I've been looking at the "success photos" posted here, and am just amazed at the transformations in people.

But I'm never able to see that change in myself. Three years ago I lost 80# and went from a size 26/28 to 12/14. The difference was certainly extreme enough that it was noticeable. I look at photos of myself, and even though I can see a slight change, it doesn't seem as drastic as what I can see in other people's photos.

I gained some of that weight back and am now approximately between my heaviest and lowest weight...but in my mind I look pretty much the same. I'm wondering if this inability to see my results is part of why my first weight loss attempt ended in failure.

Just wondering...does anyone relate to this and does anyone have any advice?

Your brain does this to you...dirty trick, isn't it?

Basically, your eyesight and what you see is controlled by your brain. So your retina senses the light, sends an message to your brain with that pattern, and your brain has to translate what that message is.

To help you easily recognize things, your brain does something called "pattern recognition and completion". It gets the basics of the pattern and fills in things you see often from memory. Since you see yourself in the mirror often, your brain actually fills in images of you when you look in the mirror from memory, so even if changes are visible to others, it can be near impossible to see them yourself.

Photos help with that (because the scale is different and you look at them less frequently, your brain doesn't fill in with old patterns, so you actually see what they represent). A lot of people find taking measurements helps too...seeing the numbers go down on a tape measure is solid proof that you are smaller, even if you don't see it.

I've had issues a lot with that too, and also in reverse. i didn't realize how skinny I was around age 15 and 16 (112 pounds at 5'5") because before that I had always been on the chubby side, so that was my self-concept. Then when I let myself go and gained a bunch of weight ( I thought I was invinsible! ha!), I couldn't make myself realize it until I gained like 20 pounds. Then I lost too much again, and started viewing myself as skinny, and now I'm finally waking up to the fact that I've gained over 30 pounds in a year, although the first 15 were because of the ED clinic I got thrown into :P.
I like the tape measure idea! Do you post any pics of yourself on here? Maybe the encouragement of people on here could help you out! Just a thought. Keep up the good work! You can do it! The battle is in your mind. Conquer that battle, and you are already a success! Also, be encouraged that being thin won't make you happy in and of itself. I've been there, and it really doesn't. That's a battle in the mind too. You CAN be happy no matter what your weight is as long as you feel you are moving in the right direction! And we all slip up sometimes. Just get back up again and keep going!!
Whoops, that was a bit long-winded and side-tracked. Sorry!

For me, I don't "see" much of a change until I get to be about 135-140 lbs. Before that point, my shape and fat distribution is the same, but just get smaller. But after I get past the 135 mark, my body actually looks different. The fat is no longer there and I can see an actual body curve instead, my stomache is flatter and I no longer have muffin top, etc. Once I actually look different, and not just a smaller fat version of my previous self, then I can see the difference.

MiniChick...That makes perfect sense. If you're just "shrinking" but staying the same shape, it would be hard to see. When shape changes, you can see it.

mandalinn82...That information is amazing and really helps me understand what is going on!

I'm so happy I'm not alone in this!

Really?? That's so interesting! And it makes sense, why do so many of us still have self image problems?

How long until your brain snaps out of that?