Self Perception

Kumochi · 05-14-2011, 01:34 AM

I'm curious. How many of us see ourselves as heavier -- or thinner than we are? I have always had a problem realizing I was obese. (Still am by 7 pounds) It takes a photo or seeing myself in a video to remind me that I still have a long way to go. Other people I know see themselves as fat when I would love to be their size.

Anybody have a viewpoint? Mary

01gt4.6 · 05-17-2011, 02:44 AM

I think I have way too much lower belly fat. Too much giggle going on! Others say I'm crazy.

taubele · 05-17-2011, 02:48 AM

I know that as I was getting bigger I was in a lot of denial. It took physical things I couldn't deny - photos, or the rubbing raw on the inner thighs of my jeans, to tell me the truth.

I kept seeing myself as I was when I knew I was thinner and denying how big I'd gotten (but somehow knowing I should avoid the scale!). I try to look at myself objectively now, but there's always a lens. I know I look smaller in clothes, and I can even look in the mirror and see it in the skin, but I don't really have anything to relate it to other than the image in my head.

I hope that when I'm a healthy weight, I can see that for what it is. Got a long way to go still to get there, but I know it'll start with a healthy life.

almeeker · 05-17-2011, 11:07 AM

This is an issue I struggle with daily. At my heaviest I was on the cusp of morbidly obese, but I didn't realize just how fat I was. I too was living in the land of denial. Now that I'm smaller I still perceive myself as fat, I gravitate towards the plus size clothing racks, I make jokes about my fat butt, etc etc. Mentally I think I will always be a fat chick. Does that make any sense? Maybe I need to put up a full length mirror, because this guessing business isn't working for me.

But you know what I'm not the only one that doesn't see it clearly. I sold some of my queen sized clothing at a consignment shop, so I was there recently looking for something that I could buy with the credit in my account. The proprietor has seen me at about 3-4 different sizes. There was a dress hanging on the wall and I asked to try it on. And she says, "Oh honey that isn't going to fit you, it doesn't even fit me". Okay seriously this woman is at least 2 maybe 3 dress sizes larger than me and is a good 3-4 inches taller to boot. So I tell her again that I want to try it on, so could she please take it down. And guess what, it fit me just fine.

mecompco · 05-17-2011, 02:14 PM

This is a very interesting topic, and I think we've discussed it a bit before.

I think anyone who has been large for a long time is apt to have some issues of this sort. With the exception of a year or so at 21, again at 37 and now at 47 I've been anywhere from obese to super obese so yeah, I have some self-perception issues!

It still takes me a moment sometimes to recognize my own reflection in a mirror or store window. I'm often not recognized by people I've not seen within the last year.

I'll "never" get used to looking at smaller sized clothes--I hold up a shirt or pair of trousers and think--those are way too small--then they fit fine.

I still find myself being self-conscious in crowds, even though I'm more-or-less "normal" in appearance now.

Will this ever go away? I don't know--I'm a fat guy now inhabiting a more-or-less normal body. I think this must be how those people with face transplants feel--you KNOW who you are, and your mind is the same but your appearance just doesn't match anymore.

I think perhaps the best bet is probably just to not dwell on it.

Regards,
Michael

almeeker · 05-17-2011, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mecompco

I'll "never" get used to looking at smaller sized clothes--I hold up a shirt or pair of trousers and think--those are way too small--then they fit fine.

Oh this is me too! When I fold laundry I'm forever putting my clothes in DD's pile, she's 9. Yesterday I showed her some new shorts I bought myself for the summer. And she was like "I can't wait until you screw up and put these in my dresser, they are sooooo cute". So losing weight does have a down side, co-ownership of my wardrobe!

Lizards13 · 05-17-2011, 09:16 PM

I don't know what I think really, my clothes size seemed to stay within 1-2 sizes for many years although I did shop at those places where the fit was on the generous side. I rarely looked at myself full length in a mirror, would not try clothes on in a shop and never allowed myself to be photographed so I think i kidded myself that i actually looked better than i did. However at Christmas time last year my friend snapped me at a market and stuck it on her facebook page and i was horrified, it made me take a long look at myself and realise that I was FAT. Now my dress size has gone down and my clothes are pretty loose but I still can't really see the difference, maybe when i lose some more i will have a photo taken but i'm sort of frightened that it will just look the same.