Why do I look the same after losing 20 lbs?

Author: Johnpaul Terry  |  Last update: Tuesday, December 9, 2025

Body composition: The body is composed of both fat and muscle. If one loses fat but gains muscle through exercise, the overall weight loss may not be reflected in a change in size. Since muscle is denser and takes up less space than fat, it is possible to lose fat and inches while maintaining weight.

Why do I not look different after losing 20 lbs?

You might be in a caloric deficit, but if it's too large, you could be losing muscle. You might not see visual changes right away. You could be doing everything right, but if you have more weight to lose, you might not see a drastic change in your physique.

Why did I lose weight but still look the same?

Muscle helps keep up the rate at which you burn calories (metabolism). So as you lose weight, your metabolism declines, causing you to burn fewer calories than you did at your heavier weight. Your slower metabolism will slow your weight loss, even if you eat the same number of calories that helped you lose weight.

Does losing 20 pounds change your appearance?

Losing 20 pounds can noticeably alter your appearance. You may see reductions in body fat, a slimmer waistline, and a more toned physique. These changes are often first visible in areas like the face, waist, and thighs. As you lose weight, your clothes will start to fit differently.

Is a 20 lb weight loss noticeable?

A 20-pound weight loss can be noticeable, especially for someone who initially weighed 180 pounds. Changes may be visible in areas such as the face, waist, and overall body composition. Factors like individual body shape and distribution of weight loss play a role.

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What does losing 20 lbs do for your body?

Reduce Your Health Risks

Losing the extra weight can help eliminate those health problems or lower your odds for them. Weight loss can reduce your blood pressure and cholesterol. It can also slash risk for diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and osteoarthritis.

What is the most attractive BMI for a woman?

Earlier research has found that the most desired BMIs are approximately 18-20, considerably below the average or typical values of young women in well-fed populations.

Will my skin tighten after losing 20 pounds?

Can Loose Skin After Weight Loss Go Away on Its Own? Not really, docs say—though remember, how much excess skin you're left with and how well your skin responds to weight loss in the first place depends on everything from age and genetics to how much weight you lost and your skin quality.

Will my breasts get smaller if I lose 20 pounds?

Do Your Breasts Get Smaller When You Lose Weight? Whilst breasts can get smaller after you lose weight, breasts do not always get smaller after you lose weight. Size changes may be common, but it depends person to person.

How much weight do you need to lose to look more attractive?

There's good news for anyone who wants to appear more appealing — science has found how much weight men and women need to gain or lose for someone to find him or her attractive. For men, it's 18.1 pounds, where as for women, it's 13.9 pounds, according to Medical News Today.

Why do I feel like I look the same after losing weight?

Our beliefs, past experiences, relationships, cultural context and behavior all play a part in how we think and feel about ourselves. If some of those areas haven't changed despite the weight loss, a person might still feel the same way about themselves as they did when they were heavier.

How to flush out water weight?

  1. Exercise Regularly. Daily exercise provides several health benefits, including preventing water retention. ...
  2. Drink More Water. Drinking water to reduce water weight sounds counterintuitive, but it helps. ...
  3. Manage Salt Intake. ...
  4. Cut Carbs. ...
  5. Focus on Certain Foods and Herbs. ...
  6. Try Supplements. ...
  7. Up Your Caffeine Intake.

How much weight do you need to lose to go down a size?

The rule of thumb, Fernstrom says, is that losing 8 to 10 pounds translates to going down one size. Still, if you lose "up to 15 pounds, you may be OK in your old size," she says. But putting off buying new clothes until you really need them doesn't work for everyone.

What is a realistic timeline to lose 20 pounds?

Depending on where you start, it could take anywhere between 10 and 20 weeks (or more) to lose 20 pounds. That may sound like a long time, but the truth is, it's better to go slow and not rush the process—especially because rapid weight loss can be risky, says personal trainer Susan Pata, NASM-CPT.

Why do I look thinner but weigh the same?

“Muscle tissue is denser than fat tissue, so it takes up less space,” says Barron. “This is exactly why your weight may not change, but your clothes are feeling looser.” This is one of those situations where you should keep doing exactly what you're doing.

Is losing 20 pounds an accomplishment?

Losing 20 pounds is a big accomplishment that can help you feel stronger, faster, and fitter, as well as reduce the appearance of body fat and belly fat.

Will I lose my double chin if I lose weight?

Yes, weight loss can have a significant impact on reducing the appearance of a double chin, especially if the extra fat is due to weight gain. When you lose weight, your body burns fat for energy from various parts, including the neck and chin area.

Does not wearing a bra cause sagging?

Additionally, Wakefield-Scurr says, in populations of women who have never worn bras, their breast tissue tends to sag and elongate. “There's reasonable circumstantial evidence to suggest that if you don't support the skin tissues appropriately, they will stretch,” she explains.

Does losing 20 pounds change your face?

Amount of Weight Lost

Likewise, the amount of fat you lose will also affect whether or not your face changes. If you only need to lose 20 pounds, you probably don't have enough excess weight to cause a noticeable stretch to your skin.

What is the Ozempic face?

Ozempic face is a colloquial term, not a medically recognized condition. It describes the facial changes that can accompany rapid weight loss when using medications like Ozempic or another version of the same drug (generic name semaglutide) FDA-approved for weight-loss treatment.

What is considered significant weight loss?

How much weight loss is a concern. Your body weight can regularly fluctuate. But the persistent, unintentional loss of more than 5 per cent of your weight over 6 to 12 months is usually a cause for concern.

What weight do men find attractive?

Studies show that men generally find female bodies with a BMI in the range of 18.5 to 24.9 to be most appealing. This range typically corresponds to a lower body fat percentage, which can enhance perceptions of health and fertility.

At what BMI does face look best?

For technical reasons, Re focused on weight loss, even though gaunt faces are just as likely to be judged as unattractive as overweight ones, he said. The most attractive faces corresponded to a BMI of about 19 for women and 24 for men.

What BMI do most models have?

It is remarkable that 44.7% of the models reported BMI of between 18.5 and 17.0, and a further 21.2% reported it as under 17.0, that is, severely underweight. Only 12.3% of the non‐models control group had BMI of between 18.5 and 17.0, and for another 4.2%, it was under 17.0.

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