I don't normally post NSV for myself, but I thought I would post this one today. Especially since I really struggle with recognizing myself and my weight loss and not seeing a fat person staring back at me in the mirror. Today helped me put in perspective that I really do see myself differently than the rest of the world.

I take my daughter to swimming lessons and have to be in the pool with her because she is not yet 3 years old and all the classes are parented. Today was life jacket day and I decided to put one one for my daughter as a good example. The first one I grabbed, the instructor said "Oh, I think that will be too big for you", so I grabbed another one and started to put it on, and she said to me in front of everyone else that I could probably even wear the size 2 life jackets (these are youth size life jackets!). I still wore the bigger one, but was shocked that someone thought I could wear something so small! The instructor is a young woman and I think she has a fabulous figure, and for her to look at me and suggest I need something smaller...I was blown away.

You go girl!!!

wow. awesome nsv!!!

I want to hear more of this from you! This is fabulous, you have worked so hard to get to where you are today that we need to pat ourselves on the back and say good job. Did you try the size 2 life jacket on? Hope so, if not, try it on when you go back.

BTW: It is necessary to give yourself kudos so that your little one can learn to give herself kudos tooooooo!

Awesome nsv!!!!

Awesome!!!!!

SS, This is great. I'm still only about 2 months out so I haven't had the opportunity to experience the self image differential yet.

What I can say is from your avi, you appear to be "model" thin. I look at at your collar bones, neck , & face and I can't even see that you were ever overweight.

You've really come a long way and it shows. I only hope that I'm nearly as successful as you.

SS, This is great. I'm still only about 2 months out so I haven't had the opportunity to experience the self image differential yet.

What I can say is from your avi, you appear to be "model" thin. I look at at your collar bones, neck , & face and I can't even see that you were ever overweight.

You've really come a long way and it shows. I only hope that I'm nearly as successful as you.

Thank you very much.

I want to hear more of this from you! This is fabulous, you have worked so hard to get to where you are today that we need to pat ourselves on the back and say good job. Did you try the size 2 life jacket on? Hope so, if not, try it on when you go back.

BTW: It is necessary to give yourself kudos so that your little one can learn to give herself kudos tooooooo!

I did not try it on, there were a whole bunch of other parents standing around and I was a little caught off guard!

And you are right, we really do need to give ourselves credit. I kept saying that I really didn't do anything and that I do not know why I have been successful, and my husband kept saying that I need to really stop that because I have made lots of changes. I have never counted calories, carbs or Protein, but I changed the way I eat and what I eat significantly. I feel like I eat a pretty normal diet now, but didn't recognize the change. When I was big, I always made it a point to not say anything about myself in front of my children. My mom always made fun of herself and put herself down, but turned around and told me I was beautiful. It doesn't really work that way, and I learned from my Mom how to run myself down. I vowed I would not do that to my children!

That is so awesome! What an exciting feeling =)

SS, I think I would have to agree with your husband, the success you have realized simply doesn't happen without sacrifice. Maybe it didn't seem like a lot of work to you because you kept the goal in sight, rather than focusing on the day to day sacrifices you were making. But I bet you a dollar, if I were to have asked you 18 months ago how easy is this, you could have come up with several things you were sacrificing. Now, 20 months out you've become comfortable with your new way of life, and that is a good thing.

All in all I can say that everything is going pretty smooth for me. But I still need to put effort into learning to prepare proper portions(I still throw away a lot of food). I frustrate my wife with "thank you for considering me, but, I just can't eat that" or the occasional "Holy $h!z that plate could feed me for 3days". I'm still in the learning curve on how to make a variety of foods that dont all taste like dried out chicken breast.

I'm sure if you look back some of this will ring a bell. Give credit where it is due. You've come a long way.

SS, I think I would have to agree with your husband, the success you have realized simply doesn't happen without sacrifice. Maybe it didn't seem like a lot of work to you because you kept the goal in sight, rather than focusing on the day to day sacrifices you were making. But I bet you a dollar, if I were to have asked you 18 months ago how easy is this, you could have come up with several things you were sacrificing. Now, 20 months out you've become comfortable with your new way of life, and that is a good thing.

All in all I can say that everything is going pretty smooth for me. But I still need to put effort into learning to prepare proper portions(I still throw away a lot of food). I frustrate my wife with "thank you for considering me, but, I just can't eat that" or the occasional "Holy $h!z that plate could feed me for 3days". I'm still in the learning curve on how to make a variety of foods that dont all taste like dried out chicken breast.

I'm sure if you look back some of this will ring a bell. Give credit where it is due. You've come a long way.

I think you said you are 2 months post op?? You are early out and it takes such a long time to adjust and know what you can eat and how much. I still occasionally have over-eaten and the results are not pretty! And seasonings go a long way (the fight against the dried out chicken breast). Some things take a long time to be able to handle. I love pork chops but it took a long time to be able to eat them, they are really hard to digest (we always trim the fat off and bake or BBQ them). You will get there! I am still amazed some days how much restriction I still have...and...how much people really eat...yikes!! But, for the most part, you will get so used to it that it is just second nature and normal for you (PS. I never let my hubby dish out my food...I say "please, I will do it myself"...if there is too much on my plate, it is sometimes tempting to eat it)

Good luck on your journey. I have been a part of this board for a while, but only started posting more now that I feel like I might know a little something. There is lots of great information on here, as well as lots of uninformed information, so be careful what you read. You have to do what works best for you. I was lucky, I was self pay and went through a company that facilitates surgeries. They have regular support groups and I have met a lot of local people that have had the surgery as well. I hope that you have or can find something like that as well, it is a great resource. Because, let's face it, as supportive as our spouses can be, they do not understand what we have been through as an overweight person, and they do not understand what is like to have 80% of your stomach removed.