Question:
How much weight did you lose before people started to notice??

I'm just wondering how much weight you lost before people started to comment and notice. I am 5 weeks out and down 37 pounds. I just came back to Germany after having surgery in the states. Two people have asked if I actually had the surgery, and some jerk at the PX mistook me for pregnant. Not ONE person said "You look good" or "You've lost weight". Talk about a blow to the self image. Just when you think it's safe to start feeling good about yourself.... Anyhoo, did you lose 20, 30, 50 or more before it really started making a difference?    — Jennifer H. (posted on August 7, 2003)


August 7, 2003
My family was able to tell a difference at about 25-30 pounds but that was because I lost a lot in my thighs and was wearing shorts. I think when we wear the big clothes, it tends to cover up the loss. Even though we see it, others don't notice it until we start showing up in new clothes that fit. Also, I think it takes time for the inches to catch up with the pounds. Regardless, 37 pounds is a fantastic loss for 5 weeks post-op. Keep up the good work :)
   — Carolyn M.

August 7, 2003
It waasI started getting compliments. Just the other day at work, though, this skinny twit tells me I look different. She said she noticed I got my hair cut, then asked if I had also lost weight. I told her yes, I have lost 68 lbs so far and she says, "Oh really? Hmmmm, I would have guessed maybe 30 - you look like you lost about 30 lbs" - I wanted to sock her!
   — Barbara C.

August 7, 2003
Jennifer, some people are more likely to notice and say something than others. Remember, just because someone doesn't say anything right away doesn't mean they haven't noticed. Weight is a touchy subject after all. My family started to compliment me after I had lost about 35 pounds. But on the other hand, I had surgery a year ago and have lost 117 pounds and our office FedEx guy said something about it today. Why he picked today to notice, I have no clue.
   — Amber L.

August 7, 2003
I had lost 50 lbs by the time people really noticed. I started at 345 lbs and I am now 139 lbs.
   — jerzeygirl71

August 7, 2003
Everyone I saw day to day knew I was having surgery, so they were kinda watching me when I went back to work, and at family functions, etc. Funny thing though, as I bought new clothes that fit, and now that in the past week I have started wearing shirts tucked in, I have been getting many more compliments, 2 or 3 today alone. I am down 84 pounds at 6 months (almost) post op.
   — Fixnmyself

August 7, 2003
People started to notice when I had lost 50 pounds but the praises didn't start to roll in until I lost 75 pounds. :o)
   — Jennifer A.

August 7, 2003
A neighbor asked me if I had done something different with my hair or something when I had lost 50 lbs. At my 70 lb. milestone, someone ASKED me if I was losing weight!! I was shocked that it was a question!!
   — Cheri M.

August 7, 2003
I went out with some girlfriends about a week ago. I had someone ask me if I got my hair cut. I am down right at 80lbs. I just looked at them and said ummmmm NO! and smiled. A few minutes later someone else came up to me and said you know you look great how much weight have you lost? I answered. The other persons mouth about hit the ground and the embarrassment set in, I just smiled and said well you are a guy at least you noticed something. So my point is I think peoples perception vary. Some notice my hair some notice the size of my butt :::Smile::::. Krysti
   — Krysti H.

August 8, 2003
20, 30, or 50? Ha! Try 90, and people don't look twice. (Of course, I still have a 110 pounds to lose, so I'm still very fat. But I'm almost half way to goal.) People as a whole are not very observant. Others are truly afraid to mention it, for fear that you've been sick, or for fear that you'll be offended if they mention your weight in any way at all. I announced in "Joys and Concerns" time at church that I'd lost 80 pounds, and countless people said, "I was thinking you looked much thinner, but I didn't want to say." Don't ask me why. Now, I just tell myself noone is going to notice, and I go on my merry way. When someone does notice it's quite a treat! Congratulations, and good luck to you!
   — Kim A.

August 8, 2003
I'm still pre-op. But a friend of mine had surgery in May. I saw her at about 25-30 pounds gone. She started at about 400 lbs. I DEFINITELY noticed. She looked great, & I told her so. Of course, I was biased -- I knew that she'd lost weight & I was looking for the signs of it. But honestly, I think that anybody who hadn't seen her for a couple of weeks would have noticed the BEAUTIFUL change.
   — Annie H.

August 9, 2003
People who knew I had surgery noticed much earlier than people who were not looking for it. I was over half way to goal before many people started commenting. (I had lost 70 pounds out of a goal of 120 before my hair stylist noticed anything, and even then she asked if I was losing weight.) Before then, I would get a lot of "have you been on vacation?--you look so well rested" or "you've done something different with your hair, haven't you?" No bother to me that people didn't notice for awhile. I felt good, had my comorbids under control, and knew I was doing well. I also took it as a sign that people hadn't really paid that much attention to how big I was if they hadn't noticed how much smaller I'd gotten. Sort of a back-handed compliment.
   — Vespa R.




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