results - how long until i see them?

hi, ive just started getting semi serious about losing some weight. i've gone from eating whatever i wanted, whenever i wanted, including lots of pastas and potatoes, and bad snack foods like chips and chocolate on and off all day, and about 2 cans of coke a day, to cutting out all bad snacks besides the odd tiny piece of chocolate on occassions, eating salads for dinner, and basically not snacking unless its fruit, have also started half an hour of exercise a day, doing the couch to 5km running/walking thing... and am drinking water instead of coke, but on occasions still treat myself to the odd coke if we are out etc...

based on this, does anyone have any idea when i would start noticing results? am wondering when i will notice clothes being a little bit looser, not so much looking for results on the scales, as i actually seem to have gone up, but when will i notice myself that my hard work is starting to pay off?

can anyone who has lost some weight give me any info on how long before they saw a difference. im hoping that i dont get discouraged too easily, but im sort of needing to notice something soon, so it motivates me to keep going and try harder.

im still allowing myself to have the odd little treat, or the odd can of coke, because i dont want to jump in the deep end and be too unrealistic, i want to gradually make a lifestyle change that i think is sustainable.... maybe if i am wanting to see results fast i would be better of banning everything unless its 100% healthy and not letting myself have any treats?

this is the first time i have watched what i eat, so any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated. cheers.

Did you take measurements Emma? If not, then measure today ... and measure again in 2 weeks. That should be enough to see *something*.

Don't forget - if you're able to complete all of week 1 in the C25K without stopping like you were in 1.1, then that's a result!

Keep up the great work!

i have lost 6kgs in the last month . To be honost i haven't noticed any weight loss, but people have started to comment on it. I actually just feel better !

hey ive actually done week 1 of C25K with an extra day 4 this morning, and plan to move onto week 2 tomorrow.... i did all the runs without stopping, and actually ran a little extra than 60 seconds... i guess it is a result and a huge improvement on leading a pretty much non active lifestyle besides the odd walk to the shops.

i treated myself to new running shorts and t shirt (just some cheapies) specifically for running..

i did take measurements, but im unsure how accurately i can retake them, IYKWIM... i followed instructions from the net, so i should be able to take them fairly accurately. god i will be discouraged if they are the same though. gotta keep moving.

i made morroccan lamb salad tonight.

Hi Emma,

I have lost and gained the same 10-15kg repeatedly (although gradually) over the past 10 years or so. I find I can never tell in myself or my clothes until I am nearing the 3-4kg lost mark - then things start to get looser.

I agree with Kazbah - taking your measurements is a great way to keep track of changes that won't always show up on the scales. Also, doing exercise regularly should see you notice improvements in your fitness levels - that will probably take a few weeks also though.

Stick with it - it takes a while to put on weight and taking it off is no different!

Emma - big congrats on your healthy lifestyle changes.

For me (and I'm pretty big), it wasn't until I'd lost 6kg that I could actual notice a difference. And i've lost 22kg gradually over the past year and barely anyone noticed (but I know I'm much healthier!).

If you continue with your healthy changes and exercise and still don't see results, go see a Dr. I found out I had thryoid problems after 12 weeks of a really good diet and exercise plan but with NO weight or fat loss.

i guess maybe it might be harder to see changes, as im only really a few kg overweight, according to BMI... but to get back to pre pregnancy weight i need to lose about 5-7kg, ideally i'd really like to lose 10-15kg which would get me down to a size 8-ish, but that may be a tad unrealistic... but who knows i can only keep doing as i am doing and wait and see....

wish i wasn't so impatient.

I think it really depends on a lot of things, particularly, your metabolismm, how overweight you are . . . and if you're actively looking for changes or not! Personally, I lose weight quickly when I actually get my butt into motion. I've lost weight since I started exercising and eating less crap in the last two weeks, it's noticeable to others (at least one other person who I asked lol). Before I noticed that I had less fat on me, I noticed that I had more muscle, particularly in my calves (and if you're walking and running, you'll probably see increased muscle mass there first too), then my thighs.

Even if you don't lose weight quickly, remember that a slow weight loss can be better - it means it's less likely that you'll gain it all back. Sustainability is far more important than how quickly it happens!

Good luck :D

edit: I forgot to mention, the closer you are to your ideal weight, the slower the weight comes off. Of course you should weigh whatever you're comfortable with, and BMI charts aren't accurate for everyone (most Drs will tell you that, I believe), but if you become underweight, it's just as unhealthy as being overweight AND it's very difficult to maintain, can damage your metabolism, etc.

Many people crash onto a diet which makes them lose a ton of weight and then as soon as they eat normally again their body puts its foot down on the hunger pedal and they tend to regain all their loss + a little bit more. THis is part of the famine, recovery, overcompensation cycle and it will continue (with the weight always creeping a little higher after each diet) as long as one diets in that way. By switching to a realistically sustainable lifestyle you are doing the BEST POSSIBLE thing. The weightloss might be slower to start and take longer but it will be permanent weightloss, not just a starvation phase in a yo-yo cycle lifestyle.

For most people exercise is the biggest key. Your body is designed to want enough calories to do stuff and it doesn't know if you're going to do stuff or not, so it is actually possible to gain on a relatively sensible diet. Most celebs you see eat very little AND work out all the time. I saw a programme once on a underwear model. Her body WAS really beautiful but you should have seen her lifestlye! SHe ate 1000-1300 calories a day, did 2 hours of yoga, 1 hour of cardio and 1 hour of weights 6 times a week, and starved (water only) for 36hours before every underwear shoot (usually 1 a week but sometimes 3, she said she fainted if she worked more than that) so she'd have a flat stomach. Not worth it IMO. I'd rather have my wee belly and be able to eat!

I eat 2300 calories (ish, i only counted for 3 days in one week a few months ago, but it is a guesstimate of my average) and for me exercise makes the biggest difference. If i don't exercise i need to eat more like 1700-1800 and as a 181cm person that spells hunger! Equally before i exercised much i imagined a walk every day would be a lot of exercise and for my body it isn't enough. I run for 40-60 mins 3 times a week and swim for 30mins then do a 60min bodypump class once a week. THat is not training for anything, just maintaining. To train i would be running 60-90 minutes three times/week and swimming probably 40-60mins + a 60 min bodypump.

Anyway, a big ramble from bec as usual, but basically i think your idea is a great one. If you want to see change get a stopwatch (or an assistant) and go and time as you run up and down your stairs as fast as you can 5 times (5 up and 5 down) then take your pulse as soon as you stop and 5 minutes later. Write down how long it took and your heartrate right after and 5 mins after. Then do it again every 2 weeks. Will tell you so much more about how your body is than the scales or the tape measure.

Bec