A Cautionary Tale, with Pics

endopride

I think you look amazing! i definitely see the muscle definition, and you're beautiful inside and out! don't be so harsh on yourself

katschi

20 lbs has made a noticeable difference in your size, for sure.
I'm actually very impressed that you posted your pics, Ladyhawk.

The weight you are at now is my goal weight for the moment.
Women I know in real life who are between your height and mine - 5'7" - and who weigh 170 - look slim to me.

I have been dieting for as long as I can remember and it's gotten me nothing but fatter and with lost muscle to boot.
I only wish I was as *fat* as I was when I started this whole crazy carnival ride -- 150ish.
All because I believed what others' standards were for how I should look.
Just. Nuts.

I wish you all the very best and a return to your best health. :flowerforyou:

fifon1

congratulations! i can definitely see the difference. ur abs is much more define.. congratulations!!!!

littlemissanguissette

I see quite the difference, you look great! I am EDNOS, and I too know how hard it is with pictures...especially posting photos such as these. Very brave of you to post them. I know you will get nothing but positive from the people around here, because you are doing this for YOU, to make yourself happy and healthy.

Good luck with your journey, feel free to add me if you'd like

d_llopez

WTG you look great!

karamille

I understand. I had similar issues in my teens/early 20s. I did not take any "before pics" simply because I will get discouraged because no matter how much I lose at my check points it won't be "good enough". Give yourself a big hug. Take your measurments every month or two as well as body fat. They are the best indicators of how you are doing. If you don't want to do pics, don't feel that you have to. This should be a positive experience, not one that makes you want to crawl out of your skin. ((BIG HUGS)).

P.S.... Yes, I can definitely tell a difference. You are doing great. Slow and steady wins the race.

ladyhawk00

Thank you all for your kind words and support. It means more to me than I could ever express. MFP has given me so much; I try my best to give back as much as I can. I never imagined, when I stumbled across MFP (just looking to find a place to record my exercise, since I swore I would never "count calories"), that it would bring me so much inspiration and hope and change my life in such a big way. I even believed I didn't "need friends". How wrong I was.

:flowerforyou:

tgh1914

Thank you LH, for all you give to the MFP community. And considering where you've come from, with the ED & all, I'd say you have made great and significant progress. Keep inspiring us!

atomdraco

The changes at your mid-section is great, which it was the worst place storing fat (causing heart problem, etc). Thanks for sharing your experience, being our inspiration all the time, spending so many time to help others on the site. I'm so glad to see the progress and forever thankful for being my friend here. Hugs!

shimmergal

Nice results. You look great. Keep doing what you doing :-)

hedleyrocks247

AMAZING!! Your my hero ladyhawk00!!

albinogorilla

You look great! Keep it up!

tellybelle

You have sooooooo much to be proud of.!!! You have come SO FAR! Not only in the sense of a weight loss, but a healthy way of living! You have overcome years of ED and have gained so much knowledge. You are now able to help countless people on this site. You are a success and no doubt will get to exactly where YOU want to be in a HELTHY way! I am proud of you and think you are wonderful for sharing your journey with us!!

slieber

Next time you're in a food store, pick up a sack of potatoes that weighs about 20 pounds (you might have to do two 10 pound bags). That's what you are no longer carrying around.

Those of us who have or are overweight have this image in our heads of ourselves and no matter what we wear or what pic we take, we don't see the reality, we see our old, fat selves. I was shocked recently by a video that was taken of me at work, because I actually looked a lot thinner to myself than I'd ever looked to myself before!!! However, when I put on certain types of clothes or see myself without clothes, I hate the way I look. And I've lost around 50 pounds so far. I'm not in the obese range, either. I'm just barely over the BMI for overweight (although I was told that number is questionable due to the muscle tone I now have from exercising). To me, though, I still see the flab that's left.

The above said, you most definitely have changed - especially around the mid-section. Be proud of yourself. And go to the supermarket, pick up those bags and realize exactly what you lost. I would be the size of the bags also equals the size of the fat (but don't hold me to that, I'm just guessing!).

ladyhawk00

Next time you're in a food store, pick up a sack of potatoes that weighs about 20 pounds (you might have to do two 10 pound bags). That's what you are no longer carrying around.

Those of us who have or are overweight have this image in our heads of ourselves and no matter what we wear or what pic we take, we don't see the reality, we see our old, fat selves. I was shocked recently by a video that was taken of me at work, because I actually looked a lot thinner to myself than I'd ever looked to myself before!!! However, when I put on certain types of clothes or see myself without clothes, I hate the way I look. And I've lost around 50 pounds so far. I'm not in the obese range, either. I'm just barely over the BMI for overweight (although I was told that number is questionable due to the muscle tone I now have from exercising). To me, though, I still see the flab that's left.

The above said, you most definitely have changed - especially around the mid-section. Be proud of yourself. And go to the supermarket, pick up those bags and realize exactly what you lost. I would be the size of the bags also equals the size of the fat (but don't hold me to that, I'm just guessing!).

Good idea...and now I can actually carry the bags! :laugh:

M_lifts

i can definitely see a difference. your tummy is flatter and your upper thighs are leaner.

I can understand seeing a distorted picture of yourself in the mirror. i had issues with food when i was a teenager and went from being overweight and under and yo-yoed a lot! I think the only time i was proud of my body was when i was pregnant with my daughter (now 2.5yrs). I had no body hang ups at all. She's also been the inspiration for me to lose weight in a healthy way to set a good example.

So take your time, and slow and surely you will get there. there's no rush! the slower you do it, the better your mind frame will be and your acceptance of your body

helenium

Oh ladyhawk! When you said there wasn't a significant difference between the before/after pictures on your newsfeed, I believed you! Now I don't. There's a very impressive difference especially in the abdomen and legs. I'm so sorry you can't see it easily yourself. And, if there's more progress to be seen in the 3D version of you, that's incredible. Well done - one step at a time, and you'll find that happy medium. Hugs!

djthom

There's definately lots of differences in the abs, hips and thighs. It's funny how we can't see the changes in ourselves that other people can. I've lost 40lbs. and still don't feel like I look very different, yet I get remarks from people all the time saying I look like I've lost alot of weight. I hope someday you do see yourself as the rest of the world does:flowerforyou:

ladyhawk00

Oh ladyhawk! When you said there wasn't a significant difference between the before/after pictures on your newsfeed, I believed you! Now I don't. There's a very impressive difference especially in the abdomen and legs. I'm so sorry you can't see it easily yourself. And, if there's more progress to be seen in the 3D version of you, that's incredible. Well done - one step at a time, and you'll find that happy medium. Hugs!

I see some differences, I guess I just wish they were more significant. You know how it goes - logic and rational thought go out the window. I know that if they were someone else's pics, I'd be giving them a huge pat on the back. Body image is still a struggle. But it's gotten better, moving in the right direction. Maybe by the time I'm 80 I'll feel like a hot grandma - or be senile enough that I'll run around in my undies and not care....:laugh:

jacksamjack

First off can I say that you do look like you have lost a your 20lbs - and you look fabulous. I know what you mean though, even with photographic evidence of my own progress in the past I constantly look for other people in the street who are the same size/build/height as me to help me get perspective - it is so hard. Now that I am beginning - again - on my quest to lose weight, I have been debating with myself whether or not to take some photos now... I have none you see, I hide from the camera. You have persuaded me that I will take some shots. Once I have lost 20lbs I too will post them. OMG, what a scary thought! Keep up the most excellent work. Thank you!! JSJ xxx :flowerforyou: