Can you trust what you see in the mirror? (I need opinions and your experiences w/weightloss)

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Mspiggy56
Mspiggy56 Posts: 7 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Okay I know this sounds really stupid, but looking in the mirror I swear there is a difference in my body. My back looks slimmer, and my stomach looks slimmer on the sides . I was sure I had lost at least an inch but apparently I lost no inches on my waist and the scale hasn't changed a bit. In fact I thought my hips looked the same, but I actually lost an inch there instead of on my WAIST. What the heck? Am I imagining things? I have a theory that It could be my period bloating causing my measurements to not change. I'm not really experienced in weight loss I've only had to lose a large amount of weight once before this so I have no idea if this is normal or not. I wanna feel better about my body, but I can't tell if this real or if this is just one of those days where I think I look good and then a day later reality hits me and I'm like " oh wait no, I'm still fat". :/

So I'm curious, where do you see weight loss on your body first? And have you ever seen results that didn't show on the scale or on the measuring tape? Do you consider these results real?

Replies

  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,069 Member
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    I take pictures every few weeks and use the side-by-side layout style to check out the difference and it's definitely a real result. Not all victories are scale/inch related. Do your clothes feel like they are fitting better?

    If you're early on in your weight loss journey bear in mind it can take 4-6 weeks for you to see any noticeable differences and 8-10 weeks for others to notice the difference. Keep at it, you will see results.

    Are you doing any strength training? This can help with maintaining muscle whilst losing weight.
  • Muana1005
    Muana1005 Posts: 172 Member
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    What exercises are you doing? I sometimes find I grow muscle under the flab- so although I think I look better, my measurements don't change.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,426 Member
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    I would not go by what I see in the mirror because I don't feel my perception is accurate enough to measure progress that way.

    Take pictures once a month and compare them side by side over time. It can take several pounds/months to really see a difference.
    Take measurements once a month and track them so you can observe changes. I measure my neck, chest, waist, hips, thighs, calves and upper arms
    Weigh yourself regularly at the same time of day, under the same conditions, on the same scale. Look at changes over time.
    Have a test piece of clothing. Does that tight pair of jeans fit better?
  • RelCanonical
    RelCanonical Posts: 3,882 Member
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    Proper weight loss is slow, and there are lots of variables causing...well, variation in any of these stats, so you can't really trust them until you have a trendline (i.e. multiple measurements over months). Could be bloating, could be you have lost inches in some places and not in others, could be the mirror is lying and you've just got endorphins running from a better lifestyle. None of those are necessarily problematic, but you just have to take them into account when determining how far you progressed. I've lost like, 2.5 pounds but the way I feel now makes me think I've lost at least 5. It's probably good! Holds me over until the weight actually comes off, haha.
  • Tried30UserNames
    Tried30UserNames Posts: 561 Member
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    I am not able to trust what I see in the mirror. If I see myself in photographs with other people, I'm better able to trust it, but not completely.
  • srosenthal1225
    srosenthal1225 Posts: 44 Member
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    I've lost 62 pounds and I think I look worse...the mind is very strange
  • StarvingDiva
    StarvingDiva Posts: 1,107 Member
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    I measure every week. The week of my period there is almost never a loss in inches, then the next week I see it drop again, I mean just feeling my boobs the week of my period I know how heavier they feel. I try to take comparison pictures at least once a month (if I remember). Its sometimes hard to see the changes because I see myself everyday. Some days, I look in the mirror and hate what I see (even after losing 90 lbs) and other days, I think damn girl you are kicking *kitten*.
  • nowine4me
    nowine4me Posts: 3,985 Member
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    My weight loss has been proportionate the entire time. I stay the exact same shape, but get smaller. It makes it very hard to see a difference. To me, my belly still looks big and my thighs are huge. Both are less huge than 70 pounds ago. So no, I don't trust the mirror to be an accurate reflection of loss.
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
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    I you feel good about the way you look, feel good about the way you look. No need to over analyze.
  • RelCanonical
    RelCanonical Posts: 3,882 Member
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    srosenthal1225 wrote: »
    I've lost 62 pounds and I think I look worse...the mind is very strange

    @srosenthal1225 I've run into this myself. For me it was an expectations vs. reality deal. I expected to look at certain way after losing a certain amount of weight, and when that didn't happen...well, my body image got worse!
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
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    I often see changes in the mirror that don't show on the scale. It keeps me determined to stick with my plan and eventually I see the scale change. I fluctuates a lot and see a new low, or desired mini goal in maintenance, only 2-3 days per month. Progress pics give you a more objective way to compare physical progress.
  • kenyonhaff
    kenyonhaff Posts: 1,377 Member
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    Remember that you may not be seeing yourself accurately...your brain processes the world through several processes that are all apt to error. That's one reason that anorexics will see a fat person in the mirror even though the problem is underweight, not overweight.

    One thing any "Psychology 101" course will make clear: We really don't see things as they really are. We aren't DVRs.
  • JasminPetals
    JasminPetals Posts: 30 Member
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    It's all about a positive mind set! Don't let yourself get bogged down by the numbers. People often feel much better about themselves after the starting their fitness journey even if numbers haven't changed (exercise = endorphins = overall more positive view of your body) and that's great! I allow myself to feel better about my body and then I let that confidence push me forward and push me harder in the gym.
    You will see noticable changes eventually (around 4 weeks out) so until then, take the boost and don't worry about it!
    I also agree with the above posts about monthly progress pictures and that muscle growth could be contributing the stagnant measurements.

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