Okay.. so I've lost 36 pounds and I'm starting to not be able to tell that I've lost it. What's that about?

Does people's self-perception lag behind more and more with the more weight they lose? like it doesn't adjust to their current state?

Well...congrats first off with the 36 pound loss. And I definitely thing self-perception lags behind. For me...I have such a hard time with my body image...I mean how many times did I look in the mirror and thing I looked good and then see a picture of myself and could not believe what I saw. So, I think it can work the opposite too.

I don't have any advice on how to bring up self-perception up to speed.

I am with you on this thing too. I sometimes feel I'm fatter than I was before, even though I'm down 20 lbs. It sucks!
My clothes do fit loosely but sometimes I just don't look or feel like I've lost anything. and then I start thinking... 20 out of over 100 lbs ... it's just not anything. I know it is, but I sometimes feel like it's not.
Maybe it's a self-esteem thing as well as self perception. I know it is for me.

My self-perception is the same way. Sometimes I go to bed at night thinking I look smaller, then wake up and think I look like I gained 20 lbs over night. When I was 70 lbs lighter than I am now, I felt just as big as I did when I was 285 lbs. It's definitely something I need to work on too.

Every now and then I'll think, you know I really do look smaller, and then other times - ummm I know the scale says I lost 86 pounds, but where the heck from? That was the case the other night, so I tried on the only 5 or 6 pieces of clothing that I saved from when before I started this. Everything else I gave away to charity. I am telling you it is the best thing to do. These clothes were ENORMOUS on me. I stood there holding um up and thinking how could I have been that big? They used to fit and now they're gigantic - so I guess I really am smaller. I don't know if reality will ever sink in and we will recognize how far we've come. It's a shame really.

Congrats on the 36 pounds!!!!

It takes a long time to notice you've shrunk and other people might not notice either. Think this is a particular problem if you have a lot of weight to lose - think even when I'd lost 70lbs people barely registered as I was still fat in their eyes so nothing to comment on. Thing is YOU KNOW that you've lost 36lbs and it will be noticeable in how much healthier you look and how much more energy you've got and you must have dropped a good few dress sizes already. Think you hit a certain weight when suddenly everyone clicks that's something's going on - but by then it's old news to you - you'll see it'll happen for you!

36 lbs! That's awesome! I've not lost enough to go through what you're experiencing yet so I can't really offer any advice. I'm hoping that my before pictures and the measuring tape will help to encourage me on this path when the doubts come.

[QUOTE=rockinrobin;1542948] so I tried on the only 5 or 6 pieces of clothing that I saved from when before I started this.
QUOTE]

Robin, this is a really good suggestion. I've been purging my closet and dresser drawers and decided to hold onto a couple of things that used to be favorites, but I outgrew quite a while ago. My goal is to actually put them on again, even though I most likely won't wear them anywhere. Talk about living in the 80's! I'd never thought about keeping items that I've gotten too small for.

I actually went through all my old clothes and have about 10-15 pieces from when I was smaller that I use to keep my focus.

I actually still wear the same clothes, they are loose (especially the pants) but all right for now. I think a few of my shirts shrank in the dryer which feels like I gained, even though I know I haven't - lol, go figure.

I just really want to lose a few more pounds, get to the 40 lbs lost mark and continue from there... a few more weeks hopefully! And I guess the scale can't be wrong about 40 lbs right our perceptions and realities are so interesting, the way we can totally not see what's right in front of us, it's absolutely amazing and unbelievable!