How Long Until Your Self-Image Changed?

[virtygirl 11]

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.

[Kiki Von Moonshine 53]

I can't wait for my surgery, and I have been smaller. I loved it. I think I will adjust fine. I'm going to lose my mind once I get into straight sizes. When I say lose my mind I think I'll be dressing up just to go to the corner store. Lol. I kind of already do. Hehe.

[Aussiegirl 580]

I am only 6 months out and about 60% of the way to goal. I still see a fat person, well I still am a fat person, but I am getting better at seeing that I am a smaller person. Tho I do have a hard time buying clothes, at the moment I try to buy clothes to to grown down to. However there have been a few occasions where I have bought clothes that are too big for me even when buying them. I bought a heap of clothes while on holidays the other week and they all fit me currently which I was very surprised to find out, to varying degrees but they all fit.

It is all a work in progress.

[cludgie 81]

Oh, this is a tough one!

I dont see the new me 90% of the time, very occasionally I see a photo of myself though, and that is when it hits me - like someone has photo,-shopped my head on another body!

In fact saturday I was talking to 2 skinny friends, both of whom are shorter than me, and we ended up arguing about size because I just couldn't accept I now weigh less than 1 friend, and the same as the other, although apparently this is now the case!

It probably sounds pretty bad, but I sometimes play a game with my husband called bigger/smaller/the same, where I'll identify someone I think is approx my size, and my hubby will then have to tell me if I was right - invariably I am wrong tho!

[missmeow 156]

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!

I am going to answer this from the opposite perspective. I was normal sized until I gained a lot of weight rapidly. It took me, gosh, 3-5 years for my dreams (where my real self image resides) to catch up with this. I would dream I was my normal size and my normal self. Waking, I knew I was big and once I got on the scale and saw photos, I knew it for sure. So if you have been big all your life, or most of your life, it is probably going to take awhile for your brain to catch up. I would say it is perfectly normal and it would also be perfectly normal to need some help adjusting.

[1Bumblebee 8]

I will be honest with my experience. I am 1 year 2 days post op. I have lost 69lbs' date=' 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[/quote']

I've been reading through this thread and had to stop at your reply. I'm sad that you've worked this hard and went through a serious surgery and can't see your beauty. First of all, beauty is always within. You have been successful with your weight loss. Your weight has to do with your health...not your beauty. I'm sure that you have much beauty within you. Please take time for yourself and maybe see a therapist for help. You deserve it and you are beautiful.

[Globetrotter 1,340]

I am 40 pounds from goal 18 months out from surgery. I have been in a stall now for 60 days. I look in the mirror and I see a chunky girl, a chubby girl, a girl who looks like she sits on her ass gorging on junk food rather than spending an hour in the gym 5 days a week. My fat gut still strains against my pants zippers, still gets in the way during yoga. My batwings keep me from wearing sleeveless and makes me look soft and marshmallowy. I am still the fattest person in every yoga or exercise class I participate in. I academically understand that I have lot 127 pounds, I kept some clothes that used to be very snug so I can see the difference, I have seen the difference on the faces of people who hadn't seen me since before surgery but ...

I sometimes feel fatter now than I did at my fattest. But I really am still fat, it's not like I'm one of these ladies who is a size 4 and talks about not recognizing it (champagne problems, IMHO), at 168 ppounds I am still a size 12-14 bottoms, I could still shop at Lane f***ing Bryant, I am still big. If I am 125 pounds and a size 6 and still seeing a fat powerless person in the mirror, I will go to therapy.

[LilMissDiva Irene 3,281]

I dealt with not seeing the new and true me for a long time. Then I started making side by side photos of me, like the one you see in my signature line. I can't say how much this helps to train my brain that I am no longer that fat girl. I don't even see her in the mirror anymore. I think the only last thing I need to get over is realizing that I CAN fit into some tiny clothes. I mostly always think it won't fit and it does. That will come with more time I guess.

[MissBliss 29]

I am 8 months out and 93 pounds down and I am struggling with this. I don't see the change. Everyone else does. I still feel so large! Someone says "wow you look great!" My standard reply is "thanks, I am getting there" Maybe because I started at such a high weight and I am so far from goal. Sigh. My head is pretty messed up about the entire thing. I liken it to anorexics not being able to see how thin they are. Isn't there a name for it. Dysmorphia? Something like that. I'm getting there!