A matter of perception..... about body image.....

Ken, you got me thinking the other day about body image. Why didn't I think I was as large as I was when I was (did you follow that?) And why don't I think I'm as small as I am now? I was cleaning out my basement in preparation for a garage sale and ran across a pair of my Size 24 pants from last year. Just for fun, I tried them on one leg, knowing it wouldn't work. Guess what? It did. Can I really be half the size I was a year ago? It was an eye opening experience for me. Check out the bottom of my profile for the photo. I know. I know. I'm not smiling. For the first time, I'm feeling a lot smaller now, and a lot bigger then. Perhaps it's all a matter of perspective. It's probably good to keep at least one piece of clothing from the old days...just to put it in perspective. Joni

Joni, After I read your post, I went to my closet and got the pair of size 24 elastic waist pants that were getting too tight on me before my surgery and tried them on. OMG!! Wow, what a feeling! To be able to get into one leg of the pants really put things into perspective for me! So what if I am still not 'at goal' at 22 months out. I am wearing a size 12 now, i'm healthy, i'm happy and that is all that matters in the long run! Thanks for helping me to really see that!! Eileen

Joni the picture was so wild.............you look so tiny in that one leg!! great job!! gratitude is my attitude Amanda S VG-DS October 2001 highest >350/342 start of wls journey/154@goal and after ps

I lliterally laughed out loud when I read, "Why didn't I think I was as large as I was when I was (did you follow that?) And why don't I think I'm as small as I am now?" I have said almost exactly the same words!!!! What is wrong with my brain??? Congratulations on your success. You look awesome! Your picture of one-legged thin woman is amazing as well. Judi

Hi Joni, My whole perception of everything seems to have changed since I've gotten thin. Women I knew who I THOUGHT had great bodies don't any more. In fact I'm thinner than they are now. I flew recently and I was thinner than most of the flight attendants. I'm thinner than the ****tail waitresses when we go out dancing. I'm sitting there thinking "she's supposed to be a sexy ****tail waitress and I look better than her." When I was big I'd pick up a pair of size 3 or 4 pants and think how incredibly tiny they look and now that I wear that size they look big. Yes perception is a very strange thing. I find it helpful to look at myself in a photo next to someone I perceive to be thin. Recently took pics with my Mom who I'm now the same size as. Also mirrors help...when I'm in the gym or dance studio where we take dance lessons it helps to look at myself next to other women in the mirror and compare bodies....silently of course. I think I look good but don't see myself as tiny as people tell me I am. But it's starting to change slowly. Guess I'm starting to believe it because clothes don't get much smaller than 3's and 4's. Guess we all think too much! Terry 276/125