WLS: Frustration setting in

Maya

I am now close to 6 pounds lost, so I decided to finally take my first set of measurements since I started this whole process. And what did I find? I haven't lost even half an inch anywhere on my body. I am exactly the same as I was in the beginning.

Why in the world is this? I know weight loss should be about health and wellbeing and all that, but honestly, if there aren't any concrete, visible results, it just makes me feel discouraged. I didn't expect to be down a full size or anything just yet, but I did expect SOME changes. I just don't understand how I could get halfway towards my goal and yet not have anything to show for it.

15 years ago

General

7 replies

Latest reply was from Katiepea

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

There is an easy explanation. It's hard to measure yourself in the same place each time. It's more accurate when someone else measures you. (Round up Mum). It's highly likely that you have lost inches.

Also, when you loose weight, it's sometimes just a distribution of shape as opposed to inches lost. Make no mistake though, 6 pounds on someone as little as you is a lot and I can definitely see it. I've seen you twice in person this year AND met you before :0)

That's my 2 cents, but I'm sure others will have better explanations.

15 years ago

marianna

Veteran

Angie makes valid points. Also, another factor to consider is water retention. If you ate a little more salt yesterday, or depending where you are in your cycle, you can be retaining water which will affect your measurements.

15 years ago

chewyspaghetti

Veteran

All calculations are misleading when it comes to the human body. Tape measures stretch, and bodies are pliable- it's really easy to get misleading results form measurements. My measurements/pounds/sizes don't necessarily change at the same time, and often when one changes another does not. Sometimes it takes time for your skin to tighten up. I've had garments that were way too huge with under 10 pounds of loss, and other things that fit just fine after 40 pounds. Don't get frustrated- you're obviously making progress.

15 years ago

Louise

Veteran

Maya I don't have anything constructive to add but wanted to commiserate x

15 years ago

Maya

Veteran

Hmm, I guess if you're trying to lose a lot of weight, it isn't as noticeable if the measurements fluctuate a little. But for me, I am having a hard time gauging my progress because I don't have a lot to lose so all of these little fluctuations are not so little on me. All I have to go by is how things feel, how my measurements change, and how the scale changes. The scale is changing, but I'm not noticing a big difference in how things fit or in my measurements, and those are really the most concrete measures I have to go by. Hopefully my body just needs to catch up.

There is about an inch to two inches' difference in my measurements now compared to what they were when I was my goal weight. That does not sound like a lot but on someone my size it makes a big difference. My assumption was that if I got back down to the weight I was in 2005, I will probably be the same size as I was in 2005. If not, then I'm not really sure what the point of doing this is.

I'm not giving up to be clear. I'd like to get down to my goal size, which is only another measly 5 pounds away. So I guess I will get there and stay there for a while and see if my measurements "catch up" or not. I hope they do.

It is TTOTM but I have never historically experienced any issues with my size changing. Or maybe I just never noticed them. Hard to tell. I guess I'll check again next week.

15 years ago

RoseandJoan

Veteran

TTOTM can make a difference to your measurements, I do not feel the difference in my clothes but know through have a dress made recently that I gain an inch around my waist. I also found when losing my bay weight that the weight loss and inch loss often did not correlate, my weight plateaued and then the inches came off.

Conversely, since starting birth control my weight has risen but I have lost an inch of my waist and hips.

Don't give up, you have done so well, measure next week and we will see.

15 years ago

Katiepea

(website)

Veteran

Wow - what a great weight loss!

I can understand it is really hard to stay motivated when something like this happens, but you are doing so very well. I am very sure, like all the explanations everyone has said above, that you really have lost inches.

15 years ago

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