I’ve lost almost 100lbs, why don’t I look any different?

CourierSixx

You look great! Don't listen to @saofei
You have come so far and it really does show. You have reviewed so many positive comments here, telling you so. Do not allow your head to pick out the one comment that was harsh and not really helpful. You are such a pretty girl. When I lose my 100lbs, I will still be an ugly middled aged lady with a turkey neck. I'd kill for your jaw line!!!

Cat_A_89

I see a huge difference, especially in your upper body and face, but I get where youre coming from because I feel similar. I've lost 45 pounds and although I know I've gotten smaller I still feel selfconcious and cover up with big shirts. Im still 50ish pounds from my goal which might be why I still feel so big but it'll get there eventually. I started at 225 and am now 179 at 5'2

apullum

You look completely different in the second picture. Your perception of your own body hasn't caught up with your new reality, which is pretty common among people who have lost a lot of weight. You don't "look big"; your brain is used to seeing yourself that way and still tells you that you are obese when you are really not.

I lost 100 pounds over 2.5 years and have been maintaining in my optimal BMI range for 2+ years now. Sometimes I am still surprised to look in the mirror and not see a fat person anymore. Sometimes in the store I pick up clothes in my old size without realizing it. What you're experiencing is common. It usually does get better after you've been in maintenance for a while. Your shape will also still change a little in maintenance. Fat may still shift around, loose skin may "firm up."

The bottom line, though, is that what your brain is telling you does not match reality, and a lot of us have experienced that.

Regarding the plateau--you're getting pretty close to your optimal BMI range, so your weight loss will slow down as you get closer to your goal. Don't be surprised if you go 4-6 weeks sometimes without seeing the scale go down once you're close to your goal. That's normal. Just make sure you are continuing to weigh and log your food, and be patient.

odette0188

I used to be a size 8 (UK) I’m 5ft 5 and then I was constantly criticising my body. I didn’t feel thin and I tortured myself.

Years later I am 4 stone heavier (poor decisions etc etc) and I would give ANYTHING to go back to those slim, fit and toned days, just so I could give myself a cuddle and tell myself how amazing I looked!

We are never fully satisfied.

You have lost half your body weight - so it seems from the pics. You have a lovely sculpted face and are beautiful. You won’t ever look like you’re ‘really skinny friends’ because they ARE TOTALLY different body types to you. Chances are they look at you and are jealous of your good boobs? Or your nice bum?

Try to find some inner peace and look after and love yourself.

Now if only I could apply this to myself 😂.

sarawilliams5889

You have done such a wonderful job with your weight loss! You should be really proud 😊
I have been up and down 20+ kgs over the past 10 years and will feel the same at 80kg that I do at 57kg. I am surprised when I can fit into a size small etc when I am at a lower weight. I feel a lot is linked to body dysmorphia. It might be a good idea to talk to a therapist/psychologist about your weight loss as they may be able to help you with the mental side of it, which can be half the battle. All the best 💗

Roza42

I get it. I went from 277 to 170-175 in about a year. I have come to realize that I just think of myself as a huge person. It's been about 6 months since losing it, but I still sometimes pick up clothes and think, "oh that's too small" . I don't know that for me that will ever change. Though I did send a friend I hadn't seen in a couple of years a picture and afterwards I realized I hadn't even thought about it. So sometimes i do like how I look.

koalathebear

I think you look amazing, but I also think you were beautiful before the weight loss because to be honest, despite being on a weight loss journey myself, I don't believe/want to believe that our self worth is only tied up in the fat we lose ... I think it takes a while to see the changes that other people see and also feel the changes. For me, it really kicked in when I started dropping clothing sizes - until then I just still felt really heavy/awkward/ungainly ... It has also been a challenge to figure out the point at which I felt happy in myself to stop losing - I actually revised my goal weight to stop short 4kg of my original goal, because I felt like a slightly higher weight would be better for me. I hope you'll be able to feel how far you've come and what an amazing job you've done soon *huge hugs from Australia*

allother94

I’ll be honest with you at the risk of sounding sexist.

I’ve heard about girls losing a lot of weight and becoming drop dead beautiful. However, they still see themselves as the girl before the weight loss. So guys are able to date them even though the new version of the girl is way out of their league. Not only are these girls beautiful, they have great personalities.

DiscusTank5

I read a Weight Watchers article once that said that it takes a year for the brain to process weight loss, so that often we look in the mirror and still "see" ourselves at the weight we once were. Give it time!

1fitwong

Great accomplishment! That’s impressive! You look very different and your efforts most definitely show! Congrats on an awesome loss!

I’m also 5’9 but in my 40s. The weight range for my age and height is 137 lowest and the highest 176. That’s the difference between me wearing a size 4 and a size 10-12. I’ve found there’s a significant difference in the way I look every 5-10 pounds in between. At the low end I look really thin and in the mid range about average, and at the high end of the range I just “feel” big compared to thinner people even though no one ever says I look “fat”. I’m 172 now and IMO I think the difference is how the weight is distributed. At this weight there are subtle gains in my upper body ( arms, neck, upper back, face and shoulders versus the more obvious thighs and stomach) that make me feel I look big when I’m on the high end of the range. Are you weight training? That’s one way to achieve a leaner look that I’ve been considering.

GizmoDawn

Body dysmorphia. Consider looking into it online and possibly booking a therapist. It really helped me. Btw, you definitely look different and you're very pretty.