Mental me versus me in the Mirror

Everyone keeps telling me that I have lost SO much weight. Their eyes get big and they say "Wow you've lost weight." I get defensive. I don't say anything but I FEEL defensive. I was trying to figure out why, then I realized that when I hold pictures up, I can see a subtle difference but not much. When I look in the mirror, I don't see much difference. Don't get me wrong, I know intellectually I have lost weight. I feel better. I love me more now. I'm stronger both physically and mentally. However, I don't see that I've lost much weight.

 

Is that a normal adjustment process? Will I always see 240 pound me in the mirror?

Hey gurl, I miss you!!!

I don't think you will always see the 240 pound gurl.  When I was at goal, I was still seeing the old 275 pound me...since gaining some weight back I would kill to look the way I did back at my goal weight because now I realize how pretty darn good I looked. 

I believe it's true what they say ... that it takes us a long time for our heads to catch up with our bodies.  In due time gurl.  You are looking pretty darn amazing to me!!!

Awww thank you!!! I missed you too!! I've been off ditching the bad marriage and cleaning out closets and working, working, working. I wonder if we will gain, lose, gain, lose forever. I guess at least now we know how  to lose!

My head hasn't caught up yet either. People are always saying how tiny I am. I'm only 4' 11'' but now I don't have as much bulk which made me appear taller. When I look in the mirror, all I see are rolls of fat or should I say, excess skin. I don't see a tiny person at all but I am starting to really like the average size one I see!

I also had to start buying petite pants, though my height hasn't changed. Isn't that odd?

Are you going to see how much more your skin draws up? Or will you look PS? I'm sort of waiting until goal and then seeing how much more it shrinks on its own.

I'm not sure what I will do. I definitely will wait until I'm where I want to be for awhile and not going up and down before I really give it serious thought. My husband is totally against it but I'm sure I can get him to change his mind if I really wanted to.

Part of me feels that I've been fat all my life so what's the big deal if I have this extra skin. Lord knows, I've become an expert on hiding it over the years. Plus, it's still less than I used to have. But on the other hand, I want to look good, baby! I'm also a chicken and I heard the recovery is brutal. But no pain, no gain I guess.

I also feel that one thing leads to another and at this point in my life, I'm never going to have a killer body. If I get the tummy tuck, then what about my drooping ass? And then what about my chicken neck and bat wings? See what I mean about never being perfect? I also have a ton of nasty vericose veins that I'd love to get rid of too. Oh well, only time will tell...

All I can say is I can't wait to be where u r now. My long term goal is 130 but I would be thrilled at 140-150 . Congratulations on ur journey.

I weigh in between 160 and 165, depending. I want to be 130-135, as well. Hang in there, you'll make it!

It's seriously a head trip.  I know that I am comfortable wearing different or simply less clothing now, but I have many days where I still feel huge and lumbering.  When people tell me I'm tiny, when people question that I still want to lose weight because I'm "boney" or "getting too skinny" I think they are insane because there's no way I will ever be either of those things.  The two things that bring it home to me the most recently are my "fat" jeans from pre-op and fitting into half of them.  That's a stunning visual when I still see me with 100+ pounds to lose.  The other is running.  I'm not built for running.  I'm not graceful, I don't have a good stride, I have always been the sweaty, red-faced, panting, asthmatic, chubby girl that I was in gym class growing up - but now it's totally different.  I'm still not graceful, but I don't pant and I can maintain a decent stride and a decent speed and it doesn't feel like my joints might give out.  I actually feel lighter on my feet.  It's a rush.  On the flip side, there are days when I actually do feel thin.  I savor those days :)

I am still sweaty and red faced! I sweat like I'm running from the police the whole time I jog. I did 2 miles today in the gym at work because I didn't have time for my 4 miles but I sweated even after my shower, I sweated and sweated. I don't get the new sweating thing. It's so odd.