Not seeing progress (before and during pics)

laura_yes
laura_yes Posts: 7 Member
in Motivation and Support
Hi everyone! So I started this journey about 5 weeks ago as a 5’5 girl, 140 pounds starting. Long story short, I went to grad school, stopped working out as much, developed a binge eating habit with food, and gained 11 pounds from my starting summer weight of 129. I currently have been dieting and following a serious lifting and cardio program, and am currently hovering around 135 at 5’5. However, taking progress pics, I don’t see much difference and it’s really discouraging. The first pic is before, and the next two are where I am at now. Are there any tips on how I can lose weight faster? Currently working out 6x a week and eating anywhere from 1300-166 cals a day. I’m trying to get back to my weight of 129. Thanks!

Replies

  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    I see serious progress in your stomach area. Definitely "tighter" looking. Are you taking measurements, too?
  • eryn0x
    eryn0x Posts: 138 Member
    laura_yes wrote: »
    Hi everyone! So I started this journey about 5 weeks ago as a 5’5 girl, 140 pounds starting. Long story short, I went to grad school, stopped working out as much, developed a binge eating habit with food, and gained 11 pounds from my starting summer weight of 129. I currently have been dieting and following a serious lifting and cardio program, and am currently hovering around 135 at 5’5. However, taking progress pics, I don’t see much difference and it’s really discouraging. The first pic is before, and the next two are where I am at now. Are there any tips on how I can lose weight faster? Currently working out 6x a week and eating anywhere from 1300-166 cals a day. I’m trying to get back to my weight of 129. Thanks!

    I'm sure you realize how silly this is? Of course 5 lbs may not be noticeable. It's probable that your body composition was much different at the lower weight and depending on your diet, exercise, and so many other factors, you may be retaining more water now. Keep working at it and you'll start seeing changes.
  • jenncornelsen
    jenncornelsen Posts: 969 Member
    5 weeks is not a long time. With only 11lbs to lose its going to be slow. You didn't put on the weight in a month, it won't be gone in a month. Be patient with yourself. Quick weight loss often doesn't last
  • RelCanonical
    RelCanonical Posts: 3,882 Member
    edited January 2020
    Don't believe all the advertising you see. Getting "ripped" in five weeks is not feasible. Your progress is actually really good for that short amount of time. Like quicksylver said, your stomach is looking much tighter and less soft.
  • poisonesse
    poisonesse Posts: 573 Member
    Well, considering it's only been a 5 lb loss, you can't expect to see much change. That said, the last picture you can see light between your upper thighs (a place I have a horrible time losing) so even at only a 5 pound loss, I'd say there's a difference. And you also look a little more toned. Give it time, instant gratification doesn't work well with weight loss. 😉
  • laura_yes
    laura_yes Posts: 7 Member
    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    I see serious progress in your stomach area. Definitely "tighter" looking. Are you taking measurements, too?

    I have not been taking measurements. However, my clothes definitely fit differently. I do feel like my legs and stomach have shrunk. I guess I'm just too harsh on myself :/
  • laura_yes
    laura_yes Posts: 7 Member
    eryn0x wrote: »
    laura_yes wrote: »
    Hi everyone! So I started this journey about 5 weeks ago as a 5’5 girl, 140 pounds starting. Long story short, I went to grad school, stopped working out as much, developed a binge eating habit with food, and gained 11 pounds from my starting summer weight of 129. I currently have been dieting and following a serious lifting and cardio program, and am currently hovering around 135 at 5’5. However, taking progress pics, I don’t see much difference and it’s really discouraging. The first pic is before, and the next two are where I am at now. Are there any tips on how I can lose weight faster? Currently working out 6x a week and eating anywhere from 1300-166 cals a day. I’m trying to get back to my weight of 129. Thanks!

    I'm sure you realize how silly this is? Of course 5 lbs may not be noticeable. It's probable that your body composition was much different at the lower weight and depending on your diet, exercise, and so many other factors, you may be retaining more water now. Keep working at it and you'll start seeing changes.


    Thank you for input. I put on all the weight in a month and a half due to binge eating and stress of school, so it's been hard to cope. Hopefully I am moving in the right direction now (a month now of being binge free!)
  • laura_yes
    laura_yes Posts: 7 Member
    RelCanonical wrote: »
    Don't believe all the advertising you see. Getting "ripped" in five weeks is not feasible. Your progress is actually really good for that short amount of time. Like quicksylver said, your stomach is looking much tighter and less soft.

    Thank you! I'm glad at least there is some progress, even though it's not as quick as I want it to be.
  • laura_yes
    laura_yes Posts: 7 Member
    poisonesse wrote: »
    Well, considering it's only been a 5 lb loss, you can't expect to see much change. That said, the last picture you can see light between your upper thighs (a place I have a horrible time losing) so even at only a 5 pound loss, I'd say there's a difference. And you also look a little more toned. Give it time, instant gratification doesn't work well with weight loss. 😉

    Trying to keep my head up :) Thank you!
  • polvo71
    polvo71 Posts: 42 Member
    You look great as you are now. Seriously. Most of us have a LOT more to lose (me), a lot older than you (also me), and a lot more stressful things going on in our lives that got us here (too much to go into). Please just Enjoy your youth and don’t waste your time looking for validation on here.
  • weighmeless
    weighmeless Posts: 42 Member
    polvo71 wrote: »
    You look great as you are now. Seriously. Most of us have a LOT more to lose (me), a lot older than you (also me), and a lot more stressful things going on in our lives that got us here (too much to go into). Please just Enjoy your youth and don’t waste your time looking for validation on here.

    Exactly what I thought. If I was as thin as her, I probably would exercise just to keep myself active and not worry about loosing weight.

    OP - Girl if I had your body, I would enjoy my life lot more I guess. You don't know what you have :)
    I don't mean to discourage, but don't fret over something that is not a must. You definitely look awesome before and now.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    You look great, leaner. I mentioned this in your other thread not sure where it went, but what are your ultimate goals? What are you not happy about? Do you want more muscular definition or are you unhappy about your size?
  • errollmaclean
    errollmaclean Posts: 562 Member
    Definite progress. 5 weeks is a pretty short amount of time.

    As for tips, make sure you're doing all the basics: using a digital food scale and double checking diary entries from the database to make sure they're accurate, to make sure your calorie logging is accurate. Be cautious of eating back all your exercise calories, if you are eating them all, as calorie burn estimate can be pretty inaccurate.
  • lx1x
    lx1x Posts: 38,330 Member
    8hlfsxpwj9et.gif


    "Are there any tips on how I can lose weight faster?"

    Plenty.. but doubt you want to.. it's frowned upon here.
  • imxnianne
    imxnianne Posts: 216 Member
    What’s your height? You’re more toned than I am and I’m 129 at 5’5. Losing weight is a very slow process especially when you’re getting lighter. It took about 2 months for me to lose weight and that was just 3lbs. That was before though, woth a workout routine 4x a week. Change up your work out routine! Eat less sodium.
  • laura_yes
    laura_yes Posts: 7 Member
    imxnianne wrote: »
    What’s your height? You’re more toned than I am and I’m 129 at 5’5. Losing weight is a very slow process especially when you’re getting lighter. It took about 2 months for me to lose weight and that was just 3lbs. That was before though, woth a workout routine 4x a week. Change up your work out routine! Eat less sodium.

    I am also 5’5! Have definitely dramatically changed workout routine and an following a structured program at the moment.
  • laura_yes
    laura_yes Posts: 7 Member
    sardelsa wrote: »
    You look great, leaner. I mentioned this in your other thread not sure where it went, but what are your ultimate goals? What are you not happy about? Do you want more muscular definition or are you unhappy about your size?

    Thank you! My goal is to lose 6 more pounds, so I really want to lean out along with getting some muscular definition back. Right now I feel puffy even though that mirror pic doesn’t accurately represent that.

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