Mirror Image vs. Real Life

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iheartmarshall
iheartmarshall Posts: 39 Member
in Motivation and Support
Does anyone else ever look in the mirror and think "Hey, I don't look that bad!" but when you see a photo of yourself, you have the OMG moment where you're like "Holy crap, I look like a cow!" Yeah. That moment just happened. I saw a candid photo of me from three weeks ago and it was the first time I really saw how fat my legs and knees looked... I don't really see myself that way when I look in the mirror. Sure, I know I'm overweight but I thought I looked okay, you know? Just wow. Talk about motivation!


What do you see when you see yourself in a mirror versus in a photo? Do you see a difference like I do or is it the same?
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Replies

  • Kelley528
    Kelley528 Posts: 319 Member
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    I went up a size and a half over the past 2 years and when I looked at myself in the mirror I still saw the skinny me. It wasnt until I saw a pictures of me from February when I saw how big my face looked. I looked like the thing who swollowed me, not myself. But even after that, when I looked in the mirrow i didnt see much difference. Now I have went down a size and the only place I see it is in my face. When I saw new pics of me my face looked like me again and noticeablly thinner. Yet still, I look in the mirror and I still see the same exact thing as when I was skinny and heavy. No change despite the fact that all my old clothes are hanging off me and everyone at work tells me how much weight i've lost---I don't see it.
  • Mama_Jag
    Mama_Jag Posts: 474 Member
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    Race photos are particularly bad like that for me. Those photographers do it on purpose! :tongue:
  • thetrishwarp
    thetrishwarp Posts: 838 Member
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    I am the exact opposite. I look in the mirror and think my arms look flabby, my thighs could be more toned, my stomach is too round, the list goes on....and then I see myself in photos and I'm like "oh...I actually look pretty small...."
  • bridgettegarzonie
    bridgettegarzonie Posts: 54 Member
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    My face. I have my mom's neck. I'm not super overweight (actually considered healthy) but my face is fat, especially when I smile in pics. It really hit me when I had to go to the DMV to get a new drivers license picture and he handed me my temp one. I cried in the car b/c I didn't know it looked that bad. Now every picture I take that's all I see...
  • Grimmerick
    Grimmerick Posts: 3,344 Member
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    This makes me think of a line I saw in a tv show or movie I can't remember what it was though

    Girl: The camera adds ten pounds
    Guy: So how many cameras were actually on you?

    *Edit to say I'm pretty sure it was friends, Monica and Chandler banter.
  • dropitquick
    dropitquick Posts: 6
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    I feel like I look great in the mirror and terrible in pictures! It's like a completely different person. I hope the mirrors are more accurate than the pictures.
  • smiley245
    smiley245 Posts: 420 Member
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    same here....look in the mirror, hey im kinda cute,
    see a recent pic in the same outfit I thought I was cute in. :noway: i was huge. like really!? sheesh!
  • MsP90X
    MsP90X Posts: 1,053 Member
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    The same thing happened to me this week... and I felt discouraged! But hey, I am on my way to appearing as I do in the mirror ;)

    Make it a great day ladies!
  • Nikkerz620
    Nikkerz620 Posts: 212 Member
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    Yup, i went to a concert not to long ago and thought i looked cute and after seeing the pictures I was like OMG I can't believe I felt cute in that!! I will probably never wear that shirt again. Ehh!! That was def motivation for me.

    Needless to say I deleted all the pictures..
  • manderson27
    manderson27 Posts: 3,510 Member
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    I used to feel the same, ok about the mirror but horrified at photos but since losing the weight I am much happier with the photo images.:smile:
  • omma_to_3
    omma_to_3 Posts: 3,265 Member
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    Yes. Every.damn.time. I hate photos of myself. Finally, I'm starting to get a few that I don't "hate".
  • Berberena33
    Berberena33 Posts: 25 Member
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    The quote previously mentioned is from FRIENDS! Monica states the camera adds 10 pounds when they watching old videos from highschool and Chandler responds with his smart comment like always!! I LOVE THAT SHOW!!

    I always think I look worse in pictures too than when I look at myself in the mirror... and I am going with Monica's therory, the camera added the weight!
  • DrMAvDPhD
    DrMAvDPhD Posts: 2,097 Member
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    Me. I just took some "before" photos since I started a weight lifting regimen, and I can't bring myself to post them on my profile. Hopefully they'll be less embarrassing along side an awesome after shot.
  • sho3girl
    sho3girl Posts: 10,799 Member
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    This makes me think of a line I saw in a tv show or movie I can't remember what it was though

    Girl: The camera adds ten pounds
    Guy: So how many cameras were actually on you?

    *Edit to say I'm pretty sure it was friends, Monica and Chandler banter.

    it was ! :smile:

    along with

    And the fat girl inside of me really wants to go. I...I owe her this. I never let her eat.
  • reggie2run
    reggie2run Posts: 477 Member
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    Race photos are particularly bad like that for me. Those photographers do it on purpose! :tongue:

    AGREED!! :noway:
  • sarahrbraun
    sarahrbraun Posts: 2,261 Member
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    I guess I have a similar issue...I look down at my body, and I don't think I look too bad...then I look in the mirror and don't recognize the fat lady...then I see a picture and I REALLY want to cry.

    I have a series of pics on my profile. The first one was taken by a friend at a birthday party and put on facebook. I wanted to cry when I saw it--I had more rolls than a bakery! The rest of the pics are taken starting about a month later, and they show the progress of my weight loss. I still don't look great, but I am on my way!
  • KarmaxKitty
    KarmaxKitty Posts: 901 Member
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    Mirror: You look HOT today!

    Me: Woohoo!!!

    *takes a photo to document*

    Camera: Seriously? The mirror told you that? HA!!!

    Me: :cry: ...:sad: ...
  • Rhea30
    Rhea30 Posts: 625 Member
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    Does anyone else ever look in the mirror and think "Hey, I don't look that bad!" but when you see a photo of yourself, you have the OMG moment where you're like "Holy crap, I look like a cow!" Yeah. That moment just happened. I saw a candid photo of me from three weeks ago and it was the first time I really saw how fat my legs and knees looked... I don't really see myself that way when I look in the mirror. Sure, I know I'm overweight but I thought I looked okay, you know? Just wow. Talk about motivation!


    What do you see when you see yourself in a mirror versus in a photo? Do you see a difference like I do or is it the same?

    I do :(. I never feel I look bad when I look in a mirror but when I see a photo I freak out. Its odd, dont know why the images seems so different in my head.
  • Maddi_InBetweenDays
    Maddi_InBetweenDays Posts: 177
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    I do this all the time! It was so bad last summer - my friend took pictures and then sent them to me a couple months after I started working out and I was SHOCKED! And I thought I had looked good in the summer, but no, I was 20 pounds heavier. It makes me think that when I have lost weight now, I still look bigger than I think :(
  • oregonzoo
    oregonzoo Posts: 4,251 Member
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    I am the exact opposite. I look in the mirror and think my arms look flabby, my thighs could be more toned, my stomach is too round, the list goes on....and then I see myself in photos and I'm like "oh...I actually look pretty small...."

    Yes this here too.

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