Why am I the only one who can't see my weight loss?

[RestingFuckFace]

Im 5' 6" and was 10.5 stone.

Ive recently (through depression, its not a diet Id recommend) lost weight and now weigh 9.2 stone.

Every time I see a friend or relative they straight away point out my weight loss.

Yet, when I look in the mirror I can't see it, all I see is fat. I look absolutely no different from when I was over a stone heavier.

When I see the numbers on the scales I think well, a bonus I suppose - Im slimming down.

But what's the point if my eyes can't see it?

It sounds like you have a really distorted body image. You can't have been fat at 10st5lb either . Hope you start to feel better soon.

Your post is confusing.
You indicate you have lost weight because of depression (a side effect possibly) but then finish by indicating you have set out to lose weight

What do you mean 'What's the point?" The point of what?

Have you had a recent photo taken? I went from a size 18 to a 12. I didn't see it until I saw a photo of myself.

I think it is normal to feel that way with our own body, to an extent. Are you still losing weight? I hope you are receiving adequate treatment.

You see yourself every day so it's gradual, there's no dramatic change. Others see a bigger change because instead of seeing you go from 10.5 to 10.4 to 10.3 etc they see you jump from 10.5 to 10 to 9. whatever.

Also if you're feeling low anyway you're unlikely to see positives. Try to eat regularly even if you don't feel much like it, depression diets don't tend to be healthy or long term.

Yes. That seems like a very obvious answer actually doesn't it. I didnt think of it that way.

cantbelieve yes I realised it was rather contradictory as I was typing it.
Basically at 10.5 I was heavier than Id like to have been but didnt feel hideous. When the depression hit, I couldn't eat. I figured at lead the weight loss was a silver lining.

My 'what's the point' was 'what's the point of seeing it as a silver lining if an cant bloody see it' basically.

I'm similar, in that I'm the same height as you and have just lost a similar amount of weight.
I don't notice it day to day, but I really do notice it when I look at my old clothes and think wow, they are HUGE.
As a pp said, when you see yourself every day, gradual changes don't register. Same as how you don't notice your DC getting bigger, but their grandparents do.

same as you don't notice your DC getting bigger

Yes, that's a very good example actually.

I was thinking there was something with my brain, depression is huge bastard isn't it? I thought it was linked to that, but it isn't is it? Is the fact I see myself daily.

I really appreciate your replies, thats made me feel much better about it.

I never see it. EVER. I have to rely on the scales and clothing sizes. I once lost 65 lbs and still didn't see a difference. I'm 5'5" & US size 10 jeans and to my eyes I still look very overweight.

The point is, you can find away to 'see' it. You can see the numbers.

My DH was away fro six months.... he looked so much slimmer when he came back but he couldn't see it. His clothes back home managed to convince him though . I NEVER see my own weight loss which is probably why I struggle to keep at it.

The part that confuses me is, you must notice that you are wearing different clothes, don't you? After a stone's weight loss & you still fit the exact same jeans?

Yes. Today I bought size 10 'super skinny' jeans and they fit with no muffin top.

But seeing those on in the mirror looks absolutely no different to when I was wearing the exact same pair in size 12 but a stone heavier. Does that make sense? It sounds ridiculous I know. Its blood frustrating.

across sorry to hear you can't see it, but glad to hear Im not alone in this.

cantbelieve (apt name!) I totally understand that. In the past when Ive lost weight in a healthy controlled way (but not quite as much) I couldn't see it so thought, whats the bloody point. Out the weight back on (plus some) and didnt see the difference. I felt physically uncomfortable in my clothes but I couldn't see it.

I guess if I couldn't train my brain+eyes to see something then I would stop looking for it. It's still there (like gravity or air).

No, you're definitely not alone. I really think there are many people who just don't see it. Most of us just tell ourselves that intellectually we know we're thinner but that emotionally we don't see it. So we just accept the intellectual knowledge, iyswim.

I did go through two bouts of anorexia and bulimia in my 20s and this was way back when it really wasn't as 'known' or accepted as a disease as it is now. There was no real treatment other than telling you to 'stop that and start eating'. This was back in the late '70s. My reason for mentioning it is that it is very easy to fall into those destructive behaviours. I still occasionally fight the desire to 'purge'. If you find you are starting to struggle with eating (either binging or starving) or if the 'not seeing' becomes a problem that affects your everyday life, please consider seeing a counselor.