Mirrors!
 

I was in Hobby Lobby the other day, wandering around, and ended up on the mirror aisle. I caught a glimpse of myself in a full length mirror and actually did a double take. Was that me? I hope no one saw me, because I examined myself from the ankles on up! Ha! I was just so stunned with what I saw. And, I bought that mirror! (50% off)

I have a full length mirror in my bedroom on the back of a door, but for some reason, I could SEE my body's changes better in the new mirror. I've avoided mirrors my whole life, and at times had nothing but "face" mirrors in my home. But, NO MORE! I want to see the whole shebang.

A weight loss doctor told me once that if I couldn't SEE my progress (I had lost 100 lbs, and felt better, but didn't really see any difference) I was doomed to regain the weight, and... I did. Even now, I look at photos of myself from 100 lbs ago and think, "Yeah...that's me." But it couldn't be farther from the truth, now. I do not look the same, even though I struggle to consistently see the "new me" in the mirror. This is a big hurdle for me to jump.

So... my point is... if you're having trouble SEEING your progress, go mirror shopping. Maybe you just need a new looking glass to appreciate your accomplishments.

This has a psychological/neurological basis. Your brain is made to "fill in the details" so to speak. If you look in the same mirror everyday your brain will basically hide progress by "filling in" the missing details. Here this is weight.

So you are exactly right, if you don't see progress in your own mirror, go out and look at a different mirror. The new surroundings prevents the brain from completing the picture it thinks it knows.

Pictures also work too!

This works for me with security video cameras at grocery stores, banks, etc. I always make sure to take a look at myself on the monitor, and pat myself on the back for looking good. I used to be appalled and filled with disgust and despair when I saw myself on those monitors.

Ha! That's awesome! I have my bathroom mirror, which I call "the fat mirror" because it makes me look wide and I don't like it. It's just a bathroom mirror anyway, I can't see my whole body. Then I have an absolutely marvelous mirror that, as you said, shows the whole shebang. I don't feel skinnier, but when I look at myself in the mirror I'm like "dang, my belly is going... and I'm getting an hourglass shape... I'm digging this!"

So my point is, I don't need to go mirror shopping right now but I know what you mean. I love looking at myself and seeing the progress. Then I go out and about my day and even though all I've lost so far are 15 lbs I feel so much more confident. It's awesome. A good mirror can work wonders. :)