How can this be?
5’4” 47yo
SW 246 size 22
CW 192 size 20 (I found some stretchy leggings in the juniors dept that were a size 19 but that’s not even worth mentioning. Even though I just did.)
I’ve been patient (been doing this for a year, minus a several month backslide), but WTAF? You can’t even tell I’ve lost weight. 
The only difference I notice is that I’m “squishier”.
Sorry for whining but it’s getting downright discouraging.
Women’s clothing is so notoriously unregulated, leading to such wide variances among even the same brand, that I wouldn’t put much stock in that. You’ve lost a lot of weight, and I’m sure people can tell.
Clothing sizes aren’t regulated unfortunately, I can go between 14 & 20 at mo, focus on what the tape measure tells you.
You’re right about women’s clothing sizes, but still. I’ve tried on piles of clothing at the thrift store (so a ton of different brands) and nothing under a 20 fit, at least not so I could still breathe, haha.
I’ve not had one single person mention the weight loss. Seriously, shouldn’t 50+ pounds result in a leetle more obvious results?
Sadly, I measured myself a year ago but I lost the info (and the tape). And I never take pics of myself. So I have nothing visual to compare the before and after. I can take new measurements going forward but that doesn’t help me right now.
Don’t mind me, I’m just venting a little bit. I saw a post from someone else who said they lost 30 pounds and went from a 14 to a 2 or 4. Just doesn’t seem fair. Tired of shopping in the plus section!
I can relate…
Sw 248
Cw 209
My fat is definitely squishy lol.
I have lost my boobs😪
My arms are super droopy
Double chin gone
My upper torso rib cage area is smaller
I keep saying all my fat fell…it seems to be a spare tire.
My keto clan always notices but not a single other person has said a thing. Maybe they are uncomfortable saying anything like that to a fat person. I think we scare them. Lol
But the important part is that I feel awesome and im sure you do as well. You can’t lose 50 lbs and not feel great. Chin up and keep on keepin on!!
I think you look great!!
Sorry for your frustrations, both of you. I understand. I do think that probably people have noticed but are afraid to say anything for fear of offending you. The way I look at it is if I say I can see that someone lost weight, I’m basically saying they were or are fat, and that’s offensive. I’m better about it now but I never used to like anyone to comment to me about it. If they did then I knew that they saw how bad I was before. As though I could just go along and hide it somehow and people wouldn’t notice. If they didn’t notice the weight loss, maybe they also didn’t notice the weight gain. Not exactly clear thinking, just wishful I guess.
Most important anyway is you feeling good for you! Figure out how to get to a place where you don’t need accolades from other people. I think you will be calmer and happier for it.
Thanks, but it isn’t about needing accolades. Pointing out that no one had seemed to notice (not even a “wow, you’re looking good lately”) was just an illustration that the loss doesn’t seem to be visible. And really, the point of my post was that I would have assumed more dress sizes lost (at least one!) and wondering how typical that was.
Seriously, not even my own mother has noticed.
There might be an issue here with older clothes found in a thrift store.
I think, as average weight is going up and clothes manufactures notice that lower numbers sell better - they have been lowering the numbers.
This might make something older from a thrift store seem like it is tighter for the same numbers.
Actually… there’s two kinds of fat: subcutaneous and visceral.
If you’re losing that much weight and not seeing size changes, it’s probably a combination of things: water weight, muscle gain, etc…
But if you’re losing visceral fat, you’re really fixing a disease that’s strangling your organs and hormonally destroying your metabolic systems… but it won’t show up in your clothes sizes. That means you’re in remission from some really bad stuff you weren’t even aware of.
After the visceral is heavily depleted, the subcutaneous will start to go too and they’ll start to go down together.
As a trend, you’re right about the sizing - but I don’t think that’s it in my case because I’m trying on relatively new stuff. I don’t go for vintage (never fits even though I like it!). I’m also trying new clothes in stores with the same result.
I wonder if that’s what it is… I carry most of my fat in my stomach, not so much all over. I’ve had a very stressful life so I guess I can thank cortisol for the spare tire.
I’ve always heard that fat is lost evenly, though? You’re saying I could be losing visceral fat first? Hard to wrap my brain around that. But wonderful, if that’s the case.
visceral fat is in the abdominal region but inside, around the organs. It makes you bulge out there… barrel like.
The body prioritizes losing visceral fat because it’s the most damaging.
Subcutaneous fat, on the other hand, is actually useful. I know we don’t like to think of it that way because we’re looking for that attractive slim athletic sexy look, but the reality is that there’s really nothing wrong with some adipose fat. It actually helps the body cope and can be hormonally beneficial.
My fat is leaving in reverse order of arrival—my subcutaneous fat, anyway. I believe I had the same problem as you at first, because it seemed to take forever for people to notice. But my face is noticeably thin again, even though I could still stand to lose quite a bit of belly fat.
The belly is an interesting area because it has both visceral and subcutaneous…
I think visceral goes first, then all over subcutaneous (except belly), and then at the end goes adipose belly
so the belly is the first AND the last… the alpha and the omega of fat.
I’ve definitely got the bulge - I’ve gotten the “when are you due?” Question since I was 16.
That’s kinda what I expected to happen. If I may ask, how much weight did you lose before you noticed it in your face?
Thank you for pointing this out. I have only lost 1 pant size after 38lbs of weight loss and really i don’t look like I’ve lost much other than a little in the belly area and face. I didn’t know there were stages to how fat is depleted or that there were different types of fat. Really helps to know that!
When I started Keto last year I lost 30 lbs in a few months. I felt great, my face was thinner and my skin was glowing. My clothes fitted better but I only lost one dress size.
In the next 6 months I lost 10lbs and 3 dress sizes! I focused too much on the scales- like a ruddy step aerobics class in my bedroom! Then I realised I could wear a nurses uniform 2 sizes smaller. They are very unforgiving! And other clothes miraculously fitted.
In the last 4 months or so I have lost a further 10lbs but no inches! But I feel firmer and less flabby.
I don’t exercise wildly. I like Pilates and I walk a fair bit.
The fact is, this diet is kinda weird. Everyone takes a different journey. See the picture of the lady who lost 1lb and totally changed her shape!
The health benefits are not over exaggerated.
Also google the woosh! It happens to me. No weight loss for ages then woosh- 4lbs at once.
Stick with it. You wont regret it.
I have kind of seen the opposite,
XL doesn’t seem like extra large 25 years ago since most clothing started coming from Asian sweat shops. Sleeves are always shorter as well as torso length and neck size.
And don’t get me started on shoe width. I can’t get comfortable shoes off the shelf anymore, and I have to use oversized so my toes aren’t crushed.
Sixty pounds, and even then, it wasn’t till months after my weight stabilized. There’s been some recomposition that’s affected my shape, while leaving my scale alone.
I know it’s hard, but sizing is SO whacked. I vary by 3 sizes depending on brand/store, etc…
Hang in there!! Do you FEEL better?
