Just Lost All Feelings of Accomplishment

tifanietiberio

I am literally posting this bc I am at work and about to burst into tears and I feel like if I don't vent, I will lose it. To begin with, I am exhausted from my event yesterday and I am pre-menstrual, so I am sure that doesn't help me.

But there were a lot of pics taken at my event that I managed yesterday and my co-worker just posted a bunch on our intranet and was like "Woohoo, look at all the pictures" and I guess I thought since I have lost 50lbs that I may actually resemble a normal human, but I do not. It was literally heartbreaking and now I am miserable. I look like a linebacker for goodness sake. And I was wearing a black suit so I cannot imagine how bad I look otherwise.

I guess I didn't want to acknowledge how bad it must have been before I started really trying to lose weight, but I thought after all of this hard work I would look ok in a picture, but I don't at all. So I feel like people must be thinking, she lost 50lbs and she still looks like a monster.

And now I am just a mess, I am sitting here at my desk crying and of course, I am being taken out for a "job well done" lunch and I have no desire to eat a single solitary thing.

I am sorry for whining and crying about this, but that just absolutely zapped all of my motivation and I feel like I am going to have an emotional meltdown.

Quiltmania

Well, I took a look at your before and after pics at the end of your post, and I think you look lovely. You've done great to lose 50 pounds! Keep it up.

FairyMiss

maybe you should not be judgng your pics if you are pre menst just saying

ccmulder5

oh sweetheart.. you look AMAZING!! i see a MAJOR difference!! it's hard to see ourselves in photos.. you have done an awesome job with your weight loss.. you should be SO proud!! hang in there.. we are most critical of ourselves.. <3<3

NatalieWiley

Just think how you would have felt if those pics were taken 50lbs ago. You would be feeling much worse. Pick yourself up and remember that you will be using these pics as a milestone on your journey and showing people what near your half way (close to) to goal pics looked like.

melsinct

Your before and after pics tell a different story- you look GREAT! Not to mention, we are our own worst critics. Cut yourself some slack- you have lost 50 pounds and are doing fantastic. Are you at your goal? No. Most of us are probably in the same boat...we look better than before MFP but aren't at goal yet and aren't in love with how we look. But you are well on your way. Don't beat yourself up and forget about the great success you've had so far.

NaomiLyn15

Don't let pictures get you down. I totally understand how you feel, but you are going to be much harder on yourself than anyone else ever would. They are probably looking at the same pictures, and thinking wow she looks amazing. Losing 50 pounds is a huge accomplishment, don't let a picture ruin that for you. Plus. remember that pictures add weight, and if you aren't posing for them, then who knows what angle they are taking. You look amazing in you before and after pics. Just keep at it. Go have lunch, celebrate the amazing work you have done, and keep going. THat is all you can do.

sunnie_skyes

I'm not sure what you expected but, I think you look fabulous. Maybe you had unrealistic expectations. We're always harder on ourselves than anyone else is.
Please don't let this discourage you, if anything, let it motivate you so maybe next time, your expectations and reality will be closer together.
Keep up the good work!!! It will pay off...it already has.

maidentl

I feel you. We're so used to being rewarded for hard work that when that reward is slow in coming it just sucks. There's no getting around it. Of course you're proud of the 50 pounds and of course you look and feel better but that doesn't change that you want to be at your goal RIGHT NOW. All I can tell you is to accept that, realize how far you have come and know that if you give up, you'll never hit that goal. It sucks today, but a year from now when you look back on this, you'll be glad you stuck with it.

jreese5226

I imagine you are being very hard on yourself. Find a photo of yourself from 50 pounds ago and compare. You probably look a lot better than you're giving yourself credit for. Keep your chin up! You're beautiful and have accomplished a lot by losing 50 pounds!

allycaturban

Ya know you might not be where you want to be yet. However, you look so muc h much better in your after pic. Don't lose motiviation. You are making great progress. I think it is a natural reaction to hate the way we look in pictures. We easily find our own flaws. Don't give up keep going

erisfreenici

Did you know that pictures taken from bad angles can make you look 20 pounds heavier than you are anyway? Don't be so hard on yourself, and focus on how good you feel losing that 50 pounds.

Internet *HUGGGGGGZ* for you. Keep up the good work, and I, for one, think you look beautiful.

crfeeney

You look great. I know what you mean. Realizing that you've done so much and there is still so much furthur that you have to go can be frustrating. But let that motivate you! You will never go back to your old weight, will you?

catwrangler

maybe you should not be judgng your pics if you are pre menst just saying

Those damn hormones are STRONG! Don't let them win! Don't let them control you, you will snap out of this soon and realize you have worked hard and WON and you keep on winning, remember that!

juliekin

I have had that response, too! It's sooo frustrating. But honestly, put up a picture of yourself at full weight and then take a picture today at your weight. Measure your body and give yourself an honest appraisal. You HAVE lost all over the place and do look better, but it's comparing yourself to before. You HAVE changed, but your eyes has been tricked by seeing yourself in the mirror every day. Seriously. Take the photos, put them side by side, and LOOK! I can see it, but you have to pretend that you are a stranger to yourself to see it!

anjelyc23

I have to agree that you look fabulous after losing 50 lbs! We are our own worst critic. Look at those pictures next week. I bet you have a different view.

calimari

I don't think you look scary huge/monster like in your BEFORE pic, let alone after.

Remember, photos always make people look larger than they are. When I see myself in a photo, I always think I look SO big - even when I know when I looked in the mirror, I wore something very flattering!

Do not let this get you down. If anything, look at the photo and think "well, I still have a ways to go, but I knew that. I can't imagine how upset I would be to see these photos if I still had that 50# on me."

Look at something that weighs 50#. You lost a 3rd grader! You are rocking this journey & you will continue to do so! Now, go take your kudos for a job well done with co-workers who like and respect you and want to honor your contributions. They are not judging you by those photos.

kapeluza

Lady, 50lbs is to be amazing proud of! You should be so happy you have dropped 50lbs! I know those hormonal feelings are just creeping up and making you feel bad but you have come a LONG way!!!!!! Sure, maybe you are not at your goal weight but imagine what you would look like had you not dropped 50lbs? Imagine how you would feel like right now had you seen those pics with 50lbs packed on your body?!!!!!!

Keep your chin up and keep going! Soon enough you will see the change! It's not even worth getting upset about it. I know sometimes I take progress pictures and I feel like, "damn I haven't changed much" but I have to remember that I cannot expect to look skinny like some model yet. It will take a while! And by the way, I think you look awesome! Stop being so hard on yourself!

KEEP GOING!!!!!!

takm0527

Your beautiful! Your doing awesome! Hang in there!

trilikeagirl

The only person who noticed that is you. I felt much better about being overweight when I started realizing (and believing) that everyone is too absorbed in their own lives/ self (guilty!) to look at others that closely. I don't know who looked like what at the end of the day, or if they wore mismatched clothes, or if they were fat or had a bad hair day. I only know how it felt to sit in the same room with them. Some beautiful people manage to mess that one up every time!!! lol. But it freed me up to stop kicking myself and be ok with where ever I am in my body process. 50lbs is CRAZY btw. Think about all those skinny *****es who have been working on losing the same five lbs for 10 years.

chiken88

I just looked at your before and after pics at the bottom of your post and I can see a big difference. We are always the hardest on ourselves. I bet most of your colleagues notice the difference in you and I am sure they are thinking you are looking great. I think before photos are great because when you look at those you can remind yourself how far you have come already. Remember we don't gain weight over night so we don't lose it over night. 50 lbs is awesome! Go out and enjoy your lunch...make good decisions about what you eat though so you won't be beating yourself up again later. Also go exercise tonight...that always helps me to feel better. Be proud of your accomplishment!

Tonnina

I looked at your Before and After pics in your signature and I see a HUGE difference! You don't look like a monster to me. We are most harsh on ourselves though when we don't feel our best. Just remember that you've lost 50lbs! FIFTY! That's quite a lot! I know you may feel like "Well I still have so much more to loose..." but remember that most of us out there and on here have quite a bit to loose too. Don't feel bad because you weren't wearing the most flattering of outfits, it happens to the best of us. I think you're beautiful and I'm just some stranger. Look in the mirror and tell yourself, OUT LOUD: "I AM BEAUTIFUL!"

zooflute

You look great! Your judgment right now is totally skewed by your PMS and tiredness.

Have a fantastic lunch and if you can, go home and take a nap! You deserve it!

sabo1974

First of all, the camera DOES make us look bigger. That being said, I know exactly how you feel. 3 yrs ago, I was 110 lbs heavier than I am today. I remember when I started losing lbs, inches, etc....I was on this high. You know...the feeling of accomplishment. You think you're looking better b/c hey! I just lost 50 lbs. Then you look in the mirror and you still see this huge person.

Our minds are powerful tools. When you see yourself, look at the difference you've made since the heavier 50 lb you. Try to see the goals you accomplished and how much you've done to lose that 50. Then use that to motivate you to lose the next 50 (or whatever it is you need to lose.) Look at your "fat" pants and see what you used to be like and use that to empower you for the next goal. I assure you....you are the only one who see's yourself like this. You are your worst enemy. Don't let your mind mess with you...and remember you are worth fighting for. And your beautiful!

Penelope_373

Looking at your before and after I would have to say you look great! I am also in between so I understand how difficult it is to see pics, it also upsets me to see myself. So, what I do is pull up my before pics at my highest weight and it reminds me that I am better than I was. I know it is hard, but keep in mind that with that 50 lb loss you are gaining good health and you are closer to your goal than when you started. Don't let it get you down. It is okay to feel this way (you are only human) but don't let it set you back from continuing positive and healthy behaviors and reaching that ultimate goal. Look in the mirror (post that before pic on the mirror if you have to) and tell yourself you are beautiful and worthy of feeling great about your accomplishments. Don't look at how far you have to go, but how far you have already come. 50 lbs is awesome girl, congratulations!!!

Keep smiling and I hope the day turns around for you :flowerforyou:

starwhisperer

When anyone tags me in a photo on facebook I go into instant panic mode. Because I look horrible in candid photos always. I always get caught making a stupid face or slumping or something embarrassing. But I know that it is just pictures, because i have a mirror and I know that i am not a monster. Sit back and take a deep breath and remind yourself that 50 freakin pounds is an amazing accomplishment! And if some idiot at your work is actually judging you because you have "only" lost 50 pounds, then they are the one with the issues... but I doubt that anyone other than you is thinking that at all.

Laurayinz

Pictures can suck... Please try to remember what you have accomplished, and know that you're just not done yet. You're still a work in progres, right? :flowerforyou:

jdoggie

I know how you feel darlin.. but if you are like me for some reason no matter how much I lose when I look at pictures or in the mirror, I never see what other people see, So I decided not to look, and go by how I feel, and i feel fabulous, and you look fabulous, and other people will never see what we see, so go by what they say not by what you see, and go by how you feel, you are totally beautiful and so on the right track:) keep it up gorgeous...

EdensMummy

Just to echo what others have said, you look COMPLETELY different in your before/after pics already and 50lbs is an amazing achievement - but you're not finished on your journey and remember that!

I'm sure you don't look as bad as you think - we're always our biggest critics - and I'm sure when you reach goal you'll look back and realise that these pics are all part of your journey.

Be proud of who you are and what you have achieved so far, and use this as motivation to keep you going!

Good luck! x

Hunskers

We are always so judgemental of ourselves in pictures. I don't know anyone who likes their pictures taken.
I can see a substantial difference in your before and after pictures. I think you look amazing!

ninerbuff

I am literally posting this bc I am at work and about to burst into tears and I feel like if I don't vent, I will lose it. To begin with, I am exhausted from my event yesterday and I am pre-menstrual, so I am sure that doesn't help me.

But there were a lot of pics taken at my event that I managed yesterday and my co-worker just posted a bunch on our intranet and was like "Woohoo, look at all the pictures" and I guess I thought since I have lost 50lbs that I may actually resemble a normal human, but I do not. It was literally heartbreaking and now I am miserable. I look like a linebacker for goodness sake. And I was wearing a black suit so I cannot imagine how bad I look otherwise.

I guess I didn't want to acknowledge how bad it must have been before I started really trying to lose weight, but I thought after all of this hard work I would look ok in a picture, but I don't at all. So I feel like people must be thinking, she lost 50lbs and she still looks like a monster.

And now I am just a mess, I am sitting here at my desk crying and of course, I am being taken out for a "job well done" lunch and I have no desire to eat a single solitary thing.

I am sorry for whining and crying about this, but that just absolutely zapped all of my motivation and I feel like I am going to have an emotional meltdown.

So sometimes when reality hits, it should be a motivator. You lost 50lbs. You could have been 50lbs heavier in the pics. Do you still need work? Yep. But just to put things into perspective, you have your arms, you have your legs, you have a job, you don't have cancer..............................you know how many people would love to be in your place and if they were what they would do with that opportunity?
So the motivation should be the NEXT pics to look even better. What other choice do you have? Quit and always be miserable? Or pick yourself up and brush off the dirt and just do it. It ain't easy. It will be hard, but in the end IT'S WORTH IT.