You know I think sometimes are interpretation of our image is much worse to ourselves than Others. I have a hard time looking in mirrors. It use to be much worse but now that my self esteem has suffered due to my divorce and the things my stbx has said about me it is back although not as bad.
I think maybe you should stick to the exercise based on how it makes you feel not what you see when you look at a picture or in the mirror(in my case). If the healthy eating and exercise has been something you've been enjoying and having positive results from, getting off a medication and losing 20lbs, I think you should stick with it.
Be gentle with yourself and say kind things, it will help generate some positive energy. I wish you the best!

Awww, listen to Cab for sure and by the way Cab, I've seen you and *yum!* kay, just sayin'...
SereneNature, it sounds to me like you are doing a fine job so far and I hope you can stop being so hard on yourself, too.

I have these same feelings. Often. I feel just old now, too. I was 230lbs and I'm not 155 and I look at myself, sooo much work still after all these years ...I started losing way back in 2007 and my goal has been 126 this whole time and it seems so far away still.

I have to just keep confident and love myself even as I am now...or I will try to make fun of it (in a loving way) if I'm in a mood to laugh, or simply walk away and stop looking, find something more positive to do than bend in front of a mirror so I can see how I'm hanging, which is rarely a delightful experience for me!

*shivers*

I have asked people to please not take pics of me and if they must, to please not post them publicly. Just keep them for the family album. It was really difficult for me to ask that but much more difficult having them out there. So I faced the lesser of the fear which was just asking them to stop doing it, please.

*correction, I am NOW 155. I had wrote I am "not 155". Incorrect. Why no edit functions? *shakes fist*

Why bother? Because it's not just about how you LOOK, it's about how you FEEL.

I agree with everyone! Koolman has it right..it's not about how you look..it's about how you FEEL. If you did nothing about your health and fitness...would you feel good? No. I have issues that nothing short of a miracle will fix but if I did nothing..would I feel any better? No, I would feel worse. God loves me..and I know the right man will come around and love me for my spirit and of course, I try to look and feel as well as I can. Do your part and to Hell with the rest. You can't throw in the towel for things out of your control.
GOOD for you, doing something to improve yourself. I often see people who don't look like fashion models (all 99.9% of us) working out and giving fitness their all and silently applaude them. because it doesn't matter one bit what the mirror tells you..if you think you're bad ass..you're bad ass.

I agree, it's about how you feel. We are our own worst enemy when we look and judge ourselves.

Definitely keep going! You've made amazing progress and it will just keep getting better! Definitely do some inner work along with all this outer work you're doing for yourself. Read some positive books, talk to friends, join support groups like this. You will find a positive balance in time :)

While there is something to be said for "working from the outside in" in the form of cosmetic enhancements, etc., there is no substitute for working from the very core of our being in the form of physical effort and sweat. When I feel better, I look better too. There's a strength. I can handle ANYTHING.

And ladies please realize muscle weighs more that fat so your working out and exercising, you replacing fat with muscle. The scale is going to reflect. So just keep exercising and don't rely on the scale.

So ladies keep up the good work!

Thank you to all who took the time to read this post, and respond to it. Thank you for your words of encourage and your common sense.

I'm still continuing to plug along, despite how I am feeling.

The common sense side of me knows the exterior isn't what isn't important, but I can't seem to get that thought through to the emotional side.

To be honest, I still don't 'feel' better. By that I mean I'm still tired most of the time (I thought I'd have more energy by now).

Although I have my nurse weigh me, I stand with my back to the scales so that I don't see what my actual weight is. Only my nurse and doctor know my weight.

I'm babbling, but again, I do thank you all for your positive words.

Just keep plugging away and don't stop. if you started in July you are still early in the game. It's long term initiative. It took me two years to get where I'm at and still working on it.

Exactly, Bubba. There's that initial phase, when the body is still screaming for those lost calories and still wants to lay down and die. It takes at least a year to cultivate less eating, eating the right food, drinking plenty of water and more exercise, to adopt this deep into the psyche and emotional core as a long-term lifestyle.

I do mostly cardio, bicycling, with 2 days a week of weight-training. It seems to be the thing my body responds best to. Weight-training is great for building muscle and the bicycling is better for long-distance endurance, which is good for mental/emotional endurance too, shedding the pounds, and seeing the sidewalk race by with the wind blowing on my sweating face is just plain fun. I live in a warm climate, Florida. In a cold climate, this time of year, there's always the indoor pool at the Y or other local spa for similar cardio workout.

What is your exercise regimen, Serene? What do you do for cardio?

I don't like myself in pictures either, but not because I need to lose weight. At least you can improve on your situation so don't give up.
What kind of food do you eat on a regular basis? Since you say you aren't feeling that energetic so far.

Thanks again for all your comments. Sorry for the long delay in responding, but I have been in hospital. Koolman, in answer to your question my cardio consists of biking and Zumba workouts, if not every day, then every other day.

I am feeling much more positive about everythng. Since I began this post, I have lost an additional nine pounds. I still don't see the change, but think perhaps in some strange way that I am afraid to in case I start getting lax.

Serene, the change will be suttle. You probably won't even notice it except for the loose clothing.

It's a good idea to have a good full body selfie of oneself before starting so every now and then a comparison is made. The difference can be striking.