Is Losing 10 Pounds Noticeable? A Personal Trainer Explains

Losing weight is a fairly universal goal. It’s something that we all strive to do, and we all know that when we set any kind of weight loss or body weight goals, it’s important to always be realistic. 

Ten pounds seems within reasonable reach, and it will probably make a noticeable difference in our appearance, right?

The difference will depend on your starting weight and where you tend to carry most of the fat in your body. In this article, we’ll find out how much of a difference a 10-pound weight loss really makes to your body. Read on for more.

How Much Weight Must You Lose to Notice a Difference?

A study found that a person of average height would need to lose around 9 pounds to notice the difference. 

When we lose weight, we almost always notice it in our face first because that’s the first thing we look at in the mirror.

Societal beauty standards – as fickle as they are – have a role to play here as well. The same study found that women have to shed a few extra pounds in excess weight than men do in order to appear “more attractive” to people. For an average woman of average height to make herself “more appealing” in photographs, she would have to lose about 14 pounds, while a man of average height would have to lose 18 pounds of body fat to do the same.

Of course, these values are totally arbitrary, and the notion of being “attractive” versus “unattractive” is outdated and archaic.

Where Do You Notice Weight Loss First?

As mentioned earlier, we almost always notice weight loss in the face when we lose weight, largely because our faces are the first things we see when we look in the mirror. 

When you shed that excess body weight, you might notice that your cheeks are a little slimmer, your cheekbones more defined, and your jawline is a little more pronounced.

Women often have more subcutaneous fat, which is a kind of fat that sits right beneath the skin and is practically responsible for a woman’s curves. 

Women tend to shed weight all over their bodies first while still holding on to weight in their thighs and hips. On the other hand, men usually lose pounds in their midriffs first.

In the case of weight loss, it’s less about the natural shape of your body and more about your genetics, your metabolism, and the function of your hormones. 

The fat that melts from your body first is different for everyone, and it is entirely possible to shed weight from the place you gained it last.

What Losing 10 Pounds Does to Your Body

You won’t only notice changes in your appearance, but in your overall health as well. For instance, losing 10 pounds of weight can significantly reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, experience better kidney health, and have healthier blood pressure levels. 

Your digestive system will also reap some benefits. If you’re following a healthy diet with sufficient fiber, you will become far more regular in the bathroom, especially if you’re someone who struggles with constipation. 

Finally, your energy levels will increase since you’ll likely be consuming less sugar, less alcohol, and fewer fatty, heavy foods. If you are not consuming as much sugar, you will experience better sleep and have more energy throughout the day. 

What Do 10 Pounds of Fat Look Like?

If you really want to be motivated to pursue weight loss and reduce your overall body fat, then think about what a simple 10 pounds of fat might look like in other ways. Here are a few everyday things that weigh 10 pounds. That might give you some perspective on your gross body weight and what losing 10 pounds could do for you.

• A large bag of potatoes
• A small microwave oven
• An average 3-month-old child
• 3 two-liter bottles of soda
• A medium-sized bowling ball
• An adult Maltese dog

Losing 10 pounds could be the equivalent of losing a microwave oven, a dog, or even a small child. So, it’s safe to say that 10 pounds is a healthy weight to strive to lose during your weight loss journey.

What Does Losing 10 Pounds Look Like?

Following a healthy (but not overly-restrictive) diet and performing regular exercise will most definitely cause weight loss, especially fat loss. Of course, this fat loss cannot be targeted to any specific part of the body, and you will likely experience changes throughout the body when you shed a couple of pounds.

Your body fat shrinks in size throughout your body, and your genetics will have a key role to play in where exactly you experience the most significant losses. It is recommended that you should not be losing more than 2 pounds every week, and a 10-pound weight loss should, under ideal circumstances, take place over a period of 10 weeks.

Trying to lose weight too quickly can also cause you to lose lean muscle tissue, which can make it significantly more challenging to maintain your weight loss and stay at your goal weight.

How Long Does It Take to Lose 10 Pounds?

As we mentioned earlier, it should take you around ten weeks to lose 10 pounds. When you go about the process of shedding some excess pounds, you want to make sure that you’re doing it in a healthy, reasonable way.

Here are a few ways that you can lose weight effectively and healthily.

• Walking – A person of the average build could lose 150 calories each day if they walked for 3 miles each day. This deficit would allow you to shed around half a pound every two weeks, which equates to about 2 pounds every month. While this might not sound like the quickest way to drop your body mass index, it is certainly one of the healthiest and does not require too much effort.
• Running – Running 3 miles daily could cause a 300-calorie deficit in a person of average build. This daily deficit could result in a loss of 1 pound each week, which equates to about 4–5 pounds every month. And, if you take into consideration that there are approximately 4 weeks in each month, you could lose 8–10 pounds in 8–10 weeks, which is in line with best practices for weight loss.

While we’ve spoken a lot about caloric deficits so far, it’s important to remember that putting yourself in a calorie deficit is not a foolproof way to increase your progress. Everybody loses weight at different rates, and just because you are burning more calories than you’re eating doesn’t mean you’re going to lose weight rapidly.

Wrapping Up

It might not seem like it, but losing 10 pounds is certainly an achievable goal and can make a noticeable difference in your appearance. While you might not notice it in the areas you want to at first, consistent, healthy weight loss will produce the best results and help you achieve your dream body. 

And remember – a 10-pound loss looks different on everyone, so even if you’re only noticing small changes, try to think about the bigger picture!