Waking up

I can't remember when but some doctors did a study on a group of people about the way they perceive themselves and the way they actually are. In most incidents, the people thought they were a lot smaller than what they really were and when the doctors showed them pictures of themselves, they couldn't believe that they were actually that big. It is kinda the same way when losing weight. We really don't notice results until we see pictures of ourselves and then we are like "Wow! I notice a big difference!"

It was very scary. My profile pic was the wake up for me. When I first saw my profile pic I actually thought it was my sister-in-law holding my daughter until I got a closer look at my face. I never thought I actually looked like that.

Yup

Oh yes. I was a skinny runt as a kid and then puberty gave me a figure. Not so much weight related but I'm still always mildly shocked when I find I have hips. I seem to have a separate mental image of my post-puberty self that's more accurate, but I'm still mildly convinced I'm the sort of androgynous child on whom swimming costumes are baggy.

Oh my goodness yes!! My husband took a picture of me sitting by a swimming pool last summer. I was completely shocked with what I saw. I saved that picture. It's an excellent reminder of what I'm working toward.

Ugh! I just got back from a cruise to Cozumel Mexico with my best friend and because of my weight and self conscious issues I refused to wear a bathing suit on the ship or on the beach. I was misreble. He took pictures of me and it wasnt until I got home and started looking through the pictures and thought "OMG I am huge!" I actually started crying. I have never been so ashamed of myself.

I think for me I've really known for awhile that I just need to eat healthier and cut my weight back a bit, but I think what really motivated me the most this time was realizing that my mom, who's pre-diabetic, was never any heavier than I am at the weight I've gotten to now. She has to watch her diet and sugar intake, and I know for me, that if I start a self-imposed balanced diet now, it would be a lot easier for me to stick to than a doctor-imposed strict diet somewhere down the line if I ever had health problems due to diet or weight.

Yes I certainly have! I feel disgusted and horrified when I see photo's of myself and see how other people see me. I don't feel that fat but I look it.
I put a recent photo of myself at my sons 21st birthday up on my fridge to remind myself of how awful I look (to motivate me to lose weight) and a friend came in and saw it and said "That's a nice photo of you", I was like OMG :S

absolutely and it even has a medical name! 'reverse body dysmorphia',

i always saw myself as my old thin weight, even in the mirror i wasnt connecting the reflection with how i looked, then in the summer i took the kids to chessington and we had a picture taken on one of the rides, i was horrified, i looked so fat and i had no idea this was how i looked!!!!...this spurred me on to do something about it and here i am, its a long journey, and a whole new education! but im getting there, just about to hit my first full stone on weight loss, its taken 12 weeks, and some of those have been steps mightily backwards, but i keep on logging even if its a ridiculous day and eventually the brain kicks in and the weight keeps going........ive even made some new low calorie recipes have a cool one for alternative shepherds pie, if you would like it just message me.....Good luck everyone!!!! xx