I've lost over 15lbs, but no one seems to notice...

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a2902c
a2902c Posts: 96
in Motivation and Support
My highest weight was 222lbs (I'm 5'3"/F), and over the last two months or so, I've been able to lose over 15lbs. I'm currently 205lbs. But no one seems to notice. All my friends, coworkers, etc. all seem to think I weigh the same. They even seem surprised when I tell them that I lost weight - like they don't believe me. Is that weird? I'm just discouraged. I mean, the scale says I've lost. But I really don't feel like I have.
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  • wilsoje74
    wilsoje74 Posts: 1,720 Member
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    Keep going 15 lb is great but not very noticeable to others. I lost almost 20 and no one noticed 144 lb to 125 lb. however I was happy. Honestly over 200 lb you may not have others notice for another 15-20 lb then I bet many will start. Also remember many people don't feel comfortable mentioning weight. It's basically saying you were big before and some are offended by that. You are doing this for you right???
  • kimd2090
    kimd2090 Posts: 28 Member
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    OMG, I am in the exact same situation. I've lost about 12 lbs in the past 2 months and have been working my butt off and when I see someone that I may not see regularly, they don't seem to notice. Totally discouraging, right?! I am focusing (most days) on how much better I feel, and how accomplished I feel by maintaining a busy work schedule and still making time for "me". It would still be nice if someone said "WOW, you look great!", but until that happens, I just keep moving forward! Good luck to you in your journey.
  • milkysmum
    milkysmum Posts: 7 Member
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    Well done first of all! I've read that apparently it takes 4 weeks for you to notice a difference, 8 weeks for people you're close to to notice a difference and 12 weeks for colleagues etc to see you've changed. Also sometimes I think people can be quite self absorbed so don't really notice unless you've lost stones and stones. I've lost 11lbs and no-one has noticed (apart from my boyfriend) and when I mentioned it to a friend she was really surprised but I can tell and that's the main thing. Don't let anyone else get you down, keep going you're doing great!
  • sfbaumgarten
    sfbaumgarten Posts: 912 Member
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    Congrats on your progress! As for no one noticing... My advice is to stop telling people about your weight loss if their reactions are discouraging you. Also, don't expect people to come forward and comment even when your weight loss is undeniably noticeable. A lot of people aren't comfortable or feel the need to address someone else's looks or weight.
  • KaelaLee88
    KaelaLee88 Posts: 229 Member
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    This topic gets covered quite often and it's not surprising, it really hurts when people in our lives who see us everyday don't notice when we lose a good deal of weight!

    It took most people 40 pounds down to realise that i'd lost weight and lots of people have said nothing at all! There's many reasons for this (individual insecurities, non-observance, even jealousy) that could go some way to explaining this.

    Try not to be discouraged, remember that you are doing this for you - not for anyone else :)

    Kaela x
  • 4legsRbetterthan2
    4legsRbetterthan2 Posts: 19,590 MFP Moderator
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    Not really, 15 lbs can look vastly different on different people depending on the way you carry the weight. Also it can be pretty hard to tell when someone loses if they are not wearing smaller clothes yet, that just masks it for alot of people. I lost 35 so far and only some people have noticed. Most important is that I have noticed, I think I look so much better and feel better too. Keep going and don't get frustrated :)
  • aledba
    aledba Posts: 564 Member
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    Start having your measurements taken bi-weekly. Tape measures don't lie!
    Your goal isn't to please or impress others. It is to please/impress yourself and improve your health.
  • jasonmh630
    jasonmh630 Posts: 2,850 Member
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    I've lost 35 so far (haven't logged this week yet), but people didn't start noticing my loss until about 10 pounds ago.
  • JG762
    JG762 Posts: 571 Member
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    Lose the weight for you not for them.
    15 lbs is nothing to sneeze at but don't do it for anyone but yourself, whether anyone notices or not is secondary.
    The only opinion that really matters is yours.
  • Meerataila
    Meerataila Posts: 1,885 Member
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    Start having your measurements taken bi-weekly. Tape measures don't lie!
    Your goal isn't to please or impress others. It is to please/impress yourself and improve your health.

    This. Also before and after photos. You'll thank yourself later.
  • lkilton
    lkilton Posts: 105 Member
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    It took me 25-30 pounds before people noticed. At least before they said anything. Now I get compliments all the time. Keep going. It will happen soon. Congrats on your weight loss!!
  • mfourada
    mfourada Posts: 10 Member
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    I lost 49lbs and I can't even tell. Do it for your self! It is nice to have others notice but don't depend on it and don't loose hope you are doing awesome things for you! Keep it up :)
  • kwantlen2051
    kwantlen2051 Posts: 455 Member
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    My highest weight was 222lbs (I'm 5'3"/F), and over the last two months or so, I've been able to lose over 15lbs. I'm currently 205lbs. But no one seems to notice. All my friends, coworkers, etc. all seem to think I weigh the same. They even seem surprised when I tell them that I lost weight - like they don't believe me. Is that weird? I'm just discouraged. I mean, the scale says I've lost. But I really don't feel like I have.

    I think what is more important is how the loss makes you feel. Are you happy, more confident, eating more healthy? Just keep on moving forward! Everything else will follow :smile:
  • VelveteenArabian
    VelveteenArabian Posts: 758 Member
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    Are you losing weight for yourself or to get approval from others?
  • minizebu
    minizebu Posts: 2,716 Member
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    First, are you losing weight in order to be noticed by co-workers and friends, or are you losing weight to be heather, fitter, having better fitting, smaller clothes, etc.?

    Second, give it time. It takes a while for people who see you day in and day out to notice changes, when they occur gradually over time. People that you haven't seen in a while are going to be the first ones to notice because the change is more dramatic in their eyes. Your present appearance will differ to a greater degree than their last memory of your size, so they will be more impressed. For people who see you every day, it usually requires looking at old photographs to notice a 15-pound change. Once you've lost thirty or forty pounds, though, people will be more likely to notice. But they still might not say anything, out of politeness.



    Edited to add: Sorry for the redundancy. I didn't read the other posts before replying.
  • JesterMFP
    JesterMFP Posts: 3,596 Member
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    My highest weight was 222lbs (I'm 5'3"/F), and over the last two months or so, I've been able to lose over 15lbs. I'm currently 205lbs. But no one seems to notice. All my friends, coworkers, etc. all seem to think I weigh the same. They even seem surprised when I tell them that I lost weight - like they don't believe me. Is that weird? I'm just discouraged. I mean, the scale says I've lost. But I really don't feel like I have.
    I'm 5'3" and my highest weight was 218 lbs. No one noticed, or at least no one commented, until I'd lost about 30 lbs. But then, once they started noticing, everyone noticed, and I kept getting comments until after I'd stopped losing.

    Dont worry about it. It'll happen. In the meantime, remember the really important reasons you're losing the weight. :flowerforyou:
  • TiberiusClaudis
    TiberiusClaudis Posts: 423 Member
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    Team...trust me...these things come in stages. First only YOU notice...and usually you don't even see the difference, you just feel different. Then close friends/relatives start to notice.

    Next people you haven't seen in a while, will mention it. As the weight becomes more visible...they will ask if "everything is alright". As in are you healthy?

    Once you lose a lot of weight, for me it was 60lbs, then I started building muscle. And people started to notice how much "bigger" I was getting, but this time in a good way.

    And they stop asking you WHY you are losing and switch to HOW you did this...transform...I call it a rebirth.

    It then becomes like a drug....healthy living. You find yourself reading and researching anything you can to become healthier. And you implement them to see what works.

    And then you start getting really flattering comments from complete strangers.

    It's taken me 2.5 years to make the above journey. If I can do it, trust me, anyone can do it.

    Just stick with it, have patience and forgive yourself for any "cheats"/step backs you do. You aren't going to do this perfectly, but over time and sticking with it, U WILL B REBORN. :happy:
  • SemperAnticus1643
    SemperAnticus1643 Posts: 703 Member
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    My highest weight was 222lbs (I'm 5'3"/F), and over the last two months or so, I've been able to lose over 15lbs. I'm currently 205lbs. But no one seems to notice. All my friends, coworkers, etc. all seem to think I weigh the same. They even seem surprised when I tell them that I lost weight - like they don't believe me. Is that weird? I'm just discouraged. I mean, the scale says I've lost. But I really don't feel like I have.

    Are you losing weight to appease someone else or are you losing weight for yourself? Maybe it's because I don't talk to anyone about my exercise and weight loss journey that I don't really feel discouraged. Only YOU can discourage or allow people to discourage you. Pay no mind to other people. Do the weight loss for you.
  • JassiBear
    JassiBear Posts: 268 Member
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    My highest weight was 222lbs (I'm 5'3"/F), and over the last two months or so, I've been able to lose over 15lbs. I'm currently 205lbs. But no one seems to notice. All my friends, coworkers, etc. all seem to think I weigh the same. They even seem surprised when I tell them that I lost weight - like they don't believe me. Is that weird? I'm just discouraged. I mean, the scale says I've lost. But I really don't feel like I have.

    When you are in the 200 lb range, (I was before so this is just speaking from my truth)... Losing 15 lbs doesn't show because 5 of that is probably water weight...and also your body tends to lose from the places it doesn't like to store fat at the fastest....like I noticed my feet got skinner, and my fingers, and the fat around my neck......wayyyyyyyy before my thighs, tummy, or arms slimmed down. and of course people won't notice little areas like that.......don't be discouraged. As long as you FEEL the difference, then that's all the motivation you should need. You're changing for yourself and your health and your life, not for the compliments and attention of others..
  • jim180155
    jim180155 Posts: 769 Member
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    My highest weight was 222lbs (I'm 5'3"/F), and over the last two months or so, I've been able to lose over 15lbs. I'm currently 205lbs. But no one seems to notice. All my friends, coworkers, etc. all seem to think I weigh the same. They even seem surprised when I tell them that I lost weight - like they don't believe me. Is that weird? I'm just discouraged. I mean, the scale says I've lost. But I really don't feel like I have.

    There are two identical small burlap sacks on the counter in front of you. One holds 222 marbles, the other holds 205 marbles. Without counting the marbles or in any way touching the sacks, you are given the option to guess which sack is which. If you guess correctly, you gain nothing. If you guess incorrectly, people will get mad at you.

    Would you be confident enough of being able to visually tell the difference between 222 and 205 marbles to venture a guess?


    Losing 15 pounds is great, but 15 pounds was only a little less than 7% of your body weight. Keep up your good work and before long everybody will start to notice.

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