Do YOU still feel FAT??

How many of you, a year out, still feel FAT?? I'm told constantly by other people that I'm not fat (5' 10", 170, Sz 12), Yet...I still see the FAT person staring at me in the mirror. Call me crazy...but they did do surgery on my stomach on NOT my head! LOL Any of you feel this way?

Hi! This has been a topic of conversation at many support groups I have been to in the past. I have come up with what I think I think is a good explainantion for these feelings...because I too have the same thought and perception as you do...... Take myself for example...I have the "fat girl" for 90% of my life, and now in less than a year I go from that to a "normal" size person...I think that our brains just can not catch up to that. We are so used to one way, and then in a short period of time we go through these drastic changes and it just takes time to get used to it...hopefully within the next year, I and you will get more used to our new bodies...heck I even still find myself crossing my arms and trying to rest them on my belly, a belly thats not there anymore...weriod I know, old habits are hard to break! LOL Hope this made since. You look wonderful! Keep smiling and it makes the fat melt away even more! Lvoe and Hugs! Kristal "Purple Diva" 420/228/150

OMG .........I so feel this way all the time........I am 4'11" 115.....size 4 and i swear i see myself a size 18 ........ Everyone says your so tiny........you too skinny ........im like your crazy! I'm so glad im not the only one that feels this way .......I know im crazy !!!

I think it is called something like, "body size dismorphia." For years I refused to see exactly how fat I was when I looked in a mirror, and I was devastated when I saw a photo of myself, because I had to accept that that was how others saw me. It's the same way now, only now I can't seem to come to grips with what size my body REALLY is. I still think of myself as a "Big Beautiful Woman" but am I now average, slender, "a few extra pounds"? I just don't know where I fit anymore. I can't even ask a friend because to them I now look totally skinny, because they can't help thinking in comparative measure. It's a mystery! XOXO Charlene

I think it is called something like, "body size dismorphia." For years I refused to see exactly how fat I was when I looked in a mirror, and I was devastated when I saw a photo of myself, because I had to accept that that was how others saw me. It's the same way now, only now I can't seem to come to grips with what size my body REALLY is. I still think of myself as a "Big Beautiful Woman" but am I now average, slender, "a few extra pounds"? I just don't know where I fit anymore. I can't even ask a friend because to them I now look totally skinny, because they can't help thinking in comparative measure. It's a mystery! XOXO Charlene

Charlene... I think you hit the nail on the head! To see a photo of me....I think to myself...that can't REALLY be me.... Seriously...I thought back when I was 270, that I was HOT! I thought...you know....I'm just BIG BONED....cuz that's what I always heard... "yeah...but you're so tall...and you're so pretty." I came to grips that I was the "Pretty, FAT chick". IF that makes any sense. It wasn't until it was blantly (?) said to me by a doctor...YOUR FAT....YOU"RE GONNA DIE. Did I ever really consider this surgery. But still when I look at old pics of me...yeah it's me...but it's not me...if you know what I mean. I didn't see myself that way. It's just lately that I've come to grips with me being overweight...that I look at myself and JUDGE EVERYTHING about me....down from the hanging flap on my tummy...to the saddle bags I know have....maybe I expected more from this surgery.............maybe I expected to look like the mental pic I have in my head of the time I was 17 ( I have this HUGE mental pic that I just cna't get out of my head....I guess it was my happier time). I just WANT to be there again. Maybe it is something mentally...HELL...I don't know. I just know that I want to be able to like myself again. I thought I did...but I really don't. Not until I can actually be that '17' year old again...if that makes any sense. I'm sure I'm rambling...But damn it....I just want to say I did it...I made it there...and right now...I still feel like a whale. LOL

Shannon, Hi I am 5'7" and am at 143 lbs size 10 to 12 all depending on the brand of clothes, but everytime I go to the store I pick a size 12 and I think there is no way I can wear this and sometimes they are to big for me. I have excess skin and when I look at myself I still consider myself fat because I don't care how much exercising I do I can't get all of this toned up. But one day I would like to look at myself and say that I'm happy with the way I look. But when I had this surgery done it was to better my health which it has and I am very happy about that. Sharon 250/159/143 -107lbs

You are SOOOOO totally right, Sharon. That is the reason why most of us have this surgery. I am in better health (I think ) thank before the surgery. Thankfully, I didn't have many health problems (other than tachycardia) becauase of my weihgt. And maybe that is why I'm on this whole binge I'm on. I'll be honest...in my eyes...I didn't have this surgery to get healthier...It was more in vain. Yes...I was overweight..yes had I continued...my health was going down hill as the doc described. Literrally...I was going to die. BUT...that's not what made me consider having this surgery..it was vanity. It was vanity...THERE...I SAID IT!!! LOL I'm one of the few who did it to 'look good again' sort of things. Am I happier than I was ayear ago.. YES...but am I really happy...no. I guess all in all...I wasn't mentally prepared for this surgery. You can bluff the Psyc doc all you want...but you do it to the extend of making sure you get the surgery. And I fall into that catergory. Maybe cuz I was alightweight...I only had 100 pounds to lose according to the doc's scales. And I'm at a NORMAL BMI...but still...I just feel this way. I hope it will pass with time...it just sucks feeling this way...and sometimes I just feel that it sucks being me. I'm sure I'll get over it....I'm sure I will

Hi Shannon, I have the "fat girl syndrome". Even now, it is kinda getting better though. I had my plastics and I think my brain is slowly finally catching up. I was standing in the mirror the other day and went to get something out of my pocket and realized that when I slid my hand down in my pocket I didn't have to go over the mass of skin. It was really strange, right then and there I looked up at my mom whom was in the room with me. I said to her, Mom I actually feel skinny. She's like you've been skinny. I can't wait until my brain catches up completely. We'll see eh? Jamie Open Rny 10/1/2003 Plastics 03/18/2005

I am stuck in the serious fat mode.. I am so glad that you brought this up.. I have been enlightened by all the comments.. I still worry about sitting places or fitting through small openings.. But I do fit and can sit so it is a total mind game.. I think that as post-ops we should share more knowledge with pre-ops about how that they do surgery on your stomach not your brain.. I am only going to be nine months out so I don't know how to deal with it yet.. But when I put my clothes on in the morning I always double check the clothes to make sure that they are mine because no way am I getting in these pants.. they look too damn small.. But they do fit.. Now I am just rambling so I will shut up.. PEACE 464/409/234/214