Do you ever..

[Piplula 709]

Not recognize yourself? This may sound paranoid and honestly at the time it was, but here it is. I was shopping and kept noticing this person's reflection in windows and the occasional mirror out of the corner of my eye. And finally I thought myself..well I have had enough of this follow me so I whipped around and guess who was there..the reflection of myself . So I had been all freaked out because apparently I was following myself ..didn't even recognized own image...weird I know..but now when people don't recognize I get it. So remember..if you think someone is following you, just turn around it probably is your own shadow! LoL

[nadoue 158]

So true, I just pose and smile like I am Naomi Campbell

[Spatters3 315]

I'm still surprised when I sit in a chair and there is space on either side of my butt. Like, "Wow, they're finally smarting up and making chairs bigger!" duhhh

[PEvette 297]

Oh yeah, that happens all the time when I do a side glance at my reflection....I sometimes have to stop and look...that's really me...

[lsereno 2,525]

After almost a year at goal, I am still surprised to see my reflection at a distance. Up close, I'm used to the new me, but put 12-15 feet or more between me and the reflection and I'm still like: who's that? My clothes also still look too small when I look at them.

Lynda

[Ms skinniness 3,003]

This happened to me when I was walking down my hallway. I have to admit I loved my body.

[Puja 148]

I spent a few months in the phase where I didn't recognize myself, and was constantly surprised at my shadow, my pictures, or how small my clothes looked.

Then, I hit a point where the new me seemed "normal", and all those old pictures of me seemed surreal, and I would wonder who that girl was...

Today, I look at myself in the mirror and actually have the tendency to feel "fat" or "unattractive". Even though I hit a normal BMI several months ago and have maintained that weight between 5 pounds up or down, I'm constantly terrified that I will slip up and gain it back. I don't want to go back to that old me that I no longer recognize, but I still have difficulties accepting the current me.

It's so odd to feel like a stranger in my own body!

[lessofmeismore 1,405]

Not recognize yourself? This may sound paranoid and honestly at the time it was' date=' but here it is. I was shopping and kept noticing this person's reflection in windows and the occasional mirror out of the corner of my eye. And finally I thought myself..well I have had enough of this follow me so I whipped around and guess who was there..the reflection of myself . So I had been all freaked out because apparently I was following myself ..didn't even recognized own image...weird I know..but now when people don't recognize I get it. So remember..if you think someone is following you, just turn around it probably is your own shadow! LoL[/quote']

Yes! Yes! And yes!! lol

I still can't believe it's me.

I had given up all hope before my surgery and now I'm trying to grasp that I've done it.

It's crazy see our selves in the mirror.

[leeann71 539]

What makes me smile, is when people you know don't reconize you!

[lessofmeismore 1,405]

What makes me smile' date=' is when people you know don't reconize you![/quote']

My best friend since childhood passed me in the aisle at the grocery store and never took a second glance lol I just kept going and told her later. We both laughed. She isn't use to the new me either, she only would recognize the old me at a chance encounter

[Supersweetums 1,164]

I spent a few months in the phase where I didn't recognize myself, and was constantly surprised at my shadow, my pictures, or how small my clothes looked.

Then, I hit a point where the new me seemed "normal", and all those old pictures of me seemed surreal, and I would wonder who that girl was...

Today, I look at myself in the mirror and actually have the tendency to feel "fat" or "unattractive". Even though I hit a normal BMI several months ago and have maintained that weight between 5 pounds up or down, I'm constantly terrified that I will slip up and gain it back. I don't want to go back to that old me that I no longer recognize, but I still have difficulties accepting the current me.

It's so odd to feel like a stranger in my own body!

This is more me too! I look at old pictures of myself and can hardly believe that it is me. But I am also having a hard time accepting this new body. I have a lot of loose skin, especially on my stomach, and it really bothers me and makes me feel as though I am still fat. And I have a really hard time accepting people who comment about how small I am ( I had someone who did not know me before comment about how tiny I am and that I must work out all the time to keep my figure!). I have literally live my entire life being big, so my brain just can not seem to accept the image in the mirror as most days I feel so big. I kept a pair of my biggest pants, so on days that I am feeling down, I will grab them and put them on to real see how far I have come. It helps!

[CowgirlJane 14,260]

I have side by side pictures hung up where i see it daily - the current me and the former me. Whenever I feel discouraged about being imperfect (excess skin!) I look at those photos and it reminds me that I AM perfect...hahaha What I really mean is that I look great and to stop picking on myself!

I think it is so important to develop a certain love, acceptance, comfortableness with the new body... imperfections and all. Normal healthy women do that and i aspire to join that club.

I do plan to have that Tummy Tuck etc but I am working hard on loving me just the way I am too which is a little bit of a head trip. Like most of you, i too have sometimes struggled with recognizing me too!

I carried alot of weight in not just my abs but my whole upper body. Built like a female linebacker i guess. Anyway, I don't look like that now and of all the things that confuses my little brain is my shoulders/upper body profile... I look feminine and not like a guy. Several months ago a friend pointed out that I need to stick that chest out and throw those shoulders back.... she was right I was hunching up trying to be smaller in the shoulders. Now, I feel like I am a normal, but athletic build looking woman. I love my "broad" shoulders and display my shoulders and upper chest proudly as an asset not the part to hide.

Anyway, it is quite the journey isn't it!?!

[4ALongerLife 329]

It has freaked me out whenever I haven't seen a good friend in a while and they don't recognize me! Otherwise, YES I still have issues with seeing that as me in the mirror. I still see the fat me. I picked up a very tiny dress this weekend (I never wore dresses before... hello thigh rub anyone????) but I did it on purpose. I looked at that dress and told my hubs, this dress is so tiny. I used to always tell my hubs that I was built like a defensive lineman (broad shoulders kept me out of being a brides maid before - I just was too big to fit the dress). So I totally understand!!!

But guess what? This past weekend I said wow this dress is so tiny - It cannot fit. Not on me! And it did, like a glove. What the ....?

It is QUITE a journey.

Oh btw, I bought three dresses that weekend. One with beading at the shoulders, sleeveless, a cut out back and a slinky front. Now where in hades do I think I'm going IDK! LOL You only live once that I know of for sure... now it's up to hubs to figure out a good weekend/where to wear that dress!

Yes QUITE the journey!

[4ALongerLife 329]

I spent a few months in the phase where I didn't recognize myself, and was constantly surprised at my shadow, my pictures, or how small my clothes looked.

Then, I hit a point where the new me seemed "normal", and all those old pictures of me seemed surreal, and I would wonder who that girl was...

Today, I look at myself in the mirror and actually have the tendency to feel "fat" or "unattractive". Even though I hit a normal BMI several months ago and have maintained that weight between 5 pounds up or down, I'm constantly terrified that I will slip up and gain it back. I don't want to go back to that old me that I no longer recognize, but I still have difficulties accepting the current me.

It's so odd to feel like a stranger in my own body!

Puja... I worry about "what if I gain all my weight back"... but the dr. that leads my WLS group, I told him that fear. Wanna hear a great point? Yes I have lost and gained. Yes it's always come back before. But never did I have a sleeve. This time it IS different.

Remember that y'all! (and forgive yourself if you slip. make it minor and get right back 'on the wagon'.... just don't allow it to be a complete collapse or a relapse... or so i pray to have the strength to avoid those!)

[Paul11011 372]

I am still not used to seeing the "new" me when I look in the mirror.