Obese but still see yourself thin?

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  • neskapolita1978
    neskapolita1978 Posts: 33 Member
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    Oh definitely. Mirrors always surprise me unfavorably. I was 106 pounds at age 18. At 25, I had doubled it.
    I don't even remember getting fat. And I certainly don't feel it unless put into a situation in which I have to accept my spatial reality.
  • stealthq
    stealthq Posts: 4,298 Member
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    Yeah, I did this, too. I was never technically overweight, but I was about 20 lbs over what I was seeing, mentally, and at 30+% body fat. I didn't realize how much I'd slipped until I was with a pound of being clinically overweight and had a staff picture taken at work. Oy.

    Now I'm having a bit of the reverse problem, probably because my belly doesn't want to give up any fat. But, I will prevail!
  • firefightingwoman2455
    firefightingwoman2455 Posts: 23
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    Oh yeah, I still feel like the skinny me. Not the skinniest (?) me because I saw a pic of myself at about 120 lbs and didn't recognize myself. I still feel like I am about 130-140 and it breaks my heart when I try on clothes or look in the mirror because I want to dress the old me, not the me-me. I hit 20 pounds lost today and I personally don't see much of a difference but others do. The mind is a hard thing to adjust...
  • laurajaneneal67
    laurajaneneal67 Posts: 4
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    I know what you mean! I see myself the way I feel, and that is how I used to look I guess. I have cried over pictures periodically, but only recently decided to do something about it. I had a breakdown in My Doctors office. He wanted me to do Medi-fast, but I know how to eat healthy. Depression after My Moms death has been hard on me, and food temporarily feels good. I am looking forward to this journey, with open eyes and realistic expectations. Thanks for your post!
  • sunlover89
    sunlover89 Posts: 436 Member
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    YES YES YES YES YES!!! When I look in the mirror I look normal, good even, although I'm 190lbs! But when i see photos, that's when i see what i actually look like. It's so incredibly confusing.

    I also didn't notice I had gained weight until I found out I had actually gained 60lbs. Stretchy clothes :-/
  • ethompso0105
    ethompso0105 Posts: 418 Member
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    My sister is obese. At my worst, I've been mildly overweight. I remember the day when she looked at me with tears in her eyes and said, 'I don't know what you see when you look in the mirror, but when I look in the mirror...I see you.'

    Now, we don't look alike. She's brunette, I have ashe "blonde" hair. She's shorter than I am. We don't look like sisters until you stand by us having a conversation...our mannerisms and way we speak are very similar.

    She was refering to the fact that she does not see an overweight woman when she looked in the mirror.

    We are about 20 years older now, but I remember that clear as day. She's even heavier now, and I always hope that she'll make lifestyle changes before her weight catches up with her. I know it's an emotional drain on her already.

    I completely empathize with your sister, I'm there right now--I had this conversation with my younger (skinnier) sister this past weekend. :-/
  • Shelley6591
    Shelley6591 Posts: 156 Member
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    I have a HUGE problem with this, I use to be under weight at 102 pounds and 5'7 and I still see myself as somewhere around there which is crazy because I'm more than double that :(

    mkcongrove1- Our starting weight and current weight are identical ;):wink:
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
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    It's amazing how the mind works. When I was really heavy, I knew it but was in total denial of just how big I was. If I lost some weight, I thought I must look fantastic! Not sure why I couldn't see it in the mirror or even notice it on the scale. Seeing myself in pictures didn't always do it either but ultimately that was a big part of what broke the camel's back, so to speak.

    I went to two big events in 2009 - one in the summer to see my college roommate and one long weekend with my 2 best friends in the fall. After seeing the pictures on FB from both of these events, it finally hit me that enough was enough.
  • lavaughan69
    lavaughan69 Posts: 459 Member
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    My mind is always playing tricks on me. I didn't think I was gaining weight back after a significant loss a few years back and then all of a sudden I went to go on vacation in March and realized that none of my clothes fit! How the heck did that happen? I thought I wasn't looking that bad. As it turned out, I was wearing stretch more often than not and didn't noticed that I was getting bigger and bigger.

    The problem is once I finally clued in to the 30 lbs weight gain, it was like instantly I saw myself at the size I was and it was complete devastation. 3-1/2 months later and I'm down 27 lbs and I'm starting to see the thinner me now, but I also saw a recent picture of myself and thought I looked good. So maybe taking pictures is the key?? Clearly looking at ourselves in the mirror isn't working.

    I just hope I can stay motivated to reach my goal of 140 (15 lbs to go). I don't want to quit when I "think" I look good enough.
  • SergeantG
    SergeantG Posts: 92
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    I totally see a 'not obese' person in the mirror....hell, when I stand in the mirror, I think "hey, I look pretty damned sexy!".....but then, I see a picture and then I say, "maybe not so sexy!" :laugh:

    I don't hate what I see in the mirror, and I don't necesarily hate what I see in pictures, although I know I'm overweight and unhealthy....I am not 'shocked' to see my reflection, perhaps I should be....I know that there is probably a disconnect in the way I veiw myself in front of the mirror compared to what others around me probably see....
  • ReneeReiser
    ReneeReiser Posts: 28 Member
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    I still hate when someone else takes a picture of me. I always ask to see the picture first. I think I will always be my biggest critic even if everyone else tells me I look good in a picture. As for my mirror, I am truly loving my accomplishments. Being able to go in to a plus sized store and not even fitting into the smallest size was my happiest day! If I can't see myself "thin", then it would be hard to want to reach the finish line.
  • mkcongrove1
    mkcongrove1 Posts: 81 Member
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    I still hate when someone else takes a picture of me. I always ask to see the picture first. I think I will always be my biggest critic even if everyone else tells me I look good in a picture. As for my mirror, I am truly loving my accomplishments. Being able to go in to a plus sized store and not even fitting into the smallest size was my happiest day! If I can't see myself "thin", then it would be hard to want to reach the finish line.

    I remember being on vacation with my husband and not being able to fit into the largest size jeans they had at PacSun and being upset for a second but then thinking that none of the sizes were realistic (even though I had a pair of size 5 jeans from them I use to wear in my "skinny" days). The mind is a powerful thing. Someone suggested a book earlier in the thread I think I am going to read.

    Also I am on EVERYDAY if you would like to friend me, I believe in supporting people no matter what! We all have our own stories but we all are working towards a common goal and to me, that is awesome! :)
  • Shelley6591
    Shelley6591 Posts: 156 Member
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    I'm the same with pictures, I don't have any of myself and had to get professional ones for work and I had no notice so now they're on the website and if you put in my name, there it is :( My sister's wedding is in October and there are 5 girls in the party, I'm the only big one and most of them use to be models. I got super upset today looking on her wedding website and saw the picture she keeps using of me is the one where I was my lowest weight in years which was 4 years ago, well at least now I'm only 16 pounds from that weight again thanks to this site!:)

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