How long did it take to see results?

julieannbrenner
julieannbrenner Posts: 1
in Success Stories
I have been working out consistently 5 days a week for 3 weeks (minimum of 3 miles/day) and have been watching what I eat. I cut down on what I ate 3 weeks ago with the exercise but really started keeping track a little over a week ago. I have only seen about 4 pounds come off in those 3 weeks. Is this normal for most people? Many will say that I am gaining muscle due to exercise but I do not see a reduction in inches to justify fat loss. Just curious on what others have experienced. Thanks!
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Replies

  • Big_Daddy6
    Big_Daddy6 Posts: 188
    Took about 2 to 3 months for me.
  • megtastic80
    megtastic80 Posts: 43
    I am finding the same.

    Eating well, working out daily (well, most days) and have only lost 3kilo in three weeks... A loss is a loss is a loss, so I keep telling myself! Dont lose heart, gotta be better than gaining and/or doing nothing nothing!!
  • Pedal_Pusher
    Pedal_Pusher Posts: 1,166 Member
    Keep on keepin on
  • mamakira
    mamakira Posts: 366
    I am finding the same.

    Eating well, working out daily (well, most days) and have only lost 3kilo in three weeks... A loss is a loss is a loss, so I keep telling myself! Dont lose heart, gotta be better than gaining and/or doing nothing nothing!!

    3 kilos in 3 weeks is a huge loss! Fantastic!

    I think just go on, don´t put too much focus on your weight, rather go by measurements or how you feel. It will go down.
  • mhide
    mhide Posts: 20
    It took 2 months for me. People started noticing a smaller belly and my face. Also I tried some old jeans and I was amazed that I could fit in them again :)

    I'm still far to achieve my goal but definitely there's a difference.
  • painauxraisin
    painauxraisin Posts: 299 Member
    I am finding the same.

    Eating well, working out daily (well, most days) and have only lost 3kilo in three weeks... A loss is a loss is a loss, so I keep telling myself! Dont lose heart, gotta be better than gaining and/or doing nothing nothing!!
  • painauxraisin
    painauxraisin Posts: 299 Member
    Three kilos in three weeks ONLY!!!!! Flipping heck! Thats loads off in three weeks!
  • dalissalee
    dalissalee Posts: 289 Member
    Hang in there! I started to see true results after losing about 20 pounds. The best way I can tell if I am truly losing that is not scale dependent is to go out and try clothes on... lower sizes. I highly recommend it. It was harder to tell in my own clothes, but now that I've lost 34 lbs., I can even tell in my own clothes because they are just plain too big.
  • dalissalee
    dalissalee Posts: 289 Member
    Oops... and I just noticed you only have 22 lbs to lose, so losing the amount you did in the amount of time you've been working out and tracking is awesome! When you have less to lose, it comes off more slowly.
  • megleo818
    megleo818 Posts: 595 Member
    I noticed that I felt better before I noticed that I looked better. About a month and a half.
  • bonjour24
    bonjour24 Posts: 1,119 Member
    for me, i found that focusing on improvements in fitness and endurance was a huge help insofar as keeping me motivated. weight takes a long time to come off- i know my butt didn't get fat overnight. it took a lot of time, patience and money to get as fat as i was! and it takes time to come off, too. i found that changing my perspective from weight loss to fitness has been instrumental in my success.
    FWIW, i did C25k in about 6 weeks, and in those 6 weeks i probably lost about 6-8kgs. but more importantly than those 6kgs lost is the fact that i could then run for 30 mins without stopping. over the last 18 months (since c25k) i've kept going. i've lost about 30kgs now, but have ran 6 half marathons, and soon to be 2 full ones.

    so, yeah. my suggestion to you is to think in terms of improved fitness rather than shrinking waist. because if you keep moving you'll feel better, and the weight will slide off on it's own.
  • Cassandrat83
    Cassandrat83 Posts: 55
    I have been working out consistently 5 days a week for 3 weeks (minimum of 3 miles/day) and have been watching what I eat. I cut down on what I ate 3 weeks ago with the exercise but really started keeping track a little over a week ago. I have only seen about 4 pounds come off in those 3 weeks. Is this normal for most people? Many will say that I am gaining muscle due to exercise but I do not see a reduction in inches to justify fat loss. Just curious on what others have experienced. Thanks!
    That is the best way to do it. Slow and steady gives you a higher possibility of keeping it off. 4 pounds is fantastic to lose in 3 weeks!
  • HappilyLifts
    HappilyLifts Posts: 429 Member
    I have never been impressed with my scales. I have been going to the gym 3 to 5 times a week for up to 90 minutes at a time and have been more pleased with my loss of cm. For example, I have lost, since February, 12 cm from my belly, 3cm from my bust and 4cm from my hips. But only 7 pounds (that could be perhaps because try to never eat below my BMR and only take a 10% cut from my TDEE).
    Keep going, I thought I'd never see any losses, but they came in the end! It's all a game of patience :-)
  • Arrabindi
    Arrabindi Posts: 169 Member
    4 pounds in three weeks is really good. This is not some sort of quick fix, and you need to let your body adjust to the new lifestyle. Just keep doing what you're doing and give it time.
  • phildawson75
    phildawson75 Posts: 205 Member
    I would say about 2-3 months to see a dramatic difference in how you look and feel if you keep focused and stick with it.

    I've lost 20 lbs in 8 weeks so far :) BF from 25 to 17% and BMI from 26 to 23 so far!

    The biggest change however iv found is a state of mind and lifestyle. Learning to cook healthily and to eat in moderation!
  • maca416
    maca416 Posts: 142 Member
    I noticed that I felt better before I noticed that I looked better. About a month and a half.

    That's how I am focusing on my diet this time & I have stopped looking at the scales every second day, I started feeling better after a week of eating healthy & taking on lots of water. 3 weeks on I feel even better in myself & as a bonus I have lost weight.

    Focus more on how you feel rather than the weight you loose, it will come off but more importantly your body is functioning as it should now all the toxins have been taken out.
  • laurrens
    laurrens Posts: 11 Member
    It has taken me 2- 3 months also, but fitting back into the size 12 jeans (was a 16) felt great! I didnt think I oculd see a difference, but when you look at yourself everyday i suppose you don't.

    Give it some time and the inches will shift!
  • alleycat88
    alleycat88 Posts: 756 Member
    Down 17.5lbs and it's still hard for me to see a difference in the mirror. I see it very well in pictures, and others can but not in the mirror.

    Been at this since mid may so 4 months.
  • Tank_Girl
    Tank_Girl Posts: 372 Member
    Ive lost 12lbs and look the same... My fitness has improved.

    Patience grasshopper.
  • HappilyLifts
    HappilyLifts Posts: 429 Member
    another reason to not go just by the scales -> Last week, having not exercised for about a month, 14 stone 6 pounds. Since then I have worked hard at the gym for 5 days and not eaten any more than usual and I am 14 stone 8 pounds. I don't worry about it though, I have read that it could just my muscles retaining water as they repair.
  • Dad_of_3
    Dad_of_3 Posts: 517 Member
    I am (now was) so big that I am just now, at 28 to 30 pounds down, starting to have people ask me if I am losing weight. I am six feet tall, and I have 120 pounds to go. I think it depends on your height and weight, your body shape, and how much lean body mass you have.

    The end goal is not just weight loss, it is a new lifestyle so you can maintain that weight loss. Keep at it- the visible results will come soon!
  • LauriesTrying2BeFit
    LauriesTrying2BeFit Posts: 414 Member
    people didnt mention anything to me till id lost about 20lbs! i didnt really notice till i got to 25-30lbs off! iv lost 65lbs so far :)
  • Ta2dchic20
    Ta2dchic20 Posts: 376 Member
    Remember, muscle weighs more than fat. If you're working out and eating right, you're probably gaining muscle. Do your clothes feel any different? i.e., pants easier to button, shirts fit better? I can understand the frustration, I"m thinking about going scale-less, just so that I don't get too frustrated and give up myself.
  • angelica9477
    angelica9477 Posts: 18
    Start taking measurements and compare them every week.
  • missy_1975
    missy_1975 Posts: 244 Member
    for me, i found that focusing on improvements in fitness and endurance was a huge help insofar as keeping me motivated. weight takes a long time to come off- i know my butt didn't get fat overnight. it took a lot of time, patience and money to get as fat as i was! and it takes time to come off, too. i found that changing my perspective from weight loss to fitness has been instrumental in my success.
    FWIW, i did C25k in about 6 weeks, and in those 6 weeks i probably lost about 6-8kgs. but more importantly than those 6kgs lost is the fact that i could then run for 30 mins without stopping. over the last 18 months (since c25k) i've kept going. i've lost about 30kgs now, but have ran 6 half marathons, and soon to be 2 full ones.

    so, yeah. my suggestion to you is to think in terms of improved fitness rather than shrinking waist. because if you keep moving you'll feel better, and the weight will slide off on it's own.

    ^^^ THIS! :happy:
  • CookieGem
    CookieGem Posts: 197 Member
    I think you need to open your food diary so we can see what you are eating.

    Also do you take measurements? You cant go on scales and eyes alone. I look at myself sometimes and still see the 13stone girl i used to be despite being a stone and a half lighter now.

    Stick with it, 4lbs (in my opinion) is a good loss.

    :)
  • rasha349
    rasha349 Posts: 14
    ive lost 26 kg in 8 months i know some people will think its maybe a long time but i feel great now andI im Still On diet as i stiil have many kilos to lose:))))
  • Hellavaloosa
    Hellavaloosa Posts: 57
    Oh yea - that 3 week mark - you've been working so hard and need the payoff of noticing a change!!! Just give it a couple more weeks.

    It is sooo frustrating but keep exercising and watching your intake. You will see results very soon so don't give up. Just think - today you are a little bit smaller than you were yesterday.
  • sammichPG
    sammichPG Posts: 30
    On my first month I lost 7kg eating 1500cal and doing 6km of powerwalking (6-6,5km/h speed according to the sports tracker app on my phone) every other day, but I began at 127kg and 175cm
    Non obese people shouldn't expect this sort of weight loss.

    The following two month I've lost 6kg and during the fourth 5kg, I know my diet is a bit drastic and I'm comfortable with it.

    My advice is to cut more calories if you don't see any change in the first three weeks, eat more protein and less carbs.

    Cutting 500cal is way easier than burning them with phisical activity.
  • xXYanixX
    xXYanixX Posts: 13
    it took me 3 months to really see a difference in my self but family and friends saw the difference before me at two months :) just keep on going..

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