I wonder how much body image is an issue for others. I feel that my view of my body has, in the past, been completely skewed and just flat out wrong. Anyone else struggle with this? If so, how and when did you see yourself un-clearly and when did it become apparent that this had happened? (Maybe seeing a picture of a time when you felt huge but looked ok or vice versa.)

I know that this is an issue with others that have weight problems like anorexia and bulimia but maybe this a problem for all of us to some extent!

I think a lot of that is fueled by others. My mother never let me wear a bikini when I was a kid. She said I was too fat - I weighed about 110 lbs and was 5'. Sure, I didn't have a flat stomach even at that weigh but how many times have you seen someone who was maybe 20 or 30 lbs overweight wearing a bikini and not caring what everyone else thought.

Good point Pinky Green!

I really feel this way. I always saw myself at about 200lbs when I actually was 255lbs....denial?? and now I STILL see 200lbs and I am 170lbs..... very odd!!

Same here. I have lost almost 50 lbs and I just don't SEE it. I still see the same 244 lb fat person in the mirror. Everyone else notices, but I don't. My clothes are hanging off me. It is baffling. I think that I was always in denial about how BIG I acutally was.

I can relate to this completely. I lost a total of about 70lbs with my lapband and never really felt that I was thin.All my friends and coworkers would tell me how great I looked but I just didn't feel it. I knew I lost the weight but always still saw myself as a big girl. I have several friends who also have had WLS and feel the same way. I guess it is our mental image of ourselves and much like our issues with food it is a hard habit to break so to speak.