I feel so fat!

Anyone else feel this way? I haven't gained any weight, I've actually been losing, but I feel so huge. You think its this shirt that I put in the dryer, and shouldn't have? I sure hope so, cuz I feel like I'm gonna pop out of it!!

I hear you Aliya. I'm struggling with body image issues pretty seriously. Now I begin to understand what anorexics might feel when they look in the mirror. There are times when I feel I am huge, especially around my waist. There are other times when it's not so bad, so I feel I'm getting "better", but it's still a struggle. I'm beginning to have people tell me not to lose any more weight, that I'm "very thin". I'm still considered 'overweight' for heaven's sake (though only 5 pounds). My boss now calls me a 'stick' (in jest). I sure don't feel this way. Eileen

I'm with you Eileen in the overweight but not by much category! I'm 6 lbs over "normal". Me normal? Never! Kathy

Kathy, I actually think there's a whole bag of other issues that we go through when we start to be 'finished' with the whole weight-loss process. I think some of us 'lighter-weights' are beginning to experience this. All the "big" milestones are passed (tie my shoes, weigh less than 200, weigh less than my husband) and I am confronted with Maintaining. Gosh, I've *never* stayed at the same weight for more than a month at a time (except with my most recent plateau ) For me, having *never*, *ever* been a normal weight I don't know what that looks or feels like. A therapist once told me that even the majority of thin people are dissatisfied with their bodies. So, I'm expecting that feeling. I caught myself whining to a co-worker friend about 'want[ing] to lose 20 more pounds' -- he's gay, so it's OK . Then I stopped myself, realizing that I was sounding like one of those television commercials with the woman who "went from a size 10 to a size 4 in X months". Some of that shallow, pop-culture stuff is truly awful. Intellectually, I know I don't look fat, but I sure *feel* that way. This too shall pass. Eileen

Are we ever really done? We get near or to our goal weight and then we start thinking about plastics, right? Isn't that the progression of things? Personally, I know that we do not have the funding for plastic and I seriously, seriously doubt we'll find money somewhere unless you see me on the news receiving one of those big cardboard checks from the state lottery or something. Anyway, my challenge is to accept my body as it is now. On one hand - I really am there. I think I look damn fine in clothing. On the other hand - I'd love to have it "finished". A nip here, a tuck there. I think my body has faired well with the loss of 109 lbs. Honestly. I'm lucky that I'm beyond the "I feel fat" thing. Not sure how I got there but I did. Still have some perspective issues though. Kathy

Sure thing, Aliya! I'm up 3 lbs. That is my normal up and down on the scale thing to do so it doesn't bother me. I've come to expect it. But, I am feeling bloated and it is a physical thing not a mental thing. I get that way from time to time. Don't know if it is from being gassy or what but boy oh boy does my belly end up feeling big. I was a bit uncomfy in my clothing yesterday so chose my clothing carefully today. I feel like I've done well with reconciling what I see in the mirror with my actual size. I see that I'm small. Not a size small. Not emaciated. Not thin. Not skinny. More like... "normal" weight. Again, there is that word normal coming out of my mouth. Me, normal? Never! My BMI is still overweight but I feel I'm a good size/weight for my height and bone structure. I'm 6 lbs above a normal BMI. Anyway, I feel your discomfort and angst. Kathy

That was me yesterday! I was miserable and felt fat. I think it was the pants, and the time of the month and bloating, but I was downright pissy about it!

YUP, I sure do feel fat!!! I'm not fat, but I've got this huge freakin' allien sticking out of my stomach - and it sure makes me feel FAT!!!!! Imagin taking a cantelope and sticking it under your shirt, that's what my hernia looks like. The binder they gave me to wear doesn't even hold it in anymore. I do my best to cover it up with bulky clothes.... OMGSH - I soooo thought I was done with covering up the body with big bulky clothes!!!!! UGH - my surgeon's assistant didn't send in the flippin' photos to get my hernia repair/tt approved, we found out after waiting over a month!! And to make it worse, she "misplaced" the photos all together. So I have to go back down there and get more pictures taken and send them in to insurance.... there goes having my surgery in March!!! I'm just gonna hide from this cruel cruel world today. UGH!!! Laurie

Laurie, I feel so bad you are having to go through this! Lori

Aliya, I also go through the fat headtrip. Because I've plateaued for the last couple of weeks, I start to freak out thinking I*'m fat, its gonna all come back on, I guess this failed too, etc., etc.. Then the rational me says "Hey bonehead, you have'nt GAINED any weight!!! So, what can you do? I guess I'm just still a morbidly obese girl living in a moderately overweight body. Andrea