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Home arrow Nutrition arrow Weight Management arrow Mirror, Mirror, on the Wall... Is Losing 5 Pounds Noticeable?

Mirror, Mirror, on the Wall... Is Losing 5 Pounds Noticeable?

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Written by Edibel Quintero, RD
HR_author_photo_Rosmy
Fact checked by Rosmy Barrios, MD
Last update: April 7, 2023
4 min read 2719 Views 0 Comments
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Is losing 5 pounds noticeable? Find out how long it takes to lose 5 pounds, what it changes about you, and how much you need to drop in order to see major changes in the mirror.

is losing 5 pounds noticeable

Would you care about weight loss so much if it was not about how it makes you look?

People usually start worrying about how to lose unwanted pounds when their clothing size changes. Getting back to your favorite size, however, takes time and effort. But if you don’t know how weight loss works, you may find the first steps to a slimmer body frustrating.

Find out how small changes in your body can affect how you look and make a big difference in how you feel in this article.

Is Losing 5 Pounds Noticeable?

If you are of average height, you won’t notice a big difference in your appearance after losing 5 pounds, but you will certainly feel lighter.

Focusing on a healthy lifestyle is more likely to yield lasting weight loss results than trying to impress others by chasing the number on the scale. As a result, seeing 5 pounds disappear from the scale will mean that you are doing everything right.

You might notice slight weight fluctuation throughout the day. For example, women tend to put on and off 3–5 pounds of water weight during their menstrual cycle, and a habit of eating a lot of salty foods makes it worse. As for men, a lack of sleep or eating junk food may contribute to weight gain.

While it is completely natural for women to gain weight during their periods, eating junk foods that are high in fats, salts, and sugars, and lack vital nutrients is unhealthy for everyone. The sooner you start eating clean, the better you will feel.

Losing 5 Pounds: Before and After

Take full-size photos of yourself every once in a while and compare them. This is the best way to track body-shape changes.

BeyondBody-Mia
Mia, 30
BeyondBody-Harper
Harper, 47
BeyondBody-Abigail
Abigail, 38

Does a 5-Pound Weight Loss Change Your Face?

Unless you have very little body fat, losing five pounds will not make much of a difference to your face.

To know how losing weight changes your face, try to remember how it changes with weight gain. It usually follows that same pattern. However, the only way to find out how your body will distribute fat is to be patient.

There is nothing wrong with having fat on cheeks in general since it gives them a beautiful round shape. Nevertheless, if you’d like a slimmer face, you might want to consider a low-carb diet for burning fat. 

Just remember that fat loss can lead to collagen loss and sagging skin. To prevent the negative side effects of losing weight, you should take care of your skin and increase your collagen intake.

Is It Okay to Lose 5 Pounds in a Week?

Losing five pounds in a week is not recommended because it might cause health problems.

A healthy weight loss goal should be around 1–2 pounds a week for about 6 months but not more than 10% of your overall body weight. Trying to lose more weight in less time can result in health problems such as gallstones, hair loss, reproductive problems, depression, and mental breakdown.

Be realistic about how quickly you can lose weight and how safe it is. Setting a realistic weight loss goal is the best way to get started. To find out what your weight loss potential is, you can use the National Institutes of Health body weight planner.

Can I Lose 5 Pounds in a Month?

Yes, you can. When you develop healthy eating habits and keep your activity level up, you will be able to lose even more than five pounds in a month.

People who lose weight gradually and steadily are more successful at keeping it off. The best way to lose weight and keep it under control is to follow a tested strategy.

How Much Weight Do You Need to Lose to See a Visible Difference?

You need to lose between 2–4% of your overall body weight to see a difference. For significantly overweight people, it might be 10%.

As hard as it may be, to see the first weight loss results, you need to lose inches and not just a few pounds. According to researchers, losing 8 pounds makes your waist shrink by one inch.

It might take longer for you to see even more noticeable differences depending on your weight and height. To know how many pounds you have to drop for a big change, you have to start by calculating your body mass index. When you find out your healthy weight range, you will know how much you need to drop to see a big change in the mirror.

A Word From Our Dietitian

Losing fat is what you need to do if you want to see a difference in your body. Since it’s about 3,500 calories per pound of fat, a 500-calorie deficit a day will make you burn it in a week.

Gladly, the more muscle you have, the faster you burn calories, and the faster you lose body fat. For instance, if you eat clean and do strength training to gain muscle in your abdominal area, you will quickly lose belly fat and decrease the risk of heart disease.

Weight plays an important role in blood pressure and heart disease control. Those who lose just a few pounds of fat are relieved of sleep apnea, a serious illness that makes it difficult to sleep well.

Conclusion

Losing five pounds makes no difference in your size, but it shows that you’ve made lifestyle improvements. 

No matter how many pounds you want to lose, it is recommended not to exceed 5% of your body weight in the first 6 months. Focus on the real health benefits you get, and don’t rush to impress people around you.

People notice how beautiful you are only when you are happy and enjoy yourself in your own body regardless of the number on the scale. Keep this in mind and always put your health first.

Written by Edibel Quintero, RD
Edibel Quintero is a medical doctor who graduated in 2013 from the University of Zulia and has been working in her profession since then. She specializes in obesity and nutrition, physical rehabilitation, sports massage and post-operative rehabilitation. Edibel’s goal is to help people live healthier lives by educating them about food, exercise, mental wellness and other lifestyle choices that can improve their quality of life.
The article was fact checked by Rosmy Barrios, MD
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HR_author_photo_Edibel
Written by Edibel Quintero, RD
HR_author_photo_Rosmy
Fact checked by Rosmy Barrios, MD
Last update: April 7, 2023
4 min read 2719 Views 0 Comments
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