curious to know...

BrownEyedGrrl
BrownEyedGrrl Posts: 144 Member
in Motivation and Support
A year and a half ago I weighed 55 lbs more than I do today. But in my minds eye, I'm the same size as I was back then. Part of me knows that I must look smaller than I did back then, but I can't seem to convince the other half of me that this is true. Is this a woman thing? Do guys who lose weight end up feeling the same way?
(I hope this post makes sense cause I am a little tipsy right now.lol)

Replies

  • eldrith1399
    eldrith1399 Posts: 23
    I have weighed 170lbs before and have weighed 300 lbs. currently at 291. I was large for most of my life and even after I lost the weight and was 170 I felt large. But my clothes were smaller and I had more energy. So it's not just a woman thing. I think it is more to do with living a large portion of your life big.
  • Sarah_Wins
    Sarah_Wins Posts: 936 Member
    If it weren't for mirrors, I'd honestly forget. In my head, I will probably always be Fat Sarah.
  • wbgolden
    wbgolden Posts: 2,066 Member
    If it weren't for mirrors, I'd honestly forget. In my head, I will probably always be Fat Sarah.
    Fat Bill, here. Though sometimes if I cross the mirror juuuuuust right......
  • TheBiggestLosee
    TheBiggestLosee Posts: 101
    When I was in the 190s years back, I remember feeling fat because I was still a little pudgy and had a small gut.

    Remembr, we tend to be our most harsh critic. On top of that, we see our own physical flaws in the mirror daily. Are you pleased with your reflection, or do you want to have a more toned physique (if you haven't focused on that yet)?
  • LethalBeauty
    LethalBeauty Posts: 52
    What might help is comparing a picture that was taken of you before, and look at a more recent picture. It's easier to see a difference between pictures, rather than just with your eyes infront of the mirror. Weight loss is so gradual and it takes time. It's hard to notice the difference as you go along.
  • mylove0mylife
    mylove0mylife Posts: 70
    Pictures might help like Lethal said. Try finding the same shirt that you wore in a picture, and put it on and take the picture again in the same pose. You'll be able to see exactly how much weight you lost by how big the shirt is on you, and if you're in teh same pose you cans ee where you got smaller.

    Also, I like charts (personally). I Love the chart here, when you mark your weight loss. Nothing makes me happier than seeing that little line go down.
  • Roeri011
    Roeri011 Posts: 77 Member
    As dumb as it sounds look in someone else's mirror. My first "WOW!" moment was in a Walgreen's bathroom.
  • changingforthegood
    changingforthegood Posts: 127
    Its rough to not know what your will look like smaller then you are now though.. In your case you have already lost the weight, for me, ive never been thin, and its hard for me to imagine myself thin. but i know i can do it.
  • GemaG
    GemaG Posts: 142
    I just found pictures on my computer called fat pics, i now would love to look "fat" like that!! i must 60lbs heavier now!!
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    My real self is a little over 130 pounds. My mental image is stuck at about 145... that's where I spent most of the past decade, so it's going to take a while for my brain to catch up. And on the other hand, when I was about 160 before joining here, my mental image was still at 145.

    I don't feel fat. I just feel average. It isn't until I see photos that I realize I'm... well, kinda hot. :blushing: It's the main reason I take a lot of photos... the more I take, the closer I get to seeing the real me.
  • sa11yjane
    sa11yjane Posts: 491 Member
    I think that what you're feeling is perfectly normal and just indicates the psychological impact that weight issues have on our loves. Some people will always feel fat on the inside, no matter what the outer image shows to everyone else. However, I feel that you maybe need to try and work on dispelling the image that you have of yourself as if you still feel you are a fat person, when you are not, then what would be your motivation for staying slim and eating healthily? If you have battled to lose weight but still feel fat then maybe you would just give up more easily and regain the weight to allow the outer you to match the inner you. Maybe just try something really simple like standing in front of a mirror each day and telling yourself that you are now a slim person; or close your eyes and bring up an image of yourself and gradually allow yourself to shrink that image until you see the slim you that you now are. Believe in the new you and be proud of what you have achieved. Love and blessings xxx
  • lacroyx
    lacroyx Posts: 5,754 Member
    Do guys who lose weight end up feeling the same way?

    Yep. I'm nearing 200 lbs. lost and yet 90% of the time when I look in the mirror, I still see the almost 500 lb guy I was when I started. I've read some where that your brain can take a while for the weight loss to register. Pictures help, clothes, fitness levels. All of that helps.
  • randysbombshellgirl
    randysbombshellgirl Posts: 338 Member
    I know EXACTLY what you mean. I have had 4 people @work call me skinny and I end up arguing with them that I'm never going to be skinny and point out all my flaws. I think the realization takes longer then the journey to loose the weight (if that makes any sense)
  • BrownEyedGrrl
    BrownEyedGrrl Posts: 144 Member
    I think part of my problem is I haven't been getting enough exercise lately (partly due to injuries and partly due to slacking off) and my eating habits have gotten terrible in the past couple of weeks. Gained back a few pounds. Feel kind of out of control. Need to get back to where I was in the summer and having trouble getting there. I do need to start doing more toning exercises too. Still have 24 lbs to lose before I'm at a healthy weight and 32 lbs until I'm at my goal weight. I know I will feel better about myself when I get back on track. Just need to get there...
  • letmebeda1_wechange
    letmebeda1_wechange Posts: 480 Member
    sometimes i feel fat still like when i first started this journey, but then i sit here and look at the pictures and see the difference. it's a change of mind set, still battling the mind.

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