Noticing Changing Body Composition

[HoneyBones]

I've went from 162 to 148 in about eight weeks. I haven't noticed any change in my body composition or size, though, aside from my behind being a little smaller. I thought that with an almost 14 pound weight loss that I would look somewhat different, but I don't. I do finally fit into my size 11 motivation pants, which makes me feel really great. The other times that I did this WOL I ended up stopping before I fit into these pants, but now I'm sitting here and comfortably wearing them. Okay, so obviously my body is smaller... why doesn't it look any different?

This is my question: At what point did you look in the mirror at yourself naked and say, "Oh my God! I look different!" Two months into this, I look in the mirror and I see the same body I had when I started.

How long did it take you to notice a marked difference in what you look like nude?

[TrinnyJo]

As discouraging as they can be, I usually notice the body composition changes during what I call a "mini-stall" (not really a stall, just feels like it) In fact, its what helps me keep going sometimes when it seems like that scale just can't find a resting place, even less where I want it to rest!

I don't know if this helps, but this has been my experience. :)

[jemman]

10 months & 120lbs+ lost later & i still look the same.. only smaller. i just started weight lifting, im hoping to god this helps or im going to call extreme makeover or the swan or something

[tom sawyer]

For one thing, around 5-10lb of that lost weight was from your liver. Glycogen, the starch storage material in your liver, gets burned before you go into ketosis. When it is used, it also releases a lot of water that is normally associated with it (like a sponge full of water). So you liver has probably never looked so svelt, but that is probably not the compliment you were after.

The other 5lb coming off your posterior, I'm sure has had an effect. You can't tell becasue this is the hardest part of the exterior anatomy to judge on ourselves. And rest assured, the next 10lb will show up drastically and be the difference you were after.

Don't tell my wife I complimented your liver, she might not understand.

[Lessara]

I still have the same kind of look as in my childhood, just bigger so I figure I'll do the same as I get smaller. I do see things like my tummy above my belly button is going away and my butt is more rounded not so square. I also don't notice changes except during stalls.. I call them fat moving days :D

[PlaneCrazy]

A lot of the loss can also be from around your internal organs. You can have two kinds of fat (at least). One is subcutaneous fat, just under the skin. That's the jiggle, the inches, etc. The other is fat that gathers around your internal organs. That's seems to be the more dangerous kind and the kind that may have more of an impact on your endrocin system. If you've been losing weight with some size difference but otherwise you don't see a huge difference, you may have just had the most significant kind of lose of all, the internal fat.

Keep up with it. I only really noticed a difference in body shape (as opposed to size) when I had lost a fair amount of weight and then when I began to do resistance workouts. (weights, pushups, etc) That's where you tone the muscles underneath the skin which gives better definition.

Plane Crazy
and finally in Onderland!

[AndreaBash]

I think it's really hard to tell on ourselves. We "see" ourselves every day, so although you are getting smaller, it's not as easy to see.

I've noticed size shifts even when I'm not losing a lot of pounds. I had to buy a smaller size pair of jeans and the scale only moved about 1.5 pounds. Even when you aren't really losing, stuff is happening behind the scenes.

[red1cutie]

Keep up with it. I only really noticed a difference in body shape (as opposed to size) when I had lost a fair amount of weight and then when I began to do resistance workouts. (weights, pushups, etc) That's where you tone the muscles underneath the skin which gives better definition.

I agree with this. Weight lifting makes a ton of difference even when your weight is constant and you don't pick up the subtle changes in your measurements.

red

[adkpam]

I didn't notice from looking in the mirror so much as little stuff, like when I'm lying in bed and my arm, on my hip, is soooooooo close to my body...or when I swing my butt out of the way of something and I clear it by a foot...or when I put my hands on my hips for emphasis...and they are closer together than they were!

It often sneaks up on you.

[camaromom]

I usually don't start to notice a weight loss until I hit around the 30 lb mark. That is usually when others can tell. I agree with whoever said they can tell lying down. I can actually feel my ribs and I'm discovering I have a collar-bone. I'm sure it was always there. I just couldn't see it before. LOL

Barb

[angeljandy]

I notice that my weight's not moving but my body is changing. My legs and behind have definitely slimmed and so has my midrift!

[Kagior]

I really notice when I am lying in bed and I reach to scratch my leg, back or butt cheek. My hand is sure a lot bigger than it used to be. I was also incredibly happy the day I realized I no longer had an asshump. My back went smoothly down to my butt, just like a normal person! I did not really see any changes in myself until I was down 20 pounds plus.

When I am feeling fat, which still happens some days, I get out the old pair of jeans and slide them on and off a few times without using the zipper or button, cuz they are done up! Then I try on all the stuff that was too tight or too small last time and see what can be moved to the active clothing area. This tends to happen about every three to four weeks. I am so optimistic now that I even buy stuff that is obviously too small just so I can have the joy of fitting in to it! Since I don't have a lot of money, I shop at the thrift stores lots and buy whatever I like.

[Will-S]

To me it felt like it took 40lbs and 5months before i felt a big difference in how i looked naked in a mirror. Now i am finally starting to like what i see but i know in another 20lbs or so it should be a lot different esp if i keep up the weight lifting, i truely believe thats how you will see your biggest change.
There is a girl at work that all she thinks about is the actuall weight, when she gets to 120 she is very excited and i'm usually like... ok. Although i think if she put any effort into doing any type of exersize at all i think she would look 4x better even if she weighed 10lbs more.

[alwazbuzy]

Last year when I dropped 26lbs (started at 188, ended at 162), I noticed a change in the shape on the backs of my thighs. They just felt different one day while I was soaping up in the shower. (smaller, flatter, the fat bulge had dissappeared)

I also noticed a change in my tummy. I had a pot belly that looked like I was 7 months pregnant. (Pot bellies run in my family-my grandmother weighs 100lbs soaking wet and still has a bulge-all my aunts do as well)
Believe it or not, I still had a very defined waistline-not the typical thick waistline you would normally picture. It's alost like I had swallowed a basketball. Well...to get to the point, it flattened out a lot.


The shape of my face changed-it wasn't as round.

I had to take my wedding ring down two sizes as well as remove a link from my watch.

Oh yes, my boobs shrank too.....had to go to a new bra size.

Have you always been overweight? In my case, I have not. And my body shape and compositiion changed significantly after I gained. Therefore it stands to reason that my body will return to its original shape once I lose the weight. Well, at least something slightly resembling my original shape. I am much older now and time & gravity have taken their toll.

I guess it all boils down to the fact that we are each very unique.

[hifive]

I started noticing a real change after I started exercising.

[Kristine]

How long did it take you to notice a marked difference in what you look like nude?

Months... and it wasn't related to my weight, it's that my brain is at least that far behind. :daze: I'm one of those people who writes cheques with the previous years date on it in February or March. ;)

Seriously though... I thought I looked and felt the same after a significant weight loss, but I was chatting at a restaurant one night, I glanced at the back of my hand, and suddenly noticed that I could see my veins again. The next time I noticed something was when I had a military gig and had to wear my dress pants, which have no stretch to them. They were hanging off of me, when previously they were getting way too tight. Yet I thought I looked the same. Our minds are funny that way.

Did you take measurements, or do you have a pair of tailored pants that can act as a 'pant-o-meter'? :idea:

[JeniInWa]

I noticed a real difference 5 months into my exercising program. Everyone is noticing the difference! That feels real good.
Keep up the great work!