I agree with what's been said so far. You look great & it's hard not to be critical of ourselves. You're on the right path though & you have lost 16 lbs
already which is awesome. Keep going and one day you will look at a picture and won't be able to believe that it's actually you standing there.
I know how you feel, I've cringed at so many pictures of myself over the years. Everyone is right about you being much more critical of yourself than anyone else. Just don't do what I did... throw the pictures out so no one would see them and stick my head in the sand and do nothing about the problem.
You are well on your way, sixteen pounds is great! You are taking charge of your weight now while you are young which is wonderful!
Just adding my 2 cents... I agree with everyone else. You all look like you're having a great time!
But, I do understand evil pics. So looking forward to Christmas pictures.... not!!!!
I think part of the power of photos is that we think they're objective - "fact" - with the unpleasant evidence right in front of us, but they're really just as subjective as the mirror - beauty and fat is in the eye of the beholder.
I remember a boyfriend taking a photo of me sitting in a tree trying to look "sexy." I hated that picture so much because the angle of the shot made my butt look HUGE (I thought). My boyfriend at the time, loved the photo, and I thought he was just nuts (or trying to make me feel better). Then a year or so ago, I found that picture again, and I thought WOW! I looked HOT!
The photo hadn't changed, my perspective had.
I'm not telling you that you won't prefer photos that reflect a smaller you. I'm just saying that photos are not who you are.
As part of the program i'm in at school I have to be videotaped and then watch an hour of me sitting in a chair talking to someone. Then I have to show the tape to my peers and watch it with them and one of my professors.
At first it was not fun - and that's an understatement! But now that I've had to done more than 50 hours of tapes I'm kind of over it. And it's kind of cool to see how I did lose some weight over the past three weeks. It's very obvious in the video. So now I'm almost glad that I have the videos to compare.
So hopefully six months from now you'll be really glad to have a before picture to put up next to your after picture!
I recently went to a party with a bunch of girls. I was the youngest person there and the fattest by a long shot. I knew the host was taking pictures. I told her that I would edit them and put them on a CD for her. I really just wanted to edit myself out of the pictures.
I was horrified at how fat I am. At lease the host knew what I was up to.
I sooo understand your pain, I have lost 30lbs and have been feeling pretty good about myself until I saw the pics from my friends baby shower that I hosted OMG. It is so hard when you work your butt off to lose weight and you are feeling better about yourself then you see pics and realize wow I still look HUGE well that is how I felt at least. BUT you can't let those pics beat you down, you are doing amazing and cameras never do a person justice!!! Keep up the good work and don't let that pic undo everything you have worked for!!
I hope this doesn't seem like I am being insensetive to your feelings, but my first thought upon looking at your pics was one of admiration. I think you look fantastic. I mean, I get that you your are perhaps unhappy with your body, and you should certainly try to lose weight if that's what you desire, but as far as how you look right now - you really have nothing to be ashamed of.
aw thanks guys!! i really really needed to hear that.
i went to the gym today... still feel disgusting and trying to sort out my head because the woman i see in the mirror is not the woman i see in the picture!!
i know they talk about anoretic people having body dysmorphic disorder and seeing themselves as fat when they are too thin... can we see ourselves as thinner when we are not?!
yes, i think we can see ourselves as thinner when we are not. when I was at my highest weight (305lbs) I didn't feel that big at all! I knew i was heavy and way overweight...but i was in somewhat of denial at how bad it really was. after i faced my weight head on, and decided to do something about it is when i realized the reality of it all
I know how you feel. I won't even put a face pic up here It's hard to face your feelings about the way you look but you have already started to make changes! That's 16lbs that are GONE that NEVER have to come back! You are on the road to a fantastic new you that shows on the outside, how great you are on the inside! Don't forget that and don't let it get you down. Hang in there, we all have these moments and we are all here to lean on.
You look gorgeous & seem to have been having a great time. I hope you remember to focus on the terrific progress you are making!
"i know they talk about anorexic people having body dysmorphic disorder and seeing themselves as fat when they are too thin... can we see ourselves as thinner when we are not?!"
I do the exact same thing! I hear so many ladies talk about thinking they are larger than they are, but I'm totally the opposite. I see myself in my head & normally think of myself as being as fit as I was at 17. So it really shocks me to see myself in photos/videos/mirrors. At least I'm not the only one!
Just think how many pictures they take to get the "perfect" centerfold. Not to mention Photoshop/airbrush and just about every trick in the book to doctor it up. I'm sorry you find yourself disgusting in your pictures. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. You and I are nearly the same size, and I when I see photos of myself I nearly cry from joy at how far I've come (I also think I look HOT! )
It's hard to face your feelings about the way you look but you have already started to make changes! That's 16lbs that are GONE that NEVER have to come back! You are on the road to a fantastic new you that shows on the outside, how great you are on the inside! Don't forget that and don't let it get you down. Hang in there, we all have these moments and we are all here to lean on. 
)
