Body image after weight loss?

Hong Kong Yanpep International
After my weight doubled, I was in a rough place mentally. Getting to where I wanted to be changed everything. You'll get there. Be patient with yourself.
 
That looks amazing! The lifting definitely made a huge difference in how your body shaped up while holding onto muscle during the loss. Wondering how many days per week did you hit the weights and did you do cardio on top of that?
 
this might be one of the realest takes on here. the weight loss part is just the beginning honestly. figuring out who you are and how you live after that transformation, thats the actual challenge
 
I deal with the same thing plus I've got larger chest even after dropping 22% of my starting weight. Lat pull downs at the gym helped me a ton. The trick is really focusing on form, pulling those shoulder blades down and mobilizing them. If you've done yoga before that shoulder work from mountain pose transfers perfectly to the pull downs and fixes the posture issue.
 
The brain takes a while to catch up to what the mirror shows. Lots of people hit goal and still feel like they look the same - it syncs up over time. You've done the work.
 
Body comp focus changes what the right dose looks like. If the goal shifts to muscle ratio rather than scale number, aggressive increases can work against that. Worth naming the actual goal first.
 
Morning weight checks keep me on track. Been at this 9 months with 21% down. Bran cereal a few times a week helps with digestion. Staying hydrated really does make a difference with how I feel.
 
Body image adjustment lags the scale significantly - the brain's reference frame was built over years and doesn't reset on the same timeline as the weight. Most people find it catches up at 6-12 months past goal.
 
The 'not seeing it' at goal weight usually means the before comparison point is working against the perception - you're comparing to how you felt at 233, which is where the brain's anchor is set.
 
Being below goal with a distorted view of the result is the most common experience - the brain's size estimate updates through repeated social feedback and photos over months, not through the scale reading itself.
 
I'm five foot three, for context. Even so, I've seen photos of people my exact height carrying identical numbers on the scale, and every one of them looks totally different. Really drives home that the scale number is just one data point among many.
 
That's a really important point. Standing 5 feet, went from 170 down to 115. Ran into folks who hadn't crossed paths with me since I was at that starting size, and that reaction alone can genuinely stun people. Felt like some of that extra weight was actually making me look younger, I'm 58. We're just conditioned to associate significant weight loss with being sick.
 
That reads as a bit harsh and overly definitive honestly. Some people don't show visible weight loss right away, but they'll notice clothes fitting looser first. Also, early weight loss sometimes skews more toward water than actual fat. Can actually notice a subtle shift right around the midsection in that second photo.
 
Same boat here. Doubt I will ever picture myself as an average sized person. Always been the heavier one growing up, don't really know another version of myself. Also standing a good bit taller than most women, so a number that would look tiny on someone shorter reads totally different on my frame.

Sitting about two pounds from goal and still not sure what a second target would even look like. Should probably shift focus to toning at this point, but figured why not just round it out to an even hundred pounds lost total. Will I ever feel satisfied? Honestly no clue.
 
Went through a phase mourning my previous body before the weight came off. Really depends on your starting point I think. What I actually miss are a few favorite items from my old wardrobe, none of it fits anymore.
 
Im 5'8 and lost 80lbs, and only recently could I truly see it myself. Two dress sizes down told me by clothing alone that I was smaller, but the mirror looked the same. One morning my side profile in the mirror finally showed me how much of me had disappeared. Face on is trickier since my belly fat sits in an odd way (the hips-to-apron zone refuses to budge), plus dysmorphia makes me harsh on myself. So maybe really look at yourself? Skip the baggy outfits when you do, they warp how you see yourself. A hundred pounds gone must come from somewhere, and while some muscle may be lost, its nowhere near 100lbs of it.
 
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