How long does it take to see a difference?

In your experience, how long does it take to see a difference in yourself? (Weight, how your clothes fit, measurements..) I have about 30 pounds to lose, so I'm not expecting to see the weight just fall off, but I would like something to look forward to:)

Replies

  • janiceclark08
    janiceclark08 Posts: 1,341 Member
    I've lost 31 lbs , and really until lately did I see a big difference. But I have lost and gained atleast 20 lbs several times before , not on this plan, so that wasnt unfamiliar to me. Now things I'm not expecting is happening. Its really a good feeling.
  • TiberiusClaudis
    TiberiusClaudis Posts: 423 Member
    I lost 60 lbs in 4 months. Matters how aggressive you are, but I think YOU start to notice within 3 weeks. Close friends and family will notice soon after.

    Get excited...you do this and your life will change...trust me...it's worth it.

    Good luck,
    TC
  • missiontofitness
    missiontofitness Posts: 4,059 Member
    I felt a different far sooner than I saw one. I've been at it since March.

    Probably within the last two months, I've seen a definite change; I'm several pants sizes down now, and I can see my love handles have almost disappeared. It all depends on how quickly (or slowly) you lose, where your body decides to lose, and if it decides to lose in areas you can actually see.

    I also lost 20lbs (with another 10-15 to go), but lost slowly, so it took a bit longer for me to see change, especially after the initial water weight drop.
  • mundaycarroll
    mundaycarroll Posts: 64 Member
    A good quote to remember is, it takes 4 wks for you to notice, 8 wks for your close friends and family to notice, and 12 wks for the world to notice.

    That's one of my favorite quotes and in my experience it really does normally take about 4 wks to see a change in yourself.
  • steff274
    steff274 Posts: 227 Member
    About a stone people started to notice.. Like you I didn't have loads to lose I was overweight but not massively.. I lost 43 pounds but never really thought I would maintain this low in all honesty, good luck on your journey will add you ;)
  • I still don't see a difference in the mirror. I think the first time for me seeing a difference, was when I tried to put on my jeans with my belt, and suddenly my belt was too big. I had run out of holes!
  • pander101
    pander101 Posts: 677 Member
    First time around I didn't notice a difference till I looked at old pictures, or till about the 30lbs mark.
  • 2013sk
    2013sk Posts: 1,318 Member
    I think time varies on different people.

    Its only when you see someone you haven't seen in a while - They notice straight away!

    Or looking back at photo's of yourself. I think we don't notice it too much ourselves.... Its others that pick it up!!!
  • cottony
    cottony Posts: 109 Member
    6-8lbs weight loss already makes a difference,especially if you have fitted clothes
  • lemonsurprise
    lemonsurprise Posts: 255 Member
    I've lost about 25lbs and genuinely can't see any difference. I live in leggings so they're not obviously loose as they're stretchy. But quite a lot of people have noticed, or given other compliments.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,431 MFP Moderator
    Considering you don't have much to lose, it will be much faster than someone who has a lot to lose. I am seeing changes now in my arms over the past 4 weeks and I haven't lost any weight.. but it's rather recomposition changes. But if you care more about your look than an erroneous weight number, I would recommend a small deficit and a workout program that focuses of weight training. This way you can maintain your lean body mass and concentrate on fat loss. And as I always say, weight loss makes you look good in clothes, but fat loss makes you look good naked.
  • divediva2
    divediva2 Posts: 297 Member
    Everyone is different and all approaches to how you lose weight is different. I have been working consistently since July 28th at the gym and with my eating, I noticed a huge change last week. I do have many more pounds to lose so I needed that boost. I don't look much different but boy do I feel different. I am down 7.2 lbs which is a good rate of loss.

    I think you feel the difference first, you know that feeling of I can do this or that easier, or I am sleeping well, you feel stronger and more resolved too. You start feeling like you have this and can do this.

    Seeing a change is different. It is harder for you and those close who see you every day but you do eventually. Are your clothes looser, have you had to buy new because they just plain don't fit? That's progress!

    congratulations on your wonderful loss, keep doing what you are doing as it seems to be working well for you.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    A couple of months in I started noticing my clothes were too big. I didn't have much to lose an focus mostly on recomp. It's going to take forever.
  • IMHO everyone's body shows weight loss differently. We see ourselves daily in a mirror and it is almost impossible to notice weight loss until it gets BIG. I would take daily photos of yourself and go through them regularly. It will keep you happy :) I started noticing my loss around 25 lbs. Now that I am up to 170 lbs of weight lost, I am flabbergasted. You got this :)