calories Dinner fitness food gym Injuries IT Band limiting calories Losing weight Mindful eating PMS pool Positive Thinking relationship with exercise relationship with food Return to Running Program running Running injury swimming treadmill Turkey burgers weight weight gain weight loss

When The Mirror Lies

When The Mirror Lies

Lisa Eirene

About Lisa Eirene Lisa lost 110 pounds through calorie counting and exercise. She swims, bikes, runs, hikes and is enjoying life in Portland, Oregon. Her weight loss story has been featured in First Magazine, Yahoo Health, Woman's Day and Glamour.com.

Related Posts

8 Comments

  1. Aj

    This post is especially timely for me! I’ve lost about 10 lbs since January (yay me!) and gotten much faster with my running (even bigger yay me!). But then this week I just had to miss my workouts and I was also eating more than I knew I need. Even though my need to miss my workouts were mostly understandable and all were 100% temporary, I was convinced in one short week I would gain all the weight back AND lose all the endurance I’ve built while running. Yesterday I finally went for a run again. I was dismayed that it felt much harder than usual and I cut it short. When I looked down at my pace, I was running 20 sec/mile faster than I had been the week before I took time off! Then last night we went and danced all night (I’m so sore today!). I hopped on the scale and even though we ate an indulgent meal for date night last night, I’m right within my regular weight range. Our minds can play so many tricks on us. I have the belief that if I don’t do everything exactly all the time, I’m going to ruin it. And I think that’s the hardest part about being on maintenance is learning how much flexibility we do have in order to maintain our gains (er, losses!).

    1. Lisa Eirene

      Maybe you are right! Maybe it is my mind playing tricks on me because I was out of my routine, on vacation, eating things I normally don’t eat…Only time will tell. I’ll hop on the scale next week and have to face it either way.

      Back when I was running a lot I’d have those bad runs where I just felt like I was running through water and my legs felt like 100 pounds. Then I’d get a great time or something. The brain is messed up!

  2. Carbzilla

    I’m sorry you’re having a hard time. You really do look fantastic. I do think it’s the change in routine that has you muddled up.

    I have reverse BDD where I always think I look a little better than I actually do (that’s so embarrassing to admit). That’s why I have to rely on the scale to gauge where I’m at. I think it’s some sort of denial/defense/self-protection mechanism to keep me from hating myself and my body. Not like I strut around thinking I’m all that, but I can always find something I’m happy with and move on. I’m my own kind of crazy. πŸ™‚

    1. Lisa Eirene

      You know what’s funny? When I was 250 I had reverse BDD too. I thought I was much smaller and “skinnier” than I was. I was in complete denial about how much I actually weighed.

  3. Shrinking Mommy of 2

    I love this post! I am right there too! I am not or ever will be skinny (I have people tell me that) but I am not. I sometimes have a hard time mentally seeing myself as smaller. I may have a smaller body but my head tells me I don’t…I feel I still have the big stomach, etc. I also struggle sometimes mentally when I run. I struggle saying I can’t do it, but I know i can. Isn’t this weight loss journey/maintance so much fun! πŸ™‚

    You are great and look awesome! You are an inspiration to all of us!

    1. Lisa Eirene

      Thanks for the encouragement! It’s nice to hear that other struggle with the same thing. It can be pretty lonely getting stuck in your head.

      For the most part I can get over that stupid voice. Some days it’s just louder. I think maintenance mode can be fun. It usually is too. πŸ™‚

  4. blackhuff

    I also get days like these that you describe but quickly make way for thoughts like:
    “You see how much smaller your hips have become – remember how big they were.”
    or
    “Look at how small your bum, arms and tummy have become. You are doing great.”
    With thoughts like this, I demolish these bad feelings and thoughts but totally understand how you feel.

    1. Lisa Eirene

      A friend of mine once told me that for every negative thought I have for myself I should list 5 positive things. You know what? It works. I’ve fallen out of that habit but having to list so many positive things keeps me from focusing on the negatives.

Leave a Reply to Lisa Eirene Cancel