Why is it
 

That no matter how much you loose you still feel fat!

I have lost over 120 pounds... And I still feel fat.

I wonder if when I reach my goal weight if that feeling will be gone? Is it because i still have weight to loose? Or just a general trained perception that i have that I am fat?

Is this just an issue I will have the rest of my life? Would suck if it was that way.

It surprises me even to this day...

I don't know if there ever was a time in my life I felt skinny/slender/happy with my body.

Hello, fellow Bostonite! 

I don’t know the answer to your question about whether or not your perception will change, but I can definitely relate.

My lowest adult weight was 160. At the time, I felt desperately overweight and couldn’t have been less happy with myself. I felt (and thought I looked) SO big. I was wearing size 12-14 then, and I remember thinking about how much I hated buying “fat” clothes.

My highest weight was 260ish—I’ve been there twice. The last time I started at that weight, I lost down to 200, and dropped from a size 24 to a size 18. To others, this seemed nothing short of miraculous…to me it still felt like I had so, so, so far to go.

It’s disheartening, for sure, to struggle with this. I think that in the past, this inability to see past what still looks/feels like a fat person (to me) has actually derailed my weight loss efforts. I think to myself, “I’ll always be fat…I’m just a fat person…I might as well eat what I want and at least enjoy it—it’s not going to matter”. Now, though, I’ve decided to cast that aside—I have to, in order to be healthy going forward. I’d rather feel like I’m fat (at whatever weight I am) than end up with metabolic syndrome. Or diabetes. Or Alzheimer’s.

KWIM?

It may have more to do with whether you fit the "ideal" figure we are told we must have. I can remember in my teen years the "ideal" was 36" bust 24" waist 36" hips. If you had that, you had a great bod. True, but what if your waist was 28"? What if you wore a b cup instead of a c? Lots of angst from that! Just be happy with yourself when you get where you want to be!

I looked in the mirror this morning and saw and felt FAT!
Even when I was 118 pounds (7 under goal and looking way too thin) I had "Fat Days".
The days come less frequently as you reach goal. But I don't know if they ever truly go away.
I just work through them with as much positive self talk as I can manage and deciding to stay on plan, no matter what, until it passes.
You're doing great! Hang in there!

I found that I felt fat until I dropped down out of the overweight range. It was about then that my waist became smaller than my hips, which I think made a difference in perception.

Thanks everyone for sharing it helps alot :) I am definitely going in and out of fat days.

Feeling Fat more than thinner. Last 2 days I have been feeling thinner, I am whining but I just wish those were the majority of the days than not.

I hope you are right Julie.

And thanks livinright for the cheering :)

I swear...lol...I think we are hard wired to have these issues.

You have done an AMAZING job and certainly an inspiration to me and probably a lot of us!

Do what you can to keep the self talk positive and realize in the back of your mind, that "this to shall pass".

Deanna

Thanks for the reminder Deannak, I like that "this to shall pass"

Congratulations on your 130# loss!

I remember an episode of What Not To Wear where the participant had lost a significant amount of weight and, when she looked in the mirror, did see how much smaller her body was. Stacy & Clinton had her draw her silhouette, as she believed it to be, on the wall. Then they had her stand against it and drew her actual silhouette. The actual was much smaller than what she saw when she looked at herself in a mirror. The participant was shocked how her new size. It was a real eye-opener for her.

I think a number of us could benefit from that experiment.

Lovina -

I generally proofread...I tend to be a bit anal. lol...noticed last night I had missed something..that quote, from the Bible though I forget exactly should be "This too shall pass".

Gypsbyrd - that's a cool story and I wish we could all experience that.

Deanna

My highest adult weight was 200#.... I got down to 135 at one point and was embarrassed and sad ....literally I was more miserable the. At 20 and 135 then 27 and 159.... Weird but true.... I'm always fighting it!

You should be so proud of your amazing weight loss, and seeing your new photo, I think you would also "feel less fat" if you "dressed less fat". Wish we could all benefit from a What not to wear show like Gypsbyrd saw. I bet there is a nice curvy body with a waist under the huge sweatshirt and baggy jeans, but you can't see it. You could acknowledge your real size better with a well fitted bra, body skimming shirt and jeans. Doesn't have to be many pieces or expensive since you will keep losing, but start wearing clothes that really FIT the body you have right now. If you can see the shape of your body every time you look in a mirror, the reality that you are no longer fat will sink in.

Thanks Gypsybyrd! That is way cool that they did that... I know I tend to look in the mirror and for the most part see no difference...

Thanks Janet, I will definitely consider your suggestions...

See if there is anything I can do with this excess skin to get tighter clothes.

Maybe changing your profile pic......