How much did you have to lose before anyone noticed??

[erebus]

An idle question, really, but I was just wondering at what stage you found people at the 'work-colleague' level of intimacy spotted that you'd lost weight without you talking loudly about it?!

Or even the DH??

Personally, I am not making a song and dance about my new diet, though I know the psychology of doing so is helpful to many other dieters. DH obviously knows, though the downside of not talking it up is him casually offering me a pot of creme brulee for dessert, for instance! Though I guess it does help me recognise that the family's life goes on and I have to adapt by saying 'no' where appropriate!

I am at the very start of a diet, I have 2 1/2 stone to lose. I know everyone would notice when I lost 1/5 of my body-weight but I wonder if anyone would even notice half a stone? ie 13 stone down to 12.5?

I think it depends on your height and body shape.
I'm 5'2" and people comment after I every few lbs I lose as it really shows on me. I drop a dress size after every stone or so.

I lost a stone last summer (down from just under 14 stone to just under 13 stone - I'm 5'9'') and people did notice, but only people who didn't see me from the beginning to the end, no one did who saw me while it was a work in progress. Which was mildly galling. My husband lost about the same and someone (older woman!) in his team at work told him he needed a new suit as his old one was too big. Now doing WW online and have lost 6lb so far - early days. Funnily enough, I find that dieting has a bad effect on my own self-perception. It really makes me realise just how lardy I am and I feel much fatter than I did before I started. So I could do with a few positive comments...

I think it also depends on when you buy new clothes too. I am still wearing some trousers that I bought when I was a stone and a half heavier (because I hate shopping and am a skin flint) and they probably make me look heavier than I am because of all the extra bulk. Sigh. Suppose I should go to the shops - just seems a bit pointless when I want to lose another stone at least.

I think people notice when you wear different clothes. But it took 2+ stones before everyone was commenting.

Interesting!

I think it'll take me a good 2 stone as well. I'm 5'6" and was 13 stone when I started (4 days ago!). I also never wear close fitting clothes and my work uniform is, essentially, pyjamas!

I'm 5'6" and it takes different clothes and about a stone for me.

It also depends the rate at which you do it and how frequently people see you. My DP has noticed the 42lb I've lost, but never really had that wow! moment, until he looked at photos from before I lost weight because it's taken me about, um, 4 years. However I got comments from colleagues after coming back from a holiday a week ago because I've lost a stone since Christmas.

Good luck with the weight loss.

42 lbs! Fantastic!

Took 2+ stones before anyone noticed weight loss for me too

I started at 12-10 and my mum noticed when I had lost about 8-9 pounds but then again she hadn't seen me for a few months. By the time I returned to work after mat. leave I had lost a stone in total and then in the following 2 months lost another stone. I would say it took about 1.5 stones before people openly commented.

I would say after about 1.5 stone of the 4.2 i lost in total

I've lost about 6lbs since Christmas (was 10st 4) and a few people have mentioned I have lost a bit of weight.
Personally though, I rarely notice anyone's weight gain or loss though, it would have to be 10% change for me to notice I think.

Three stone and only then once I started wearing different clothes. I think people don't want to be thought rude.

(I've lost 78lb in total.)

Awesome job Verso! BIG congratulations. And of course well done to everyone else as well.

Details needed please, Verso! And congratulations!

Pics on my profile . Thanks!

Verso - WOW!

I've lost about 8 pounds and someone noticed but to be honest people are always saying I look like I have lost weight! Then for the last two days running people have made comments about my being pregnant (I am not!) so who knows. I am doing a New ID course.

www.newid.info/

here

Verso, you look AMAZING! Well done!

Verso, you look fantastic! Can I ask what your starting weight and current weight are?

Thanks, atswimtwolengths (great name, btw!). I briefly tipped the scales last summer at 16 stone and am now hovering reliably around the 10 stone 5 mark or thereabouts.

Verso, for fear of being glib, could I ask how hard it is for your to remain at your new (amazing!) weight?

Do you feel you have banished the 'over-eating demons'? Do you feel perhaps a bit resignedthat you'll always have to be 'on a diet', or do you now feel that your new way of eating is permanently entrenched in your psyche?

Sorry for the personal questions!

Verso - have just had a peek at your photos - you look incredible!

Is Lighterlife the thing where you have drinks or am I confusing that with something else?

erebus - I went from about 14 stone to 10 stone 7lbs about 2 years ago and people started to make comments when I was at around the 11 stone mark. It really took until then as I am very apple-shaped and look pregnant at anything above 11 stone 7.

My weight has absolutely ballooned since then to 13 stone 10 as of May 9th this year. I have lost 10lbs in the last 2 weeks but I know it will take a lot more than that before people start to notice. I reckon when am about 12 stone people might notice.

From losing the weight last time I seem to remember a bit of a 'tipping point', i.e. at 11 stone 7 I still looked and felt overweight but at 11 stone I was getting lots of compliments.

Guitargirl- thanks.

Again, please excuse personal questions (and of course you're always free to ignore me!) but what do you think 'happened' to make that weight go on again? I stress I am not looking for details of any family issues or whatever, really! But what I am trying to find out is why the weight goes back on? I know I dieted ages ago then regained the weight (albeit slowly) but I can't put my finger on what 'went wrong'. I am thinking complacency on my part?!

Hope you don't mind me asking!

It's not an excuse but I think it was partly stress - no major issue just general 'life' stress. I had a few bad weeks food wise which turned into a few bad months and before I knew it it was all back on.

One mistake I definitely made was avoiding the scales. I knew I was getting bigger but I just didn't want to face it in black and white and stuck my head in the sand. I felt unhappy about it and ate even more as a comfort.

My DS is in the throes of the terrible 2s at the moment and have identified stress related to that as a trigger for me. He starts screaming or having a tantrum and I go almost on auto-pilot to the cupboard to eat something .

This time I have promised myself to weigh every Friday even if I know I have put on weight as am hoping the scales will be enough to shock me into doing something about it.

erebus - I am 6 weeks into my maintenance diet. I think that its very easy to go back to your old WOE, and if you do the weight goes back on. I think also the body is very susceptible to weight gain right after a diet, and most people have to work hard at maintaining. Maintaning means saying no to the chocolate cake, and keeping portion sizes in proportion.