Ever since I shopped in a "normal" store a couple of days ago, I've been thinking about something.
I've noticed that I keep thinking all this stuff like "wow, normal sized clothes have gotten bigger through the years..." and "wow, there are a lot more fat people in the world than there used to be," and "hmm, a bunch of my colleagues sure have put on weight, they used to me way skinnier than me and now they're not..."
but the incontrovertible and obvious fact that I'm closing in on 75 pounds of weight loss, combined with me being fitter than I've been any time since my 20s, that seems less noticeable to me.
AND well, clothes HAVE gotten larger; there ARE a lot of fat people in the world and I don't know about your coworkers. It is always funny to me, though when I stop and look at people that I have always been larger than and realize that I'm now smaller. I still feel like I'm bigger. Or someone who was the same size as I was at my HW and I still feel we are the same size.
Weight loss is as much a mental challenge as a physical challenge! It takes a while for our minds to fully soak in what our bodies look like. We spend all day looking at other people - but not that much time in front of the mirror looking at ourselves. My experience with this was more from a weight gain perspective than a loss (so far!). When I gained most of my weight, it happenned very quickly. I was a thin person in an obese body. I still did all of the things I did when I was thin. In fact, it was almost like I wondered if anyone noticed that I had gained 70lbs. I didn't feel it all the time. Eventually it did sink in and that's when bad things happenned, but the point is that it takes a while to have the two match. You will probably find that even at goal, you have some quirks left over from your "before" days.
Be patient with yourself. You've accomplished so much. Your body and mind are adapting to the new changes. It's normal to feel the way you do! Take the time for reflection and introspection on these changes.
I don't think these have to be contradictory. Clothes have definitely gotten bigger over the years - I have an inspiration suit that is a size 18 and it's TINY! I'll get into it, but I suspect that I'll be wearing a 12 or 14 in anything I'd buy new by the time it fits properly.
But on the other hand, you have lost 75 lbs and this is AMAZING. Maybe you don't notice as much in terms of clothing sizes or comparing with others, but nothing can take away that wonderful accomplishment! (and the fact that your journey inspired me and others on 3fc!)
I definitely notice that I find myself judging people when they buy food where I work... thinking to myself "Ugh, that's SO bad for him! And he DEFINITELY doesn't need it!" And then, of course, I feel bad for thinking that way. :/
Ubergirl, it's probably not that you colleagues have put on more weight, it's that you're smaller than them now, so you notice their weight. I know for me, if someone was my size or smaller, I never noticed how big they were. The smaller I get, the more people I notice that are overweight. Several women that I would have given anything to be their size, now appear to be overweight. Their size hasn't changed either, just mine has.
Sorry to butt in, but that explains it. I was trying to figure out why only "some" size 18s fit me. Some are really small. I thought size went by tape-measure, a 42 or 40 or whatever, was a size 18.
And as for your post, I guess that is the same way I finally realized that I was overweight and I had to do something about it. I started realising that the little double chin was now a whole neck and I looked like the people I had always considered "fat." We all always compare ourselves to other people.
Some sizes are bigger, but I think some are smaller too??? The 4x in wal-mart used to be enormous, and now it's not as big! and i'm WAY smaller than that! i think some stores make their own sizes LOL
As for body image, i've always been tall AND wear heels/boots so I think that made me feel slimmer than I was LOL I love it, now my body actually reflects what i THOUGHT it was like all those years
Sorry to butt in, but that explains it. I was trying to figure out why only "some" size 18s fit me. Some are really small. I thought size went by tape-measure, a 42 or 40 or whatever, was a size 18.
Each manufacturer uses their own sizing chart, so it's not standard.
And there is also a big difference between misses (regular) sizes and womens (plus) sizes, with plus sizes being a fair amount bigger even if they are the same number.
body image problems anyone?
