Need help seeing the glass half full...

Thank you, Mary. :0) You're doing great, too! 75 lbs=wow!

First off, I can't tell you how nice it is to be among people to "get it." 

Second, I was having one of these days too.  Felt very fat, frumpy, discouraged, etc.  I spent most of the day working at my computer in my pj's.  I'm going to my support group tonight, so finally put some makeup and real clothes on and I feel 100x's better.  I'm going to remind myself when I'm feeling ucky to take a few extra steps to care for myself and see if that helps.  It sure did tonight.

Hang in there... hope tomorrow is a better day. 

Ya know, you are so right. I polished my toenails (something that's a lot easier now!) tonight and something so simple made me feel so much better. I hope your support meeting is a good one. :0)

I can totally relate in so many ways.  I've lost 103lbs since my journey began and surgery on 7/22/09 and some days are just great and I feel like I'm on top of the world and can tackle anything that comes my way, other days.. all it takes is one negative thought and Im reduced to a pile of doubt and poor body image and what-not.  I got really sick on Friday from a out of the blue dump at work.. very scary stuff... and that for sure broke my stall.. but its really tough.  Especially tough when the road seems soooooo long.  I also am having identity problems.. I always overcompensated when I was at my biggest so as not to be known for being fat.. and now all anyone wants to talk about is how great they think I look.. and now I'm being singled out even more for weight issues.  The attention I want is because of who I am... a good person, I think.. and I am fighting to reclaim identity and be seen as smart, dependable, etc... rather than the sum of my current weight.  It is really difficult.. and all I can say is thank GOD for all of you... *****ally get it!  Since I found this board... its been a little easier knowing I am not alone.  Thank you!  Love & Hugs, 

I hear ya. Right now I am practicing giving myself compliments for any little thing that I do right. Im trying to retrain my brain.

Our brains are getting a workout-we are trying to retrain our eating habits, dealing with emotions, seeing ourselves as we really are...no wonder its a struggle! But we can do it.

Just remembered the quote function. LOL

Anyway, your post...wow, it rang true from beginning to the end. Especially the part about overcompensating. You verbalized a lot of what I was feeling, and I can't tell you how much that means to me. Thank you.

I've learned that starting at the weight we started at isnt like what the "lightweights" go thru. 
I've lost 161 pounds, and beleive it or not, just the other day, someone said, "you've lost alot of weight"...I was like "ya think?" really?  LOL...only took ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY ONE POUNDS for you to notice?????  I watch those commericals for Jenny Craig (I think) with Valerie Bertinelli...losing 40lbs and the difference in her was really noticable.  It's  not like that for us.  Only at 100lbs did anyone say to me "are you losing weight?"  But I didnt get mad at them really, because it took a long time for me to see the loss as well.
But even at 161lbs gone..I still look in the mirror and see the negative..just like patty said...saggy skin, scraggley hair, bat wings..etc.  And just like she said...I'm proud of myself for being fat now...not CIRCUS fat, as she put it (which by the way, made me laugh out loud)
Its all a process...we all have those days.  Keep the big picture in mind.  You're doing GREAT!!!

April--I love the way you express yourself. Its as if you're talking to me in person. For the longest time, people kept remarking on my hairdo (which changed a few months ago). "wow, your hair makes you look so young, really compliments your face, brings out your eyes." LOL I'd think, "It could be that I've lost 50, 60, 75, 90 etc., pounds."

I'm really proud of your 161 lbs loss! It is such an awesome accomplishment.

I've lost almost 200 and I still feel the same way! :)