Why are we the last to see it

sds76

I have lost 45 lbs so far. I have quite a ways to go but 45 lbs is a lot. I've had several people comment on my loss but I wasn't seeing it. I mean I have gone down several sizes in jeans and shirts, I measure, so I know I was decreasing in size but I didn't see it. Last night I decided to do my very first comparison shot. I have no idea how to post but you can see it on my profile. I looked at the comparison for quite a while last night. How can I change so much and not see it. I guess it's a mental game . I'm going to start looking at mysef, really looking. I am working to darn hard to not be the first to "see' the results.

rowlandk

I'm the exact same way. I think it's because the changes are so gradual and we see ourselves in the mirror everyday. With such minor daily changes, it makes it hard to see. I did a program called Kosama that lasted 8 weeks and they took before and after photos for us and without those, I wouldn't have believed I had changed so much. Sure, I went down a couple sizes and people were noticing, but I wasn't. Now when I want to know what I look like, I take a picture instead of look in the mirror. I think that helps.

Congrats!

TexasRattlesnake

What we see every day becomes the new normal... I was the same way, saw a bit of a difference but when I put two pictures up next to each other it's a total eye opener.

You're doing great and look awesome, keep up the outstanding work!

krumpli

Have you purchased new (smaller) clothes recently? I find that every time I buy new clothes, I start to feel fat again, because I just recognize that the clothes aren't loose... but they're smaller, so that makes no sense. Our brains do crazy things to us! I can totally see the difference in your profile picture!

bkesecker

I think we don't see it because we have spent so much time beating ourselves down in our head. I know that is how it is for me.

MindyG150

I climb in bed every night feeling like a blob...I honestly don't know how to change my mind!

Weebs628

Have you purchased new (smaller) clothes recently? I find that every time I buy new clothes, I start to feel fat again, because I just recognize that the clothes aren't loose... but they're smaller, so that makes no sense. Our brains do crazy things to us! I can totally see the difference in your profile picture!

Omg... I felt that way today. I bought a pair of jeans a size down and they're tighter that my other jeans which made me feel fat!

KeepGoingRhonda

Huge difference already! WTG!

californiagirl2012

I have lost 45 lbs so far. I have quite a ways to go but 45 lbs is a lot. I've had several people comment on my loss but I wasn't seeing it. I mean I have gone down several sizes in jeans and shirts, I measure, so I know I was decreasing in size but I didn't see it. Last night I decided to do my very first comparison shot. I have no idea how to post but you can see it on my profile. I looked at the comparison for quite a while last night. How can I change so much and not see it. I guess it's a mental game . I'm going to start looking at mysef, really looking. I am working to darn hard to not be the first to "see' the results.

Do you do front, side, and back profile pics in a bathing suit? I did this just for myself. I would never post the pictures but I did this once or month or so and you can see results that the scale and tape measure don't show. Most of the progress seems to show in the back view. It's this little bit of NSV that can keep you motivated.

kimad

It's a huge mental game. I can TOTALLY see a difference in your face shot you have as your profile pic.
When I look at my pics I can see it, but when I look in the mirror I struggle to see it sometimes. It takes alot of self talk ... but I am getting better!

Maddielen

You can't see the loss for the same reason you didn't "See the Gain".....

Like me, I bet that when you were gaining you avoided scales. Then one day you stepped on the scale and you saw a BIG number and couldn't believe it. Where did that number come from? I hadn't "seen" myself gaining....it was just 1 pound after another after another after another....until one day I arrived at a "big number".

So don't get frustrated if you don't "see it" going down. Instead, think about the joy you'll find when you arrive at a "Little Number".

needamulligan

Up until now, you have been seeing the gradual daily change. Now you have seen the cumulative effect of your efforts! Great work!

sds76

I have lost 45 lbs so far. I have quite a ways to go but 45 lbs is a lot. I've had several people comment on my loss but I wasn't seeing it. I mean I have gone down several sizes in jeans and shirts, I measure, so I know I was decreasing in size but I didn't see it. Last night I decided to do my very first comparison shot. I have no idea how to post but you can see it on my profile. I looked at the comparison for quite a while last night. How can I change so much and not see it. I guess it's a mental game . I'm going to start looking at mysef, really looking. I am working to darn hard to not be the first to "see' the results.

Do you do front, side, and back profile pics in a bathing suit? I did this just for myself. I would never post the pictures but I did this once or month or so and you can see results that the scale and tape measure don't show. Most of the progress seems to show in the back view. It's this little bit of NSV that can keep you motivated.

no I haven't but I think I will...just for me thanks.

sds76

thank you all for your kind words, glad to know I'm not alone

120111

keep up the great job your doing...maybe take some pics and compare as weight drops off! :flowerforyou:

TheBiggestLosee

It is probably because we are our most harsh critic sometimes. It could be a matter of "I know I'm losing weigh, but this process is taking too long. Why isn't my stomach flat already? Where is my muscle definition?"

scinamon1

You look great! There is definitely a difference!

I know what you mean though. Didn't see my parents for 3 months, then they are shocked at how thin I got. And it was only then I noticed that I hadn't undone buttons on any of my clothes for a month!

Strangely, now I'm focusing on losing weight, I see myself as bigger than I am I think; like, now I might look at myself and think 'wow! you have LOADS to lose!' when before I thought I was in pretty good shape (I wasn't). :huh:

berryjk

For me it has always been about perfection. I do notice, in the mirror, when I lose weight or tone up something, but I never look at the big picture. My eyes always seem to focus in on the spots that "still need work". I'm down 60lbs of fat, but up 19lbs of muscle and even though I KNOW I look WAAAAAY better than I did 3 years ago I still can't look past the few bumps and bulges I have left to thin out. However, working out everyday is what keeps me thinking positive about myself. Even though I may not be happy with every aspect of my body at least I'm doing something about it! That mentality is what allows me to wear a bikini, short shorts and form fitting dresses without obsessing about the bulge because I know one day, if I keep working hard, it won't be there anymore!

quietasariot

Take progress pictures!
We are the last to see it because (I think, this is my experience) your brain is so trained to seeing someone bigger. I still have many days on which I feel I am still 230 pounds and a size 20. In reality, I am 77 pounds lighter and a size 10, but I still SEE myself as obese. Some days are better than others and it gets clearer as you buy smaller clothes.

katevarner

Your profile pic shows an amazing difference! Congratulations! I agree with everyone that you can't see it as much because you see yourself everyday and the changes are tiny on that basis. I also agree that if you thought of yourself as fat for a long time you may see yourself as that same fat person. It takes time to get used to. But don't let that stop you buying new things and seeing people you haven't seen in a while. I hate looking at pictures of myself, so the only pictures of me fat are ones other people have, except of course my driver's license photo!

Icelandic_Saga

I had a fun experience the other day at a family cookout with people who haven't seen me in months. Perfect timing too because I had just been feeling kind of like it is taking soooooo long to lose this weight. When I walked into my cousins back yard at least 5 people practically lost their minds over how much weight ive lost! What an awesome boost that was!