OK I'm definately NOT doing this for others to notice... well... maybe a bit, but basically for ME to feel better and be healthier.. which I am steadily and happily becoming!!! However, after losing 27 pounds, not one person (who didn't know I was trying) has noticed my weight loss!!!??? A couple of friends who know I am losing have very half heartedly said, "I can tell you're losing weight.", but I don't think it really shows (and then seem to feel obligated to say something). When I see people I have not seen for several months, not one has yet noticed a thing. Possibly because I was in a weight level where it doesn't look that much different yet? Clothes are looser,, but not hanging off and I am still wearing the same ones.
When did other people start commenting about your losses?
I guess I'll just have to keep going down until I find out, but it's a bit surprising!
Oh, well.... I can sure tie my exercise shoes easier (after getting them back out of the closet after about three years!! tee hee!! So that should be more than enough for now!!) I'm not complaining, just musing over this weird fact a bit tonight.
Cheers,

I thinj I have found this the most aggravating. I finally got my one and only comment after 38lbs. I am wearing the same clothes, they are just alot looser, I can't see buying winter clothes at this point.

My friends have told me people don't like to comment on weight just in case the person takes it the wrong way = like what I was fat before? So they just keep to themselves.

I think with your stats it would be noticable!! You are doing wonderful - congratulations on your loss so far!!!

Maybe they're jealous.

Hi Laurie:
Same thing happened to me two years ago when I lost 50 pound on Atkins. The thing that made the difference to my friends and myself was buying a few new clothes. You feel better about yourself and you walk a different walk. I know that this doesn't sound too good but I went to the previously warn clothes shops and bought a few different items. There are so pretty nice ones in your area, I would think. I know Sonoma County and it should have a few. I am originally from Sacramento. Even if you can't find one go out and buy a few new things. As a reward for your efforts. And as you lose the weight THROW the old ones away. It sure helped me stay on track for a long time. You can't gain too many pounds in the new stuff.
My husband is very sick and that is when I started gaining again. Am still having a hard time getting it off because I don't exercise. But I didn't before and lost all of the weight. It is just taking a little longer this time. I am older now and the weight doesn't come off that easy any more. Sure goes on quick.
Just treat yourself, you deserve it!!! Write and let me know how you feel when you have your new clothes on.
Jan

I've lost almost 70 lbs and only in the last couple of weeks have people really started to notice. I was surprised it took them so long! Rest assured that this experience seems to be very common to many of us.

Some people don't know whether or not you want them to notice. They may be afraid of hurting your feelings by calling attention to your weight. Sometimes the weight comes off so gradually that people really don't notice. Usually if people haven't seen me for awhile, they will be able to tell I've lost weight.

Just to put this in perspective, one of my friends at work, who is probably about 150 lbs overweight, recently told me she lost 50lbs, AND I COULDN'T TELL! This made me more tolerant of others who don't compliment me on my loss.

Don't feel bad, some people are more observant than others.
As to when people first noticed any change in me, I would say at the end of the first week. I was completely shocked

Most people didn't start noticing until I hit about the 30 pound mark. There was one person that noticed when I had lost 10 pounds, but she is very observant about other things as well. As a matter of fact, she's the one who tipped me off that something was wrong before I started low carbing when she suddenly commented one day, "You're losing weight...fast". I hopped on the scale and sure enough, I had dropped 10 pounds in a little over a week. Why? My blood sugar was out of control. After that, though, people didn't really notice until I hit the 30 pound mark.

Hi Gardensjoy,

Maybe people are not saying anything because they are afraid of embarrasing you, as if them saying "oh I think you have lost some weight" might be a statement that your weight had been an issue with them. I know that my sister in law is quite heavy and sometimes when it has been months since I have seen her I think she might have lost weight but I am not sure. A couple of times when I said to her that I thought she had lost weight I was wrong and felt really bad, although she is accepting of her body as it is - I felt bad because I thought maybe I had hurt her feelings. Unless I know someone is on a weight loss program, I don't comment on their weight because I think most people are so sensitive about it that I don't feel comfortable asking them, to me its a very personal thing. Maybe I'm weird though

I've also noticed that the people I'm closest to are the ones I least notice changes in weight on. The closer we are to people the more we connect on levels other than the most obvious. Does that make sense? We connect more on a spiritual level I guess. We have several ladies in our area who have had gastric bypass surgery. They've lost weight so fast that I wasn't sure whether they were trying to or whether they were sick.

Most people are not terribly observant. And those first pounds, I think, tend to come off from all over, rather than anywhere specific. So the average person around you may not really see a significant impact at that point. It happened to me; 30 pounds and those who see me frequently couldn't tell. However, those people who see me only occasionally immediately remarked the loss.

So don't worry. The cerebrum is the most underused organ in our bodies. Most people spend 90% of their lives in a subconscious state, and wouldn't see a train until it was on them.
Keep up the good work!

Good Luck!

I noticed this on my last Atkins try as well. I think the reason is that you don't get that gaunt dieting look on Atkins. On WW my face immediately gets drawn and pale. On Atkins, people ask if I've been skiing because I'm tan!

I do wonder if the weight comes off in different areas first on Atkins than on low calorie dieting. Anyone else notice this?

Amy

You could have a point there, Amy. Perhaps because we eat a higher level of fat on Atkins, we don't get that drawn look that the lowfat followers get.

I don't think it really becomes obvious until you start losing weight in your face and your face changes from being more round to more long. The face is what we all use to recognize and identify others. It is also what we see most clearly as it is unobstructed by clothing. If you face and neck haven't slendered down yet then that could be a key reason no one has noticed.

I've been LCing since July 2002, no one that doesn't know that I've been LCing has mentioned anything either (twenty lbs. later)! So don't take it personally. I think, as other posters have mentioned, that if others have noticed, they don't want to say anything for fear of saying the wrong thing (like asking if someone's pregnant or when they're due). My husband knew of my weight loss, obviously, but it was really hammered home when he saw a picture of me eleven days into Induction vs. a picture five months later. You could really see it in my face. Keep up your good work gardensjoy!

I NOTICED I check out stats all the time - NICE PROGRESS and you go girl!