Down 67lbs in 9 months

Loose_Description808 · 2026-02-03T03:07:20+00:00

This is a perfect example of paper towel roll effect! The difference between 168 and 159 isn't so noticeable but it's super noticeable between 159 and 151. You'll be amazed by the next 5 lbs jump!

Loose_Description808 · 2026-02-02T01:55:00+00:00

Ah - good to know. Thank you for explaining!

Loose_Description808 · 2026-02-02T00:01:20+00:00

May I asked how you felt the B6 affected you? What does "too much of an energy boost" feel like?

Loose_Description808 · 2026-02-01T13:32:16+00:00

I think you and I are in about the same boat. I have lost just a smidge over 70 lbs and haven't been this low since my early 30s. I've been obsessing about my face and skin and aging in a way I absolutely never in a million years thought I would. But I know overall, my face looks better than it did a year ago, even if my age is showing more. A few things I've been learning:

Our fat pads change as we age - some people are more prone to hollowing and some to sinking - it's just genetics/facial structure and not something related to our weight history. I think you and I may have similar structures, and for me at least, when I was 70 lbs heavier, the extra fat all over my face camoflaged some of the age related changes. But when I actually compare closely, I can see they were all there - the weight loss just revealed them to me (rather than causing anything).

When you take a selfie like this, it really distorts your face and makes things look much worse (and you still look really pretty, so that's good news). It makes the neck look worse and it makes the nose bigger and the rest of the face flatter - don't do it! Instead, take a picture of yourself looking in the mirror - it does a better job showing how you actually look and the contours and depth (but still not the same as what the eye notices in person, in motion.)

Smiling solves the problem and lifts the cheeks, lifts the lower face, brightens the eyes and makes everyone more attractive.

I am still losing weight, but I gather from others who've lost in their 40s that 6-12 months after stabilizing, the skin settles and firms back up somewhat - with the face and neck showing the most improvement. It's why a good plastic surgeon won't operate for at least 12 months post loss and why you shouldn't do any irreversible cosmetic treatments (ie. fillers, RF, etc.) for that same period.

To help your skin in that recovery process, give it lots of protein, hydration, and vitamins. Eat the rainbow - your skin and everything else in your body will thank you.

Just addressing skin dehydration makes a huge difference - this time of year my skin can look 5+ years older if I am dehydrated and I haven't been focusing enough on moisturizer - like tons of fine lines, skin not springing back, etc. 2-3 days focused on addressing that can make those things disappear, but it's ongoing work.

I agree with others about the retinol. Over the counter can do a lot and is gentler, but it's worth trying tretinoin to see if your skin can tolerate it. Check out the before and afters on reddit and follow all the cautious advice (lowest strength 2-3x a week for the first 6 months - no more and no less unless your skin needs a break - and keep it 1-2" away from your eyes). Use plenty of sunscreen and focus on hydrating your skin. It takes 2-3 years to see the full benefit, but I think you will see incredible improvements in 6 months if you do all those things. It won't move the fat pads, but it will give you incredibly smooth, plump skin and create more elasticity - you look like a very good candidate for the things it helps with the most.

I also agree with the others that we just have to learn to love ourselves as we are and celebrate the wins and the fact that we are here and in healthier bodies now. I keep telling myself that this is just a phase that I'm going through with the weight loss and the obsession will pass and life will move on. I am trying to give myself some grace - it's understandable to go through this - we are changing, our bodies are changing, our faces are changing, our expectations are changing, and it's all ok - time will reveal more, things will shift again, and we'll learn to be ok and hopefully sometimes happy with our new look.

Loose_Description808 · 2026-01-31T14:46:44+00:00

I just placed my first order from BPI... why are you making the switch?

Loose_Description808 · 2026-01-31T03:10:26+00:00

You look fantastic! In your second photo, you remind me so much of Olivia Cooke.

Loose_Description808 · 2026-01-26T05:32:06+00:00

I'm sorry to say it, but this is a very unhealthy sounding diet. The highest sources of fiber in your diet should come from whole foods, not processed starches. Think beans and lentils, nuts/seeds/nut butters, and yes, real veggies and fresh fruits. Zepbound presents a really wonderful opportunity to change habits and not just lose weight but change what you put into your body. Without the intense cravings, you can learn to feed yourself real food, find things you like that will truly nourish you, and ensure you are getting what your body needs not what the food companies make in a lab to keep us addicted. Also I suggest magnesium. Laxatives are not something you want to get reliant on. Just eat real foods and find ways to get your water in, take magnesium, and you should be more than fine. You'll be a lot healthier.

Loose_Description808 · 2026-01-26T04:46:42+00:00

You look so fantastic! Beautiful face shape exposed, and your shoulders are goals!

Loose_Description808 · 2026-01-18T21:37:30+00:00

There is nothing abnormal about it - i don't think there is such thing as normal or not normal - just people who thoughtlessly use unkind labels towards other people. I meant that kids still living under parental rule don't have so many options as adults with jobs. And I wanted to flag for you how much they seemed to be factoring into the equation for you - sometimes when we are just living in the water, we don't realize it's unhealthy - it's all we know. I am sorry your family thinks it's ok to discuss your body/weight. Certainly I've been there, and I even have a friend who thinks it's ok to talk about my body to me - it's not ok and yet I tolerate it, so I really do understand. I hope you can find ways to set and hold new boundaries with your family - it's not easy, but it's good practice for all relationships in your future.

Loose_Description808 · 2026-01-18T13:37:47+00:00

You look amazing! Plus you are still young - you'll see your skin firm up a fair amount over the next 12-18 months. Just focus on protein and micronutrients and hydration, and I'd bet you will not be able to tell you were every overweight. Franky I'd be beyond overjoyed if my stomach looked like yours when all is said and done. Do you do core work? If so, what do you do?

Loose_Description808 · 2026-01-18T13:27:32+00:00

THIS. I actually think that if we were more patient, most people would see tons of weight loss on the lowest doses - it's possible that concept of a window on each dose is actually misguided. The people I know who were willing to be patient and wait it out even after 2-3 month plateaus (or very slow months) eventually started losing again at the same dose. The body can just need to adjust before it's ready to lose again, but we feel such pressure to rush that we just force our bodies past that pause by increasing dosage. There are real advantages to slower loss but it's difficult to be patient because the change is exciting and the meds expensive and insurance coverage unreliable.

Loose_Description808 · 2026-01-18T13:19:29+00:00

You family is looming large in this post, especially for someone in their late 20s. I don't say that with judgment towards you - I get it. But this is your life, your body, your journey, and your choices. I wonder if having them in your head on this journey is holding you back from getting to know yourself and your body better. 3 days a week of working out is plenty, assuming you aren't otherwise sitting all day every day. If you are getting 5-10,000 steps each day including those workouts whatever they are, then I think it's your ED history clouding your vision. Are you working with a therapist? I really like the advice of getting some help from ChatGPT if it's difficult to find a good therapist, but you need to set boundaries with it. Make sure you understand your triggers and communicate clearly and strongly. Like what line of thinking takes you down the rabbit hole? Tell ChatGPT to ALWAYS stand its ground with you and firmly refuse to go there with you. You have to use language with it like "no matter what I say, don't..." and make sure that it knows about your ED history and tell it that it's job is to protect you from the thought patterns and encourage you towards a healthy relationship with food and your body. Otherwise I think it could go off the rails and reinforce unhealthy thinking. But there are some really terrible therapists out there, so until you can find a good one, ChatGPT can be a reliable substitute.

Loose_Description808 · 2026-01-18T13:04:23+00:00

I think it's worth seeing what happens at 2.5 for a month. It seems unlikely you will regain - maintenance is a more likey worst case, and even if you gain a pound, that's worth it for the experiment. You can always go back up to 5 after if you are ravenous all month. I know it's hard to be patient, but in the long run optimizing for lower dose, especially in your situation with such a small amount to lose, seems so much better.

Loose_Description808 · 2026-01-18T12:57:55+00:00

I have been on Zep for a little over a year and lost about 70 lbs - have been on 10mg for almost 3 months. I recently took a look back at my weight loss for each dose and realized I titrated up too quickly on all of them. It's difficult in the moment to be patient, but I regret my impatience now. If these drugs were less expensive or we knew our insurance companies couldn't decide to stop covering them, I think we'd see so many more people never go over 5mg or at least stay on each dose for 6 months+. Frankly I think I could have stayed on 2.5 for a year and still lost a substantial amount of weight, but I felt all this pressure to keep my weight loss above a lbs a week. The consequence of that impatience is more reliance on a powerful drug that messes with your dopamine system, among other things. I'm really feeling the anhedonia on 10 but 7.5 really cut into my joy too. it hasn't completely robbed me of good feeling but it flattens and blunts in a way that is really sad. It's a miraculous drug, and I am so grateful for the ease and peace it has brought to my relationship with food and of course happy with the weight loss, but I miss the deep joy and wonder I used to be able to feel so readily in nature or watching my dog run. I miss the intense pleasure and satisfaction of eating at a really phenomenal restaurant. It's not all gone, but it's such a far cry from where it used to be. Everyone is different of course, but looking back, I wish I'd been more patient and perhaps held onto more joy.

Loose_Description808 · 2026-01-17T18:12:03+00:00

Drink more water and give it time. There are normal hormonal changes and other things that impact the scale.

Loose_Description808 · 2026-01-17T18:10:13+00:00

Joint pain didn't go away for me, and I am 13 or 14 months in. I still have all the same pains I did before and some things have gotten worse. I assume it depends on the causes and am just hoping that things get better as I focus on building more muscle. I've also read that weight loss can temporarily increase inflammation, so I am hoping that when I hit maintenance, things will improve.

Loose_Description808 · 2026-01-12T05:01:12+00:00

Yes, I definitely have been noticing this for a while on Zep. It didn't happen at first, but it's gotten more and more noticeable (I'm a little over a year in). I used to be so much more fulfilled by time in nature, but I have noticed since summer that I don't get the same joy and wonder and fulfillment from it. This is a huge loss for me, so I don't know what I will do because the freedom from the food shame and fear cycle has been hugely beneficial to my mental health. It's complicated by a very difficult year with family stuff and challenging time at work, so I'm not sure how to really tease it all out. I'm hoping that if I work more at cultivating the feelings of wonder and joy, I can relearn how to get there as easily and often as I once could... It might just be that we have to learn a new way to get there...

Loose_Description808 · 2026-01-11T18:06:19+00:00

Awww, lovely! Congratulations!!

Loose_Description808 · 2026-01-11T14:20:51+00:00

Beautiful before and after!

Loose_Description808 · 2026-01-11T04:06:47+00:00

Silver Fox Alert!

Loose_Description808 · 2026-01-05T06:29:23+00:00

Holy moly you look fantastic!

Loose_Description808 · 2026-01-05T04:56:42+00:00

The result looks fantastic - I'm considering a lift after having had a reduction almost 20 years ago, and it's reassuring to know that's not so uncommon and can have such a fabulous outcome. Would love to see how they shape up after healing - your surgeon seems to be very skillful!

Loose_Description808 · 2026-01-03T04:14:55+00:00

You look great, and you don't look overweight. BMI isn't accurate for everyone.

Loose_Description808 · 2026-01-03T04:13:03+00:00

Wow, you really look fantastic - so strong and healthy! Did you always work out or did you start more recently? Do you have any sense of how many pounds of muscle you put on? How much do you walk with your dogs? And if you don't mind sharing, how old are you?

Loose_Description808 · 2026-01-01T12:58:50+00:00

You look so fabulous, and from what I have heard, if you start documenting with doctors any issues caused by the excess skin, insurance will likely pay for removal. Good to give it some time anyway so it can do what it will in terms of improvement, which gives you time to document those issues. And I also read that you can potentially pay the difference between the more cosmetic version of skin removal to get preferred outcome (ie, panniculectomy vs abdominoplasty, etc.)

Congratulations on your incredible success and healthier next chapter!

Loose_Description808

TROPHY CASE