Any one Experience this ...

For a couple weeks now , when I look in the mirror , I still see obese . I was warned about this . My biggest fear I think is regaining all that weight and dying . When I look in the mirror sometimes , I do see the thinner person . But I have been having nitemares about being fat again . I often wonder do people still look at me the same way ... do they see me as fat . I know I have lost 103 pounds and in no way do I look the same . My mind just has not caught up yet I guess . And another thing I have been doing is when I go to the mall , I go straight for the plus sizes only to find that they do not carry 14's or 16's in the store . I have to grab myself and realize that it is true I guess . I seen a lady I used to manage yesterday at my work and she was there to interview .. she had not seen me in 4 months .. and she just could not get over the changes . She told me that I should not loose another pound.. my comment to her was ' O no .. I have 50 more to go " I wonder do I really ? Should I ... I know that I want my goal weight to be around 150 or 160 and if I get there Great ! But I just do not want this to end yet ... I have come so far and not ready to let go of this wonderfull loss . Any one else have these feelings ... or is it just me ? LOL Take care and enjoy the day . Natalie

I'm having this problem also. When I look in the mirror I still see the person I used to be and it's not until I see a pic of myself that I realize that I'm not 280 any more. I think it's going to take some time for it to sink in. As far as people telling me that I shouldn't lose any more... I think that is because they have never seen me any small than I am right now and they just can't see me as being anything different.

Yes, I have this problem also. When I go shopping I still go for the plus size section and I have to remind myself I fit in regular sizes now. I am also getting adjusted to the smaller styles of clothes. Plus sizes hide everything, which I am used to. It is hard to buy form fitting clothes, because I don't see myself that way, but I buy them and figure I will get used to the "new" me. I do enjoy shopping now! I have a brand new wardrobe! I also still see myself as fat, even though I am down 100 pounds now. I still want to lose 40-50 more. I am much happier now though. When I was this weight years ago, (and going up the scale), I felt miserable to be the size I am today, but now I am elated to be this size! That alone is priceless to me. My self esteem is dramatically different, and it will only get better as I lose more. Have a great day! Anne

I, too, have had people (mostly co-workers) tell me I "don't need to lose anymore weight," when I know I need to lose about 30 more pounds (I'm down 90 lbs so far). My standard reply is, "Well, you haven't seen me naked!" I feel like I look pretty good clothed--I'm wearing a 10-12 now and I'm loving it that my chest sticks out farther than my stomach for the first time in ages! But, when I see myself in the buff, I still see all the flab on my gut, my arms, and my thighs. Yes, I know it's better than it was, but I still don't see myself as non-fat. I guess we all just have to adjust and accept, but it is not easy. One thing that does help me is looking at pre-surgery pictures of myself. When I do that, I find myself thinking, "Man, I can't believe my face/stomach/etc. was so fat!" and it boosts my self-esteem with regard to the way I look now. Maybe we should all dig out 2-3 pictures of the "old" us and keep them handy. Then, when we're feeling like we're still fat, we can look at them and realize what a wonderful transformation we've gone through!

THAT IS A GOOD IDEA...POST THOSE OLD PICTURES!! I HAVE SEVERAL THAT I HAVE AROUND THE HOUSE. WHEN I THINK I AM STILL FAT, I LOOK AT THEM...AND WHALAH...THAT THINKING GOES AWAY!! ESPECIALLY, WHEN I GO SHOPPING. I GO JUST TO TRY ON CLOTHES AND SEE WHAT SIZE I CAN GET INTO!! SOMETIMES IT REALLY BUILDS ME UP...AND SOMETIMES, I CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHY IT DOESN'T FIT YET! I HAVE HAD SEVERAL PEOPLE COMMENT THAT I SHOULDN'T LOSE 70 MORE POUNDS...I HAVE THOUGHT THE SAME...SHOULD I BE HAPPY WHERE I AM? AND THE ANSWER IS NO...I DID NOT GO THROUGH THIS SURGERY TO BE HALF WAY TO MY GOAL. I WANT IT ALL!! I LOVE IT THAT PEOPLE ARE CALLING ME "SKINNY MINNY" AND OTHER SKINNY NAMES!! BUT, ONE OF THE BIGGEST COMPLIMENTS CAME TODAY, WHEN SOMEONE TOLD ME I JUST GLOWED NOW. AND, I DO. I FELL SO GREAT...IT IS GREAT! WE WILL GET THERE! SOME OF US SOONER THAN OTHERS, AND SOME OF US LATER...BUT, IT WILL HAPPEN!! JEANNIE

I totally feel that way!!! I still pull out pants that I used to wear and think they will fit me and they don't. I had a lot of help from a new friend of mine who said she was being completely honest when she said she viewed me as completely average, if not slim. It is so hard to predict how people see you when you have seen yourself as huge for so long. I'm stuck too... stuck between fat in my head ans skinny in the mirror. People who meet me now are amazed at my before pics... people who have known me are amazed at my now pics. I guess our minds just dont lose as quickly as out bodies do. We'll manage though! It has to even out someday!

Yep have those feelings all the time. Look at clothes and say "No way those will fit" - but they do. Hold back on doing something simple - like pick up a paper that fell on the floor of my car without getting out of the car to do it. Simple stuff like that I never could have done six months ago I catch myself saying "I can't" before I even try.