Self Image!

Ok so maybe it’s just me but having lost some weight so far, it feels great when people notice. You really feel like you have accomplished something. My issue is I really don’t see it on myself. I still see myself as 270lbs instead of the 192.6lbs that I currently am. I am still very self conscious about what I wear and am mortified if I think people can see a roll. Yes I will be the first to admit that I have the lower stomach pooch that doesn’t want to go away. No matter what I do its there and I hate it. I recently went out to Vegas with some friends and they are all smaller girls. They decided we were all going to wear what we called the “hoochie dresses”, theses are the short tight black dresses that we would never actually wear at home when anyone we knew could see us. I thought all my friends looked great, but I was so self conscious all night that I could never enjoy myself. I was always worried that someone could see “the pooch”. I was even afraid to dance when someone asked me because I was to busy trying to hide “the pooch”. I try to feel great about the way I look because people who know me say I look great, but what about the people that I am just meeting. They don’t know that I have lost weight and look better then I did before, all they still see is an overweight woman. So does anyone else have an issue with there self image during the weight loss process or is it just me? If I knew how I would post a picture of the “hoochie dress” night but not sure how.

Believe me, I know exactly how you feel, and I've had a tummy tuck to get rid of my "pooch".  But body dysmorphia is very common in women, and not just in obese women.  I've lost 129 pounds and wear a size 12/14 smooth.  I say that because the rolls have all been surgically removed.   And yet, I still think of myself as the fat girl.  Way back in the day when I was a size 28, I would have KILLED to be a size 12.  So try to see yourself as you truly look and be proud of your accomplishments in weight loss.  Yanno, once we have been morbidly obese and our skin has been compromised from being stretched out for so long, it really becomes harder for us to believe we will ever look perfect.  Truth is, we won't.  The best we can ever hope for is to look the best that we can possibly look and move on from there. 

But I still can't believe that you didn't dance with someone just because of your pooch.  That's a cardinal sin woman!!!  Pleeeeeeeze don't let a pooch stop you from living your life.  I say that if the guy wanted to dance with you, it's not like he didn't see the damn thing, but he asked you anyway.  Next time... DANCE!!!!! 

Mary  

Well i will be glad to lose the weight like you guys did!! You both have done great. I have lost 30 lbs..and i still feel over 300 lbs! And even bigger..i think the self image will always be there..people that has always been skinny think they are fat!! What i want to know is how did you ladies lose the weight?!?! And you will have to find out how to post a picture because i am sure you looked great and we'd love to see :)

Hey Stacey, as you can see I was able to get the picture to work. It took me a while to figure it out though. But to answer your question I lost most of the weight I have with the South Beach Diet. I'm not gonna lie to you, it was really hard to get going on it. The first two weeks are killers! The thing I do like about it is that I dont have to count callories. I know exactly what I can eat and what I can't. It has worked pretty well. The thing thats frustraiting to me about weight loss is that it takes so long. When you want to loose weight you want instant results, and thats just not what happens. You have to work at it each and every day and thats what I struggle with. What I do like about this diet is that there have been a few times when I fell off the wagon and thank god, did not gain any of the weight back, I just stopped loosing. So I was able to start again exactly where I left off. I think that I will struggle with self image untill I am down where I wanna be, untill then its a constant battle with myself to feel at ease with the way I look.

Tryin to post the pic, hope it  works. This in me in vegas. 195 pounds

That's a great picture. I'm sure you turned some heads.

One thing that you have to realize is there are thousands of people out there who could give a flying crap about a perceived roll. You walk in with your beautiful self and own the place, girlfriend.

you look great!!