confusing...

 anyone else having the mind not catching up thing? when i see myself i dont see the person in my new pics.. its like im looking at someone else.. i still see me at my heaviest..  i mean i can see the difference in pics.. but looking i just dont feel like the newer me...

Hi there Peggy. I think everyone is gonna go through that! Try taking a glance at yourself in a mirror not at your house, or in a store window. I think the thing is you saw yourself for so long in your own mirrors it is a mental image that you know what you will look like before you look. Every time I catch a glance while I am out, I think, WOW!!! Just the other day, I saw myself in a window, and I didn't even recognize myself. The funny thing is I thought, that girl over there looks good........ then all a sudden I had to look down, and see my clothes I was wearing to notice it was me.

Just a thought. Give it a try. You are doing great!

thanks for the advice Lianna,
I'll give it a try...its just so strange..
i've heard stories from others pre-op
but never would of dreamt it would happen to me..

Peggy,
first off let me start off by saying that you are kickin butt and looking AWSOME!  I can totally see a difference . I think its completely normal for us to be a little off about the we look now. Its happening so fast our minds cant keep up! But they will catch up eventually and thats when your going to say " HOLY CRAP....Im HOT"  LOL. any way your doing great keep it up girl!

 LOL thank you for the kind words and giggles

You look awesome!!!

I can identify with the mind body thing but a little differently.  I know I've weighed 280 plus, but my self image is always around 180-190 max.  My memories include a vivid 145 but I can never visualize my highest weight and pictures of that time still are surreal to me. 

wanna trade? j/k i know its nothing to joke about... sorry... i truly hope we can learn to see us as we really are.. because once we do this journey will be even more amazing.. at least u have those memories of being 145 an have something to look forward to.. my lowest i can rememeber being is 215 an i was in the 5th grade.. once i get down to that i will know i've truly accomplished something.. ive started doing affirmations while looking in the mirror...  was suggested to me by a shrink friend.. so we'll see if that helps... i'll let u know if it does... heres some of my favorites atm..

Negative thoughts will NEVER help; they will ALWAYS hurt me.

I will not listen to anyone who tells me what I can’t do.

I am proud of myself for all I have accomplished no matter how small or great.

I will seek out people who empower me. And during those times when they are not around, I will know that I can empower myself.

When I look back at my past I will look tenderly and gently at all I have been through. I will be proud of my accomplishments and how far I have come.

One step at a time. That is how I will get where I am going.

I am ready to heal my heart. I am deserving of this.

Today I take time to inhale peace and exhale fear.

Facing and feeling my fears will empower me to move on.

I can stop punishing myself with fear.

I will not allow the fear of "what if" to ruin the joy of "what is".

Once I have made my food plan for the day, I can put that issue to rest and think about love, work, play, hobbies, and other people. I can be more patient with my recovery today.

Whatever my weight today, I am a worthwhile person with valuable contributions to make to those around me.

I can choose to have a daily reprieve from self-destructive behavior.

I can live in peace at a time of stress.

I cannot climb uphill by thinking downhill thoughts.

I can move away from self-defeating habits.

I have choices. I can choose new responses to old situations. I can learn to recognize my true needs and choose positive ways of satisfying them. I can choose recovery-NOW!

I will aim to follow my meal plan and let life happen.

Understanding and respecting my limits, I can learn to say no to what might jeopardize my serenity and well being.

I need care and attention. I am responsible for seeing that this need is met.

I will give myself the care and attention I need.

I will reduce as much toxicity in my environment and in myself as I can.

I will embrace the changes taking place in me now. They are good.

I will trust, honor, and respect the process of change.

Negative thoughts will NEVER help; they will ALWAYS hurt me.

No one else can blame me and make me feel wrong unless I accept the accusations and choose to feel the guilt.

I am naturally beautiful when I am myself.

I will forgive in order to move forward.

No one can make me a victim unless I allow them to.

Anger hurts more than the person I feel rage toward. I will let go and move on. Life is too valuable to get stuck.

Walking away from something that is bad for me is not quitting!

I will persist until I succeed

I can go the extra mile today

I will dwell on the positive affirmations and things in my life, and they will become my aspiration.

Either I find a way, or I will make one.

It doesn’t matter what the disease is. There is always room for hope. I am not going to die one of the statistics.

The question I ask myself is not if I should heal but how I should heal.

I will not wait to have a good day. I will make one.

I move beyond my old limitations and allow myself to express freely and creatively.

Life is about change, and I adapt easily to the new

I forgive myself and others, release the past and move forward with love in my heart.

I love and approve of myself, am at peace with my own feelings and stand tall and free.

Today I will seek out things that are fun to do.

I am curious, eager to try new things.

I experience and express my emotions freely.

I am creative and innovative

I rest when my body tells me to.

I learn enthusiastically.

Though no one can go back and make a new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new end.

Never give up for that is just the time and place the tide will turn.

If I have inside of me the stuff to make cocoons, then maybe the stuff to make butterflies is there, too.

To be upset over what I don’t have is to waste what I do have.

Peggy,
  You are doing amazing. You are beautiful, and I love this last post. I agree with all of the above. We are losing so quickly, that it is "normal" for our brains to take a second look and a bit to catch up.

Ever remember looking at an old pic and saying "my God, how did I get like that?"  Same thing, but in reverse.

AND YA KNOW!  WE ALL ROCK!

Take care-
Hugs,
Kathy