Night out on the town - in a dress (size medium! Woot Woot!) Photo, of course.

Okay, listen up. You. Look. AWESOME!

I know you don't get it yet. That's okay. You'll have to see yourself through the eyes of others for a while. Frankly, I still do, too. The reaction I got from people over my pics yesterday blew me away. I was not expecting that reaction. I was really just trying to show myself that I didn't look too fat again since I gained some weight back. (According to the lovely BMI chart I'm less than 10 pounds from being obese! That messes with my head!)

I get where you're coming from. You still see the little bits you think of as hideous and you haven't learned to look at the forest because all you can see is the tree right in front of you. Does that sound right?

That feeling natural thing comes and goes. One day I will know to the core of my being that I look good and the next day I look in the mirror and see Mr. Short and Thick with too many giggly places.

Give yourself time to just be. You're learning to be you in a whole new package. It's also a scary package because it's sort of see through. It lacks the protection your "fat suit" offered. When I was in my 20s I got down to a fabulously low weight, but couldn't handle the attention. I soon was back to my old fat self. There was comfort there.

Hope I'm not totally off base. Just thinking out loud and wanting you to know how grand you look and how utterly normal your reactions are!

That's exactly it! I feel like I take two steps forward and one step back. I knew I looked really good, but then I see one jiggle and it's like "OMFG". I've started people watching more. Like I sit down and my pooch pokes out and I'm all "crap" and then I look around and even some "skinny" girls look the same. Part of it is just how our bodies work and part of it is, well, I've had two kids and lost 200 freaking pounds.

You're NEVER off base. You know me well enough, you cannot offend me - well, you can, but you gotta try.

It makes it harder because of the days I feel amazing and then the next day... grrrrr. My therapist is totally buying a new boat this year, I'm sure of it!

Thanks for "getting it"

(and dude, your shoulders, I had a very x-rated moment with your back and shoulders, like the things I could do with my legs wrapped and my fingernails... yeah, you aren't interested, I know... but I can daydream!)

You look amazing!!! And honestly, in that dress, I was thinking "she's so little! I dont see any skin, she must have had some plastics". Then I read how you felt self conscious becuse of the extra skin I was like thinking "she doesn't see what we all see!!" You look amazing! I hope you had fun!

Dude, I have YARDS of extra skin. LOL! Thank goodness for "foundation garments". Thanks though. It's really hard sometimes. I have to make conscious choices to push myself past my comfort zone sometimes because I know I need to do it. Last night was a triumph.

Hey, I didn't even take a xanax! :)

You just look beautiful!

Candy,

You look awesome!  You are being too critical of yourself! One would never think to look at you and think you need plastics, own the fact that your gorgeous!  You deserve it after all the hard work you put into this and you look so happy!

Smiles:),

Lisa

Thanks, Lisa. It's really hard sometimes. I mean, 2 years ago, I was grossly obese. My brain IS catching up, most days I feel amazing, but when I do push myself a little past my comfort zone, it sometimes ends up being a little freak-out worthy :)

xoxoxo, I did really look amazing last night. My sweet hubby was all over the long legs thing. LOL!

Gorgeous!!!!

WOW!....WOW!!!

You do look amazing!

I noticed you were wearing an ankle bracelet! Do you remember a time when   a)You would never even consider wearing one...and/or   b)If you wanted one...bending right to be able to get one on? Now LOOK at your pretty little self!!!

Bravo!!!! Enjoy this!!!!

Peace!

~Deb

That damned thing broke before we walked into the club. My friend made it for me as a regular bracelet and it falls off my hand so when she gave it to me last year, I was like "hmmmm...." and it became an anklet :) I love it. My ankles are one of my proudest features because they really do look good LOL!

And yeah, I remember barely being able to put on my shoes!