What do you see in the mirror after losing a substantial amount of weight?

[Thecloude1 342]

I'm closing in on 100 lbs lost and I still see me at 325 lbs...I'm actually 230 lbs at the moment....That's a lot of weight lost but when I look in the mirror I just don't see it! ????

[Nurse_Lenora 903]

I am at a loss of just over 100lbs. I see someone much thinner in the mirror but at times I'm not sure who this person is!

In my head I'm still 265. I still go directly to the plus sized section even though today my size 10 body can't find anything to fit in that section.

Do I still see myself at 5'3 158lbs as fat? Yep I do! But I think my definition of fat has changed and I can now see it! When I was 265 I thought I was just a "little heavy"

For me the balance comes from reveling in how far I have come, how different my body looks and feels and day by day I will continue to lose weight and continue to help my poor confused brain catch up with my body! Lol

I you did not take photos pre op take some today! I took bra/underwear pics pre op and then every few months since. It really helps my perspective to look at those photos side by side.

[Hagengirl3 65]

When I look in the mirror, I still see parts of me that I think are "Fat", but in reality it is mostly skin. I have not really accepted the fact that I am at goal due to the imperfections that still glare at me in the mirror, but I know realistically I do not want to lose anymore weight. I don't aspire to be "skinny". To me that is just not healthy looking. I like the "strong" look better so I focus on continuing to build lean muscle. I am looking into skin removal surgery, but not sure yet if that will happen. In the meantime, I like how I look with clothes on!

[catwoman7 11,280]

I started out at 373 lbs, but I never, ever saw myself as

that big. I'm shocked - then and now - when I see pictures of

myself at that weight, because in my head, I was never that

big.

In my head, I was in the 200-250 lb range, I think.

When I got back down to that range, I felt like myself and

what I saw in the mirror matched the image in my head.

Now I'm 175, and I'm sometimes surprised when I catch a glimpse

of myself in a mirror. And I'm surprised when I pull a

regular-sized item off the rack (usually an XL) and it fits.

So I think mentally I'm still 200-250 lbs. I'm curious to

see if that ever changes. It didn't when I inched my way

up to 373, though...so it might take a long time to adjust.

[Thecloude1 342]

That's a good idea to take pictures before...I didn't but I'm sure there are some that exist of me at my heaviest! [emoji3][emoji106]

[Cervidae 2,389]

I struggle with this a lot too. At my heaviest, I was 450 pounds (or maybe more, I never stepped on a scale back then...) and now I'm 217. I truly still feel like a 450 pound person. Seeing myself in a mirror, especially when I wasn't expecting it, is shocking and confusing. Seeing pictures of myself is also extremely weird, and I often ask my friends/family/boyfriend "is this accurate? Is this a good representation of what I actually look like? Do I look like a different person? Do I look anything like myself anymore?" Because I feel all of these things. It's so strange, but honestly, it's also incredibly wonderful. I never believed things would really change, even after I had the surgery and was dropping weight like crazy. I still don't really believe I'll ever get under 200, and when I get under 200, I won't really believe I can make it to 170 (my goal weight), and so on. We accept who we believe we are and it's hard to change that identity and self-image after many years of it being who you are. It's hard to adopt a new one so quickly, and to truly say goodbye to the person you used to be. 2 years ago, I was over 230 pounds heavier. It's going to take some time to see the new me for who I really am and what I really look like, and I'm still changing! But I keep trying every day and I will keep trying until hopefully someday I feel like "me" again. The new "me". Here's a progress picture! You can see how different I am from the person I used to be 2 years ago...

http://imgur.com/wxCv8k6

[Thecloude1 342]

Cervidae...omg you look amazing! Congratulations!!! I hope I can be as successful as you [emoji3][emoji106] You are truly an inspiration...I feel a little better that I'm not the only one that has this self image issue...I need to get a before and after picture side by side and see what I see..lol

[MinaDina 89]

I just had surgery so I haven't lost any weight yet. But at the forefront of my mind Im terrified about the changes my body will start to take on. I wasnt skinny growing up, so I have no memories of what "normal" or healthy should look like on me.

I honestly somewhat like myself this way, I Neva craved being a size 0, I'd be happy at 18. I know what fits my body and looks good on me, I know that men are attracted to me despite the fat. I suppose its my comfort zone talking really.

Im just terrified, the unknown has always been a nemesis of mine and this surgery and everything that comes after is right down that ally.

It's never too late, until its too late

[Djmohr 6,965]

It clearly takes a long time for your head to get straight with the weight loss.

I am now nearly 2 years post op and down 152lbs. I weigh 158lbs and I am 5'10". I went from a size 26 on top, 24 on the bottom to a size 8 on the bottom and a size 10 on top.

When I look in the mirror on purpose, I still see a very fat me. When I catch a glance of myself in a mirror walking by, I sometimes don't recognize myself.

For me, pictures are the really telling story as is trying on clothing both my big clothes and new clothes. I have noticed that I take my picture more just so I can look at it and compare. There is some part of me that still cannot believe that this is real and that I lost nearly half of me.

This week I finally broke down and bought a fall jacket for myself. I used to buy a 26 coat and many times would have to have the arms altered because I carried a large amount of weight in my arms. I bought a size large north face jacket on line. It came in the mail and I put it on and it fit perfectly. I just had Brachioplasty so my arms now fit in EVERYTHING! Woo Hoo!

After I tried on that jacket, I went to the closet and grabbed my old fall jacket and put it on. I kid you not, I was literally drowning in it. It used to be very tight on me in the stomach and arms but I refused to go up another size back then. I walked out and showed my husband and he was shocked as was I.

It is the clothes, pictures and time that is helping me see the new thin healthy me. I am so happy I did this!

I am going out with friends tonight for dinner. It is the first time anyone will see me with my new arms! I am so excited to go but I still have not decided what I want to wear. I am still in compression garments so it will have to be something long sleeved but instead of them being pulled tight, I now have room!

WLS not only brought me my health but it helped me to see the small person under all that fat and now loose skin. I am so thankful every day for the doctors and nurses that make this happen for us!

[LadyK44 263]

Looking at and taking pictures helps me a lot. However, the best thing I have found, is looking at my shadow on the floor of a parking lot. I use to look like Alfred Hitchcock. Now, not so much. ???? I love my shadow. I have almost walked into the back of several parked cars! LOL Be careful!!

Sent from my SM-G935P using the BariatricPal App

[KristenLe 5,980]

Looking at and taking pictures helps me a lot. However, the best thing I have found, is looking at my shadow on the floor of a parking lot. I use to look like Alfred Hitchcock. Now, not so much. ???? I love my shadow. I have almost walked into the back of several parked cars! LOL Be careful!!

Sent from my SM-G935P using the BariatricPal App

Lol

[Thecloude1 342]

Djmohr...congratulations on your success...I want to be you someday [emoji12][emoji3][emoji106] You look fabulous!

[erp 2,016]

When I look in the mirror, I still see parts of me that I think are "Fat", but in reality it is mostly skin. I have not really accepted the fact that I am at goal due to the imperfections that still glare at me in the mirror, but I know realistically I do not want to lose anymore weight. I don't aspire to be "skinny". To me that is just not healthy looking. I like the "strong" look better so I focus on continuing to build lean muscle. I am looking into skin removal surgery, but not sure yet if that will happen. In the meantime, I like how I look with clothes on!

I completely relate to this post as I too am my own worse critic. I don't have any real weight left to lose yet don't like my "problem" areas. In reality they are skin.

[Sajijoma 1,324]

For me, when I look in the mirror, I still see my former self or rather the dillusion of my former self. I had no clue how exactly heavy I was, but I knew I was heavy. So now when I look in the mirror, I still see that much heavier person, but if I take a pic and look at it, I can clearly see the difference. I've lost nearly 180lbs at this point. You would think I'd be able to physically see the difference with my own eyes, but I can't. My advice is to just keep taking pics and lots of them. Not only is it a great testament to how far you've come, but it helps with the whole body dismorphia thing.

[lifeofblair 308]

The only time I see the "new me" is in candid pictures others have taken.

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