Feeling fatter than before

SisterSueGetsFit
SisterSueGetsFit Posts: 1,211 Member
edited November 17 in Health and Weight Loss
I have successfully lost 50 pounds and maintained it for the last 5 months or so. I have 20 more I'd like to lose, but that is neither here nor there for the purposes of this question.

The problem? I feel fatter than I did at 155 pounds than I ever did at 205. When I sit, I feel my stomach stick out. When I walk I feel my legs jiggle. My arms are fat. While I understand I LOOK better, I don't feel better. I feel fat. I feel like I look fat. It's possible I was complacent to my "fatness" before and now I'm just more aware of the work I still have to do; I don't know. I'm much more self conscious now. When I first lost the weight, I didn't feel this way, it's only been the last 3 months or so.

My question is, has anyone else had these feelings? How did you overcome them? I do a lot of before/after photos, so I can SEE the difference, I just don't feel it anymore and I pick apart my appearance constantly. I could really use some advice.

Replies

  • Azzie521
    Azzie521 Posts: 32 Member
    I have felt the same...maybe it's a tendency to compare ourselves to other thinner fitter people and never be satisfied or an expectation of perfection after all our hard work. I don't know...
  • Misskcm
    Misskcm Posts: 143 Member
    I'm the same way. I've lost a total of 38 pounds in the past year and a half but I still feel like I look like I did at 232 pounds.
    The only time I feel decent about myself is when I step on a scale and it's gone down since the last time I stepped on it.
    One thing that has helped is lifting weights because that helps the "jiggling" feeling in my opinion and it gets rid of cellulite in all parts of your body. Maybe you should focus on toning your body and less on weight loss now that you are down to a pretty healthy weight. But even muscle jiggles a little when you're relaxed and even a woman with a six pack of abs with have a little pooch when they sit down. Don't forget that.
  • lifting_momlife
    lifting_momlife Posts: 26 Member
    azureblue777 wrote: »
    I have felt the same...maybe it's a tendency to compare ourselves to other thinner fitter people and never be satisfied or an expectation of perfection after all our hard work. I don't know...

    i agree. i find myself constantly comparing myself to other women who iiiiii consider "perfectly fit." i still look in the mirror and see "fat britt" instead of "fit britt" and that tends to sometimes get in my head. i used to look to others for validation, more specifically my ex, but i'm sooo through with that. i've worked HARD for this body and while there's always still room for improvement... i'm so much happier with myself now that i was before. you've come sooo far... and even though you still find you have a ways to go, try to celebrate and love your body at every stage. remember that confidence is sexy. even if you're lookin in the mirror you're like, "barrrfffff," put on something that makes you feel beautiful and/or sexy. even something as small as heels or some red lipstick... it could make alllll the difference. hugs!
  • Heather4448
    Heather4448 Posts: 908 Member
    I think most of us who have lost a substantial amount of weight feel this way, so I don't have any useful advice for you. But, at least you know you're not alone. Try to be good to yourself.
  • SisterSueGetsFit
    SisterSueGetsFit Posts: 1,211 Member
    Thank you for the advice everyone. I agree lifting weights will do me good and I need to do more of it. I appreciate you all.
  • TxTiffani
    TxTiffani Posts: 799 Member
    I think at our heaviest the fat holds the skin out tight, and when we lose weight our skin takes extra time to snap back. I'm 11 pounds down 29 to go and in my stomach where I've lost several inches my tummy definitely feels more squishy and jiggly than it did at my high weight, but I did a side by side for myself to compare and it looks better for sure. I've read of people having good results with strength training to tighten up;)
  • brookekaczor
    brookekaczor Posts: 59 Member
    edited April 2017
    Just always remember that feelings aren't truth.... Trust in the fact that you have lost the weight and that you are thinner.... and get those weights out and lift to build muscle!
  • nowine4me
    nowine4me Posts: 3,985 Member
    I absolutely feel that way. I agree that as we lose weight, the skins becomes less tight and we go from a solid fat to having looser, flabby bits. The longer I'm in maintenance the more I feel it. I've lost 70# and am mid-BMI. My plan is to lose 20 more -- very slowly (like by the end of the year) while lifting and hope things firm up. Keep us posted!
  • SisterSueGetsFit
    SisterSueGetsFit Posts: 1,211 Member
    nowine4me wrote: »
    I absolutely feel that way. I agree that as we lose weight, the skins becomes less tight and we go from a solid fat to having looser, flabby bits. The longer I'm in maintenance the more I feel it. I've lost 70# and am mid-BMI. My plan is to lose 20 more -- very slowly (like by the end of the year) while lifting and hope things firm up. Keep us posted!

    I need to take the same path you are and plan on losing the 20 pounds slowly. I think part of my issue is i'm going on a beach vacation at the beginning of May and I'm very uncomfortable with how I look in a swimsuit. I look okay dressed...but I'm not happy. I know slow is the way to go, and I appreciate the reminder.
  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,522 Member
    First of all: congratulations on your accomplishment! I hope you feel great. I recommend trying something fun that you never would have done when you were heavier, whatever that might be!

    But, now that you mention it, losing weight has made me a bit self-demanding as well. The problem is, perhaps, that knowing you can control your weight makes you think that you should have complete control- no flaws allowed!

    You probably know where I'm going here. What we really need is a path to self acceptence. Is there an app for that?
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
    You're probably jiggling more because your skin isn't as tight against your fat.
  • STEVE142142
    STEVE142142 Posts: 867 Member
    We all go through this. It took me a long time to finally realize where I am but sometimes I still see the old me in the mirror even though he's not there. Started January 1st 2016 288 pounds my current weight is 208. I've maintained in the 208 weight range for approximately eight months. Also 6 feet 4 inches tall

    I still sometimes see myself as overweight. I've been the fat kid my whole life I'm 56 years old I weigh now less than I did going into highschool.
    I've had strangers tell me I look skinny in the grocery store line people I haven't seen in a long time have to do double takes to make sure it's me. One of the biggest reality checks I had as far as where I am vs where I was I walked into the bathroom of a big box store and I saw my reflection in the mirror and I said to myself what the hell is wrong with that mirror I don't look right and then I realized that is me. my mind just never caught up to where I am now.



  • particularwave
    particularwave Posts: 3 Member
    TimothyFish wrote: »
    You're probably jiggling more because your skin isn't as tight against your fat.

    This. When I was at my heaviest I felt fat but not jiggly because everything was stretched so tight that things didn't seem to move quite as they do now (going from around 280 to 160). It took a really long time for me to adapt for that because it's kind of a brain problem you have to get around. Things are moving but it's not because you're fat, it's because your body is used to being fat and you're now not. Also understand that the things you see as now being fatter or more jiggly likely aren't seen the same way by those around you. You can definitely build muscle to fill some of that space, but I promise you that most people aren't seeing what you are and while it'll take some time to catch up to that you will. I do agree that working on building muscle will probably help how you perceive yourself. Even if you can't really see it, the knowledge that there's something physically strong under what you're seeing is powerful. That definitely helped me in the long run, as did reminding me that I was emotionally strong to get to where I was.
  • SisterSueGetsFit
    SisterSueGetsFit Posts: 1,211 Member
    Thanks again everyone. Your comments make a lot of sense. I've backed my weight loss goal down to .5 pounds per week and will start incorporating more lifting.
  • JohnnyPenso
    JohnnyPenso Posts: 412 Member
    Maybe what you are feeling is skinny fat. It comes with a large weight loss sometimes, where you lose significant amounts of muscle along with the fat. The solution is to start working out, preferably with some weights, to tone and build muscle to go along with that slimmer body.
  • red99ryder
    red99ryder Posts: 399 Member
    edited April 2017
    I know what you mean , I have lost around 50 and saw myself the other day on cctv , I still looked fat because I am I guess still have 40 or so pounds to loose ,, I guess we have to Remember we lose weight but don't regain our youth , also clothes make difference

    Good luck
  • WickedPineapple
    WickedPineapple Posts: 698 Member
    edited April 2017
    TimothyFish wrote: »
    You're probably jiggling more because your skin isn't as tight against your fat.

    I agree with this. I'm a runner and I noticed the more I lost the more I felt the fat/skin I have left jiggling while I run.

    Also, as you lose weight, you have parts of your body that get very lean and other parts that still have fat. I feel like the lean bits almost accentuate the fatty bits. It takes time for your head to catch up. I think it was a solid year before the thinner me felt like normal me, and my newly accentuated fatty bits didn't feel bigger than before.
  • Mini_Medic
    Mini_Medic Posts: 343 Member
    This. I felt like this for so long. 173lbs to 126lbs. I think a lot of it is perception. Before my whole stomach was big, now the fat pad between my belly button and lady bits is more pronounced. It's easy to look at it and feel awful. But I have to remind myself how lean my ribcage looks and how my hipbones have a nice muscular groove to them.
    I also have heard the term squishy fat used and it's been debated heatedly around here I know but I feel like it's true at least in some sense. When your fat cells release fat it is replaced with water. When they are not engorged with fat anymore they are still there they just aren't full anymore. Right before I see a big loss on the scale, my fattier areas look noticeably worse and feel squishier, see thighs, stomach pooch area, upper arms. The hard fat seems to be breaking down and feels softer and more pliable as I lose and gives an awkward appearance externally. This is usually right before I wake up weigh myself and see a big loss like 2lbs and then my skin looks tight and my problem areas look more cut and lean. Who knows if it's true but I think even the analogy can help put the odd "feeling fatter despite being smaller" mentality at rest.
  • AliceDark
    AliceDark Posts: 3,886 Member
    I also think it's an indication that you could be starting to feel what it's like to be present and "at home" in your body, and that's a good thing. I think a lot of people are very distanced from the physical experience of being in their bodies, which contributes to things like mindless overeating or not noticing the feeling of fullness. You may just be noticing how much your stomach sticks out now, and be starting to connect with your body.
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