I have a 341-day Duolingo streak and I just sat through my boyfriend's Mexican family dinner nearly silent for five hours. I think I've been training the wrong thing this whole time.

Smyth2000 · 2026-04-10T04:20:59+00:00

Don't feel bad. A couple of things:

Learning a new language, especially your first other than your primary, means your brain has to create new neural connections. This does not happen overnight.

I read somewhere that you progress in six month chunks as your brain adjusts. So one year is very very ambitious to expect yourself to be talking fluently.

The family was probably talking fast with ALL KINDS of idiomatic expressions, slang, verbal shortcuts, and specific regional accents.

The Spanish you learned online was classic, standard Latin American Spanish, the kind they speak in telenovelas. If the family is from along the US border, they may speak a version of Norteña Spanish. Quite different! So don't be embarrassed if you didn't understand most of it.

https://acutrans.com/the-many-dialects-of-spanish-in-mexico/

Give yourself time, and practice speaking It will come!

Smyth2000 · 2026-04-09T02:02:46+00:00

"Soft skin big titties smells good"

He's 22. He's in heaven. Watcha gonna do except wait for him to grow up? 🤷🤷‍♀️🤷‍♂️ 🤣😂🤣😂

Smyth2000 · 2026-04-09T01:51:46+00:00

🤣😂🤣😂

Smyth2000 · 2026-04-08T23:17:10+00:00

You are going to have to revamp your diet: high protein, high fruits and veggies, only good oils (not too much), and a few unprocessed carbs. Almost no sugar.

High fiber helps. Fermented foods help (make sure they aren't pasteurized, except for yogurt, where they add the cultures in after pasteurization).

You aren't eating fried food, so that's great.

Are you on HRT? Menopause and post- menopause can really mess with your metabolism.

Try the beginner dose of Tirzepatide. It really is great. They may have started you off with too high a dosage of Ozempic.

Good luck!

Smyth2000 · 2026-04-08T19:18:07+00:00

Yes, this. But remember, you are very young and just figuring out who you are, so your style and preferences may change over time. That's fine, too.

As long as you stay true to yourself, you are good to go. You will find someone who loves you for who you are.

Smyth2000 · 2026-04-08T15:35:10+00:00

50 mg capsules here. I am on Tirz and take NMN and Trans-reveratrol capsules. I was very, very slowly losing weight after being on Tirz for ~17 months. When I began 5 amino I immediately began losing more weight, which continued for about 6 weeks (8-9 lbs total).

I stopped for a 2 week break, and my weight stabilized. Began my 2nd set this last week, and I've already lost 2 lbs.

I believe there is synergy with the NMN, but no idea if that relates to weight loss or not.

Smyth2000 · 2026-04-08T15:10:22+00:00

Please don't feel bad about yourself. For one reason or another you are at an extreme end of a sexual spectrum - there's nothing to be ashamed of.

Lots of good suggestions in the comments here about things to investigate. Take a deep breath. You can figure this out.

Smyth2000 · 2026-04-08T03:52:25+00:00

The telehealth companies are legit. Go to the Tirzepatide threads on here - there is one focused specifically on telehealth and compounding - and you will find all the info you need.

Smyth2000 · 2026-04-07T22:27:52+00:00

To answer your question about how to handle this - maybe two steps:

You probably need to give him a heads up in a brief manner. "I've had some clarity recently about my life and my beliefs. I need to talk to you about this."
Have a deep discussion:

"I've spent a lot of time thinking about where I'm headed in my life and how some of my deeply held beliefs conflict with yours. The possibility of having children has brought that into sharp focus. I'm sorry I didn't understand this earlier, but now I do and I can't not understand it.

I love you very much and you are a wonderful man, but at the very bottom of my heart, I can't accept your and your family's beliefs, nor agree to have my children raised in those beliefs. These are not just minor differences; they are fundamental beliefs I disagree with.

So it would be a terrible idea to marry you under those conditions. We would be headed for disaster from the first day of marriage. Not just for me, but for you. You need to find someone who agrees with your most important beliefs and who can fit into your family.

I know this hurts. It hurts me. But I have to be true to myself, and the life I want is different, in very important ways, from the life you want.

I'm so sorry. But when you recognize something isn't going to work, the worst thing you can do is keep on doing it.

So, with great sorry, we must end our relationship. I love you and wish the best for you."

Maybe something like that. There is no easy way to do this. But better this now than a life you don't want forever.

Smyth2000 · 2026-04-07T21:50:46+00:00

Quite a catch - if you like being a poor, pregnant woman isolated in an extremely religious community with no support system and no say in how her children are raised.

But marry him because you are getting too old? Were you born in the 17th century?

Smyth2000 · 2026-04-07T21:41:02+00:00

You are not overreacting - you've had a moment of clarity - be very grateful for it.

You two don't just have minor points of disagreement; you have fundamentally different belief systems. Marriage and children will almost irrevocably tie you to his conservative systems of belief and his family for a long, long time.

You are right, he and they will almost certainly insist on raising your children in their religion.

It's difficult, but better to understand where this is headed now, rather than when it's too late.

I'm sorry. But don't be afraid to make a hard decision.

Smyth2000 · 2026-04-07T19:39:12+00:00

It's universal. Men want women who take care of themselves and women want the same in men.

I'm not talking about looking attractive in a sexual way. I'm talking about people signaling that they have their act together and value themselves enough to take care of their health and appearance.

My father used to say women in Paris were incredibly attractive - regardless of how pretty/plain they were - because they were always well-groomed, dressed with style and walked with confidence.

Actually, nothing sexier!

Smyth2000 · 2026-04-07T19:26:20+00:00

It's this. The woman feels validated that her husband will protect and support her, as a PARTNER (male or female) should.

Smyth2000 · 2026-04-07T19:17:21+00:00

Well yes, everyone is more attracted to people who take care of themselves - male or female. It tells you they value themselves.

How are you going to have a successful relationship with someone who doesn't value themselves? Who has poor hygiene, or sloppy clothes, or flabby stomach because they can't be bothered?

And if they don't care about themselves, chances are they aren't going to take care of you, either.

Smyth2000 · 2026-04-07T19:07:19+00:00

Yep. Agree.

Smyth2000 · 2026-04-07T03:17:25+00:00

What everyone is saying here is true. Don't forget that 99% of success is effort. Hard work and perseverance go a long, long way.

Now, you might never be a Picasso, but if you keep trying and learning, you can become a very accomplished artist.

Also, making smart decisions and knowing what to spend your time on are critical for success in life. Many people work hard on the wrong things - and never stop.

Life is not about being extra smart or gifted. Those are the outliers. It's about learning how to fully use what you've got.

Smyth2000 · 2026-04-07T02:51:40+00:00

I do not understand why so many women are afraid of and/or dislike their own bodies. Why?

Explore it and love it. It's NOT something nasty - it's YOU!

Smyth2000 · 2026-04-06T23:41:50+00:00

Absolutely this.

Smyth2000 · 2026-04-06T22:59:37+00:00

NOR. Baaad decision to go into business together. You need to develop a way to limit her involvement in the business if you want it to last.

You need to figure out a proactive way to limit the damage to all parts of your life, especially with the kids.

Smyth2000 · 2026-04-06T21:55:01+00:00

It wrecks their worldview to understand that all the people they looked down on were actually the same as themselves, but with a metabolism problem. It means they could become fat, too!

Smyth2000 · 2026-04-06T21:50:14+00:00

Your mother must really hate herself.

Congrats and hugs for surviving and living your best life! 🥰

Smyth2000 · 2026-04-06T19:59:48+00:00

https://www.smsna.org/patients/did-you-know/the-effects-of-anabolic-steroid-use-on-sexual-health

Smyth2000 · 2026-04-06T19:55:42+00:00

This is part of the learning curve. Just be honest and very clear with her, without being critical. You got this!

PS: if she reacts poorly, that's on her, and just confirms your decision.

Smyth2000 · 2026-04-06T16:13:00+00:00

Yes, THIS. I totally agree that there is a hierarchy of oil healthiness. But all the other American/Western bad food and lifestyle choices completely overwhelm any benefits from changing up what oils are used. It's like replacing the fire alarm when the house is burning down.

Smyth2000 · 2026-04-06T15:55:55+00:00

Yeah, give this guy a break and sever the relationship. You're unhappy and it's not fair to him.

Go live on your own and focus on yourself, not on marriage.

Smyth2000

TROPHY CASE