When do you see a difference?

[frogpigdonkey]

This is for those of us with quite a bit to lose- for me about 5 stone to get to a healthy BMI. And also having gained and lost the same 1-2 stone a lot of times. When do you really feel a difference? As someone who goes up and down quite a bit within a range I have quite an accommodating wardrobe- lots of elasticated waists and loose tops. I always feel like the first stone there is not much difference- my face looks better and I don't feel quite so desperate to get my bra off when I get home! But people don't really notice and it's a bit disheartening- I can't get into my smaller clothes yet and it feels like a lot of effort for limited gain. I know I need to push on through and keep going, but do you have any other markers or things that help you keep going to get outside your range and motivate you?

Sorry this won’t answer your question but wanted to say I’m in a similar position and wondering the same. I have 5 stones to lose.

Ive lost 2.5 stones since end of September. I feel better in myself and my clothes fit better. But I don’t think I’ve fully dropped a dress size yet. My clothes were also quite accommodating. I was always a 16 and can’t yet get into my 14’s so while my scales tell me one thing I’m not seeing it yet in my clothes. People have only really noticed it in my face. Wondering the same. When will the world notice?!

Studies show other people can see in your face at 21lbs, whether they’d comment to you is another matter! I wouldn’t dream of brining weight loss up with anyone in case it was due to illness/bad life situations.
I lost 44lbs in 2024, after going up and down the same stone for a couple of years…nobody mentioned it to me until someone at church last weekend, who said I was no longer the round woman! I rather wish I hadn’t heard that one to be honest lol.
Coukd you try and focus on non-scale victories? I love having to go in a hole on my belt, it feels more concretely “real” weight loss than figures on a scale. And slowly not taking up as much room in the bath, not damming it if you were.

I’m down 2 and a half stone, 2 more to go, I’m on mounjaro, and the difference is very very noticeable as this time my stomach has shrunk back completely, from looking about 9 months pregnant, seriously, that swollen bloated look, and the puffiness gone from my face, I’m also down from a 16/18 to a 12. I’m five foot seven.

it looks like I had an undiagnosed health issue, likely insulin resistance, as the difference is stark.

everyone comments, not acquaintances, but everyone who actually knows me, and knows I’m actively trying to lose weight, just the wow you look fantastic stuff., or you’ve done really well.

the pp said they’d never dream of commenting in case it was illness, I find that rather sad. Like they have no one they’re close to sadly where they’d know if they were ill or dieting. I guess all our lives are different.

You’d not comment on someone you didn’t know why they’d lost, but if you know a friend or family member is dieting and why they have lost weight, then for me it’s quite normal to comment. And generally with your friends and family members you know. Well I do, so maybe I’m just lucky.

I haven't told friends that I am trying to lose weight. It's not sad, it's what I feel comfortable with. Everyone is different.

I have a lot of weight to lose. I've lost over 40 lbs so far. My close family know and tell me that it shows. A few friends and colleagues are telling me that I look well 😬. I've gone down two bra back sizes but not a full skirt size yet 🙄. I am guessing that when I lose the next 10 lbs or so that will make a big difference to the way I used to look.

My colleague lost a couple of stones last year (tiny frame and this was a significant proportion of her weight). I didn’t notice till summer time - she looked really good and healthy but I couldn’t pin down why for ages - then suddenly realised that without winter jumpers and scarves etc she’d suddenly gone slender. She must have been working on it for 9 months or so. (Sorry to say this). However she looks incredibly healthy now, and is incentivising me to follow suit.

I've lost 82lbs so almost six stone and honestly it was at around the 50lbs mark that people started commenting on the weight loss.

SW: 240.8lbs
CW: 158.2lbs

I was told once that off you have a significant amount of weight to loose that the first stone nobody notices, including yourself. The second stone you notice and the third stone everyone notices and that's exactly what happened with me.

I reckon that’s true somewhat, but it depends on how much you had to lose in the first place to an extent, as well as how you dress, and honestly how toned you are, ie are you exercising with it or not and toning up. As that shrinks you basically. And a pound of muscle takes up less space than a pound of fat.

also a lot of people wear the wrong size clothing, so baggy clothes, stretched out, and then tell themselves they are a 16 for example. When in reality something fitted they maybe an 18 or 20. Then think they haven’t dropped a dress size, but they have. They continue to wear the same clothes, so it’s less noticeable. So lots of factors really.

^^ this was exactly me! I told myself I was a 16, when in fact I probably couldn’t get into my 16 jeans. My 16 clothes are now baggy, but not quite at the 14 size yet. A little disheartening but still a long way to go.

Thanks all, glad to see I'm not alone in this! I need to find milestones that help me keep going- part of me feels great that I've lost a stone but the other part of me is disheartened by how far there is still to go. And especially given I go up and down- people don't comment when I've gained a stone so why should they when I lose one! Think I should take more progress pictures just for me. I just keep looking at all my lovely thinner clothes and longing for the day I can get into them!

I think that’s very common. I told myself I was a 14, but the truth was if I bought knew fixed waist band 14s I’d not have got into them. So I was a 16. Maybe even an 18 in some clothes. I just avoided buying fixed waist band stuff.

Yes I really couldn't tell you what size I am as I've spent years buying stretchy clothes with elastic waist bands. I'm 4 stones down now and my t shirts are hanging off me but my trousers still fit which goes to show how stretched and tight they were before.

Yes- my 'thinner' clothes are all more fitted and are still a long way from zipping up, let alone looking good! One or two of my jackets will do up but with a very unattractive sausage in a skin visual 😂😂😂

I had around 10 stone to lose to get to a healthy BMI and I've lost just under 6 since May. I feel like I'm only really now seeing the big difference in terms of clothes. My older clothes were elastic waists, loose styles and materials that were quite stretchy. Add on that they were older so a bit stretched from wash and wear, and I was probably wearing them too tight as well. So for the first 4 stone or so, I was just looking and feeling better in my existing clothes.

Whereas this last stone has meant when I go to the shops, I'm buying more fitted and less stretchy materials that haven't been worn in. So now I'm an 18 in new, non-stretch clothes and the difference is really apparent rather than kidding myself I'm a 20 by wearing loose styles too tight.

Obviously you had a lot less to lose than me, so the difference will hopefully show quicker! But most people I've seen on forums who have more than just a stone or two to lose do tend to say they don't notice the changes until they've lost quite a lot.

I needed to lose 5 stone.

At 2.5 / 3 stone i really started to feel and see it, I am now 1.5 stone overweight and “feel more normal”

I still have a way to go but I think the difference between 10 and 11 stone is massive visually where as 15 -> 14 you can barely tell
when I look back

I'm sure all of this is true- also it's a greater proportion of your weight- loosing a stone at 20 stone is 5% of your body weight but at 10 stone it's 10%, so of course it will make more difference! But knowing that still doesn't stop me being impatient!