I am wondering how many other people experience this. When I'm on plan and being very very good, I am generally pleased with how I look. I will look in the mirror and say, "Hmm. I am looking okay today." Or will think I look thin or thinner. When I have indulged in a higher carb meal, I will look in the mirror and think I look sooo fat! This happened to me yesterday. I was very good all day. But for the last three days I really haven't eaten very much because I've had a cold and I couldn't taste or smell anything. It just seemed pointless to eat! So yesterday when my sense of taste came back I was starving! (funny, but for the three previous days I wasn't hungry at all!). Anyway, I was good all day until dinner. Then my BF asked me what I wanted to eat. He wanted italian food so after some back and forth, I agreed. Suffice it to say, that I indulged in things I shouldn't have. I didn't overdo but I did have some. Anyway, today, even though I know I didn't gain any weight between yesterday and today, I think I look sooo fat!

Do others have this image problem and is it tied up in how well we are staying on plan? Just wondering.

Yes, this happens to me as well. This morning I looked in the mirror and I swear I looked twenty pounds lighter than I did earlier in the week.

Of course, once I stepped on the scale, I came back to reality. It was nice while it lasted.

I feel the same sometimes too. For me its like I'm punishing myself for over indulging. I guess its just mental for me. I know I weigh the same and look the same............but when I'm bad and look in the mirror, I too think "Oh how fat"! I guess over time this mental image in my mind will disappear!

Oh, I can definitely relate. Today I felt horrible about how I looked because of mycheat yesterday.

Tomorrow, I will feel better.

I had lost down to 170lbs. in Oct. and I still couldnt see any difference when I looked in the mirrow. But now that I have gained so much back I know that I looked and felt different. I have only been back on track about 4 days and I already feel a difference, cant see it yet but I will.

If you can't tell how much you've lost when lookcing in the mirror, take pictures of yourself every few months and you will be amazed at your progress! That is the only way I can see the weight I've lost. But actually for me it is the opposite, when I am being really really good I am harder on myself and more critical of my body. When I am relaxed and don't care I don't pick myself apart as much cuz I accept how I am more. Then one day it hits me that I really do want to be thinner and I get harder on myself again.

For me when I endulge I get bloated and gassy from the extra carbs. Therefor my pants really are tighter and I am "puffier" when I look into the mirror.

It could also just be a way of beating yourself up. Kind of punishing yourself for going of plan by using insulting internal dialog to put yoruself down.

I definitely feel lighter when I LC. If I stray too far, I find myself bloated, especially around the middle. That, in and of itself, is enough to make me choose to eat LC

I haven't really indulged so I'm not sharing the guilt - but at least once a month, when I'm feeling "fat" - I'm sure my pants and things are also sharing in the discomfort.

I do remember eating too many vegetables, especially gassy ones, too late in the day once and feeling it terribly.