do i have to lose pounds to look thinner ?
hadeel5091
Posts: 1 Member
hi guys ,, i'm on a diet for 3 months now and i don't see much of pounds loss but i see big change in my appearance so is that mean that I'm on good diet ?
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Replies
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You don’t necessarily have to lose weight, you have to lose fat. You’re likely losing fat but building muscle, which is why your weight isn’t changing but you’re getting thinner. I think measurements will be better indicators of this.
Also, I think a good diet is subjective but if your goal is to eat clean for fat loss, and if you’re following that, then it sounds like you have a good diet. Best of luck!19 -
justjara123 wrote: »You don’t necessarily have to lose weight, you have to lose fat. You’re likely losing fat but building muscle
This isn’t very likely unless the OP is doing serious strength training and eating at maintenance or a little above.
OP, how much weight have you lost, that you think isn’t much? What is your goal - to look better, to have a lower weight, what?
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hadeel5091 wrote: »hi guys ,, i'm on a diet for 3 months now and i don't see much of pounds loss but i see big change in my appearance so is that mean that I'm on good diet ?
You say not many pounds lost, how many have you lost?
What are your stats (age, height, current weight), your goal weight? Do you use a food scale to weigh your food and track your calorie intake? Do you exercise?3 -
No, you don’t have to lose a lot of pounds to look thinner. If you are losing inches you are losing fat. When I first started counting macros and started a weight lifting program I lost only 3 pounds but dropped 2 pant sizes in one month. How your clothes fit and taking body measurements are going to be your most accurate ways of measuring your success. Stay off the scale. Keep doing what you are currently doing. When you stop seeing progress drop your calories a little more.4
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Some people lose a little bit of weight and look like they have lost a lot, others lose a lot of weight and looks like they haven't lost much at all - depending on where that weight has come off from. For example, I tend to lose/gain weight around my face first, making even minor weight fluctuations look very noticeable.
Additionally, weightloss can be masked (on the scale) by huge variety of things, but you cannot mask clothes getting baggier and no longer fitting the same.4 -
You can look more fit and more compact from exercise. Especially if you're in the less to lose category.0
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I've lost 37 pounds and only gone down one size, so I'm really impressed with going down 2 sizes while just losing a few pounds. Yes, I do weight training, too, but I know the average woman on a weight training regimen only gains about 3 pounds of muscle over six months, so I don't put much faith in that.
Sizes have always been a bad way for me to judge progress, particularly because I can change sizes going from one store to another.0 -
hadeel5091 wrote: »hi guys ,, i'm on a diet for 3 months now and i don't see much of pounds loss but i see big change in my appearance so is that mean that I'm on good diet ?
How much have you lost in 3 months? How much do you have to lose?
Did you take body measurements and photos to compare during that time? Are they different?
Do your clothes fit different?
Are you judging progress by how you look in the mirror?
You are on a good diet if you are losing at a healthy rate for your size and meeting your nutritional needs. If you are losing too fast or missing nutrients it could be a bad diet even if you look thinner.
I can look thinner in the mirror but not see a big change on the scale or with measurements or in progress photos because my brain interprets my appearance differently than reality. It is not the most reliable way to note changes in my size. I did not start to see any difference in my progress photos until I lost 15-20 lbs going from obese to overweight. Being closer to a healthy weight now I might notice a difference with less weight loss.
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She GAINED 18 pounds and looks better:
Lots of time working out was involved.
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kshama2001 wrote: »She GAINED 18 pounds and looks better:
Lots of time working out was involved.
Got to disagree about 'better'.20 -
kshama2001 wrote: »She GAINED 18 pounds and looks better:
Lots of time working out was involved.
Got to disagree about 'better'.
She's certainly more muscular. I don't know that I'd personally be OK with that amount of weight gain, but her post-gain aesthetics are definitely my preference.7 -
Speaking very generally...
Over the short run, yes... most people will have to lose weight to look smaller/thinner.
Over the long run, no... many people can be/look smaller at the same weight given meaningful changes in body composition (as seen in the pic above).
Worth noting:
"looking thinner" is somewhat subjective. Be careful here.2 -
kshama2001 wrote: »She GAINED 18 pounds and looks better:
Lots of time working out was involved.
Got to disagree about 'better'.
While I do understand you have an opinion, I believe negativity about physique transformations should be kept to oneself especially when it comes to before/afters. Even if she is not the person that posted or may not be a member of MFP, others like myself actually have transformations that are very similar to hers. It's not only about aesthetics.. it's about health, muscle, strength, confidence.28 -
kshama2001 wrote: »She GAINED 18 pounds and looks better:
Lots of time working out was involved.
Got to disagree about 'better'.
While I do understand you have an opinion, I believe negativity about physique transformations should be kept to oneself especially when it comes to before/afters. Even if she is not the person that posted or may not be a member of MFP, others like myself actually have transformations that are very similar to hers. It's not only about aesthetics.. it's about health, muscle, strength, confidence.
You look fantastic in your profile picture.4 -
collectingblues wrote: »kshama2001 wrote: »She GAINED 18 pounds and looks better:
Lots of time working out was involved.
Got to disagree about 'better'.
While I do understand you have an opinion, I believe negativity about physique transformations should be kept to oneself especially when it comes to before/afters. Even if she is not the person that posted or may not be a member of MFP, others like myself actually have transformations that are very similar to hers. It's not only about aesthetics.. it's about health, muscle, strength, confidence.
You look fantastic in your profile picture.
Thanks. My physique definitely comes with it's fair share of negativity, I'm used to it though9 -
I'm short 5 1 and my friend is around 5 8 she can lose 10 lbs and it's really noticeable but on the other hand I have lost 20 lbs and no one could tell the difference so if ur on the taller side and not a whole lot to lose maybe that's y u see progress when the scale doesn't show a big drop??0
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In reality, everyone is different. I find that if you're the person with excess body fat like you literally look pregnant, then you'll likely see changes quickly. If you're like me where I don't look pregnant but still have fat even though I could afford to lose 80 to 100 lbs right now, then the changes may not be as noticeable.0
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I’ll go with “it depends” .
It took me losing closer to 50 lbs before I thought I looked thinner - but I had 130 lbs to loose.1 -
kshama2001 wrote: »She GAINED 18 pounds and looks better:
Lots of time working out was involved.
Got to disagree about 'better'.
While I do understand you have an opinion, I believe negativity about physique transformations should be kept to oneself especially when it comes to before/afters.
Exactly. That's why I posted what I did. Saying that she looks better in the third picture is just as shaming for women who look like picture #1. I don't hate on neither and definitely appreciate the work it took to get to #3... but what looks better is totally subjective.
But yes, lots of people gain muscle and lose fat and end up weighing more with a smaller size - because muscle is denser than fat.10 -
kshama2001 wrote: »She GAINED 18 pounds and looks better:
Lots of time working out was involved.
Got to disagree about 'better'.
While I do understand you have an opinion, I believe negativity about physique transformations should be kept to oneself especially when it comes to before/afters.
Exactly. That's why I posted what I did. Saying that she looks better in the third picture is just as shaming for women who look like picture #1. I don't hate on neither and definitely appreciate the work it took to get to #3... but what looks better is totally subjective.
But yes, lots of people gain muscle and lose fat and end up weighing more with a smaller size - because muscle is denser than fat.
Personally, I think the shaming thing is nonsense. The young lady in the pictures shows better muscle development, body shape and posture in the 3rd picture. She looks healthier and fitter. Whether one likes that look or not, those are objective observations.10 -
kshama2001 wrote: »She GAINED 18 pounds and looks better:
Lots of time working out was involved.
Got to disagree about 'better'.
While I do understand you have an opinion, I believe negativity about physique transformations should be kept to oneself especially when it comes to before/afters.
Exactly. That's why I posted what I did. Saying that she looks better in the third picture is just as shaming for women who look like picture #1. I don't hate on neither and definitely appreciate the work it took to get to #3... but what looks better is totally subjective.
But yes, lots of people gain muscle and lose fat and end up weighing more with a smaller size - because muscle is denser than fat.kshama2001 wrote: »She GAINED 18 pounds and looks better:
Lots of time working out was involved.
Got to disagree about 'better'.
While I do understand you have an opinion, I believe negativity about physique transformations should be kept to oneself especially when it comes to before/afters.
Exactly. That's why I posted what I did. Saying that she looks better in the third picture is just as shaming for women who look like picture #1. I don't hate on neither and definitely appreciate the work it took to get to #3... but what looks better is totally subjective.
But yes, lots of people gain muscle and lose fat and end up weighing more with a smaller size - because muscle is denser than fat.
Personally, I think the shaming thing is nonsense. The young lady in the pictures shows better muscle development, body shape and posture in the 3rd picture. She looks healthier and fitter. Whether one likes that look or not, those are objective observations.
While I guess I mostly agree with both of you, it's unrealistic in this day and age, and in this industry.
The minute you judge something as better, people take that to be a judgement AGAINST the opposite. That's just where we are right now, at least on social media/internet. So the very second you do something the slightest bit outside of just providing information is the same second someone is going to be bothered by what you say.
Even mmapags comment... "better muscle development"... better can be interpreted as subjective/judgmental. Muscular development can be viewed as "bulky". "more muscle development" would have had less potential for offense. I agree it stupid, but appearance and body image and self esteem and all the rest isn't exactly logical for many people.
IMO, as a poster... choose your words carefully, but accept that someone isn't going to like it.
IMO, as a reader... try to understand the point being made, don't focus on the words being used.5 -
kshama2001 wrote: »She GAINED 18 pounds and looks better:
Lots of time working out was involved.
Got to disagree about 'better'.
While I do understand you have an opinion, I believe negativity about physique transformations should be kept to oneself especially when it comes to before/afters.
Exactly. That's why I posted what I did. Saying that she looks better in the third picture is just as shaming for women who look like picture #1. I don't hate on neither and definitely appreciate the work it took to get to #3... but what looks better is totally subjective.
But yes, lots of people gain muscle and lose fat and end up weighing more with a smaller size - because muscle is denser than fat.
Personally, I think the shaming thing is nonsense. The young lady in the pictures shows better muscle development, body shape and posture in the 3rd picture. She looks healthier and fitter. Whether one likes that look or not, those are objective observations.
I feel like some sour grapes may be involved in the "she's not better" proclamation.11 -
kshama2001 wrote: »She GAINED 18 pounds and looks better:
Lots of time working out was involved.
Got to disagree about 'better'.
While I do understand you have an opinion, I believe negativity about physique transformations should be kept to oneself especially when it comes to before/afters.
Exactly. That's why I posted what I did. Saying that she looks better in the third picture is just as shaming for women who look like picture #1. I don't hate on neither and definitely appreciate the work it took to get to #3... but what looks better is totally subjective.
But yes, lots of people gain muscle and lose fat and end up weighing more with a smaller size - because muscle is denser than fat.
Personally, I think the shaming thing is nonsense. The young lady in the pictures shows better muscle development, body shape and posture in the 3rd picture. She looks healthier and fitter. Whether one likes that look or not, those are objective observations.
I, agree with @sardelsa when she bristles at the comment because she internalizes it as people saying that picture #3 is not considered an appropriate goal; but, why is it incorrect for @Francl27 to bristle at the implication that picture #1 is not considered good enough?
Maybe Staci and @sardelsa and most of my MFP friends want to look more like #3 than #1 and maybe @Francl27 wants to look like #1; but I don't see where there is anything wrong with **either** look given that they are both perfectly within the healthy range as far as I can tell.5 -
kshama2001 wrote: »She GAINED 18 pounds and looks better:
Lots of time working out was involved.
Got to disagree about 'better'.
While I do understand you have an opinion, I believe negativity about physique transformations should be kept to oneself especially when it comes to before/afters.
Exactly. That's why I posted what I did. Saying that she looks better in the third picture is just as shaming for women who look like picture #1. I don't hate on neither and definitely appreciate the work it took to get to #3... but what looks better is totally subjective.
But yes, lots of people gain muscle and lose fat and end up weighing more with a smaller size - because muscle is denser than fat.
Personally, I think the shaming thing is nonsense. The young lady in the pictures shows better muscle development, body shape and posture in the 3rd picture. She looks healthier and fitter. Whether one likes that look or not, those are objective observations.
I, agree with @sardelsa when she bristles at the comment because she internalizes it as people saying that picture #3 not considered an appropriate goal; but, why is it incorrect for @Francl27 to bristle at the implication that picture #1 is not considered good enough?
Maybe Staci and Sardelsa and most of my MFP friends want to look more like #3 than #1 and maybe Francl27 wants to look like #1; but I don't see where there is anything wrong with **either** look given that they are both perfectly within the healthy range as far as I can tell.
To me it's about looking at a progress photo and saying she looked better before. What if @Francl27 you posted a progress photo and someone said you looked better in the before? What if people say "You look amazing and fit!" someone looks like your before, is that body shaming, should they be offended since that implies they do not look amazing and are unfit? Of course not.
I don't think that person looks bad in the before, she looks great...but clearly she made a transformation, she changed her body composition and is happy with her results. I have photos of me before I started this bulk, then after... I mean, I look leaner in the before but that doesn't mean I look bad in either, it's about my progress. Maybe the word "better" is the issue here.8 -
I don't think it's the use of the word better. I think it's the interpretation that whatever isn't better is necessarily terrible or ugly or unacceptable or...7
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Exactly. Think about it grammatically...
We use the word "better" because "gooder" isn't a word. The definition of better is actually "more excellent"
But when egos and self esteem enter the picture, that distinction gets lost.6 -
Some people lose a little bit of weight and look like they have lost a lot, others lose a lot of weight and looks like they haven't lost much at all - depending on where that weight has come off from. For example, I tend to lose/gain weight around my face first, making even minor weight fluctuations look very noticeable.
Additionally, weightloss can be masked (on the scale) by huge variety of things, but you cannot mask clothes getting baggier and no longer fitting the same.
Same.
The difference between my highest and lowest weights has only been about 18-20 lbs. Even at photos with only a 15 difference, I look like a dramatically different person because so much of the weight is in my face and it's extremely unflattering. I hate it, it makes me paranoid of gaining even a couple lbs because they 'ruin' my face shape right away. The rest goes to my legs, and nothing to my upper body. I have friends whose face doesn't change at all with weight gain and who have such balanced body shapes that they basically become just more voluptous hourglasses. Was always jealous of them lol.2 -
Exactly. Think about it grammatically...
We use the word "better" because "gooder" isn't a word. The definition of better is actually "more excellent"
But when egos and self esteem enter the picture, that distinction gets lost.
Yeah no. Because the opposite of 'better' is 'not as good, lesser'. And that's, again, completely subjective, and has nothing to do with egos and self esteem. But whatever you need to make you feel better about yourself I guess.11
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