one look in the mirror

Krohnie

Why oh why does it only take 1 look in the mirror to make myself feel like a failure? I've been doing this process for a long time, and all I have to show for it is a 1 lb loss. Why do I just have to look at myself in the mirror one time to see all the flaws that aren't going away? Why do I make myself feel so badly? I'm trying hard, darn hard. And nothing is coming off. I've made some major changes in the last month, upped my calories, working hard to watch my sodium, and I quit diet coke. I probably could exercise harder than I do, but come on..... One look in the mirror when I don't see what I hope to see and all comes crashing down. I'm not giving up, don't get me wrong, I'm going to keep on keeping on, but man I feel like a lumpy frumpy lady and it really brings me down. When is that woman in the mirror going to match the one in my head??? Do I just need to skip the mirror till I drop a few sizes???? I'm frustrated with the pace of this loss. I know it took 4 years and 2 pregnancies to put the weight on, but I don't think I can make it 4 years to take it off. I'll go crazy. What do you guys do to get through the tough days? Is there a point where they get better??

Benji49

Mirrors and cameras are things I avoid. I have found that I'm my own worst enemy. I look into the mirror expecting to see fat and that's what I see.

It's taken me 6 months but I actually will listen to other people who tell me I'm slimming down and looking good. The thing to focus on is how do you feel? Do you have more energy, do you feel less bloated. Concentrate on what your body is telling you not on what the mirror is saying, or the scale for that matter.

ssen2547

"When is that woman in the mirror going to match the one in my head???" That's nicely put - I feel the same way. I just found this website, but I've been struggling with this process for the past year. I also have had 2 pregnancies in 4 years so I feel your pain. My son just turned one the end of August and I still have the last 10lbs to get off plus the additional 15lbs that I wanted to get off before I got pregnant.
I don't have any advice to get through the tough days. Sometimes I don't get through them without slipping up. You just have to remember that tomorrow is another day and to keep right on trucking.
The only blessing that I've gotten in the past year is that I transferred to a new department at work where the people do not really snack during the day, so the temptation isn't there. My old department had a bunch of munchy people - it was hard!
This seems like a good place to come and vent frustrations. I'll be here to listen!

kitkatkait

This totally happened to me today. And it didn't help that someone posted serveral months old photos of me on facebook *headdesk*

I've been trying to cheer myself up by going through all of the good things I've changed about my diet and exercise habits, and how I have made progress, even if it isn't showing up in the mirror or in photos as much as I want it to. Eventually it'll show up.

I know what you mean about how the woman in your head doesn't match the one in the mirror. I feel halfway there already, but this is only just the beginning.

Artemis_Acorn

It might help to have a nutritionist review your food logs, or have your doctor do a blood workup to make sure you aren't hypothyroid or have some other medical reason it's not coming off. I think anyone would find it discouraging, but the changes you're making in your diet and lifestyle can't help but improve your health, so there are benefits you're experiencing even if you're not seeing it on the scale yet. For example, I'm tracking my blood pressure and have seen significant improvement in that arena. It doesn't show up in the mirror, but is an important aspect of this journey for me.

In the meantime, give yourself credit for what you have accomplished. The lady in the mirror is not the whole story and that person in your head is worthy of all the determination and sacrifice it takes to set her free. Good luck.

tbudge

I totally understand!! I've been trying for a long time, and my scale keeps going up instead of down!!! I got so upset that my husband hid the scale. If only he could hide all the mirrors too. I eat right, I am doing the insanity work out, we are on week 4, I'm drinking my water, everything that I'm supposed to. And yet, I keep gaining weight. Everyone says its muscle, but come on! Really??? The only thing that gets me through the tough days is, thinking of what I will look like a year from now. I won't give up! I will just keep working hard, I figure that it has to pay off! I don't know if that helps. I'm so glad you posted this, because you sure helped me. Keep up the hard work, it will pay off!