# Where on your body do you notice weight loss first? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 7, 2011, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-on-your-body-do-you-notice-weight-loss-first/591839 "2011-08-07T17:45:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2011, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-on-your-body-do-you-notice-weight-loss-first/591839/1 "2011-08-07T17:45:04Z")
A combination of being sick and on antibiotics that cause me slight but persistent nausea have been killing my appetite has lead to me losing three or four pounds over the past two and a half weeks. I’m not too worried about it since I could stand to lose another ten pounds anyway, and I assume that my appetite will re-emerge (though I’ve a fantasy that my current lack of sugar cravings will be long-lasting) once I finish the antibiotics a week from Tuesday. But it has got me to thinking: whenever I begin to lose a few pounds, it’s most noticeable in one strange place…my outer right thigh develops a shallow concave spot about the size of my out-stretched hand; it’s like that now. It’s visible too, not just something I can feel. If I lose more weight it’ll smooth out, but it always strikes me as funny that it’s just that thigh, not ever the other one too or instead. Other people must have body parts that show weight loss the quickest too, right? What’s yours? ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2011, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-on-your-body-do-you-notice-weight-loss-first/591839/2 "2011-08-07T18:21:07Z")
I carry most of my weight around my middle. So weight loss is also usually seen there too. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2011, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-on-your-body-do-you-notice-weight-loss-first/591839/3 "2011-08-07T18:23:23Z")
gut. but, it seems to be internal (visceral) fat more than anything. ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2011, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-on-your-body-do-you-notice-weight-loss-first/591839/4 "2011-08-07T20:33:35Z")
Sadly, the boobs are usually the first to shrink. Completely unfair, if you ask me. ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2011, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-on-your-body-do-you-notice-weight-loss-first/591839/5 "2011-08-07T20:36:24Z")
Someone recently told me that the first places you lose weight are the face and the ankles. But my ankles aren’t the problem! For me, I’d say the first place is the midsection. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2011, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-on-your-body-do-you-notice-weight-loss-first/591839/6 "2011-08-07T20:39:47Z")
For me it’s definitely my face. My cheeks, to be exact. ---
**Author:** ![Moonlitherial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2011, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-on-your-body-do-you-notice-weight-loss-first/591839/7 "2011-08-07T20:49:42Z")
Face here too. Oddly though when I gain weight that’s also the first place it shows. ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2011, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-on-your-body-do-you-notice-weight-loss-first/591839/8 "2011-08-08T00:12:58Z")
Tummy and arms. Then face, legs and butt. Sadly the boobs never seem to go down. ---
**Author:** ![rhubarbarin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eb9ed0/32.png) [@rhubarbarin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rhubarbarin)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2011, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-on-your-body-do-you-notice-weight-loss-first/591839/9 "2011-08-08T00:14:46Z")
My ass is pretty much the only place I gain, lose, or in fact carry any weight. It goes up or down an inch in circumference with every 3-4 lbs lost or gained. ---
**Author:** ![jabiru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@jabiru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jabiru)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2011, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-on-your-body-do-you-notice-weight-loss-first/591839/10 "2011-08-08T00:18:10Z")
I lose it from the peripheries in. Ankles, wrists first. Waist last, unfortunately. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2011, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-on-your-body-do-you-notice-weight-loss-first/591839/11 "2011-08-08T00:28:24Z")
The bit of backfat under the brastrap. I’m not sure it has a name - it’s higher than the “lovehandles”; under the scapula, but above the waist. After that, under the chin and off the front of the abdomen, top first. I have that “double belly” thing many obese women do - I still have a proportionally narrow waist, but there’s a bulge above as well as a bulge below my navel, right in front. Thank gods, my “top belly” doesn’t actually hang over or touch my “bottom belly”, though! But I bet if I got even heavier, it would. ---
**Author:** ![gwendee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/35a633/32.png) [@gwendee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gwendee)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2011, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-on-your-body-do-you-notice-weight-loss-first/591839/12 "2011-08-09T01:54:51Z")
> [@Antigen](#): > > Sadly, the boobs are usually the first to shrink. Completely unfair, if you ask me. Me too. When I lose weight I wanna need new pants, not smaller bras. Harumph. ---
**Author:** ![Fugazi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f08c70/32.png) [@Fugazi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fugazi)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2011, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-on-your-body-do-you-notice-weight-loss-first/591839/13 "2011-08-09T06:17:19Z")
If I ever manage to lose any freakin’ weight, I’ll let you know. God, it’s so hard to lose when you’re 45. Le Sigh ---
**Author:** ![chizzuk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@chizzuk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chizzuk)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2011, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-on-your-body-do-you-notice-weight-loss-first/591839/14 "2011-08-09T06:36:12Z")
Hips/butt. I had my wisdom teeth out and didn’t really eat for a few days and now I have some kind of stomach virus and I’ve lost about 4 lbs. My pajama pants are now falling off and I had to pull my belt in a notch. I’m trying to gain the weight back. They flagged it for being too low at my last checkup but didn’t suggest anything to do about it. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2011, 9:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-on-your-body-do-you-notice-weight-loss-first/591839/15 "2011-08-09T09:42:37Z")
Waistline. I’ve been slowly but steadily losing weight for a few years now, and today I unearthed an old box of panties that I’d put away because they were too small. They are now too large, they’re falling off of me. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2011, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-on-your-body-do-you-notice-weight-loss-first/591839/16 "2011-08-20T06:28:29Z")
> [@Alice\_The\_Goon](#): > > Someone recently told me that the first places you lose weight are the face and the ankles. But my ankles aren’t the problem! For me, I’d say the first place is the midsection. Huh. On me my face and upper arms are the last places weight comes off. My ankles are always the same measurement no matter how much I weigh (just shy of 9", the same as the length of my foot. My wrists match the length of my hands too). ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2011, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-on-your-body-do-you-notice-weight-loss-first/591839/17 "2011-08-20T13:39:22Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > Waistline. I’ve been slowly but steadily losing weight for a few years now, and today I unearthed an old box of panties that I’d put away because they were too small. They are now too large, they’re falling off of me. Congratulations ! Don’t bother saving those panties anymore. They didn’t help you when you needed them, and you won’t be needing them anymore by the sounds of it. ---
**Author:** ![bytheway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/df705f/32.png) [@bytheway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bytheway)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2011, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-on-your-body-do-you-notice-weight-loss-first/591839/18 "2011-08-21T10:32:37Z")
> [@jamiemcgarry](#): > > For me it’s definitely my face. My cheeks, to be exact. Me too. Thighs next. ---
**Author:** ![Toxylon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f05b48/32.png) [@Toxylon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toxylon)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2011, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-on-your-body-do-you-notice-weight-loss-first/591839/19 "2011-08-21T11:53:13Z")
Face for me, too, which sucks, since I have a narrow, bony face that looks much better when I’m a bit overweight. Now that I’m down 12 lbs., love handles persist but my face looks emaciated. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2011, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-on-your-body-do-you-notice-weight-loss-first/591839/20 "2011-08-21T13:45:10Z")
> [@Khadaji](#): > > I carry most of my weight around my middle. So weight loss is also usually seen there too. That describes me perfectly. Although I’ve been fat for as long as I can remember, my arms, legs, and ass were never fat and now I have been losing weight (BMI dropped below 30 a couple months ago for the first time in over 40 years), it is entirely in the gut. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-on-your-body-do-you-notice-weight-loss-first/591839.md?page=2)