and should not compare myself to 18 year olds. I do not have their metabolism.

callyart

I noticed about 2/3 weeks in because when I lose weight it always goes from my waist first. My waist is already quite small compared to the rest of my body, so when my tops became ever more baggier there, I realised.

Also, I had quite a bit of back fat, which is slowly going - something I am *so* happy about. I refer to it as 'back boobs' as a joke, but really I hated it so much before I began to lose weight.

I weigh in once a week but I am starting to pay more attention to how my clothes are fitting now, and how healthy I am feeling.

LRoslin

It really depends on the individual. For my part I really noticed a difference after 10 pounds. I am 5'8" and started at 182, am down to 169 and my goal weight is 150. I noticed my workout pants were fitting better (irony there), and my upper arms looked slimmer, my legs were looking thinner and my back was slimming down.

Now if my stomach would just get the memo and shrink as well :laugh:

littleburgy

Generally it takes several weeks in...and there will be days you don't feel different, but then there's those days where you really notice and feel like a million bucks.