Discouraged by photos

[wonko]

Hi All,

I'm new to this forum.  I've lost 25 lbs so far, at a rate of about 10 lbs/month.  My ultimate goal, which scares me even to write, is to lose a total of 100 lbs.  Anyway, I had been feeling pretty good about my steps so far toward better health, and was fitting into different cloths, and feeling optimistic.  Well, I think my mind is ahead of my eyes!  We took a group photo at work today, and I didn't like what I saw.  Maybe it was just a bad pic, but I felt I looked just as heavy as I did before.

I weigh in once a week, and at the beginning, I was going to take a picture at each weighing, so I could note the difference.  Well, I didn't do that.  Now I feel like I look mostly the same and that makes me underestimate my accomplishments.  How can I get past feeling bothered that I don't look as different as I feel?  Does anyone else track their appearance by taking photos regularly, and if so, how does it work for you?

Any ideas or comments would be much appreciated.

Thanks!

[Ranaesheart]

Hi Sweetie ~

It is a common phenomenon in weight loss to lose perception of how far you have come.  25 pounds is a LONG WAYS and YOU are to be Congratulated on YOUR SUCCESS!!!!  YEAHHHH YOUUUU!!!!

There are several reasons for this ...

We are used to seeing our bodies at one size and it is hard for our brains to accept the view of our new size.  This is common in weight loss and in plastic surgery.  Your brain will catch up.

I have now lost 165 lbs through diet and exercise and there are indeed days that I look and have difficulty seeing the difference (except for my face).  I have learned to refer to them as "fat days" and I simply tell myself to ignore them that my brain has a "distorted view" that day.  There are also "skinny days" when I am able to readily see the difference my weight loss has made.

It is hard for us to truly accept our success!  You are doing Amazing!!!  You will reach your goal!!!  Do not underestimate your accomplishment.  Imagine what one pound of butter or a pound of hamburger looks like.  It even helps to go to the grocery store so you can visually see this!  Now, look at 25 of them!  That's how much YOU LOST!!!  This allows you to truly see the magnitude of your Success!!!

Trust in the size of your clothing and in how you feel.  Keep moving down in your clothing sizes but always keep your fattest outfit.  There are times I have to lay my size 30/32 clothes on the floor and then lay my current size 14 on top of them so I can see the difference.  

It helps to get rid of the clothes that are too big.  You can replace them by purchasing a new outfit now and then ... much fun and motivation to succeed!  You can also purchase gently used clothing quite inexpensively from consignment stores, ebay or on clearance racks at many stores.  

Know exactly what you mean about larger clothes not being tailored.  I remember the feeling when I left a store in the mall and it dawned on me that I had reached a size where I could now shop in any store in the mall!  It was unbelievable.  Am truly looking forward to you posting about that experience!!!  KNOW YOU CAN DO THIS!!!!

Do take pictures even if you don't look at them right away.  Don't forget to date them.  Initially I wasn't able to look at the larger pictures of myself, but eventually I was able to put them side by side and it helped me to realize how far I've come.

Very best wishes for your continued success and keep right on making these changes!!!  How very Wonderfully YOU are doing!!!  :]

(((Supportive HUUUGGSSSS)))
Ranae

[peekawho]

Be sure you are moving downwards into appropriate sizes as you lose, too.  The temptation is not to spend the money, but it really helps to get a few things that are more tailored as you lose weight.  

My husband still wears clothes that are grossly oversized.  I made him buy some nice jeans last night, and he can't believe the difference in how he looks.

So keep going to the store, and keep trying on smaller clothes!  One of these days, something will fit that you NEVER thought you could get in to.  

Buy it immediately.  Wear it proudly!

[wonko]

Thanks for the nice replies!

I DID start a tracker, and since I had reports of my (personal, at home) weigh-ins saved, I filled in back to May when I began.  Now I'm starting to use it to log my exercise.  That's one change I can notice:  I can feel that I am in better shape.  I quit smoking when I started my weight loss, and that has helped a lot with working out.

Besides pictures, part of my problem with not feeling different is that I need to wear womens plus sizes.  They are less tailored than regular sizes (for obvious reasons), so your body needs to change a lot in order to change sizes.  But that is all the more reason to keep going, so I can wear nicer things!

Thanks again!  My weight loss efforts are really important to me, and I'm glad the people here are nice and helpful.

[ahassounah]

Hi wonko,

Just keep going and you will see the difference, i am in the same boat as you i absolutely hate any photo taken of me now because i can't see much of a difference. but what i've done is set goals for myself to buy new clothes at every milestone that i reach.

for example when i first started loosing weight i bought new shoes and didn't wear them until i lost my first 20lbs, at the begining of the summer i got some summer clothes and only started wearing them a week ago when i've lost a total of 40lbs. my next goal is at 55lbs and so on.

i find rewarding myself in this manner helps a lot even though i'm not satisfied with how i look and like peekawho said it will take time before you're satisfied with how you look.

so keep up the great work, you've started a journey that will lead you to a long and healthy life.

[peekawho]

Here's the thing:

For a long, long time, even after achieving your goal...you will still feel as though you look overweight.  I have lost 45 pounds, and I STILL feel like I look fat in pictures, though I'm at a great, healthy weight (140# and 5'7").  

So I'm not surprised that you feel like you haven't changed when you look at pictures.  My husband has lost 65 pounds, and still complains that he looks fat when he sees himself in a store mirror or something, and he's at his goal weight, too.  

The best way to really track your accomplisments (and btw, CONGRATS on losing the weight!) is to see how your clothes fit and feel, or by how your measurements are.  Do you have a Tracker here yet?  You can put in all your measurements, keep track of your weight, calories, and activities.  

I'm rooting for you, and hope you stop by often to give us all encouragement as you keep on your amazing journey!