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One of the things that has happened to me with loosing weight is that I no longer just completely and utterly HATE myself.

So the other day my dad was playing around with his phone and I noticed him holding it up like he was going to take a picture of me. So I just smiled and he took the picture.

Then this happened:

dad: "wow"

me: "what?"

dad: "you actually let me take your picture"

and then it hit me. Before, if I ever saw someone pointing a camera/phone in my direction I would put my hands up or walk away or just say please don't take my picture. I couldn't stand someone taking a picture of me

but now I didn't even think about it, just smiled for the camera

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I love this post. I recently started getting here myself. Happy for you!

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Congrats girl rock those pics

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I257 using the BariatricPal App

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This is awesome. I am still self conscious but it isn't as bad. I got a new drivers license picture yesterday and it wasn't half bad.

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I'm definately still self conscious but not nearly as bad as before

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That's an important, thrilling one, @@Sophie74656, one of the most significant NSV's I think. I had a similar experience about a week after arriving in Onederland at 197 pounds, having started at 310. It became part of an essay that was published five years ago.

Excerpt

"A few days later a friend and I went to the live HD screening of the Met's new production of Nixon in China. During an intermission, he took pictures of me as he has on other occasions to document my weight-loss progress. A woman watched, laughing, while waiting for her husband. She told my friend, 'She's good,' nodding her head to point toward me while referring to my apparent comfort and fun with our photo session. Ordinarily I would have explained, offered apologia: 'Oh, no, you don't understand, I've lost a lot of weight, I always ran from cameras, I never felt good about myself, I haven't let anyone take pictures in many years, blah blah blah.' This time I controlled the impulse to burden this open-hearted, unsuspecting stranger with my mishegas. This time I smiled and said, 'Thank you.'"

Edited by WLSResources/ClothingExch

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Oh yeah...I so get this. I hated myself for what I had done to my body. I hated the way I looked. That's how I knew I was in trouble when after losing 100 lbs., I didn't recognize myself. Now..two years later, I not only recognize myself, I think I'm a fairly attractive middle aged woman.

Oh...and one more observation...when I had no choice and was aware that my picture was going to be taken, I tried to be seated or at least have something ...or someone in front of me. Not anymore. I no longer fear the camera because I no longer hate the image I see.

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Definitely a good NSV. Congrats!

I'm getting here myself...kind of. I'm comfortable with head shots now, but full body pics still freak me out.

I think I'm opposite of most WLS patients in that I perceive myself as SMALLER than I actually am. Seeing myself in a photograph doesn't match what I see in the mirror. They remind me how far I still have to go, and it makes me sad. But I'll get there! Lol

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I also always thought of myself as smaller than i really was, that's how i got so big. Denial is powerful. Full body shots still freak me out a little because I am super aware of and very self conscios of the skin hanging from my tummy

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      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
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