Losing but not seeing changes

I saw that someone else recently shared the idea of the "Paper Towel Effect" essentially that when you are bigger it takes longer to see the loss, but as you lose weight every lb has a great impact... I started at 290 and am down nearly 35lbs and am just now feeling that I can notice a slight change - more in how clothes fit, etc. Keep with it and give yourself plenty of time - that's great progress already!

ebourg8299 wrote: »

Hello everyone, I’ve lost 43 pounds so far. I went from 327 to 284. I am a woman, 23, 5’8. I’ve been bigger all my life but 327 was my highest weight. I’m just wondering if anyone else struggles with not seeing or feeling a difference. I still feel like I am my highest weight. I don’t see a difference in my appearance and Normally I don’t feel different, sometimes I have more energy but only a few days out the week. This weight loss has taken me about 7 months to achieve after going back and forth and finally finding a lifestyle that works for me. So for about 5 months I stayed around 300 pounds. Within the past 2 months I’ve gotten down to the 284 that i am now. Could anyone share their own stories and maybe their opinion or insight on my own? Thank you all

Yes, it IS frustrating. Basically, changes tend to come with percentages of weight lost more than actual pounds. When I was my heaviest (close to where you were), I needed to lose 30+ lb to feel a difference in my clothing. Closer to goal, it was more like 10-15 lb. At or below goal 10 lb. made a big difference.

For those suggesting taking pictures: that is the problem at weights like the OP and where I used to be . . . there WAS no noticeable difference to take a photo of. Take heart OP, eventually there will be. Suddenly you realize that your pull-on shorts are just hanging on the hips instead of around the waist or that you are bouncing around in your bra instead of spilling over the top.

In the meantime, use the scale rather than clothing as your main indicator of progress. It is exactly the opposite of what those with less to lose have to do. Eventually you will reach the point where the opposite starts happening.

I have been told that people who have lost a lot of weight sometimes walk by a mirror / shop window, see themselves but have to take a double - take before they realize that it is really them, just with a different silhouette. Oh, I am so looking forward to that experience!

As far as how I felt about my body/form, progress photos were so helpful to me! There were a lot of times I felt there hadn't been any changes for weeks, but the monthly photos I took told a different story. Body measurements in inches can help, too.

If you're not feeling much improvement as far as energy levels and general feeling of wellness, perhaps it's time to take it to the next level. If you're not exercising yet, maybe it's time to add some daily walking or some other activity that you enjoy. Maybe evaluate the composition of your diet to see if adding or subtracting certain foods would be beneficial (e.g., I feel best when I have a lot of plant-based foods in my diet).

Maybe also log how you feel day to day with your diary to see if you can pinpoint any habits that add to or subtract from your energy levels.

You're not alone..there's a lot of ways of addressing this. First.. you need to embrace the tools of reality .. one is the scale, the tape measure, your clothes, and finally, a before photo. The scale doesn't always work as a gauge..that is why you need the other tools to reassure yourself that you're losing.

You need all these things to look at your progress logically..because the mind is often sees a skewed perception of what is going on during weight loss. There are at goal weight people on here who know they are at goal..but still see themselves as overweight.

The bottom line is the scale is not lying in your case. Don't let your mind's false perception of your progress discourage you..or make you quite. Eventually your mind will catch up with what's really going on.

I will agree that it's a good idea to take your measurements weekly. This can be an eyeopener over time. When you hit a stall, you can see your progress on the tape measure. It keeps you going. Keep a journal of your measurements. Good luck.

snowflake954 wrote: »

I will agree that it's a good idea to take your measurements weekly. This can be an eyeopener over time. When you hit a stall, you can see your progress on the tape measure. It keeps you going. Keep a journal of your measurements. Good luck.

For those with a lot to lose, weekly measurements tend to be counterproductive since the changes happen very slowly. Until I lost my first 100 lb. I did monthly measurements.

Changes in your body with weight loss are slow and subtle...you look at yourself everyday, so you're not likely to really notice so you always look the same to yourself...this is where progress photos come in handy. Also, "problem areas" tend to be what we look at and focus on and unfortunately, those problem areas are usually the last to go.

cwolfman13 wrote: »

Changes in your body with weight loss are slow and subtle...you look at yourself everyday, so you're not likely to really notice so you always look the same to yourself...this is where progress photos come in handy. Also, "problem areas" tend to be what we look at and focus on and unfortunately, those problem areas are usually the last to go.

I was thinking this as well. And also, everyone carries their weight differently. You may not see it yet, but changes are happening...try not to get discouraged You've lost over 40 pounds!
Great work!

ebourg8299 wrote: »

Sorry for not much clarification on this. My s/o has told me that my clothes are starting to look baggy but personally, in my own eyes, I don’t see it. I still wear most of the same clothes I had when I was 327. I’ve had anxiety about shopping since I’ve been bigger for a while, but I might go try on size smaller clothes just to see, maybe that will help me. In my OP I was mainly talking about my physical appearance in general, but you’re right clothes go hand in hand with that.

Clothes shopping and trying on a size smaller is always a big boost. Even though it is nice to have clothing that can get you through a couple of sizes there is something so wonderful about putting on a pair of jeans or a sweater in a size smaller. My biggest triumph was when I finally shrunk out of my swimming suit and had to buy a smaller one (my first exercise was a water aerobics class)

You are doing really well. Keep up the good work. If you have something you wore at your largest size, keep it. Try it on every once in a while and you can really get a feel for your progress. Mine was a pair of shorts and a sleeveless t-shirt.