Am I The Only One That Thinks The Mirror Lies

Your mirror's the same as always, but since you look at yourself in the mirror everyday (and you're in your own body 24/7), it's very hard to notice subtle changes, and weight gain is a subtle change. You'll notice the same thing when you're losing the weight too. A lot of people on here never feel like they've lost anything, even after 10, 20, 30 pounds because it's so subtle that it's barely noticeable.

I hate mirrors. If it was not for pictures (and when I have to buy plus size clothes) I wouldn't think I was that fat either. Ignorance is bliss maybe?

I feel you. When I look in the mirror or look at pictures I always feel like I'm way too small. Then I figured out what it was. I took a picture of myself and cropped my head out of it. Then I saw that I really do have a good amount of muscle, I'm just way too critical of myself sometimes. When I look in the mirror I see a skinny little dyel but when I see my body without my face I'm able to see more clearly what I actually look like.

Try taking a picture with your head cropped out.

It's photographs that scare the living *kitten* out of me. I'm so used to seeing myself daily (mostly from the chest up and my boob game is tight) so I had fooled myself into thinking I couldn't look THAT bad. It's when I see pictures that I'm shocked at where I carry my extra weight and how heavy it makes me look.

My mirror is a bold-faced liar. It was only when I saw a picture of myself today that was taken a couple of weeks ago that I realized it was high time to get serious about losing some weight.

It's photographs that scare the living *kitten* out of me. I'm so used to seeing myself daily (mostly from the chest up and my boob game is tight) so I had fooled myself into thinking I couldn't look THAT bad. It's when I see pictures that I'm shocked at where I carry my extra weight and how heavy it makes me look.

Thissss!!!

I'm with you. I always joke that I have the opposite of anorexia (fatorexia?) I don't see a fat person I see a good looking person. But I guess that is cause we don't notice subtle changes, cause when I look at a picture Im like "who the hell is that fatty" than Im like Oh **** its me. That's why I joined MFP today, I want to make a change : ) good luck with your journey, message me if you ever want to chat

I just had a similar thing happen to me and why I am back to logging my calories again. About 2 years ago I lost 10 to 12 pounds (I'll let you do the metric conversion ) and I completely missed it when they came back on because to me.... I looked the same in the mirror. The clothes, however, started to fit more snug and that was not an illusion. Now that I am watching what I eat, I can start to notice and remember......"Oh, yeah, I remember those lines on my abs. I hadn't seen them in a while and....duh!"

What I mean to say is that we tend to see what we our brain believes. Been there, done that!

Same here! Only I'm the opposite. I think I look huge in the mirror but when I look at pictures I realize that I'm not that bad.

Same here! Only I'm the opposite. I think I look huge in the mirror but when I look at pictures I realize that I'm not that bad.

I think there's a gender element here. On the whole women are far more critical of their appearance then men. Quite an interesting article about the way some women perceive themselves when using a silhouette test (sorry for the awful publication its in!)
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2317900/How-women-REALLY-bodies-We-asked-women-pick-shape-chart-body-types-used-psychologists-fascinating-results-.html

Mirrors don't lie, you brain does. Most people do not see themselves as others do. The best way to get an accurate view is to take a picture.

Yeah, your mood and internal self image plays a role too. Ever notice one day you think you look really good, then the next you don't. Or right after a workout you think damn im sexy, then on a lazy day you don't...

pictures and non-judmental neutral friends

Is it possible your mirror is warped like a lot of the ones in dressing rooms to make you think you look thinner in the clothes?

! I thought so! same in the gym those concave mirrors making my arms look huge !

When I look at myself in the mirror I see myself as much much bigger than I am, and honestly it's only logic that keeps me from trying to loose a bunch of weight, I look in the mirror I feel huge, but I buy clothes in the second smallest women's size I can get, and that is the only thing that gets my thought train back track, I can look at two pictures from the same day and think I look huge in one and too small in the other. But I know my perception of myself is dodgy at best.

I also think that when you look in a mirror you unconsciously position your body and face in the most flattering way ie., if you are trying on an outfit to go out with your friends you probably suck in your gut, throw your shoulders back and maybe look at yourself from a side/front angle. Then when you see the pictures your friends captured of you that night you are horrified. We can put our best side forward in the bathroom mirror, but a camera someone else is holding gets tricky.

I know what you mean. I always look thinner (much) at home and I get comfortable with that look. Build up confidence. THEN I catch my reflection in a store window and am shocked. But instead of flipping out about it, I have decided to love myself no matter which view I see. Before long, if I work as hard as I have been on getting healthy, I know I will like what I see all the time. Really, it's the inside me that counts, not the one with the big butt! ;o)