There are times when I can't see my weight loss, so I have to take pictures to tell myself what my body looks like. How weird is that! Anybody else need a scale or a picture to show what's there...or not there?

Lots and lots of people do. It was a long time before I saw the loss in the mirror. And when I lose weight now, it's a long time before I see that in the mirror too.

That happens to me all the time and I have a friend that tells me I have mental problems. I honestly feel at times that I havent lost weight and I still feel big!

I honestly feel at times that I havent lost weight and I still feel big!

Ditto to that!

Yup. At times I feel just as big, if not bigger than I did when I was at my biggest. It drives my friend nuts but I can't help it.

I agree, I have that same problem. My sister saw me yesterday for the 1st time in a few months, she was amazed at how I looked. I said "Thanks" but I don't really and truely feel it yet.

But I still have the same mental body image as I did before surgery, even though I'm down 5 clothes sizes and down almost 50 lbs.

Why is that? ...Are we crazy?

I have a hard time excepting compliments especially since lately I have been getting a lot of attention and I tend to forget that it’s because I look better. My best friend always tells me that I need to talk to someone or seak professional help because I don’t except myself for what I am now.

I mentioned on another thread that I have the exact opposite of this problem! I have never really felt like a fat person and when I look in the mirror I don't think I look that heavy (and now that I have lost 50lbs I think I am a hottie!), but when I see pictures of myself I look like a big heffalump!

Yeah. I had that too. I was always shocked to see how big I was in pictures....

I guess we're kin to anorexics who can't see their thinness.....

I took pictures right before surgery but haven't taken any since.

I've lost about 45lbs and I can't really tell.

Maybe I should take some new pics?

Obviously at goal I can see it now. But I cant help focussing on the bits that arent perfect, I cant see myself as compared to anyone else and I cant remember the old me.

When I see a photo I'm completely stunned, I actually for the first time in my life am not only thin but have quite a good figure (your frame of reference is quite different at 40 than it is at 20, lol) and am generally well and truly more fit looking than the people I'm photographed with!

Read this:

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f109/omg-how-crazy-am-i-39650/

That's funny because I started noticing my loss before anyone else did. The first 20 pounds off I felt like dynamite, but I was just getting hesitant "Yes, I'm seeing it in your face" comments when I KNEW I was losing all over....and fairly dramatically. Now, when I hit about the 35 pounds mark people started commenting, and now it is a daily occurrance. Some kindof threshold must have been crossed because I am getting great exclamations from people who haven't seen me for a month, and I have lost about 10 pounds, but apprently it is really showing. I think the most amazing thing is that I dance around in front of my mirror now in the complete buff, or my underware...and I DON'T repulse myself anymore! I'm not svelte, but I am IN PROPORTION!!!!!! The pants look okay, the shorter shirts look okay...nothing JUMPS out at me anymore. (I always was tiny on top and BIG on the bottom, with a small waist and big thighs (pones out to a point). Somehow "old age" has made my thighs "sag" and they are a little more up and down now instead of out to a point at the sides. My waist is bigger, but it fits my body. It's all symmetrically "overweight" and it feels pretty darned GOOD!

I'm just like Danielle, I don't think I look too bad in the mirror. But any photo of myself and I want to cry at how large I am.

I have a hard time in the mirror UNLESS its a brand new outfit that fits perfectly :biggrin1:

Really I do rely on my monthly photos a lot to remind me that yes it really is working!

Glad Im not alone Mrs. Husker! I guess it will change over time and as more pounds fall off...