Body Image Issues

I'm almost 18 months post-surgery, 171 lbs down, and i still see myself as the 'fat girl'.   Anyone else having this issue?  Memorial Day weekend all my siblings and I went home for a family get together, and I felt guilty that I wasn't the fat sister anymore.  That scared me a lot, I actually felt bad that I wore two sizes smaller than my sister.  I have no idea how to get past this!

 I was shopping on Sunday, bought my first size 8 jeans, and in my head all I could think was, I bet the cashier girl is thinking, OMG that fat lady thinks she can fit into these.... I almost wanted to say, I honestly just tried these on and they fit! It must just take a while for our brain to adjust to a new body size? 

I am just a little over 3 weeks out so I don't know from personal experience but my doctor and i jus ttalked about when this does start to happen the other day. He suggested therapy. I am thinking about starting therapy sooner than later to try and avoid the issues prior to them starting.

I think positive self talk can help though, try doing that a couple times a day. Especially when you wake up in the morning or put on your outfit each day. Small steps!

You've done wonderfully and you shouldn't feel bad about it...my sister and I joke about making her the fat one and I can't wait until the day it's official haha...

Good luck, hun!
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When you loose weight so fast its NORMAL to feel this way. Your brain hasn't caught up to your body. But it will become normal. (listen to me all preop and stuff... like I know what i am talking about)

My twin sister is doing this with me... although I will be a little before her... I KNOW I will feel guilty being smaller then her until she catches up with me....

As they say..enjoy the ride.

Sadly, it's something that most us will have to battle with for the rest of our lives.  I'm 12 years post-op and still struggle with it.  I know logically that I am not fat anymore: I have the perfect BMI (22) and wear a size 6/8, which for someone who is 5' 10.5" is pretty slender.  However, I just don't see myself as being as thin as other people see me.  I by no means see myself as the 317 pound girl I was the morning of surgery, but I definitely think I'm larger than others who wear a 6/8.  I'm probably not explaining this well, but I can say the further out from surgery you get the easier it becomes to put your body image issues in perspective. 

I was almost two years out before I REALLY started not feeling like a "fat lady in disquise". That doesn't mean you'll stop thinking of your self as being bigger. I just got back from a trip to see my in-laws. I've always looked at my mother-in-law as being SO SMALL! I mean as in 5'0 and 100 pounds soaking wet small. I've always felt huge around her. Even now I feel "big" around her. That all being said I saw several pictures with me and her standing fairly close together and I'll be danged if we almost look the same size! I was completely floored seeing the photo's! I really didn't think I was that small. So, yeah, I'm still not there yet. LOL. I never felt guilty for being smaller than I was however, although I did notice a family member doing the "when are you going to stop losing weight" and "your too small" thing. However, since he was always the "slim" one in the family and has put on a lot of weight in recent years I think he's just having a hard time with ME being the "slim" one. LOL.

Thanks everyone.  I am doing the therapy thing, my therapist suggested I reach out into the forum so I would know I wasn't alone on this one!  And I definitely understand the feeling that people think you're crazy when you're buying smaller sizes.  I swear everytime I go down a size I think they're looking at me like I'm nuts!