Do you FEEL fat????????

[esv2000 0]

I recently went for a vacation for 4wks and took lot of pictures. When came home and watched my own pictures I was very disgusted with myself as I looked wayyyyyyyyy too much fat, out of shape and flabby. I was surprised that in reality I dont feel that fat unless I am looking into big mirror or watching my own photographs.

So, I was wondering if any of you feel the same way? I mean do you feel fat or don't feel fat when in reality you are obese? Just curious to know how different people feel differently or I am the one who has a problem! THX.

[LeighaMason 19]

I always say that I am a reverse anorexic. Anorexic's feel fat no matter how thin they are, I always have a mental picture of myself as being thinner than I actually am. However, I have lost 30 lbs so the image in my mind and my body are actually getting closer together. Keep in mind that we are always more critical on any picture of ourselves than anyone else is. I have pictures of me from my 20's that when they were taken I thought I looked horrible and now I wished I still looked like that!

[DianaG 0]

Leigha, couldn't agree more. Oh for the "good old days"!

[TracyNYC 4]

I wouldn't know what it is NOT to feel or look fat. I have never NOT been fat. I think i will think I am skinnier than I really am because, even after I lose 100 pounds, I will still be overweight. I saw a picture of myself from 10 years ago and i was probably 70 lbs. lighter back then and am HUUGE! I will Never be skinny in my head or in person. I will be thinnER and HEALTHIER though.

[Blaze21 5]

I have lost 101 pounds and I still feel fat. Granted, I don't feel like I did when I was 257 lbs, but nonetheless, I feel fat. I have about 20 left to lose before I reach goal. Everyone around me has said that I have lost too much weight. Mind you, I am still overweight for my height. Hopefully when I get to goal, my head will catch up with my body.

[vlp1968 83]

I feel thinner since surgery and 34.5 weight reduction than I really am. The psychologist associated with the surgery team said to take a picture once a month. This will help you adjust mentally to your new body. However when I saw the pictures (front and profile in a bathing suit) I was horrified. I looked much fatter than I felt. I reported it to the psychologist and she said I need to look at them nonjudgementally. A tough thing to do for sure!

[scottyd 0]

I am so glad someone started this thread, I am down 180+ lbs I started this journey at 397lbs I for one look into the mirror and still to this day see the fat man of 397lbs. I don't see the guy of 217lbs give or take. I struggle with my own mental picture. It is crazy I know I know. weird but that's me. So yes I feel fat over weight and out of control. "Does anyone know what I am feeling."

[Bree99 1]

Hi All,

I started to get fat in my mid twenties after years of being an athlete. When I see pictures of myself at my present weight I am appalled. I still identify as a normal weight person, though I haven't been in 2 decades. As I lose weight my body will come into line with my mental image of myself. If you are someone who still feels fat after losing weight, keep trying to get an objective view of yourself, it will come. I think my retention of a normal weight image of myself was a defense against all the cruel remarks and reactions I got as a fat person.

[txprincess 47]

When I was thinner, I felt fat. Then I would see pics of myself and think, "Wow...I look gooood!" Now I'm "obese" and look in the mirror and see one hot looking chick...next day as I browse through the pics on the camera I'm left stunned and shocked by the rolly polly blonde staring back at me. I don't think my "mental" will ever catch up with my "reality."

[LollyMoe 1]

I've been obese all of my adult life but I have never "felt" fat or thought I was fat until I would see a picture of myself. Then I would go into complete denial by telling myself that I don't feel that fat. It wasn't until my health started to break that I felt fat. My self image has always been strong. I don't judge myself or others by their weight. Instead I judge myself & others by behaviors of love and kindness towards self & others.

I am working on improving my health and the weight loss is a side effect of having surgery.

[nichelle71 0]

I wouldn't know what it is NOT to feel or look fat. I have never NOT been fat. I think i will think I am skinnier than I really am because, even after I lose 100 pounds, I will still be overweight. I saw a picture of myself from 10 years ago and i was probably 70 lbs. lighter back then and am HUUGE! I will Never be skinny in my head or in person. I will be thinnER and HEALTHIER though.

Amen TracyNYC! Personally I love me at my size now, even as heavy as I am. I think I'm sexy, vivacious and can run circles around any skinny chick! :biggrin: Now, are there days I don't like how things fit or think UGH..I need to lose weight. YES...but self acceptance no matter your size is so important. It's when my health began to falter that I knew it was time to take action. Losing the same pounds over and over was not a good thing. That's why in this pre-band state i'm embracing my little 4 lbs lost so far! hahahahaha

Love repsect and best wishes to everyone no matter why you're losing the weight though. Thing is....WE'RE LOSING AND LIFE IS GOOD!:glare:

[lamar44 0]

I think the vast majority of the population doesn't see their true physical self....either they have an overinflated sense of their attractiveness or they overestimate their own unattractiveness. I have been overweight since I was 11 and I know that I have a very difficult time really seeing what I look like. I always wonder and often ask my husband, "Is that what my fatness looks like?" when I see other heavy people. Let's face it, some people can carry fat better than others and I always like to think that I carry mine well. However, I'm thrilled to be carrying less of it every day and after 7 rough days recovering from my surgery, I have high hopes for the future....a future in which I envision the things I can do (like wrapping my arms around my knees) in addition the the things I can wear. 22 pounds lost so far! 75 to go!

[homewith2 0]

Amen TracyNYC! Personally I love me at my size now, even as heavy as I am. I think I'm sexy, vivacious and can run circles around any skinny chick! :biggrin: Now, are there days I don't like how things fit or think UGH..I need to lose weight. YES...but self acceptance no matter your size is so important. It's when my health began to falter that I knew it was time to take action. Losing the same pounds over and over was not a good thing. That's why in this pre-band state i'm embracing my little 4 lbs lost so far! hahahahaha

Love repsect and best wishes to everyone no matter why you're losing the weight though. Thing is....WE'RE LOSING AND LIFE IS GOOD!:glare:

I have tried and tried to "adopt" the feeling of loving myself the way I am. I just can't do it! I have an overweight friend that truly does not think twice about it. Goes to the pool in her swim suit and has zero anxiety. I wish I could do that. I'm always worried about what I look like and how others "see" me. It's crazy, I know. I'm really not that important and people don't think of me the way I do! LOL!

[milwif 0]

I'm the same way, I feel thinner then I really look. Even when I look down at my body, I don't think it's that fat. But then I look at a picture and BAM! There's a Fatty staring back at me. It sucks, but I know it will get better.

[vlp1968 83]

I have posted this before I think but it fits so well into this thread. My psychologist (who is part of the lapband team along with the surgeon and nutritonist) gave me 2 things to do to start letting my mind adjust to my new body. Keep one set of "fat" clothes and try them on once in a while. Also take a pic of yourself once a month and campare where you are from where you began. Look at the pic unjudgementally (tough I know). Dr. Phil says to look at yourself naked in the mirror once in a while. I do that too.