If you have been at one weight for a long time, when does it kick in that you aren't there anymore? I've been about 260 for a long time. I'm down to 246 (244 unofficially) and still think of myself as 260. Just now, I was doing a calculation based on my weight, and put in 260 as my weight. I then stopped and thought about it. I can use 246 now. I have to change my mind to realize I'm not the same person I was 4 weeks ago.

I think it takes about 2 clothing sizes to really notice how much you've changed. Not so much a question of time, but a question of relative difference.

I weigh 330 in my mind.

The phrase "300 pound woman" is there, too.

After nearly 9 years I have to think about what I weigh.

Like Liz, I have to really think about what I weigh. 300 something is what usually comes to mind.

I'm certainly not the person I was a year ago, but I'm becoming the person I was 20 years ago when I thought I was fatter than fat, back when I didn't know how bad it could get.

I think I'll aways be big in my head. This is an area I haven't even attempted to work on at this early stage.

I have this problem in reverse. I was "normal" weight until the last few years. And the weight gain was accelerating. I went from 160 to 254 over about five years, but I gained 24 pounds - from 230 to 254 - between about April and December 2007.

My mental image of my body is much smaller than the reality. It's always a shock when I catch sight of myself in a window or mirror.

It definitely takes a long time to make the mental adjustment.

My weight in my mind is still 160 but then I see myself in the mirror - which I hardly look at myself if I can help it - and am horified!

My drivers' license still says 245 - it said that when I weighed 308. Then when I blew past it on my way down, I was thrilled that I actually weighed what my license said for about a day and a half.

In my head I don't have a fixed weight - but I am still a 3X. On the way up, it took me forever to get it in my head I wasn't a size 2 anymore - so I guess it just takes a while to make those mental adjustments.

I guess it will take a while. I can't wait until it does change in my mind though.

I still think 300 pound woman in my mind too, although my mental image of what I looked like at 300+ pounds was really off. I never saw myself as as big as I was. I guess that's why I was always horrified by photos of myself.

NoWhammies, my driver's license also said 250 for weight when I was 310. And I was also excited when I actually reached weighing the 250 my driver's license said. Now at 179, I hate to show anyone that 250. LOL!

I recently got my motorcycle license, and it says 180. So now anytime anyone asks to see ID, I whip out the motorcycle license!

I think I look a little fat at my weight now witch is crazy high, I cant imagine what I would look like at a normal weight like 225.

Me too. I gained 200+ lbs in about four years, in two big jumps of 100 lbs each. A dozen years later and I still think I am 155.

Just the other day I wondered why the stairs creak so much when I go up them but are relatively quiet when my wife does. I was shocked to remember that I weigh nearly three times what she does.