I was watching a show on Discovery Health last night called "Big Medicine." It's about weight loss surgery. One of the people on there was three years out and looked really good, but she said she still thought and acted like a fat person. I think that sometimes I feel that way. I still can't get used to the idea that the number on the scale has a 1 in front of it instead of a 2. When I go to record my weight, most of the time, I put down a 2 first. And I still look at my thighs and hips and think they look as big as they were before. Yet, if I look at my waist, arms, and face, I can see the weight loss. It's confusing. But I certainly don't feel like I'm a size 12.

So, when does the skinny thinking take over? Anyone else feel this way?

Ann, I'm not sure when the skinny thinking takes over, maybe when we reach super model status. Even then we would be hard on ourselves. There are even super models who think they are fat. Think about all the times you have been around a skinny person crying about how fat they are while you are sitting there at least 100lbs heavier.

I think there is too much pressure from the media thinking all women should be a size 0, anything else is "fat". Remember when they said Tyra Banks was fat, and she was all like "people need to accept themselves for who they are and not what size they are", and she was right but was she happy, she must not have been cause she has lost a lot of weight since then. Anytime a star gains weight they are all over the media it and it becomes the Water cooler story of the week.

I think as we lose weight it is just important to get our minds healthy too, start loving ourselves for who we are and not what size clothes we wear or what the scale says. For me I think that will be harder than losing the weight its self.

You should be so proud of yourself, you look amazing, and I bet you feel great too, and you have over come so much, just keep telling yourself how wonderful you are(and you are you know) and maybe the skinny thinking will take over.

I hope it does for all of us!!!!

You are so right!! It is harder to conquer the "thought" demons than losing the weight sometimes.

Just today I was feeling good about how I looked in my jeans. Then someone at work told me that women's sizes are now bigger than they used to be 20 years ago, meaning that a 10 nowadays is much bigger than what a 10 was 20 years ago. That made me really bummed. Is that true?

I suppose even if it is true, I should just forget about that and just focus on the fact that I started the day happy about how I looked before she told me that.

What a struggle! My emotional eating is starting to creep back, also. I'm still not eating the junk that I used to, but when I get stressed, I'm finding myself overeating stuff that I know I can eat easily.

Ugh!!

I don't think that is true, I heard that they made the sizes smaller so women don't get depressed when they shop, then they are willing to spend more money, but who knows. I think if you fell good about yourself that is the main thing.

I'm not sure how to get past the emotional eating. I don't find that I eat when I am feeling emotional, it more about eating things that are wrong and bad for you instead of making healthier choices for their nutritional value. when I am down I want something really yummy.

Ann what you have accomplished is amazing.

As far as the sizes go, my understanding is the more expensive the clothing, the smaller it is. I remember reading that somewhere.

I have several size 14 pants that fit, and several that don't. I would think that it is definately the style and the designer.

I have a great pair of slacks, size 14, that I never wore. There Talbots, and they are the smallest 14 I have.

So maybe what I read is true.

I'm just glad I am wearing some 14's even though this is going a lot slower that I expected.

I keep telling myself over and over; patience, patience.

It all depends on the company that makes the clothing yes some sizes are bigger today then they were years ago. Companys say that women will pay more money for a smaller size on the tag so they slap a size 12 tag on a size 14 pant. But not all companys do this. Women clothing sizes are not regulated. Only men's sizes are so a size 34 waist has to be a size 34 but not womens. That is why we have to try everything on because a size 12 in one brand may swim on you but in another brand may be so tight you can breath. But i say don't live by the size on your tag as long as you feel good.

Ugh... how confusing and frustrating! Well, I'm going to take it for what it's worth and call it a 10 no matter what. I'm happy to be down from a 22 to a 10!

Now, if I can just get this emotional eating back in check, I'll be good. HG, I tend to want yummy stuff when I feel sad or angry or stressed. That's what I meant. And lately, my life is on OVERLOAD with stress.:biggrin: