38lbs down. No one has noticed.

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lauryn0392
lauryn0392 Posts: 22 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I look in the mirror and still see this obese person. Its like everyday im getting bigger and bigger. No one at work has noticed either and ive lost 38lbs , 20% body weight and down three sizes. I feel like this weight loss is fake and the scales are lying to me.

I dont get why I, or anybody else can not see a difference.

Any thoughts?
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Replies

  • pamperedpenguin
    pamperedpenguin Posts: 95 Member
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    I'm in the same boat: down 42 lbs and not one peep outta anyone.

    Here is my thought: people just don't know what to say. If they say, "wow! It looks like you've lost some weight" they worry that you'll think they thought you were grotesque before.

    So instead of running the risk of insulting you they just say nothing.

    I know it's a bummer. You're not doing it for them, but you've worked really hard and acknowledgement would be nice.

    Don't let that get you down, though. 38 lbs is awesome. Keep up the great work!
  • bohonomad
    bohonomad Posts: 171 Member
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    It took 30 pounds before people noticed I had lost weight and then all of a sudden I was getting a ton of compliments. It took my coworkers and family longer to notice, when people see you all the time it's hard to notice a change. My boyfriend didn't even mention it until he saw me swimming in a dress that used to be tight. Maybe you need to visit people you haven't seen in a while for a confidence boost!
  • AZiegenhorn
    AZiegenhorn Posts: 19 Member
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    Have you bought new clothes yet?
  • tessa175
    tessa175 Posts: 170 Member
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    Please don't get discouraged, I've lost 37lbs, gone down 2 almost 3 pant sizes, and people are just starting to feel comfortable mentioning that they noticed. A lot of people feel uncomfortable makng comments about it until it's really evident. Just be proud of yourself! 38lbsi s a huge accomplishment!
  • bushidowoman
    bushidowoman Posts: 1,599 Member
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    The mirror can lie. Take progress pictures ever so often and compare them side by side.
    Even if nobody is saying anything yet, 38 pounds is a significant achievement! Surely you've felt some difference?
  • shrez
    shrez Posts: 22 Member
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    When I first started losing weight no one really said anything a few friends were polite but you could tell they couldnt see anything, then one day an older guy who used to sit next to me at work said.... hey I can see how much weight you have lost now... at the begining I could tell you had lost some but you were still fat, but now its making a real difference..... I am sure it was a complement but I didnt even know what to say :) Now people that know me well walk past because the dont recognise me. It will happen :)
  • chubbygirl253
    chubbygirl253 Posts: 1,309 Member
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    I didn't drop a size until I lost around 25 lbs. Even then I didn't see it. Finally over 30 lbs lost I could sorta see it. But I am wearing mostly the same clothes and I've lost nearly 50 lbs. People notice but not like I thought they would. The bigger you are starting out the harder it is too see it. I have always had a round face and I can't see any change in it yet but my fiance says he can. My fave fitness instructor mentioned the other day that my face was getting slimmer.
  • lisabinco
    lisabinco Posts: 1,016 Member
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    Let's see, I was at least 40 pounds down before anyone except hubby said anything. Partly it was my clothes as I was wearing things that were too big for me. Once I got down about 4 sizes and started wearing the smaller sizes, friends and family began to notice. Ah, well. I was happy about it; that's what really mattered to me.
  • cornucopiaoflove
    cornucopiaoflove Posts: 45 Member
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    I would say look at progress photos (if you've taken any), and post them here in the message boards! People are supportive, and we're all in the same boat. People are uncomfortable complimenting others on weight loss, and we're programmed to look in the mirror and see the bad stuff. I don't know many people who can look in the mirror and say "wow, my arms/thighs/butt/etc look awesome today. When you look in the mirror tell yourself something positive (sounds stupid, but it really works)!
  • sohmui
    sohmui Posts: 108 Member
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    I am very fortunate to be living in Hong Kong where the local people tell it like it is with no punches pulled. After I'd lost about 9 lbs, I was told my face looked thinner [thin is not regarded as good here]. After 14 lbs, someone I hadn't seen recently cried out, "Wow, you've lost weight! How did you do it?"

    I'm sure it's as written above - that people feel awkward about it. Maybe they are waiting for YOU to say something first. Why don't you kick it off by saying, "Well, what do you think? Have I lost weight?" or "What do you think about the new me?".
  • amydee714
    amydee714 Posts: 232 Member
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    My thoughts are who cares? :flowerforyou: You are doing this for YOU not THEM! One day you are going to walk in there like BAM! and they are all going to be like WTF! On that day (if I were you) I would just raise an eyebrow at them and say "what?"

    On a side note, it wasn't until I had lost about 80 pounds before someone noticed. Now I hear people pretty much every other day say things to me like "you are looking really good" and "have you lost weight"... maybe a couple pounds. :laugh: :laugh:
  • ang3h
    ang3h Posts: 185 Member
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    I hear ya. Barely anyone noticed my weight loss either.. it wasn't a drastic loss but I think 30 lbs would be noticeable, after all it was noticeable enough to me to make me want to lose it..
  • jaja76
    jaja76 Posts: 31 Member
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    Don't get discouraged. It was only recently that coworkers started mentioning my weight loss and how different I looked. I think for the most part they didn't know what to say. Now it's a lot of how'd you lose the weight. I guess they expect me to say I have a magic pill or something but it's been through hard work. So I'm honest and open about it when someone asks me questions. I still have a hard time seeing the change in the mirror and the only way I notice is when I see a old picture of myself. You're doing great and keep up the hard work!
  • eris1981
    eris1981 Posts: 58 Member
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    I think that when people see you every day, it's not as noticeable. You see yourself in the mirror every day so you don't really notice . . . when you see someone you haven't seen in a while, it's a lot more likely to get complimented . . . or at least that's how it was for me :)
  • Rodamort
    Rodamort Posts: 171 Member
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    The only people that "notice" have been people that know I am working hard to lose weight. Anyone else hasn't really said anything and I'm 55 lbs down! But I liked this comment!!! :)
    My thoughts are who cares? :flowerforyou: You are doing this for YOU not THEM! One day you are going to walk in there like BAM! and they are all going to be like WTF! On that day (if I were you) I would just raise an eyebrow at them and say "what?"
  • MyPaperBleedsInk
    MyPaperBleedsInk Posts: 240 Member
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    Annnnnnd sometimes if people see you every day they don't notice as easily because the change is gradual. People only noticed I was losing weight when I went home on break from college, and my relatives hadn't seen me in like two or three months.
  • casasruby
    casasruby Posts: 9
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    Dont give up! Keep going, the health benefits of weight loss are worth it in the long run. Sometimes when you see your friends and family every single day, they fail to notice the change. But if you run into someone whom you haven't seen in a while, I bet they will compliment you... Another thing, if you started off very large, It will take longer to show.
  • EnchantedEvening
    EnchantedEvening Posts: 671 Member
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    My boyfriend sees me every day, so it wasn't obvious to him until I showed him progress pictures. People at work see you every day, so it's sort of the same thing. It wasn't until recently people started to mention it, and a few people did say, "I didn't know if I should ask since weight is such a sensitive topic."

    Make sure you buy new clothes that fit properly. I notice that if I wear one of my bigger flannel shirts and jeans that are a bit too big, I look like my starting weight. If I wear a top and jeans that fit, you can definitely see the difference.
  • jhall1255
    jhall1255 Posts: 99 Member
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    when people see you everyday they rarely notice. the only people that notice with me are people at work that i run into every once in awhile.
    ive lost 30 lbs and went down almost 3 pants sizes my bf didnt even notice until i showed him before and after pictures. which is how i really could tell the difference as well.

    you should find an old pic of you when you started and take one of you now and compare and im sure youll really notice!

    good luck!

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