Does the feeling ever go away?

KenosFeoh

In the past, it helped to go shopping and try on various sizes.

I remember in particular trying on swimsuits. I tried on one size down from what I bought before and was surprised to find I had to go down one more size. It was exhilarating!

Duck_Puddle

I hope it goes away eventually. But not yet for me anyway. I started a hair larger than you and am about the same now, and I don't really see any difference. I don't have "before" pics, the best I have is a during (about 1/2 way) and now- and I guess I see it a little there, but never in the mirror. I put on size 6 jeans yesterday. I know I'm smaller, but I don't see it or feel it yet. At all.

mmedjjon

I have lost 115 pounds and celebrate the fact that I just get size large instead of triple X. It will wear off since their are so many more options on that side of the rack.

sharleengc

I think it's hard to say. My heaviest was 208. I'm about 145 now. Some days I really see the difference and some days I still see me the old me. I think it depends on my moods

HealthyinAZ

I'm still in process, and it certainly hasn't gone away for me - except that it's a bit different for me than for you. When I'm at home and I look in the mirror - I see my progress and I'm THRILLED that I'm not that size 22/24 anymore - I see how hard I've worked and I think I look amazing for a size 14...

Then I go places, like yesterday to my kids school for my daughters play - and as soon as I'm around strangers... I feel like every one who see's me is looking at me like I'm HUGE. I feel uncomfortable in my own skin.

...because I've been in this negative thought process so long, I don't think it'll be something that's easy for me to break, it'll just take time for you and I to slowly re-see ourselves in our new bodies.

silver_arrow3

I'm about 10 months in and I KNOW that I've gotten smaller - I can see it on the scale as well as in my clothes. I went from a L/XL to a Medium in tops and from a ridiculously tight 12 in pants to a 6. I know it and I can see it. But when the clothes come off, I don't see much of a difference. If I could get the weight to come off of my waistline, I think my brain would finally catch up.

Coyoteldy

Congrats on an awesome job!!! Our personal lens of perception often has us seeing ourselves one way despite the obvious. For example I could still see the ten pounds on that I lost. Keep loving yourself and celebrate the victories that have gotten you this far... Accentuate the positives and the negatives fade eventually. Talk with someone if you need to but celebrate celebrate celebrate the positive steps and courage that has gotten you this far.

bumblebums

I know it is hard for a woman in this culture, but you cannot rely on how you look for your feeling of self-worth. Your looks will eventually fade--we all turn into fat little grannies or skinny little grannies, but none of us look that awesome past a certain age.

Focus on other accomplishments--are you good at your job, do you have kids you raised well, and did you turn into the kind of person that you wanted to be when you were a kid? Because those are the things that will not go away.

super_J73

Wow! Thanks for all the responses, it's great knowing I'm not alone with how I'm feeling
And for the person who think I need to talk to a therapist on why I got to 215, my daughter had 3 major surgeries when she was 10 months and 4 years old, that is the major reason I was overweight, the stress of my baby going through that made me over eat, so please don't judge, you never know someone's story. :-)

alpine1994

Interesting you mention this. I just reached my goal last weekend and next week I am going on a beach vacation. I bought myself 2 new bikinis. For the first time in my life, trying them on and looking in the mirror wasn't a horrifying experience! However.....wearing it out in public might be different. Normally when I go to the beach I wear a bikini, but I usually keep on a shirt and shorts and don't go in the water (even though I love swimming). I am wondering if I will find myself doing the same thing next week, even though I know that I look ok in a bikini now. I have never worn just a bathing suit on the beach in public.

And yes, going shopping sometimes I grab a size 12, which is what I wore for years, completely forgetting that I'm a 6 now. Sometimes I will pick up a 6, look at it, and say "ha! No way I'm ever getting into that!" but...I actually do fit into it. My brain hangs onto the overweight me just because I was overweight my whole life.