When will my brain catch up with my *kitten*?

justamyagain

Hello, all. I am 5'3, and started at 206 this time around. I am currently 129-131, depending on the time of the month. I would still like to lose another 10 lbs, but have started focusing more on toning and less on cardio.

Here is my question....when will my brain register that I am not the girl that I used to be? I still go for the XL's at the store, and I still definintely think of myself as fat even though I know that I am not. For those that have lost and maintained, when did you start to see yourself as a new and improved you?

Genkaku

It takes a long long time. I still have a tendency to go for 3 or 4xl's, when I'm down to an XL now. And it's been over a year haha. So basically I would double check everything you buy, cause you could be buying for the old you.

BeingAwesome247

I once read it can take 2 years for you to mentally catch up with your physical change...

Great job btw and always try stuff on

roberts1013

I wonder that same thing every time I look in the mirror. All I know is that I hope my mind catches up soon cuz it is very frustrating!

SCH67

I lost most of my weight (over 70 lbs) about 4 years ago and it really just started to get through to my brain, this past year..... It took a while, but now that I KNOW I am not that big girl (sometimes I need reminders, so i look at my old pictures), it feels great to go in a store and not feel like I should be in the plus size section... give it time, it will happen and congrats on your loss

ElectricMayhem

sounds like a GREAT problem to have :bigsmile:

creech6317

It is funny, just the other day my daughter and her friend were talking about double chins, and I commented that I can't wait to lose mine. My daughters friend commented that I don't have one, but when I look in the mirror, or pics that is all I see, a big double chin.

campi_mama

looking at pictures helps...
also, i always found looking at my reflection in a window or the tv (while it's off) gave me the best idea of how i actually looked, not how i thought i looked (yeah, i know, probably not making alot of sense). my brain took 1+ yrs to register my loss.
then i had the problem of regaining some and not realizing how I looked till i saw some of my thinner pics. works both ways
back on track now, but eeep lol

knittermom07

I cannot say that I was ever bgg, I topped out at 155, but for a 5'3" small frame that is a bit too big for me. I know that mentally I am there, I understand what size I am no problem, my emotional state however, is quite different. I still feel big, I hope that my emotional state catches up super quick because I'd like to walk into a room feeling amazing!

Shellsmiley

To be honest, Between Jan-2011-Jan-2012 I lost 100lbs. My brain STILL didn't realize I wasn't a 4xl anymore, I was a XL top and a 24 bottom (wide hips) not a 32 bottom. I think because of my brain not catching up with my body, it helped me to put back on 70 lbs again (am an emotional eater... sadly) and now I look back at old photos and am thinking "I was that thin?" in comparison to what I was and am now.... My doctor and trainer said that it could take anywhere between 2-5 years (depending on severity or obesity *size* and the emotional ties to eating or *hiding* behind being overweight). My doctor said that most people (like myself) who protect themselves from being hurt by being obese, have a harder time having their mind catch up to them. Same with emotional eaters. It also depends on how often the person is practicing "good habits" and how often they revert back to "old habits". It depends on a lot of other variables too, but those were the main ones she told me about as they are relevant to me.

Hope that helps! You are doing a great job! Keep it up!! Take care!

davidmcgowan1987

It will take about the same amount of time it took for you to realise you were fat in the first place...

i recently found a photo of my from my 21st birthday, only 4 years ago

and im disgusted at myself for gaining (because i checked with my doctors records, last time i was there i was weighed) 80lbs in 4 years.

so this time round im taking it seriously (ok so im easing into it slowly, but im not eating a whole 230g bar of chocolate, even though ive got one, im not having massive midnight snacks etc.)

i WILL lose the weight. even if it kills me.

Ive started at 2500 calories a day and each week im dropping it by 100 calories until my body and my brain learns how to cope all the way down to 1200 calories, and then im staying there until i hit my goal weight...

the whole time im doing insanity (a little at first, parts of the videos not the whole vids, my knee cant take it) until i look buff.

If it doesnt work this time, i may just give in forever so

chatterbox3110

It's hard - when I look in a mirror now, my eyes register the difference, but my brain still tells me I'm 375lbs :sad:

I still head to the back of the rack when looking for clothes, and still actively look at dark clothing - but I'm forcing myself to change my clothing style - even though my brain is screaming 'don't do it'

It will come to us all in time I suppose, Rome wasn't built in a day..........:laugh:

AnahitaCanDoIt

I'm the same...the only thing that works for me is how my clothes fit or as is the case now...don't fit. When my size 10 TopShop skinnies fit, all is right with the world. When they don't (the last 5 or so months), no matter what victories I have scale or NSV, I still feel gross and fat and yuck.

Being honest, when I was fat, I only ever looked at my face to put on make up and rarely took a good look at myself in a full length mirror! Doing that (forcing myself) is helping me to lose this last stone and a half (21lbs) that I want to lose.