Losing weight but not seeing a difference?

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I've apparently lost 10 lbs so far and I still don't see any difference. I've lost 1 inch around my waist and that could be the difference between measuring first thing in the morning and being bloated at night. So what's going on??

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  • tracybilal
    tracybilal Posts: 51 Member
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    I want an answer to tht too.....i ve lost 17 pounds since i joined mfp in jan 2014.
    Im still wearing the same size jeans.
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
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    I've only started to 'see' it in myself in the last 2-3 months. I've lost nearly 40 pounds. I think we don't see ourselves the way others do, but maybe our mental image of ourself controls what we see in the mirror. For one thing, I didn't see myself as being very out of shape & overweight to begin with. Now I can see it though - but not always.

    Hang in there! Find other ways to prove to yourself that this is happening. Find a pair of jeans that are a little too small and try them on the 1st of each month. Or take measurements.

    Personally I like me in the mirror now but I still don't like many pictures of me. I'm letting it go though, not gonna let it bug me. :)
  • zman1313
    zman1313 Posts: 70 Member
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    If you have a good amount of weight to lose, 10 pounds may not be that noticeable. Also, since you look at yourself in the mirror every day, sometimes it's hard to see the changes for yourself. I've lost almost 75 pounds and because I still have some of my belly fat it's hard for me to really see much of a difference. Yet, when I saw some family members last weekend who I hadn't seen in a while they said they hardly recognized me. Keep at it and eventually you'll start seeing (or hearing about) the results you want! Good luck!
  • sassyjae21
    sassyjae21 Posts: 1,217 Member
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    Make sure you're taking pictures. Sometimes it's harder to see "in person"
  • itsbasschick
    itsbasschick Posts: 1,584 Member
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    if you're losing fat all over, it won't show that much in 10 pounds, but keep going and it will show. besides, an inch off the waist could be a very good start. i suggest you weigh and measure at the same time every day, preferably after you wake up and go to the bathroom. that way, how much food you eat or drink won't come into the equation.
  • CleanUpWhatIMessedUp
    CleanUpWhatIMessedUp Posts: 206 Member
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    You're probably losing the weight from all over your body so you can't really see. For example, if you lost 10 pounds just in your thighs, you would notice because you might go down an entire size in pants. But if you lost 10 pounds and it was spread out over your whole body (as in, you lost a little in the face, a little in the stomach, a little in the arms, and a little in the thighs) the difference in each part of your body might be too small to see, so you might not really notice.
  • hill8570
    hill8570 Posts: 1,466 Member
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    Generally the person losing is the last to see it. We all have a picture in our heads of "what we look like", and reality often doesn't alter that picture. Except for my having to keep buying smaller and smaller pants, I had a hard time realizing I had lost a lot of weight.


    Ten pounds is awesome! Whatever you're doing, keep it up!
  • court_fritch26
    court_fritch26 Posts: 297 Member
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    Remember that you see yourself every day, so you don't notice a difference in yourself as much at those who don't see you that often. I have lost 15 lbs, am wearing the same pants size, and have noticed little to no difference in myself, but coming home this weekend my entire family and some friends have all told me they noticed a huge difference.

    Just keep working, you will notice it soon! 10 lbs is amazing, and no matter the physical difference, there has to be a difference in how you feel!
  • krennie8
    krennie8 Posts: 301 Member
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    take pics. I didn't think 10lbs seemed like much either until i compared before/after pics and it was more obvious!

    Also really depends on where you lose/gain first. If you gain around your hips, your waist may not change much at first. Though I think that if you gain more up top, you're less likely to notice a change b/c your pants will be the same and your shirt size changes far less often.
  • Jim_Barteck
    Jim_Barteck Posts: 274 Member
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    Is your waist the only measurement you're taking? If so, then there's your problem right there. Weight comes off from all over the body. Often the waist is one of the last places since it was likely the first place it went on. You need to be measuring your neck, shoulders, upper arms, forearms, chest, waist, hips, thighs and calves to get a complete picture of what's going on with your body.
  • AvonBell
    AvonBell Posts: 107 Member
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    I also recommend taking pictures to see your progress. You don't ever to show them to anyone but no one has ever regretted having before pics.
  • Squishy_hapa_mama
    Squishy_hapa_mama Posts: 13 Member
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    You might want to consider muscle weighs more than fat. You many have lost pounds, but replaced it with muscle.
    70469741.png
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  • peachmagic
    peachmagic Posts: 57 Member
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    Is your waist the only measurement you're taking? If so, then there's your problem right there. Weight comes off from all over the body. Often the waist is one of the last places since it was likely the first place it went on. You need to be measuring your neck, shoulders, upper arms, forearms, chest, waist, hips, thighs and calves to get a complete picture of what's going on with your body.

    Nope! I took chest, waist, and hips and my waist was the only one with any difference.
  • wimbsie
    wimbsie Posts: 19
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    I've lost over 40lbs total and I still don't see a difference. The only way I was able to tell was looking back at old Facebook pictures. Like most other people on this thread said, pictures are the way to go.

    I OBVIOUSLY am not the same size I was but it's hard to tell when you see yourself in the mirror everyday, so as I lose weight, it becomes less apparent.

    Take a picture, then take another one two weeks from now.

    Also girl, you forget, I see you and you're exercising, you may have not lost many inches, because muscle is taking its place, thats also a possibility, dont forget about that.
  • fittyinthemaking
    fittyinthemaking Posts: 126 Member
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    it took me at least 3 stone to see a difference :ohwell:
  • scb515
    scb515 Posts: 133 Member
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    By the time you decide you need to lose weight, you may be wearing clothes one size too small because you've been struggling to admit how big you've got. So you may not need to buy a size smaller, but your clothes will probably fit much better.

    Pictures help. I didn't take any 'before' pics as such, but I did take a few changing room pics when trying on a new outfit. Forgot to delete them, looked back - yeah, I look a lot better now. Those pics helped me see it - the change in my face is considerable.