I have been on IP for 11 weeks now and I have lost 38 lbs. Everyone seems to be noticing, and complimenting me, however, my mind hasn't yet caught up with my body. When moving around obstacles, I allow myself way more space than I need (to the point where I completely lost my balance and almost fell during a hike the other day). My DH keeps complimenting me on how small I am now and how great I look, but when I look in the mirror, I am confused. I still see a large person, not a tall lady with awesome curves.

It's not that I am not a confident person, it's just that changing so rapidly is strange and confusing! I never really know what (or who!) to expect when I look in the mirror. I am not complaining, by any means! Losing so much, so fast, is the most empowering and wonderful accomplishments of my life! IP has clarified so many aspects of my life...I finally understand how my body works, how sugar effects me, and how I gained the weight in the first place. This journey is one of the best, and most wonderful of my life, thus far, and I know that this weight is coming off for good.

Today, I went shopping, and it was a good experience for the first time in a while! I guess I just wanted to share a bit of what is going through my mind with people who really understand!

I love and admire the person I am becoming, and I deeply respect myself (and all of you!) for having the strength and will to dedicate myself so entirely to making this life-altering change! With every pound I lose, I release more and more baggage into the ether, never to return again! It feels so wonderful to trust in myself, and (finally!) understand myself well enough to know, for a fact, that this weight (both physical and emotional) is never coming back!

Anyways, I guess I just wanted to say thank you to everyone on this forum. I have been way more of a "lurker" than a "poster," but everyone, and every post on here has helped motivate and encourage me, and I guess I just wanted to share a bit of what is going on as I continue on this amazing IP journey!

I think we all go through this. I was obese for most of my life, and that's the image of myself that's etched in my brain. So it's going to take a while for the thin me to become my mental image of myself. I don't have any words of wisdom for you. I just wanted to let you know that you're not alone.

I've been maintaining for o er a year and I still can't really see myself.

I've lost 32lbs so far, and am finally starting to see little differences that I didn't before. My belts are looser, my boots zip up easier, and my tummy is starting to get smaller. I'm not mentally there yet either (especially since I still have 68lbs to go), but I'm feeling better about myself. I don't have nearly the confidence I need yet, but I am starting to feel like a normal human being with each pound I shed!