What do you see when you look in the mirror ?

I will never forget one time when I was shopping for jeans the clerk said you are so "TINY"? I looked around wondering who she was talking about.

I have long learned not to trust my own judgement when it comes to my appearance. My favorite line came from someone years ago who went to their first OA meeting.

Afterwards when asked what he thought of it he said "They are all crazy in there. The fat people think they are thin and the thin people think they are fat".

reminds me Ladytazz of when I went to the free seminar. My DH and I came out and I looked at him and said those people are nuts. Who cuts out their stomach and intestines?

When I look in the mirror (anywhere but at home), I don't recognize that person. I have walked past a mirror and thought "I really like the color of her shirt!". Some mirrors are more flattering than others, too. I'd like to bring one of those home. :)

I recognize myself in the bathroom mirror, but I think I look a lot more like my grandmother than myself.

When I went to my 20th HS Reunion a few years ago, I didn't wear a name tag, and everyone said I looked exactly like I did back then. Now that I'm losing weight, I've got more loose skin, and I think I look older. Teachers that I met in Sept. at my kid's new school didn't recognize me in May. People who don't see me often do a double-take and then ask me "Uh, are you OK?"

I have photos and measurements that I can use to "prove" to my mind that this is working. I'm just not there yet.

I do get frustrated with clothing sizes, though. Some folks have lost a similar amount, but can wear a MUCH smaller size, so I worry about how my weight is coming off, and if it will "even out", so I can wear the same size top and pants. Or, since that last looong plateau, just smaller than THIS.

Sometimes I'm afraid of getting rid of my larger sizes in case I need them again. I'm also nervous, because the surgeon feels that the "Honeymoon Period" for greatest weight loss ends at 8 months, and I'm getting close to that.

Logically, I know that I have a fantastic tool, and that if I use it right, and make consistent effort, it DOES work.

I'm still grappling with some body dysmorphia, but it's getting easier.

I'm okay looking in the mirror at home, but still get freaked out in the wild, particularly in the bathroom at work... there's a side mirror that catches me every day, no matter how much I prepare for it.

I look about 10 years younger than I did just 6 months ago. Unfortunately, our company is spread out amongst several floors of our building, so when I attend meetings with other divisions I get ambushed ("OMG, is that Fredbear? Let's ask some inappropriate questions and give uncomfortable compliments!"). It'll get better soon, but right now I'm still uncomfortable with the questions and fawning since I'm still struggling with the dysmorphia.

I can tell that I'll be a clothes ***** we were on a short vacation this weekend and ended up at some outlets, where upon I spent an unheard of amount of money on clothing right off the rack. It's probably dangerous of me to go clothes shopping for the near future unchaperoned!

What is helping - old pictures, new clothes, new activities.

Facebook pops up old pictures of me most days and it's finally sinking in that I'm not that person anymore.

New clothes help me realize how my body actually is shaped now... of my social group, I've moved from being one of the largest people to one of the most in shape.

And new activities - yesterday I did a 5k walk in the morning AND a 3.5 mile hike in the mountains of a state park the same afternoon, something that I couldn't even imagine doing before.

Enjoy this Fred you deserve it. I made what I called a weight loss surgery bucket list. I am proud to say checking them off one by one reminds me this surgery enables me to live life as it was meant to be lived!

YOU GOT THIS

Kathy~ I had the same experience last Friday. I had my surgery in 2008 and originally got down to 144 from 271. I had gotten back up to 241, and since October 15th, have lost almost 70, back at 172. I was working at the gym and saw this:
I was so incredibly shocked. I just stopped in the middle of a squat with a bar on my shoulders. My trainer asked me what was wrong and I told him that I suddenly was blown away by what I saw in the mirror.

You see it every day, but you become "snow blind". I had my mom take this pic cos I just hadn't seen it. She laffed at me and said she wondered when I would!