My motivational picture

I actually do just the opposite. I haven't let anyone take pictures of me since I have put on so much weight (+/- 60 pounds). But I have a picture of me when I was feeling and looking great that I keep by to motivate me. Same difference I guess. You are motivated by where you don't want to be anymore and I am motivated by where I want to get back

Andy - I looked at the picture and read your post... I don't think that you're all that different than many of us. I swear that the mirror lies to me! I was never super-thin (in my mind) but when I was younger, I wore a size 9 and could tie a bandana around my waist. I thought I was fat. I was shocked one day when my sister offhandedly made a remark to my mom, "and we think Sonja's skinny..." SAY WHAT? I didn't see it. But then, as I got older I'd look in the mirror and think... "I don't look bad". I didn't see the weight going on. I think for me that's because I tended to "look over" the problem areas... "my makeup looks good" and "look how CUTE my hair looks" and "wow - my boobs look particularly good today". I just never looked at my stomach, my butt and jiggly thighs! LOL! I've made my family promise me that they will tell me when I look like I'm at a good weight - because I honestly don't trust myself to "know".

To answer your question... yes, I do. I keep pictures handy of me at my largest (what few pictures I have) and a few of me when I was thinner. However... I try not to get hung up on either image. I know that when I'm thinner - I won't LOOK like I do in the thin pictures... it's the difference between 35 and 18. And when I look at the pictures of me at my largest - I don't relate to that person at all. In my mind I rationalize it and say, "That must have been a really bad day"... lol.

The thing that I've found the most useful is my blog. I can look back and see how I was feeling... how much I could do when I started vs. now. That tells a big story!
I read your blog and you're doing GREAT! Keep up the good work!

I had a pic taken of me at a family gathering that changed it all for me. When I saw the pic, I was so shocked at what I had become. I couldn't lie anymore. I was FAT !!!! That pic is actually in my profile pics here and I look at it all the time to remind myself how far I have come....and how far I have to go !

I do, I keep a picture of what I want to look like on my desktop so I see it everyday. I take pics often to see my body changes. It gives me motivation. The more results I see the more I work harder because I am feeling fit.

I have a picture of me on my fridge from when I was probably 20 (34 now) in a bikini and on the beach - and I stare at it everytime I go to the fridge, and remind myself that's where I need to get back to! :laugh: