72 items deleted from waist, with pic-proof.

SecretlyBatwoman

I'm feeling pretty down today. I wanted to be 150 lbs by the time school starts next week. Now I'm 148 and I still feel disgusting. All I see is jiggly belly, jiggly thighs, jiggly arms, double chin. I'm finally at a healthy BMI but I don't feel it. I never feel it. Even though the last time I weighed 148 lbs I was in 8th grade, I still think I'm large. So I decided to go back through my pic history and see how far I've come.

I'm sure some of you have seen these before cause I am a total attention-*kitten*. I'm 5'4.5" by the way (and that .5 is very important to me so do not mock me)

January. Over 220 lbs. Did not own a scale but when I bought one after two weeks of starvation dieting, I was 219:




Valentines day at just about 200 even, with the love of my life, Lola the bassoon. Happily married for 12 years


April, after I got MFP, hovering around 175-170, sitting on a mighty tree stump at the arboretum.


Joined marching band and lost more weight. 170-ish in late May:


At the 4th of July parade, rapidly succumbing heat stroke at 160 lbs. Yes, I know my feet are wrong. Like I said, heat stroke. This was after a week long trip of mountain climbing, canoeing, and hiking in June so I actually felt good about myself.


And eating my exercise calories at the after party that night, in my friends size medium dress.


Dressed up in a dress that hasn't fit me since I was 15 and stage makeup for a performance. August 5 and 153 lbs


Yesterday in my work uniform, 148 lbs. Trying to show my friend how much green I got away with keeping in my hair after they told me no more green:


And just for fun... SAME CLOTHES DIFFERENT DAY. First is from November, second from May


And old jeans/new bathing suit from may:


So I know i've lost weight but I also know that I am at a weight where other people start saying, "Man I need to lose some weight". Anyone else still feel really big at their goal weight? I don't want this to be a permanent feeling.

awiggins1090

Girl you look great! Maybe you need to work on your self confidence... Maybe after all those years of being unhappy with your body took a toll... Just remember your gorgeous and never worry about what other people think!

TeamLeela

you look amazing. I love all the pictures and the stories! I think you may still feel that way because since you've lost so much weight, you have a lot of loose skin. maybe you should think about some strength training to help tone and then you can feel more confident about yourself. but I see a beautiful woman and I'm sure everyone else is. We are always the last ones to see the truth when it comes to looking in the mirror! I hope putting together the pictures and telling your story help you realize how far you've come!

jwaitman

Girl you look great! Maybe you need to work on your self confidence... Maybe after all those years of being unhappy with your body took a toll... Just remember your gorgeous and never worry about what other people think!

I agree. You look wonderful. Keep working at it and start some toning exercises. Maybe that will help with the way you are feeling.

morganadk2_deleted

all i see is a young lady who is the same hieght as me and the weight i was and want to be again! you look great !
I do think it takes a while for your head to catch up with your body! you have done well be proud !!!

laumar3012

I think you look great! I agree that you need to have more self confidence! You should be so proud of yourself! I also think you should not compare yourself or your weight with anyone elses, everyones bodies are different. If I lost that much weight, I would be running through the streets! You look awesome!

songofserenity81

You look fantastic , you have done a wonderful job and please dont think otherwise. I'm the same height as you and agree absolutly, that .5 of an inch is very important I will be made up if I look half as good when I reach 148 lb, still got about 12lb to go. But again you have done a terrific job and look fab

MrsRipdizzle

First of all ~ congratulations, all of your hard work is looking amazing on you!! Secondly, I started at similar stats...5'4.5" (and I NEVER forget that .5, although a few years ago it was .75 and I've since gotten shorter, wth?!? All the fat weighed me down!) and 220 (back in 2009). I just joined MFP a little over a month ago. I'm happy to find your success thread as it's just more motivation for me!!

Now, about twelve years ago I started at 185 and worked out with a trainer 3x a week plus cardio 5x per week (and dieted). It took awhile but "suddenly" I was looking at myself at 137 lbs, wearing a size 8, and I still thought I was fat. I couldn't see past my stomach that was NOT rock hard...it was still a little jiggly. My thunder thighs were still fairly thunderous (although now they were muscular thunder). And I just didn't feel like I had arrived yet. Unfortunately for me, I went on a cruise, gained 12 lbs in one week and well...that's the end of that story.

All of this to say...I know all too well what you are talking about. And this time, with the motivation from peeps on MFP and all these awesome success stories showing gals getting down to lower weights with lots of muscle...well, it makes me think I CAN do this and maybe my goal of 140 isn't going to be satisfying for me. Maybe instead of focusing on the weight number...focus on your bodyfat percentage. Make an ultimate goal to get to whatever bodyfat you feel would look good on you and just keep plugging away till you get there? That's what I'm gonna do...right now, I'm just trying to get lower in weight while building muscle and then eventually will just focus on the bodyfat number.

By the way, I think it is so totally awesome that you lost all that weight in less than a year!!! I mean c'mon...in January you were at your highest and now look at you! That is stinkin' amazing!! Focus on the long haul (it sucks, I know) and just keep pressing in. I can imagine you posting pics of yourself all rock hard in about six months...(while I'm hopefully just hitting my less jiggle goal, haha).

jenniferg83

Girl you look great! Maybe you need to work on your self confidence... Maybe after all those years of being unhappy with your body took a toll... Just remember your gorgeous and never worry about what other people think!

I agree. You look wonderful. Keep working at it and start some toning exercises. Maybe that will help with the way you are feeling.

this. you do look great!!!! focus on strength training!!

jetscreaminagain

Seriously, you look hot. Forgive me, no way to say it delicately, you are skinny with a large chest. I've been told d cups are good for an extra ten pounds. So you've got a 135 body with some impressive curves.

And like some of the others, you're the weight I want to get ti. Plus you lost so much so quick!

xjlishey1

awesome

dreambodin2011

you look A-M-A-Z-I-N-G.

You need to reward and recognise yourself for all your hard work, persistance and determination.

Look at that last photo - the jeans that you once fitted into - you need to keep this visual... somewhere you can see it as a constant reminder of how far you have come.

I can't see any double chin but trust me at particular angles we ALL have double chins! Do what the others have said (weights/strength training) and you will tone, with time.

It's so easy to be highly critical of ourselves - most of us aren't good at giving ourselves a well earned pat on the back - and you deserve it my dear! Well done. Sincerely - you are 'hot' 'sexy' 'beautiful'.

Enjoy yourself...love yourself....! Just do it. xx

ChrisFA5

Trust me it's all in your head, you look great. Keep in mind you are your most critical critic.

cjwalker81

You look fabulous!!! I PRAY that I have the sucess you have had! I hope that you can find a way to get past your feelings and embrace the new you b/c you look amazing!!! I wish I had some advice for you!!

jrlenig

I am exactly where you almost to the pound I am 147 and 5'5.5" and I was exactly where you were actually when I started the weight loss journey in 2004 I was 234...I had a fitness test and I did much better than people who had a lower BMI I have a higher muscle endurance and that itself it more important than how the extra jiggle looks! Be proud!

cedarhurst2006

You look great!!! I think sometimes it takes a while for your head to catch up to what has happened to your body. My daughter lost some weight, not as much as you, and we can definitely see it and she can't. Others compliment her and I'm sure you get quite a few too! I told my daughter to post a sticky on her wall each time there is a positive - a smaller size jean, a compliment from a friend, able to increase her endurance, etc. Do that. You will be so surprised with all the new positives you have in your life!!!

La_Amazona

Love the old dress!!!! You look awesome!

stephyy4632

you look fantastic and in less than a year great job.

Scorpiomom222

So tell me again why you feel huge? lol Girl, you have done SOOO amazing! 80 lbs in under 8 months? You should be so proud! Alot of people get stuck in their old mindset and don't see or feel their changes until people point it out. Who cares if you're an attention whoore? At least you look good getting that attention.

HSmamato4

Give yourself a break sweetie-YOU.ARE.BEAUTIFUL

Rubyjjones

Your pictures are an inspiration to me! I started my weight loss at 220 lbs and my goal is 150lbs. Your pics make me excited to know that I am going to look that good when I meet my goal. I just started my "lifestyle change" on July 1st and have lost 14lbs so far...I have a ways to go, but thanks to you; I have renewed motivation! Thanks for sharing!

Teliooo

Just learn to love yourself, you look great!

Teliooo

Just learn to love yourself, you look great!

Mom2rh

I'm going to jump on the bandwagon (pun intended. ha ha). You do look marvelous.

But I totally get what you mean. I didn't have as much weight to lose and I'm taller...5'10". I am a few pounds from my goal weight. And I've needed to buy new clothes in new sizes. First I bought size 6. Then those started to be baggy. But when I tried on some 4s and some didn't fit I was hating on myself. Really?! Pretty skewed. I think resetting our mental image of ourselves is really really hard.

If someone knows how to do that...I'd love to hear it.

But back to my original...you have done great! You look great!

M77308

You look amazing!!! Now that you've made the physical changes, it's time to make the inner changes... believing in yourself and that you are beautiful!!

kilndoc

Okay, before anybody thinks Im a creepy old man, let me say that I am coming at this from a 'father-like' perspective. I have a daughter who is in the same situation that you were in when you started getting fit. She has begun this program as well, and is already seeing changes.

You should be absolutely PROUD of yourself and what you have accomplished. Just so you know, I plan to show this post to my daughter for inspiration. I know she will see it as a true success, and will be both inspired and motivated to stick to her program.

Although I have only been doing this for a couple of weeks, I am already finding that quitting my own bad food habits is considerably harder than quitting smoking (which I successfully did last February). So much of what we do as human beings is habit-based. What you have done is broken that cycle that you slipped into.

Seriously, CONGRATULATIONS on what you have accomplished so far. If you still feel 'jiggly', start working on a toning workout to fine-tune those parts of you that need that little more adjustment. My wife is going for Zumba.....

Anyway....Good Luck. And as far as being an attention-seeker...don't worry about it. ALL the studies have shown that loosing weight, quitting smoking, or other addictions is easier when you have a support group to turn to for advise and encouragement. I suppose thats what this community does.

TriumphNow

You look great!!! I think sometimes it takes a while for your head to catch up to what has happened to your body.

This was my thought exactly Part of our battle is mental. I know I've lost 40 lbs and I can really see it in pictures and I feel so much better. However, when I look in the mirror undressed, I still see all that needs to be done, especially my belly. Be proud of what you've accomplished and work on toning to firm up the jiggly parts you're not happy with. You honestly look great!

chriscut1

just wanted to say I think you look amazing!! I can fully understand how you feel. I'm 5ft 4 and in 2009 reached my goal of 126lb size 8 and still felt I hadnt arrived!! people were telling me I was looking ill, older etc etc, and still I felt fat!! Now 2 years on and went up to 150lbs, been struggling for that 2 years to lose it again, up 7lbs down 7lbs etc etc. I have decided it was such a huge body image change my mind couldnt keep up! This time I'm losing slower, toning and exercising as I'm going and can see the difference just 10lbs makes to me. My reasons for losing the weight now are that I'm due for hysterectomy very soon and didnt want to be worrying about weight and strength during recovery which can take up to 12 weeks! This time I can see the shape changing and its all down to good food choices and lots of exercise..

You look amazing and you just need to get used to the new you!! xx

deniseg31

Wow!!! You are gorgeous! I started off at 219 as well and I'm really hopping to get down to 140-150 so you are like my role model! chin up beautiful girl...you have definitely inspired me (and many others I'm sure). Also, remember that we are our own worst critic which sometimes doesn't help but you should be absolutely proud of your accomplishments. I applaud you!

moonflower09

I think it is a mixed blessing to lose all that weight. Congrats of course! You do look great. I think so much attention goes to losing it. Thats alot of energy that went to losing...now what? Maybe setting some new goals to focus on can be beneficial. I found yoga to be very worthwhile. Maybe signing up for a 5k, 10k, marathon training, triathalon....maybe some new goals that can excite you about feeling fit and enjoying your new body.
yup it is absolutely normal. Thanks for sharing your success and thoughts.:flowerforyou:

BeautyCrys

You have done a great job! You look wonderful. I know how you feel, but everyone is differant. I don't want to be skinny, I want to healthy and be comfortable NAKED! lol Plus I like curves and so does my husband Curves look so much better in clothes than looking like a stick with clothes!