When Did You Finally Believe?

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RaspberryTickleChicken
RaspberryTickleChicken Posts: 629 Member
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
Sometimes when I see a photo of myself & my knee-jerk reaction is 'who the heck is THAT?' At a closer glance I see that it is obviously me ... 35+ lbs lighter.

This odd phenomena is usually followed by repeatedly asking the Hubs 'wow I really lost the weight huh?' in an attempt to somehow confirm that it wasn't just a fluke.

SO I'm rather curious if any of the long-term maintainers had a period of time where they experienced a certain disbelief of their new life? And when did you guys finally come to terms that the progress made was not just a 'happy accident' but rather the result of persistence hard work?

(Please don't recommend a psychiatrist, psychologist, therapist, or 'seek professional help' as I am fully aware that this is something in my head - thanks!) ;)
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  • Mr_Bad_Example
    Mr_Bad_Example Posts: 2,403 Member
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    How would this qualify as something that requires professional help? And by the way, lots of people who seek 'professional help' are quite aware that the issues they struggle with may be 'something in their heads'.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,876 Member
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    I've been maintaining for a little over 18 months now after losing about 40 Lbs. I guess I never really had that kind of disbelief. I really didn't start all of this to lose weight though and wasn't really worried about my weight...I started all of this due to some really bad health markers and making adjustments to my nutrition and became more active in an effort to reverse that...along the way I lost about 20 Lbs and then discovered MFP and lost another

    I also would say that I never really had a weight problems growing up...in fact, I was always very lean and have been involved in athletics most of my life. I put on some weight when I graduated college and took a desk job...I also developed some less than ideal nutritional habits and became pretty sedentary. For me, this all seemed like a pretty simple math equation and being the financial analyst I am, there really wasn't this kind of disbelief that it would work or could work...it just seemed like math.
  • Winterlover123
    Winterlover123 Posts: 352 Member
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    Every morning! I have two full-sized mirror doors for my closet so it's kind of hard not to see myself!
    I look in the mirror and I think to myself "that's not my body. I'll wake up soon" Then I go through the day, go to bed and that's still me. Crazy.
    My realization that it's hard work was actually last Saturday looking back at my food and exercise diary
  • RaspberryTickleChicken
    RaspberryTickleChicken Posts: 629 Member
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    Mr_Bad_Example wrote: »
    How would this qualify as something that requires professional help? And by the way, lots of people who seek 'professional help' are quite aware that the issues they struggle with may be 'something in their heads'.

    Just in case some long-term maintainer decided to not respond in-kind or didn't have anything productive to add but decided to give me their 2 cents worth anyway :p
  • karensuegill
    karensuegill Posts: 67 Member
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    I have lost and gained weight several times. This time I plan to make it permanent not only because I look and feel better but because of health issues that will return if I don't maintain my weight. I think for me I have discovered that being healthy and staying healthy is a big brain shift. I think accepting your new body is also a brain shift and takes some time to see yourself as you really are and to realize the person looking back at you in the mirror is really you. Take some before and after pictures and put them in a place you look at every day until your brain begins to accept that this is the new you. I've had to educate myself about health and nutrition to help my brain understand why it is important to make a permanent change in my life. Celebrate your new body by buying some clothes that accentuate your new figure and you will receive lots of complements about how you look. That will help you stay motivated to stay healthy. Stay connected to my fitness pal where you can get lots of support. Get some friends on MFP and share with them.
    You can be my friend if you want. Good luck in your quest to maintain and stay healthy.
  • ianthy
    ianthy Posts: 404 Member
    edited October 2014
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    This is my second time around of reaching GW - I am still trying to work it out. I see myself in the mirror and not sure it's me. I struggle to work out what size clothes I even take at the moment. So I think it takes a while for it to sink in - that all the hard work of many months and in some cases years has finally paid off. Interesting - I did not notice the big change in my appearance or overall look until near the end of my weight loss journey.
  • dopeysmelly
    dopeysmelly Posts: 1,390 Member
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    I get that feeling every time I look in the mirror at the office when I go in once a week, or when I'm trying on new clothes in stores. We don't have any good mirrors at home, so it's always a shock when I see myself, and it has been for about 6 months (when I was only halfway through losing the weight).

    I consistently forget that I look different to other people, and I've only just started getting used the idea that they're not ignoring me, they genuinely don't recognize me!

    Having said that, I never once thought I wouldn't achieve what I set out to do. I just didn't know what I'd look like at the end.
  • Spiderkeys
    Spiderkeys Posts: 338 Member
    edited October 2014
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    I didn't keep too many photos of me when I was at my heaviest, cause I was too ashamed of my weight and always tried to avoid a camera, but it's not a photo that I need to be reminded, just go thur your drawers and find old pair of pants nearly forgotten about and lost, and then laughable, wow! did I really need clothes this big?
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,742 Member
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    It definitely took me awhile. I've lost over 130 lb total (a gradual downward trend since 2008) and honestly I never fully "grasped" how big I was at my largest (307 lb), I still saw myself at around 250 or 260 for a very long time. Similarly, I still kind of picture myself around 220 now that I am in the 170 range. It's getting better slowly.

    For me I think the biggest thing in "believing" I am a pretty average sized person is the way I fit into the world around me. I used to be really uncomfortable in some booths, theater seats, etc. Now I fit with lots of room to spare. Over the past year I have FINALLY stopped having that moment of anxiety when I approach a tiny looking booth or small bath tub in a hotel room, because I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I'm "normal" now and will fit. After 20+ years of being morbidly obese it's pretty weird still.

  • Spiderkeys
    Spiderkeys Posts: 338 Member
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    seltzermint wrote: »
    I used to be really uncomfortable in some booths, theater seats, etc. Now I fit with lots of room to spare.

    I know what you mean there, I used to feel embrassed just catching the bus, just sitting down, I nearly took up two seats and I that means thats an extra person that has too stand, I could of been polite and just stand up myself, but no one will be able to get past me, as I always the size of two people instead of one, now it's pleasurable being in crowded areas now as I no longer take up too much space.
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    edited October 2014
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    Every time I looked in the mirror or saw my reflection in a window for months I saw a much younger face I hadn't seen for years.

    After two years, I now see myself. And it still feels good.

    P.S. Suddenly auditorium seating and airplanes seats are so roomy! And I always fit fine in them before - I was just at the top my healthy weight. It makes me feel slim.


  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
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    yeah geez- about 18 months.
  • nvpixie
    nvpixie Posts: 483 Member
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    For me, it's all about the clothes. When I put on something that used to be tight and is now too big to wear, it clicks in my head that I really have lost 15 pounds. I went shopping this weekend, and actually had trouble finding jeans in a small enough size. I <3 it.
  • nvpixie
    nvpixie Posts: 483 Member
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    Well, I should add that I'm a bit annoyed that I can't find a pair of "dream jeans" :blush:
  • jrline
    jrline Posts: 2,353 Member
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    When I am at a store and trying on clothes that are the size I wore in Middle School

    29509743.png
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
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    try seeing yourself with a completely different color of hair and 100 pounds lighter and tan lolololol
  • 50sFit
    50sFit Posts: 712 Member
    edited October 2014
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    I believed the moment I began my journey.
    I knew that fat guy in the mirror was NOT the real me. I set a goal to get back to my old weight when I was in peak condition as an athlete.
    I lost 93 pounds, and at age 50 achieve a level of fitness most guys will never know.
    Again, I believed the moment I started.
    cdrcmnfx3381.jpg
  • AllonsYtotheTardis
    AllonsYtotheTardis Posts: 16,947 Member
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    I finally believed it when I got to the point where I absolutely HAD to go buy new clothes.
  • mmm_drop
    mmm_drop Posts: 1,126 Member
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    I still am surprised by my pictures sometimes. I *know* I'm a much smaller size, but I guess I don't feel like I look it, until I see a picture.
  • nvpixie
    nvpixie Posts: 483 Member
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    mmm_drop wrote: »
    I still am surprised by my pictures sometimes. I *know* I'm a much smaller size, but I guess I don't feel like I look it, until I see a picture.

    I agree. Pictures reveal it all.

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