Dug out my BEFORE pictures...

 You are:  incredible, and inspiration, a motivator, a gem.  Your frequent posts are great; I always
know you'll have a good word whenever I log on.  You cheer the rest of us on, and we love you for being around us.  WAY TO GO!!!!

Thanks! :)

WOW - You look amazing.  I am having surgery on March 30th.  I have some head issue's with my pictures.  On a daily basis I do NOT feel gross, bad, ugly about myself.  Then when I see some of my current pictures that are not on my profile right now I am disgusted about how far I've let myself go.  I look at the pictures and I think about the day they were taken and I didn't feel bad that particular day about how I looked but I feel bad now looking back.  I'm sure that's normal but it boggles my mind truly.   Maybe too on the other hand I'm am in denile on a daily basis thinking that "I'm not that bad". 

It's just a weird head thing I think - I remember feeling pretty when I went out or whatever and I get the pictures back and think OMG!

Anyone else have the same feelings?

Absolutely!  Mirrors lie to our heads.  For some unexplainable reason, pictures don't.  So be SURE to document your progress in photos - for a good, long time, it'll be the ONLY way you are actually able to SEE the change in your body!  Most people do them every month on their surgiversary (or thereabouts...)

I thought the purple top I wore to my first appointment was pretty flattering on me!  ugh...

Does the mirror still lie even though you've lost weight?  I mean I see "thin" people that dispise their photo's and pick apart every detail.  Is this an insecurity issue with our bodies in general?  I want to love ME in pictures ya know I just want to be proud of myself in them.  Weird how the mind works huh!

The mirror is doing better, but my head hasn't quite caught up.  I SEE a much thinner (or would that be "less thick?") person in the mirror, but I don't think of myself as being a "normal" size yet.  Maybe I never will.  And maybe that's okay, 'cuz it might keep me mindful.
 
I am DEFINITELY prouder of myself in pictures.  Yes, I pick some things apart, but only my own quirks - like when the crookedness of my poor, messed up back is apparent in a photo - THAT bugs me.   And sometimes my muffin top.  Not too fond of that, either.  But it beats the heck out of the belly I USED to haul around!!!