Hi there! This is my first post on this forum. Ive lost about 35 pounds over the past 5 years of my life. It was all done very slowly and in a healthy way. The last 15 pounds came off over the past 6 months bc of weight watchers. Now that I am pretty much at my goal of 123 lbs. (Really my goal is to maintain 118-122) I am having issues with self image. I still see myself at the size 8/10 I was six months ago when really I am at a size 4. People who havent seen me in awhile dont recognize me! I feel great and I know Im thin so I dont know what the issue is. I have a huge fear of gaining all the weight back. I still have flab on my tummy so maybe its that which makes me still feel "fat". Help!!! I feel like I have major issues recognizing what I actually look like.

A friend of mine who has always been thin,just saw me and exclaimesd "WOW YOU ARE THINNER THAN ME NOW!!!" I was in denial and could not admit it. Others that were around and heard that, thought I was crazy for not admitting it. I still dont believe I am actually thinner than her.

Can anyone give me a word of wisdom? Or been through the same thing and know how to get over this? I dont want to live my whole life denying what I really look like.

This happens to so many of us! You are definately not alone

Sometimes our mind takes a bit longer to catch up to us, try looking at yourself in a mirror next to this person (or sneakily catch your guys reflection in a window or something) to show yourself the comparison that others are seeing.

Try measurements, it's hard to deny the number you see.

For me, I just have this little moments of 'aha' once in awhile where I realize I AM smaller. Like when I thought I couldn't squeeze through the car door (car next to us was parked too close) and I slid right in without touching anything.

That's the best I have right now, it's a ongoing thing for me so I don't have a ton of experience, but hopefully others can provide better input.

This has been talked about a ton of times too, look through the past posts in this forum and you might see advice some have given others as well.

Time plain and simple. It's just going to take time to get used to the new you. I'm still suprised every time I look in the mirror. I was so used to leaving the house feeling pretty good then catching my reflection somewhere later on and being repulsed by how I really looked. Now it's the complete opposite. I leave the house feeling good and catch my reflection later and am shocked I still look great and thinner then I remembered when I left the house. But it's taken a few months to get here. That said I still have issued and still think I want to lose a little more weight to feel like I've reached my ultimate goal, but I'm trying to take it slow and allow myself to transition so that I don't end up somewhere that's not sustainable because I couldn't stop losing weight because I didn't let my brain catch up with my body. It just takes time, how much time? Who knows! Good luck! I know how it feels to have accomplished something so great and not be able to truest enjoy it.

Thank so much to both of you for your replies. I am so grateful that this is a normal sitch. I can definitely relate to the catching a glimpse of myself in a reflection bit. I cant wait until this feeling dies down and when my body gets set on the weight I am now. Im feeling like maintenance is harder than losing.