? For those who have lost 40+ pounds

As you lose weight, you should look at it as a process of educating yourself on food. I felt like because I found great passion on other things besides just losing weight. Most importantly it should be about beginning a lifelong journey of eating food that is beneficial for your body.

As for dealing with changes, my mood has constantly been on the upswing. I take many pictures of myself to document progress. Now when i am having a day where I'm like.. "Wow, I look like I've put on 10 pounds." I have a photo of me at 10 pounds heavier that I can look at and say nevermind. Sounds silly and borderline conceited but it really helps me.

The biggest challenge I have had has been financially supporting a wardrobe that aligns with my success. The goodwill has been my best friend because I didn't like when my clothes were baggy on me but didn't want to spend the retail amount of new clothes. I saw the weight loss clothes as just temporary and waited until I was at the size I wanted to be to completely go full force into buying a new closet full of clothes.

Just continue to stay positive and remind yourself.. regardless of how much you have lost or how much you have to go - that you are taking the time and effort to make a difference in your life. It is very motivating and uplifting to think that you are doing everything in your power to better yourself. No scale can trump the feeling I get from looking at my food diary and seeing that I am making the right choices.

Feel free to add if you are looking for more support! Good Luck

I didn't start freaking out until I got up above 50 pounds lost. it was overwhelming because nothing fit; clothes, shoes, my skin. but I've been working through it.

I've found making myself smile when I look in the mirror to start judging myself helps. I see the pride in that smile and think about all I've done, instead of all I still need to do.

tv/media bodies don't exist in the real world. but there's no reason you can't love yours and be proud of everything that it can do; especially compared to what it couldn't do before.

I think it's going to depend on the way you feel emotionally about your current body and shape, and what the motivation is for losing weight in the first place. I lost 50lbs very gradually (over 2 years) so although it is a significant loss, I haven't noticed from week to week, or even month to month, any significant change. What I do notice though, is having to buy smaller clothes, and people who don't see me regularly complimenting me.

I was very down about my size before, but that feeling is very firmly in the past. The exercise I get has improved my mood enormously and helped to regulate my sleep pattern, I no longer feel guilty about the way I live my life, but I don't feel deprived of anything either. You have to think of the changes you make as a whole lifestyle change, as a permanent state of being.

I have accepted my body now and do not see myself as that old overweight girl in the mirror - instead I see strong muscular legs (from lots of walking), my almost flat stomach (which I love), and my strong jawline which I could never see before. I don't think many people in the world are 100% happy with their body, so it's better to emphasise and praise the bits you like, rather than flaw-focus.

I have a couple of friends who apparently weren't such great friends because they are threatened/upset by me suddenly being smaller than they are. It makes me feel like I was serving the purpose of being the fat friend and self esteem booster, you know, "Oh well I'm not as fat as HER so I'm okay". That can be weird to deal with. I am still at the low end of obese and I know I'll have more experiences in the future as I continue to lose. But hope this helps in some tiny way.

I hadn't thought about this, but I think this potentially something that is going to happen in female social circles, whether you realise it or not, after significant weightloss. Women can be extremely competitive as we know. I probably haven't thought about it because I tend not to have close female friends, most of mine are male...I'm a tomboy haha :-P

I can only say, don't sweat the small stuff. There's going to be days/weeks you lose nothing, or very little, and some that are up because of water retention. Just take it all in stride, and let it be. As long as you see a downward trend over time, you know you're in the right spot. If it helps, make small goals for yourself, but don't get disappointed if you don't reach it within a specific time frame.

Also, don't look at how far you have to go. Think about how far you've come, how much better you feel. Enjoy your food, be adventurous with it, look for new things to add in. To be honest, I'm 100% happier with the way I eat now than previously. I don't cut anything out, I work it in to my calorie goal (With the exception of Soda, which is a separate issue). I'm able to fully appreciate my food and it's calories now.

I can only say, don't sweat the small stuff. There's going to be days/weeks you lose nothing, or very little, and some that are up because of water retention. Just take it all in stride, and let it be. As long as you see a downward trend over time, you know you're in the right spot. If it helps, make small goals for yourself, but don't get disappointed if you don't reach it within a specific time frame.

I totally agree with this. Weight loss is definately not linear. Don't give up, just take it one ounce at a time. Start with something small and build on it. Before you know it each step becomes habit and you have a new lifestyle.

Now about dealing with the person I see in the mirror. Sometimes I don't recognize her....and sometimes I see the same "fat" person 40 something pounds ago. I rely on my before pictures to get me through those times. Also keeping a pair of pants from back then to try on really helps me realize how far I have travelled.

Good luck with YOUR journey and remember....time passes anyway, so what do you have to lose? (besides the weight)

I've lost 70lb-+. Ill be honest i have a hard time seeing it sometimes. When i do i go and put on a pair of pants i used to wear that now fall down my hips. Im slowly making my way thru the "skinny clothes" i had from last time i was this small.

It's funny. I notice my body more now. I keep playing with my now jiggly thighs (who knew it. When losing weight fat goes from hard to jiggly) and noticing how my arm is shaped.

Pictures have really helped i have pics that show 20lb weight .loses in the same skirt ~ which started super tight & all but falls off my now. Putting the jeans i had to buy because i only have one paint that fits next to my old chubby pants helps.

I have a ways to go still and see its probably going to remain where my mind needs to catch up to my body. Just keep doing things to remind you how far you've come.

I do think changing your clothing whether shopping in your own closet or getting a few pieces that are tight in your new size helps. Hard to see the weight loss when you're still wearing the same clothing

I agree with everyone else who has recommended that you take pictures, to motivate you, and to remind yourself of just how much you have accomplished. I have an album on FB, where I periodically add photos, and I only have it viewable to people who are supportive, or are close enough to me, that I want to share my progress with them. I've lost slowly enough, that I don't see a difference in myself, so having pictures to look at, and compare side by side, is helpful to me. It will take a long time for your brain to catch up with your body, but eventually it will

Another tip I have, is to not keep wearing (and don't actually keep them either) your old 'fat' clothes. I have lost more than 60 pounds over the last 2 years, and although I've done a bit of up and down (like most people do, with a few large plateaus in there as well), not having the next size up in pants to throw on, has been a big motivator for me. I've got a few friends who are losing as well, and I've passed along a lot of my clothes to them, or I've consigned the nicer work items I used to have, from when I had a down town office job.

A friend of mine, who lost 50 pounds, recommended to me that I go out and buy an outfit that is a size smaller than I currently wear, as a mini goal outfit. Then I can put it on periodically, and be motivated all over again, to fit into it. Well, I jumped into that with both feet, and I bought a fitted $300+ leather motorcycle jacket in November. I can currently get it on, but doing it up, it looks tight. But I can wear it as a dressy accessory to many outfits, without needing to do it up currently, and I can't wait until it fits even better.

Consignment shops, kijiji/craigslist and the thrift stores are a great place to shop for in-between sizes as well, but I really enjoy shopping in stores as well.

Set goals, and celebrate your scale and non-scale successes! Take compliments from people, and keep lists of all the things that have changed, since you've become healthier. I did a huge list up once I lost 50 pounds, and it was crazy! Everything from going up stairs, to having my ugly steel-toed work boots fit better; the list was huge! I wish I had taken more photos of my whole body when I weighed more, but like most people, I avoided the camera, or only took head shots (and then the weird 'surprise' photos of you that others take, at weird angles, and when you are doing odd things, like eating at a party!).

Work on basing most of your self-esteem on competence (being proud of things you're good at) rather than appearance. Liking yourself at any weight helps prevent self-esteem issues that can arise with weight loss (or gain).

Take progress pics regularly. I wish now that I'd taken some in the very beginning, but I didn't. When you have "but I don't feel like I look different" thoughts, you can see the difference in your pictures.