You are not fat by any means. I know it's in your head and I wish I could fix that for you. This resonates with me because I am outside cycling a lot and it never occurred to me that someone would ever yell anything nasty to me because I'm a chunky monkey on a bike wearing a lot of lycra. (I am on the side that thinks I am thinner than what I really am!)



This is not directed at you, but comment made me think about something that was critical to my success with my weight loss for the last two years (and why I still keep at it even if it's slow going).

I did not lose the weight because I thought at some day I would feel different because I lost weight. I never imagined that my life would get better or that I would have better self-esteem because I lost weight. I guess I'm thankful for that, because I won't be disappointed if my cellulite doesn't disappear.

I don't think weight loss fixes other issues. Weight loss is literally that -- weight loss. Better body or better life don't come with it.

I'm thin in my head. The irony is that when I weighed between 125 to 135 lbs and was between a size 7 to size 10 for all of my 20s, I thought I was fat. I'm now 175lbs and wear size 14/16 pants. I keep on thinking that I'm not "THAT fat"...after all, I still get positive attention from men, so I can't be fat, right? My friend took a picture of me just the other day on Thanksgiving. OH MY GOD! I'm living in denial. I'm definitely fooling myself into thinking that I'm thinner than I actually am. I'll be happy if I weighed 150lbs at this point in my life.

In my head I'm close to my normal weight. No matter how fat I get, I have a vison of how I want to look in clothes. Certain styles and cuts that I want to wear. Problem is that designers have no idea how to dress fat people. Big flowers and prints, clown pockets, elastic waist bands, boxey cuts. Uggg just because I'm big doesn't mean I want to dress frumpy... please!

Over the years, they've gotton a little better but not much. When I was in plus sizes it irked me to no end that there is only one little section in most department stores devoted to plus sizes and it is usually on the second floor way in the back somewhere. And their idea of career clothes for fat people is ALWAYS A JOKE!


So my problem is that when I was fat, I still wanted to dress like a thin person. Mentally I've always seen myself as a thin person. Nevertheless, the mirrors and the scales don't lie. Lol!

I have major issues. I seem to live in denial no matter what my size is. When I'm fat I don't think I'm "that" fat and when I'm thin I think I'm fat. I just can't win with myself so I'm just going to try and accept me at any size and concentrate on my health this time around. I'm basing it on my pant size and my fitness goals. Cause my head is messed LOL

I used to be thin in my head, then I caught a glimpse of some unflattering photos and learned otherwise.

I've thought about this a lot actually For all my life I thought I was fat. Horribly fat. Huge. A whale.
But I also had an eating disorder for a long time. After therapy I gained a TON of weight. So now I technically am fat, but its hard for me to accept it. I always was making excuses saying there was something wrong with the sizing, I was bloated, the scale was broken ect.
So yeah, its kind of strange. Its almost like I became too comfortable/lax with food and my weight. I think now though I really am seeing myself much more honestly though. Maybe for the first time in my life

My mom and my boyfriend both think I have body dysmorphic disorder. My mom used to pick out people off of TV and ask me if I thought I was bigger or smaller then whoever she pointed out to me. My answer was always bigger.

Even down 40lbs, I see no change in my body. When I look in the mirror I see the same person I saw when I started this. My stomach is still flabby, my thighs and calves are still huge and I am still giggly. I have extremely low self esteem so it is going to be a huge struggle but I am trying to feel better about my self. I fear I will always be fat in my head though.

fat fat fat

i'm always surprised when i see recent pictures of myself

In my head I'm still over 300 pounds... my mental image of my body hasn't yet changed.

What a fascinating thread!

When I was at my heaviest last year, I somewhat lived in denial that I was obese. I didn't realize that it affected me as much as it did as I was told 'I carried my weight well', and no one would guess how much I weighed.

I knew deep down that I was nowhere close to what I weighed 20 years ago which was close to 140pounds. Back then I felt normal (size 10).

I feel fat these days, which motivates me to lose more weight. I can see how easy it can be to live in denial though. I also don't think it is always about a number on a scale because I know people who are happy with themselves at different weights.

I think in some ways I have always imagined myself the way I look around 180. Which was thin when I was 239, and now, but fat when I was 140. What's funny about it is that I saw myself that size years before I actually got to that size.

Most of the time, I guess it's nice that I don't see how big I really am. But, I do think it made it easier for me to gain as much as I did. And it's also hard for me because when I do realize how big I am, it's devastating.

It changes a lot... most of the time, I feel "thick". I don't think I look *fat* anymore, but I know I don't look thin so I put myself in a "thick" category. However, when I see pictures of myself - I feel fat. Or if I go to the hair dresser and I sit down in front of the mirror, I see my belly fat roll and I feel fat again.

Every now and then I walk over in front of the mirror at home and get a glance and I feel downright SKINNY.

I try not to let myself feel like I'm thin or satisfied with myself because I feel like if I let myself be content with how I look, I will lose focus on the goal....

I have denial issues as well. One of my biggest problems is that I think I look great and that everything all perfect. I love the way I look but unfortunately my health is at stake. It's hard to make good choices when you don't have the willpower or drive to lose weight.

^^^ This! I never think I'm as fat as I am. I keep yo-yoing up and down some 15 -20lbs or so (I'm yo-yoed up a.t.m.) but still think 'oh, I don't look too bad' or 'oh, I don't look any different from when I weighed less'. Yeah, right. I was out clothes shopping with my youngest the other day and caught a glimpse of clothed self in the mirror. Gaaaaa, I look like a bloody beach ball. That prompted me to actually get on the damn scale Monday. <sigh> Who did I think I was fooling? I had to go buy a pair of jeans two sizes bigger about a month ago because I couldn't squeeze into my old jeans. . . . so how could I possibly think I looked the same as I did 20 lbs. ago?

I will forever be overweight in my head!
I didn't think there were so many people with the same kind of mind set as I have.
I've lost almost 70 lbs. now and have about 30 left to lose. But I can't see the difference. People in my life keep telling me they see the changes in my body, But I just Don't see it!!!! It's so frustrating!!!!
I'm glad to know I'm not alone!