So took some pics today of myself and my husband so we can start to document the journey. If I wasn't a tough broad I'd be crying my eyes out.

Oh. My. Gawd.

I have lost 7 lbs on pre-op which I have NEVER before been able to do in a week. So I'm feeling pretty good about myself, right? Fix my hair and my makeup and I'm all like, wow, I'm looking better! Because in my head, I'm a skinny person I guess.

But in fact, I'm not skinny of course.

We take these pictures with clothes and then just with undies. Can I just say...I look soooo unattractive to myself! I look fat, and out of shape, and blobby. All of which I am, but seeing a picture of me made it a lot more real than looking at myself in the mirror, not sure why.

I have a friend who used to say he needed to lose weight and when we told him he looked fine, he always joked, "You only say that because you haven't seen me naked". Today, I know exactly what he meant.

I'm trying not to obsess about it and just remember that THIS is why I am getting the surgery. But really I cannot imagine EVERY posting pics of myself in undies for befores and afters. I hope I get there.

Made me wonder if people see themselves accurately? I guess in my head I still remember how I used to be, not how I am. Do you think you see yourself accurately?

I feel the same way that you do. I feel skinny until I see pictures of myself or se myself in a mirror. But that is why I'm having this surgery so that the me on the inside matches me on the outside.

Use that picture to fuel you, to motivate you, to remind you why when you start to crave crappy stuff...

I don't know when your surgery is, but a couple of months from that date, take another set of pictures and put them side by side..I guarantee if you have worked the program, you will be blow away by the change.

We all have body image issues. I was drowning in clothes after I lost 50 pounds but I didn't see that change in the mirror. But the funny thing was once I went and bought a couple of things that fit..THEN I was like..wow I can tell the difference.

Im taking pics frequently, but i learned NOT to look at them!!! Just found a set-up where i can set the timer, stand in the same place, and take the pic. In a few months i will look at the progression, but if i look now it would make me sad i think. Just have to remember it is a long journey, but im headed the right direction at least!

I never recognize myself in pictures. Like in my head, I really don't look like that. This is why I rarely take any pics. It dampens my mood... I'd rather think I look cute... lol:)

I have taken some before pictures as well! I HATE them! Is that really me I thought. These pictures are going to be the old me, I will be looking forward to having the after ones done. Well I might have to peg the lose skin with a bucket of pegs lol. As lest I'll look better in cloths ha ha :-)

I have bra and panties pic on my profile. Go Look. I never thought badly of myself. I said we all have to take one step at a time.

I do measurements and photos every Tuesday. In fact these last 2 weeks I didn't lose much like .5 inches and 2 lbs and my entire body changed and IA m glad for those pictures.

So took some pics today of myself and my husband so we can start to document the journey. If I wasn't a tough broad I'd be crying my eyes out.

Oh. My. Gawd.

I have lost 7 lbs on pre-op which I have NEVER before been able to do in a week. So I'm feeling pretty good about myself' date=' right? Fix my hair and my makeup and I'm all like, wow, I'm looking better! Because in my head, I'm a skinny person I guess.

But in fact, I'm not skinny of course.

We take these pictures with clothes and then just with undies. Can I just say...I look soooo unattractive to myself! I look fat, and out of shape, and blobby. All of which I am, but seeing a picture of me made it a lot more real than looking at myself in the mirror, not sure why.

I have a friend who used to say he needed to lose weight and when we told him he looked fine, he always joked, "You only say that because you haven't seen me naked". Today, I know exactly what he meant.

I'm trying not to obsess about it and just remember that THIS is why I am getting the surgery. But really I cannot imagine EVERY posting pics of myself in undies for befores and afters. I hope I get there.

Made me wonder if people see themselves accurately? I guess in my head I still remember how I used to be, not how I am. Do you think you see yourself accurately?[/quote']

I know what you mean, I have very few before pics because I hated my body. I love my new body and now I can't seem to keep my clothes on for pics

I have pretty much avoided being in pictures for years, when I did take them I usually hid behind everyone or stategically placed one of the kids in front of me. Then I was sad as I went thru pics and didn't have me and my kids together. Now even though I'm still heavy and am coming to terms with this is how I really look. I am embracing it because I know I am changing it soon. I want to remember what it was like, how I looked and felt about. So once the pounds begin to shed I can see where I came from and where I'm going. I don't love my size now, but I don't hate myself either, I've been thru alot in my life and I give myself credit and love for making it thru. Yeah the pounds added up, but now as I feel better about me, I am ready to take the pounds off. I've put everyone first and now I love me and am putting myself first.

I know I won't be perfect, I will most likely sag and droop but it beats how I feel now, big, saggy and droopy, lol, so I will just subtract the "big" from that equation. If I think I need plastics, then I will do just that

I have pretty much avoided being in pictures for years' date=' when I did take them I usually hid behind everyone or stategically placed one of the kids in front of me. Then I was sad as I went thru pics and didn't have me and my kids together. Now even though I'm still heavy and am coming to terms with this is how I really look. I am embracing it because I know I am changing it soon. I want to remember what it was like, how I looked and felt about. So once the pounds begin to shed I can see where I came from and where I'm going. I don't love my size now, but I don't hate myself either, I've been thru alot in my life and I give myself credit and love for making it thru. Yeah the pounds added up, but now as I feel better about me, I am ready to take the pounds off. I've put everyone first and now I love me and am putting myself first.

I know I won't be perfect, I will most likely sag and droop but it beats how I feel now, big, saggy and droopy, lol, so I will just subtract the "big" from that equation. If I think I need plastics, then I will do just that [/quote']

I too feel sad that I have so few pics with my kids. I read a wonderful article once that said your family loves you and wants you in the pics so stop thinking of yourself and get in there! But of course now everyone knows I hate getting my picture taken and so they don't even try.

I think your new attitude is super healthy and I know I have to work on embracing my body just as it is, and just as it will be after the surgery--droppy, saggy and all

I totally know how you feel! I always see myself in my head as I used to be back in highschool and before kids then I see a picture of myself or glance in the mirror and wonder who that person is and I'm horrified. But we are both doing the best thing possible and soon we will see pictures of ourselves and smile at how healthy we look!!

And it also looks like I've been that. Woman that wears too-tight bras without even knowing it. My husband took back pictures of me and I was like, I'm surprised my bras just haven't cut me in half all these years! Maybe if I'd taken more pics of myself it would have pushed me into surgery sooner!