Do you still see a fat person in the mirror?

_L_A_

Some days I do some days I don't, it probably depends on what I'm wearing to be honest! If it's flattering I feel very slim, if it's slightly too tight I feel even bigger than I used to be!

If I'm not wearing anything though I'm finally seeing myself as not so big anymore although I can still see the bits that will hopefully improve/go as I lose more and get to goal! I'm definitely not slim now, but I also don't see myself as overly fat, I think my mind has adjusted to seeing exactly what my reflection is in the mirror for the most part sometimes I feel bigger though even if I don't see it anymore in the mirror, for example I'll see a gap between a chair and a wall and I'll think "there's no way I'll fit around there..." but I have to so I try and I fit through! That always surprises me! Or I think there's no way near enough room left on a sofa/bench for me, but squeeze on when invited and find there's plenty!

Not sure why or when or how I managed to adjust my mindset though, if I figure it out I'll let everyone else know so they can join in! My mind isn't completely there, but it's on the way!

SteveMFP123

Yes, but I am still fat. I don't see much difference at all in the mirror but I do in pictures.

rainbow198

I lost 80 lbs and have maintained it for almost 2 years. I have been chunky, chubby, big, overweight or obese my whole life. Currently I am the smallest I have ever been and sometimes forget how much smaller I am.

For example, I would go to a clothing store and browse at clothes in size L and XL when I should be looking in M. Looking at old photos can be weird too since my face/neck area looks completely different now. Oh here's another example...I went out to a place last night I haven't gone to in years. I had so much more room in the restroom stall compared to before. Little things like that I'm still getting used to.

The weird thing is I'm tight, in great shape, my stomach is pretty flat and I feel great. Sometimes though when I catch my reflection in a mirror etc., I have to do a double take. It's so crazy. Things are slowly getting better, but I hope my brain fully catches up to reality soon!

susie7172

I still see a fat person in the mirror. I think I look no different than I did many pounds ago. People tell me I look different and I have the pics to prove it, but I look like the same person to me. Losing weight is the easy part. Having a reasonable body image is hard. Very hard.

cjames010

I've been maintaining since June
I still feel big, especially when I sit and see my thighs spread.
When I walk down stairs, I still "waddle" as if I'm bigger.

The weird part is, when I was overweight, I thought I looked fine. I was actually offended when my husband suggested we start losing weight last year.
I started thinking I looked fine. When I lost 5-10 pounds, I thought I looked great.
Now, in maintenance, after losing about 30 pounds, I don't see myself correctly.
It's messed up.

salembambi

ive lost 160 pounds and i still sometimes feel fat when i look in the mirror yeah

but i know im tiny in comparison to before and thats cool

Solkre2

Nope. But I do see a guy with extra skin that needs to go away lol.

MeowMix66

I felt really good about myself when I went to a Korean day spa/bath house. The hot baths were only allowed for use if you didn't have clothes. It gave me a chance to look at other women and think "Oh, she has bigger thighs/hips/tummy, but it looks nice" and kind of seeing "flaws" and realizing that they can be aesthetically pleasing on someone else made me realize that maybe my "flaws" actually attract other people.

elansc

Lost 84 pounds -- 12.5 to go -- and yes sometimes I still feel like the fat chick.... Better now than it was 6 months ago and I guess I knew it would take time but sometimes when I go to put on a pair of pants I think "how will ever fit into those tiny things.." And then the pants are too baggy (which is exactly what happened this morning). Crazy making but I wore size 18-20 for 16 years so of course it is going to take a bit of time to get used to wearing size 12 (soon to be size 10!!). Give me a few years and I will be used to being a size 10 cause I ain't going back

47Jacqueline

I'm at maintenance, but trying to lose 2lb to get to the bottom of my range. I lost about 30lb. After reaching maintenance, I dropped 2 additional sizes in the next year to my current size 4.

Some days I look in the mirror and think I look really slim and muscular, some days, all I see is that my stomach isn't as tight as it was 20 years ago.

LadyLots2Lose

I'm just going to add my voice to the many that still see the 'fat' person in the mirror long after the extra kilos/pounds have been shed. I'm not quite at my goal (still 6 kg or thereabouts to lose) but, I still head straight for the plus sizes when I'm shopping for clothes. I still see the 'fat girl' staring back in the mirror in spite of dropping 5 sizes since I started the weight loss journey and I still avoid being in photographs as much as possible.
I guess my brain will catch up to the rest of me at some point. In the meantime I'll just enjoy the surprise that comes with fitting into a smaller size than I thought I would.

yesimpson

salembambi wrote: »

ive lost 160 pounds and i still sometimes feel fat when i look in the mirror yeah

but i know im tiny in comparison to before and thats cool

That's incredible. Well done

pkw58

LadyLots2Lose wrote: »

I'm just going to add my voice to the many that still see the 'fat' person in the mirror long after the extra kilos/pounds have been shed. I'm not quite at my goal (still 6 kg or thereabouts to lose) but, I still head straight for the plus sizes when I'm shopping for clothes. I still see the 'fat girl' staring back in the mirror in spite of dropping 5 sizes since I started the weight loss journey and I still avoid being in photographs as much as possible.
I guess my brain will catch up to the rest of me at some point. In the meantime I'll just enjoy the surprise that comes with fitting into a smaller size than I thought I would.

Hopefully, you will have a very nice salesperson steer you right when you are picking out clothes just like I did. It's hard to drop multiple clothes sizes and for me, it meant ditching an entire wardrobe and starting over, because I hadn't been this size since High School... and the only thing I have to wear from that time period was some earrings and my band award jacket!

Anonycatgirl

Sometimes. Then I remember a weird experience... I came around a corner in a restaurant. There was a decorative mirror on the wall but I was distracted and my brain didn't process for a second I was looking in a mirror. My first thought was, "That skinny *kitten* has jeans just like mine..." then..."What? I AM that skinny *kitten*."

siminske

I see it every day. I am 6 foot 8, and now weigh 228 pounds. I want to lose another 18, and everyone has told me that I am too skinny now.

EDS_Niki

Linzer140fit wrote: »

Have you ever tried looking at your body but standing on something or angling the floor mirror so you can't see your head, only your body? I know this sounds bizarre but it tricks your brain a little because it's like you're looking at somebody elses body and I think you might find you are way less critical. Remember, everyone has problem spots, we all look "good" with our clothes on, or in good lighting.

Ooh i'm gonna try this at home

TWINSICLE

I have some days when I think I look small and some when I don't. It will always be something I struggle with. I used to be 84lbs at my smallest thinking that. I am now at a healthier weight range 112lbs. At my heaviest 165lbs, I always felt uncomfortable. Im happier where I am at now.

carlosjenno

Yes. Welcome to Body Dysmorphics Anonymous.

I try not to worry about it, whilever I'm still in tight fitting medium t-shirts and feel comfy in them, I'm happy enough. All I concentrate on now is being as fit as possible.

Dennis4766

Yes. Im 48, and was obese for more than half of my life.

Lazz5k

Linzer140fit wrote: »

Have you ever tried looking at your body but standing on something or angling the floor mirror so you can't see your head, only your body? I know this sounds bizarre but it tricks your brain a little because it's like you're looking at somebody elses body and I think you might find you are way less critical. Remember, everyone has problem spots, we all look "good" with our clothes on, or in good lighting.

THAT, IS A GREAT IDEA

Lazz5k

CONGRATS ON YOUR SUCCESS. I'm sure its more mental than anything you should be SOOOOOO proud! I wish I was your size

Lindsay_the_great

siminske wrote: »

I see it every day. I am 6 foot 8, and now weigh 228 pounds. I want to lose another 18, and everyone has told me that I am too skinny now.

...and why exactly do people think it's ok to remark on someone's weight when they're thin or losing weight if it's a no-no to tell someone they're getting too fat!? Neither one should be ok. (Unless you're a loved one and there is real cause for concern)

lisele03

pkw58 wrote: »

...I hadn't been this size since High School... and the only thing I have to wear from that time period was some earrings and my band award jacket!

lol.... this just makes me laugh!
On subject tho', I've lost about 50 lbs and although I see the difference in my body (face, stomach, etc) I don't feel the difference. Some days I just feel huge and only on a rare occasion I feel "light as a feather" Oh well, I think we all grow into our new shapes over time. I just have to remind myself to hang in there.... tomorrow could be one of those "feather" days....! Good luck!

MadMaximus83

I've lost almost 89 pounds and still have a hard time accepting that I am smaller. I don't know how many times I have found myself in the plus size section of a clothing store and then remember I can't get anything in this dept anymore. Or clothes that I know are in my size (Medium shirts/8 jeans), but for some reason I think I can't fit into those...I'm too big. I'm sure my brain will catch up with my body eventually, but it is rather aggravating at the moment.

Aviva92

pkw58 wrote: »

LadyLots2Lose wrote: »

I'm just going to add my voice to the many that still see the 'fat' person in the mirror long after the extra kilos/pounds have been shed. I'm not quite at my goal (still 6 kg or thereabouts to lose) but, I still head straight for the plus sizes when I'm shopping for clothes. I still see the 'fat girl' staring back in the mirror in spite of dropping 5 sizes since I started the weight loss journey and I still avoid being in photographs as much as possible.
I guess my brain will catch up to the rest of me at some point. In the meantime I'll just enjoy the surprise that comes with fitting into a smaller size than I thought I would.

Hopefully, you will have a very nice salesperson steer you right when you are picking out clothes just like I did. It's hard to drop multiple clothes sizes and for me, it meant ditching an entire wardrobe and starting over, because I hadn't been this size since High School... and the only thing I have to wear from that time period was some earrings and my band award jacket!

I wish I saved some clothes from high school. I'm curious if they would fit. I got down to the same weight as high school, but with vanity sizing, I'm a smaller size now. I suspect that with losing muscle by getting older and dieting, the clothes from back then would be too small, but no clue.

spoiledpuppies

Absolutely! I'm still taken by surprise when someone says that I'm tiny (when I think they're actually smaller than me). I even find that when I look at my jeans on a hanger or a small size in a store, I think they look tiny and wouldn't possibly fit me. But once they go on me perfectly fine, they don't look small at all anymore. (I'm also about a size 4.) My husband is losing weight also now and going through the same thing. Darn brains!

jeffd247

My problem is that I have never seen a fat person in the mirror, even when I was more than 120 lbs overweight. I only saw myself as a fat person in photos or videos.

I have to literally tell myself "you're still fat" every time I hit another milestone so I don't just give up. Talk about distorted self image!!

Roxiegirl2008

First congrats on your weight loss.

Yeah sometimes still see a fat person. I love taking progress photos because that helps me see how far I have come. Every so often though that fat person stares back at me. I think it is because I saw that person for so long my brain has not adjusted to the change.

rbfdac

I'm down 50 pounds and definitely still "fat", but I suppose I can answer the question all the same. I'm clearly smaller- I've dropped three sizes and am down 50 pounds on the scale. But I look exactly the same in the mirror. Sometimes I even have my husband step on the scale to make sure it's not messing up. I also find myself thinking that my clothes that are too large have just stretched out- like, maybe I didn't wash them the last time I wore them and they're just stretched out from that.

I never took "before" photos, which definitely would help this body dysmorphia. For those of you just beginning- go take photos now!

veganbettie

when I don't like what I see in the mirror I take a picture of myself, I always look better in the picture, I feel like the mirror is liar!!!!