Keeping myself in check

[SunsetRunner]

Let me just preface this by saying I do have a healthy relationship with food and exercise and 90% of the time I am very happy with the way I look and how far I've come.
I'm just posting to see if anyone else is in the same/a similar position. Around 2 years ago I decided enough was enough and began the long road to becoming fit and healthy. Now at the time I had very little awareness of what that would entail. Zero to no real understanding of nutrition and have hit a lot of road blocks, fallen into "diet industry" traps etc along the way. Now I'm a studying PT, have completed several obstacle and endurance races, taken up kickboxing and joined the army with the intention to become an Instructor (fitness). Originally, I had the "goal" to "be a size 12" and inevitably since I've become acquainted with my body this has shifted to more concrete things like "run this distance in this time, lift this weight, compete in this..." However, despite now being a size 10/12 as opposed to a size 16 I'm still finding myself standing in front of a mirror looking at my Stomach and seeing it as it was, or viewing my arms as the same problem area they were (despite being able to lift my own body weight).

I know it's all in my head and more often than not I take it with a pinch of salt, I can list my new fitness accomplishments off at the drop of the hat, I KNOW I'm thinner/fitter/stronger/healthier but I just wish my brain/eyes would catch up.
Anyone else get this sometimes? If so - how do you handle it?

[awood08]

I also am experiencing the same as you!

I started this weight loss journey in June, started at 235 pounds and a 18/19 size clothing. Now I'm 205, in a size 14/15 and still loosing inches & loosing weight but I feel like it's not good enough yet. I still look in the mirror and see the extra jiggle in my stomach & arms and feel like I'm not accomplishing anything. When I get like that and start getting really down on myself, I grab a pair of my size 19 jeans, I put them on and stand in front of the mirror and look at how far i've come. I will also browse through my old pictures from before I started this and compare to my now pictures. It gives me a little boost. Remotivates me almost. I hope you can find something to work for you on how to deal with these feelings. Don't feel alone!

Good luck 🙂

[WendyB]

Some times we can be our own worst critic of ourselves.  But it does take time for your brain to really see the new you. The picture idea posted above is a really good idea!

[Wanch]

I guess being a straight guy, I can't really relate to dress sizes but I can tell you that I started from a similar place as you did back in May of 2010.  I couldn't even jog a single lap around the local track. Today I'm running multiple 5Ks, 4 milers and half-marathons every year.  For me (and this might be a guy thing) success is measured by the distances I run or the number of steps I take and not by the size of my waist. I know that's easy for me to say but I believe this to be so true.  I can tell you that I think most honest people would agree that we all have some area of our body that we're not completely happy with. If not then they're lying to themselves. I look at myself this way and maybe it will help you...  I'm like a perfect piece of art that is never finished - we're all a work in progress.  The other thing is that for me, there is nothing sexier than a woman that is willing to work hard, sweat and get dirty - maybe that will help you close the final 10%