What I think I look like vs. what I look like

phizzylizzy

I'm here because I know I need to lose weight. But a lot of the time I feel pretty good about myself and how I look. I feel really strong and even graceful, if a little thick, on good days. Some days I will get dressed and think, OK, you got this. But then - I am presented with photographic evidence. Evidence that I don't look like this (at my goal weight of 133 in 2008):


But actually, I look like this (about 30 pounds heavier last week at the biggest performance of my life):


Yes, picture #2 could be worse....but wow. It's just crazy what a little dose of reality will do. If I could perform at the same event next year, I could guarantee I wouldn't look like that! And then of course there is the flip side: those days where I feel 100 pounds heavier than I am. Those are less frequent in recent years as I have learned more about how I talk to myself and how much that affects me.

Do you have a distorted view of what you look like?

penrbrown

I do but in opposite.

When I see myself in the mirror I see a girl who is cute, plain and thick but not HUGE.
When I see pictures of myself I see a mammoth with two chins, bad skin, bad hair, etc. etc. etc.

I don't know if my internal vision is messed up or if I'm just unphotogenic.

evansproudmama

I do but in opposite.

When I see myself in the mirror I see a girl who is cute, plain and thick but not HUGE.
When I see pictures of myself I see a mammoth with two chins, bad skin, bad hair, etc. etc. etc.

I don't know if my internal vision is messed up or if I'm just unphotogenic.

I;m right there with you.. When I look at myself i think im cute, yes a little thick but still cute face cute smile nice hair.. than i see a pick and i look eww lol i think i wasnt blessed with being photogenic :-( but i know i have some weight to lose also

3LittleMonkeyMom

I do but in opposite.

When I see myself in the mirror I see a girl who is cute, plain and thick but not HUGE.
When I see pictures of myself I see a mammoth with two chins, bad skin, bad hair, etc. etc. etc.

I don't know if my internal vision is messed up or if I'm just unphotogenic.

I feel this way too.

wildcata77

I do but in opposite.

When I see myself in the mirror I see a girl who is cute, plain and thick but not HUGE.
When I see pictures of myself I see a mammoth with two chins, bad skin, bad hair, etc. etc. etc.

I don't know if my internal vision is messed up or if I'm just unphotogenic.

I often say I have the opposite of "Body Dysmorphia" where I think I look smokin' and then I look in the mirror like 3 hours later and I'm like, "WHOA"!

mindiek2

Absolutely!!! I have the same problem as you exactly. I think, "I got this, I look great"... then I see a recent picture and I am like "holy S&^t, I am not even close to being done this journey" so frustrating and disheartning.. but I try to flip it and use as continual motivation.

LorinaLynn

I had it happen in reverse. I thought I looked great when I first wore my pirate costume in 2010.

[img]http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q139/lorinalynn/april2010-pirate.jpg[/quote] When I wore it last year, I realized that I[/img]NOW look how I THOUGHT I looked then. I couldn't get over how much smaller my waist looked.



Side by side.... my face shrunk a lot, too.

charityateet

That happens to me too. I think I look pretty good - and then get a pic. taken of me and bam - I look like *kitten*. I had someone send me a pic they took on their phone at a company meeting, thought I looked pretty cute that day - and when I got it I was like "woah!!!" said if that isn't motivation to lose some weight, I don't know what is - his reply, lol. Yep, time to kick it in gear!

Im_NotPerfect

Absolutely!!! I have the same problem as you exactly. I think, "I got this, I look great"... then I see a recent picture and I am like "holy S&^t, I am not even close to being done this journey" so frustrating and disheartning..

Definately this!!

4newtsmom

I do but in opposite.

When I see myself in the mirror I see a girl who is cute, plain and thick but not HUGE.
When I see pictures of myself I see a mammoth with two chins, bad skin, bad hair, etc. etc. etc.

I don't know if my internal vision is messed up or if I'm just unphotogenic.

This is how I fell too. I find a nice outfit, think look pretty ok in the mirror, and then BAM I see a picture of me, and ewwwwww.....

stefanieanne14

I think I look gross and overweight in the mirror but then I'll see a pic of myself and realize I'm not all that big. I'm sure it annoys my husband because I'm constantly pointing out girls I think are WAY smaller than me and asking how much bigger I am only to have him tell me I'm smaller or the same size. Always a fat girl at heart

katierechgomez

I feel the exact same way, too. I will get dressed, look in the mirror and think everyhting is OK, I look pretty cute...then I will see a pic of myself from that day and be like, WTF!??! It is super depressing. But before, when I was in great shape, I would do the opposite...I would think I looked gross and fat in the mirror and then I would see pics later and say, WOW! I looked pretty darn good! It is super frustrating. I wish everything was consistent.

auroranflash

I had it happen in reverse. I thought I looked great when I first wore my pirate costume in 2010.

Lorina, you look amazing! Super cute pirate getup.

stefanieanne14

I had it happen in reverse. I thought I looked great when I first wore my pirate costume in 2010.

When I wore it last year, I realized that I NOW look how I THOUGHT I looked then. I couldn't get over how much smaller my waist looked.



Side by side.... my face shrunk a lot, too.


[/quote]

Yep, you can tell in your face for sure. You look beautiful in both though!! Good job on your hard work!

m3dreamer2011

I do but in opposite.

When I see myself in the mirror I see a girl who is cute, plain and thick but not HUGE.
When I see pictures of myself I see a mammoth with two chins, bad skin, bad hair, etc. etc. etc.

I don't know if my internal vision is messed up or if I'm just unphotogenic.

I feel the same actually (except I don't see a girl . Some days I see myself and think yeah you look ok and then others I wish I could find a plastic surgeon to fix up the scars, lines and marks on my face.

bowties_r_cool

I have the perception that I am still much larger than I am. When everyone comments on how healthy and fit I look I feel thrown off.:huh: I don't see any of what they see. Sometime I think it may be that my family (who say these things) are so unhealthy that they think that I am healthy.... :grumble:

Then I worry that my view of myself is distorted. I really do not try to go by what I see but my body fat percentage and fitness level. I will be happy when I can run a full marathon! :drinker:

CharlieJuliette

Completely understand where you are coming from. I thought I was looking ok but looking through my recent holiday snaps I couldn't find a single pic of myself that matched my mental image! It's a dangerous situation when you are getting close to goal because unless you keep reminding yourself of the reality then there is a risk that you think you've done enough and don't reach your target weight.

itskristymarie

Yep! All the time!!! I avoid pics at all cost! I wish it would motivate me but instead I totally deflate and get discouraged. Guess I should just get over it, it is what it is. I can't wait for the day when I'm like dam* I look great in that picture!

RebmaGe1sha

I know how you all feel! Sometimes I feel so confident and sexy and then I realize that my clothes look horrible on me..it is frustrating. Especially now that I'm in this in between stage. I have clothes that I wish weren't so tight, but most of my clothes are way too big right now. I don't want to keep buying clothes that I'm will just fall off in a month.

Also, seeing other people that are thin and sexy makes me feel like I'm still a whale of a person. I can't help but think my boyfriend prefers looking at them. *sad face* I know I'll get there though. We all will!

Restybaby2012

I have a horrible distorted body image. I dont think Im as big as the pictures tell me I am. Whatta shocker. Some day maybe my sense will equal what is......

I dunno

Behl9

I have the same problem. Even when I was 192 lbs (i'm only 5'5) I always felt like I looked pretty good still. Or I'd spend time with friends that I thought were about my same size and then I'd see those disturbing pics of us side by side and realize how wrong I was! I've lost close to 40 lbs since then and still catch myself feeling that I look better than I really do, which I guess is good... until reality hits lol!

jessicae1aine

Sometimes, I'm at one extreme and think I'm easily 50+ pounds more than I am. This usually only happens when I see other overweight people and I wonder if I look like them... then assume I do. But, there are other times when I'm not so fat in my head, and then I see myself and I'm like, "Awwww, dammit. "

smileitfeelsgood

i post a pic of me with my shirt on and off RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF MY FRIDGE!!!!

Trust me try it, works really well at 3am when i want to go on a eating spree. hehe

ShellyShuey

No need to tell me -- I just went clothes shopping and I don't know WHOSE fat gut was jiggling in the mirror... I thought I was in shape. Phhht. NOT.

asprague917

i still think i look like i did before i got pregnant...145 fit into all my clothes, looked awesome felt great about myself.....still looked good through out my pregnancy only gained in my stomach face stayed good all my clothes still fit. now 10 months later even though i see the 145 shape in my head i see my shadow or a picture and get depressed. my mind is still skinny but my body isnt

RubyWare

I do but in opposite.

When I see myself in the mirror I see a girl who is cute, plain and thick but not HUGE.
When I see pictures of myself I see a mammoth with two chins, bad skin, bad hair, etc. etc. etc.

I don't know if my internal vision is messed up or if I'm just unphotogenic.

It's refreshing to know that I'm not the only one who thinks like this.

lin7604

I think I look gross and overweight in the mirror but then I'll see a pic of myself and realize I'm not all that big. I'm sure it annoys my husband because I'm constantly pointing out girls I think are WAY smaller than me and asking how much bigger I am only to have him tell me I'm smaller or the same size. Always a fat girl at heart

totally this! i think it's just b/c everyone holds their weight different and even though you may be the same size or smaller you don't look it or feel like you look it b/c you hold your weight in a different area on your body, etc. you always will look at the other and think, man if i could have my core look like that, etc but then realize they have bigger hips or butt then you, etc....

jjdig

I think this is a pretty common thing for girls, anyway! I read somewhere that we always think we look odd in photos because it's the reverse image of what we see in the mirror... yet it's what everybody sees except us!
But, yes - I tend to think I'm OK until I see a reflection or a photo. I think the picture on the refrigerator is a GREAT idea. Of course, it might scare the rest of the people in my house, though!

AZKristi

I think it is mentally healthy to be confident in your body and simultaneously know that losing weight would be beneficial to your physical health. You still look really good in your heavier picture so it is a question of what weight is healthy for you and which body shape you prefer. Go easy on yourself and just commit to making nutritionally sound choices and being active.

sugboog29

Before I started my weight loss journey I thought I looked good...thought I had a good shape! THEN one day my eyes were opened and I REALLY saw myself for the first time in years. It was then and there I made the decision to get with it and get in shape and get healthy. Now...almost 50 pounds lighter I see myself as fat. I know I still have 30ish pounds to lose but I am nothing like what I was. If anything I am harder on myself now than I was at my heaviest!! Odd I know...but that's me!

mandorla

My fat self thinks she's skinnier than she is and is shocked when she sees pictures. I'm afraid that when I loose weight I'll still have a distorted image, only in revers. I'm afraid I'll look in the mirror and still see myself as 250 lbs.