Do you still feel "fat" mentally after a lot of weight loss?

My experience with this is really strange, honestly. In my head, I see myself as probably around 175 or so...still overweight, but nothing like the kind of overweight I actually am. And definitely not close to me at my heaviest a few years back. And that is really strange because I've struggled with weight my whole life. I was never a thin girl who just didn't realize she was getting fat. But this self-image doesn't keep me from suffering from a lot of the anxiety that a person as big as me feels. One of the reasons I decided 5 years ago that I needed to lose weight was that I was going to a tennis tournament that summer. I was about 325 then and kept thinking, in addition to how miserable I'd be at that size out in the scorching heat all day, was 'what if I have to squeeze into the seats??" I'd dread turnstiles, etc. I lost 60 pounds and aside from a brief time in which I gained 25 of it back and then lost it again, I've stayed at that weight (though have been starting to go down again with the help of MFP). But even then I'd still be horrified to see photos of myself (when I allowed them to be taken) and realize how big I really was.

What I wonder now is, when I get to my goal weight, will I still see the same picture of myself in my head that I do now, because then it will be bigger than I actually am! I'm hoping that won't be the case.

88 pounds down and i still have a very hard time with this. I went into a store that didn't sell plus size clothes and felt very self conscious like i didn't belong in there unless I had a skinny friend beside me. I get uncomfortable when people look me up and down once they notice I have lost weight...and i still feel like i am the same big girl and that the smaller clothes just run big. I don't know how long my mentality will stay like this...doesn't help when family members who are not supportive of your progress keeps making you second guess yourself while shopping, wanting you to pick a bigger size eventhough you know you wear a smaller size

Well, I have only read the first page and totally agree but it makes me sad that we are all this way. I have lost 47 so far and have made great strides, have no clothes that fit anymore and just ran my 2nd ever 5K yesterday. Starting a new program tomorrow so I took underwear pics this morning so I can track my journey visually. The first thing that came out of my mouth when I got it off the floor was, 'oh my gawd, I'm FAT!!!' I have been thinking about that all day!???????????:ohwell:
Peace! :flowerforyou:

I've always looked in the mirror and still felt fat no matter what size I wore. But I've always suffered from eating disorders and things of that sort as well.

I think the only "fat" moments I have are when I walk into a store...and am astonished when I find a pair of jeans that fit. I was so used to being let down that it's such a relief to find clothes that fit!

a friend of mine (whos quite thin) was talking about how she still mentally feels fat. even as she loses weight. shes currently the most fit and thin she's ever been and is increasingly unhappy and self conscious about her body instead of the other way around.

i think a lot of ppl experience this.

they get it stuck in their head that they look a certain way, and continue to judge themselves for how they looked at that time. the struggles and stress of weight loss i believe is a contributing emotional factor in this as well.

::raises hand::

when people compliment them on my weight loss, instead of just saying thank you, i respond with the fact that I still need to lose 30-40 pounds. When i look in the mirror all I see is the weight still in my lower belly and my thighs and now all the saggy skin.

not sure I will ever look good without clothes on, and get sad but don't want to go back.

When I clothes shop I am still grabbing xxl tops and bottoms even though i am med/large top and large bottms

Yep. 50 lb down, and the majority of that was lost 5 years ago...and I STILL feel fat. Sometimes I'll just stare at myself in pictures or in the mirror because I just can't believe it's me.

Oh my god yes. I've lost 22 pounds, but coming down from 190, that's over 10% of my total body weight, so it's a huge difference visually. I'm down 2 jean sizes and I can see hipbones that I didn't even know I had, and yet the pooch of my belly or the way my thighs still jiggle makes me see myself as that same person. I get so confused when I wear an outfit and see a small waist, or when clothes I've had for a while are super loose. My first thought is "when did this shirt stretch out so much?"

I'm down almost 40 pounds and I still feel fat. I didn't start out that big either (started at just under 170 lbs, and I'm 5'6'').

I do this a bit, but I seem to cycle from feeling great to feeling like someone is playing a trick on me and changing the size labels on my clothes, I guess my brain will eventually catch up to my body

Yes yes and yes .

Only yesterday experienced it again . My last boyfriend told me he felt I was too skinny etc so said well he just likes bigger women so off you go . I am a American 2 or British 6 on top and 4/8 on bottom but I am petite . Yesterday had a first date with a new guy and he is into running fitness also . We were discussing our routines and I was saying I mostly lift now as my aim is not to lose more weight but to maintain and get strong . He replied well I am glad you said it as you are perfect as you are but any more and you would be too skinny . I am about 7 lbs lighter than profile pic so not exactly skin and bone but I am a petite build .

When I look in the mirror I see bingo wings and a muffin top with big thighs . I am working on this and only yesterday brought a pair of uk size12 jeans into the dressing room and ended up buying a 8 so my mind is not there yet . I am 18 months at this weight so no idea when it will catch up

Bump

YES!!!!

I've gone down from 210lbs to 184lbs but most days i still feel as fat as i was before i started. Some days i even feel like i'm fatter than i was to start with!!!!!

Yes, I still look in the mirror and say, 'I'm still fat'.