Hello everyone,
I am back. I didn't fall off the wagon though. Don't worry. Finding a job, graduating with my master's degree, and moving to a new city. I have actually hit almost the 55lb mark and have went from a size US 22/24 to a size 16. I always thought that at this size I would feel differently. Don't get me wrong, I DO feel better and more confident but I still get depressed. I don't quite understand. I think it's because I'm in the UK where a UK size 14 (US 10) is seen as fat. Being a UK size 18 then makes me feel like an elephant. Ugh. Well 2012 should be better, I guess. Anyone ever feel like this? Or am I alone in feeling this way? I wonder if I would feel differently if I were in the US?

Really, I'm in the US and I can't tell you whether you'd feel differently or not. It's true, we have an obesity epidemic, and I guess there's more size acceptance.

Personally, though, when I was in my 20s, I felt fat all the time, when I was about a size 18 (and male students used to moo at me when I was alone on the street, or shout from passing cars "Eat a salad."). I look back at pictures of myself and I'm amazed: I know my college students today wouldn't think they were fat if they looked like I did then. So, maybe you'd feel less self-conscious if you were in the US.

Or, are you hanging around very size-conscious people in the UK? My friends who spend a lot of time in England tell me they perceive much less focus on appearance there. (of course, they're model-skinny, so what do they know, really?)

It's hard to say to yourself, I don't care how others look at me. But it's what I had to do to be happy in my 20s, and it may be what you need to do.

On the other hand, depression is a crafty opponent. Maybe there are other reasons you're depressed, and if the weight was gone you'd be depressed about something else. Have you sought help for depression?

I can relate. One of my big goals was to get into a size 8 and once I got there I wasn't nearly as happy as I thought I would be. I also live abroad and even though 40% of adults are overweight here, clothing stores have certainly not caught up. Some plus size stores start with what would be the equivalent of a US size 6 or 8! At 14lbs overweight I was told by one doctors that I was "really big" and finding clothes here are nearly impossible because of my body type. It can be really difficult when you don't feel like you fit in with the locals.

On the other hand, I've also had to learn to accept that I may never have the perfect body. Losing weight is for me to get healthy and be happier with my body. Having the ideal body is impossible because I'm a mom and have lost a great deal of weight, my stomach is never going to be flat! BUT I can look awesome when I'm dressed and what I'm doing helps me to have more energy to play with DD and ditto for my job. Have you tried doing progress pictures? Also, are you focusing on your good parts too? I'm sure you have some after that loss! I do a lot of measurements and it really helps me to learn how to dress my body and know what are my good parts to focus on.

I wonder too how I would be perceived in the US. The last time I was in the US I was just under 200lbs and it's been over 8 years since I've been at my current weight so I really have no clue how I would look compared to the average American. However, I don't live in the US so the best thing I can do is make me happy where I do live. It's not always the easiest thing but I know getting in shape and taking care of my body is the best thing I can do at the moment.

No, I don't suffer from depression. I didn't mean it exactly like that. Sorry for not being more clear. Maybe the more apt way to say it would have been I get discouraged. I think it*MIGHT* be different in the US. And yes, in the UK they are a bit less vain about appearance. I will say. It's just probably me. I am my own worst critic. And I do feel better and I've seen major changes that make me very happy and I do concentrate on them but I guess we all get a bit 'meh'. I do do progresso pictures and they make me so very happy. Ha, ha. Also fitting into smaller jeans and clothes does too and feeling more energetic. Running, where are you at if you don't mind me asking? I know! The clothes here for 'plus size' start at a US size 8/10! :O It's unbelievable because most celebrities are a US size 6 and I think an 8 is quite slim! Well, 2012 is a brand new year with new and big goals for me. And you're right, you have to do what makes you feel happy and assured and take care of your body. You girls are both inspirational though!

I live in Brazil. Oh, and thanks. I think it's completely normal to reach a "meh" stage. We're promised so much with weight loss and we build up some of our goals so much in our minds that it's hard for them to actually live up to our expectations. It's great that you'd doing progress pictures. I photoshopped a few of my pictures with the corresponding weights next to each other and that's helped me a lot to compare. If I get down about it I try to refer back to them to see how far I've come.

I think when celebrates say they're wearing a size 6 it's very different than what you'd get in most shops. If I look at the size chart for designers I should wear something like a US size 12, maybe a US size 10 but in reality I wear a 6-8 (but definitely not in designer clothes! ). So if designers actually follow their size charts (goodness knows most stores don't) then a designer size 6 is much more like a regular size 2. I can fit into some size 6's at this point and I'm no where near celebrity thin.

Also keep in mind that sizes look different on different people, in addition to vanity sizing and other problems with womens sizing not really following size charts between brands. A size 2 might look good on someone 5'3" but someone 5'9" would possibly look sickly as a 2.

I think I know what you're saying. I would have thought dropping 60 pounds would have made me - happier(?) somehow but really I'm still me in a slightly smaller size. It's weird really.

lol....I have always cut out size tags in clothes, whether fat or thin. I wear clothes that fit, when they don't, I get rid of them. It's simple. I have never seen any consistency in sizing anyways. It all depends on the fit, shape of the garment to the body. I would rather feel good in the clothing than worry about the number on a tag or label.

My husband and I are moving to Scotland in April, waving hello!