Body Image???

Anyone else have issues with this? Don't get me wrong I am estatic over the weight I have lost and I feel better than I can ever remember but when I look in the mirror all I see is a "Fat Girl" looking back at me. When I used to dream of losing the weight I guess the skin was never a part of the vision I had of myself and it is definitely a reality, I know plastics is going to be a part of this journey for me since everything has fallen south and maybe then I will feel small. So I was wondering how others feel about their body image. Stephanie

Hey Steph, my husband had weight loss surgery 5 years ago and I knew going into this that I would have "fat eyes" for a while and space disorientation etc.. he sure did for a couple years. Yes, the skin doesn't help with that as I am always finding that I could wear a smaller size if it wasn't for my tummy skin but I think once I reached a size 12 (in that now) that I am finally understanding that I am getting to be "normal" just with a little excess skin but there are certainly days where it is harder than others. It will take some time and some people need to see a therapist to wrap their heads around it. I am not pushing that option off yet, its always there if I need it. Every month when I take my monthly pics I look back to all my progression pics along the way, especially my preop ones, this helps me with this issue mentally. Good luck, I know that is a hard part of it but you will overcome it someday, we are all working on that I feel. *hugs*

Stephanie, I love your avatar photo! It shows you looking so positive, radiant and happy. The people at local support group say that it can take 2 or 3 years for our heads to catch up to our bodies and stop showing us the fat person looking back at us in the mirror. That same image is why I didn't change my avatar for so many months. I just didn't see the changes and still don't. But when people I'd meet online didn't recognize me it was time to change the darned thing. Doesn't mean my eyes have adjusted to it tho. Beats me how I can KNOW I'm thin and yet not KNOW I'm thin. For me plastics begins with breast augmentation and that is critical for my mental health. Beyond that, I'll see how the skin does after a few years out. If there still isn't any snap-back then maybe I'll consider that too. Molly

I still see the "fat girl" because I still AM a fat girl. Seriously, I've lost only 65 lbs so far since surgery with 50 more to go...and another 25 or so before I'm "overweight". Though I am happy to say there are many more things I can do that I wasn't able to before I lost those 65 lbs...so I'm happy about that. Just frustrating that it's so slow going for me and will be even more so now that I'm pregnant. So...I guess I'll let you know how I'm feeling once I'm nearer to goal. Congrats on your success!!

I am starting to see myself as a thinner person. I am getting a lots of compliments and that is helping so much with my body image. Love getting compliments and I am staring to believe them, its surreal to receive so much attention. It's hard to see ourselves as thin, but lets face it, its happening and it's here to stay. Posite attitude bring postive and happy thoughts.