20-Somethings - Who is that staring back at me?

Ok girls, I'm wondering if anyone else is going through this!

I look at myself in the mirror and don't feel that my body has changed very much and get discouraged. Then when I see a picture of myself, I can tell a huge difference and can't believe how much I've changed.

Does this happen to anyone?

When will I see the person that I see in the pictures staring back at me in the mirror?

this happens to me all the time. i keep thinking that i haven't changed at all. but recently over xmas, every one. every person that knows me asked if i lost weight, b/c i looked like i'd "lost a ton of weight"

why cant i see it??

It happens to everyone whether they are thin or not thin.. Its like some days you think you have a bad hair day! lol

This makes me really excited to take new progress pictures! I haven't taken pictures of my body since the high 160's. I haven't wanted to take new pictures until 155 because I didn't want to be disappointed, or as horrified as I was with the results as last time!

I'm glad to hear you can see the results with pictures because I can't really see anything in the mirror and I only feel different in some of my clothes which on a good day means I'm doing well but on a bad one I just tell myself my jeans have stretched.

I used to feel that way. Lately it's more opposite. I see it more in the mirror sometimes than in photos. Depends on the photos. But I definitely feel like my "perceived" weight changes by 20 pounds all the time :dizzy:

I feel the same way! Pictures make it look like I've changed, the scale is different, my clothes are too big....but I can't see it!

I mean I've made progress in losing weight slowly, so maybe I just get used to the changes as they come...and that's why I can't see it.

At least its happening, right? lol

I think its cause its a daily ritual and your mind is set to see a certain image. I'm a psych major so bear with me hahha....


your mind EXPECTS that image of a heavier you, so it interprets this new you as heavier than you actually are. You know how when you have a huge pimple or rash on your face it stands out when look in the mirror and you can really see the difference? With weight, the changes are happening little by little. There might be no huge "AHA" mirror moment when you realize you are completely different. You mind and eyes will slowly adjust to perceiving you as skinny! But you're doing GREAT! Don't be discouraged.

you take the words out of my mouth...

i can go now and look in the mirror just wear shorts and a singlet...and all i can see is that gross flabby part between your arm and your chest (like where your arm rests against your body), and a flabby tummy and fat thighs...and its disgusting... and then BAM someone tags a photo of me in facebook...and i look good..i just done get it?

i wonder if..when we meet goal..we will still be picking at our flaws?

Heather, you have completely described my feelings as of late to the letter!!! I have been getting pretty discouraged when I look into the mirror because I still see myself 46 pounds heavier. I see pictures and can see the difference there, but it's just not translating over into real life.

My coworker (who has been so supportive throughout this) thinks I'm crazy. Even my kids at school are noticing differences, but I just don't see it and as crazy as I know it is, it totally gets me down and discouraged.

Ohhh! OooH! ME! ME!!

*Sings in my best Christina Aguilera voice* Who is that girl I see? Staring straight back at me. When will my reflection show... who I am.. inside?

I don't know girl. I don't see it in myself either. I think it goes from years of self loathing. Maybe we need therapy? lol :shrug:

*Sings in my best Christina Aguilera voice* Who is that girl I see? Staring straight back at me. When will my reflection show... who I am.. inside?

I don't know girl. I don't see it in myself either. I think it goes from years of self loathing. Maybe we need therapy? lol :shrug:

So time on the couch doesn't count? lol

Well, its a start. lol

Well, its a start. lol

look at the weekly chat--- there's a message just for you!

Thanks! *tear*

You know I love you!

We should write a book about the frustrations of WL and how we didn't quit!

We could title it:

Highs and Lows: the life of weight loss.

Did you look at the sticky? Look up at the top in yellow! MY phone died. Txt ya later.

Yes yes yes! I definitely don't see it so much when I look in the mirror... Which is so funny--I remember being on here when I had first started, and I saw a post from a woman who had gone from 289 to 223 (or something like that, ha) and I was shocked when she said that she didn't really see the difference most days... I was like, what the crap?, how is it even possible not to see a difference when you've lost that much?! But now that I'm in the same position, I feel like I actually know what she meant. Of course I'm aware that my clothes are getting smaller and smaller, etc, but really, when I look at the mirror OR at pictures, I just think "Hey, that's Meredith; I know what she looks like." I definitely don't think "Wow, I'm a lot skinnier!" I dunno, I feel like I look more or less the same... But at the same time, I know that I don't, because I know how many people have commented on it to me--it's noticeable enough that I've even gotten compliments from random acquaintances who had no idea I was even trying to lose weight! But, yeah, in my everyday life I don't just stand in the mirror and think "YES, I like what I see!" Lol, I hate to say it, but I still see my ginormous arms, pouchy tummy, big cottage-cheese-y thighs, etc. I know I've come so far, and I feel totally awesome about that, but at the same time I know I've still got a ways to go. :p

I went to Disney with my husband over the holiday. He then noticed some serious posture issues I've been having (due to pain from my endo)--- he never noticed it before, until he looked at me in a different situation. Maybe its similar to that. you always see yourself from the same angle (mathmatically) in th mirror. Maybe when you see the pictures, your looking from a completely different persons perspective of you.

Yea, you're used to seeing yourself in the mirror every single day (at least most of us do), so you don't see the changes so much. But you don't see yourself in pictures, so you notice when pictures look different. It's like when you're little and your parents are with you all the time and then you go visit relatives you haven't seen in forever and they're ALL like "Wow! You've gotten so BIG!!"... they see the differences because all they remember is you smaller. You don't notice the difference because you remember what you looked like yesterday, which may have been a half pound smaller.

It might help to keep an old pair of pants around. Ones that were snug at your starting weight. Whenever you get discouraged try them on. Then buy a pair of pants in the size you want to be. Try them on every once in awhile to remind you why you're doing this. :) Pants don't change sizes (unless you wear them every day and don't wash them for a week, lol), but you do. :)

Yesterday afternoon i was at training and we were walking up this huge hill and the sun was behind us..so i looked down at my shadow...and wow!!! as soon as i saw it i was like woh...my shadow is skinnier than it used to be!!haha i could see the genereal...smallness? and not the flabby bits and it was awesom! sounds weird but i noticed straight away!

I don't notice a whole lot because I lost a bulk of my weight early in HS but I've fluctuated a lot since then. I think when I see it the most is when I go to my hometown and I see someone I haven't seen since Jr high or so.. I remember what I looked like last time they saw me and realize they probably don't even recognize me. Some of it being weight related and some of it being the fact that I'm almost 10 years older now lol. Even though I'm the same height. :D

I feel like this all the time, I dropped 30kgs and couldn't tell the difference except for a bit in my face, then you look at some photos and I can definitely tell the difference. I've now put 10kgs back on and can tell that my legs and stomach are a bit bigger but overall not much difference, but I still have this feeling that I have no idea what I look like.

I'll watch shows like The Biggest Loser and see a girl who is around my height and weight and wonder if I look like her. Thankfully those girls are usually at the bottom end of the scales on the show, so I don't feel too bad.
But overall, I have no idea how 'big' I am! Is frustrating heh.