For Successful Losers: Do You Still See Yourself as Fat?
Iwishyouwell
Posts: 1,888 Member
This is for all those who have reached, or are pretty close, to reaching their goals.
I've been reading some interesting thoughts from others who fit in this category regarding self perception.
Some adhere to the thought that their "fat selves" are behind them. They no longer associate themselves with who they were in that state, almost as if it's a different person.
While others still see themselves as essentially fat, no matter what their bodies look like now.
How are you seeing yourself these days? Are you adapting to the "new" you to the point of releasing the "old" you? Or do you feel mostly the same? Or even protective of your former fat self?
I've been reading some interesting thoughts from others who fit in this category regarding self perception.
Some adhere to the thought that their "fat selves" are behind them. They no longer associate themselves with who they were in that state, almost as if it's a different person.
While others still see themselves as essentially fat, no matter what their bodies look like now.
How are you seeing yourself these days? Are you adapting to the "new" you to the point of releasing the "old" you? Or do you feel mostly the same? Or even protective of your former fat self?
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Replies
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Free bump as I'd like to know the answer to this too. I see absolutely 0 difference after what I've lost so far (though I'm nowhere near my goal).0
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I answered your question down in the motivation section
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I definitely still see "fat fat fat" in the mirror. I'm still very slightly overweight, but nothing like I was before. I think it just takes time to let your brain catch up.0
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I see myself as slimmer, but still not as slim as I am in pictures. I hope that makes sense.0
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Bump because I'm curious as well.0
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Not anymore, but it took a professional to measure my new body fat % before my own perception started to change. Self image is a weird thing, sometimes...0
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I see myself as slim and I really like how I look. I still want to improve muscle but I am happy.
My family now thinks I look too skinny though. Can't please everyone!0 -
I don't look at myself as fat but when I look in the mirror, I'm either really hard on myself because I notice the flaws that I do have, or other times I don't recognize myself and can't believe how far I've come. When I look at old pictures, that's when it really hits me. The biggest eye-opener lately has been when I buy clothes. I've never been able to fit into a small and now that I can, it's mind blowing to me.0
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i definitely don't have the body of my dreams yet.. but, after two years maintaining , i don't see myself as fat anymore.
Takes time..0 -
Yes but I still have rolls.0
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I still feel fat, I can see changes in pictures and notice changes in the mirror.. but I still have yet to adjust my mindset.0
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I still have trouble seeing my weight loss when I look in the mirror, but I see it when my body achieves something physically that I know it couldn't before. Running two miles and then three and then five, or being proud of biking 5 miles, the 15, then 30. I can clearly see those things!
I definitely feel like a new person.0 -
there are times I have to do a double take because of how much I don't recognize myself, and then there are other times when I feel as if it doesn't look like I've lost any weight at all. self perception is a *****.0
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In the mirror, I think i look like I am still the size 18 girl. I take a pic, looking in the same mirror, in the same pose, at the same time, and I see how the rest of the world sees me, aa the size 8 girl. I take pics pretty much daily because my brain messes with me so much, I try to prove to myself I'm not that fat girl anymore.0
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Yes
.... at 5 ft 11 in 151.4 lbs 17.93% BF ..... at least half the time I feel like I'm still 265lbs ..... grrrrrrrrrr! FML!!!! I will be Forever Fat and Forever Alone sniff sniff ...... except that I'm sexy and I know it and some lucky girl is going to see what a catch I am and lock this down with the quickness!
That old self image that was burnt into your mind for years can be tough to shake... I'm schizo about it now... I know it will pass eventually... sigh.0 -
Bump. Curious to hear from more people!0
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I am still 198 lb but my personal goal is around 180 (I've lost a total of 109 lb thus far)...so I guess I'd qualify here.
I am still fat I suppose but I DON'T see myself that way anymore. I am honestly impressed every time I look in a mirror. I can't believe how normal my body looks, especially my side view, my legs, my forearms. Some parts of me look almost slender and it weirds me out. But I feel like I look old now and not that great. I have never considered myself any great beauty and I do see that I'm pleasant enough looking but I guess I kind of thought I wasn't "pretty" because of my extra weight and the more weight I lose, I just see that I am not ever going to be "pretty" in that way and that is totally okay. I do not really care so much as I know my husband finds me very sexy, and I feel that I'm fairly stylish and that's more what I am aiming for along with being healthier & stronger.
As for the way I view my fatter self...I am rather protective I think. I wouldn't like to hear anyone say things like "You looked grossly fat before", it would upset me deeply. If I see old photos I'm not grossed out. In fact even though I see the roundness of my face then, hint of a double chin, big fat rolls, I still think I look basically like the same me.0 -
I know that I'm not really all that fat anymore but I am still self-conscious of my body and think my stomach and legs are still fat. It's hard to break out of the old perception, but I still have work to do. Not sure if I will ever be totally happy with my body!0
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I started on MFP at 167lbs in July 2013. I now weigh 122lbs. I stopped feeling fat once I hit a healthy BMI of 132lbs in November. IDK why something just clicked & I felt healthy & happy. I feel more self conscious about parts of my body now instead of my body as a whole. In general, I'm happy with what I see in the mirror. I look in the mirror & am motivated to work harder. I don't see or feel like the old me at all! I am more confident now.0
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When I go to the clothing store, I pull my size off the rack, look at it, and go "no, that will never fit." Then pull a larger size to go try on. I try it on, and it's too big. And I stare in the mirror. "Why doesn't this fit? Why is it too big? What's wrong with this shirt?" I sit around at extended family birthday parties or something. And don't see a group of fat people. Then I look at the pictures afterwards and go "God, who is that skinny woman sitting next to mom?" And it's me. I'm the thin woman in the mirror in the sweater too big. I'm the thin woman in the family pictures. I don't really think of myself as fat, per se. I just think I look like everyone else (i.e fat). Until I see pictures of myself and go, "where the heck did the rest of me go?"0
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I'm just starting this journey (this time around) but I lost 50some pounds when I was in college, had surpassed my original goal and then some, and I still saw myself as fat. Maybe not fat, but I still felt like I needed to lose more. I remember looking at one of my wedding pictures and focusing on how fat my arm looked in the picture. Now looking back, I think I looked amazing and I can't believe I saw myself as still being fat.0
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When I look at myself on the mirror, I feel like I look good, and I don't see a fat girl. When i have a picture of me taken though, I feel I still look fat. It's weird.0
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The OP is not interested in us. He/she is collecting data. Check the profile, I am not ashamed of anything I have posted, but I don't like the subterfuge. I am honest and I expect MFP to be honest! :noway:0
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I know that I'm not fat anymore. I see myself as normal. I don't see myself as thin although others say they do. I live with a fear of becoming that fat me again.0
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I've lost almost 100 pounds and I feel exactly the same. I am still disgusted with my body and I can't seem to view myself as anything but obese. Does this mean that there is an underlying issue?0
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I have the opposite problem, Big lady who sees herself as lean, guess thats why its taken so long to do something0
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I see others my same size and think they look pretty good and when I look at myself I don't see the same thing. I do have more weight to lose, but self perception is definitely hard to accurately analyze.0
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Lost 88ish pounds, went from 285 to 197. 6'1''
Still see myself fat unless I'm dressed0 -
I don't know that I ever saw myself as "fat"
"big" yes, but not fat - but I always had a pretty healthy ego though.
technically my BMI now is right at the 30 mark which has me still in the obese range for my height/weight but I definitely don't see "fat" now
oddly though, I've hit the spot where my friends and family all are starting to hint that maybe it's time I stop and I reassure everyone that I am fine and almost at my goal0
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