lost 20 pounds but not seeing it

Did you take "before" pics? If not, do it now. You'll want them later. There are times when my scale won't budge and I can look at the pics and see that my body is changing even when the number isn't.

I started out much heavier than you, but it took a good 50 pounds before I felt like my loss was noticeable. hang in there!

Take measurements. That is a great way to show changes and losses as later on the scale won't be your friend but measurements will.

Why look at it that you've got 20lbs left until 200? Why not look at it that you're half way there?

Healthy weight loss is slow and steady but lasting.

Take pictures like that previous poster said. Best way to judge! Take a new picture and measurements once a month and place the photos side by side. You'll see the differences.

Keep at it as it will eventually come off.

yeah i take new pics every tuesday and so far there isn't really a change from the first pics i took to the most recent one i took

If you feel comfy sharing your photos you'll have a ton of cheerleaders on here sharing what they see in your changes that you can't. Amazing how much we change through the process and simply can't see it.

7 lbs. off of me, 20lbs. off me, never showed because I had so much too lose. BUT when I see a thread where someone asks if anyone can see the 7lb. difference, and they are looking to lose maybe 20, WOWZA... so noticeable!! Even when someone is looking to lose far more others tend to notice it before we do! Plus your clothes are getting looser right?

Sometimes that's what we need, some cheering on so we realize we ARE making progress.

Show those pics if you're comfortable... :flowerforyou: I think you'll begin seeing yourself through our eyes and then it'll hit you, how the work has paid off and how much those lost inches will show!

and ive only lost 2 inhes on my hips and 3 on my waist... maybe my body is just stubborn at showing result. hopefully with a few more pounds i will start to see progress

Only!!?? Those inches off of your hips and waist are GREAT! 20 pounds is a great loss. Don't be discouraged, it sounds like you are well on your way to making significant lifestyle changes! Keep up the amazing work!

What SHE said!:flowerforyou:

and ive only lost 2 inhes on my hips and 3 on my waist... maybe my body is just stubborn at showing result. hopefully with a few more pounds i will start to see progress

Only!!?? Those inches off of your hips and waist are GREAT! 20 pounds is a great loss. Don't be discouraged, it sounds like you are well on your way to making significant lifestyle changes! Keep up the amazing work!

That's exactly what I was thinking. "Only"?! Those losses are awesome! And no small feat! Trust me, it will show. Sometimes it just takes a little longer. 2 inches is great! Two inches could make the different between one size and the next!

It could be that since you're in the beginning of your journey, you've shed some excess water weight. Water weight loss is a positive thing, but doesn't create a great deal of visual change. This is good news, and happens to most/all of us when we change our eating habits.

Even better news, your body is going to start changing dramatically from this point forward! So don't give up!


And yeah....2 inches is awesome. I worked 3 months for 1 inch!

ive lost 20 pounds but i cant really tell.myhusband says hes can.but it doesn't feel like anything fits better. not only that but 20 pounds doesn't feel like abig number. i know itshould feel like 20 is a significant number , it doesn't because istarted at 240. so i still feel huge because im still over 200. i know i wont really feel it till im under 200,which sucks bc its still 20 pounds away.it makes it hard to stay motivated . if it was like 5 or 10 till 200 iwouldnt feel so bad but its not.i just wish i had started my journey sooner before i hit 240 if i had started my journeywhen i hit 220 iwould already be under 200. i know i shouldn't think like that but its hard not to. does anyone else feel like that ?......and sorry about the crappy writing but its hard to type on my ps3 lol

I've lost 20 and my bf hasn't said a word. Pretty sure he's oblivious.

You'll get to a point where the loss will be obvious. If you take a look at the Biggest Loser, you don't really see it until they've lost a lot but when they do, it's a great thing to see.

I didn't see the difference in myself until I hit 30lbs lost. Other people did but I didn't.

Even now, I lose it and I feel the difference in my clothes but I don't actually "see it" on myself until like 10-15 is gone after that first 30

Dont be discouraged by that. 20 pounds is a big accomplishment. I started at 217. No one noticed till i lost around 30 pounds. Keep going. It is so exciting to get below 200. Good luck

I have days when I think I see it, and others where I'm convinced I haven't lost anything at all. I'm just going to trust in the decreasing pounds and inches and hopefully I'll wake up one day and see the difference

I know exactly how you feel. I'm down 16, my husband/coworkers/friends have all comments on how great I look. My clothes DO fit slightly better and I know I've lost inches, but I don't really "see" it.

However, when you are the one who sees your body the most intimately and close up in a mirror daily, those progressions are slowly seen and not as obvious to yourself as someone else. Just trust the good praise and keep up the hard work. I know how frustrating that is...believe me!!!

I know how you feel. The reason you can't tell is because it's distributed all over your body - if you lost 20 pounds in one specific place you would definitely tell! Go to the grocery store and stack up 20 boxes of butter (1 box typically = 1 pound) and you'll realize how significant 20 pounds is. Good job, don't quit now!

This is a great thread. I weighed and measured myself today like I do every Tuesday. I was surprised that I had lost 17 lbs because I cant tell the difference and I'm still wearing the same clothes. So I'm happy to know that its not just me. I started at 300 lbs and a size 24. Well, several months later and I'm still a size 24. But reading all the encouragement in this post and others I feel better.