When do you stop feeling fat.

[Cheator]

So I put on a lot of weight a few years ago and was pushing obese.

I lost over 3 stone and even though I can fit in a UK size 6, I still feel fat most days.

I obviously know on the face of it that I can't be fat but it I can see it on my stomach.

It's not helping that I have started lifting weights so my weight and bmi is going up even though I am technically getting smaller.

If you have lost weight, when did you stop seeing yourself as fat?

I eat healthily, about 2000 calories a day and hit my macros but I feel like I can only focus on my fat stomach and not the rest of my body which is slim and toned.

In my experience, never. I got down to size 6-8 years ago and at the time like you, knew objectively I wasn’t fat but I felt fat. Now post baby and pandemic I am a 14-16 and look back a photos of me then and wonder what on earth I was thinking!!!!

Sorry, not much help.

It helps to know I am not alone I suppose so I appreciate the post.

It's like there is always something else to improve or strive for.

You are not alone, I have lost over 20kg, am also a size 6, lift weights and still feel fat, especially on my stomach. I know I can't be fat but I feel fat constantly.

What does it mean to "feel fat"?

When I was plump I knew it because of the clothes I wore and the fat cheeks in pictures. What are your cues?

I don't feel 'fat', I know I look pretty slim but my stomach is still pretty fleshy with a small overhang. Not sure what exactly to do about that really. At least you can't see it in clothes. I'm just sticking to exercises which I hope will improve it. I know musculature can change body appearance quite dramatically.

Because the 'feeling fat' is basically a belief that your body is not good enough, that you are mot good enough. Check out @chachipowerproject on Instagram. She's done some good stuff on this recently.

Never.

I went from a 24 to and 8 and I still felt fat everyday.

For me it was seeing pictures of myself when I was bigger compared to the new slimmed down version.

Also trying on old clothes helped.

Maybe try measuring yourself rather than weighing?

By feeling fat I mean that instead of appreciating my good areas or the toned muscles I am growing, I can only focus on my stomach, it's wobbly and saggy and being lactose intolerant it's quite often bloated too.

So if I look at myself I just think I am fat because my stomach is.

Measuring is a good idea and I will try that. I am gonna stop weighing anyway till we come out of lockdown and just go by wether or not my clothes fit me.

@Palavah

Because the 'feeling fat' is basically a belief that your body is not good enough, that you are mot good enough. Check out *@chachipowerproject* on Instagram. She's done some good stuff on this recently.

That pretty much sums it up I think. I will have a look on insta now! Will make a change from the usual fitness models and female body builders I follow which doesn't help my body image at all!

Honestly, I went from 22 stone to 10 stone a decade ago, and I still felt fat. The problem is, all the horrible things people say stay with you, and it takes your mind a long time to catch up with your body (if at all!).

I've put a little of that weight back on over lockdown and I look back on photos from when I was at my slimmest and honestly I looked amazing, but I never thought I did at the time.

I think when (or if haha) I lose the lockdown weight I will be much more appreciative of what I really look like!

What Palavah wrote is very good.
Feeling fat is in your head - such a habit you can't drop it.

I feel like I can't mention it in real life because people are like, oh you're tiny, how can you feel fat! It's definitely psychological isn't it.

I lost around 4lb without realising when I got Ddog. That was the ideal amount I wanted to lose, so felt brilliant for several months. Then my brain adjusted and I feel 4lb overweight again.

I resonate with your post so much.

My flabby bits occupy my mind far too much. I know I have great bits but I can only focus on the fat on my hips.

My entire wardrobe is aimed at hiding those bits. Lockdown has been rather freeing in that respect, you can only see from my shoulders up on video calls.

I will never be happy , even when I was 8 1/2 stone at 5’9” I felt fat.

Wow I have found my people.

Size 8 top and size 10 bottom.

I know I must look nice but I also focus on my abdomen entirely - but crucially I have noticed I do this specifically when I am feeling low or stressed. I know it is in my head. I suppose knowing is the first step because then I can tell myself not to judge myself based on those thoughts.

I can’t imagine a size 6 Plus 3 stone being ‘fat’.

Maybe you have a type of body dysmorphia?

If I was in a room with someone exactly the same size and shape as me I would be admiring their legs or arms or waist. But on me I only see my flaws. We are so critical of ourselves in a way we probably wouldn't be with anyone else.

I feel much better knowing that I am not alone in this but it's also a sad state of affairs that even after the effort and hard work needed to lose weight, we never shake that fat feeling!

@OverTheRainbow88

I can’t imagine a size 6 Plus 3 stone being ‘fat’.

Maybe you have a type of body dysmorphia?

I was 11st 4 which at 5ft 2 is borderline obese. I was a size 12, only just (almost a 14) but because my frame is so small I certainly felt fat.

Unfortunately in the depths of anorexia I still felt fat because of my bloated tummy. I also have IBS and a number of intolerances and my tummy swelled after every meal. Eventually I just stopped eating.
I think women’s clothes need more stretch, more give, more elasticity, more forgiveness woven in to them. All of us bloat and come back down after eating, or with hormones, or water retention or whatever. And clothes being so hard and rigid just makes everything worse

@GenevaMaybe

Unfortunately in the depths of anorexia I still felt fat because of my bloated tummy. I also have IBS and a number of intolerances and my tummy swelled after every meal. Eventually I just stopped eating. I think women’s clothes need more stretch, more give, more elasticity, more forgiveness woven in to them. All of us bloat and come back down after eating, or with hormones, or water retention or whatever. And clothes being so hard and rigid just makes everything worse

I hope you are recovered now from your illness. I can see how easy it could be to be caught in the grip of anorexia.

I think bloating has a lot to do with my feelings, I bloat with hormones and I am lactose intolerant, I easily look 6 months pregnant.

Thank you - yes I am ok now, have had two babies and am determined not to pass any of this on to them