I feel amazing!.. then I look in the mirror :)

JNick77

Anyone else have this problem? I'm exercising better than ever and eating healthier than ever, the pounds are coming off! But every once in a while I'll catch a glimpse of myself in the one full length mirror we have (which i usually try to avoid) and I'll just think, "eww, is that really me? aren't i that beautiful, lean healthy chick that i feel like when i'm jogging or eating my salads?" Urgh!!!

Yeah it's difficult. You sound like you're doing a great job, just stay positive, stay focused, and you'll get to where you want to be sooner than you realize.

RunningAggie

I understand! I think I'm thinner - I'm actually haven't lost any weight - but I've been trying to improve my self image. I was taking burlesque dancing because I wanted to feel "hot". I got to where I did. I felt sexy!! As long as my eyes were closed. When I caught a glimpse of myself in the wall of mirrors, I was crushed and disgusted. Rather than boosting my confidence and self esteem I was getting more depressed. I quit. Now I think that my body has to be changing with the exercise I've been doing. I saw pictures from the race on Sunday and I worked my magic on some cropping. I'm rarely in pictures b/c of my weight and that makes me sad. I always say "If there is a picture of it, then that's proof that I was there". In my mind I was doing great - even if the scale wasn't changing... I felt better. Then yesterday I realized the numbers that I put in my body and realized that on my own I'm losing this battle. Today is day 1. I'm ready to go!!!

manda2j

hmm, i was going to take my first progress pics after i hit 20..maybe i'll go ahead and just take a couple shots after 15.. just to see if there's anything noticeable!

treetz1979

You are speaking my language!!!

I recently realized that I am still wearing the clothes that fit me 30+ pounds ago and they definitely make me look bigger than what I am now. I have one shirt that I can literally wrap around my body twice and I still wear it to work!!!!

So, went out and bought myself a new pair of shorts and I felt great. Then I turned around and looked in the mirror at the back of my legs and I was like "eewwww......those aren't my legs STILL!!!!".

I am convincing myself it comes with time. And I am focusing on the positives that I am seeing, and yes, if you look hard enough you will see them in yourself too :-)

GorillaNJ

hmm, i was going to take my first progress pics after i hit 20..maybe i'll go ahead and just take a couple shots after 15.. just to see if there's anything noticeable!

Be sure to share them here... others are able to notice changes much better then we can ourselves.

GreatSetOfBrains

I don't think we'll ever drop the weight we want to fast enough. I felt great, then got professional photos taken for Father's Day. My dad looks and says, look how much lighter you are since HS sweetie. I look and think look how much heavier i am since last summer. . .

MsFitnFabulous

You know I was just thinking about this the other day. I used to do that very same thing. Every day!!! Until one day I noticed how my body was changing. First it was my collarbone popping out. I seriously thought something was wrong because I'd never seen it before. Then I noticed the strength and tone in my legs. So I said to myself "dag I'm really doing this" And since I put put into action Romans 12:2 'Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind' I don't say those mean things to myself. I admire the gorgeous legs, the deflating in my tummy area, my amazing backside. I've learned to love me in the skin I'm in. That doesn't mean that I don't acknowledge that I've still got work to do, I just appreciate the journey.

lindsaylove07

I look at old pictures of myself 40 pounds heavier, and then look in the mirror and I feel like I look exactly the same. EVEN THOUGH, all my friends say I'm looking great, and I see people I haven't seen in awhile and they don't even recognize me. It's a bad brain thing for me. I can't wrap my head around the fact that i've changed, and this is a permanent change.

Tree72

What you're feeling when you make those great choices to exercise and eat well is a little gift, a glimpse of your future self. You are getting a preview of how you will look and feel all the time in the future. You may not be all the way there yet, but you are on the journey.

Sometimes it's difficult to be patient, but if you keep going and keep making those great choices, you will get there. In August I will have been on this journey for two years. I'm not at my goal yet, but I'm getting closer, and eventually I will get there. You can, and will, reach your goals too. Just keep going each day.

kdudz

You are doing great! Keep being positive and don't let negative thoughts get in and get you down.

Everyone has the same experience... looking in the mirror and not liking what they see. You're on a great path. Keep it up!

melly196804

I feel the same way, and I avoid mirrors at all cost. I was cleaning yesterday and arranging furniture and caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror and I was like are you kidding me? I feel like an amazing super energetic individual and when I see myself, I am like "Oh my GOD I still look like a fat piece of #%&$!" that is why I try to avoid mirrors until I am really looking the way that I feel. I think a lot of us feel the same way.

pinstripepirate

I can totally relate. And it really varies day to day... some days I think I look fantastic, and others I just can't stop thinking about all the things I hate about my body. I think I'm more critical of myself now than I was at my heaviest!

manda2j

So I said to myself "dag I'm really doing this" And since I put put into action Romans 12:2 'Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind' I don't say those mean things to myself.

Awesome!!! Thank you! I should up the level of spiritual cleansing.. ive been really focused on the physical. Thank you!

melenheads

I typed in the words 'feel better than I look' and found your post. Nice to know I am not the only one! Even though I have lost 23 lbs, my smallest clothes are now too big, I get compliments regularly about my progress, etc. I still go eeww when I look at progress photos. I feel better than I look and that can be really discouraging. But I just keep reminding myself why I am doing this (healthier lifestyle, getting stronger, more energy) and the little changes that ARE happening instead of focusing on what has not happened, yet. Patience! We will get 'there'!

Heidi64

Yes. It will be a while before those good feelings on the inside start reflecting on the outside. Just don't get discouraged. It's hard for those of us who have a lot to lose, but we will get there. Just hold on to what you feel on the inside. Eventually, it will show like you want it to.

This exactly!! I'm only just now liking what I see in the mirror. I just took my profile pic today and it's the first full body shot I've allowed of myself in 4 years and I took it myself!

withchaco

My mirror image looked like I weighed 170lbs back when I was 186lbs. This morning I weighed 143lbs, and in the mirror, I still see a 170lbs girl. If I look at details -- like the double chin no longer being there, or the collar bones now being visible, then I can see that I have lost weight. But my silhouette looks just as wide as it did before. I think it's definitely in my mind.

What's even weirder is when I go cloth shopping, THE CLOTHS LOOK BIGGER. I remember the first time I fit in an M shirt. I looked at it and said, "this is one HUGE medium. No wonder I fit." Well... it wasn't any bigger than all the other medium shirts.