How long did it take you to see a difference in your body?

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capriqueen
capriqueen Posts: 974 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have lost 15 pounds so far. (From 29.1 BMI to 26.7 BMI). I'm 5'6.5. I have seen visible differences in my waist, stomach, back and chest, but they haven't dramatically shrunk. I have lost some facial fat too. But the rest of me remains the same. I know weight training is better for losing inches, but I have a crazy schedule and I haven't found a way to work it in yet. I haven't been measuring myself, but I've been trying my old clothes on and they don't feel different at the arms/shoulders/lower body.

I feel so demotivated. Even my stomach keeps bloating every now and then, so I have no idea whether I have really lost fat. How long did it take you to lose fat?
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Replies

  • Rebekkadorn
    Rebekkadorn Posts: 39 Member
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    It took me about 20lbs to actually see a difference and a lot longer for other people to notice. I've lost nearly 50lbs now and although my clothes are baggy they still fit, so I wouldn't really judge how well your doing by your clothing. To combat the bloating I would suggest making sure your drinking enough water. I felt extremely bloated for about 2 weeks, increased my water intake and I feel so much better now. Good luck:)
  • capriqueen
    capriqueen Posts: 974 Member
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    Rebekkadorn wrote: »
    It took me about 20lbs to actually see a difference and a lot longer for other people to notice. I've lost nearly 50lbs now and although my clothes are baggy they still fit, so I wouldn't really judge how well your doing by your clothing. To combat the bloating I would suggest making sure your drinking enough water. I felt extremely bloated for about 2 weeks, increased my water intake and I feel so much better now. Good luck:)

    Thanks! People can only see a difference in me because I've lost facial fat. A friend said my arms look smaller, but being a pear, my arms have always been small, so I'm not sure I agree with her. I guess I'll just keep pushing. It just sometimes is demotivating that I'm losing weight but I don't have the results to prove it.
  • DoneWorking
    DoneWorking Posts: 247 Member
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    I noticed a change around 25 lbs, but others noticed a change when I hit the 15 lb. mark.
  • brisingr86
    brisingr86 Posts: 1,789 Member
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    I was a bit reverse in that other people were commenting before I really noticed changes in my clothes. I still don't think I look that much different, but some clothes do fit better and others are now too baggy (I'm down about 30 from SW). Taking measurements was what really made me realize my body was changing, so highly recommend that once a month at least. TOM can also impact bloating (and weight), so don't let those monthly cycles discourage you. Hang in there! And try adding some strength training (trade off days of cardio and strength or opt for something like Jillian Michaels or Tae Bo with resistance bands to get both). Good luck.
  • hosijoe
    hosijoe Posts: 15 Member
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    I just hit 20 lbs and I see it in my face. I started at 303 so I am sure it will be a bit before I see elsewhere.
  • Rebekkadorn
    Rebekkadorn Posts: 39 Member
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    capriqueen wrote: »
    Rebekkadorn wrote: »
    It took me about 20lbs to actually see a difference and a lot longer for other people to notice. I've lost nearly 50lbs now and although my clothes are baggy they still fit, so I wouldn't really judge how well your doing by your clothing. To combat the bloating I would suggest making sure your drinking enough water. I felt extremely bloated for about 2 weeks, increased my water intake and I feel so much better now. Good luck:)

    Thanks! People can only see a difference in me because I've lost facial fat. A friend said my arms look smaller, but being a pear, my arms have always been small, so I'm not sure I agree with her. I guess I'll just keep pushing. It just sometimes is demotivating that I'm losing weight but I don't have the results to prove it.

    You'll get there you just need to stay on track and keep pushing. I hit a complete plateau around 14lbs and didn't loose anything for about 2 weeks. I just kept going and the weight slowly started coming off again. Feel free to add me and we can have a chat if you ever need some support:)
  • capriqueen
    capriqueen Posts: 974 Member
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    Rebekkadorn wrote: »
    capriqueen wrote: »
    Rebekkadorn wrote: »
    It took me about 20lbs to actually see a difference and a lot longer for other people to notice. I've lost nearly 50lbs now and although my clothes are baggy they still fit, so I wouldn't really judge how well your doing by your clothing. To combat the bloating I would suggest making sure your drinking enough water. I felt extremely bloated for about 2 weeks, increased my water intake and I feel so much better now. Good luck:)

    Thanks! People can only see a difference in me because I've lost facial fat. A friend said my arms look smaller, but being a pear, my arms have always been small, so I'm not sure I agree with her. I guess I'll just keep pushing. It just sometimes is demotivating that I'm losing weight but I don't have the results to prove it.

    You'll get there you just need to stay on track and keep pushing. I hit a complete plateau around 14lbs and didn't loose anything for about 2 weeks. I just kept going and the weight slowly started coming off again. Feel free to add me and we can have a chat if you ever need some support:)
    Thanks! I added you. I know how the plateaus feel. I hit one two weeks ago and I've just been meandering around the same weight.
  • KelGen02
    KelGen02 Posts: 668 Member
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    I've lost 15lbs and no one has noticed yet, and while I have been able to take of my wedding band for the first time in almost 2 years I still don't see a visible difference. I think everyone's body is different but for me I am thinking at least another 10lbs before it will start being visible (25lbs) I need to lose a total of 100lbs (85 now) so I still have quite a ways to go... Staying motivated is the hardest part, I think once you start seeing the changes that will change big time... Be patient, you will get there!
  • Meggers003
    Meggers003 Posts: 25 Member
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    I totally know what you mean about not being able to see change- For me what helps keep me motivated is seeing myself get stronger at the gym. Sometimes the scale doesn't always cooperate with me but I know that I'm turning some of that fat into muscle and that's going to help make me more "shapely" in the end :) Keep going you've got this!
  • bigd66218
    bigd66218 Posts: 376 Member
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    First 15 lbs. my stomach started to shrink/After 37 lbs. I can start to fit into some of my old clothes...Still carrying the majority of my weight in the midsection.
  • Momnoon1977
    Momnoon1977 Posts: 31 Member
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    I have lost 23 pounds and I notice no difference yet. My SW was 280 so I know it will be awhile before anyone can notice a difference. It definitely gets me down from time to time though.
  • bennettinfinity
    bennettinfinity Posts: 865 Member
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    You should probably start taking measurements, though - it'll help you see the smaller changes as they are happening and will more likely keep you motivated. The changes have to be more dramatic to feel them in how your clothes fit or to actually be able to see them.

    Just my $0.02
  • Asher_Ethan
    Asher_Ethan Posts: 2,430 Member
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    26 pounds lighter, I still see a fat girl in the mirror but I have weight related emotional issues. Other people started noticing at around the 15 pound mark.
  • Roeygal
    Roeygal Posts: 26
    edited April 2015
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    When I was at my heaviest, it took me about 14-16 pounds to notice any difference, and I didn't really like it because I had that "punisher" mindset at the time. Most people actually pointed it out to me!

    In my most recent start-up, I lost 4lbs and I've noticed a change in my face, legs and an iddy-biddy alteration in my waist already! Still a long way to go. :)
  • DearestWinter
    DearestWinter Posts: 595 Member
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    What's always weird for me is the concept that my body may be getting thinner but the shape stays the same. I may lose 10 lbs and find my pants are much looser, but when I look in the mirror my hips and thighs are still big compared to my upper body. It's not until I get a lot closer to my GW that I start noticing all of my parts start balancing out.
  • holly55555
    holly55555 Posts: 306 Member
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    Belly is probably the last place you'll lose it. Start taking your measurements! I've lost 10 lbs since January and I feel like I look the exact same, especially in my stomach, which is totally disheartening. When I did my measurements though, I actually lost fat everywhere - and my belly had the highest fat loss at 2 inches down since February! So even if you don't feel it, it's still probably happening.
  • capriqueen
    capriqueen Posts: 974 Member
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    holly55555 wrote: »
    Belly is probably the last place you'll lose it. Start taking your measurements! I've lost 10 lbs since January and I feel like I look the exact same, especially in my stomach, which is totally disheartening. When I did my measurements though, I actually lost fat everywhere - and my belly had the highest fat loss at 2 inches down since February! So even if you don't feel it, it's still probably happening.

    Being a pear shape, I usually lose around my belly first, hips and thighs last :( Damn them pear shapes. I should probably be measuring, but I did not check my starting measurements, so I wouldn't know whether I lost or not. Some days my belly looks small, some days there's a pudge so I know the pudge is probably bloat, but I'm never sure. Also, I'm on a 1000 calorie deficit. How long should I be sticking to it? I burn about 2200 calories a day and eat 1200.
  • pmg2000m
    pmg2000m Posts: 44 Member
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    I started noticing about 3-4 weeks after starting circuit training on the weight machines, combined with using the treadmill. I was only about 6 pounds down, but my body fat scale said I lost more than that in fat. I could start to see the definition in my arms and my pants got a bit looser. I think that weight training really helps a lot.

    Now I'm 12 pounds down and everyone else has noticed. The belly is definitely the last to go though, along with the rest of the muffin top. I still would like to go down about another 10 pounds.
  • kiittenforever
    kiittenforever Posts: 479 Member
    edited April 2015
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    Congrats on 15lb down.
  • Rosyone
    Rosyone Posts: 74 Member
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    When I lost nearly 60 pounds a few years ago, the first 25 pounds didn't seem to make nearly as big a difference in how I looked and felt as the last 10. That's because the last 10 came from my problem areas, the places where I'm genetically predisposed to store fat first - and to hang on to it the longest. I'd already lost it from everywhere else.

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