Body Dysmorphia?!!!!

[fatpossum]

Hi Chaps,

I am finding it difficult to gain a perspective on my new appearance - don't get me wrong I know that I look good but I am having problems knowing whether I am slim enough.

Once upon a time if someone had told me that I would be swanning about in a pair of size 12 jeans which are baggy I would have been delighted at the thought but now I think ....

"mmmmm .... not sure. Am I still too big"? I look at other size 12 people and they look good to me but I think I might be still too big.

I have no desire to look emaciated but also have no desire to look in any way plump!

I don't think I am plump (I have visible ribs now and hip bones and only the remnants of some boobs!) but am I thin enough?

Apart from people like Nicole Richie and a few others, I must admit that I think that most of the Size 0 women look really good!! (I should whisper that really!). I even think that Posh looks good - is this a sin?!

My BMI is within normal limits but at the upper end but then I do have quite a bit of muscle (legs and bum from years of Spinning and RPM) and this will weigh heavier than fat.

I think that until I can go into an exclusive boutique and look great in one of their teeney size 10 dresses (we all know that they size smaller than most of the high street stores) I will consider myself to be too big!

 

[Karen]

this is the first time ive seen a post like this and to be honest...i dont think i have ever been thin enough to understand where u r coming from lol.

i do have concerns about people striving to become size zero... i worry about the mindset forced on young girl (or any women!) but havng said that.... i think there are lots of beautiful size 4 and 6 women who look small but not in any way emaciated.

what u say is interesting because maybe u would feel better as a size 10...or 8....or 6! maybe it would suit u and maybe it would look awful. i think build and height and personal genetics r all factors and its difficult to say how u would look.

what i will say is this.... i bet u look beautiful at the size u are and i have never seen anyone walking around in a size 12 and looking IN ANY WAY plump. my sister is only 5'2 and she is a size 12 and looks gorgeous and slim. she used to be a size 6 and looked dreadful. wayyyy too small, even at her height.

in any event...i think u should give urself adequate time for ur brain to catch up with the new you. you'll feel weird in ur own skin until ur mind is also a size10/12 as well as ur body. maybe u should ask a docotr u trust?

i think it'd be very easy for everyone to start telling u off for thinking of being smaller than an 8 or ten but i think u raise a fair point. maybe give urself some time to get used to yourself and try to not worry about it in the meantime?

guess im not too helpful lol. someone else might say something more sensible xxxxx

 

[fatpossum]

Thanks for being so understanding and accepting Karen - I really appreciate it. :hug99:

 

[faylolo]

Karen you are so sensible in what you say. For many years I have had the same problem as possum (surely can't be called fatpossum now) but in reverse and it has taken me a long time to realise that at size 22 I am not thin!!

 

[fatpossum]

I know what you mean Faylolo - I don't think I ever appreciated how big I looked when I was big.

Even now I am sure that my LL 'before' pictures are getting fatter in my wallet each week!! I am sure I wasn't that size when I started. (Oh yes you were!!!!)

People think that it is only the thin who think they are fat ... this is one used-to-be-fat person who thought she looked ..... not thin .... but never as big as I actually was!!

Do you think it might be some kind of self-protection illusion?

 

[SuzyA]

Hi fatpossum

I feel exactly the same. Even at a size 20/22 I always thought I looked OK. I perfected the art of looking as thin as possible in photos so always never saw the truth. The LL before photos were a big shock!

Now I am a size 10 on top and 12 on the bottom but I still don't feel thin. My husband always says I look great so that doesn't help. Yesterday my mum said for the first time in my life that she thought I looked slim enough now and should stop but although I am within my BMI level, I still feel like a should be a size 10 all over. I'm only 5ft 2 and a half and reading the magazines, everyone of that height always seems to be less than me. I originally set myself a goal that is 11 1/2 pounds away so I don't know if psychologically I need to get there or if I should stop. I'm committed to doing full SS for another 10 days but my losses have slowed down now so I think I would need another month realistically. Still thinking about it.

Thanks for raising this though. Good to know I'm not alone and please let us know what you decide.

Suzy x

 

[fatpossum]

Hi SuzyA,

I should be on target by my next weigh in (Monday afternoon next) and I think that if I am I will go on to maintenance.

My body is starting to rebel now and I seldom feel entirely well. I can see that my fat reserves are diminished and apart from a bit of flab around my tum (3 kids for you!) and a bit around my waist there is very little fat left for my body to use up. Sounds great that .... 'there is very little fat left' arty0023:
In some places (chest, shoulders, arms and rib cage) I am in fact looking a bit scraggy so I think I am nearing the end of the SS phase.

I think I have decided to do maintenance (I have toyed with the idea of doing WW for 3/4 weeks or so - not going to groups but following the points system - or doing Scarsdale for a couple of weeks) as I am fearful of putting weight on again.

I was never a proper binger but I was careless with my diet especially when travelling (work) or when stressed (red wine and pasta or pizza) and I need to be sure that I am properly re-trained.

Great to hear that you are looking 'normal' too - wonderful feeling isn't it?, even if we are not yet as perfect as we might wish to be!

X