how long does it take to show?

According to the scale, I've lost 6 lbs, as of yesterday.  I know that doesn't seem like much, but i just came home from vacation, after eating out nearly every day, and not really counting calories but splitting entrees with friends and trying to make healthier choices.  Miraculously, the weight loss is still there, which I'm assuming means it's fairly permanent (aka, not water weight).

But to myself, I look exactly the same.  I was wondering how long it takes before you can really really see your weight loss.  I'm five seven and a half, and weight like 225 right now, btw. 

I think it definitely depends on the person. Shockingly enough I had to lose 10+ lbs before anyone noticed. I went from 130 to 120 and finally people began to compliment me and then the comments wouldn't stop coming, I guess it just became more and more noticeable (plus I was buying smaller and smaller clothes which is always fun!).

well, then, i'm not quite there yet, but hopefully soon!  thanks for your story :)

I'm 5'1". I was over 180 at my highest. When I started dieting and loosing weight I don't think I personally noticed a change until I lost 30 pounds! And to me 30 pounds is A LOT of weight loss! It might sound crazy but..... I think the reason I couldn't see the change in the mirror was because at 180....170....160 pounds I was still fat and still had that round shape, lol.  It wasnt until I had lost at least 30 pounds that I realized that I didn't look so "round". At then I even got to a point where I actually had a waist, collarbones even, and then I REALLY noticed.

Seeing a real change in the mirror really is the ultimate reward. I felt really discouraged loosing all that weight yet feeling like I still looked the same. But no matter what, it's worth it in the end. So keep up the good work!

wow! 30 lbs!  you know what sucks?  I can always tell when I've gained weight because I can feel it, but I can't really tell when I lose it :(  well *settles self in* let the waiting begin...

The amount of weight loss it takes to show on one's body varies from person to person. We're all built a little differently and while the weight may come off on one person's stomach, it may come off on another person's arms.

The same goes for overall look - as long as you keep losing, you'll eventually see the difference in the mirror. 

I've heard that the "fit-o-meter" is one way to tell how things are going.  In other words, find an old pair of jeans that no longer fit and keep trying them on every once in a while...or, note if your current clothes are getting looser. 

You said, "I can always tell when I've gained weight because I can feel it, but I can't really tell when I lose it." I'm actually the opposite.  For some reason, I'll wake up some mornings and think, "I feel thinner".  Then, I'll get on the scale and note that I had indeed lost weight.  It's probably a function of water weight or bloating or something like that. You're probably noticing regular fluctuations.  

Just stay the course and know in your heart that the success will eventually come! :)

.....Kelly :)

It will come, and you will glow. I wasn't really seeing it either, so what i do is take pictures about every two weeks and post them on my myspace page so i can really see a difference. My pants are also very baggy, mostly in the rear end, not exactly where i needed to lose, but i will take it My belt also helps with that, as i keep having to use a different hole.

Keep up the good work and reap all the rewards. YOU CAN DO IT!

It tends to take losing about 10% of your weight for others to really notice.  You'll probably notice before that - maybe not so much in the mirror, but by your clothes "getting bigger".  My advice would be to take a "before" photo now so that you can compare to it as you go.  Our brains are really good at recalibrating themselves so that we just look like ourselves in the mirror - neither bigger nor smaller than before.  But if you put two pictures side by side, you can really see a difference.

susiecue, that's a good idea.  I should do that and save it so I can compare later.  Thanks for the tip.  I don't need others to notice (in fact, it might be easier if they didn't for a while), but I'd like to see a difference myself.  Lisa-43, thanks as well.  Two weeks seems like a reasonable amount of time, banning falling of the wagon too hard, but I might want to do it every month, knowing me :)  I don't feel any difference in my jeans yet, but hopefully, soon!

I'm the same way that I notice when I GAIN. I wouldnt have before when I was really heavy but I recently gained some weight back, about 6 pounds, and I can really tell, being thinner now. Mostly because I don't think I look good in any of my tops anymore and my jeans seem a little snugger. But what I said about not noticing when I was heavier goes along with what susiecue said, that our brains are good at recalibrating. We just look like us in the mirror! I had to loose a lot to look different to myself. For a long time during weight loss, like I said, I still looked the same, just fat and round! I was buying smaller clothes, saw the change on the scale......just looked the same, to myself.....