Anyone else have an inaccurate perception of yourself?

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Replies

  • Cadori
    Cadori Posts: 4,810 Member
    I'm down 35kg. My friends and family comment about how skinny I am now. My best friend of 25 years hugged me with tears in her eyes and said I look amazing, like a different person. I don't see it though. The mirror still shows me the same fat girl. I don't feel any different at all.

    Ugh, I understand. :(
  • CoffeeNBooze
    CoffeeNBooze Posts: 966 Member
    edited January 2017
    Unfortunately (?) I am sort of the opposite. I look in the mirror and I'm still in my mid-20's at an excellent weight. Then I see pictures or put on certain outfits, or attempt something requiring more strength and stamina and think, OMG how and when did this happen?!?

    This is more how I am. But I can't get over the fact I don't currently look like that and it really, really bothers me. I'm only about 10lbs up but it really does make a difference and you can see it more easily when you're not overweight. I put on my clothes that I've had for years and I'm like omg why do I feel like I'm putting on someone else's clothes?
    Oh and when I am at a lower weight I can never tell a difference *eyeroll* so yeah. None of it makes sense. Even in my pics where I am 30lbs heavier than I am now, I can't tell a difference. It's like we can see our failures more than our successes.
    I know none of this makes logical sense... trust me, I know, lol. It's just what my eyes tell me.
  • asgentr
    asgentr Posts: 228 Member
    I lost 40lbs last year and made several health improvements. Now I dwell on the bags under my eyes and the onset of jowels. I like the Buddhist saying "the cup is already broken." It gets me through the middle years.
  • pacific904
    pacific904 Posts: 92 Member
    I see myself different from the reality - I usually buy clothes three sizes too small - hence 80% of my wardrobe does not fit. Sometimes when I see my reflexion in a mirror when I am out, for a few seconds, I do not recognise myself. I think I look like a very well known mature French actress - although I am the only one who think that. My hubby says I live in a happy bubble - it will be truly happy when I lose 34 lbs.
  • Stopin_da_yoyo
    Stopin_da_yoyo Posts: 138 Member
    Hello, I'm new here...well not quite.....I used this site about 3 years ago and it helped me to lose and track weightloss.....i find myself in that yo-yo ride again and want to GET OFF! I don't know if its just self delusion, depression or what but I don't notice these changes until its too late. Last time I increased my protein intake massively and dropped my carbs to less than 100g per day ....this led to a kidney stone....with all that protein I needed to increase my water intake as well but didn't. Anyways, here's to no more self-delusions!
  • sas1uk
    sas1uk Posts: 37 Member
    Strangely enough, I've had this discussion with someone else this morning, so felt I had to jump in here! I've lost 89lbs and STILL buy clothes which are too big. I'm also so used to hiding my body, that I'm loathe to buy 'form fitting' clothes.
    The thing about this woe is....it works......it's the first time in my life ANYTHING has worked, so sadly, I didn't bother measuring myself at the outset, or taking photographs ( I weighed 250lbs). This is my only regret as photographs definitely prove to yourself that you certainly ARE lighter! Huge thanks to KnitorMiss for her chronology......WOW. !!!! :-) The only other tip I could offer to newbies is BELIEVE the weight will disappear and don't waste money buying clothes which are one size smaller....you'll shrink far faster than you anticipate!!
  • Chillycatmum
    Chillycatmum Posts: 188 Member
    I have to say I don't feel or see myself as fat as I actually am- it's only when I look in photos that I feel massive, which feels a bit odd - there are times when I am walking down the road and can't catch my breath because I am fat, this disappears when I have lost weight in the past so I know the weight I am is having a huge effect on my health and lifestyle.

    I know that LC works for me - the lower the better but I struggle with my mindset at times, as though I do not deserve to be slim, this is something I am going to have to work out to get where I want to be.
  • bibbob300
    bibbob300 Posts: 48 Member
    Hi Cadori, thought this was just me, I'm now at goal weight of 7 st 7lb im only 5" 1 and I still see fat girl, especially when I look down at my body, I've still got a belly and its more ugly, wobbly and loose (something to work on new goal, tone up) and although I'm in a UK size 6, I often pick a dress up and go " wow I'll never fit into that " then I do, I guess its our brains perception of how we look, like if I go over my carbs and cals for the day I'm afraid I'll wake up at 12 stone again the day after, weird I know but I think it must be that we've been bigger most of our lives rather than slim and this is what we still see, it apparently takes a year or so to get used to the new you, in my case by that time I've put weight back on so my brains not had enough "slim time" although I'm hoping now I've found low carb I can keep it off as I don't feel deprived, starving and hangry any more.
  • Be9465
    Be9465 Posts: 36 Member
    Have to add my perspective on this topic. For me I have been steadily losing weight every week since I started focusing on fat loss November 22nd 2016. I was 283 lbs. and as of Monday I'm down to 248. I know I'm healthier, I know I'm leaner, I know I enjoy my new woe. The statement you are your own worst critic definitely rings true for me. I workout in sweatpants and sweatshirt or fleece because all the damn mirrors in the gym. (I workout at like 2am and have the gym to myself)I avoid the mirror at home except on my weigh-in/picture day because early on in would look at every angle of my body every day hoping to see the slightest improvement and never noticed any changes. I have made pretty drastic changes but I would imagine even if I was built like a Greek statue Ime and only me would find flaws. I'm working on being happy with the changes I have made so far and try to be less obsessed with an end goal and realize there is no end. There is no waking up one day looking at the scale and poof I've crossed the finish line and it's finished. Or looking in the mirror and saying there... I'm perfect LOL. I do see the changes in my progress pictures I take every week and that motivates me tremendously. Looking down at myself though, and even the mirror the weigh in day I am disgusted and think I'm getting bigger until I put the picture next to the previous week. My advice or what helps me, is only get a weight once a week or even avoid a scale if you prefer. Take a picture every week or even every other week and compare it to the previous weeks picture. Avoid the daily mirror self critique if you do this. Helps me at any rate. Oh yeah, and don't quit..... like ever.
  • Kimo159
    Kimo159 Posts: 508 Member
    Yeah, I do that all the time. The thing I found to be helpful is to take monthly progress photos (I try to do it in the same outfit - short shorts and a sports bra so I can really see). I don't share these photos with ANYONE but when I'm feeling like I'm making no progress I look at them and it proves that I am, indeed, making progress and I'm not the 200 lb girl I was before.
  • XavierNusum
    XavierNusum Posts: 720 Member
    YES! This even happens to guys!

    At my lowest(adult) weight and my best physique ever, I still remember vividly seeing ONLY flaws that my brain inflated to massive levels. After gaining back quite a fit of weight and "losing" that physique I look back and wish I had that body and now see all of the amazing improvement I made!

    It's so important to focus on progress! You're not going to get to "goal" without taking the going through the journey.
  • cstehansen
    cstehansen Posts: 1,984 Member
    Can I re-phrase the question? Does anyone in this age of photo-shopped models in every ad have an accurate perception of their physical appearance?

    I think nearly everyone falls into one of two categories:
    1. I am ugly and fat (based on aforementioned models)
    2. I'm not that fat (based on the fact that the average person is so much heavier now because of the SAD which has been pushed on us these last 40-50 years. On that note, we may have the SAD (Standard American Diet), but those in the UK have the SUK diet (Standard United Kingdom diet). The name of theirs is more accurate for what we have.
  • LemonMarmalade
    LemonMarmalade Posts: 227 Member
    I am happier staying clear of cameras and not looking at any picture anyone might take of me. I do not like the way I look in photos.
  • retirehappy
    retirehappy Posts: 4,751 Member
    I always "see" myself as the opposite. If my weight is down to normal, I feel soooooo fat. Once I regain weight, I feel like I am "normal". I am taking pictures, most are not shared with anyone else, because I know I have to adjust my thinking. I am ready to get back into my normal weight range and stay there. It is a process. And I think most people do not see their true self when dealing with weight issues. Men not as much, I have guy friends with an extra 50 lbs. and they are fine with that, they still wear their high school jeans, but of course their belts rest under that blob of fat on their belly to do it.
  • MinnJenn
    MinnJenn Posts: 9 Member
    Unfortunately (?) I am sort of the opposite. I look in the mirror and I'm still in my mid-20's at an excellent weight. Then I see pictures or put on certain outfits, or attempt something requiring more strength and stamina and think, OMG how and when did this happen?!?

    Same! This is why my weight sneaks up, I look in the mirror and see skinny and then pictures come back and I can't even believe it.
  • sahux1
    sahux1 Posts: 6 Member
    I'm the opposite of most people here. I was thin as a teenager and 20's. Then I started gaining weight and yo-yoing. I still consider myself thin even though I'm not anymore.
  • slimzandra
    slimzandra Posts: 955 Member
    I don't like to consider myself 'fat', just temporarily really overweight.
    My internal dialogue thinks 'normal', except when:
    I see myself in a photo, see myself in a mirror, try on clothes when getting ready for work, put on shorts, try to go for a walk/run. Then I think what the heck happened?
  • cimarrona27
    cimarrona27 Posts: 97 Member
    Yes- but it's backwards. I don't see myself as big and I am always shocked when I go to try on clothes and they are too small. I don't know why.