Do You See Your Body for What it is?

tatelynx
tatelynx Posts: 6
in Chit-Chat
This is a weird topic, but I wanted to see how others felt. Now that I've started trying to maintain a healthier lifestyle I feel much better about myself. Here's my deal...when I look at myself in the mirror I think, "Hmm, I'm getting a little thinner. I look great"

Now, over the weekend a few pictures were taken of me after a race and I look MUCH more overweight in comparison to my "self" image in the mirror. Is this all just mind games, or what do you think is going on here?

Replies

  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    I don't think there's anything wrong with being happy with your body even though you don't like how it looks in pictures. There are a lot of unflattering angles in the world. Pictures sometimes capture these.

    But if you are concerned take "progress pictures" honest pictures from straight angles. Compare these as you go to see the real change.
  • tatelynx
    tatelynx Posts: 6
    It was just that the difference was so drastic. I'll definitely need to start on my progress pics before I'm too far in! The only fear I have now though, is that I will see that there isn't much change in the pictures and I will get discouraged.
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
    This is why media loves below average weight models because it will always add that 10lbs. Plus we can be or own worst enemy. And as busy said most angles we photograph at are very unflattering.
  • KayLasMack
    KayLasMack Posts: 85 Member
    Me too. I look in the mirror and say to myself "Dang, Im Fine". Then I'll see a picture of myself and say "Dang, I'm Round!!":huh:
  • tatelynx
    tatelynx Posts: 6
    Me too. I look in the mirror and say to myself "Dang, Im Fine". Then I'll see a picture of myself and say "Dang, I'm Round!!":huh:

    Glad to see that I'm not the only one experiencing this.
  • SmartAlec03211988
    SmartAlec03211988 Posts: 1,896 Member
    Exactly... I can stand in front of a mirror and say "Mmmhmm, how you doin'?" ;)

    Go out for a good time, someone takes a picture of me and it shows up on Facebook... Not the image in the mirror. AT ALL.
  • funforsports
    funforsports Posts: 2,656 Member
    Depends on the day. Some days I look in the mirror and think I look pretty good and other days I look in the mirror and just see a thousand things I need to work on.
  • A_nonymous2
    A_nonymous2 Posts: 366 Member
    I def. have body image issues, but the other way. I see myself fat in the mirror and then when I put on clothes, I realize it couldn't possibly be.
  • candacet36
    candacet36 Posts: 353 Member
    :bigsmile: I have had 4 kids and two surgeries for lots of scars on my mid section....but I am beautiful! I am so happy that my body gave me the 4 most amazing kids ever and I am glad I made it through two health scares.

    I embrace my scars and I work really hard to be the best I can be! I am not perfect but I don't care! I am HAPPY
  • ec371
    ec371 Posts: 8 Member
    Me too. I look in the mirror and say to myself "Dang, Im Fine". Then I'll see a picture of myself and say "Dang, I'm Round!!":huh:

    Glad to see that I'm not the only one experiencing this.

    Yup, ditto!
  • jennybennypenny
    jennybennypenny Posts: 90 Member
    I'm having the same problem! I look in the mirror and am like, "Yeah! Muscles! Awesome!" and then I see pictures and I'm like, "I really look like THAT?! Ugh." But I agree with other people. Bad angles. Everyone has them, sometimes they get captured in pictures. I try to stick with the feeling good about myself in the mirror feelings, and just ignore those pictures.

    And definitely definitely take some pictures of yourself now, even if you hate them. It will be SO worthwhile. Take them now, file them away!
  • Rooooose
    Rooooose Posts: 149 Member
    There are days when I stand in front of the mirror and think "I look fine", but there are even more days when I think "I would look fine if I where less fat". In pictures it's more or less the same thing...
  • heylookitsval
    heylookitsval Posts: 1,141 Member
    Same here.. damn pictures!
  • AnchoredinHimfitness
    AnchoredinHimfitness Posts: 144
    This is me to the T. Today is one of those...need to work on a ton of things. Lol


    Depends on the day. Some days I look in the mirror and think I look pretty good and other days I look in the mirror and just see a thousand things I need to work on.
  • WeepingAngel81
    WeepingAngel81 Posts: 2,232 Member
    I hear often from other people that they like my curves. I can dress them well, but it's the end of the day when I undress that I have the issues. I have that pouch below a scar line on my belly and I just hate it. Stretch marks I can deal with, but that overhang I just can't stand. I see that and I think "I'm not curvy...I'm lumpy" It's always nice to hear compliments but until I start beliving that I am good enough, those imprecections will always haunt me.
  • AprilMae1975
    AprilMae1975 Posts: 726
    Yep, same thing here. I will say that it's getting better though. It is super disappointing though. I can't wait for the day I'm tagged in a picture on Facebook and I don't have to untag myself.
  • eazy_
    eazy_ Posts: 516 Member
    great topic
  • FloyMcCaudie
    FloyMcCaudie Posts: 1,132
    yea I do, When I shower and look DOWN. I go like "Dangg bruhh"
  • ElizabethFuller
    ElizabethFuller Posts: 352 Member
    And me! Although with me it tends to be mirrors. I look in my bedroom mirror, turn this way and that and I can see I've lost weight, my waist is coming back.... is that the outline of a rib I see? Then, I go outside the house and see my reflection in mirrors in shops or at the gym I just see the same fat girl with far too many wobbly bits and rolls of fat. It's very strange and I have to work hard to ignore the negative feelings that this causes.
  • sunglasses_and_ocean_waves
    sunglasses_and_ocean_waves Posts: 2,757 Member
    yea I do, When I shower and look DOWN. I go like "Dangg bruhh"

    Pics or GTFO


    Hard to say. Some days I feel pretty good, and there are days I feel like a slob. Sometimes I look at my pics and think, "Is that really me?" ha
  • ThePlight
    ThePlight Posts: 3,593 Member
    Me too. I look in the mirror and say to myself "Dang, Im Fine". Then I'll see a picture of myself and say "Dang, I'm Round!!":huh:
    LOL!!! I love the way you put that. +1 to this haha.
  • recover_healthy_fit
    recover_healthy_fit Posts: 209 Member
    This is me....
  • hungrypotato
    hungrypotato Posts: 1,642 Member
    Yep flesh and bone
  • ElizabethFuller
    ElizabethFuller Posts: 352 Member

    And definitely definitely take some pictures of yourself now, even if you hate them. It will be SO worthwhile. Take them now, file them away!

    This is good advice and I should really do this but I hate seeing photos of myself. For years I have stood my children in front of me (can't do that now, they're too tall!) or hidden behind stuff - we had a beach holiday last year and there's no pictures of me below the neck. I must do it though, I've already missed my fattest point but I should do it so I can compare when I reach target.
  • Pinkee33
    Pinkee33 Posts: 769 Member
    Me too. I look in the mirror and say to myself "Dang, Im Fine". Then I'll see a picture of myself and say "Dang, I'm Round!!":huh:
    [/quote












    LMAO...^^^^^ This all the way! How does a camera lie so badly! or is it the Mirror??? Hmmmm.....
  • Sparkle_Princess
    Sparkle_Princess Posts: 926
    I never used to see it for what it is. I still question the mirror sometimes and think heck Im big but in reality Im not really. I can see a difference and Im starting to appreciate that.
  • gracielynn1011
    gracielynn1011 Posts: 726 Member
    It was just that the difference was so drastic. I'll definitely need to start on my progress pics before I'm too far in! The only fear I have now though, is that I will see that there isn't much change in the pictures and I will get discouraged.

    Progress pictures pay off in the end. When I look at pictures from last month to now, I don't see anything different, and that is discouraging. When I compare this months pictures to the very first set I took, I am shocked at the difference. It does look so drastic, considering at that point I thought I didn't see any changes either.

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