When do you start noticing real differences in your body?

[Carnifex66]

Started dieting 1st of November 2016 at 116 kg (255 lbs)

Today I weigh in at 96 kg (211 lbs)

My height is 185 (about 6ft)

goal is: 85-90 kg

been gyming since January doing SL 5x5

Shouldn't I see a difference by now? I'm only 11 kg (24 lbs) away from my goal now but I've still got a belly and and and man boobs and a chubby face... its really discouraging when I'm so close to my goal but I still look fat.. Should I set my goal even lower? at what point should I start seeing actual difference? when will my gut start going away and my face/body features be more defined?

[Junsuiakai]

Started dieting 1st of November 2016 at 116 kg (255 lbs)

Today I weigh in at 96 kg (211 lbs)

My height is 185 (about 6ft)

goal is: 85-90 kg

been gyming since January doing SL 5x5

Shouldn't I see a difference by now? I'm only 11 kg (24 lbs) away from my goal now but I've still got a belly and and and man boobs and a chubby face... its really discouraging when I'm so close to my goal but I still look fat.. Should I set my goal even lower? at what point should I start seeing actual difference? when will my gut start going away and my face/body features be more defined?

You are probably skinny fat now, post pics. You don't automatically look like a beast after losing weight, you have to build muscle... This is a life style, not a race, set your goals smaller, and slowly achieve each one. Post pics for better advice.

[TK401]

If you don't want to post pics. Post your current stronglifts bench, squat, ohp, and deadlift numbers.

That will help understand your current muscle mass.

[DanLincoln]

You won't, you see your progress every day multiple times a day so you don't notice the slow gradual changes. A picture however will shock you how far you've come.

Plus your clothes should be hanging off you

[propret]

Started dieting 1st of November 2016 at 116 kg (255 lbs)

Today I weigh in at 96 kg (211 lbs)

My height is 185 (about 6ft)

goal is: 85-90 kg

been gyming since January doing SL 5x5

Shouldn't I see a difference by now? I'm only 11 kg (24 lbs) away from my goal now but I've still got a belly and and and man boobs and a chubby face... its really discouraging when I'm so close to my goal but I still look fat.. Should I set my goal even lower? at what point should I start seeing actual difference? when will my gut start going away and my face/body features be more defined?

It really depends on the person. First of all congratulations on your weight loss, it's really impressive. Assuming that you've only been losing a pound or two a week and you haven't gotten significantly weaker, you're probably losing fat and not that much muscle, so I can understand how it can be frustrating when you don't nottice a big difference after all the hard work. I think you should look at it with respect to body fat percentage and how much muscle you have, when your bfp goes lower than 20% I find it that it's much easier to notice the changes in your physique, I also find it that if you don't have much muscle (I'm unfortunately guilty of this), you won't look as good and therefore you'll notice the "real difference" much slower. Have you taken any progress photos throughout the cutting process? I think it'd help if you compared your body in November to your body today; maybe you don't notice a big difference because the change is slow and gradual.

[Carnifex66]

If you don't want to post pics. Post your current stronglifts bench, squat, ohp, and deadlift numbers.

That will help understand your current muscle mass.

I'm Benching 40kg (88 lbs), Squatting 55 kg (122 lbs) , ohp 35kg (77 lbs) , deadlifting 60kg (132 lbs) , barbell rowing 35 kg (77 lbs)

sorry about no pics tho I do have pics but I don't feel comfortable enough to show it yet I hope you guys will understand, I've been bullied all through elementary/highschool about being fat so just taking my shirt off is an issue to me.

However I have been dropping clothes size when I started i had to wear a size 44 pants and they were tight now I'm at a 38 and its starting to get loose so i'll have to go down again. I was also wearing XL t-shirts, now wearing im wearing XL t-shirts but their very loose so I could prob go down to a large. It's just an old habit to wear one size larger to hide the fat...

[Junsuiakai]

I'm Benching 40kg (88 lbs), Squatting 55 kg (122 lbs) , ohp 35kg (77 lbs) , deadlifting 60kg (132 lbs) , barbell rowing 35 kg (77 lbs)

sorry about no pics tho I do have pics but I don't feel comfortable enough to show it yet I hope you guys will understand, I've been bullied all through elementary/highschool about being fat so just taking my shirt off is an issue to me.

However I have been dropping clothes size when I started i had to wear a size 44 pants and they were tight now I'm at a 38 and its starting to get loose so i'll have to go down again. I was also wearing XL t-shirts, now wearing im wearing XL t-shirts but their very loose so I could prob go down to a large. It's just an old habit to wear one size larger to hide the fat...

Yeah, your lifts tell the story. You aren't going to look WHAT You want to look like any time soon... Don't get discouraged. For you, I'd highly recommend, eating around maintenance and pushing that 5x5, harder.. I'd shoot for 80kg bench, 100kg squat, 60kg ohp, and 120kg deadlift, before you change programs. Be patient, but with those lifts on 5x5, you should definitely see changes in your physique.

[EjnarKolinkar]

Yeah, your lifts tell the story. You aren't going to look WHAT You want to look like any time soon... Don't get discouraged. For you, I'd highly recommend, eating around maintenance and pushing that 5x5, harder.. I'd shoot for 80kg bench, 100kg squat, 60kg ohp, and 120kg deadlift, before you change programs. Be patient, but with those lifts on 5x5, you should definitely see changes in your physique.

@211 pounds with limited training history? OP is doing well with cutting and no real reason to stop.

OP, buckle down on your lifting. You need to push to make progress all the way through this diet. With only 10 weeks lifting it's normal not to have exploded in muscle.

You are lifting and running your diet. Not much wrong with that combo. Check you macro goals in the sticky topic. As you get leaner weight loss tends to slow. Don't let that bother you.

.5-1% of body weight loss per week is often suggested as reasonable.

You may not look like a shredded bodybuilder at the end of this. Have reasonable expectations. Weight training and losing a massive amount of body fat already are putting you in a much better position. Even if you don't see all the results you want now.

It takes time.

[Curseheart]

I'm Benching 40kg (88 lbs), Squatting 55 kg (122 lbs) , ohp 35kg (77 lbs) , deadlifting 60kg (132 lbs) , barbell rowing 35 kg (77 lbs)

sorry about no pics tho I do have pics but I don't feel comfortable enough to show it yet I hope you guys will understand, I've been bullied all through elementary/highschool about being fat so just taking my shirt off is an issue to me.

However I have been dropping clothes size when I started i had to wear a size 44 pants and they were tight now I'm at a 38 and its starting to get loose so i'll have to go down again. I was also wearing XL t-shirts, now wearing im wearing XL t-shirts but their very loose so I could prob go down to a large. It's just an old habit to wear one size larger to hide the fat...

You and I are doing about the same level of work and have similar body measurements. I started noticing right away the effects of my work outs and can honestly say it seems like the fat is melting off right away. I could do more exercise on my recovery days, like going swimming or long walks, but I mostly live a sedentary lifestyle. I am going start cutting back on alcohol to further my fat loss.

[Tourden]

Congratulations on your weightloss. I also started at similar place (5'11, 267 lb) but with proper diet (counting macro) and good program I lost 102lb and upped my lift until I was almost at my goal.

Don't be shocked if you reach your goal and still look fat, just be patient and keep losing weight.

[ItsTiME35]

well done on the weight loss and clearly you know what to do to drop the fat. next step as said above is dial in the training. if you are really pushing yourself on program and increasing the weight each week (progressive overload) you will see body changes for sure... See the below of me 2 years ago vs me now. Thats simply cutting like u have and lifting on a fierce 5 program...

Me 2013 (been overweight for 10 years plus >>http://bodyspace.bodybuilding.com/pe...iME35/72236871

me near start of cut (around 222 lbs) >>> http://bodyspace.bodybuilding.com/pe...iME35/72236941

me at end of a short bulk (168lbs) >> http://bodyspace.bodybuilding.com/pe...ME35/103172461

this was my progress for waist size for example :-

15/03/15 40" waist
07/05/15 - 38" waist
02/06/15 - 36" waist
02/09/15 - 34" waist
11/02/16 - 32" waist

[CommitmentRulz]

You are definitely on the right track. CONGRATS on your weight loss. Since you are still fairly high in body fat, it will be a while before you see the fluff going away and the muscle under there. But stick with it, it WILL happen.

You need to push harder in the weight room and get those numbers up in order to build more muscle.

Good luck. Work hard.

[Manzooka]

You lost 20kg, dude!! Go pick up a 20kg or 45lb plate and walk around with it for a few minutes. That might help to put things into perspective.

I get it though, I lost over 45kg at one point and there were times I looked in the mirror and didn't see a difference. Even if you don't share pics with us I'd still suggest you take pics at milestones if only for yourself, as that can be a great reminder of where you started and how far you've really come. A daily look in the mirror just doesn't have the same effect.

Keep up the great work.

[mavajo]

OP, this is why regular pictures are tremendous motivation. Take a full body pic in your underwear every couple weeks.

When we're losing weight, we see ourselves every single day - so the changes are imperceptible. Taking regular pictures allows you to see what you looked like a month, two months, three months ago. And then the changes are obvious. You've lost 40 lbs - you're doing great. If you don't notice it, it's only because we tend to be oblivious to our visual progress without that reminder of what we looked like previously.