Revising your image in your mind...

Beth720

It's funny (or maybe not so much so) how hard it is to revise the image we have of ourselves as we lose weight. Or I have as I'm losing weight.

I've lost 16 pounds since I started this journey on here. More than that since 2006, but that's been slower and not as controlled or thought out.

I know that 2 Halloween costumes I couldn't wear last year I can this year (if only I had somewhere to wear them!)!

And yet... And yet in my head I'm still "an XL girl". Afraid to try on something smaller for fear of it not fitting right if I can even get it on. Well, today I got my reality check. I was getting a singlet at my running club and had said "Probably an XL?" The guy who was getting them out for us said "I'll bring that, but I'll bring you a Large too. I think that will fit better." (I do have to go with the men's because the women's L is still too small and they don't have XL in women's.) I doubted it, but when i tried on the XL it hung on me. The L fits like a dream! Everyone was all "Look how cute you are!!" which made me feel good.

So...I have to start changing the image I have of myself i my mind.

It's a good thing. Just hard to do. At least for me.

Anyone else?

pkgirrl

Congrats!

I totally understand, it doesn't matter how toned and tight I manage to get them, my thighs still feel more like jiggly tree stumps to me. Last year at my birthday, I wore a short dress that had been hanging in my closet for months (despite it fitting me at the time I bought it) and all the compliments on my legs finally made me start to reconsider.

Awesome job on the 16lbs though, and I'm sure as you continue to lose, the more photo happy bunch of your friends will continue to prove your mind wrong, over and over. Enjoy it, girly!

Amarillo_NDN

you are doing great and I know what you mean. Not only do I like what I see in the mirror better than the old days, but I can actually see me getting thiner in the future.

If you can see it, you can do it.

Kate_UK

I know exactly what you mean, today I went shopping, I tried loads of clothes on in several shops, and even though in every shop a uk size 16 was too big and the 14 fitted nicely I still took both sizes into all of the changing rooms. Its been 4 years since a 14 was anywhere close to fitting, I think I'll always be a size 16 in my head.

Congratulations on doing so well!

JoyceJoanne

I'm with you on that. I often wonder, if I saw myself walking around in the clothes I wear, what would I think of "her"? It's hard to be objective of yourself.
Congrats on the 16 lbs!

Sumatra

You are NOT alone! I am having a really hard time seeing the changes in my body. I've lost almost 40 lbs and I look in the mirror and I don't see it. I am very tall, so it takes a greater weight change to see a change in my body than with an average or smaller woman. I do see some difference for sure, but I mostly see the things that still need to change. When I recently had to shop for some jeans because none of my old pants/jeans fit at all. I really had no idea what size I would wear, so I had to go back out and get a smaller size a few times. I did this at several stores and was shocked every time that a size 10 fit and some brands a size 8 fit better. I still cannot believe it. I really think sizes have gotten bigger because I look at myself I I do not see a size 10 and I certainly don't see a size 8! Hopefully one of these days I'll see myself clearly.

Congrats on your weight loss. Keep up the good work and I'll be hoping you can start to see yourself clearly too!!!

Beth720

Thanks y'all! I definitely know it's a good thing that I'm in smaller sizes! It's just still surprising to me.

And yeah...I've still got a way to go, but I feel positive about doing it now! Yay!

Azdak

I can't remember the details, but I do remember listening to a psychologist talk about a similar issue. Basically, we develop a body image of ourselves that we subconsciously eat to "support", even if it is not a healthy or positive one.

It is another of the many obstacles that people have to overcome in order to consistently and permanently lose weight. The good thing is that, over time, we can replace that with a new image of our thinner selves and it can then work in our favor.

pkgirrl

Actually Azdak, that makes a lot of sense to me.

I remember reading somewhere that if you visualize yourself succeeding at something, or looking the way you want to, or accomplishing something you mentally think you can't, it'll pretty much achieve yourself.

So if we think of ourselves as being fit, or thin, or hot, or whatever your goal is, we'll start acting that way and it'll pretty much happen on it's own?

kennedar

I have the opposite problem. I was a size 8 for years and always weighed 130 pounds. Even though I am now a size 12-14 and 181 pounds, I can not get that self image out of my head. It really sucks because I always look huge because the clothes I am wearing do not fit and I get an awful muffin top. Yet I always still grab the 8 when I go shopping because it is such a habit and how I imagine myself. I am starting to see myself as I actually am now and with the few pounds I have already lost, I am liking the way I look better than before.

I would agree that we eat to the size we imagine ourselves, I still eat the way I did when I was a size 8. However, I was also 19 then, so my metabolism no longer supports that diet! And that is why I am here!!