Less weight and feeling bigger.

Options
linedawg
linedawg Posts: 49
in Health and Weight Loss
Why is it that I feel larger than when I started to lose weight than before? The more weight I loss the fatter I feel for some reason.

Replies

  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,402 MFP Moderator
    Options
    Probably just more conscience of it now. Do yourself a favor, take a current picture and compare it against an old picture. That will probably help.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    Options
    Yeah, body image stuff is huge when losing weight. I actually cried after I lost my first 5 or so pounds because I hated the way my skin looked.

    Also, if you PHYSICALLY feel heavier, how long has that feeling been going on? You could have some dietary issues/bloating.
  • belrowley
    belrowley Posts: 24
    Options
    Yes. I have been noticing things on my body more that need work now that I lost couple pounds. I think we are just more aware of size and body shape when beginning this process.

    Good luck. Stick with it.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
    Options
    I am more disgusted with my body and fat now than I ever was before.

    Sixty pounds ago, it was all hopeless and I tried not to think about it. I think paying more attention is what does it. I know I'm thinner (or, less fat, lol), but I'm still more grossed out.

    We also see ourselves every day, so it's really hard to notice the changes because they're so gradual. Since we don't notice them much, it's hard for our minds to switch over to thinking, "I'm not obese, I'm overweight." (Or whatever you might be.)

    I try to focus on where I look less fat and not on, say, my grody thighs. :)
  • linedawg
    linedawg Posts: 49
    Options
    This feeling has been going on shortly after I had to buy new Jeans to wear. I know I am losing the fat because I dropped 4 inches in my jean size but I just feel huge still. So far over the summer I have dropped close to 50 pounds. Changed my diet to watch for sugar intake, plus I would out 5 day a week.

    Mondays = Upper body training (lifting)
    Tuesday = 30 minute jog
    Wednesday = Core training
    Thursday = 30 minute jog
    Friday = Lower body training (Lifting)
    Saturday = Rest
    Sunday = Rest
    Sunday I allow myself one cheat meal.
  • bwogilvie
    bwogilvie Posts: 2,130 Member
    Options
    It's not uncommon. Progress pics are really useful, as is keeping around one pair of trousers or shorts from your heaviest. If you're feeling big, compare your recent pictures with your old ones, or try on that old pair of shorts that you couldn't zip up without exhaling.

    Congratulations on your loss so far. That's impressive! It has taken me over a year and a half to lose 60 pounds.
  • uconnwinsnc1
    uconnwinsnc1 Posts: 902 Member
    Options
    It is common for your own brain to see yourself as you used to be while everyone sees you as who you are now. People tell you that you look great and you cannot comprehend it. You then get confused and frustrated. It takes a long time for your brain to get used to seeing a new person when it looks in a mirror.
  • ltlmb
    ltlmb Posts: 7 Member
    Options
    I agree with everyone else, progress photos are definitely helpful to see how far you've come, even when it doesn't feel like you've gone anywhere.
  • sarahharas5
    sarahharas5 Posts: 256 Member
    Options
    I completely get this. I was just trying to explain this exact thing to my sister. My family sees how far I've come so far and don't understand why I'm more critical now than I've ever been. Frustrating!
    I think we just have to believe that we are on the right path and just keep going. Good luck!
  • RHachicho
    RHachicho Posts: 1,115 Member
    Options
    I used to get this. But I think I'm getting over it now. I like the way i look. I'm still kinda chunky. I've still got a gut. But at 21% body fat I'm hardly obese anymore. And frankly I like this look. I'm honestly thinking of stopping here for a while maybe putting on a bit of muscle. Focusing on my strength for a while. Maybe I'll go back on a deficit next summer if I feel like it. But at 8.5 stone down and 13" off my waist. I think I've done damn good this year. XD

    Sometimes you gotta remind yourself that it's about how YOU want to look and about what YOU wan't to be you know. It's so easy when your dieting and trying to get fit and healthy to get caught up in the celebrity, body beautiful definition of health. Which honestly I think is rather elitist and restrictive. Maybe the way I wanna live my life I'm just gonna be a bit chunky. Either way im 5000 times healthier than I was before i started this. And honestly with the way I approach exercise now. The diet may not even be necessary anymore. After all I gained 2lb this week. But I still watched my waist shrink my half an inch ...

    So i'm going to drop my obsession with scale weight i think. At least other than as a way of locating my TDEE. there's no target weight for me anymore. I'm ready to just BE a healthy person.
  • arrrrjt
    arrrrjt Posts: 245 Member
    Options
    Very common. I wanted to talk progress pictures after losing 30 pounds, and not gonna lie, had a good cry about it because there was still so much left to change.
  • linedawg
    linedawg Posts: 49
    Options
    I just uploaded a comparison photo to my profile.
  • JTick
    JTick Posts: 2,131 Member
    Options
    I definitely have days that I feel like I'm bigger than I was 90 lbs ago. I've come up with a couple reasons:

    1. I don't lose weight uniformly. So, sometimes my hips and boobs lose weight before my stomach, and until my stomach catches up, it looks HUGE. It's still smaller than it used to be, it's just an optical illusion. I look disproportionate at certain times.

    2. I wear clothes that fit now. When I was at my heaviest, I wore very baggy clothing. Now, everything fits, but it leaves less room for bloating/fat day/etc. On days I'm bloated or retaining water from heavy sodium, my clothes feel tighter than they would have when I was heavier.

    Stick with it. It's normal...I'm told that eventually, our brains catch up.
  • GatorDeb1
    GatorDeb1 Posts: 245 Member
    Options
    I went through this, the thinner I got the fatter I felt :) 5'4", 230 lbs -> 117 lbs. Eventually (years) it went away. I was overweight/obese my whole life until I turned 31 5 years ago so I had no experience being skinny.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
    Options
    Very common. I wanted to talk progress pictures after losing 30 pounds, and not gonna lie, had a good cry about it because there was still so much left to change.
    Yes!

    I didn't cry, but it's so hard to see how much you've lost and still be so very fat!

    It's a little depressing to know I weighed 60 pounds more than I do now. What I must've looked like! Yikes!

Categories