Hello Sleevers,

I've been sleeved now for one year, I hit my goal weight six months after surgery. Here's my issue when I was wearing 18/22 I would look at the size 4/ 6 in the department store and say wow that's really tiny. Now that I wear a size 4/6 I look at my jeans and say wow these look pretty big to me, it's like in my mind if I'm wearing it...it's got to be huge or large not small or tiny. My therapist says this is normal my mind is still processing the new me and in time I will see what every one else sees. When I see individuals that I've not seen in a long time they say things like "Don't lose any more weight" or "Wow your so tiny" I've attached a picture of me in a pair of new jeans, this is my screen saver on my cellphone, my therapist believes this will help me train my mind to see the true me.

My question, have any other sleevers had this issue? and how are you dealing with it?

Take Care

I'm only six weeks out, but I expect to go through the same thing. I've already gone from a 22/24 to solid 18, even have a pair of 16 that fit. But because we're going from winter to spring, I refuse to buy new clothes until I really need to. So I'm still wearing my 20 jeans and 1-2X tops and jackets. I just don't want to buy a new jacket for a few weeks. I've lost over 10 inches from arms, waist, hips, legs, etc. - so the weight loss is there. But I still see the same fat me when I look in the mirror or see myself naked. This weekend, I cleaned out my closets. I kept clothes from 8-10 years ago when I was "normal" at size 4/6. I held them up and couldn't believe I ever fit in them, nor that I ever will again. I even broke into tears at how much damage I've done to my body, and I just didn't see it. I kept asking my husband, "Do you really remember me that size?!?" There is a strange association that the memories of wearing those clothes was a different person and somehow I switched bodies.

You know how your body feels when you get off a treadmill, go skating, etc. and you stop -- feels like the ground should still be moving. And that's only after 20-30 minutes. I see it as the same thing. We're wearing fat suits for years, or even decades. Our minds need some time to catch up, know you're on solid ground again. I don't ever want to forget how 275, 250, 200, etc. pounds feels on my joints and my bones, so that I will always appreciate where I (eventually!) end up.

I think it will take a while, maybe even years after I reach goal before I feel stable again...

I take my jeans out of the dryer and laugh--can't believe they will actually go on my body, and they do.... so very strange!!!