When did you start seeing physical changes?

JAT74
JAT74 Posts: 1,081 Member
edited November 11 in Fitness and Exercise
Ok, so I'm not on week 4 of my fitness and diet regime and so far am not noticing any physical results, apart from feeling a little stronger.

Although I did workout before, it has been sporadic over the past 2 years and some weeks I would do 2 days of cardio but other weeks it could be 3 days of cardio and 3 days of weights. I was also not counting calories before or trying to stick within certain macros etc so the last few weeks has been a big change to my routine.

Since 5th January I have been following a 6 day training programme (Jillian Michaels Body Revolution), and on my day 'off' I've been doing other cardio. Some days I've also doubled up on workouts, ie. I've done the DVD for that particular day and if it contains weights then I'll often do a separate cardio workout at another time that day.

I initially lost 5.5lbs of weight, though now some of this has now gone back on (perhaps water retention?) as I am still eating at enough of a deficit to lose 1.5 lbs a week.

I am more interested in the physical changes and so far I've not seen any and dont seem to have lost any inches so far either.

When did most of you start to see physical changes in their body?

Replies

  • heathercicle
    heathercicle Posts: 91 Member
    I know it's different for everyone, but it took almost a 40 lb loss for me to see a physical change, and only after seeing a photo of myself and really analyzing the different parts of my body. That said, I did notice that my clothes were considerably too large after about 30lbs, and I carry most of my weight in the lower half of my body (pear shaped, so I have a larger butt and thighs than chest and arms). I actually expected, mistakenly, to see an overall change in the shape of my body, but that was not the case. I just noticed an overall "smallness" to different parts of my body.

    I hope this helps and good luck reaching your goals!
  • JAT74
    JAT74 Posts: 1,081 Member
    That's interesting. I suppose it depends on your shape and in my case I have an hourglass figure with a small waist, and fairly large bust and bum/thighs. At my current weight I think my curves are more obvious and I have a small belly and fat no my abs but usually when I start to lose I notice less fat on my hips and bum, followed by my waist and it comes off my upper arms and thighs last.

    It's a little frustraing that I can't seem any physical changes yet but I guess I have to lose the fat before I am able to see changes in muscle tone.
  • CA_Underdog
    CA_Underdog Posts: 733 Member
    edited January 2015
    In the past four weeks (12/29 - 1/27) my waist size shrunk 1.5" and I've lost 5.5lbs. My coaching uniform fits better, I'm stronger, and I can sprint/jog better.. but I'm not sure how "visible" the changes would be to others. That usually takes bigger losses, and perhaps a gap in seeing one another or a new haircut, so that there's a change is more noticeable. ;)

    People at work noticed when I lost my first 35 lbs.
  • WhatMeRunning
    WhatMeRunning Posts: 3,538 Member
    If you are overweight and out of shape, you will see results pretty quickly. The thinner and more in shape you are, the longer it will be before you see results. Where do you fall in weight and fitness, and are you looking at trimming down fat, gaining muscle, what exactly?
  • tberger156
    tberger156 Posts: 3 Member
    I highly encourage that you get someone you can be comfortable seeing you in a biking/underwear and take several pictures of the different body parts. You dont have to share them with anyone but thats how you will see the difference. Sometimes when im not feeling like getting to the gym I look at those pictures on day one and next thing I know I have dumbbells in my hands. You can also take the pics yourself if there isnt someone.
  • Ms_LisaKay
    Ms_LisaKay Posts: 103 Member
    I have been hitting the gym with cardio warmups (10 mins or so) followed with a variety of lifting & core for about 7 weeks, 5 or 6 days/wk. I see results at a 18 lb weight loss, most noticeably muscle tone in thighs & chest. Stomach is not all ripped, but one of the big lifter dudes I see every night mentioned how far I had come last night, which was shocking & pleasing on many levels.
  • smantha32
    smantha32 Posts: 6,990 Member
    I started seeing changes around 3 months.
  • snarlingcoyote
    snarlingcoyote Posts: 399 Member
    My one trick is to get naked in the bathroom, grab a hand mirror and then turn and face the mirror backwards and look at my back in the mirror The difference in my rear and my love handles is noticeable more readily to me since I don't look at it often.

    Also, I will take selfies of myself (dressed) in the mirror. Looking at the differences makes it more obvious to me when I am losing or gaining weight or gaining muscle.
  • jakicooke
    jakicooke Posts: 149 Member
    my first ever post on here was because I was feeling down (july last year) as I had started in January and lost 50 lb but I just couldn't see for myself in my body - yes I saw the scales had moved yes I knew my pants were falling down and yes I had comments but for me myself I couldn't see the changes or maybe it was the changes I was expecting to see. it took before and after pictures and a few more months before I started to reallky see the differences in myself
  • Lauren5280
    Lauren5280 Posts: 67 Member
    I started seeing changes after 4 weeks. I did take measurements which helped significantly. Plus I can see things shifting and more definition in my muscles. I work out 6 days a week so it has helped me to see remarkable change.
  • kemp1055
    kemp1055 Posts: 4
    edited January 2015
    I might suggest taking measurements. It's hard for me to see day-to-day changes myself. Or I use the same pair of jeans to compare. It's not uncommon for my weight to stay the same for 6 weeks when I hit the gym after a break. But the weight certainly "rearranges" itself in a much leaner form.
  • JAT74
    JAT74 Posts: 1,081 Member
    Thanks for the replies. Personally I have quite high body fat at around 33% so I am hoping that when it starts to drop it will be quite a bit more noticeable. I always do some form of exercise 2-3 times a week but in the last 3.5 weeks I have noticed an increase in my fitness level and ability to complete workouts and do more reps etc. but none of that shows physically.

    As for weight loss, that's not been noticeable yet and my clothes are still fitting in a smilar way, (I started at 147.5 lbs at 5 foot 4, went down to 142 lbs last week and now I'm back up to 144.5) though I did notice my jeans seemed lightly looser around the bum and thighs, though not significantly different.

    Re. before and after photos, I think they're a great idea but I can't bring myself to take one and there's nobody I would want to take one for me. I feel very uncomfortable about my body at the moment, I can see a lot of cellulite on my bum and thighs and also my upper arms. From past experience I know that when I've lost weight the appearance of these areas improves a lot. I also have quite a bit of excess fat around the tummy and abdominal area which I've never had in my life before.

    Right now I have friends who know how much training I'm doing and how strict I'm being about my diet and who will say that I am looking great and how they can notice weight loss in certain areas but personally I know it's not happened yet. I know they are just trying to be motivational but I'd rather people were honest and that way I would really feel good when I know people have noticed how I'm really progressing.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    edited January 2015
    The end of my first full month was when my boyfriend finally said "wow, it looks like you've been working out". So I'd say a good 4-5 weeks of eating at a deficit and working with a trainer lifting weights.
  • JAT74
    JAT74 Posts: 1,081 Member
    Arditarose you were lucky. I will hit 4 weeks at the end of this week and so far no major changes. If I had already been lean (like you look like you are) then maybe there would be a noticeable difference in muscle tone. In my case as has happened before I need to strip off the fat before I can show off the results of my hard work in the gym. I just wish it was easier. I think I am also suffering from a bit of water retention too so that might be masking my progress a little.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    JAT74 wrote: »
    Arditarose you were lucky. I will hit 4 weeks at the end of this week and so far no major changes. If I had already been lean (like you look like you are) then maybe there would be a noticeable difference in muscle tone. In my case as has happened before I need to strip off the fat before I can show off the results of my hard work in the gym. I just wish it was easier. I think I am also suffering from a bit of water retention too so that might be masking my progress a little.

    I was 163 and pear shaped when I started, and at 5'4" my waist was still 29 inches. It's different for everyone. If you have more weigh to lose, it will take longer to see results.
  • laurenmisja
    laurenmisja Posts: 9 Member
    I am 16 pounds down and still don't feel that I look physically anything different. The only way to tell for me is tracking my inches on different body parts- I have lost about 2 inches combined. It's very encouraging for when you still can't physically see change!
  • JAT74
    JAT74 Posts: 1,081 Member
    edited January 2015
    Wow, well done Arditarose you look amazing now. I have a 28 inch waist at the start of my journey too but when I've lost a lot of weight before my waist can get down to 25 inches and my ribs will be showing but I'll still have very large/fat thighs and upper arms. We are all different shapes and luckily for me I tend to retain my shape as I get bigger.

    I know that when my waist starts losing inches and my boobs are getting smaller something is happening, though I much prefer it when my trousers are looser and jackets are not so fitted around my arms.
  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,590 Member
    I'm gonna say about 6 weeks in or so.
  • JAT74
    JAT74 Posts: 1,081 Member
    6 weeks is something to aim for, I would hope that by then I would be able to notice a difference as its halfway through my training programme. My orginal weight loss goal was end March (to lose 30lbs) but I know it will probably be a long time after that date now, though I'd be happy to reach my goal by June if I can.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    heathercicle wrote: »
    I know it's different for everyone, but it took almost a 40 lb loss for me to see a physical change, and only after seeing a photo of myself and really analyzing the different parts of my body. That said, I did notice that my clothes were considerably too large after about 30lbs, and I carry most of my weight in the lower half of my body (pear shaped, so I have a larger butt and thighs than chest and arms). I actually expected, mistakenly, to see an overall change in the shape of my body, but that was not the case. I just noticed an overall "smallness" to different parts of my body.

    I totally relate to this. I did not notice significant change for about four months, but it's been accelerating since then. I now keep a clothing size/weight chart to keep track of what size I am. I'm about to graduate from XL to L. I took some measurements yesterday and my lower body is a women's size 12, my midsection a size 10, and my breasts, those silly soggy lumps, are let's just say, "above average". Oh, 89 pounds down by the way.

  • ELiCiT23
    ELiCiT23 Posts: 106 Member
    One doesn't notice changes in oneself right away. Maybe take some pics or have someone else look at you and send them pics? I'm sure changes have been made. I start seeing results starting week 3 and I diet for 12 weeks
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,626 Member
    i can tell you (and i have 100+ pounds to lose and am just 3 weeks in) that (aside from a number on a scale) am already noticing SMALL changes. nothing visible, but quite a few NSV (non scale victories)... i exercise from 30 minutes to an hour and a half about 6 times a week on average (usually twice a day). My thighs are starting to FEEL leaner. they dont LOOK it, but they FEEL it. My skinny jeans are looser on the back of my thigh. My energy level is THROUGH the roof (sitting and working is darn near torture, so i exercise before working). My chin seems (to me) to be getting smaller in the stupid selfies i take (LOL).

    i really NEED to take pics/ measurements since im still at the beginning, im sure one day ill want to see them LOL (and i dont mind, i just havent done it yet)

    But, with all that, EVERYONE is different.
  • pokegurl
    pokegurl Posts: 15
    It's been one year since I joined the gym and started high intensity cardio and some strength training. I haven't lost any weight ( not my goal) but I can see muscles. And I have much more endurance and strength. Anyway, 1 year and in the best shape ever!
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