For me, it's photos. I can feel good about myself, and even ok with what I see in the mirror. But in a photo? Ugh. Even at my lowest of 198 in 2011, I still looked HUGE in photos. For me a big factor is that I carry my weight in my upper body, including my face and neck, so I still had a very fat face and thick neck. I see photos of people here who weigh 100 lbs more than I do and look thinner and better in the face.

I feel you! Photos are the WORST!!!!

Totally there. I had my photo taken a bunch over this weekend, and it was a huge let down. Mostly because it's such a huge reminder of how far I have to go. I was also in such denial when I was at my highest that I could never really see how big I actually was, so it diminishes the progress a lot.

When I was 234 pounds I didn't feel it. I didn't feel fat at all, actually. I was completely clueless about my actual size. I knew what the scale said, but I didn't feel that way.

After I got down to 160 pounds, I found it completely shocking to look at pictures of my bigger self.

I remember I once got up to 175 pounds (from my all-time low of 160) and I felt bigger than I'd ever felt at 234 pounds.

I guess my point is that this weight-loss thing is a total head trip.

I have to laugh now, because, I would kill to be 175 pounds right now. I'm currently fighting back from a 40-pound regain.

And to stay on topic: Currently I feel better than I did 20 pounds ago (and I get a lot of compliments from people at my gym - people who didn't know me at 160 pounds), but when I look in the mirror, I think: "I don't look 160 yet".

UGH!! I hate being so head-trippy.

I'm going through that right now. I feel like I look great, I feel that I look smaller, but when I look at myself in the mirror or see pictures of myself, I'm like wtf - I really don't look any different. And although the scale represents that I lost about 15 pounds since I started in January - my clothes aren't reflecting that. I'm still the same jean size (although they are a lot looser, but I can't get into the next size. I can get into them and button them but they are still to tight) and my shirt size is still the same. I feel like with 15 pounds off my body I would have to go clothes shopping.

I think feeling good about ourselves, at whatever weight, is normal, healthy and a great way to feel.

I hear ya, ladies! I do this too!! I think it's a good thing in some ways. There is the risk of being 'in denial', but none of us on here are in denial! We are all being super accountable and reflective! I think feeling good in our skin is the right way to be. I know I didn't like weighing 210 lbs, but I still could get dressed up and feel sexy. Now it's a different type of sexy! lol it may be unfortunate when i squeeze myself into too-tight clothes, but otherwise, I like feeling thin and healthy!

Glad I'm not the only one!

I agree there is nothing wrong with feeling good, I like that feeling. But when I "feel" like I am at my pre-preggers weight and then look in the mirror and see I'm still sooooo heavy, I feel a bit shocked actually.

I just can't wait to "look" as good as I "feel."

Thanks for all the replies!!

YES! Me too. I feel like my stomach is super flat and then I look at it and am like... um yeah, no.

Which I think is interesting because... think of a life where we didn't have mirrors, or scales, or cameras, etc. You would just simply feel GOOD wouldn't you?

OMG YES!! I started the day feeling skinny only to be brought back to reality whenever I caught my reflection in the mirror, or office window or picture frames! My pants feel loose and in a moment of pride I marched into the women's restroom at work only to see my big fat in big pants with a big waist. I made a face at myself and walked out telling myself that I need to work harder to get out of these pants and get into smaller ones.

I started working out a few weeks ago, doing 40 mins of swim every morning followed by Cardio in the evening. I am watching what I eat too so I think it's a mental thing where you know what you are doing is supposed to give you results and you start "feeling" them already.

Stay positive and keep at it. Your head will eventually agree with what you see in the mirror !!

^This! OMG, yes. I think most of the weight I need to lose is in my face. Ugh!

It's the opposite for me.

I always feel much larger than I really am. I was a fat kid, fat teen and fat 20-something. I got used to it, so it never has really registered that I've lost so much. In my mind, it's hard to accept, and I often feel much bigger than women who are two or three times my size. I don't have a full-length mirror, so when I see my reflection somewhere, it freaks me out a bit.