Does it ever go away? I've lost enough weight now that I am no longer "fat" Still heavy to be sure, I'm wearing 14's instead of 22's... but I have been fat my whole life, and just don't feel like me anymore. I was always a "fat girl" and now seem lost as to who I am.

Is this normal? Does everyone go through this? Am I totally crazy?

I don't think it ever goes away. I am wearing size 2 and little girls size 16 right now. I still feel like I'm fat even though my family thinks I'm way too thin. When I look in the mirror, I see the chubby girl I have always been. I am 44 and this has always been a problem for me.

I've also gone from size 20 to 14 (almost 12). I was telling a friend this same thing last night--I feel like my body is the same and it's the clothes that are changing size. I know that sounds weird. When I look objectively, I know that my hips are slimmer. I can tell that my boobs are smaller and I know by measuring that my waist is smaller. I am moving better and can tell I'm trimmer, but part of me still feels like I look the same, that it's just the tags on the clothing that is changing.

I sound like a mental case, but maybe you guys know what I mean! It's weird that part of my brain understands that I'm smaller, but part of it doesn't.

This is so true: I've lost 60 pounds at least 3 times in my life, and each time I do not see that much difference, when I look in the mirror. Taking pics and covering your head with a post-it helps focus on the changes.

I think it is normal, and the closer you get to your goal weight the more changes you will see. It takes awhile for our brains to catch up.

I don't think it goes away either. I'm down to a size 6-8 from a size 22 but when I walk into a store I still think there isn't going to be anything in there that fits me. I'm convinced my thighs are the same size they always were but when I put on my old pj's they fall right off. Someone told me "your brain hasn't caught up to your body" hoping it does soon!

It's funny you should mention PJ's. I nearly walked right out of my jammie pants this morning. Time for new PJ's!

When? Honestly, it has taken me several months. Pictures help. The last month or so I have finally quit "feeling" like I was fat.

I'm in a size 6 down from a size 24/26 so I *know* I'm smaller....I'm just waiting for the thin image to be burned into my brain! The whole feeling is so surreal though.

I love looking at before pics of me. It helps ground me whenever I think I am too fat now. I don't think that, but it is possible to get to the point where losing weight isn't just enough. It can be a head trip, and you just have to be able to listen to your body. I have never been faster, more energetic than I am now, and I think I could lose a few more, but no pressure on myself until next spring. I think you just have to let go, mentally and physically of holding that weight for as long as some of us have.

Dear AKJenn,
You are no longer a fat person! Seriously!

I think I have the opposite problem... now that I've lost some weight, I tend to think I'm smaller than I am!!! I saw my reflection in the mirror last night and I was like "oh, I guess I still have a ways to go" but I feel thin... for me, I'll really feel thin when I can shop at just about any store (size 14)... getting there

Oh gosh, you don't sound crazy at all! I totally get it! It really does feel like the clothes have changed instead of our bodies! How funny!

I am a size 12. It still seems unreal to me. I remember being an 18 and thinking that if I ever saw size 12, I'd be over the moon. Here I sit today, a size 12, feeling fat. It's all mental, man...

I think that's why I love shopping so much...I tend to see myself when I try on new clothes. I see the thin girl then.

I think this is common with some of us who have lived a long time overweight because we feel better then we have in a long time so it feels small. I know I felt the same way when I was in the 220-240 range. I felt smaller then I was. Now I pretty much match what's in my head. Bigger then most people would be happy with, but I feel fabulous.

I know exactly how you feel. For me, it hit me hard when I was 188- having lost 100 pounds and being lighter than I'd been in my entire life, I expected to be skinny! Not the case- I felt exactly the same as I did 100 pounds heavier (except able to move more). Now that I've lost another 20 pounds, however, I'm starting to feel more like a normal person. Most of the time, I feel chubby rather than fat. I think it was hitting the "overweight" rather than "obese" bmi. You'll hit that point in about 10 pounds, and I bet you will start feeling better then.

This has been a hard one for me to get over as well. As I type I'm awaiting for another load of laundry to dry, and the funny thing is, the last load I just folded and put away were jeans. I seriously pulled out a pair of jeans from the basket, gave them a good shake and thought...who's are these? (Like did my 16 year old niece forget a pair of her jeans when she visited last month?) Took me a brief minute to realize they were mine. I mean they looked so tiny. Back in the old days my size 30 jeans took up most of the laundry basket, and sometimes I still see that girl, not in the mirror, or in pictures, but in my mind. It's weird.

This! I know exactly what you mean. I was looking at my scrubs yesterday and I thought, "My scrubs are getting big." Ummm....the scrubs are the same size as they've always been. My body is getting smaller and more muscular.