Losing weight, but still look "big"

GymRat18 · 01-24-2012, 01:21 PM

I have lost about 30+ pounds, but I still look as If I weighed at my highest at 230. I'm worried how my body will look once I've reached my goal. I can't say what my shape looks like because I have been heavy for the majority of my life. Does anyone else feel this way.

runningfromfat · 01-24-2012, 01:35 PM

The smaller you get the more your weight loss will become noticeable (both to others and yourself). There's something often referred to as the "Paper Towel Theory" basically, if you take sheets off a paper towel at the beginning it's not noticeable but the farther down you go the more you notice their loss. Same with our bodies.

Taking progress pictures and measurements, really can help a lot too! Then you can put a number to how much you're losing and compare before and after pictures. Additionally, having clothes that don't fit will hide your loses more and a well-fitting bra makes a world of difference too!

Another thing.. you're on the shorter size so it's hard to compare your weight to those that are taller than you. Being in the mid-190's at 5'2" is very different than being in the mid-190's at half a foot taller. A good place to look if you want to see the difference on other people is My Body Gallery.

Dawn2Dusk · 01-24-2012, 01:40 PM

I'll second runningfromfat. It does suck that us shorties won't SHOW any significant loss in the beginning. But the good news is the closer you are to goal the more each couple pounds lost will make a difference physically. Right now I've mentally prepared myself to not have my weight loss noticed until I've reached 199 lbs.

InsideMe · 01-24-2012, 01:43 PM

I agree. People have only been noticing when I hit the 45lbs mark

sucks, but what kept me going was how I felt. Try not to let it discourage you, go by how you are feeling now that you are eating healthier and have adopted a healthy lifestyle. It will happen, you will start to look different the lower you get. Now that I'm in the 180's I notice a difference every 3-5lbs in my body. The changes happen much faster the lower you get so just keep doing what your doing! You're doing amazing!

CocoTruffles · 01-24-2012, 01:44 PM

I know exactly how you feel GymRat. Ive lost quite a bit too and I still can hardly see a difference even in photos. Im only 5'6" and all my weight is located in my middle area so its going to take some time for it to show on me just like the "paper towel roll." When I evaluate how far Ive come though I can feel it more then I can see it right now which is better then nothing. I don't feel as fatigued and I have a little bit more energy and stamina then when I was at my highest weight.

Eliana · 01-24-2012, 02:17 PM

I think this is something we've all worried about from time to time. There for a while I felt like a smaller version of myself. It wasn't until I got to around the 160's, I think, that I started feeling like my shape was changing. Before that I felt exactly the same, just smaller, if that make sense. And yes, those last 20-30 pounds make all the difference in the world.

The lovely thing is, you don't have to get to goal to start seeing results.

It's amazing how you will feel the closer you get. I'm still 30 pounds over my "real" goal, but I love where I am, for the most part. If I wasn't getting married on March 31st I wouldn't be trying this awful hard.

thistoo · 01-24-2012, 02:39 PM

I'm five feet even and I couldn't tell a real difference until I got down to about 180. Depressing! You will get there, though, I promise, and it's even sweeter for having waited so long to see the difference.

Trazey34 · 01-24-2012, 02:48 PM

No one really said a word to me til after 50 or so pounds, but then again i started at 323, so i still WAS really big lol I concur about before/after shots I'd wish I'd taken a few more.

And as to what you'll look like? Might not be a model, but it will be BETTER than where you started

And living longer is kinda awesome too LOL

Mizzthingaling · 01-24-2012, 02:54 PM

I understand. My mother told me she wasn't seeing it until I had on a certain outfit. People that see you alot will not notice until you are a long way away. I wasn't even seeing it, but I have been wearing jackets that would not close before so I know I have lost.

I've never seen myself then either. I will keep going until I get happy with my weight though.

RRB2 · 01-24-2012, 03:02 PM

I 5 feet 1 and have been really heavy since my first child was born 12 years ago. The heaviest I've ever weighted was 223 or so. Until I lost 30 lbs - very few people noticed. But I noticed! I stood straighter, breathed easier, my mood has improved, I was able to wear size M-L in shirts.
I think my confidence improved much earlier than my body - thus giving me more of a motivation to continue. Good Luck!

linJber · 01-24-2012, 05:41 PM

It takes about 30 (or more) pounds at any height, I think. And my younger friends and relatives were the first to notice. I think they look at other people's shapes and sizes differently than someone my age (60).

As far as seeing the same person in the mirror - this is SO hard to explain. My mom and her 8 sisters all were thin and all looked alike. I look like them. When I used to look in the mirror, I saw my own heavy face. Now I see my mom and my aunts. "My" face is fat - theirs are not. So I see them, not me. So hard to explain.

Hang in there.

Lin

Jen · 01-24-2012, 06:07 PM

I am down about 56 lbs from my highest weight and while I know I look smaller to some I don't see it when I look in the mirror. Intellectually I know I have lost weight, my measurements are smaller and I have dropped about 2 clothes sizes but emotionally I can't see it yet.

baker23 · 01-24-2012, 06:18 PM

No one said they noticed anything until I had already dropped 50 pounds. I went back to visit my parents after dropping 70 and the only comment I got was my mom saying it looked like I had dropped a "Little" weight xD...No one believed me when I said how much it was.

I still don't see any difference with how I look now vs at my heaviest. The only reason I can tell any sort of difference is the size of my clothing, and pictures. But I still look in the mirror and see the same body I had at 350...My mind hasen't caught up to it, and i'm wondering if it ever will at this point...
Runningfromfat pretty much stated the reasoning, with the paper towel theory. SO just hang in there. Take some pics at your current weight and compare them to 30 pounds ago. I'm positive you'll see a difference

fyreflie24 · 01-24-2012, 06:54 PM

Oh you obviously heard me whining to my husband this morning! LOL

It's true though, the lower you get the more the losses show. I think 190-180 showed as much as 230-200, at least gauging on comments from folks. I have HUGE anxiety that I'm going to work for 10 months and get to my goal and STILL not feel comfortable being on the beach in a bathing suit...or that I'll miss my goal. I'm struggling with working out A LOT but I'm trying. I tend to have a few bigger sessions than shorter ones. I had to take progress pictures for a biggest loser competition I was in and let me tell you, taking them every 10 lbs or so really does help you see progress! You can see my first half pix in the mini goal section. Slow and steady, it happens but I don't think fast enough for ANY of us!

facingfacts12 · 01-24-2012, 07:59 PM

oh WOW - you know, I never knew about the paper towl theory. Makes sense I guess. I'm a little down to hear that, cause I guess I assumed every week as lose weight I'll be seeing a big difference and people would notice soon, I guess I might be in for a dose of reality.
But in the reverse I just thought, I bet that's how the weight gained up on me too... cause just 5 more pounds doesn't look or feel that different when you are already obese...
I guess I'll look on the bright side, at least when you are very overweight the pounds fall off pretty fast in the beginning...
at least I hope they will!!