Ok...so...the last time I really tried to lose weight was when i was about 150 and I got down to 120. (I don't think that's ever going to happen again...I looked dead...lol)
But anyway...I noticed right away my weight loss and clothes started falling off of me in only a couple weeks.

Now...starting at 300 lbs...I realize that my weight loss isn't as big of a percentage of my total weight...and therefore I won't notice it as quickly...but I've lost about 15lbs. and I don't notice it at all yet! When did you guys start noticing or feeling slimmer....or when was the first time someone who you didn't tell you were dieting told you that you looked as though you lost weight?
I know it's vein...but I've really been working hard and haven't gone off track at all and I would like to look forward to when I can start seeing/feeling results!

Thanks for reading!

I don't know if it was here or not, but someone once explained it like this:

Let’s assume you go out and buy two rolls of paper towels, each with 112 paper towels on it. You put one aside, and keep it for future reference (your “before” picture). The other one represents you (I’ll call your paper towel “Ed”). The core represents the lean Ed. The towels represent the fat that is covering the lean Ed.

For sake of argument, let’s say that Ed wants to lose 28 pounds of fat, so (112/28) each sheet represents a quarter-pound of fat lost.

Let’s also assume that Ed loses his fat equally during each day of the program.

Each day during the first week, you tear a sheet off of Ed, representing the fat he has lost for the day. Next, you put Ed next to the full roll (“Big Ed”) for comparison.

No noticeable difference! Even at the end of the week!

"This can’t be working for me! This program sucks! "

But, you continue to follow your fat loss program. At the end of weeks two and three, you continue to compare Ed to Big Ed, and still notice very little difference.

But Ed is determined! He continues to work hard!

Three more weeks go by, the sheets peeling off day after day, before Ed gets up the courage to stand next to Big Ed again.

Now there’s a big difference!

By the end of the program (112 days), Ed is down to his lean dream, or somewhere near it. Big Ed is still - well, big.

The lesson to be learned is that fat, like paper towels, comes off in sheets. When you are heavy, you are big around. And when you are big around, that fat is spread over a MUCH larger area – just like that outside towel sheet. The closer you get to the lean you, the more each lost pound of fat shows, because it is spread over a smaller area.

While the outside sheet may only cover one layer of the roll, the inside sheet may go around 4 times. That last sheet looks like it gives you four times the results of the first sheet, but in reality, the results are the same – your perception is just different! And you’ll never see the inside, if you aren’t patient while the outside is coming off! – Bob White

I never thought of it like that.... that is a great analogy.

A great explanation. As for people noticing , people who see you all the time won't notice it for awhile, but if someone sees you that hasn't seen you for awhile they will notice it right away.

I think it depends on the person, your body shape, etc etc. I got comments at say 30 pounds loss and the thing is I just got down to 270 and got more comments because since the start of the second year of loss, I started in June of 2008 so during that first June - June I lost about 63-65 pounds. Then I gained a little back while I adjusted my life and pills and started the next June to June cycle at 285. Since then I've lost 15 pounds and got comments about it. My reasoning for that is now that I'm getting smaller, my true shape is starting to appear more and more. Yeah I still have HUGE tummy saggage and I wont' even talk about the twins or the thigh issues, but the good things are starting to show more and more. It does take time and for some people you may get comments right away, for others it may be a bit of time, but don't let that discourage you.

As for clothes... I tend to notice the weight loss with my tops. I'm pear shaped, so I carry most of my weight in the lower half of my body. I have a tummy that sags, **** it all sags, but the point is that my pant size is always bigger. I've noticed that when my shirts get really big, my pants start to get big also. If I look at my body, naked EEKS, then I don't really see it to be honest. One of the comments I get from my boyfriend is that my stomach doesn't sag as much as it used to. In fact he'll make this face like "oh yeah, it was big and was really low." To me, I don't see the difference that much physically, except in my clothing. Maybe that will make sense!

I am down fourteen pounds as well and haven't noticed the change other than inches lost and shirts in a smaller size, it does take time for us to notice as we see ourselves everyday.

I love the paper towel thing! It made me laugh.

I'm pear shaped, so most people see it in my upper body but not my bottom half. People I see once in while can see it. I can see it a little bit but not much.

My fiance comes home every 3 weeks and he can see it.

Like the paper towel story, the fat is melting off all over. So it may take time for people to notice. Maybe try taking a before picture. Then try taking a picture in the same spot every month. Then put the pictures side by side and then you will have a visual on how well your doing. It might be a small change but a good change.

Well, I'm at 45 lbs today and I still don't see it really. Well, I see it in my face and I can see that the inches are coming off with the tape measure, but overall - even in before and after pics, I still don't see it. Of course I'm starting with a JUMBO roll of paper towels. The sad thing is that as you lose the weight, a lb lost is more wraps around the roll, but it's alot harder to lose that lb last couple of wraps than it was to lose the first one Oh well, Onward and DOWNWARD

I loved the paper towel analogy!!

At 350 (my highest) no one commented until I was down about 70 lbs. One of the reasons was because my clothing spanned 2 sizes. A 30/32 or a 26/28. Once out of the first double size pants and putting on smaller clothes, people noticed. It's hard for people to tell you are losing weight when you hide in black baggy things. I would say 99% of the people I encounter at work are even afraid to say anything because of political correctness (I work in gov't and everyone minds their Ps & Qs when dealing with sensitive issues).

Thanks for the paper towel "Ed" story!!

Hugs,
Ratkity

good advice on the measuring/before picture thing.
I just can't wait to feel like I've accomplished something! I don't feel any different yet. I'm just trying to be patient and take it a week at a time. I know I'll get there slowly but surely! =)
Thanks all for your support and advice!

I just posted this pix on the "positive, uplifting" thread
(click here for the photo).

It shows my backside after about 25 pounds of weight loss. Almost nobody had noticed the weight loss, but believe me, I have been fitting into smaller and smaller clothes, the seat belt on airplanes fits around me again (yay!) and there are sooooo many wonderful benefits -- even if no one notices.

What do you chickies think? Can you see it?

For me, it took about 60 lbs. I started out a 30 top/32 pant and around 300 lbs my pants wouldn't stay up anymore if I put, like, my cell phone in my pocket, so I skipped 28 and went straight to 26. They were a bit snug but OK. The next 20 lbs, 60 to 80, made a huge difference. I've been hovering at 120 lbs lost for a couple months but I am still getting incrementally smaller. My 18s are starting to get baggy, some 16s fit, some are still too small. I wear some XL shirts but can also wear a few Ls now. I don't know why my scale doesn't go down but I continue to get smaller, but it's not that bad of a problem to have.

A lot of it depends on how you carry your weight. Mine is very evenly distributed and I am very fortunate to have a proportionately small waist--an hourglass.

I've lost 45 pounds and as far as I can tell I've only gone down 1 dress size. My pants are loose on me even underwear is loose but nobody really notices and I don't really notice. I make sure I take my measurements so I know there's something happening