I am grateful that I have lost 70 lbs. I weight 195 lbs. now. However, despite all that weight lost, I don't feel skinnier. I feel the same, shape and everything but a smaller version of an equally overweight person. When does that change? When I am at a "normal" weight according to charts? That would be between 135-145 for my 5'4" frame. I am closer to that, but thought that at this point I'd feel skinnier but I don't. What is your experience? At what point of the journey you thought: "This is IT, I am not losing anymore weight!"? Thanks in advance for your response. I could have not gone through this without your help and encouragement from day one. Hugs.

Im confused ???

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Some people say it takes a while for the mind to catch up with the physical situation. Why don't you take some trousers you wore pre-op and put them on while looking in a mirror. They surely will be way too big so seeing that physical difference may get the message into your mind. Just a suggestion.

I think it does take time for the mental to tcatch up with the physical. I still feel fat too but what has helped or makes me notice are my side by side pictures before and after...those make me feel good

I've lost about 70lbs also and while I do feel physically better (I was almost immobile at my biggest) I don't really know if I feel any better. Granted I'm still a big girl. Our minds take a whole to catch up in situations like this. When you live life as a big person for so long all of a sudden you don't just see yourself as a regular person. I still get scared when I hear I have to walk somewhere but them remember I actually CAN walk now. It's like my brain isn't quite there yet. Takes time!

I am grateful that I have lost 70 lbs. I weight 195 lbs. now. However' date=' despite all that weight lost, I don't feel skinnier. I feel the same, shape and everything but a smaller version of an equally overweight person. When does that change? When I am at a "normal" weight according to charts? That would be between 135-145 for my 5'4" frame. I am closer to that, but thought that at this point I'd feel skinnier but I don't. What is your experience? At what point of the journey you thought: "This is IT, I am not losing anymore weight!"? Thanks in advance for your response. I could have not gone through this without your help and encouragement from day one. Hugs.[/quote']

I'm only down 20lbs and I feel like a skinnIer person....I think its an individual thing.

It depend on the day here. Today, I feel beautiful and thin and perfect and light. Yesterday, I felt like a big fat blog and still 375 pounds. I look in the mirror and I still see myself sometimes at 375 (I know, those that have seen my before/after find that hard to believe LOL). It's a mental game. I will tell you that as time has gone by, it's gotten less and less. I now am not so shocked when I catch my reflection in a door, thinking someone is walking beside me or something with my same clothes on. LOL.

It realy is a head game. Therapy is helping me through it, but I still sometimes feel like I still have 210 more pounds on me.

As far as when you're "done" - I am of the belief that we'll just know. Having said that, make sure you watch your weight/BMI that you aren't going too low so use a reality check with yourself. I've put my goal currently at 150, which is the upper end of my BMI. When I get there, I'll reevaluate.

I've read that once we lose our extra weight we will still have basically the same body shape, just smaller. Can't beat genetics I guess. Have you ever done any body shaping exercises?? For me, when I do strengthening and toning (weights, resistance bands, pilates) I notice more changes in my shape than at any time I've lost weight.

I feel the same. I have the same shape, only smaller. The other day when I went to the bathroom at the movies, I scared myself walking into the bathroom because there was a mirror right there and I didn't know the person rushing toward me. It takes a while for our brains to catch up with our bodies. I will tell you some things that I do. I take my measurements frequently, I put on the few old clothes that I kept so I can "really see" the difference.

Here are the non-scale things that make me feel so good about how far I've come: running up the stairs without losing my breath, shaving and tying my shoes with no difficulties, being able to get off all of my blood pressure meds, and finally going from morbidly obese, to obese, and finally to "just" overweight on the BMI chart.

I think the side by side picture comparison is a great idea. I can relate to this feeling. It really wasn't until people started commenting on how thin I looked did I "feel" skinny. This was about 3 weeks ago

\ I am 11 months out feb 27, 2012 lost 80 lbs and that is it but still have hope but it takes work I know that I have to work at it

Every now and then I see myself,thin!Mostly not. The things that started me on this crazy diet cycle when I was young only started showing now,3 pounds from goal..lol

Saddle bags on my upper legs,eeeew! What can I do about it but have plastics? However,I have realized I have to wait with plastics for a year so that I can learn to accept myself,warts and all.

O,and I have come to realize that thin is not a feeling for me.Its that moment I walk past a shop window and see myself.When I put on new clothes that is 10 sizes smaller. that is thin!

The difference the next 20-30 pounds will make is huge thou.You just wait and see!