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Mirror Image vs. Real Life

iheartmarshall
iheartmarshall Posts: 39 Member
edited December 2024 in Motivation and Support
Does anyone else ever look in the mirror and think "Hey, I don't look that bad!" but when you see a photo of yourself, you have the OMG moment where you're like "Holy crap, I look like a cow!" Yeah. That moment just happened. I saw a candid photo of me from three weeks ago and it was the first time I really saw how fat my legs and knees looked... I don't really see myself that way when I look in the mirror. Sure, I know I'm overweight but I thought I looked okay, you know? Just wow. Talk about motivation!


What do you see when you see yourself in a mirror versus in a photo? Do you see a difference like I do or is it the same?
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Replies

  • Kelley528
    Kelley528 Posts: 319 Member
    I went up a size and a half over the past 2 years and when I looked at myself in the mirror I still saw the skinny me. It wasnt until I saw a pictures of me from February when I saw how big my face looked. I looked like the thing who swollowed me, not myself. But even after that, when I looked in the mirrow i didnt see much difference. Now I have went down a size and the only place I see it is in my face. When I saw new pics of me my face looked like me again and noticeablly thinner. Yet still, I look in the mirror and I still see the same exact thing as when I was skinny and heavy. No change despite the fact that all my old clothes are hanging off me and everyone at work tells me how much weight i've lost---I don't see it.
  • Mama_Jag
    Mama_Jag Posts: 474 Member
    Race photos are particularly bad like that for me. Those photographers do it on purpose! :tongue:
  • thetrishwarp
    thetrishwarp Posts: 838 Member
    I am the exact opposite. I look in the mirror and think my arms look flabby, my thighs could be more toned, my stomach is too round, the list goes on....and then I see myself in photos and I'm like "oh...I actually look pretty small...."
  • bridgettegarzonie
    bridgettegarzonie Posts: 54 Member
    My face. I have my mom's neck. I'm not super overweight (actually considered healthy) but my face is fat, especially when I smile in pics. It really hit me when I had to go to the DMV to get a new drivers license picture and he handed me my temp one. I cried in the car b/c I didn't know it looked that bad. Now every picture I take that's all I see...
  • Grimmerick
    Grimmerick Posts: 3,342 Member
    This makes me think of a line I saw in a tv show or movie I can't remember what it was though

    Girl: The camera adds ten pounds
    Guy: So how many cameras were actually on you?

    *Edit to say I'm pretty sure it was friends, Monica and Chandler banter.
  • dropitquick
    dropitquick Posts: 6
    I feel like I look great in the mirror and terrible in pictures! It's like a completely different person. I hope the mirrors are more accurate than the pictures.
  • smiley245
    smiley245 Posts: 420 Member
    same here....look in the mirror, hey im kinda cute,
    see a recent pic in the same outfit I thought I was cute in. :noway: i was huge. like really!? sheesh!
  • MsP90X
    MsP90X Posts: 1,053 Member
    The same thing happened to me this week... and I felt discouraged! But hey, I am on my way to appearing as I do in the mirror ;)

    Make it a great day ladies!
  • Nikkerz620
    Nikkerz620 Posts: 212 Member
    Yup, i went to a concert not to long ago and thought i looked cute and after seeing the pictures I was like OMG I can't believe I felt cute in that!! I will probably never wear that shirt again. Ehh!! That was def motivation for me.

    Needless to say I deleted all the pictures..
  • manderson27
    manderson27 Posts: 3,511 Member
    I used to feel the same, ok about the mirror but horrified at photos but since losing the weight I am much happier with the photo images.:smile:
  • omma_to_3
    omma_to_3 Posts: 3,265 Member
    Yes. Every.damn.time. I hate photos of myself. Finally, I'm starting to get a few that I don't "hate".
  • Berberena33
    Berberena33 Posts: 25 Member
    The quote previously mentioned is from FRIENDS! Monica states the camera adds 10 pounds when they watching old videos from highschool and Chandler responds with his smart comment like always!! I LOVE THAT SHOW!!

    I always think I look worse in pictures too than when I look at myself in the mirror... and I am going with Monica's therory, the camera added the weight!
  • DrMAvDPhD
    DrMAvDPhD Posts: 2,097 Member
    Me. I just took some "before" photos since I started a weight lifting regimen, and I can't bring myself to post them on my profile. Hopefully they'll be less embarrassing along side an awesome after shot.
  • sho3girl
    sho3girl Posts: 10,799 Member
    This makes me think of a line I saw in a tv show or movie I can't remember what it was though

    Girl: The camera adds ten pounds
    Guy: So how many cameras were actually on you?

    *Edit to say I'm pretty sure it was friends, Monica and Chandler banter.

    it was ! :smile:

    along with

    And the fat girl inside of me really wants to go. I...I owe her this. I never let her eat.
  • reggie2run
    reggie2run Posts: 477 Member
    Race photos are particularly bad like that for me. Those photographers do it on purpose! :tongue:

    AGREED!! :noway:
  • sarahrbraun
    sarahrbraun Posts: 2,261 Member
    I guess I have a similar issue...I look down at my body, and I don't think I look too bad...then I look in the mirror and don't recognize the fat lady...then I see a picture and I REALLY want to cry.

    I have a series of pics on my profile. The first one was taken by a friend at a birthday party and put on facebook. I wanted to cry when I saw it--I had more rolls than a bakery! The rest of the pics are taken starting about a month later, and they show the progress of my weight loss. I still don't look great, but I am on my way!
  • KarmaxKitty
    KarmaxKitty Posts: 901 Member
    Mirror: You look HOT today!

    Me: Woohoo!!!

    *takes a photo to document*

    Camera: Seriously? The mirror told you that? HA!!!

    Me: :cry: ...:sad: ...
  • Rhea30
    Rhea30 Posts: 625 Member
    Does anyone else ever look in the mirror and think "Hey, I don't look that bad!" but when you see a photo of yourself, you have the OMG moment where you're like "Holy crap, I look like a cow!" Yeah. That moment just happened. I saw a candid photo of me from three weeks ago and it was the first time I really saw how fat my legs and knees looked... I don't really see myself that way when I look in the mirror. Sure, I know I'm overweight but I thought I looked okay, you know? Just wow. Talk about motivation!


    What do you see when you see yourself in a mirror versus in a photo? Do you see a difference like I do or is it the same?

    I do :(. I never feel I look bad when I look in a mirror but when I see a photo I freak out. Its odd, dont know why the images seems so different in my head.
  • Maddi_InBetweenDays
    Maddi_InBetweenDays Posts: 177
    I do this all the time! It was so bad last summer - my friend took pictures and then sent them to me a couple months after I started working out and I was SHOCKED! And I thought I had looked good in the summer, but no, I was 20 pounds heavier. It makes me think that when I have lost weight now, I still look bigger than I think :(
  • oregonzoo
    oregonzoo Posts: 4,251 Member
    I am the exact opposite. I look in the mirror and think my arms look flabby, my thighs could be more toned, my stomach is too round, the list goes on....and then I see myself in photos and I'm like "oh...I actually look pretty small...."

    Yes this here too.
  • sofakingawesome69
    sofakingawesome69 Posts: 149
    I always thought the camera added like 30 pounds..
  • dj_phx
    dj_phx Posts: 115 Member
    I always get the most motivation from pictures. I don't see it nearly as much in the mirror. Sometimes if I'm going somewhere I know there will be picture taking, I'll take a picture of myself before hand to prepare myself.
  • cmpettey
    cmpettey Posts: 221 Member
    Race photos are particularly bad like that for me. Those photographers do it on purpose! :tongue:

    Yep!!! When I see race photos I want to cry. The funny thing is they keep on e-mailing me to buy them. That's not going to happen.
  • Dawnhasajeep
    Dawnhasajeep Posts: 180 Member
    Yes. Every.damn.time. I hate photos of myself. Finally, I'm starting to get a few that I don't "hate".

    Wondering if we like how we look in mirror do we like photos taken of us in mirrors?
    LOL Sorry just found it funny.
  • cristileigh
    cristileigh Posts: 158 Member
    I see myself in the mirror at home and think "You look ok".. and then I go to the gym and I'm working out and take a look in the mirror and think "OMG you fat *kitten*, you have not accomplished ANYTHING, you are still huge with a BIG Belly". I don't like the mirrors at the gym or pictures. My eyes go directly to the worst parts of my body. All of my weight is in my stomach.. like a beer belly.
  • berv0009
    berv0009 Posts: 454 Member
    I am the exact opposite. I look in the mirror and think my arms look flabby, my thighs could be more toned, my stomach is too round, the list goes on....and then I see myself in photos and I'm like "oh...I actually look pretty small...."

    This -- since I have lost weight I always feel this way. It's like I always see the me 30lbs ago in the mirror.

    I used to be the opposite - thinking that I looked good and then I would see pictures of myself and I hated the photos!

    So I have been on both sides I guess.

    It's weird. Mirrors are evil. haha
  • HorganMom3
    HorganMom3 Posts: 63 Member
    This happens to me all the time, and in both directions too!! I'll have that moment where I look in the mirror at home and think, "damn girl your lookin good today!", and then I'll see a photo from that day and wonder when from the time I looked in the mirror that morning to when the picture was taken did a Mack truck hit with an ugly fat stick!! I also have it to where I think I look pike absolute crap and then I get compliments all day about boys good I look... Um ok!!! And now I have where I don't see the 23#'s gone really and I don't really see those inches off but people are telling me how HOTT I'm getting... I see it a bit, but not in such a way that they are. Oh well, maybe one day the person me, the mirror me, and the HOTT me will meet up one day, lol.
  • sgarrard01
    sgarrard01 Posts: 213 Member
    This makes me think of a line I saw in a tv show or movie I can't remember what it was though

    Girl: The camera adds ten pounds
    Guy: So how many cameras were actually on you?

    *Edit to say I'm pretty sure it was friends, Monica and Chandler banter.

    I need to stop eating cammeras!
  • JamesterCK
    JamesterCK Posts: 109 Member
    Yes, all the time!! I will look in the mirror and think "Hey I'm not looking too bad!". Then someone takes a picture of me that same day and I look gigantic. Can't wait to someday enjoy having my picture taken!
  • hollyk57
    hollyk57 Posts: 520 Member
    This is the story of my life. It's huge motivation. I just took a bunch of full body 'before' pics of myself - that won't surface into daylight until I'm the smokin hot 'after' photo I want to be - but they are great motivation. I never realized how huge I really am. Sigh...
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