I've lost nearly 80 pounds so far this year, getting close to ONEderland, but I'm still definately far from being "normal" sized. In 90% of the pictures of me, I still look terrible, and though I feel better physically, it's not what I expect a normal person feels like.


So I'm wondering, for those of you that are already under 200, when did you first realize you were a normal size? Was it a certain weight, pant size?
When can I expect to stop being "fat"?

Or those of you still on your way to goal, when do you expect that you won't be fat anymore?

For some of us chickies, it'll be a certain pant size. For others, it's all about the mentality of "fat" vs. "thin" regardless of what the scale says. And lastly, it could also be when a chickie reaches her target weight that she/he no longer thinks she's "fat" but is now thin. It varies for each and every one of us!

~ tea

First off, congratulations on your fabulous weight loss - you look smokin' hot in your photo!

I have struggled with my weight my entire life. When my son was about a year old, I lost about 40 lbs. and was down to 132 lbs. at 5'6". (And what I wouldn't give to have to lose only 40 lbs. now! ) I was a size 8, but I was still surprised to be considered "thin."

I remember this one time when I ran to the grocery store from work to pick up an apple because I didn't have any fruit in the house to put with my sandwich I'd packed for lunch. An older woman in line looked at me and said, "Please tell me that's not the only thing you're eating today - you already have such a beautiful figure!" It floored me - not because it was a bit rude and none of her business what I was eating, but because she referred to me as having a beautiful figure.

Another time, I was on reserve duty away from home and a girl and I were discussing the difficulties of staying within physical fitness (read: weight) regs and a guy looked at me and said, "Wow, I can't even picture you as overweight." I was like, 'is he talking to me?'

I don't know when we finally see ourselves as thin. It's a weird brain/body dynamic.

When I lost a lot of weight back around 2000, I ticked off someone in a parking lot. He called me a "skinny as* b**ch". I positively beamed!

this is such a great question. It's taken me over a year to lose 75lbs, and I'm also very close to onederland, but I know I'm far from where I'd like to be. Lots of ppl have said you look so little, and you're wasting away....I smile and say thank you, but I do have quite a ways to go yet...but it's nice to know ppl notice a difference. I think if I can get into a size 12 or even 14, I will consider myself in really great shape, but I have no clue. I also can say "right now" that if I can get to 160, I'd be really estastic and consider myself a success weight loss story, but again, I don't know till I get there...maybe it'll be 170, or maybe it'll be 130....I just have to live in the now and take it one day at a time, and live healthy one day at a time.

Much congrats on your weight loss thus far.

I felt 'normal' at 165 - 170 lbs. Don't get me wrong - I still had my fat days and wanted to lose weight, but I did feel normal most of the time.

I feel like a beach whale at the moment.

I'm 116lbs, was over 175lbs. I am "skinny fat" and still feel huge. I don't look light at all. So in my head, I'm still fat and want to be about 100lbs. I have been stuck for ages, though.

I still have a little way to go before reaching my goal weight, but I'm starting to not feel fat anymore. For me personally, it wasn't a pants size (though that helped!) or a weight, but just the gradual realization that I don't cringe in disgust when I seem myself in the mirror anymore.

I'm certainly no where close, but I'm hoping for me, it's when I get below 150lbs or can put on a size eight jean.

I went to a waterpark this week and still felt "fat." When I see photos it helps me remember how far I have come. I feel that way sometimes in the mirror but honestly, I still feel fat from the inside out. I am not going anorexic or anything nutty--I am still rationale. I just don't know when or if I will feel thin other than momentarily. A really big thing to me is my thighs. I can wear a small 6 jean but my thighs don't have that long sleek look I have always coveted. Try as I might I do not have a petite build and cannot compete with teeny women in the size department.

the times ive lost weight in the past, i wasnt at goal yet i was still like a size 8 aiming for 6, but that was when i was like...i would be ok looking like this forever, even if i didnt lose anymore weight, i am happy like this. and thats when i stopped being fat in my mind.

im about twelve pounds away from that point so heres hoping it wont be long before ill be able to feel that way about myself again. i mean, i know im not that fat at a size ten...i just dont feel that thin either.

For me, when I'm a size 8 I feel thin, however, when I'm a size 10, I feel normal. The last time I was here, I was 153 and then, I fell off the wagon, so I'm starting over. It's really hard, but I'm trying not to feel bad about it, since I didn't gain all the weight back.

At one point I felt comfortable in a size 16 and being 200lbs. I felt normal.

Then once I hit 255+lbs, I felt huge. Now that I am inching closer to 200 again, I feel...different. I feel bigger than before. I can't believe at one point I felt great with myself at this size. It really makes me wonder when I'll be normal. Or at least be normal. I am hoping things will get better the closer I get to my goal of 140 - 150.

I think ill probably feel "normal" when i get into the 150's. For me its just being within a healthy weight range for my height. Im not looking at pants size or pounds though, i just want to feel comfy in my skin...