Not what I see in the mirror

Sometimes i am like that! I might look at myself in the mirror in something and think - yep, i look pretty good. Days later i'll see a photo and be like... ummm - WTF? Is that ME? What happened between my mirror and that photo?! lol.

But if i ever catch sight of myself naked in the mirror... *shudder* ha ha.

I am new to this and very excited, motivated, and here often so if you want a new friend who logs in a lot you can add me

I've never gotten that. I see myself the same in the mirror as in pictures, absolutely fabulous.

I have the same thing! When I look in the mirror I think I'm okay, but as soon as I catch a photo I want to cry.

The camera adds 10 lb, as they say...

I think I look great in photos and in the mirror. It's when I'm getting dressed in the mornings I think I'm still a size 24 and no way I'm going to be fitting into the clothes I chose to wear. I've been told it's just one of those things. We think the way we think and that influences our interpretation. I'm sure if you ask 10 people how you look, they are going to reply, "You look great." It's our own personal perception and our own hypercritical behavior.

Keep up the great work!

Just so you know what I'm talking about---I look like the girl on the right and I feel like the girl in the middle which changes my perception of how well I have done and how great I feel. I'm still the girl in the pink sweater...

Hey, I'm exactly the same, I have an image in my head of myself which is about 3 sizes smaller that the real me, so I'm finding motivating myself very difficult... I've only been at this a week and have around 4 stone to go.

Oh, criminy, I know what you mean! At my largest, I always thought "well, I'm chubby, but I'm not too bad. I'm not obese." I'd compare myself to women who were larger than I and use that as a measure. I looked in the mirror and didn't think it was too bad. I was 70 pounds overweight, size 22-24 jeans and, not only obese, but severely obese. I would see photos of myself and wonder who the whale was that managed to get into the photo of my friends and I. Oddly enough, in my mind (and in the mirror), I looked more like I look now.

This is making it a little hard on my now because I don't "see" my weight loss. I always saw myself this way. But I've lost 56 pounds, I know there must be a difference. Everyone else sees it, but I only see it in side-by-side photo comparisons.

That's the old me in my avatar photo. One of the few that I could find. I avoided cameras because I was "not photogenic". lol When I reach my goal, I'm going to change the pic. It helps me stay motivated.

You're not alone. I, too, often think I look ok and am then very shocked by the photos- all very disappointing. My motivation is also rock bottom at present even though I am still desperate to lose weight.

I have no words of wisdom to give you, I'm afraid, but I just wanted to let you know that you are most definietly NOT alone.

Take care.

Sally xxx

As a man I love seeing nakedness in the mirror..may be self concious elsewhere but not alone...btw, you look beautiful from the pic I see. Give yourself a break!

Having just seen your recent post, your stats indicate to me that you aren't really very overweight at all; I'm wondering whether you are just more aware of your appearance due to your forthcoming wedding when everyone will be focused on you...? Just a thought as it is indeed quite scary to be the centre of attention. If this is the case, please don't get obsessed over your appearance to the extent that you spoil the build up to your wedding. I know it won't help much but I'm sure that your fiance loves you just the way you are xxx

I think it has something to do with the angle we look at ourselves in the mirror at. We generally look at ourselves from an equal level, or if we are looking downward, then we are looking from a top angle. Either way are more flattering angles than someone who catches us from underneath.

I always think photos look worse than the mirror, as well. I know my mom does too.

From what I started at to what I am today I think I am looking soooooo much better in the mirror but then someone snaps a pic and BAM!! it is like "what the hell have I been doing for the last year? I dont see much change!" I know it is not true but pictures are cruel most of the time unless the angle and lighting is perfect.
I am always up for a new friend on here so go ahead and add me if y ou want. I am on here daily and log and track everything I eat.

Good luck! Stay strong!

You are not alone. We're all here... struggling and triumphing on this journey to a healthier us... a healthier life. This is not just a physical battle/struggle but it is also emotional. None of us got this unhealthy overnight.... and we won't be able to get better over night either.

Positivity I feel is a major tool for us and you should make it a weekly, daily if you can, routine to tell yourself something positive about yourself... be it looks, traits, etc. Look at yourself in a photo and say.... wow, I love my fashion sense... my hair looks great... I have a wonderful smile... etc. Don't focus on what you don't like

:-) Adding you

I see myself in mirrors as someone who has big hips yet in photos, I don't see it as much. I must be weird...

I've learned to look at my head in relation to the rest of my body. Since I tend to gain weight in proportion, it's easy to think I don't look that much different--the basic shape of my body is about the same, right?

So I look at my head--does it look small in proportion to the rest of my body? Big clue right there! As I lose weight, if I can't immediately see it in the mirror, I look back at my head. Hey, it's getting bigger! I never want it to get as big, as, say, Callista Flockhart's (ever notice how the heads of painfully-thin actresses look huge? same thing--we're struggling to see their bodies as normal, so it's their heads that end up seeming weird), but eventually I hope body and head reach a pleasing proportion in relation to each other. Then I'll know it's time to stop losing weight.