Is 15 lbs noticable?

Options
kwelsi
kwelsi Posts: 6
in Motivation and Support
Hello everyone! I am new to MFP. I'm 5'2, so I'm pretty short, which means weight looks even worse on me :( I am at 130 lbs right now and I'm hoping to get down to 110-115. I'm wondering if that will make a significant change in my appearance?
I know girls who are my height that weigh 115, and they look very slim and great, however I'd call myself chubby or overweight at just 15 lbs more. Should I aim for thinner or do you all think I will notice the 15 lbs?
Also, I have read on these forums that some people don't notice their weightloss even after 50 lbs!
«1

Replies

  • shadowofender
    shadowofender Posts: 786 Member
    Options
    There's no way to answer that for sure, as the scale number has less to do with appearence than body composition.

    If you're more concerned about looking slim, and only have about 15lbs to lose, I'd recommend looking into a strength routine and focus more on losing fat and/or gaining muscle.

    You can't really compare people to people. I've lost 33lbs and no one notices, but I'm 6' tall. So yeah, for some people 15 isn't a lot but for others it's everything. That's why I would recommend the body recomposition rather than just straight weight loss for someone not far off their goal.
  • nicola8989
    nicola8989 Posts: 381 Member
    Options
    I would say so especially if you are losing fat not muscle. I think it's a lot harder to notice weight loss in yourself than it is in someone else. But you should definitely get a difference in your clothing and measurements if you lost 15lb especially if you're 5'2
  • ashlando
    ashlando Posts: 125 Member
    Options
    It all depends on your build. I am 5'9" and when I started my weight loss journey, I was 195. No one noticed the weight loss on me until I was at least 15 lbs down.

    Since you are much smaller than I am, I think 15lbs will be greatly noticeable. But it's all about how you feel. I can't say that it is the perfect weight for you - only you will know once you get there.
  • PixieMidoriKitten
    PixieMidoriKitten Posts: 21 Member
    Options
    Hello, I am 4'9" and I have lost 15lbs to date.
    It has been very noticeable, to the point where people at work who don't notice things like haircuts and piercings have commented on how much slimmer I look.

    The shorter you are, the more noticeable weight gain and weight loss is, in my opinion, because us shorties have less places to hide it, hence we're meant to weight less than the taller people.

    Regarding your goal, I recommend you go for the 15lbs loss for now and if, when you get there, you'd like to go a bit further you address it then. I'm aiming for 7st 6 lbs on my "goals" here, but I think i'm going to move that up to 7st 10lbs, because I don't think I will like what I look like if I keep going to 7 st 6 now that I'm at 8st 2lbs.

    All the best :)
  • kwelsi
    kwelsi Posts: 6
    Options
    Thank you guys soo much! You were big helps! :)
  • summer8it
    summer8it Posts: 433 Member
    Options
    Absolutely 100% yes, 15 pounds can make a huge difference on a 5'2" frame. I'm 5'2.5", and I was 128 when I got married, and I cringe when I look at my wedding photos because I look so heavy. (I have a very small frame, though -- I know women who look fit, strong, and slender at the same weight and height, because they have a different frame and musculature.) For a long time, I considered 105-115 to be my "acceptable weight range" because when I get above 115 I start to look a bit pudgy. I'm now maintaining between 100-104, and can see a big difference between how I look at this weight and how I did with just 10 more pounds on me.

    I second the advice to add strength training, if you aren't doing it already, for many reasons including looking fabulous.
  • kwelsi
    kwelsi Posts: 6
    Options
    Pixiemidorikitten and summer8it, how long did it take you to lose those 15 lbs (or more) and what were you doing? right now I am staying under 1200 calories a day and running a mile every other day
  • I_Will_End_You
    I_Will_End_You Posts: 4,397 Member
    Options
    It will probably be noticeable on you. I am 5'6, started at 135, and lost 17lbs. It's a HUGE difference. When you're already at a healthy weight for your height, a 15lb loss can be pretty significant.
  • quellybelly
    quellybelly Posts: 827 Member
    edited October 2014
    Options
    Technically, yes, 15 pounds can make a difference, but it really depends on your body composition, i.e. how much muscle you have compared to fat, as well as where you hold your weight. Instead of focusing on the number on the scale, I think what's more important is to decrease body fat.

    <-- I'm 5'3" (rounding up lol) and I weigh 135 lbs in both of these pics. The left one I definitely felt like I was chubby but the right picture I'm pretty happy with how I look :)
  • pander101
    pander101 Posts: 677 Member
    Options
    It really depends. Everyone loses weight differently. It can depend on where your body decides to lose it, how much you have to lose, body shape, ect. Some people, tall or short, can notice a difference down 10lbs if they are near a healthy weight or low body fat. Heavier people sometimes don't notice till 30 or 40lbs, sometimes more. Drop the weight and see if you like where you are from there.
  • PixieMidoriKitten
    PixieMidoriKitten Posts: 21 Member
    Options
    I have been on and off bothering to monitor since about May this year, and when I don't bother to monitor I don't lose (and sometimes gain!) I am definitely not a role model. As you have asked, though, this is what I do - it is not a recommendation that it will be the best plan for you, or even that it's the best I should be doing, but it's the reality.

    I stick with just shy of 1200 and whatever exercise I do I try not to eat back. In fact, when I have cake or sweets or crisps at work, I double the calories as an exerise target for that night. Sometimes I even do the exercise to reach it. :wink:

    I tend to do squats every night when I brush my teeth, I attempt to jog when the weather is good (I am not a natural runner and my BPM spikes up to 190 VERY quickly when I run, so I do more walking with deliberate swing of arms w/wrist weights 1lb each) but I am genuinely a terrible person when it comes to motivating myself to exercise. I go for a half hour walk at work at lunch if it's not raining because I know when I get home I generally can't be bothered.
    I use a slendertone ab belt most evenings too, because that is no effort whatsoever, other than remembering to get it out of the box.

    With your jogging I would expect you will see better results than I have, and I wouldn't disagree about the weight training advice others have given you either - I keep looking at things I can do at home with the limited weights access and space in my pokey flat, but I don't seem to get past looking...

    All the best
  • Zombella
    Zombella Posts: 490 Member
    Options
    It does depend on your body. For me, it made a huge difference.
  • Carlywiese
    Carlywiese Posts: 51 Member
    Options
    shadowofender wrote: »
    There's no way to answer that for sure, as the scale number has less to do with appearence than body composition.

    If you're more concerned about looking slim, and only have about 15lbs to lose, I'd recommend looking into a strength routine and focus more on losing fat and/or gaining muscle.

    You can't really compare people to people. I've lost 33lbs and no one notices, but I'm 6' tall. So yeah, for some people 15 isn't a lot but for others it's everything. That's why I would recommend the body recomposition rather than just straight weight loss for someone not far off their goal.

    +1 :)
  • terar21
    terar21 Posts: 523 Member
    edited October 2014
    Options
    It definitely can. It's over 10% of your body weight. But you're honestly in a healthy range right now and should focus on toning your body and overall fitness more so than a number.

    I'm 5'2.5"ish (lol yes...I'm noting that extra half inch) and about 130. I've been working out recently and while the number drops aren't huge, the visual difference is obvious and I've lost at least 1 pants size. Everything looks different on me.

    And like the poster above that has the side by side profile pic, the number is irrelevant. It's the visual and inches that matter. Most people wouldn't consider me chubby and would assume and I have plenty of example where I'm smaller than someone who is 15 pounds lighter. Focus on the inches and strengthening your body.
  • SarcasmIsMyLoveLanguage
    SarcasmIsMyLoveLanguage Posts: 2,668 Member
    Options
    Probably on your frame, yes. For me being 5'10", nobody else noticed until around the 25lb mark. I can easily fluctuate +/- 15lbs with not much change in clothing size or appearance.
  • Isabelle_1929
    Isabelle_1929 Posts: 233 Member
    edited October 2014
    Options
    My advice may sound silly, but next time you'll be in a grocery store, grab one 10 lbs and one 5 lbs bags of potatoes, and imagine this out off of your body.

    Now, I don't know where you "carry" your weight, but chances are you will need to change most of your clothes. (This is what I call "a happy problem"!)
  • summer8it
    summer8it Posts: 433 Member
    Options
    It took me a long time to lose 15 lbs, to be honest, probably about 6 months or more. I wasn't technically overweight (nor are you, Kwelsi, you're in the healthy BMI range) and it was a relatively large percentage of my total body weight, so I didn't drop pounds as fast as many people do.

    But it was worth it, that slow slog of weight loss, because it's STAYED off for going on two years now.

    I posted a blog here a while ago that showed the difference 8 pounds made on my body. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/summer8it/view/the-difference-a-few-pounds-can-make-646705
  • brynnsmom
    brynnsmom Posts: 945 Member
    Options
    At 5'2", I think 15 pounds would make a major difference in your appearance. Especially since you aren't really even overweight to start with. 15 pounds on me is huge and I am the same height as you!
  • Lasmartchika
    Lasmartchika Posts: 3,440 Member
    Options
    I'm 5'3" and I've lost 15 lbs and it's noticeable... I don't know if you should go slimmer as I am currently wanting to be 130 lbs as my goal weight...
  • mathandcats
    mathandcats Posts: 786 Member
    Options
    15lbs can definitely be noticeable. I think it is less obvious on a tall person or somebody with a lot to lose, but when you are at or near a healthy weight, the last 15lbs can make a big difference. My dad lost 15 lbs over the last 6 months or so, and everybody comments on how lean he is looking and his clothes are all too big. He's also been strength training though.

Categories