Now I'm 3 weeks post op as of today. I'm down 17 lbs and I know that's a big deal, but when family tells me you look a little smaller. I don't believe them and I think that their just being nice because they know about the surgery, and I don't see any changes. So when they say that I answer by saying, "whatever." I hope you understand and can relate to what I'm saying.

When I was overweight before surgery, I never noticed that I was overweight when I looked at myself in a mirror. So when I lost weight after surgery, I wasn't obvious just looking in a mirror.

For me it became obvious when my clothes started falling off and I was forced to buy new ones. I went from a size 3X down to a size small in shirts and from a size 46 in pants down to a size 33. That was really how I noticed that I had lost weight.

People will notice way before you do.

Today I don't feel any different. I take up less chair, I can move better than before, but when I look in the mirror I still have tons of belly so I feel exactly the same. Even though I have gone from size 28 to an 8 it's a head game.

@@leag78

I can totally relate, I still cant see the difference but i feel the difference. I want it gone now now now but thats not realistic. it didnt take us overnight to gain and it wont take overnight to lose. I see my fiance once a month and he is amazed at the amount I have lost but I on the other hand still see this jelly roll around my neck and gut. You need to remember that you are beautiful the way you are no matter if you are big, small, short or tall. This isnt about your looks right now its about your life and your health. Beauty is truely within your heart.

Many of us with weight issues have some type of body dis-morphism in that we do not see what others see. We look in the mirror and often do not see how large we are and when we start to lose weight we do not see that either. Pictures help alot when you can't see what others see. Also..no matter the reason, if someone tells you that it looks like you've lost some weight, just say thank you..and get used to it. It will happen more and more as the weight comes off.

As far as myself, I am less than half my size now and am still struggling with seeing what others see. I've been called skinny and that is hard for me to hear because I have NEVER been skinny and the fat girl still lurks in my head.

You can also do a search on this topic in that it is brought up quite often.

Ive told select people about my surgery im having. Ive lost maybe 20 lbs and they keep saying i look smaller. I think they are just being nice.

You WON'T see what other people see - you probably look in a mirror daily; they see you, what? Once a week?

But yeah, I never saw how fat I was until the 6-month lead-up time to surgery (finishing that phase now) and I started to look at myself SIDEWAYS in the mirror.