Do you ever forget you're fat?
 

What I mean to say is that, at times, I'll be working out and finish and feel pumped! Like, yay! I did it! And I think: I am so getting fit now! And then I look down and ugh, there is the flabby belly and it sure takes the wind out of my sails. It's almost like I've forgotten I'm fat for a bit and then there it is.

It frustrates me because it just depletes my feeling of accomplishment. Most days I'm smart enough to remember not to look down and just enjoy the accomplishment. Some days I forget, like today.

Ugh. Yes. Yes yes yes.

Thankfully, it is rare. Usually I look down, see fat rolls and think how much smaller those fat rolls are than they used to be lol But every now and then, I don't see the progress, I just see fat. Thankfully it's not to the point where it hinders my progress. It just sucks to feel that way sometimes!

Nope. It is rare that I go a single moment without be consciously aware of that fact. Sometimes I feel better about it than others.

Yep. The thought crosses my mind at all possible moments. I'm hyper aware of my body and the way I feel in it.

I don't think of myself as fat. I'm overweight, according to bmi charts, but I never use the word "fat" to describe myself. I find it very demeaning.

So yes, I forget about the fact that I'm not at what others would consider an ideal weight most of the time. I wear clothes that fit and my energy level is pretty high. I stopped comparing my body to other people's bodies some time ago.

I use to obsess about my size, so I know what you're saying, but I no longer do that. It has been very freeing.

Totally get it. I'm more capable than I've ever been. Stronger. More active, more confident.

...and then my clothes come off and I'm still 370 pounds. And it's now been long enough that I really don't remember looking bigger, so all I see is huge.

Just another lovely mindf***k that goes with weight loss.

All the time. I've mentioned in other threads how one problem is I don't see myself in the mirror the way I actually appear. The person I see in the mirror isn't fat. Chubby, but not fat. Then I see a photo of myself, and I'm like, "That's what I look like???" But even on exercise I don't "feel" fat. I went for a 6 mile walk on Saturday with my dog and I just had scads of energy- I was even running with her! Then Saturday night I noticed how my knees and legs were hurting and I was stiff on Sunday and it was that reminder of "Hey! You're carrying 60 extra pounds, Dee!" Ugh.

I can fool myself... Like just looking at my eyes of my face and not the double chin... stuff like that.

What I do forget is that I am built like a tank... Then, when I was thinner, I would go into a store like Anthropologie and drool at their stuff, but NOTHING looked good on me because they design for waif like types - not hippy, big boobed, large boned women.

There is only one time I forget that I'm fat. When I'm running. Maybe that's why I love it so much. Every other minute I'm insanely aware of how fat I am, how fat I look, how gross, soft, lumpy...just very negative thoughts that have been in my head since I was about 10 years old. But when I'm running, I feel light and strong. And I do forget I'm fat.

I do that all the time. Actually just the thought in my head about working out, eating healthy I start to feel thinner lol! I think I have this picture of my ideal self in my head & every now & then I will just feel like her.

But then I walk past a mirror or look down the whole illusion comes crashing smack into reality lol

I think it is a good thing though. Because I am not my fat & if I can stop focusing on fat fat fat it is nice. But then yes once I remember how I look right now it does kindof make me feel bad again. :(

This is how I've been feeling today after looking up at myself on the tv walking into a grocery store today. Was feeling confident until
I looked up.

Unfortunately, I never forget I'm fat, probably because I've always been fat. I spent most of my life at 250 pounds, and if anything, I still feel like should be wearing 22/24's although I'm in 16's now. And even when I was at my highest of 360, I felt like I was still 250 and believed I should be fitting in 22/24's. I think my mind will always be trapped there.

I can totally identify with this thread! Every time I have a good workout!

I forget about it all the time! That's part of the problem of how I gained weight in the first place. Because I got bigger so slowly and kind of naturally, if I'm not looking at myself from the outside in pictures or mirrors, or consciously touching and squishing the newly fat places on my body, I hardly notice the difference.

So it's a real shocker when I see a photo of myself standing next to someone else...

Yup. Lately i've been really feeling like my face is fat. Like just a puffy face and it never used to be like that. I just got back from the gym and although I feel like I had a good workout I had a moment of let-down when I saw another girl who was ultra fit and then thought to myself how long it will take to get there. And I wouldn't even want to get to her size anyway (girl was clearly a gym rat) but it drove home how difficult it actually is to get the weight off. But then I reminded myself that at least i'm here, working up a sweat and not on the couch adding more pounds...

I have started to looking at working out for health much more now than before. I do want to be toned, etc, but I can't drive myself crazy.

Yes!! I've never really felt like a fat person unless I am shopping for clothes or see a picture someone has taken of me and then I remember! I have been losing pretty steady and feeling great and then I went into a store the other day and saw myself on the overhead camera and was like "ugh"!!! It definitely took a hit for about 15 minutes. I really had to fight hard to shake it off. One minute I felt like the rocky theme music was playing as I walked and the next, I heard the sound of pacman dieing. I'm training myself not to look into those cameras anymore!

I am glad to hear so many other people have struggled with this same issue. It's nice not to feel alone.

Well, I do agree

I never remember I'm fat unless I'm looking in a full body mirror. The rest of the time I feel awesome and sexy...which really doesn't help motivate me to be healthy! Sometimes I wish I felt fat so I'd remember to act healthier.

Nope
 

I remember it every minute of every day. I think I'd be more likely to forget my name than forget I'm fat.

Yep, I've been experiencing this a lot over the past week! I feel ya. It only bothers me for a quick minute though, because it means I'm making the right moves to become fit. It means that I am working out and eating better which is making me FEEL better. May as well enjoy the upswing!

Yes! It happens to me too! Not so much when I look down or look in the mirror, but when I take pictures, or toward the end of the day when I'm bloated and my tummy is full. It's a bummer.

Yup, i was feeling pretty damn good with my weight loss then my sis asked me to send her a pic of my progress i looked it and thought "WTH i thought i was more attractive" LOL. I think I'm probably one of those people who don't actually know what they look like, what i see in the mirror doesn't tally up with my photos, probably because to me my body feels slimmer but to someone else I'm still overweight.

and secondly started exercising again, while doing my girly push up In my bra i noticed my tummy just hung down like dough, i was mortified but its ok, that little pouch is gonna go (i hope!)

Only when I'm alone. When I'm with other people, even my girlfriend, I am constantly aware of how big I am. Lately it has gotten so bad that socializing with others leaves me feeling hatred for myself.

not really. like another poster said, when I'm really working hard as with running, I'm busy focusing on breathing and form so not much what I look like. But mirrors, clothing, that sort of thing really reminds me of how big I actually have gotten. I've been at about this weight for about 5 years now and I am soooo sick of it!
BUT at least I am now doing something about it and am sticking with my healthy habits!

Yes, I often forget that I am fat. When I go to water aerobics I don't see myself as a 312lb woman in a swimsuit. I see myself as a nice butt, great boobs, and a happy person in a swimsuit. Also, when I go shopping I see things in an XL and think, I'm so close, when in reality I'm a couple sizes away :(

In my mind's eye I am still 130 lbs that I was in my 20's and 30's. When I see pictures or look in a mirror I think "Who IS that woman?" When shopping, I can't believe that size 12 pants won't go over my hips. The size 16's and 18's look so huge to me, but they are the ones I can zip up and button. I definately have a distorted self-image. I thought it was only me, but I see I am not alone.