Do you still see a fat person in the mirror?

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Lindsay_the_great
Lindsay_the_great Posts: 209 Member
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
I have lost over 30 pounds with MFP, and 78 pounds from my max overall. I am a svelte size 4-6 US and healthier than I have ever been, YET... when I see myself in the mirror I only see problems. I don't see the progress. My first reaction is to think I need to lose 10 more pounds.

I'm not acting on these thoughts. I am averaging 1500-1600 calories daily (sometimes more), which is appropriate for maintenance for me. I am active, but not working out obsessively or anything. Yet, I don't feel like I'm there yet.

Does anyone else struggle with this? I don't think I have body dysmorphia or anything. It's not that extreme. It's just a mild discontent that I wish weren't there.
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Replies

  • Linzer140fit
    Linzer140fit Posts: 31 Member
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    Have you ever tried looking at your body but standing on something or angling the floor mirror so you can't see your head, only your body? I know this sounds bizarre but it tricks your brain a little because it's like you're looking at somebody elses body and I think you might find you are way less critical. Remember, everyone has problem spots, we all look "good" with our clothes on, or in good lighting.
  • Spiderkeys
    Spiderkeys Posts: 338 Member
    edited January 2015
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    Not anymore, something I now see someone a little too skinny, (neck, shoulders, arms, etc) but standing on my side, things looks a bit different, my stomach hasn't been too kind to me during the journey, I developed a hernia (intestines sticking out thur your stomach muscle), but now it's fixed (surgery), now it's time to concentrate on my stomach, so I can feel truely naturally thin.
  • Madame_Goldbricker
    Madame_Goldbricker Posts: 1,625 Member
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    Yep, but I think we're naturally our own worst critics. It takes time for the brain to catch up. I'd gone to try some dresses on recently & asked the sales assistant to swap out one for a smaller size. She'd looked me up & down and seemed confused I'd taken one in that was obviously going to swamp me.. (stupid brain!)
  • DawnieB1977
    DawnieB1977 Posts: 4,248 Member
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    Well, I am still fat now lol, 8 months post partum, but pre-pregnancy I was a US size 6/8 and I often thought I looked fat in the mirror, but when I saw photos I looked slim, and I'd try on clothes and still be surprised when they were loose.
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,134 Member
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    Yes, but I am fat. The only times I think I'm "thin" is when I see my shadow.
  • HealthyVitamins
    HealthyVitamins Posts: 432 Member
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    yes, some mirrors are horribly unflattering, some I look at and think I'm doing ok. I just have to remember my waist size and know that I am smaller than I was.
  • triinityz
    triinityz Posts: 146 Member
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    Yep, I have the same problem. Even when I buy clothes that are 4 or 6 I keep thinking they must run larger. They forget to tell you when you finally manage to lose the weight, you are just changing physically not mentally. I've been at goal since September and the only time I see the "real" me is in photos. Oh well, rather be crazy and skinny than crazy and fat like I used to be :smile:
  • ljdurdle
    ljdurdle Posts: 1
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    I'd start by changing my name on here, get rid of the big! It can't help your perception of yourself...
  • RaspberryTickleChicken
    RaspberryTickleChicken Posts: 629 Member
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    CONGRATS first of all! Awesome job!

    And you are not alone. When I was heavy I did not even look in the mirror. Even after a yr & a half maintaining sometimes I still act like I'm still near 40 lbs heavier. ie. saying things like 'oh I can't pull that shirt off Im too heavy' then taking a moment for my brain to catch up to reality. lol

    It just takes our brains a bit to catch up to the healthier versions. It will get there eventually.
  • Tuala42
    Tuala42 Posts: 274 Member
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    I still feel like this, and I've been maintaining for a while, close to two years now. When I was a size 10 I saw myself as a size 8. For a long time even after I lost the weight (size 4 now) my head was stuck on seeing myself at that size. I've made progress, I think I see myself at around a size 6 these days. Photos really do help.
  • wbaumgartner1
    wbaumgartner1 Posts: 2 Member
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    Unfortunatly I do. I've lost 140 pounds since June (gastric bypass), I know I was good at 120# lost and still thought I needed to lose more. I am now at 160# and know it's enough weight lost. I have been in the gym since August trying to tone things up, it is working and haven't felt this good in over 30 years. But, I still see that >300# person in the miror every time I look. I know it's a slow process, but the mental images still haunt me.
  • Lindsay_the_great
    Lindsay_the_great Posts: 209 Member
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    ljdurdle wrote: »
    I'd start by changing my name on here, get rid of the big! It can't help your perception of yourself...

    Ha. I use that because it's a play on my last name, which literally means "big" :smiley:
  • jrline
    jrline Posts: 2,353 Member
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    Yes I do. Although when I see pictures I can see I am not that big anymore. I guess it takes a while to get to seeing yourself as not fat. Congrats on your success.
  • mrsmuckster
    mrsmuckster Posts: 444 Member
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    I think I have the problem more reverse- when at my heaviest- I don't think I saw myself in the mirror as "that heavy" until I saw a picture. Now, I take a selfie every once in a while, for whatever reason my perspective is different. Not sure if that makes sense.
  • Sinistrous
    Sinistrous Posts: 5,589 Member
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    Oh yeah, negative body image takes time to cure.
    Eventually I'll see myself as I am, but not yet.
  • xcalygrl
    xcalygrl Posts: 1,897 Member
    edited January 2015
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    I'm right there with you. I have been "thinner" for several years now, but my brain still hasn't caught up with what everyone else sees. When I look in the mirror, I see all my flaws and still see my old 240# body.

    @linzer140fit has a good idea. I've noticed that I feel better about my body when I see just my body and not my head in my reflection. When I see just my body, I think that person is super fit and looks good. I know it's my body, but for some reason I'm less critical of just my body when I can't see my head.
  • Lindsay_the_great
    Lindsay_the_great Posts: 209 Member
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    mrsmuckster wrote: »
    I think I have the problem more reverse- when at my heaviest- I don't think I saw myself in the mirror as "that heavy" until I saw a picture. Now, I take a selfie every once in a while, for whatever reason my perspective is different. Not sure if that makes sense.

    It does. When I was over 200 lbs, I really had no idea how big I was. I knew that it didn't feel good to have to go up to a size 20 in clothes. Something in me knew I was getting into dangerous territory, but it takes looking back at photos to see how truly big I was. I was as much oblivious then as I am now. I guess our minds are really determined to fool us.
  • mewilmes
    mewilmes Posts: 44 Member
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    I think I'm thin when I look at myself in the mirror but when people take photographs, oh my! I am still in the overweight category and maybe I won't ever look good in pictures. All my clothes are swimming on me, maybe if I got the right size I would see myself as heavier. So maybe if you have some of your bigger sizes around you could try them on and then look in the mirror. You'd see that you are smaller. Good luck!
  • Cbefitforlife
    Cbefitforlife Posts: 83 Member
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    Do you lift weights to tone up? Since you have lost quite a bit, maybe you just see that you need to firm things up. Just a thought. Great job though. That is a amazing loss, and you should be very proud of yourself.
  • Cbefitforlife
    Cbefitforlife Posts: 83 Member
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    taking recent photos and matching them up to olds ones is a great idea.

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