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Old 06-15-2006, 08:11 PM   #1  
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Default Mind Playing Tricks on Me

So, I've lost about a third of the weight I need to lose to be at a healthy goal weight (about 50 pounds). My weight hasn't been this low for at least two years, yet it seems like the 'spare tire' around my middle feels as large as it ever has. I know it's smaller, because I'm wearing clothes that are two sizes down. Maybe it's jiggly skin or something that makes it more noticeable to me. Has anyone else experienced this?

It's almost like I'm plateauing because my mind needs a chance to adapt to my 'new body' or something. I guess in losing weight, I hadn't thought about how prominent the psychological aspects could be.

I tend to panic if I get "off plan" for a day or two, and worry that *poof!* I'll gain it all back overnight. It takes a second for my rational mind to realize it took six months to lose 50 pounds, it won't come back on in one week.

It's all this psychological, intangible stuff that has been a surprise for me.

Thanks for listening
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Old 06-15-2006, 11:09 PM   #2  
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Hi there! I am kinda going through something similar. I have days where I feel like I am still weighing 289...and today is one of those days. I look in the mirror, and try to figure out WHERE this 43lbs came off, because I sure can't see it. And when I eat bad, I totally panic...so since we are both having those feelings, lets hope we're normal.
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Old 06-15-2006, 11:31 PM   #3  
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I do the same thing. If I eat something I shouldn't have I wake up the next morning feeling to see if my tummy is bigger. Sometimes I can't tell that I'm much thinner than I was, especially in tummy area. I am always surprised when the smaller clothes fit. I think it takes time for our minds to catch up with our new size.
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Old 06-15-2006, 11:46 PM   #4  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lilybelle
If I eat something I shouldn't have I wake up the next morning feeling to see if my tummy is bigger.


I half-expect my clothes to not fit, after a bad eating day.
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Old 06-16-2006, 12:52 AM   #5  
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I know exactly how you feel. For me, I go through days when suddenly I realize how much weight I've lost and how it shows but then other days it's like I'm right back at my starting weight and I feel as big as the world. I think that since we are living in our bodies day to day we adapt to how it feels and even though in our minds we KNOW that we've lost weight and are in smaller sizes, we don't see this dramatic weight difference. you've adapted to the size you currently are. At least that's how I view it.
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Old 06-16-2006, 01:45 AM   #6  
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I can relate! The vast majority of my weight is "upper half" and that is steadily going down. But I have this big ring of fat at the top of my butt which isn't going away. I have some nice crop pants I keep thinking I will be able to wear with "just five more pounds" -- elsewhere they are plenty big but it is hard to sit down in them because of the ring of fat LOL. But I just have to keep thinking that eventually it will go away as there is less and less of the "other stuff" that has to get dumped off!
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Old 06-16-2006, 08:31 AM   #7  
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I know exactly what you mean. I've lost 90 pounds. Some days I look at myself and can see where I lost all that weight and think "I'm looking fine!" And then other days all I see is that Still-fat chick. Head games.
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Old 06-16-2006, 11:34 AM   #8  
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I'm having a similar experience today. I just saw a photo of myself (taken today), and although I look bright and shiny and have great posture, I look like there are two cantaloupes between my elbows. My breasts - I kid you not - are each the size of my head. I can wear one of my bra cups as a hat (and it gets humorous responses from lover and very close friends when I do). I saw the photo and almost got panicky ... thinking "how could I have let myself get this large? when will I shrink?" It just can't seem to happen soon enough.

*sigh*

I'm glad I'm on plan so far today (though I did notice that the cottage cheese I've eaten all week is 4% fat! Aack!)
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Old 06-16-2006, 02:35 PM   #9  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by phantastica
It's almost like I'm plateauing because my mind needs a chance to adapt to my 'new body' or something. I guess in losing weight, I hadn't thought about how prominent the psychological aspects could be.
It's taken me a lot longer to lose my weight. We went out today to the local botanic garden, and I was remembering how my knees hurt going up stairs, how I'd have to rest all the time. So I feel a big change that way.

I do have trouble seeing myself as being that much smaller, even though I'm wearing smaller clothes (when I hold up my old clothes they're so much baggier, they're unwearable). I see my collar bones and feel other bones and KNOW I'm smaller but it doesn't always really sink in. Weird phenomenon!
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Old 06-16-2006, 03:35 PM   #10  
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What's weird to me is that my basic body shape isn't changing as I go down in clothing sizes. Even at my heaviest, my butt was still bigger than my boobs. Now that I'm smaller, I'm still proportioned that way. I guess I always was. I don't know why I expected anything to change.
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Old 06-16-2006, 04:09 PM   #11  
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I panic too when I eat things that are off my plan. But like you said, my rational mind kicks in and I know that eating 4 pieces of Godiva chocolate is not going to make me gain 30 lbs! It may slow my progress a little, but it will not put me back where I was!
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Old 06-17-2006, 01:03 AM   #12  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by phantastica
I look like there are two cantaloupes between my elbows. My breasts - I kid you not - are each the size of my head. I can wear one of my bra cups as a hat (and it gets humorous responses from lover and very close friends when I do). I saw the photo and almost got panicky ... thinking "how could I have let myself get this large? when will I shrink?" It just can't seem to happen soon enough.
Believe me I KNOW there is nothing "funny" about this but I am laughing in understanding because I have exactly the same problem. My boobs are HUGE, and I think the thing that finally pushed me into doing what it takes to lose the weight is that I just couldn't live with these things any more! Fortunately mine ARE going down, and I lose there first, which is SOME encouragement.

You are NOT alone. When I see pictures like Meg's standing in one leg of her old pants I am thinking of ways to show MY weight loss when I get there, since my pants one won't be so impressive. So I have decided to save my biggest old bra and when I get skinny I am going to put it on over a T-shirt and "stuff it" (with something besides my boobs which by then will be largely non-existent hopefully) and take a picture.

That is the reason I have not had the nerve yet to post my "before" picture because I am sooooooooo embarrassed at the size of my boobs! But I am slowly working up my courage and maybe after I get this next set taken I will get up my nerve.

Hey I noticed too that we have pretty similar goals... close to the same "high" weight, not too far apart now, and the same eventual goal! Also I just passed the 1/3 mark for my final goal. Let's be sure to keep in contact and say bye bye together to these boobs!! Deal or no deal?

Believe me... I DO understand and sympathize. Hang in there and let's together get rid of these things!!
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Old 06-18-2006, 08:00 AM   #13  
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paranoia is totally normal (i hope!). i get exactly the same thing! Two slices of toast and I'm staring at my jeans deciding they no longer look as nice as they did twenty minutes before.. it's madness I tell you! if anyone finds a cure for the insanity let me know! I want to eat toast and feel good about it not guilty.
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