Still seeing the fat girl in the mirror?

I did. For a long time. At 150, I was still seeing a 205 lb Sarah in the mirror. And, I know alot of people on CC are having the same problem. So I thought I'd share how I got over it!

I got a really drastic hair change. Colour, cut and perm. I reshaped my eyebrows and bought new make-up. And suddenly, there's a skinnier Sarah in the mirror.

I guess changing my face and stuff so much, made me able to accept the changes the rest of my body had undergone.

So, if you are feeling the fat-girl-in-the-mirror syndrome, perhaps try it? Whats there to lose (except a few dollars, but WAY worth it!)

I had the opposite problem.  I kept seeing myself as thin, when in fact I really wasn't anymore.  I didn't realize it until I saw myself in photographs.

Thanks Sara for sharing!  I'm not quite there yet but I hope to be by this time next year.  I will definitely keep your advice in mind! 

I've had the same issues as ozamgirl.  I feel the same as I did 30 lbs ago, unless I'm looking at a photo.  Then I feel yucky and soft.  It's strange how we view ourselves.

I still see the fatter version of me although Im 138...

I mean, somedays I notice the difference in my thighs and in pictures, but in the mirrors, it's all the same.

Nothing but a mental disorder that I'm sure alot of dieters experience.

Thanks sarah for sharing this with us.  You've actually inspired me to do something different as a total reward for next summer if I hit my ultimate goal of 140lbs... I'll do the whole makeover (as well as blow about $150 on a REALLY hot bikini!

Yup I had the opposite problem too. In mirrors and stuff I would see myself as thin. It's the pictures that brought me back to reality.

thanks sarah I have been having this problem this might help.

Yeah, I had the same problem as ozmagirl. I mean, I knew I had gained a bit, but in my mind I was no more than five pounds over my former weight of 100lbs.
Trying on jeans always seems to snap me into reality, though!
But thanks for the idea, Sarah. Perhaps when I DO lose the weight, I'll try it out!

I had the same prob sara, til I went out and bought clothes that actually tapered in to my new 179lbs shape!  also had a mary kay party (a friend of mine sells it) and splurged and treated myself after 30lb loss.  made a BIG difference.

I have both problems!!

When I was overweight I felt awful but still convinced myself I wasn't that bad until I saw the pics and couldn't believe how ugly I had become (mostly do to horrible body shape and fat face). Now I have lost a lot of weight and actually feel pretty great but still see that horrible fat person with the tum-tum in the mirror. But not every day, some days I look great :) I think with a few more pounds though my images of myself will merge into feeling and looking great. I have faith.

I must agree with the OP though that buying some new clothes, makeup, hair etc can work wonders for the self-esteem no matter what sort of body dysmorphia we suffer from.

That's funny nycgirl, I was just about to post I have both problems too, and then I saw your post, lol.

For me it depends on when, where, what mirror etc.  Photos kinda help me out though.  Although sometimes my husband swears that I looked good when we went out & he has no idea why a particular photo makes it look so bad.  But usually photos are pretty good for me to tell.  This time around I'm still seeing Fat Robin, because well... I was up higher than ever when I started and there hasn't been that much of a noticeable difference yet.  The way I see myself varies wildly though.  I guess it makes sense since a lot about me does.  It's probably related, in fact.

However, in 2002 when I had gone from the 190s to 167 (when I looked better than I had in quite a few years), I remember doing situps on the sloped bench thing in the gym of our old apartment complex & every time I sat up & saw myself in the big wall mirror, I still looked as huge as when I started, pretty much no matter how I know I had changed.  I remember feeling like I still had this round "football player" look accross my shoulders, etc.  It didn't look that way in any of the pics from that time though.  But I just remember how it sucked every time I went back up & saw that.

redflag {{{hugs}}}

nycgirl & redflag,

I am with you on this one! It is extremly annoying because I gained a bunch of weight & had no clue.  I started to notice when I was flipping through pictures...every picture I was like "hmmm...I am a bit swollen too much salt that day I guess....oh & on this day, & look here again." Finally I accepted that it was not salt causing the problem, if you know what I mean.

Now however, I am down to 122 pounds but I can stilll see the big girl in the mirror. It is frustrating because the other day I started crying in a dressing room because I felt like I looked the same as I always have been. 

I am definitely interested if there is pyschological explanation to all this. It drives me nuts!

My guess is that for some of us, the "mental image" of the body lags reality, sometimes by a considerable amount.

Every time I have gained a substantial amount of weight in the past, it has come as a shock how fat I really was (usually in the form of unexpectedly catching my reflection in a mirror or window or having someone send me a photograph).

And...every time have lost a substantial amount of weight, even though I was doing it deliberately, it has come as the same sort of shock when I finally see that I look thinner, again either by catching my reflection unexpectedly or seeing a photograph.

I have come to accept that how fat I feel and how fat I look may be very different, and I am hoping that this time around I can keep it in mind and not gain it all back again.

I think that taking measurements helps. My personal trainer takes mine every month or two, and for the first time in years, I'm actually looking at myself in the mirror and trying to see what everybody else does.

Great post sarah_11235!

I can totally relate to what everyone is saying.  I had no idea how much I had gained until I lost it and people starting remarking at how I look like I have lost 20 pounds.  I did lose twenty pounds and at first I could tell the difference but now it is hard for me to recognize that! 

I was given a couple of recent photos and was so disappointed that I didn't see a skinnier version of myself.  I though for sure I would be able to see the difference in photographs.

I think that one thing is that now that I am so close to my ideal weight I am more critical of the smaller imperfections.  I know that there is a noticable difference and maybe if I allow myself to embrace it I will start to see it.

I like the idea of making a drastic change to my hairstyle to really start seeing myself in a new way!  I think I will do a google image search to see if I can find some inspirational hair cuts! 

Thanks for the idea!

Yep.

It took pictures for me to realize just how heavy I looked. I kept thinking that I just wasn't taking flattering pictures - then I realized that I just had an unflattering body!

Now that I'm down almost 50 lbs, I still can't really see it. Wierd.

Maybe I'll try the new haircut/look thing. I've been thinking about doing something drastic anyway!

Katie

ugh, yea, i still don't see myself as overweight, hopefuly i'll lose it quickly and won't have too... ?

The fact that my choice of clothes in my closet was getting smaller and smaller should have been my first clue that I was getting larger and larger.  However I was living in ignorance to how much weight I was putting on.  I never though of myself as fat, overweight yes, but fat, no. Then one day I calculated my BMI and whoa mama, it flashed obese over and over on the screen.  I was shocked and then I saw myself in photos.  (I am rarely in the photos because I like to take the pics)  Now when I look at myself I see fat and tons of it.  Now it is time to get down to business.  I have changed my hairstyle, it was shoulder length and all one length. And blonde, the blonder the better.  But now I have had it cut in layers and change the color back to a light brown.  This is the first step in my mission to become a smaller me and to see the new me as it will be making it way out.  Changing your outer appearance such as makeup and hairstyles and color is a great idea.  It also give a boost to your self-esteem.