difficulty *seeing* weight loss
 

I'm sure I'm not alone on this, but I just wanted to vent about how truly frustrating it is to NOT see the weight come off!! A few years back I lost about 25lbs, everyone could see the difference but me. The lack of being able to see a difference is probably what made it easier to gain it all back and then another 25 on top of it...

I can't see when I'm losing weight and I can't see when I'm gaining weight. It's just like all of a sudden BAM! I'm fat! It's so cruel.

I took my first set of "before pictures" about a week ago. I think i'm going to try and do them once a month so I can hopefully show myself that things are changing.

Anyone else have some advice/tips about this?

I also find it disheartening that my first mini goal is the weight I had when I FIRST felt disgusted and that I had to do something about it. Like, at 204 I woke up and said "WOW, to the gym!" but that faded, a couple years went by, and then this past summer I let myself slide even further and ate whatever my 6ft 230lb boyfriend ate... What happens when you eat what a 230lb person eats? You end up being 230lbs...

And the sad part, is i NEVER eat that crap at my own house!! no trips to bulk barn, now sumo-sized pasta portions, no "boxed food". In fact, I LOVE cooking and vegetables are among my favourite things to eat - how does this happen?

Ugh, i went off on a bit of a tangent there, but i'm just feeling frustrated.

I think you answered your own question about how it happens--eating what your boyfriend ate. Been there, done that. Take back your healthy habits and stick to them.
The pictures are a great idea, or even taking a measurement each week or month, like waist or thigh. Trying on clothes to see your size change is fun. Just paying attention to what you're doing helps a lot and it sounds like you are doing that. Don't give up--you'll figure it out.

I struggle with seeing my weight loss, too. I still feel like I am that girl from 100lbs ago, although I know I'm not. I never felt that big 100lbs+ ago, either. Weird how it works. Maybe it's a coping mechanism.

Buying new full length mirrors helped. When I first got them, I was fascinated because I thought I looked so different. Someone explained that seeing yourself in the same mirror, in the same environment makes your brain too familiar with your reflection, and it "fills" in certain parts so you can't see progress.

Also, try taking photos without your head in them. It forces you to examine the body, and not look at "you" -- another way to trick the brain from seeing what it always sees.

Best of luck to you. And, cook some veggies for that boyfriend! :chef: If you marry him, are you going to adopt his diet for life? He needs to know how you eat, and you need to see if he can handle it... And, if he can't handle it, he still needs to be supportive of your food choices for yourself.

Forget about the past. Its gone. Nothing you can do about it. Let it go.

Monthly pictures is a good idea and soon you will wonder what all the fuss and worry was about. Just stick to your program and work on being optimistic.

Watch how your jeans fit. They never lie.

Are you my long lost twin? I relate to this so much, right down to the exact weight... it was especially difficult when I moved in with my boyfriend. The weight gain was astronomical. Thankfully, soon after I had my own epiphany about getting healthy, so did he, which is frustrating in itself because he has lost weight so much quicker!

I know it can be hard to see the weight loss. Measuring, taking pictures, and watching the scale all help. I also like to keep a pair of too small jeans in my closet that I try on weekly. When they finally fit, it is an awesome day!

Celebrate the little wins even if you can't see a physical change. It'll be worth it!

It's the same thing for me. I've lost 100 pounds and as I lost weight I felt fatter than I did before. Pictures help, although I don't take many. Clothes help and measurements, too. You'll also be able to tell the difference when you sit in chairs that have arms, for example. But, yeah, it'll take a while before you can see the difference.

One thing I do sometimes is to point at women on the street and ask if I'm the same size. It's always women who look thin to me and I'm always told that I'm way thinner but I have trouble believing it. :p

There's a notion called "reality checking" used amongst therapists. Find about out and learn how to do it often till you get it.

An example is just what you have been marniadec, but if you think about it as a tool and find other ways to use it, eventually it will sink in. Learning to doubt your own assessment of this situation is probably a very good idea.

There are situations i have to do it but they are not about my appearance so much.

I just read about it and it appears I've been doing it. My confidence as a teenager was non-existant, so I always assumed the worst. People hated me, I was the most boring person on the planet, etc. Luckily, I met some people when I was 16 who drilled it into me that I had to stop doing that.

Full body pictures once a month are a great way to measure progress. (In my opinion it is the best way)

As to not being able to see changes when you lose weight that is not surprising because you're looking at yourself daily you don't notice the small changes as they're happening. This is where pictures help immensely.

We're in such a I-want-it-now society that we want to see quick, fast results, and if we don't we get frustrated. I know I've been sidetracked in the past when I didn't see a loss fast enough, and I promptly went out and binged (there, take that!)

I've almost talked myself now into measuring my fat loss solely by how loose my jeans are fitting, and do I need to notch my belt one more hole back? To me, those are true signs that I'm getting closer to my goal. But I have to be patient and think long-term, not short-term.