I have dropped weight but I don't see of feel it?

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jacki865
jacki865 Posts: 122 Member
in Motivation and Support
Im 5'2 and started Jan 1 at 235 lbs I am now at 215lbs so I have dropped about 20lbs now and 2 inches around my waist and hips but I don't feel like I have dropped weight, I haven't gotten any comments on it and I still wear the same size 16 in pants that I wore when I started and it dosent even much feel loose. In fact I look like I'm still getting bigger and flabbier than I was when I first started.

I am starting to feel sorta discouraged. I have no clue where the 20 lbs were lost cause everything looks and feels pretty much the same. I see others on here talk about how drastic their changes were after a few lbs but I still look the same. is my body taking longer to transform cause I have more to lose? Is this normal feeling when you first begin this journey?

Replies

  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
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    It's like peeling layers off an onion. You can do it, day by day!
  • gramarye
    gramarye Posts: 586 Member
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    It was like this for me too; I'm 5'2" started at around 300 pounds, and I was probably at least 50 pounds down before it became obvious. Because of how I carry weight, I don't change pants size often. People may not be saying things because it's rude to comment on another person's body -- for all they know, you've dropped weight because you're sick. It's also hard to see your own weight change; there are still days where I have trouble with my internal perception versus actual reflection.

    Point being, there are tons of reasons why both you and others aren't seeing the weight you know you've lost. And it sucks, but you just gotta keep pushing through that barrier.

    Take before pictures regularly and keep going. One day you're going to look at yourself in the mirror and be shocked at the person you weren't noticing there. I promise.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 24,885 Member
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    It takes a while.

    I'm 55 lbs down and don't see it when I look in the mirror. I do, however, see it in photos.
  • debraparker0513
    debraparker0513 Posts: 33 Member
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    @jacki865 I started where you were at and I've lost 25 pounds.. it took pictures side by side for me to realize.. but now my clothes are starting to get looser.. everyone is different.. keep up the good work!! It will all come together :)
  • Becky_44
    Becky_44 Posts: 227 Member
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    There can be such a huge mental part to all of this. I have been skinny and felt fat, fat and not really notice it, and anywhere in between. Losing weight is as much work on the mind as it is on the body sometimes, just keep after it, believe that the loss is happening, for most people the mind will catch up. If it doesn't, It may possibly be more psychologically deep than just catching up. And perhaps some therapy could help if that were to end up being the case but you are a long ways from that being known at this point i think.

    You are doing awesome!
  • _celesse
    _celesse Posts: 75 Member
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    Same...30lbs down, don't see anything too noticeable. It doesn't help that it's taken me a long time just to get here. It might be different if I lose in a more normal amount of time, but so far I've ended up relying on the scale because I don't even see it in pictures/measurements.
  • treebek
    treebek Posts: 261 Member
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    I started at exactly the same weight, although I am 5'8".. It was when I got to 25 lbs lost that people started noticing. It might take a little more for you because you are shorter than me. How are your clothes fitting? That was what I noticed first. When I look in the mirror I still don't see any difference (I'm at about 35 lost now)...I still have a belly, cellulite and a butt :). But I know something is changing because my clothes are getting loose on me. Some people won't comment no matter how much you lose because that's not their style. Besides that, do this for you, not anybody else :).
  • finnsgma
    finnsgma Posts: 55 Member
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    20 pounds is HUGE. To put it in perspective, I lost 90 pounds 2 years ago and had been doing a great job maintaining. The past Summer, I stopped working and was enjoying going out, having wine with dinner and having dessert once in a while. I felt like I looked the same, my clothes still fit (just a little more snug) and I continued to "let myself go". Fast forward to mid-January of this year as I was packing for our trip to Turks and Caicos. I figured I should try on some stuff to make sure. Was I shocked that not only did none of my shorts fit, but a couple that had been almost loose barely went above my thighs :# I had gained 20 pounds!! So take it from me, while it might not look or feel like a difference right now, if you were to gain 20 pounds, you definitely would notice and NOT be happy about it. I notice it is in weird places- around my back (muffin top I never had before), my outer arms, and my inner thighs. There are probably areas you have lost that no one but you will notice. Keep going. I am now really fighting to get back to where I was before. It has been 24 days with one slip-up last weekend and it feels way slower than last time. I am mad at myself.
  • tiptoethruthetulips
    tiptoethruthetulips Posts: 3,361 Member
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    But some distance between yourself and the weight loss. Look at some old photos vs a photo today. Don't wear baggy clothes as this will hide the way you look today. Face photos are also very telling as are the way rings or bracelets fit. They should be much looser barring fluid retention.
  • emdeesea
    emdeesea Posts: 1,823 Member
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    Someone once described to me that losing weight is like unwrapping paper towels.

    (copied and pasted from Lifehacker) When you are heavy, you are big around. And when you are big around, that fat is spread over a MUCH larger area - just like that outside towel sheet. The closer you get to the lean you, the more each lost pound of fat shows, because it is spread over a smaller area.

    While the outside sheet may only cover 1 layer of the roll, the inside sheet may go around 4 times. That last sheet looks like it gives you 4 times the results of the first sheet, but in reality, the results are the same - your perception is just different! And you’ll never see the inside, if you aren’t patient while the outside is coming off!
  • motivatedsister
    motivatedsister Posts: 544 Member
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    I started at exactly the same weight as you and I am only 5'0. I lost nearly 20 lbs between I guess September-November last year and visually I couldn't tell. I did measurements and those decreased and clothes were fitting better, but I just couldn't see it; not in the mirror or in pictures and I didn't go down in size. Pretty much didn't log through end of year and just maintained through holidays and started back up in January. To date I have now lost about 25 lbs, literally around 22-23 (just a week ago) I could have literally written your post. I was completely frustrated because I lost 20+lbs and just wasn't seeing anything! The inches stopped dropping (at least at the spots I measured) and the lbs were creeping (up, down, up, up, etc.).

    I tried on nearly my whole closet again this past weekend, and the craziest thing -1 suddenly pants were like really big (not like oh these fit better, pants leg were baggy, tons of space in waist), shirts that were tight were now loose to the point where it's probably time to stop wearing some things. I try on several items, lol or entire closet, at least once a week...so we're talking about literally a 2 lb difference (weighed in on Tuesday) between fittings and suddenly a noticeable difference!

    I needed that so bad, because nothing else was moving! I really really encourage you to try your clothes or have something that's a size smaller so you can see some progress when it seems like nothing is happening.

    Last thing, I had to be honest with myself that in addition to the fact when you're in a larger size it takes more lbs down to go down a size versus if you're in a smaller size (say less than 12), I probably was stuffing myself into a 16 because I refused to buy a larger size. So first I had to accept that okay I have to at least truly be a 16 and then I can move past it. Lol I've got one foot in a 14 (even a 12...thanks vanity sizing) and one foot in 16, hoping I will have both feet firmly planted in 14 in the next few weeks.
  • Lizzy622
    Lizzy622 Posts: 3,705 Member
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    I dropped about 30 and didn't notice much. I got into a community toning class and although I didn't lose any more weight I started to see things tightening up and looking better. I was really upset when the class ended and have been checking for a similar one. - Hang in there you may just need some toning exercises.
  • AnnaPixie
    AnnaPixie Posts: 7,439 Member
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    Firstly, 20lbs is huge. Congratulations!!!!!

    Secondly, we are all different and weight loss is an individual thing. We're either moaning about the scales not moving or the tape measure not getting smaller! Fact is that fat comes off from different places at different times and that includes from INSIDE your torso (visceral fat). I first noticed my shoes getting bigger!! lol

    So, keep on doing what you're doing, cos you WILL notice it very soon, I'd say. And definitely have a dress you can't fit into hanging on your door, firstly as a goal and secondly to try on once a month.

    Good luck :)
  • helenarriaza
    helenarriaza Posts: 519 Member
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    That's me! 23 pounds lost but apparently my jeans have not received the memo :(
  • motivatedsister
    motivatedsister Posts: 544 Member
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    Love that comment @helenarriaza , hoping my pants get the memo!

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