This is dumb, but I need support.

Malrose01

Hi guys. I feel like a dork writing this post, but whatever. I know we are all here for the same thing, so I'm going to just say what I need to say. So, think back to Valentine's day. The boyfriend and I went to a party, and someone was taking pictures. Fast forward to tonight, and they posted the pictures on facebook.. and tagged me.. and the pics of me are terrible. My face looks so, sooo fat. I thought I was doing really well, and that I didn't have much more to lose, but seeing that picture made me feel sick to my stomach. I keep wondering if that's what I look like to other people, and I've just been going around in a fantasy world for the past 24 years. Thoughts, tips, stories, supportive words, comments welcome and would be very much appreciated.

flab2sixpack

#1: don't be too hard on yourself! Is that a pic of you and your b/f on your gallery?? If it is, I must say you look GREAT! Something that came to mind when you say you saw your pics: we ALL take bad pics at times. Maybe our chin is tucked in and it makes our neck look fatter than it really is. Or maybe we're not standing up correctly and our stomach is bulging a little. Don't be discourage though!

Here's your assignment: have your b/f take about 20-30 pics of you in poses you KNOW YOU LIKE. You'll be more than happy with about 80% of the pics! Take THOSE new pics and re-inforce what you already know about yourself: you're awesome!

btdublin

#1: don't be too hard on yourself! Is that a pic of you and your b/f on your gallery?? If it is, I must say you look GREAT! Something that came to mind when you say you saw your pics: we ALL take bad pics at times. Maybe our chin is tucked in and it makes our neck look fatter than it really is. Or maybe we're not standing up correctly and our stomach is bulging a little. Don't be discourage though!

Here's your assignment: have your b/f take about 20-30 pics of you in poses you KNOW YOU LIKE. You'll be more than happy with about 80% of the pics! Take THOSE new pics and re-inforce what you already know about yourself: you're awesome!

Flab2sixpack has made a perfect reply, what a nice chap. I totally agree, you look great in your profile pic with your BF. Don't worry about it!! We all feel like that sometimes. I have a 3 year period on FB i have just deleted because I was soo big. Just think of the thousands of pics you will take when you lose the weight and look great!

dvcab

i agree with flab2sixpack (love that name) out of all the photos of me i hate most of them especially snapshots as you are never posing to your best. do the homework and take the photos im sure you will find some you like

Sagefemme76

Oh no, that's an awful feeling! I remember seeing a thread on here once asking people what they were looking forward to most about losing weight and one person said "seeing that somebody has tagged me on facebook and not panicking" and I thought, YESSSS!!!! So true! Also made me chuckle.
Unfortunately, we can never truly see ourselves through other people's eyes and the eye we use to view ourselves is often over-critical. I'm sure you don't look as bad as you think you do. Also, I find facebook to be a place where people love to post pics of themselves looking wonderful and others looking not so hot. Not saying your friend is being malicious, but if it's a pic they love of themselves, they'll put it up without noticing whether or not it's flattering to others.
Despite what people say, cameras most certainly do lie. We all have shots in which we love how we look and others we want to burn. That's how portrait photographers still make a living in a day and age where everybody has cameras at their fingertips....and why successful models are more than just pretty girls....there is a definite knack to taking reliably good photos There was some actress (can't remember name) who was asked the secret to her beuty and she replied "good lighting" lol....we've all seen those horrendous pap shots of celebrities without makeup....
Anyway, sorry for rambling, my point is that it's just a bad photo and you're probably viewing it more harshly than anybody else ever will. As long as you're feeling good and liking what you see in the mirror, don't let a split-second in time captured on film change that xxx Don't doubt yourself....as long as you feel beautiful, you'll be beautiful

onefourone

I like the points made. If that is you with your BF in your profile I would say you have a very beautiful face.

sxsimpers

I am the exact same way! I think that I'm doing totally great, and then I see pictures that someone has posted, and it brings me right back down to reality. If you think about it in a positive way, if you never saw those pictures, it would just go on to get worse and worse! But, like the guys said, some pictures are just going to be awful. Sometimes at the same event, I'll love some of the pictures, and hate others. I just cannot wait for the day when I LOVE all the pictures of myself, not just at a particular angle. Thankfully, my wedding day was one of those days, but since then I've been packing on the love pounds. Time to get them back off! There will be days when you love your body, and days when you hate it. Just keep going and you can do it! Keep one of those awful pictures in the back of a drawer, so you can take it out again in a couple months and reflect on how well you've done!

Lolli1986

Fat-face photos happen even when you're fit and slender (or at least, they happen to me). The good thing about that is that you can realise 'oh, that is just a bad photo of me' when you've reached your goals.

I do REALLY like the idea of taking pics of yourself in poses that you know are flattering. I try on my favourite clothes that i know look great when i've seen a bad photo or someone has said something nasty.

Sagefemme76

just had a quick look at your profile pic and you are one GORGEOUS lady! crappy photo be damned...sure you have plenty of lovely ones xxx

peachNpunkin

I agree with everyone else, you look beautiful in the pic on your profile. But you have to be comfortable in your own skin, if you don't like a certain part of your body, focus the majority of your energy on that point and the rest on the rest of your body. Fact is, you really don't have a fat face in the pic on your profile. I'd be willing to be the person who took your pic, caught you "not at your best" or perhaps off gaurd, and you are not happy with the outcome of the picture. I agree with the guy above though. Take a few pictures in your favorite outfits, and pose like you normally would. You'll like what you see.

audra1ee

Think of all the ugly people you know with photos that make them look fantastic. (I KNOW you know what I'm talking about) Now, realize photos can have the opposite effect on fantastic looking people (you) also.

Plus, whenever you want to brag about your progress later, now you have a photo you can use to show off. The upside of bad pictures! It's that whole silver lining mentality.