Person in the Mirror

 So I know many people have a hard time seeing themselves as thinner as they lose weight.  I have the opposite problem.  I feel great, I'm losing weight hand over fist and then I look in the mirror and there is still this fat lady staring back.  I still get the "looks" when going into victoria's secret, as I dream of one day fitting in there.  This is the point in all my other weight loss attempts where the weight usually comes back on.  

I feel good, but I'm still fat and I just feel like there isn't any point in continuing.  Obviously, one of the reasons I had the surgery is to help me get over this hump and get down to where my outsides look like my insides but I'm finding this week to be particularly hard.  

I guess this is one of those, this shall pass, moments, but I just wondered if anyone else has this issue, and what if anything you did to get through it.

 I understand.  I don't see what other people are seeing... I had someone I've worked with for 26 years... she's in our remote office... we saw each other for the first time this week ...talked, but not seen each other and she didn't recognize me.  Walked right by me and I stopped her...  I do not see this new me.

ON THE OTHER HAND, I'm, down 5 pant sizes, over 90 pounds and when I try on clothes in smaller sizes, I have to just smile and tell my visual mind, to "get with the program."  It's one day at a time, one pound at a time and staying focused on the goal.  I don't care about the looks I get when I shop in the "smaller" clothes, Victoria's Secret... they don't know what I've been through and it's none of their business.  Find that inner strength and hold your head up high!  After everything you've been thorugh, everything you're going through, you will be a Victoria's Secret shopper and BUYER soon!

Hang strong through the bad times and get your head in the game!!!\

Best to you!!!

have you kept any of your clothes from before surgery? if not....go to the store and try on clothes in the size you USED TO WEAR. that will help to remind you just how far you have come!!

think about how much better you feel now...how much easier it is for you to move around and to actually get to those stores.

You got this woman! You will be stockin' up at VS in no time...

I have a similar problem.  I'm 10 pounds below original goal (now down to 135 pounds)--size 6/8.  When I try on clothes, I know I look damn good; however, when I hold up a size 6 for some reason it looks really big.  I know a 6 is super small (last year I was a 22 and up), but the size 6 looks like last year's size 14. 

I know it's in my head...

Not only have we damaged our bodies beyond repair (look at all the plastic surgery that is necessary), we've damaged our minds a great deal as well. The years of poor self esteem and image are incredibly hard to undo. I am sure it does get better as the years go by and you have lived your "normal" life for quite some time. You just haven't grasped the concept that this is your new normal. 

Most days I can't see that I've lost over a hundred pounds. I only see that I still have 40 more to lose. I'm highly critical of my poochy spots and wrinkly skin. I'm just as self concious as I was when I was bigger. I know I'll get better at it, as each day I make it my goal to find something I like about myself. It definitely is a difficult process, though. If you think counseling would help, please do seek it! I'm thinking of going back to see my shrink in a few weeks. She helped with a lot of other stresses; I'm sure it will be theraputic to spill my heart about these as well.

"Not only have we damaged our bodies beyond repair (look at all the plastic surgery that is necessary), we've damaged our minds a great deal as well.  " 

You completely hit the nail on the head here!  I still feel like I'm over 300lbs, not 223lbs.  Even trying on the old size 26s, I still feel like I'm just a smaller version of my fat self.  Now I'm having the loose skin issues on my breasts.  I can twist my skin there and it stays twisted.  I'm wondering who is going to be attracted to this.  But I know that whoever I do find will love me enough to be able to look passed the loose skin and see my acomplishments instead.  

But yes, we have damaged our bodies and our minds with our obesity :(

Oh I definitely had this issue, several times.. and it usually came along with the feeling that I'd never get there, never thought about giving up, but did fear that my body would call it before I was done. I'd whine, and moan and fret.. and my husband would remind me to go look at my before pic, that I had forgotten where I started. He was right, in a way.. I hadn't forgotten, but my brain was stuck somewhere in between there and the new reality..

Sometimes we just hold onto that image and see it when we look at ourselves in the mirror. I still see myself bigger than I really am in the mirror.. it takes a while. This will pass, it is a bad day or three. You are crossing a line that usually blocked you, just know that this time you will pass this point and keep losing as long as you keep doing what you have been doing! Take care of you, take a nice hot shower and a walk later.. maybe pull out some old pics, take a look through vacation ideas.. get to planning something to do in a few months that you can picture yourself really enjoying. You'll get past this tripping point and you will feel better with it in the rear-view.

This is the point in all my other weight loss attempts where the weight usually comes back on.  

I feel good, but I'm still fat and I just feel like there isn't any point in continuing.

I hear you on that. It's very early in the process/journey for me and just last night I was talking with my therapist about my fear that I'll be the person for whom the surgery doesn't work, because I just cannot imagine myself at a more healthy weight right now. I've been stalled all week and while I KNOW this is completely normal, that I'm doing what I need to be (and all that I can physically manage) doing right now, it's hard to believe that I'll get past this point and continue to lose. Hard to believe that THIS time, things will happen differently than they have every other time I've tried (and failed) to lose weight.

It's something we're going to have to be patient with, and learn in time. It will take discipline and practice, just like this new lifestyle. Just keep on keepin' on and keep the faith in your surgery and in yourself. Time will tell and it's up to us to make that happen. You can do it!!!

Gurl, you are in fact, just having a "moment". We have all been there. I actually didn't start feeling smaller until I was about 6 months out and I still have a ways to go ... but you will get there gurl! You are only 2 months out. Imagine what you will look like 6 months from now. You are doing it gurl ... you will get there.
And we want an update when you do shop at VS!!!!