I am new to the forum, but have been working on my healthy lifestyle for awhile. I am 5'7 and my max weight was 320 pounds. I am now at between 260-70. Here's my problem: I always get very discouraged because I have a really hard time seeing the different that weight loss makes in my body. I know I wear a smaller size than I did when I first started, but sometimes it is just so hard to see the difference physically in my body. I look at myself and see the same fat that i did when I started, and it is terrible for my motivation. Does anyone else go through this, and do you have any tips on how you keep yourself motivated? Thanks for reading!
Pictures really help. I didn't realize how much I had changed until I pulled out some old pictures of myself and compared them to new photos. Sometimes you just don't see your real self in the mirror, you just see what you expect to see.
----------- Jen
Posts: 2868 | Location: Ohio | Registered: March 11, 2004
I really want to thank everyone for their support! I refuse to let myself give up this time, but sometimes it is just so darn hard! I tried on some old clothes today that ALMOST fit again at this point, and it was really great! I know seeing the scale go down should be reward enough, but it's hard to see those pounds on your own body. all you can see is the bad stuff sometimes.
I really agree with the posters that said I should try and concentrate on good things that don't have to do with body image. I guess when you have this much weight to lose, sometimes you get very focused on your goal. Plus, my terrible habits with emotional eating etc have caused me to really focus on my BAD body image in the past, so I guess now that i am putting effort into healthy eating, a GOOD body image seems to be at the front of my mind!
I think a journal is a terrific suggestion (i heard they have something good over at www.fitday.com I am going to check out), and I also want to do the accountability thing with the 5 points. Makes you straighten up and fly right! hehe
Thanks again everyone, and I look forward to getting to know you all!
Welcome and congrats - you have made great strides. I agree with brenaumom, look at old pictures of yourself as it is very hard to see the difference in yourself on a daily basis. Another thing to do is measure yourself - bicepts, waist, hips, thighs, chest. It will be depressing at first - it is for all of us, but it is a great way to track the "inches lost" and see the difference even if the image in the mirror doesn't seem to change. Keep going and know that support is here!
Mel
The miracle isn't that I finished, the miracle is that I had the courage to start. - John "the Penguin" Bingham [/I]
Posts: 593 | Location: Nashville | Registered: April 05, 2004
Welcome! I think part of our problem about how we look is that we see ourselves every day & the change is so gradual that we don't notice it. If you were run into someone you have not seen for a year or two they would notice the difference. if you have old pictures of yourself go back and look at them & compare them to what you look like now. Or... You might try taking a picture of yourself as you are now & then put it away and don't look at it for 6 months, then take another picture & compare the two. In this way you should be able to see the difference. Your weight loss is a great accomplishment. Keep on keeping on.
"Live your life so that you are not afraid to sell the family parrot to the town gossip."
Posts: 4079 | Location: NE Atlanta (Chamblee, Doraville, Norcross, Duluth) | Registered: March 15, 2004
Welcome and congratualation on the weight loss. I can realte to your post and have found that I need constant reminders, support and ideas to stay on track. I agree with the ideas around affirmtaions of any kind and know that it has taken me over 3 years to make a real dent in the fat, ugly image I had of myself. Others, I am sure, process faster than I do!
Seems like you are doing great work and posting here will only help. Glad you are here.
First off, welcome and congrats your success! that's terrific.
I had major body issues too. I really like Cobismom idea of practicing standing infront of the mirror and finding positives about your body. It takes a lot of work to change the negative "tape" in your head that keeps playing when you look in the mirror but it can be done. As others have said, also focus on all the good you are doing for your health and well being. It can't be seen from the outside but it's even more important than your physical appearance.
My last thought would be to keep an "affirmation" journal. You start your day by writing a positive thought about yourself. It can be anything from loving such and such part of your body to feeling proud of your food choices etc... When you are feeling down, you can go back through the journal and be reminded of what an awesome person you really are.
Out of our beliefs are born deeds; out of our deeds we form habits; out of our habits grows our character; and on our character we build our destiny.
As tips, to start changing my warped body image, I started standing in front of the mirror listing what I *liked* about myself, about my body. Yes I still see myself as hugely fat, underneath, but I try to focus on the fact that when I tried on clothes that used to be snug, they are falling off of me!
Can you buy yourself one or two nice outfits that you look good in? Also, get something in the next smaller size to aim for. That was one way I charted my progress, since I don't weigh. Try them on once every three weeks or so. It a wonderful feeling when you can get them buttoned when you couldn't even zip them when you bought them!!!!
List to yourself the things you like about yourself every time you start to go onto one of those "I hate this flab, I hate my arms, my butt, my stomach, nothing looks good on me..." mantras. You wouldn't treat anyone else that way, why do it to yourself? Find good qualities to replace the negative mantra with a positive one!!!!
Maybe it would help to concentrate on other changes that you don't see in a mirror. Like I bet it was easier to reach down and paint your toe nails this year than it was last summer...
Think about how much healthier you are!
Denise PS - I look in the mirror in the morning and I think that I look pretty good. I look in the mirror two hours later and think I look awful. Obviously, it is in my head! Now that my face is getting thinner - I see more wrinkles. If it isn't one thing; it's another! Hang in there!
Denise
Posts: 8734 | Location: Silicon Valley, CA | Registered: March 17, 2004
I know you guys are totally right. I guess it is really hard to see the difference on yourself, though. I am trying hard to stay motivated, and remind myself that this is a slow process. After all, I am doing this primarily for my health -- not just for the weight loss. It gets so frustrating though, living like youre at a healthy weight but not actually being there.
Right now I am really focusing on trying to find other ways to make myself feel good about how I look. Today I painted my toenails because it is finally warm enough to wear sandals! Pretty feet just makes you feel good. Or sometimes I will go try on new clothes, even if I can't buy any. Just to see how much better I look than when I started in them, or to see if I went down another size. Is there something special you guys do that makes you feel really good about how you look?
Oh, and I am very glad I found this forum! I was a regular viewer of KD on Food TV, and I bought her book when it first came out. Both have been very helpful for me, and this seems like an awesome place!
You have already lost 60 pounds - that is fantastic!!!! Imagine how much happier your heart is now that it doesn't have that extra 60 pounds to deal with. If you could find something that weighed 60 pounds and had to carry it with you as you went about your day, it would be very difficult. Think about it, you were carrying that extra weight around with you and now your heart isn't having to work as hard as before. Just walking around all day with a couple of 5 pound weights would be tiring. You have already done so much to help your heart and your health. It might not show as much as you would like it to, but it will. Just keep on doing what you've been doing and keep posting here. This is a great group of supportive people!!
90 day goal: 4 days of cardio, 3 days of strength training each week.
I know exactly how you feel! Now, admittedly, I haven't lost much lately, but the last time I was working at being healthy, I had gone from 265 to 230. I know that either I got smaller or my clothes got bigger, but when I looked in the mirror, I just didn't see it. It was SO depressing, and the worst part is that it was all in my own head.
Anyway, I put a sticky note on my mirror. "Sometimes the mirror DOES lie!" OK, I know, it isn't the mirror that's lying, it's my own warped body image, but whatever. A note that said "It's your own warped body image" just didn't do it for me.
It's not a big thing, but the note helps me to get my mind diverted onto a different track before I talk myself into thinking that I'm the world's biggest, fattest, most hopeless loser, and I might as well go ahead and get a pint of Ben & Jerry's as an appetizer for my next binge....
angie
For what it's worth, though, I do still have a note on the mirror that says "Yes your butt is that big." I mean, I still look like I'm wearing a bustle. Let's not get complacent here!
Posts: 20 | Location: Overland Park KS | Registered: May 08, 2004
Wow sounds like me exactly. I am very hard on myself. I've gone from 304 to 265. I have the smaller clothes, and sometimes I feel the difference. Its the mirror that is my worst enemy. I try not to let it get to me. I just keep plugging along knowing that the changes will happen and hope the confidence comes along with it. Whatever you do keep working for this. It will happen. I keep telling myself this everyday.
Laurie
There is no luckexcept where there is dicipline.
Posts: 1512 | Location: Adams, MA | Registered: March 10, 2004
I guess it is really hard to see the difference on yourself, though. I am trying hard to stay motivated, and remind myself that this is a slow process. After all, I am doing this primarily for my health -- not just for the weight loss. It gets so frustrating though, living like youre at a healthy weight but not actually being there. 
