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I can't see my loss in the mirror, just in pics!

Betsyjane

By Betsyjane, in LAP-BAND Surgery Forums

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Betsyjane    2

Betsyjane
Posted

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?

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Marimaru    7

Marimaru
Posted

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.

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Esmeralda    2

Esmeralda
Posted

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!

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Ariel    1

Ariel
Posted

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.

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demsvmejm    5

demsvmejm
Posted

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?

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Esmeralda    2

Esmeralda
Posted

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.

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Danielle2649    0

Danielle2649
Posted

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!

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Betsyjane    2

Betsyjane
Posted

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.....

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Candle    11

Candle
Posted

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?

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Jachut    487

Jachut
Posted

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!

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kacee    3

kacee
Posted

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!

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Mrs Husker    3

Mrs Husker
Posted

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.

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ragdollx19    1

ragdollx19
Posted

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!

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Go To Topic Listing LAP-BAND Surgery Forums

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    • Alisa_S

      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

        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

      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

        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.

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        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

      CaseyP1011

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

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