My name's Kira, I'm 16, I'm a gymnast (yes, leotards, and yes, they suck), snowboard instructor, and community college student.

I've been trying to lose weight for years while slowly gaining more and more. I guess I just wasn't ready until about 7 weeks ago, but since then I've been losing really well. I'm 5'2". Started out at 158 and in 7 weeks I've dropped 13.5 pounds to 144.5. Just completely changed my eating habits, no more bingeing, writing down everything.

I eat about 1300 calories a day and get an ok amount of exercise, but not too much cardio. I'll have time/access to a lot more starting in the fall. That's not really the issue, though.

I've lost almost 14 pounds, but I'm not noticing a visible difference. I can't tell you anything about inches since this is all very casual -- I'm recording weight and food but no inches or anything. I usually wear pretty baggy clothes so noticing that they're looser doesn't really work.

Basically I'm curious if somehow I'm not losing inches, or if I'm losing them but just can't tell on myself. My mom did make one comment that I looked like I lost a little weight, but it's my mom and she would say that just because she thought it would make me happy. If my eyes aren't tricking me, and I really look exactly the same, then how long will it be until I see a difference and what am I doing wrong?

I'm considering taking picture to avoid this problem in the future.

Thanks for reading this long post!

OK, first off, measure. In my experience, there is no better tool for tracking progress.

Second, I think we're the last to notice a difference in ourselves. I just got back from a vacation and my family has yet to shut up about how skinny I look. I know I've lost weight, but I don't see it like they do.

Pictures are certainly a helpt to me. I amuse myself endlessly by looking back at photos from a couple of years ago to see how much I've changed. Sometimes, it takes that for me to realize there has been a change at all.

Lastly, we all lose weight from different places first. My face and my hands have been thinning out the most, while my butt is determined to maintain its original shape and size. I've lost one wedding ring and had to move the replacement to my middle finger to keep it from falling off! It's weird. That's another reason I find photos helpful.

Also, consider getting clothes that aren't so baggy. I know what the, er, fashion is (baggy's been in since I was in high school seven years ago; I think we need to find another way to nonconform ), but you will look a lot better and feel a lot better about yourself with some good-fitting clothes.

hmmm. I would say that baggy is definitely not in, at least for girls. I wear baggy pants cause they're way more comfortable .

Thanks for the tips, I'll start recording measurements and taking pictures. How often should I do this? Once a month? Once every two months?

I can tell you how often I do it, & you take it from there.

Measurements I used to do weekly, but I now do monthly. Just because I now also weigh monthly instead of weekly. I really recommend you measure when you weigh, right afterwards so you don't forget. (By saying this, I'm assuming you don't weigh in daily; I don't think it'll be of much use to measure everyday.) Pick a set of measurements to take and keep a log, just like you do with weight. Make sure you've got a good tape measure, and get down to at least the quarter-inch in your measurements, because sometimes changes are that small. (I use all the little slashes on the tape measure. )

I have one photo from a couple of years ago that I keep as my baseline picture. I'll be honest, I don't take pictures with any great regularity. I do always take one before starting a new exercise program, and try to take them at least monthly after that. I have a digital camera with a self-timer, though, so I'm free to take pictures of myself at whim. I make sure to strip down to a bra & panties to take the photos, or at least a bra & shorts. I take headshots too, since I'm seeing the most change there. Those I do when I do my other photos.

You'll find something that works for you. I also, as I said in another thread, go by clothing fit. I don't have many bottoms, so I wear a few pieces constantly (I'm really picky with my clothes), and I notice when the fit changes. In the waistband at least. It takes me a lot longer to notice pants/shorts getting baggy in the legs.

And now that I think of it, you're right with baggy not being so much of a style with girls. It's just that I've always had more guy friends.