After quickly losing a lot of your weight, how long did it take for your head to catch up with your body? How long until you realized... Hey! I'm not a fat person anymore!

Great question ... looking forward to reading what people have to say

I'm 21 lbs. to goal, and I'm a comfortable size 4 ( a 1980's size 10 ), but I can't judge my size when I go into a store and I haven't changed my profile photo because I still think fat and I don't get photos taken. I'm hoping this fear will prevent me from stretching out my sleeve. Best wishes

This is a great question. I'm down 70 pounds and I still look at myself the same way as before. Now I didn't have any self confidence issues before...so I'm hoping as the more compliments I get..the more I'll realize it.

That's a really good question!

I would say I'm half-way there at one year out. Meaning: half the time I see the current me and half the time I see my old self in my head. I agree it is worse when clothing shopping. I just can't seem to accept that the plus size dept. doesn't work for me anymore. It's a good problem to have.

im 9 months out.......reached goal several months ago. i'm a size 2 now, but I still see myself as big. I'm wondering the same question. when you are big for a long time....years.....will i ever see myself as small?

I will be honest with my experience. I am 1 year 2 days post op. I have lost 69lbs, use to be 237lbs now at 168lbs. My self esteem is terrible! worse than before. I know I lost weight, but I don't see it. I still see the girl who was a 2X and not the girl who is now a 12-13. I don't feel thinner. I do feel lighter but I still see myself as a very big girl.

don't get why I feel this way... I feel very disappointed, I see so many girls/ladies who have had the surgery and they look so beautiful, but I don't see me like them. sighh

Great Question, didnt realise everyone thinks this aswell. My family and friends dont understand why i cant see how much weight i have lost

I think this is something alot of women struggle with. We need to work on that.

Totally agree. I'm only 3.5 weeks out, but have now lost 25 pounds. My friends and family gush about how great I look, but I honestly don't see it yet (other than in my face). Hoping the mind catches up with the body, because I want to ROCK this once blustery MN gets a bit warmer!!

I'm with Amanda on this...

I'm 19+mths out and half the time I see myself in a better way... and half the time I still see and feel fat! I think that as time goes on the percentage will change... and lets face it, I have a lot of time...lol. I don't 'hate' myself any more, so that is a good thing. I do think that once I get to goal that will mentally change things too.

Self esteem is such a personal thing. I know a lot of very confident people who are carrying a lot more weight that I am and they are happy with themselves regardless of some stupid number on the scale... that is my aim I think, self acceptance!

Jaspersgirl: It may be time to do some inner work on yourself. This has been a big change for you and your mind hasn't wrapped around the new body. I fear that you will gradually gain this weight back if you don't get help. You are a beautiful person and could benefit from seeing a therapist. Please get some help. You have come this far so let's continue on this path......

Jaspersgirl: It may be time to do some inner work on yourself. This has been a big change for you and your mind hasn't wrapped around the new body. I fear that you will gradually gain this weight back if you don't get help. You are a beautiful person and could benefit from seeing a therapist. Please get some help. You have come this far so let's continue on this path......

you are so right!! I have come this far so let's continue on this path!!! my self image is terrible. I don't want to regain that crazy ugly weight! thank you

I've run the entire gauntlet over the years from being morbidly obese, to obese, to fairly "normal" (very briefly, 20 years ago) and now back up to obese. I have never felt normal or thought that I looked normal. Even when at a normal weight, I'd look in the mirror and see myself the same way I always have. I think this is common among people who have been overweight for their entire life. This time, tho, I have a number of "before" pictures that I'll be able to compare to the "new" me after I get sleeved and then reach goal. I'm going to work at feeling normal and enjoying the benefits because I think that's a vital component of long-term success.

I see myself as half and half...I've lost 55 lbs so far, but I find that I still avoid full-length mirrors whenever possible. I know that I've lost the weight, I know that I feel better and look better but it's still hard to wrap my head around those facts. A good example was yesterday I accompanied my husband and niece to the Harley Davidson shop. My husband is interested in purchasing a new bike so that I can ride along with him. They actually had to coerce me into getting on the bike behind and trying on a leather jacket. Honestly I was afraid that I would not fit, I would not be able to get my leg up and over or I would be uncomfortable on the bike and in the jacket. So I tried on the jacket and it looked really good. I also got on the bike and we looked good on it.

In fact, my husband actually asked me at the shop, what was I afraid of or was I trying to wait until I lost more weight? Hmm, talking about being more in tune to me than realized, very perceptive of him. I finally admitted that I didn't think the jacket would fit and that I would look ridiculous on the back of the bike.

Our niece took a picture of us on it and I think I will print it out as a bit of reminder to try new things and to face some of my fears.