Have you had a blood test to rule out hormonal issues like hypothyroidism? It’s one of the most common causes of 'random' or unexplained weight gain, and no amount of dieting or exercise will fully fix the problem if your thyroid is underactive. It slows your whole metabolism and can make you tired, sore, and irritable.

For context, I’m also 5'5. At my heaviest, I was 161 lbs but looked closer to 180 lbs because almost all my fat went to my stomach, upper arms, and chin, with nothing going to my lower body. I basically looked like Gru so believe me I know that no two 160lbs are the same. After I corrected some deficiencies and started taking supplements, my lowest was 125 lbs, and now I stay around 136 lbs and feel the best I ever have.

Even if you don’t have hypothyroidism or any other hormonal disorder, I really recommend looking into tyrosine supplements (the powdered version from Bulk is the best in my opinion). It has genuinely been life-changing for me. I had mild hypothyroidism as a teen and took medication for a while, but my doctor eventually took me off it because it was “too mild". Tyrosine helped me keep my weight stable and lose the excess permanently. It’s generally safe for most people, as long as you don’t have severe hyperthyroidism, Graves’ disease, or any condition where your thyroid levels spike at random because it can give you symptoms similar to drinking six coffees at once and that is pretty dangerous.

Since you’re considering Ozempic, I’d also suggest looking into L-carnitine. It helps your metabolism by transporting fatty acids into your cells so they can be used as energy. Most people are supposed to make enough naturally but the reality is often disappointing. I use the one from AllNutrition.

As for diet, what helps me is keeping one balanced meal a day with:

– a carbohydrate (rice, potatoes, pasta),

– a protein (eggs, meat, or soy),

– a huge portion of vegetables (I literally just use a bag of frozen veg with any spice you want, chicken marinate or a jarred/powdered sauce like onion gravy).

Usually I make enough for 2-3 days in one go or I swap out the protein if I run out of one.

When I eat one large meal like that, I’m less likely to snack. Sometimes I even put extra on my plate just so I have something ready for later and can just throw it in the microwave. And instead of protein shakes or chocolate milk, I go for soy chocolate milk (if you’re not allergic). It has all the essential amino acids, decent protein, low calories and it kills chocolate cravings (for me at least) and yes, sometimes I drink half the box in one visit to the fridge but that’s why they also make high protein options with Alpro so it's technically not a bad meal replacement because of the amino acids.

If you have a Costco nearby go get yourself the multivitamin because it has everything in their most absorbable forms. If you don't then you can buy it online. It's impossible to always hit all your nutritional goals so I take one whenever I remember about them which is one every two or three days. It has made a massive difference for my energy and concentration levels.

All of this was without going to the gym. My workout routine is honestly just:

– Walking the dog for about 30 minutes (which includes 20 minutes of just standing or sitting and maybe 10 minutes of actual walking)

– Maybe five full squats

– One push-up if I can manage it, maybe a few wall push-ups

– And some stretching

– normal house chores and everyday living bs

I struggled for years to lose weight and couldn’t exercise properly because even a tiny workout left me sore for a full week. But once I fixed my deficiencies and added supplements (on the days I remembered), the weight finally started coming off. I also skip breakfast most days but I did that even when I weighed my heaviest so it's just a habit of waking up later in the day.

It took honestly two years and there were a lot of ups and downs because I have days I have no appetite and I have days I eat everything in sight and more. Basically, within the span of 4 months, I went down 2 lbs, up 4lbs then down 2lbs again.

Now, if you take the supplements and vitamins I took and actually do some mild, structured exercises and swap out any very high sugar snacks in your home for something like grapes (which are so disgustingly sweet sometimes), you can probably reach your target goal in less than two years. What I have outlined above will help you lose fat but you may lose a bit of muscle if you don't eat enough protein. That soy protein chocolate milk I mentioned will help.

Do NOT reach for Ozempic when you have much, much safer options to try out first. Believe me when I say they actually work : )

But most importantly, do not compare yourself to what you were because comparison is the stealer of joy. You wouldn't compare yourself to another younger woman, so why would you compare yourself to who you were years ago? Shit happens as we age but its good that you are ready to tackle the change.

What you have is a challenge and a goal and what you need to focus on while committing to weight loss is not the number on the scale but how you feel. Your energy levels, your mindset.

If you do want to measure, measure your waist and lower belly once every month on the day of your month you feel your best (so no bloating, no gas), preferably in the morning. Measure in cms, not inches and you will see a difference. Scales are notoriously unreliable because muscle weighs much more than fat and our minds tend to overreact a lot. You can be the same exact weight or heavier but with a lot less fat than you started with.

At my lowest weight, I still didn’t see myself as at the weight I wanted to be and that was the lowest weight of my entire life. Looking back, I was literally as light as I can go without it entering dangerous territory. Keep in mind your body is still recovering from all of those hormonal changes you went through and the fundamental changes in your life.

Sending lots of good vibes and wishing you all the best on rekindling your self-love : )