Frustration With Lack Of Visible Progress

ForMyAngelBaby

So far I have lost 21 pounds. I'm happy with my weight loss, but I must confess I'm also very frustrated. I have been able to wear a few of the smaller pieces of clothing my closet that I outgrew, but mostly everything in my closet is still snug on me. I thought surely by now I'd be into a smaller pant size, or that something would be smaller. Spring is here and I thought for sure all of my old clothes would be fitting me now - but I'm stuck in my winter fat clothes because I can't seem to get my body to catch up with my scale.

This is so frustrating because I've lost less weight than this before and had visible changes after 10 pounds!

I'm really starting to think - what's the point - I'm doomed to be fat the rest of my life.

chelseaad

What kind of exercises are you doing? Could it be that you have built muscle? I have also lost some weight (not nearly as much as you) and feel like my pants have become a bit tighter in the legs and I thought What the heck? Then I realized it's because I have been doing a lot of strength training in my legs and my muscles have developed despite my fat loss. There are ways to do cardio exercise without building a lot of muscle in certain parts of your body, if that's not what you want. For example, a friend of mine has large calves and doesn't want to run because the muscle could make them even bigger so she swims instead.

Don't give up! You are not destined to be fat if that's not what you want. Keep going, you will see the results!!

ForMyAngelBaby

Here is me at my heaviest:



Here is me yesterday:

XtyAnn17

I have also lost 25 lbs and no change physically yet so i started 30 day shred. Hopefully in 30 days i can drop a pantsuze and lose another 10

1ConcreteGirl

Here is me at my heaviest:



Here is me yesterday:

I don't think these photos are a good way to compare, because the perspective on them is different. However, the more weight someone has to lose, the longer it takes for them to notice the change.

It looks like you're a third of your way to goal, so feel proud! You're doing great. Just keep at it and eventually you will notice it.

(Also, the poster who said you might be gaining muscle is incorrect. It is not really possible to gain appreciable muscle on a deficit. You can only strengthen the muscle that you have currently.)

moorme01

Hang in there! I can definitely see a difference from the first pic to the second.

appletonirvinea

I only really notice it in some clothes I've lost 20lbs and some ofmy jeans and trousers are loose at top of my legs only but others I now need a belt. Noticed it more in my boobs unfortunately. But people say they can see it in my face too. I so want to rid my belly I'm toying with the 30day shred too.

Craig_hyde

In the immortal words of Barney Stinson:

"Wait for it......"

Took me over 25lb to start seeing a difference. Sure I had friends telling me "you look great" and having clothes I had outgrew fit me again, but still felt like I hadn't shifted an inch.

Now, looking back, I feel silly for not noticing earlier.

Hezzietiger1

Whats the point: health, fitness, example to others, love for yourself, accomplishment..

If u r not weight training, weight train. More muscle + less fat= smaller pants size

ForMyAngelBaby

I don't think these photos are a good way to compare, because the perspective on them is different. However, the more weight someone has to lose, the longer it takes for them to notice the change.

It looks like you're a third of your way to goal, so feel proud! You're doing great. Just keep at it and eventually you will notice it.

(Also, the poster who said you might be gaining muscle is incorrect. It is not really possible to gain appreciable muscle on a deficit. You can only strengthen the muscle that you have currently.)

Yeah I realized when I posted them how off the perspective was. I've been avoiding cameras like the plague so I don't really have any current pictures to go off of

Fenomka

Here is me at my heaviest:



Here is me yesterday:

I don't think these photos are a good way to compare, because the perspective on them is different. However, the more weight someone has to lose, the longer it takes for them to notice the change.

It looks like you're a third of your way to goal, so feel proud! You're doing great. Just keep at it and eventually you will notice it.

(Also, the poster who said you might be gaining muscle is incorrect. It is not really possible to gain appreciable muscle on a deficit. You can only strengthen the muscle that you have currently.)

I would argue with the ability to again appreciable muscle on a deficit - even though I was on a deficit, and have been since starting MFP, I gained an inch in each arm before re-losing the inch, and then some, but I don't know the exact science, so I don't want to start a big discussion about it. I'll talk to my trainer and follow up. I believe it's more protein based than calorie based, but again, I want to check my facts. I only know personal experience.

But I would say it may be that you're losing the weight differently this time than when you lost that 10 lbs you spoke of. Just remember, the numbers don't lie. They may not be moving as fast as you would like them to, but they ARE moving. And I agree with the poster who meantioned that the Point should be Health, fitness, and Life long happiness. Speaking from experience (I have about 240 lbs to lose, total) If you have a hard time seeing it yourself, Talk to the people who see you and who's opinions you trust - "do you see it? where do you see it? Is there anything else you notice about me that's changing?" The people who love you will give you good honest feed back because they are about you, and they want you to be happy. I know it's hard *Trust me, I KNOW it's hard* But maybe start taking document pics - once a month, take some pics of yourself in the same pose, same or similar clothes, same lighting, etc. and start comparing them. You'd be amazed how fast you start seeing the difference in yourself, due to the pictures, where you can't see it in the mirror.

ForMyAngelBaby

In the immortal words of Barney Stinson:

"Wait for it......"

Took me over 25lb to start seeing a difference. Sure I had friends telling me "you look great" and having clothes I had outgrew fit me again, but still felt like I hadn't shifted an inch.

Now, looking back, I feel silly for not noticing earlier.

I think one of my biggest downers is no one has noticed or said anything about my weight loss..

KimberlyinMN

I didn't have anyone "notice" until I'd lost about 60 pounds. Granted, I was wearing the same clothes only smaller sizes. (Exact same brand, color, and style for work pants.)

brilynn79

It is hard, it takes others longer to see. I completely agree that the larger size you wear the more you have to lose to change sizes. It took me a good 20 lbs to change my size when I started losing and was plus sized. Recently I was wearing 8's. I gained 11 lbs and even my old10's are snug.

Don't get discouraged. It will happen.

cee134

one way to see visible progress, and it does take years is to measure, is seeing improvement in physical markers like blood pressure, triglycerides, glucose levels, and other factors like that. I measure this each year at my yearly physical, and that shows me better then slightly better fitting clothes, that what I'm doing is working.

chelseaad

This is a really good point! One thing that makes me realize I am progressing is my heart rate while exercising. When I first started my heart rate would get really really high while doing cardio. The more I keep at it, the more regular it becomes.

I'm sorry for posting information taht is possibly incorrect. Thanks to whomever corrected me. But I personally have noticed muscle gainin myself.