question for those that have reached there goal weight

I am in a good size 10 but I still see myself as fat. 
My question is how long do you see yourself like this or does it ever change?
I would love to be able to look in the mirror and see myself looking like a person in a size 10 but I still see myself looking like a size 26.
   Please let me know what you thank.
             Thank you,
    Christine

Hey Christine...

For me personally, I rarely ever see myself as thin.  When I see and especially when I compare pictures then I think "wow...I am thin".  My BMI is perfect and I am back down to my original weight before getting pregnant.  I am 4 years post op.  I am a size 8-10 with the occassional 6 depending on the maker of the clothes.  I am proud of where I am and love the size I am, even before plastics.  I was a size 32-34 pre-op...

Hopefully others feel different and can give you a better answer.  I am anxiously awaiting the other answers!

Thank you Tammy.
Im so looking forward to what others have to say also.
I will be speaking to my doctor about this at my one year appointment but that isn't until sept. So I have some time to go.
    have a good day,
      Thank you again,
                Christine

Not only do I have self-image problems pre and post-WLS, I feel like I've gained weight the last 6 months.  I weigh the same as I did 6 months ago, still wear size 6, but imagine/feel like I'm bigger.

Compliments help, but I feel like I have a secret problem no one knows about.

Well I asked a smiliar question not to long ago. Yes its just 3months and I have lost over 47pds, and now my current weight is 156pds, but I can still wear a size 14, at this weight before I was in like a size 10, I still fell a bit fat. I can tell in my waist that yes you are losing all of my pants and shorts are baggy in the seat and legs. I look forward to my size 6 day, then maybe I will really see a different me. At first I was like wow I have the shrinking woman head thing going on, but the rest is like now maybe catching up, because I no longer see the shrinking head thing going on.
Ruby

The more people I speak to the more people I find that have the same problem.  I Hope it helps to talk about it.
Compliments  do help but I sometime feel like Im fishing for them and I hate doing that.
We will just have to talk to each other and help each other through this.
 Hang in there.
            

I totally get what you are talking about.  My "fat brain" doesn't seem to shut off.  I constantly don't think I can slide through a small space, still eyeball chairs before I sit in them and frequently now bring two sizes into the dressing room assuming the smaller one won't fit.

It really does take time with the mental image/shadow of yourself to catch up with the new you.  I'm almost 19 months out now and I still struggle with these things.  I also really still do a double take when i get dressed in a slender pair of pants or jeans and look at myself in the mirror.  It's like HOLY CRAP, IS THAT ME!?!?!?

Enjoy your new body and hopefully for the both of us our mental image will change to match the new bodies we have!  :)

Thank you for your answer.
I hope one of these days the mental image will change soon too.
                                                     

What a great question, Christine.    lt seems we're all in the same 'fat' boat!   l've gone from a 32/34 down to a 16/18 in almost 6 months and l can't wrap my brain around it.  

When l shop with my skinny friend l look at stuff she gives me to try on and tell her there's no way l can wear that and she forces me to try it on and boom it fits.   l have a fear of feeling "fatter" if l try something on that is too small.   My logical side of the brain can cope with it but the irrational fat side is sometimes stronger LOL.  Know what l mean?

The compliments help but sometimes they are few and far between.  Or worse yet, l sabotage it by saying - oh but look at my hanging belly fat!   Dang it - why can't l say thank you!  LOL

Hi Christine, Boy am I glad you asked that question. I was a 26/28   17 months ago and now I am in a size 6/8. I still think that I am fat at times when I go shopping for clothes which I hate doing.I look at myself like I did when I was heavy. I  am so insecure about myself. In time my brain will catch up with the weight loss, and I will enjoy the thin me, instead of the dreadful heavy person I once was.  My daughter is 5 years out and she tells me the brain will catch up with the weight loss and I won't think about being the way I was before the surgery.
Sounds like we are all in this boat together, and we will overcome this issue.
Thanks,
Tomygirl  Betty