The reality of pictures

[Cota129 0]

We took a lot of pictures Christmas. What I see in the mirror and what I saw in the pictures was so disappointing. In the mirror, I see a smaller face and a smaller body. In the pics, it was just fat me. Everyone tells me that I look smaller, but I honestly could not see it. I didn't get any good before pics, so the Christmas ones will be it even though I'm 32 lb. down. I'm hanging one up on the fridge and adding new ones as I go down. Some day, I'll see a difference.

[snowbird 2]

Pictures really do make you look larger; it's the two dimension view that doesn't let you see depth. But I still know what you mean; I never see myself as large as I am, and am shocked to see photos of myself no matter what I weigh at the time. Just remember that 32 lb is a fantastic start on a journey of a lifetime. I don't have much in the way of "before" pictures either because I hate having my picture taken since it reminds me of how big I really am (was). I'm just hoping by the time summer rolls around I will feel a whole lot better about it!

[make33 2]

Cota, it's a shame you didn't get any real "before" pix!! I never had pix taken, either--until this summer, knowing I was going for banding, I made sure my husband got some good and fat ones!!

I DO know exactly what you mean about not noticing much change--I've lost just over 30 # and my husband and everyone in the office keep saying how great I look (I really wish they wouldn't, so I don't become complacent!) -- but I've got to tell you, I don't see it!

I still see the same fat butt and belly and I don't even notice much change in my face (didn't have pudge on my face anyway). So I just don't know when it kicks in and suddenly we say "Oh yeah! I'm looking fabulous!"

Guess we just have to bide our time, m'dear! :eek:

[make33 2]

Hey Snowbird--I've always wondered how I'm doing with my peers! You and I had the EXACT SAME SURGERY WEIGHT and were one day apart with our surgeries--and now we're the same weight again!

Wha-hoo!! You just instilled a confidence in me that maybe I am lumbering along at an okay pace! Thanks! :eek:

[cathgr8 1]

You just need to be patient. The next occasion where pics are taken will tell the tale. I'm turned around from you. I've lost 3/4 of my weight, you've only lost 1/4. I just compared pics from two months pre-surgery, this Thanksgiving and now Christmas. I can tell the difference, even between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and that's only about 6 pounds. One snapshot doesn't show progress, two of them does.

[Daisalana 33]

I know exactly what you mean. I have lost the size of a kid.. or anorexic adult. It's amazing. If I tried to pick up a 70lb bag of dog food or something, I would kill myself. Yet, it's gone!

When I look in the mirror, at a side angle with my stomach held in.. I SEE A NORMAL PERSON. It amazes me, I run around the house more in just panties & tank top.. I think I look fantastic!!

Then I see pics, and I'm nothing like what I think I see. I have a bad body image (forget the spelling.. dysmorphic??).

But every once in a while, I can see it. If you look in the last couple pages of B&A Pics, I have my Xmas 05 and Xmas 07. It's a HUGE difference. If I just looked at Xmas 07, I am not as normal looking as I think I am, but in comparison, I think I look amazing.

[juliegeraci 7]

Be good to yourself and love yourself each and every day. The weight will come off and you'll look amazing. Pictures do say a thousand words so keep the faith. You will get there!

[Kristin1031 0]

We took a lot of pictures Christmas. What I see in the mirror and what I saw in the pictures was so disappointing. In the mirror, I see a smaller face and a smaller body. In the pics, it was just fat me. Everyone tells me that I look smaller, but I honestly could not see it. I didn't get any good before pics, so the Christmas ones will be it even though I'm 32 lb. down. I'm hanging one up on the fridge and adding new ones as I go down. Some day, I'll see a difference.

I was warned by the RN in our bariatric program that the image in the mirror would take awhile to change. For some reason our brains don't catch up with the change right away it takes awhile. Everyone is right pictures add pounds to us anyway. So don't pay too much attention to them, look at how you are feeling and how your clothes are fitting or not fitting....LOL

I have the same problem I am down 30 pounds and I do not see it in the mirror when I look. Everyone else is noticing it but me....sad but true. I was thinking people were just saying that to make me feel good.

Hugz,

[OH Juli 15]

I know exactly what you mean. I have lost the size of a kid.. or anorexic adult. It's amazing. If I tried to pick up a 70lb bag of dog food or something, I would kill myself. Yet, it's gone!

When I look in the mirror, at a side angle with my stomach held in.. I SEE A NORMAL PERSON. It amazes me, I run around the house more in just panties & tank top.. I think I look fantastic!!

Then I see pics, and I'm nothing like what I think I see. I have a bad body image (forget the spelling.. dysmorphic??).

But every once in a while, I can see it. If you look in the last couple pages of B&A Pics, I have my Xmas 05 and Xmas 07. It's a HUGE difference. If I just looked at Xmas 07, I am not as normal looking as I think I am, but in comparison, I think I look amazing.

I joked at -90 that I lost a Nicole Ritchie.

I'm with you about having a dysmorphic body image...it's the same one that let me believe that weighing 300+ was okay. It's a struggle to get ahold of, certainly.

[aubrie 6]

this is so funny. I can see a difference in the mirror with just a 26 pound loss. My double chin is noticably different, and my shoulders and boobs look different. I've gone down a bra size and a cup size. Funny thing is, I'm the only one that has noticed besides my Dad and my husband. My husband noticed when I was leaning over a counter writing a check for a Christmas gift. He practically yelled it out in the store. I was so embarrassed. Couldn't he wait until we got home? But I was delighted he noticed......

[adorkbl 156]

I lost 50lbs two years ago. I never saw the difference. I knew my clothes fit a little bit better... but my brain never caught up. Then I gained it all back. Once I was back where I started.... I realized the difference. But it was too late. My clothes didn't fit anymore, and I was feeling tired and fat again.

I am so mad that I couldn't see/feel the change when I made it. I would have kept going, and stayed on track! I think that is why I have such a hard time maintaining because I felt like I wasn't making headway, so I gave up. Now in hindsight I am like wow, that was a huge chunk of weight.

So ignore the pictures if you don't see it. If someone is telling you they see it, believe them! Eventually your head will catch up and you will be glad you listened to the positive feedback and kept chugging along! I wish I had! Now I have to start all over again.

[fat&thrifty 0]

Hi All, Happy New Year!

I have always been the photographer, so there are very few photos of me. In the past, the ones I've seen I'd rather burn. Harsh reality is not pretty.

There are days when I don't feel fat, so I think I sabotage myself. I am planning on having before photos taken next week, before my surgery date. Every little victory needs to be celebrated, and embraced in a positive reinforcing way, not with food as in the old days.

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

This is really disappointing to me too. I look in the mirror and see a much smaller me. I had some pictures taken today, and my face still looks fat. When I look in the mirror, my face looks thin and I see wrinkles that were never there when they were filled up with fat.

I had a full body shot taken and I still look pregnant. I really set my goal high because of my age. I don't think with my slow metabolism, I would be able to keep weight off with any lower of a goal weight. I have to accept the fact that when I am at goal,

I will still not be thin enough.

I keep saying over and over again, I wish I would have found out about the band several years ago.

Pictures do add weight, that's for sure.

[Coo 1]

Oh, Renee - I'm so sorry

I totally empathise and understand - just before Christmas, doing my shopping, I was feeling not too bad, and I caught sight of myself in a shop window - and I as so brought down. I felt the world could tell I had lost over 20 pounds, but that shop window told the truth - still a fat middle aged woman.

We need to try and be more positive I guess, and patient, we'll get there

[Totallytater 1]

I lost 40 or 50 pounds before I really started seeing it in the mirror and it pictures. I think you just need to lose a little more and you will really start seeing it.