fat loss question

[namtrag]

I had a question for all who have been 30-50lbs overweight, and succesfully lost it.

I have lost 15 lbs since 9/5, and I can definitely tell my clothes are looser, but, being a depressive personality type, I cannot tell that I look any different. It's almost like the weight is coming off in a symetrical way, so the love handles are still proportionally big compared to the rest of me. I still can't see any muscle showing in my ab area, although I can see in the shoulders and upper chest area an improvement.

How long does it go on before you can really see your body under all the fat? I think I am at about 20% bf right now.

[jtroster]

I have gone from 200 pounds to 180 over the last 4 years. During the last two years my weight has stayed the same but I have gained muscle and lost fat in about equal amounts. I started at 27%BF and I am around 18% now. I seemed to lose fat first in my legs and butt. Then slowly the Bartlett-pear shape inverted and I am starting to get a nice V-taper. However, I still can't see Abs.

One thing that dramatically changed my looks was concentrating on getting more shoulder mass. As my shoulders got wider my belly looked smaller. I recently switched to a program that has more cardio so I hope to see at least an Ab by January.

[Original Poster]

I had a question for all who have been 30-50lbs overweight, and succesfully lost it.

I have lost 15 lbs since 9/5, and I can definitely tell my clothes are looser, but, being a depressive personality type, I cannot tell that I look any different. It's almost like the weight is coming off in a symetrical way, so the love handles are still proportionally big compared to the rest of me. I still can't see any muscle showing in my ab area, although I can see in the shoulders and upper chest area an improvement.

How long does it go on before you can really see your body under all the fat? I think I am at about 20% bf right now.

When abs start showing is different for everyone.
For me it's about 12%.

Keep in mind the middle and those love handles are the last to go.
Just keep at it and you'll see them.
They are there, you just have to uncover them.

Abs are made in the kitchen not the gym.

[JYD]

1. You will never see the change in yourself because you see yourself every day.
2. certain parts of your body will be the last part to lose weight. For men, belly. For women, belly and thighs.

To answer your question, it will depend on how long those who see you on a daily basis or weekly basis will notice.

[rotlex]

As far as AB muscles go, I think what Chi said is correct regarding everyone being different. For me, I can see the "top 4" if I'm under 15%. (Lucky I guess, LOL). As far as the bottom two? No idea for me. I have yet to see them and I've been as low as 9%. Then again, I lost quite a bit of weight, just over 100lbs a while back, and do have a lot of "loose" skin down there.

[Humble Bee]

I too have lost a lot of weight over the years... Been on the yo-yo plan all my life. In my early 20's I was 350 lbs., I lost about 100, had surgery (which took off another 30 lbs.), then starved myself down to a miserable 160 lbs.

Even at that weight, I was never satisfied. I just wanted to be thin but never saw myself that way. Although I was an absolute bag of bones with zero muscle tone.

Over the past 5 years since I yo-yo'd again and gained back approx. 90 lbs. leaving me miserable again at 250 lbs.

This time is very different for me. I am going to do it correctly with a proper diet, cardio and lifting. I should say with the proper attitude and lifestyle.

I sarted at 250 lbs., again with zero muscle, two months ago. I am now down to 230 lbs. and getting stronger each day with my lifting.

It's not easy and some days I feel like giving up. Like this morning! But I pushed myself to stay on track and did what I had to do.

It's so worth it. Stay Strong!

[lukamar]

It's not easy and some days I feel like giving up. Like this morning! But I pushed myself to stay on track and did what I had to do.

Sometimes life gets in the way, sometimes you are just not motivated. You know you are on the right track when you do exactly what you did and work through it.

[Dave76]

I too have lost a lot of weight over the years... Been on the yo-yo plan all my life...

Me too. I can proudly say that I've lost nearly 300 lbs in my life. Of course, I've put most of it back on. Losing weight is easy. Keeping it off, well, that's a different story for me.

I've had love handles since my earliest childhood memories. I once had a Doctor tell me that I was genetically predisposed to storing fat in that area and if I ever lost the love handles, I'd be too skinny. In October 2003, I weighed 250 lbs. Using diet, cardio, and weight training, I was down to 180 by Sept 2004 (my 50th birthday). For the first time in my life, I had no love handles!! It wasn't the first time in my life that I weighed 180, but it was the first time without love handles. I attributed the difference to the use of weight training for the first time. I'd lost weight using only diet and cardio on all my previous attempts to lose the love handles.

Shortly after my 50th birthday, I burned out and fell off the wagon. It wasn't long before most of the weight returned. I'm back at it now and currently weigh 220. Yes, the love handles are back but they're much smaller. Now that I know I can do it, I'm determined to lose them again. I'm also determined to keep it off this time!!!!

[DarinK]

Abs are made in the kitchen not the gym.

That's it! People ask me about weight training and building a great body, but I always tell them it's 50% diet, 30% weight training, 20% cardio. The love handles and lower abs are always the hardest to get rid of.

[pastorgbc]

I have lost about 30 pounds in the last year. I certainly notice it in amount of room I have in my pants. The one thing that really jumps out at me is not necessarily in the mirror, but when I see pictures of myself. When I look at pictures from last year, I have a hard time believing my face was that fat and my belly protruded the way it did.

Ray