[FutureFitChick]

I love the imagery you (Saef) capture in this post. It really clearly reminds us of how my perceptions some days can be way different than the reality other people are seeing. Now that you've had more time at your amazing and fantastic goal weight, do you feel more comfortable in your own skin?

Originally Posted by saef

I can relate to this, and I think it's because I'm still adjusting psychologically to having two settings on my dial.

I used to have just one setting. That was the invisibility setting. Because I was fat & middle-aged, no one really looked at me. As long as I met standards of personal hygiene, all clean, wearing clean clothes, I could go anywhere. I felt vaguely apologetic about my appearance all the time, but that was just a given.

Now I have two settings. The "comfy clothes" setting, as Lori Bell described it, where I still try to get some wear out of the perfectly good clothes that I've already outgrown two sizes ago. That's when I pull my old cloak of invisibility around me. It's also when I "feel fat," as though I suddenly gained weight back, even though I know, realistically, that I have not.

But there's the "on display" setting now. And that is not really a comfortable place for me to be. Sometimes I feel like a drag queen, like I am impersonating a thin, attractive woman. I'm afraid of being found out & pecked to death by the other hens. So I feel like I need to look impeccably unexceptional. My clothes are like a suit of armor. If I am well-groomed & well-dressed, I will be safe & I can mingle inobtrusively.

And yes, to people who've seen me go through this transformation, I think I may be something of a freak. I am the "reverse" fat lady. I am a sort of blowup doll to them. I think they're checking for signs of whether I am currently inflating back up or deflating further. All I know is that it's weird to have a body that is so notorious, so flagrantly public & a blatant topic of conversation.

[Trazey34]

I agree with snapping a few pix by a trusted friend. Other than that, if the clothing is age appropriate and fits you properly without being skin tight or showing too much cleavage etc., it's just a matter of wearing it and getting over the shyness hurdle until it isn't an issue any more. I was never a fan of loosey goosey things, because let's face, at 300 plus pounds i wasn't FOOLING anyone hahahah I still prefer clothing that is form-fitting without being tight - i LOATHE having to tug or readjust etc., that means something does NOT fit! More often than not, I tailor things to fit properly -- I make sure it fits the biggest part of me perfectly and then tailor down in other areas.

what you don't want is to be my buddy jackie, who, at 300 pounds lost about 24 pounds and was feeling amazing and thought she could then rock leggings tucked into boots with the skin-tight sweater down to her butt.... this was not a good look at 275 LOL

[Jen516]

COngrats on trying out a new style!! I'm clothing-obsessed and I love to shop and try things on, but sometimes I find certain outfits need a "trial-run" before I'm totally confident. So, I'll wear them to the gocery store or to a meeting. Somewhere short-term and low key. For me it's often just about being comfortable in something new... i was this way when bootleg jeans came into effect and I'm this way now with skinny leg jeans. Some things just take "practice"!