At how many pounds.. do others start noticing?

tracefan
tracefan Posts: 382 Member
edited November 29 in Health and Weight Loss
It's funny because If I lose 5lbs it's not noticeable. (my dog is 5lbs) I lost 8 so far.. not a word from anyone.. so when? 10lbs? 15? Just curious... I wonder if losing an infant is when people notice?
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Replies

  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    I am starting to forget this stuff now that it's been a few years but I think it was around 30 pounds that a few people started noticing.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    Most people seem to notice in the 20-30 pounds range. Though some notice sooner and don't say anything since it's impolite to comment on weight in some cultures. Humans tend to be pretty bad at noticing weight gained or lost on someone else unless it's dramatic.
  • tracefan
    tracefan Posts: 382 Member
    Well personally I'm NOT insulted. lol
  • Gamliela
    Gamliela Posts: 2,468 Member
    I lost 75 pounds and my husband never said anything until I got down to 100 pounds. Then he said to me, " You're emaciated and you have no butt!" Go figure!
    Do it for yosef! nobody's opinion is that important.
  • snowflake930
    snowflake930 Posts: 2,188 Member
    edited February 2016
    It has been almost 4 years since I found MFP. The first comments began @ 40 pounds lost. I did not tell anyone that I was trying. So many attempts and failures. MFP is the real deal for me. I have lost over 1/2 of my current body weight, and been maintaining for over 2 years.
  • nadler64
    nadler64 Posts: 124 Member
    Depends where you start. I wanted to lose 25 pounds (and have); people started noticing at about 10 when my pants got baggy and my face got a little thinner. Several friends actually asked me if I was OK - knowing that I have chronic health issues, they were afraid I was ill again.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    It depends on how much you have to lose...the more you have to lose, the less noticeable those losses are.

    A lot of my initial weight loss came from my extremities...fingers, arms, legs, feet, neck, etc...these things aren't highly noticeable to most people unless they're really into checking out your finger size. Nobody really noticed for me until my face started becoming slimmer...which was about 20ish Lbs down from a total of 40 Lbs lost. My last 20 Lbs were highly noticeable as those smaller increments made huge differences in my appearance.

    Also keep in mind that talking about weight is pretty taboo for most people...it's not that they don't notice, it's that a lot of people can't take a compliment and get more offended by, "hey...you look great...lost some weight" than simply saying nothing...because a lot of people will translate that to mean, "so you think I looked like *kitten* before huh?

    Don't believe me, just do a search...there are tons of threads with MFPers totally offended by people commenting on their weight loss. Many people simply don't know how to take a compliment.
  • nordlead2005
    nordlead2005 Posts: 1,303 Member
    My parents noticed first, probably ~10lb, my Aunt noticed at 25lb, a lot more people started noticing 30-35lb, now anyone who's known me in the last year notices (but doesn't always say something) at 45-50lb.
  • macsnapa
    macsnapa Posts: 1 Member
    I think it is such a gradual weight loss that it can take quite a few pounds before any one notices. The person that notices the most is yourself, especially when clothes start fitting or get too baggy.
  • cJOYv6881
    cJOYv6881 Posts: 72 Member
    I think it depends on a lot of things! How much weight you need to lose, where on your body you start losing weight first, and how observant those around you are! But, as cloudi2 said, nobody's opinion is that important. You have to lose weight for yourself, you own opinion is the most important one! If you are noticing a difference, then there's a difference.
  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
    It's different for everyone.

    For me it was 30 lbs.
  • lc355
    lc355 Posts: 91 Member
    I lost 25lb slowly over six months to reach my goal. No comments at 24lb, concern over my health at 25lb
  • dwulet130
    dwulet130 Posts: 108 Member
    Unfortunately, the more you see people, the less they notice. Last year my friend dropped 40 pounds (200 to 160) and I didn't notice. Only when my boyfriend pointed it out and I looked at old pictures was I like 'damn.'

    If you notice that you look/feel better, that's what counts.
  • shadowfax_c11
    shadowfax_c11 Posts: 1,942 Member
    I started out with about 100 to lose. Started getting comments around 15 pounds lost.
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,626 Member
    my guess would be 20-30 but its been awhile.
  • cJOYv6881
    cJOYv6881 Posts: 72 Member
    I wanted to add, I lost over 50 lbs in high school from one year to the next. I looked like a completely different person. No one, not even my own mother, said a single thing. As others have said, it could be just that everyone is afraid to comment!
  • smiles4jo
    smiles4jo Posts: 202 Member
    edited February 2016
    About three years ago, I went from 210 to 185 - Not a single person commented besides my mother who knew I was trying to lose weight and was probably just trying to be supportive lol

    However, when I was in high school, I also lost 25 pounds one summer just because I was more active and my gym teacher called my mother the first week back at school and told her she was concerned I was anoxeric. I probably weighed around 160 at the time and was far from anoxeric.
  • hlcavalieri
    hlcavalieri Posts: 28 Member
    People started noticing around 25lbs for me. You should be proud of yourself for any positive change though! It is nice to hear from other people too, I get it! :) Congrats on your progress!
  • dredremeg
    dredremeg Posts: 202 Member
    I started out at 210 lbs., others didn't noticed until I dropped 20 lbs. Now, I am 162 lbs.
  • cdnbull
    cdnbull Posts: 10 Member
    I had someone notice at 18 lbs. I think a lot has to do with how much you have to lose, and how you carry your weight.
    The reality is that some people wont notice but if you notice and feel better in your clothes etc, then celebrate.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I would also add that weight loss is usually a pretty gradual process...the people who see you on a daily basis are less likely to notice until some aspect of your physique substantially changes.
  • jnmrie
    jnmrie Posts: 145 Member
    My first comment was at 45 lbs lost. Now, when they finally did say something they said they'd noticed for a while but didn't want to say anything. So I can't really say.
  • Doc0862
    Doc0862 Posts: 43 Member
    tracefan wrote: »
    It's funny because If I lose 5lbs it's not noticeable. (my dog is 5lbs) I lost 8 so far.. not a word from anyone.. so when? 10lbs? 15? Just curious... I wonder if losing an infant is when people notice?

    I have lost 32 pounds since jan 1 and still nobody seems to notice. LOL

    I told my friend that's how i know i was WAY to large... when you lose 30 pounds and nobody can tell!! LOL

    I think my age and the fact that it's cold and I'm wearing long johns layers and sweaters.

    Here's a funny for ya... I had a goatee and when i shaved it off people started sayen you've lost weight and you look younger. I had not lost any weight at that time but hey I'll take the you look younger part any time i get it!!
  • ashliedelgado
    ashliedelgado Posts: 814 Member
    I saw this graphic on line that said something like it takes 4 weeks for you to notice, 8 weeks for those close to you, and 12 for the world or something like that.

    Held pretty true to me. Although OH was saying after two weeks that he noticed changes, but I'm assuming he was just being my cheerleader. At 30lbs lost, I talked to a coworker (who was a dietitian) and told her what I was doing and asked her advice, and she said she had noticed. Shortly after coworkers started commenting, so I think maybe they all were uncomfortable saying things?
  • soulofgrace
    soulofgrace Posts: 175 Member
    I'd agree with 20 to 30. I also think they noticed my change in attitude before they noticed the weight. I was told I seemed much more energetic and happy. I just think it took a while for people to feel comfortable enough to mention the weight. It's a sensitive subject, after all.
  • Asher_Ethan
    Asher_Ethan Posts: 2,430 Member
    My first comments were at 10 pounds but the majority of comments came at 15. I'm also 5'9" so I feel like the height helps.
  • VoiceWithNoValue
    VoiceWithNoValue Posts: 58 Member
    Well, for me the first comment came from my teacher at around 2 KG lost(the fastest comment ever said in my life; during school years..). During my school years people notice quite fast, especially the teachers, even if it's just a few pounds off. I guess it's just that how comfortable they are to tell you about your loss than when they actually notice. They might noticed sooner, but decided to say nothing due to some stuff like not wanting to offend you, or culture.
  • betterthanyesterday69
    betterthanyesterday69 Posts: 53 Member
    I have lost almost 160 in a year and some still haven't noticed! :smile:
  • tesha_chandler
    tesha_chandler Posts: 378 Member
    30 pounds was the area for me.. It went from no one saying anything to people saying, "Woah! You've lost so much weight!" lol
  • Mapalicious
    Mapalicious Posts: 412 Member
    edited February 2016
    First,
    You are a roll of paper towels.
    The first paper towel you take off
    the roll is large, you just can't tell
    But by the last towel, the roll seems to shrink so fast
    by just taking off one towel.

    Why? Because the fewer towels there are on the roll, the larger percentage of what's on the roll each towel is. The more you lose, the higher percent of your body weight each pound is. (If you weigh 200 lbs, losing 1 lb is 0.5% of your body weight. If you weigh 100 lbs, losing 1 lb is losing 1% of your body weight.)

    Second,
    If you are exercising a lot and putting on muscle, then it may take a litttttttle bit longer to become visible.

    If you're really interested, start doing body measurements (waits/hips/arms/thighs), not just scale weight.
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