[lea591]

I haven't been on this forum in ages, sorry for not being around to offer support to anyone else!

I have had to take a break from trying to lose weight for mental health reasons, I have had to put weight loss to the back of my mind and sort myself out.
So I haven't been trying to lose weight.
Although, when I eventually weighed myself this morning, I found that I have lost 12 lbs. I know this isn't a lot considering that it has been 3 months, but I should be happy that it is at least a step in the right direction.
However, I can't help but feel like I look like I have gotten bigger. I feel like I am bigger but at a lower weight, does that make sense to anyone else?
In terms of clothes sizes, I am still in double figures, and at my lowest and at my ideal weight I would be in single figures clothes.
So although I should feel motivated by losing weight unintentionally, I don't. I don't feel I have made progress.
I feel like I am bigger and look bigger now.
I don't know if this is just me or not though. Has anyone else lost weight but looked bigger, or felt like that?

[NYFLAgirl]

I've experienced that before. A few weeks ago I hadn't been exercising as much as I wanted to but I lost weight anyway. However, I felt huge and thought I looked bigger as well. I chalked it up to not exercising and gaining back inches and not weight. I don't even know if that's physically possible but that's how I felt anyway.

[lea591]

Thanks for your reply.

It makes me feel better to know it isn't just in my head. I don't have a clue if it is physically possible either. I know your weight fluctuates a lot naturally. But I don't know if it can fluctuate by 12lbs. But at the same time it would surprise me to find that I had lost 12lbs. As although I have lost an inch from my stomach I haven't lost anything from my waist. My waist is still 4 inches larger than it used to be. My waist used to be 25inches and it is now 29 and has stayed that way. So although my stomach is down to 34, I can't feel pleased. I don't know if I am being too hard on myself though.

[magical]

At 145lbs and 5'10", you are at the lower end of the BMI scale and your goal is to be underweight. It is very unlikely that you look big at your weight now. If anything, focus on body recomposition - get leaner and toned.

Since you're in the UK, double figures clothing size would be size 10 (min) and that's very small already. If you start toning rather than trying to lose more weight, your clothing size will probably reduce to a lower size.

[NYFLAgirl]

I think sometimes life happens and we can't always focus on our weight loss goals. If you had to take a break from weight loss than you had to take a break. So don't be hard on yourself. The point is that you're getting back to it now-focus on that and be proud!

[alaskanlaughter]

ive had the opposite happen, where the scale stayed the same BUT I swear I looked bigger after a time of overindulging....then I switched workouts from running to weight training and I looked a lot better and even looked smaller BUT the scale just skyrocketed up and never went back down I eventually stopped weighing myself constantly because it was seriously messing with my head....and instead focused on how I look and feel

and yes, at your weight and height focusing on toning and strengthening would make more of a difference than simply trying to get the scale lower

[freelancemomma]

Hi there,

I couldn't help noticing that you're 5'10" and your goal weight is 112 lbs. Surely you know that's not a healthy weight for you. You would lose your period and reproductive functions at that weight, and probably have very little energy. Rather than losing more weight, I suggest you figure out (possibly with the help of a therapist) why you wish to jeopardize your health and well-being -- and hopefully adjust your weight goal to something healthier.

F.