When did you and others notice?
At what point in your weight loss did you start seeing it in the mirror? When did other people notice you had lost weight?
I can't tell I've lost anything and neither can my husband, but the scale says so, and my pants almost fell down in the street yesterday so I know they are looser!
I know it will be different for everyone depending on starting weight, but was just curious.
It was probably a good 50 pounds or so for me. Take your measurements and take monthly progress pictures to help you see your progress along the way.
Many people believe it is rude to mention another person's weight so you may not get as many compliments as you want. Learn to be proud of yourself and do not depend on validation from others.
Laura in Texas
53 years old; 5'7" tall; HW: 339 (BMI=53); GW: 140 CW: 170 (BMI=27)
RNY: 09-17-08 Dr. Garth Davis
brachioplasty: 12-18-09 Dr. Wainwright; lbl/bl: 06-28-11 Dr. LoMonaco
"May your choices reflect your hopes and not your fears."
Most people probably won't say anything because they don't want to be rude. But I did notice people starting to look at me strange maybe eight weeks or so after my surgery. I would say it took maybe 40 to 50 pounds for people to start noticing. So watch people's reactions. People will notice even if they don't say anything to you about it. I really started seeing it about the same time to. It became really noticeable in my face, my arms started feeling different against my sides, and it suddenly seemed like I had more of a lap. Now, my husband says he can really tell the difference. It's crazy how you suddenly notice changes in your body.
Height: 5'5" HW: 290 Consultation Weight: 276 SW: 257 CW: 132
When you look in a mirror your brain sees your face and automatically fills in the body that it remembers. Even after massive weight loss it is difficult to see the difference in the mirror. If you look at a picture and cover up your head and face, then you can see what your body looks like.
Another trick is to get a brown paper grocery bag, cut eye holes and put it over your head and you will see your true body when the brain does not see your head.
Real life begins where your comfort zone ends
on 6/28/15 1:25 pm
She's not kidding. I actually had to do this due to body dymorphia.
"What you eat in private, you wear in public." --- Kat
on 6/28/15 11:06 am
People first started making comments to me when I lost about 30 lbs (from 300 to about 270), but I work in healthcare, so we're a bit more of an "open" bunch about those kind of things. Just because people don't say anything doesn't mean they don't notice. I'm at 199 now and still don't see myself any differently in the mirror. In pictures, I see a difference, but not the mirror. It's really strange.
To show a bit of cultural relativism though, awhile back I ran into a coworker from Eritrea who I hadn't seen in a few months. I'd been getting so many "you look great!" comments that it threw me for a loop when she said, "you look like you've lost weight. Are you sick?"