How much do I have to lose to see a benefit??

[Roguebludger]

I'm 5ft6 and used to weigh 16st 10. I recognised how problematic this was and started calorie counting at the end of March. I'm now 14st 7 and still obese. But I feel like after losing 2 st 3lbs I should see a difference but I'm still in the same size clothes, and they don't feel massively looser and no one has said anything about it. I know I'm still fat but I'm losing motivation and I need something to aim towards. How much have you all lost before you've noticed the difference?

That’s amazing OP you should be really proud of yourself.
I have no idea about when people notice. I’d imagine if you see people everyday it won’t be as obvious to them. So no advice sorry but just wanted to say well done. That’s a real achievement since March.

That’s amazing. I lost 2 stone (12st to 10 st) same height it really showed people noticed

Thanks, I just want to feel I'm making a difference, 10 st would be amazing, I bet you look great, it's my target. How did you do it?

you wont see it as the change is gradual

do you have photos of yourself at your biggest? compare

I don't really have any pictures of me. I find looking at them a bit shocking because I don't recognise myself. I didn't look like this before children!

Intermittent fasting
meals on smaller plates
cut back on crisps and biscuits
cardio most mornings
booze weekends only
2 years on kept it off but the above is my norm now

You might be wearing same size clothes as most things today are stretchy and accommodate a range of sizes. A friend of mine has before and after pictures wearing the same clothes after 3.5 stone loss and the clothes fit in both. Just in the befores they are more fitted, and there is more drape in the after pictures. You only really notice the difference in fit when you are comparing pictures side by side.

Id really recommend taking pictures of yourself in different outfits as you lose weight so you can start to see the difference yourself.

I don’t think people comment until you are close to goal weight because they don’t want to be rude or say something inadvertent to upset you. Even if it is really obvious when you’ve lost weight most people won’t say anything.

So don’t rely on external comments. Find your reason for doing it. At 2 stone loss you should be feeling some non-scale benefits, so find those and do it for yourself.

You must look different OP. Have you been measuring yourself? Measure waist, hip, thighs, tops of arms and bust each week and then total up amounts of inches lost.

Some half stones you can see, some you can’t IME. I can put on half a stone and not see it, but the next half a stone I really do. And in reverse, when it comes to losing.
So hopefully if you lose a bit more you will really see it.

Have you got any non stretch clothes to use as a measure? Or have you taken your measurements?

People will comment less these days as it’s a bit rude and implies you had weight to lose.

Thank you all you all raise really good points, will suck up the horror and take some pictures and shock myself with some measurements.

As you get lighter you'll find you need to lose less to make a difference

At my heaviest if I lost half a stone no one noticed (nor me really) and my clothes may have been a little less tight.

Lose had a stone now and it would probably drop half a dress size.

More importantly remember how much you're doing for your health.

Keep going, you're doing great.

Also I think there is a thing that when you are at your heaviest you avoid cameras and mirrors so you never really see yourself.

When you start losing you start looking in the mirror more and during the process become more dissatisfied with yourself because you are really looking at yourself for the first time and you’re not where you want to be.

So please be kind to yourself. Stop referring to yourself as a horror. And be kind to yourself about where you are now and the changes you have already made. You’re just collecting information about where you are so you can visually see the progress you will make.

Well done on your weight loss.
Keep going and you will get to your goal weight eventually. It really doesn't matter how long it takes, just don't give up. I know it's going to probably take me at least 18months to get to my goal but I'm ok with that.

If you haven't already already, measure your bust, waist and hips and write it down. Re-measure after every 7lbs lost and keep a record.

Chances are that you have lost inches but you are probably wearing clothes with stretch waistbands? They will obviously stretch a bit less but until your skirts or trousers start falling down, you might not notice much difference.

I've lost over 2 stones too and dropped from a size 20 to a 16/18 (I have a big mum tummy but slim hips). I've had to take in some of my trousers as they were slipping down when I jogged or ran. (I do a Parkrun most Saturdays, so mainly walking with a bit of jogging/running) I'd rather adjust my existing clothes than buy new ones at the moment as I want to save that pleasure for when I'm down to a 14/16. Luckily I sew, so can easily transform existing clothes to make them fit better.

I've just lost nearly 3 stone using Saxenda and am now maintaining. I've only gone from a snug size 16 or a looser 18 down to a normal size 14. (Nearly 15 stone to nearly 12 stone. I am 50 and happy with this weight as i am a normal shape and look in proportion all over.

Some people have noticed and some haven't, funnily enough it seems to be men that say, "you're looking great, have you lost loads of weight?", whilst women tend not to say anything at all.....

I don't think anyone in my circle of friends would comment on anyone's weight unless they brought it up first, and then we would chat about it and be supportive. You never know how someone will take it. I overheard someone in work asking a woman had she lost a lot of weight and that she looked great, turned out she had a chronic health condition which was causing the weight loss 🙈. I bet you look fab. Definitely take pics, no one else has to see them, but you will see the difference then!

I lost that much and no one noticed, it was only when I lost 4 stone that people noticed and commented, on mn people will say no one comments when you lose weight but that’s not true ime of rl people do comment if you’ve lost weight but I was very big and no one noticed 2 Stone it took 4 stone for it to make a difference

also - some people dont like to comment as its one of those things that might not be intentional (illness) or thought to be rude (as in you were well chubby before eh??)

I lost 5 stone in 2021. I looked like a better version of myself after 2 stone, but didn't need to go down a size until 3 stone. After that every 10 lbs was another size down.

Agree with everything that's been said upthread- especially that you're doing amazingly!
I'm the same height as you and have gone from 14st 4 to 11st (and have the same goal weight!). It's only been in the last few weeks that people have commented. I can still wear all the same clothes I did before, Lycra was my friend!
You really should do your measurements- seeing the centimetres come off your waist is even more satisfying than the scales!
Maybe come over to the LOSE IT thread, I've found it really supportive

I've lost 2 stone since January (gone from 12 to 10 stone) and it's only since I've lost this last half stone that a few people have commented. I've only really gone down 1 dress size as at 12 stone I was wearing size 12's (albeit probably squeezing into them!) and now I'm a 10. But I'm quite tall too - 5"8".

Don't focus on what other people think, do it for you because only you know how beneficial what you're doing is to your health and mindset. Just keep going, you're doing great.

Thank you, this has helped my resolve. I hope if I keep it up for long enough this will become good habits.