[stargzr]

I've hit a point in my weight loss where it doesn't seem real anymore. I'm not sure if I never thought I could get this low again or what the deal is, but I'm having serious brain/scale issues. See I have a bunch of pairs of jeans from when I was 167 about 5 years ago... I've tried them on once before and they weren't close to fitting. BUT, this weekend I tried them on and more than one pair actually pulled up, zipped, and buttoned. I was in denial... I couldn't believe it. I had put them on, but it was like my brain didn't believe it was possible yet. So they went back in the closet and I have no intention of putting them on again anytime soon. Then today I hopped on the scale and it said 179.. I can't believe it. I was thinking about changing my ticker, but my brain keeps telling me that it was a fluke read and it will be higher tomorrow (which is totally untrue, I've been working really hard!)

What's the deal? Has this happened to anyone else? Is this normal in weight loss?? Please tell me I'm not going crazy!!

[losermom]

Stargzr, you are not crazy! I think that your reaction is pretty normal. I know that I kind of flipped out when I was about 40 lbs down. And I'm pretty sure I drove my family and friends crazy because I couldn't stop talking about how crazy I felt. It takes awhile for your brain to catch up with the scale.

[kellielou]

Been there...and it will take time but congrats on your success!

[Passionista]

Is there any victory that speaks to us all as much as fitting into our old jeans? Congrats!

[Eliana]

I understand perfect, except where you put your clothes back in the closet and won't wear them, I tell myself mean things like that they only fit because I stretched them out before.

I don't know why we do this to ourselves, but lots of people here have told me it's very normal and that it takes a long time for our minds to catch up to our bodies. It's a complete surprise to me because I want this badly! Why would I self-sabotage in that way? It makes no sense. And I've always been shocked to look in the mirror and see the person I am. My mind's eye sees me much thinner. So this reaction I'm having seems so gosh darn backwards.

But you're doing great, and somewhere in the recesses of your mind, you know that. Focus on THAT voice.

[Sakai]

I know this game. For a while I use to tell myself that my weight loss was only water weight and not "real" weight...even though I've lost close to 20 pounds...sometimes i feel like it's not real weight loss...not yet. I don't know when I'll hit the point in my loss that it finally hits me that it is real weight loss. I think when i can look in the mirror and see a much thiner me. for at the moment I still see the exact same person I was 20 pounds ago.

A good moment came when I pulled out my size 18 pants. two months earlier i found them and tried them on...it was iffy at best getting them over my hips/butt and they were about 2 inches away from being able to button them. Then, this weekend, my BF and i were going out and the only pair of jeans I had were capri type and I didn't want my bare legs to freeze so I pulled out that same size 18 pants I couldn't button.
It was still iffy getting them up over my hips/butt but there was no longer a 2 inch gap between the button and button hole. I was finally able to button them and zip them up...of course I had to "suck it in" and it took about a hour of walking around and bended in order to sit without having to feel like I was getting smooshed in half.
Was the first time I felt my weight loss was real. even though that number on the scale was slowly moving down...i too felt the scale was lying.
But I'll let it keep lying to me..as long as it tells me what I want to hear.