Lost weight, but it doesn't feel like it.....

[Elanor]

I have been doing SW for nearly 6 weeks now, and I lost nearly a stone. But, I don't feel like I have lost anything! I have a couple of pairs of trousers (size 20) that I can nearly fit back into, but that's it. The other day I bought a pair of trousers in a 20 that I thought I would get into, but I can't do up the button or zip, I felt a bit demoralised after that. I have no idea which part of me the weight has been lost from.

This is the first time I have ever been successful at losing weight after over 10 years, so it could just be I am learning how my body will react to the weight loss. Or I am being silly and thinking that my body will magically transform itself straight away.

I am not sure why I am writing this, maybe for reassurance or just to get it out of my system. I am not thinking about giving up, but in my head I thought I would notice something once I was at the, nearly, 1 stone mark.

Did it take anyone else a while to notice the weight loss, or did you randomly notice it one day?

 

[lougalx]

I've not noticed yet but I live in leggings and baggy tops so until my leggings are falling down round my ankles I'll probably feel the same. I think it will come but its hard to notice changes day to day. Could be you'll meet someone in a week or so that hasn't seem you in a while and they'll be saying 'Wow, you've lost some weight' then you'll feel great. But it will happen soon enough.

 

[lickthelid]

Oh I was the same! I found it was because I had been shoe-horning myself into a 16 when in reality I was more an 18. Clothes that I had had were stretched and so I thought they still fit. I avoided buying new because I knew that a 16 off the peg wouldn't really fit. I blamed the manufacturers. It took at least 2st to fit into a comfy 16 then I whizzed through 14 to a 12. Don't be disheartened because you WILL go down but all the stuff about half a stone being a dress size is rubbish. We all lose weight from different places at different times. You may find, as I did, that your top half gets smaller than your bottom half first or vice versa. It's frustrating but the wait is worth it. That buzz from picking up the next size down and it fitting or, even better, picking up your "old" size and thinking "that looks a bit big..." Is amazing.

 

[Chipmunk89]

I lost 2 stone before I noticed any real difference and then from 2-4 stone it seemed to be a lot more noticeable. Your body will change, just have to be patient! I know it's far easier said than done though!

 

[loopylaura11]

Take measurements all over your body. That's what I have done. It helps then when the scales aren't as kind lol.
Well done so far xx

 

[Darcys Mummy]

The measurements help I am at 1st 6lbs loss and like you don't see the difference. My family and friends say they can but they may just be saying it to keep my spirits up but measurement wise I've lost 2 inches off my bust, thigh and hips (I think doing this from memory lol) and 4.5 off my waist. So it is working even if I can't see it. I also take my picture each month so I can see the difference when I do I'll let you know but remember you're your harshest critic you'll always see the worst in yourself so just because you can't see it doesn't mean it isnt there to be seen. I lost 3st 5lbs a few years bk and I didn't do measurements or anything just went on jean sizes because I believe if you lose in jean sizes its working and I went down 2 jean sizes back then.

 

[Elanor]

Thank you for the replies everyone You have all been really helpful. I am definitely being impatient, and I think the ill-fitting trousers tipped me over the edge. I haven't been taking measurements, but I will definitely start. I think if I start on weigh-day then if I have a bad day on the scales there will be chance of good day with the tape measure. My first interim target is 15 stone, so from then on hopefully I will see a difference.

In a couple of weeks time I am meeting up with 2 friends that I haven't seen since May. One knows I am doing SW, the other doesn't, so hopefully one of them may notice something

Thanks again everyone, I am feeling better about this now

 

[Alice90]

My consultant asked me whether I felt any different when I got my half stone award last week. Another lady got hers that day and was telling everyone how her trousers were practically falling down so when my consultant asked me I had to be honest and say I hadn't noticed any difference at all.

It just goes to show everyone is completely different. Don't worry about it and remember your non-scale victories too xx

 

[mum-tum]

I have been doing SW for nearly 6 weeks now, and I lost nearly a stone. But, I don't feel like I have lost anything! I have a couple of pairs of trousers (size 20) that I can nearly fit back into, but that's it. The other day I bought a pair of trousers in a 20 that I thought I would get into, but I can't do up the button or zip, I felt a bit demoralised after that. I have no idea which part of me the weight has been lost from.

This is the first time I have ever been successful at losing weight after over 10 years, so it could just be I am learning how my body will react to the weight loss. Or I am being silly and thinking that my body will magically transform itself straight away.

I am not sure why I am writing this, maybe for reassurance or just to get it out of my system. I am not thinking about giving up, but in my head I thought I would notice something once I was at the, nearly, 1 stone mark.

Did it take anyone else a while to notice the weight loss, or did you randomly notice it one day?

shops really annoy me as once you have lost a bit of weight, its exciting to go clothes shopping and buy a smaller size feel good and stick to plan but the difference between shops is unbelievable for example sainsburys clothing comes up a size or half size bigger, h and m =2 sizes smaller ( this has annoyed me lately as a European size 44 is a size 16. I brought a skirt from H&M their sizes 16=42 ??? EUR OK so I thought it was maybe labeled up wrong so gave it to my sister who is a small 14 but she couldn't even do up the zip.)
OK rant over my advise it to keep going your doing really well and remember all shops are cut differently so don't beat yourself up if one shop doesn't fit because its highly likely another one will, keep happy and keep motivated.

 

[MelonCollie]

Measure yourself. If you don't want to know your measurements use string and a sharpie
I am starting to see it on myself, after nearly 2.5st. I got new clothes 3 sizes smaller for my birthday and that is what made it finally hit home.

 

[NotsofattyPatty]

First of all, congratulations on your start. You are doing well so don't let your experience with buying new clothes put you off. Unfortunately, as you are finding, it is impossible to equate weight to size.

Mum-tum has highlighted the problems with sizing between different store but it's also within the same store. I have skirts from M&S, for example, which range from a too big in the waist size 12 to a tight waist size 14. Their size 14 regular trousers are almost falling off me and yet even the wide-leg size 12 will barely do up.

What I'm trying to say, in a very long-winded way, is not to use clothes sizes as a guide to how your body is altering. Focus on weight and measurements and perhaps use the trousers you can nearly fit back into to see how you are progressing. They'll get bigger and bigger on you until you won't be able to keep them up!

 

[Gwella]

It doesn't always feel logical. Sometimes I'd lose half a stone and not feel much different, then lose 2lb more and suddenly everything fit me!
Also, I found I was often noticing odd parts of me changing more than anything. My jaw and hands feel different!
You'll get there and in a few stone's time you won't be able to remember exactly when things changed but the difference will be amazing.

 

[MollyMolly]

It took me about 2 1/2 stone before I noticed any difference at all (and even that was slight) and even now a loss on the scales doesn't necessarily equate to my clothes fitting differently, yet sometimes I'll notice that a skirt is looser, while the scales stay the same.

After a few times of allowing the lack of correlation between the two to demotivate me, I chose instead to focus on little, seemingly unrelated, goals ... the first time I could cross my legs comfortably / being able to wrap a bath towel around me without a gap / being able to walk in heels / run upstairs / sit in the bath instead of kneeling it it. Now I can do all of those without even thinking about it and, while I was concentrating on those the weight AND clothes sizes have dropped

I'll definitely echo the wisdom given by others too ... clothes sizes vary so much even within the same shops (depending on cut and presumably the factory where they were made). For example I have several items of clothing which are Dorothy Perkins 12's and loose - and at the same time some Asda tops in size 16 which are a nice fit but snug - it's ridiculous

 

[ladybird23]

I've lost 2 1/2 stone and apart from a couple of pairs of trousers that are too loose, I'm still wearing the same size! Oh - I did buy a top that was too small about 2 months ago and now it fits, but I honestly don't see much difference in clothes size. But it has to be going from somewhere! BUT I can tie up my trainers by just bending over rather than having to put my foot on a chair - and I can get out of the car without looking like an elephant trying to get out of a mudbath and I can walk much further comfortably than I could six months ago. We're all very impatient to get really visual signs - understandably! I'm going to a family party at the end of this month and I won't have seen some people probably for about 2 years and I don't think they know I've been following Slimming World, so I'm waiting to see if they say anything as I shall hopefully be near to losing 3 stone by then. We shall see.

 

[Elanor]

It is great to hear everyone's experiences and advice. Mollymolly, I liked your advice for little targets that is definitely something I am going to do, just the little things that will make me feel better about myself.

As for shops, there should be standard sizes! All the variations give me a complex. It would be nice to take the trial and error out of clothes shopping. The trousers I bought were from Sainsbury's, and whilst not the identical to another pair from there, they are similar and the same size, so I thought they would be fine. I am trying to see them as something to aim for now.

 

[CCRM]

I felt no different at half a stone, maybe slightly at 1 stone it's only been in about the last 2 weeks (0.5lb this week and 3lb last week) that I've felt thinner - it was as if a of a sudden it felt different

 

[Hippopotamum]

It took me about 1 and 1/2st to drop a jeans size, and another 1 and 1/2st to the next ones (I'm now just in my 20's ) and I've heard a few people say that, so maybe in the next half stone (give or take a few pounds) you'll suddenly drop into those 20's.

Funnily enough I don't 'feel' any different, in fact some days I feel bigger, I think it's just down to our perspective of ourselves. x

 

[Phoenix_Girl]

It depends entirely on your composition really but I did notice that once I hit two stone, the clothing issues became more noticable.
in terms of whether you will see your losses, that's entirely different, I hardly ever see them in the mirror just the same sad big person looking back at me in the mirror.
Smiling helps but even though I don't see it in the full-body mirrors, I sometimes notice things like my collarbone is visible now, the scales tell me I weigh less and my clothing is smaller.

Speaking to a senior consultant, not everyone actually sees the difference in the mirror especially if they have been big for a long time.
She recommended that if you ever find yourself losing focus, to get one of the original sized clothes you used to wear before you started Slimming World and try them on and see the difference.

I may just do that today, I had a bit of a "meh" week last week!

 

[MollyMolly]

I have to agree re the 'perception' and what we see in the mirror ... I still see a fairly large person looking back at me - not as big as I was, but I do see someone who is overweight.

Then, after I hit target this week, I got my daughter to take some photos and was actually shocked by how small I looked in them - so it's definitely worth getting someone to take some pictures to compare

 

[Elanor]

Keeping old clothing is a good idea Phoenix, I am still in all mine, but when it comes to it I will keep hold of them to show myself just how far I have come.

Molly, your weight loss is amazing!! I haven't taken any photos as I hate looking at myself in them, but I think I need to just do it, then I have another tool to keep myself motivated and to remind myself why I am doing this.

I agree that our perception of ourselves is a big factor. Sometimes no matter how often someone says to me I look fine, or I don't look fat, the more I think they are lying. But that is just how I have seen myself for more years than I can remember.

On a positive note, my boss told me today she can see I have lost weight Mainly around my waist, and she said my t-shirt is looking baggy. I felt pretty good after that!