When does the head catch up?

Myrnlvr
Myrnlvr Posts: 16 Member
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
I managed to hit my goal weight and lost a few more. But when I look in the mirror I don't see what I see in pictures, so I'm having a hard time letting/making myself switch to maintenance calories. I've seen people mention that it takes a while for the head to catch up, just wondering how long it took others?

Replies

  • Flapjack_Mollases
    Flapjack_Mollases Posts: 218 Member
    When I was at my lowest weight (185 down from 295), I still didn't like what I saw because my body composition hadn't really changed that much. I've since gained all my weight back (and then some) because I didn't do it right. I starved myself, and looking back, my body had a "starved" look to it. This time, I'm going with a more balanced diet, and only reducing 500 cals per day from my recommended calories. The weight won't come off as fast, but I expect to see much better physique results this go around. I think going to maintenance calories, or even a small deficit would allow you to start putting on some muscle, and it will give you more energy, and you will really start to see some changes.
  • ThatUserNameIsAllReadyTaken
    ThatUserNameIsAllReadyTaken Posts: 1,530 Member
    edited December 2016
    I try not to look at myself. I only see a fat, swirling, jiggling sea of disgusting blubber. This has been true no matter my weight at any stage in life. I have had to make peace with the way I see myself because that is where my problem has always been. I don't know if anyone is ever really happy or satisfied. I'm sure some people must be, at least I wish that for others. People deserve to love themselves. I hope you get to the point where you like what you see in the mirror. I find that if I focus on what I feel like I am much happier. I feel slim when I stand up straight and maintain good posture. I feel slim when I notice the chub rub is slowly fading away. These feelings help me a great deal.
  • MsAmandaNJ
    MsAmandaNJ Posts: 1,248 Member
    Forget the mirror. How do you feel? How do your clothes fit?

    One day I'll look in the mirror and think I look great, the next day I'll cringe at my reflection. I still feel stronger, more fit, healthier, and more confident regardless of what the piece of glass shows me.

    Maybe your brain will see reality if you stick with pictures rather than a mirror.
  • nowine4me
    nowine4me Posts: 3,985 Member
    I think for many -- not everyone -- you lose weight proportionately from everywhere, so you look the same, but a smaller version. Not as "different" as you might expect.
  • kami3006
    kami3006 Posts: 4,979 Member
    MsAmandaNJ wrote: »
    Forget the mirror. How do you feel? How do your clothes fit?

    One day I'll look in the mirror and think I look great, the next day I'll cringe at my reflection. I still feel stronger, more fit, healthier, and more confident regardless of what the piece of glass shows me.

    Maybe your brain will see reality if you stick with pictures rather than a mirror.

    Pictures help. I lost 25 pounds, maintained, bulked, cut and am in pretty much the best shape of my life and I still think "ugh" when I look in the mirror. Photographs don't cause the same reaction, so as much as I loathe photographs, for this the camera is my friend. I honestly don't know if my brain will ever catch up.
  • Lynzdee18
    Lynzdee18 Posts: 500 Member
    It takes a while.

    Pictures DO help....both the fat and the thinner ones.

    I've been in maintenance since April, toying with the idea of dropping another 5 pounds (63 since July 2015). I'm a 60 yo 5'9" female. But most days I like the way I look.

    Your perception will catch up as your skin tightens to fit your new size!
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    Probably about a year ...
  • Tedebearduff
    Tedebearduff Posts: 1,155 Member
    elkirschner wrote: »
    I managed to hit my goal weight and lost a few more. But when I look in the mirror I don't see what I see in pictures, so I'm having a hard time letting/making myself switch to maintenance calories. I've seen people mention that it takes a while for the head to catch up, just wondering how long it took others?

    Going on to 5 years I still don't see what my wife and friends tell me they see.

    After a year and an interaction at a coffee shop I stopped turning sideways to get out of peoples way, my friend just said "what the *kitten* are you doing?" I said "moving so the guy could get by... " he slapped me up side the head and it was then I kind of realized I wasn't 350lbs anymore... but I still see a fat guy everyday in the mirror.
  • angmarie28
    angmarie28 Posts: 2,867 Member
    when i was at my lowest or 136, 3 years ago, that was my freshman year of high school weight, i still felt fat, but now im back up, hit 172, now 166, trying to lose those 30 lbs again, i look back at pics, and dont see how i ever seen a fat person in the mirror.
  • peaceout_aly
    peaceout_aly Posts: 2,018 Member
    elkirschner wrote: »
    I managed to hit my goal weight and lost a few more. But when I look in the mirror I don't see what I see in pictures, so I'm having a hard time letting/making myself switch to maintenance calories. I've seen people mention that it takes a while for the head to catch up, just wondering how long it took others?

    I have questioned this too. Try going from cutting to bulking - it's even more of a mental disruption! It's really about staying positive, about viewing all the positive aspects of your body and attempting to make fitness achievements instead of relying on a number (i.e. last week I squated X lbs. and this week I increased that to X lbs.) That's what helped me at least. If I weren't paying attention to new fitness achievements and was just closely watching the number on the scale, I would have a breakdown LOL
  • peaceout_aly
    peaceout_aly Posts: 2,018 Member
    Take comparison photos! Look at them when you feel disheartened, because those "down" days are bound to happen eventually. You'll have good days where you feel like you've come so far and are maintaining perfectly and you'll have other days where you think you took 10 steps back.
  • ARGriffy
    ARGriffy Posts: 1,002 Member
    I think I'm just about starting to see what I think of as "what everyone else sees" rather than what I see. Sometimes I drop the barrier of analysing when looking at myself and get a glimpse of my true image, but it's very hard to gain that perception. It's taken me about 2 years of maintenance to get to this head state and I still just see chubby me most of the time! Stick in there xxxxxx
  • rainbow198
    rainbow198 Posts: 2,245 Member
    Congrats on reaching your goal! How exciting!

    After losing 80 pounds and keeping off for over 3.5 years I still catch glimpses of myself in a mirror or see and pic and think "wow, is that really me????"

    Maybe it's because I've been chubby or overweight most of my life and now I'm the smallest and fittest I've ever been?

    Even comparing old pics to new pics or shopping for new clothes and I think wow this looks way small, but it fits perfectly tells me my head is still not there! Hopefully it will fully catches up one day!

    Things are slowly getting better, but this has been one wild ride.

    Also slowly upping calories while monitoring my weight and having some patience got me to my happy maintenance place. Hang in there!

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