pictures vs. mirror

When I look in the mirror, I don't see that I'm skinny! But every time I see a recent picture of myself, I cringe! My arms look like they're going to snap and I just look like I'm about 12 years old! It makes me want to eat more! Anyone else feel the same way?

I don't feel the same way, I mean like a 12 year old, but I agree that we see ourselves more realistically in a picture than we do in the mirror.

ISn't it weird?  I thought the camera was supposed to add 10 pounds!  I guess the mirror adds 20!

I don't know, I think when we look in the mirror we see what we expect to see, not what's really there.  So some see themselves fatter and some see themselves thinner.  But pictures somehow are different, when we look at a picture we see what others see.  My opinion.

sammmee I think I look way better in pictures, in the mirror I wanna gag.

Yeah that makes sense.  I think in the mirror I see what I used to look like before I lost weight, and since we see ourselves every day we don't notice a change.   And I guess if I was thin all my life and gained weight as I got older, I would continue to see myself as thin. 

Maybe its because in pictures there are other people in the picture to compare yourself against? But most of the time when you look in the mirror, it's just you?

for me, every mirror looks different. also, if i catch my reflection in a glass door, paining, etc., I look different yet again. its really frustrating to not kno hat I really look like.

I think a lot of it is that when we look in the mirror, our mind tricks us into seeing our old, heavy(er) selves.  i know that yesterday i felt that i looked fat when i looked in the mirror even though the sensible part of me knows that that isn't physically possible. 

i wonder if this will ever actually go away and if i will ever be able to see what is actually there when i look in a mirror.

My Aunt taught me this trick (although she used it just for looking at her face).

After not looking in the mirror for a long time, the majority of the day or at least a few hrs. Close your eyes and stand in front of the mirror with good lighting. Open your eyes and look at yourself for 3 seconds then close your eyes and think about what you saw. I do this and then thinking about the good things I noticed. It is almost like giving yourself a first impression because you don't think about every little detail in the 3 seconds when you are taking in the whole picture.

I don't know if I explained this very well, but it always gives me a fresh view of myself.

The camera always seems to increase the fat on my neck, which I hate. And it makes my nose look a mile long. So I avoid being in front of it.

I have noticed that the mirror in the gym seems to make me look thinner! It must be slightly concave.

u look 12 n like ur arms are ganna snap? uhh am i being stupid for takin tha literally? =/ if thas wat it rly looks like maybe you should take a look at yourself and see if you're really healthy.

uhmm *edit* lol i see you've already done that.. sry =/

Hey bre54321, I can completely relate to your thoughts.  I always have a different perception of what I look like than what others see.  In the mirror, I see something different all the time.  Some days I look bigger and others I feel like I really see who I am (too thin).  In pictures though I tend to look bigger (in my eyes).  My husband always gives me the reality check - although I used to question him sometimes as he sees me everyday... I don't ask anymore.

I think our minds have more to do with the what we see in the mirror.  Skyedove, that's a great suggestion with the mirror.  I will definitely try it!