I feel worse now I've lost weight?

[outlanderish]

I've lost 2.5 stone and I look completely different. Gone from 11 stone to 8.5 (5ft) and everyone keeps saying how skinny I am and how much weight I've lost. I thought I wasn't that big to begin with but when I look back at photos it's a shocker. I thought my sex drive would come back and I'd feel so much more confident being able to wear the clothes I've dreamed off. But I actually now feel the most self conscious I've ever felt. Is this normal?

I imagine it will take time to get used to it. Were you ever skinny before as an adult or is this completely new territory?

You sound like a much better weight for your height now, so focus on the health benefits until you get used to your new self. Better joints, better for your heart etc. And then find some comfy clothes that you also feel good in - not sexy as sexy could make you self conscious, just good. And then get bolder at your confidence increases!

What was your plan OP? How have you lost the weight, was it planned? Just wondered if it had been gradual or fairly rapid.
How did you feel at 9.5 and 9 stone?
I’m your height and am happy at 9 stone. People told me I was too thin at 8.5

Thank you for all your replies.
@SmoothRoadsI was skinny when I was 18 and been overweight since I hit 20. That was 10 years ago. So it's relatively new territory for me. I never thought I'd be slim again.

@Springadorablethank you - I certainly am, I feel so much lighter and my back no longer aches! I've got clothes I feel good in but the minute I step out the front door I want to cradle into a ball, I've never been a huge outgoing person who has any self confidence anyway but it feels it's been knocked back a peg or two since the weight loss.

@CousinBobI was on mounjaro for 7 months. It was my only option, I tried dieting, exercising and exercise I just simply hated and my relationship with food was poor. I have a weak mentality so it's completely my own fault and I'm so angry at myself I went down this route and didn't succeed 'naturally'. But here we are. 9.5 I still felt big and my stomach was still mahussive. People keep telling me I'm too thin but I genuinely don't think I am. i cant figure out why I don't feel more confident. It's incredibly frustrating and really getting me down. I want to enjoy my weight loss and I can't. It's almost like it's become a part of me, if that makes any sense.

I think you have to do some work on thoughts vs feelings.

Focus on thoughts, the facts - all the health benefits you have gained and what you know which is that you can do things more easily now, think about sitting in chairs with arms, perhaps getting in and out of the car/bath/sofa etc, squeezing past people or tables in a cafe, walking further or quicker perhaps, buying more choice of clothing, smaller sizes, then all the internals like less fat round your organs, blood pressure, glucose levels, cholesterol or whatever applies to you

Feelings - accept them, recognise them and say to them 'ok I feel you but Im not going to take notice of you today'

I think when you are low in confidence, it’s easy to hide behind baggy clothes and no one notices you overweight (me currently) suddenly, everyone is looking and commenting and not always nicely so no wonder you feel self conscious.
remember you’ve done really well, your back ache your health etc all improved it’s not just looks. And anyone who is rude is probably jealous.

I was told it takes 6 months to adjust to a healthy weight, how long have you been as slim as you are now?

I’m also 8 stone 3 and trying to get to 7 stone 7 (I’m shorter than you) to give me a 23 bmi. I can’t believe how different I look either.

I can literally see where the last 10 pounds are located, thighs, hips and calves !

How secure do you feel in maintaining the loss? It's a fair bit to lose in a short time. Not with mounjaro but about 10 years ago I lost over 4 stone in about a year, I felt more confident but became a bit gym and calorie obsessed for a while because I was convinced I'd pile it back on. I also found it difficult to adjust to people commenting on my body, when I was overweight people didn't, they'd say I looked nice in an outfit or I'd get lots of compliments about my hair,.all of a sudden people were commenting on my waist or legs it was odd, but as people got used to me being that size it lessened.