It’s natural the moment you go on a weight loss program to want to see results right away. If you’re going about losing weight in a sensible way—meaning you’re using a sustainable approach and not a fad diet that’s too low on calories and nutrients—you’re probably going to notice some kind of weight loss pretty quickly. At first, you might just feel lighter or less bloated. Then you start noticing more and more places that you’re losing weight. That said, it might take other people a moment to catch on.
Even if it feels like it’s taking a while, you should still see some noticeable defining moments along your weight loss journey that can help you stay motivated toward reaching your goals. Here’s what to keep in mind when it comes to what you’ll notice:
Expect to lose 1 to 2 pounds per week
“As a rule of thumb, healthy weight loss is anywhere from 1 to two pounds per week. At this rate, men could lose anywhere from four to eight pounds in one month and eight to 16 pounds in two months,” says Ilyse Schapiro MS, RD, CDN.
“One pound of body weight is equivalent to 3,500 calories. So, in order to lose one to two pounds each week, men should aim for reducing their daily caloric intake by 500 calories,” she says. If you’re losing more weight than that, you may not be meeting your calorie and nutrition needs, and may not be setting yourself up for long-term success.
If you cut carbs, you often lose water weight, and you may feel leaner quickly (although once you add back in the carbs, you get that water back, but by that time, you may have lost actual body weight, too).
Trust what your clothes are telling you
Sometimes, you’ll notice weight loss in how your clothes fit first. Looser clothes indicate weight loss, sometimes before the scale does. “Be careful of the scale as your only indicator for weight changes, as many factors can affect this number,” says Schapiro.
Sodium and water balance, diet and physical activity habits, sleep duration, body temperature, and time of day are all things that can change the readout on the scale.
There’s no standard place you’ll lose weight first
There is currently no research that pinpoints where men lose weight first—weight loss efforts and success are different for everyone. “Some of my patients lose weight in their face first, and some in their belly, and some in other areas,” says Kristin Kirkpatrick, MS, RDN.
One way to keep track of the fact that you’re losing is to take a waist circumference and track it over time. Bonus: This measurement is also a good indicator of health (for good health, men’s waists should be less than 40 inches in circumference).
Don’t let Zoom make you feel like less of a success
Since there are likely more Zoom interactions than physical encounters today, it may be difficult for others to notice your weight loss progress at first if you’re not someone who loses weight in your face and neck right away.
“If you’re lacking positive comments from others, don’t let it get in the way of your progress. Instead of focusing on external validation, celebrate your success and know that your personal recognition is worth more than a thousand compliments from others,” Kirkpatrick says.
Men can experience weight changes at different times, at different intervals, and for different reasons. There’s no set amount of time it takes to notice weight loss. Sometimes it’s more important to track how consistent you are with your efforts—always something to celebrate there—than to track what the scale says, which can disappoint you and not completely relate to your efforts.
Stop worrying about how long it takes to notice weight loss and focus on the process of doing it. The weight will come off, without the stress of wishing it would happen faster.
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