Question For People Who Have/Had A Lot To Lose...

I like to focus on "measuring" other less subjective things than what the scale says. Since I know it'll take me around a year to get to my goal, I like to make sure I can check off mini wins along the way:
pushups
challenges with friends
strength training challenges
walking challenges
rowing challenges

etc.

Even when the scale and tape measure are being evil, I am happy to know I can do more pushups than I could at the beginning of the year. I can row for an a hour (grudgingly) and at the beginning of the year it was 10 minutes and I was done.

Set a lot of mini goals for yourself and stay consistent. You'll get there.

you will see it better in the pictures, that's where i see mine check out my pictures!

I started out at 335 lbs and honestly it took me losing 40-50 of those pounds before I (or most people) could see a difference. Don't judge yourself too harshly and keep doing what you are doing.

I totally agree that other people will notice it first. I'm so used to seeing myself much bigger that I don't see myself objectively in the mirror at all. I'll see a picture and be totally shocked that I look that thin! In the mirror, I still see myself as 260 pounds....

My starting weight was 302lbs and I am now about 282lbs. I have lost 20lbs and I can DEFINITELY see a change in the mirror! My stomach is much flatter and I have an hourglass shape!! yaaaaay!! I still have a long ways to go though!

The truth is you don't often see it yourself because you see yourself every day, and so it happens so gradually that it's impossible for you to notice as dramatically as someone who hasn't seen you in a good amount of time would. I started at about 294 lbs and I'm 150 now, but I didn't realize how much smaller I was until somebody pointed it out to me and showed me a picture of me at my heaviest.

Don't let the fact that you don't see a change in your day-to-day looks discourage you - it's like watching a plant grow, it happens too slowly for us to see a difference, but that doesn't mean it's not happening. Take a picture every month and you WILL see the difference.

I started out at 310 and am currently at 296, so I still have a LONG way to go. I do, however, see a slight difference in the mirror. I think the entire 14 pounds I've lost have been in my midsection, as my waist is noticeably more defined already.

...how long does it take to see results in the mirror? Just curious. If the scale is moving in the right direction and you're working really hard, how much weight do you have to lose so that it begins to show? I know for heavier people it tends to take longer to actually see (right?) and i promised myself i'd have patience and take comfort in the knowledge that as long as the scale says weight is coming off then it's coming off SOMEWHERE and i'd chill out and wait it out until i can see it. I guess what i'm looking for is reassurance and some real-life examples if possible. Thanks.

For me it was 100 lbs. before I began to see the difference in a mirror

I see it in my face first. My face gets REALLY large...and when I start losing I can see a shadow of my cheekbones. That's my guide in the beginning. Then it goes to pants and bras fitting correctly.

Keep going, you can do this!!!

How often do you all recommend i take pictures?

I have been taking pictures about every 2-3 weeks. While the changes are small, I want to be able to see multiple progressions. It's crazy how you notice different areas of your body in the pictures that you would never notice when you look in the mirror. For me, when I look in the mirror, I focus on two places: my belly and my upper arms. That is all I see when I look at myself. So I was very surprised to see how skinny my legs had gotten and how my butt got smaller in the pictures I took! If you are working out, you should also start to see your posture improve, especially in the pictures. Good luck!!!!