Weight Loss Without Visual Effects

Tyler_Wright
Tyler_Wright Posts: 7 Member
edited November 12 in Health and Weight Loss
I'm a 29 year old male 5'-10" and I began my journey at 266lbs. I'm now down to 236lbs and have worked really hard to achieve that. My goal is to achieve 200lbs so I have a long way to go. My question is; Don't you think after 30lbs of weight loss there should be a significant change in the way my body looks? I've noticed subtle differences such as my face isn't quite as fat along with my neck. I guess when you weigh 266lbs your fat can hide in many different places other than your gut. At what significant weight loss milestone do you think I will notice the biggest difference?

Replies

  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    If you are talking about literally seeing the difference (as opposed to noticing it through some sort of measurement like waist size, etc.) then it is hard to say because it is different for everybody. I will say that it is harder for you to see the difference because you see yourself every day. So it would be the same for other people who see you every day. I lost over 50 pounds last year and it wasn't until we were looking at photos recently that my 7 year old realized that I had lost any weight at all.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    Great work! You just keep doing what you're doing. Remember, everyone is different and carries their weight so.
  • rayrayfitz
    rayrayfitz Posts: 80 Member
    I've Lost 52lb but I honestly don't feel like I look any different. Logically I know I must look different but I don't see it. If anything I feel fatter than ever. It's psychological because weight loss happens over short periods we don't notice the adjustments, and because it's something we want to do - lose weight we are more critical of ourselves and more subjective than ever before. I can honestly say I feel more self conscious and less confident since I've lost weight. Which is a shame, I was hoping for the opposite effect.
  • Tyler_Wright
    Tyler_Wright Posts: 7 Member
    Thank you. It was kind of coincidental ,but last night I ran into a couple I know at Kroger that I haven't seen in over a month. They both said I look like I lost 20lbs. It made me feel good. I'm not doing this for everyone else but it's nice to get positive feedback every now and then.
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
    Given your height, yes, I would say that you aren't likely to see significant differences yet. But as the fat cells deflate, you should start seeing less of the fat shape and more of the shape of the body structure that is under it.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    Tyler_Wright wrote: »
    Thank you. It was kind of coincidental ,but last night I ran into a couple I know at Kroger that I haven't seen in over a month. They both said I look like I lost 20lbs. It made me feel good. I'm not doing this for everyone else but it's nice to get positive feedback every now and then.

    Yep, that's how it works. The people who see you less often will notice it more. It's nice to have the feedback, even when it's not your primary motivator.
  • JossFit
    JossFit Posts: 588 Member
    Did you take photos of yourself or measurements when you started losing weight? I usually recommend that my clients take photos periodically so that they can compare when they are feeling down and like they haven't lost much or made much progress with muscle gain.

    You might be shocked!
  • LovingLife_Erin
    LovingLife_Erin Posts: 328 Member
    If it helps... I've lost 51lbs and I'm just starting to feel like there is a noticeable difference. I carry my weight very evenly throughout my body so it wasn't like all of a sudden my belly was gone, or my legs got significantly smaller. Just everywhere is slightly smaller. All of a sudden though, I've had people say that I look like I've lost weight and I can see the differences in the mirror/pictures. I still have lots more to lose, but I suspect as I keep going, it will just get more and more obvious.

    Keep at it... pretty soon you, and others, will start seeing the difference and it will feel so good to know that you have been successful. :)
  • Tedebearduff
    Tedebearduff Posts: 1,155 Member
    Tyler_Wright wrote: »
    I'm a 29 year old male 5'-10" and I began my journey at 266lbs. I'm now down to 236lbs and have worked really hard to achieve that. My goal is to achieve 200lbs so I have a long way to go. My question is; Don't you think after 30lbs of weight loss there should be a significant change in the way my body looks? I've noticed subtle differences such as my face isn't quite as fat along with my neck. I guess when you weigh 266lbs your fat can hide in many different places other than your gut. At what significant weight loss milestone do you think I will notice the biggest difference?

    When you reach your goal you'll notice the biggest difference. You'll have the reverse effects down the road, you'll notice changes in your body but the scale wont move for a time.

    Also if you just started like 10lbs of that could of been water weight, just keep it up brother there is no real secret to this whole thing you're doing great!
  • RaspberryTickleChicken
    RaspberryTickleChicken Posts: 629 Member
    Take a selfie now

    Dig out some photos

    Then compare

    It's difficult to catalog the visual changes because we tend to see ourselves every day. Maybe a catch a glance on a reflection or in the elevator or in the bathroom. These small glimpses might be just for a few seconds but it still is a visual image that can become mundane quite easily (hence why it may be difficult to tell).

    BUT when you compare between where you were to where you are now you're going to be like WHOA. I started to take a full length selfie once a week at the gym when I was losing. When I look at each photo in sequence, I can REALLY see the change. But when I was in the thick of things I just couldn't recognize it.

    Sort of like with children. We see them every day so we don't realize how much they grow. But when we look at photos from the beginning of a school year to the end of the school year, THEN we can actually see the dramatic change.
  • tekkiechikk
    tekkiechikk Posts: 375 Member
    Having been up and down with my weight forever, I can say that I've stopped listening to the games my mind plays (that is, thinking I don't look any different even after dropping 50 pounds), and now concentrate on how much better I can do things after losing weight. Such as walking (or running!) up stairs, being able to just bend over and tie my shoes, fitting into chairs more easily, etc. Maybe there should be some kind of test we take prior to committing to weight loss and using those metrics for comparison rather than starting weight or measurements (maybe I should market such a system and make a million bucks!!) :)

    Congrats on what you've accomplished so far.. keep tracking your success, whatever method you use to measure it.
  • Tyler_Wright
    Tyler_Wright Posts: 7 Member
    Thanks for all of the feedback. I'm really starting to like this site.
  • kodiakke
    kodiakke Posts: 379 Member
    I totally understand what you're saying, I've lost more than 15 pounds since January 1 and I had a customer that doesn't see me often mention I looked better. But my co-workers and friends? Nothing! Luckily I know things are fitting me better so that was helpful to know I wasn't going crazy and shouldn't throw out the scale...!
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