When does your mind catch up ?

[Mel P]

I heard about this forum from Libby as we're in the same group and I've been lurking for a couple of weeks now. Great forum with some really inspirational stories

I'm into week 11 and have lost 2.5 stone in 10 weeks so far. I've obviously lost weight, people are commenting and I've gone from a 20/22 to a 16.

The problem is despite my old clothes falling off me, whenever I look in the mirror I still see the same sized person I did when I started LL This is causing my enthusiasm to dwindle a bit and I'm wondering if I will ever reach my target and look thinner.

Has anyone else had this issue while losing the weight and does the mind eventually catch up with the body?

I'm hoping this is just a phase and in a couple of weeks I will start to realise the weight is actually falling off, but any hints or suggestions from others would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Mel

 

[daisydoll]

hi mel
in group last night my LLC changed what she was planning on doing as she said i needed to realise what i looked like.

she made someone give me a piggy back - which i really did not want to do as i thought i would hurt them ( it was amazing tho, they lived!)
she also got us to draw a pic of what we saw in the mirror, then got a partner to edit it how they saw us.

its really strange. i know slim people wear size 10.
i have lots of size 10 now - but still can't see how i really can be a size 10. i feel a bit of a fraud.

even with lots of compliments from people on here and from others, i still don't see a slim person in the mirror. don't get me wrong, i know i look better and thinner, but i still see a bit of a heffer looking back and no amount of compliments etc are getting through at the moment!

i wish i could take my own advice at times - as i don't think people are just being 'nice' really, but i'm still not 100% convinced

i'm sure ours heads will catch up eventually - just keep going and believe the scales/your clothes!

daisy x

 

[SexyBecks1]

Hi Mel,

Yep it does take a while to catch up. I have gone from a 22/24 to a 16/18 and I feel the same. Although I do feel thinner when I am clothed compared to when I'm not. I think it is that I still have the same lumps and bumps but just smaller!!

Don't worry it will catch up eventually x x

 

[JessicaL]

Hi Mel,
I've just started RTM this week and even though I have lost over 4 stone and gone from a size 16 to a size 10 i still don't see a slim person in the mirror!
I suppose its such a quick change for our bodies to go through it might take a while for our minds to catch up!
xxx

 

[Sean(JSF)]

This is a really common question. I think everyone has lived with 'larger' bodies for so long it's natural that it takes time for the self-image to catch up.

Like Daisy I'm struggling with this aspect as I feel 'big' still yet I wear medium and some 'small' clothes, and have lost 12-14 inches from my waist (and more elsewhere). In my head I 'feel' like I've lost some weight (about 3-4 stone) but no where near the 8 stone reality. It's just wierd!!

Some people suggest asking people you trust to point to others who are the same size as you so you gradually get to appreciate the way others see you. I've not tried that yet so can't comment on it's effectiveness.

 

[pete10141748]

I still see a fat bloke when I look in the mirror, and yet when I look at things like the pic in my sig it so blatant that I am almost half the man I used to be (well, maybe two-thirds lol)

I think that it's because I spent so long actually being that fat bloke that my automatic reaction when thinking of myself is an image just like my before picture. Whenever I have a dream, in the dream I am the old, fat me, which says to me that my mind isn't ready to accept that's not how I look anymore.

Eventually the head will learn, but as most people have a skewed view in their heads of what they look like I don't believe I will ever 100% appreciate that way I look to other people, after all we see ourselves differently to how we see others just the same as we hear ourselves different to how other's hear our voices.

You just to be happy in the knowledge that you ARE slimmer and look better, even if you can't actually see it yourself.

 

[Mel P]

Thanks everyone for the replies and it's good to know it's not just me. I do regularly try my old clothes to try and make my mind register the change. Hopefully with a bit more persuasion it will get the message

 

[Blonde Logic]

I don;t want to discourage you - but it take a long time. At least for me. I have been maintaining over 7 months now and STILL I sometimes see another person in the mirror.

It comes and goes. But it does, will, catch up. WHenever you are in do ubt, get the tape measurer our. And take lots of pictures. I try and take one most every day. It reminds me what I look like now, if I have doubts.

Hang in there. It will all come together in the end.

Well done on your loss so far o you are doing great!!

x

And welcome to MMs!

 

[snowmum]

Hi i think (my theory anyway) the head takes a long time to catch up and that is possibly ties in with body clock resetting issue that was a thread a while back. I reckon our clocks dont 'reset' until our heads start to accept what they see? Does that make any sense at all?
heads are weird ive gone from a size 18 20 bot to a 12 in all shops. Recently did a sucess story for the LL mag and was convinced on the train down that i might only be a 12 in leeds and not in london ! how irrational was that, i was really nervous that I'd be caught out!

 

[daisydoll]

snowmum
thats what i'm like - i think well maybe i'm only a 10 in next, i will still be a 18 in DP or topshop.

i know sizes do vary so i convince myself i have stuff which has been labelled wrong!

which issue of the mag are you in?

daisy x

 

[Mel P]

Thanks BL and snowmum. It's good to know what to expect and I'll just have to keep reminding myself through clothes and photos. I'm looking forward to getting the photos at the end of foundation as although I won't be at goal it will hopefully be a good reminder of the weight loss so far and keep me on track for development

 

[snowmum]

issue out on sept 3rd i think x

 

[slendablenda]

Hi Mel

Not much to add really, apart from - have you started wearing clothes fitted to your new shape or are you still wearing the big ones falling off you?
I bet it's the latter. It's scary to start to wear smaller clothes that show your new figure, but that's when it really starts to show and to sink in that you are so much smaller than you were.
Having said that, some days I do automatically gravitate to the large sizes when I'm out shopping . Ha Ha "out shopping" I used to think I hated shopping now I'm addicted. Today I bought some brand new size 10 lilac and silver jeans in a charity shop fpr £4.50 - well, you've got to haven't you?
I do take some pics, but I think my computer is running out of disk space. I've got too much duplication of stuff and don't really know what to delete.:cry:

 

[X~Libby~X]

Hi Mel...Yay you've come out of hiding! Not really anything to suggest as everyone else has already given some fab advice but i'll tell you one thing...I bet you notice the difference when we are trotting around the countryside on our 'yay we're thin' pub ride!!!

You really are looking fantastic though!

See you sunday!

x

 

[Mel P]

Thanks SB - I only have about 4 things in my "new" size, so I am still resorting to the larger clothes. I think I need to find myself a decent local charity shop


Thanks Libby ... your right and at least I'll be able to get some jodhpurs that fit