A Weight Loss Story You Can Actually Relate To

Going going gone.

 I've been in the natural health care field for over 20 years and have trained on how to lose weight and the reasons it’s important. 

Yet I was lugging around 30 extra pounds for over a decade. Sometimes less. Sometimes more.

It’s not that I didn’t practice what I preached. I walked the talk.  What I came to realize was that my efforts were derailed by a packed schedule and other valid excuses. Followed by not so valid excuses. I was unable to make SUSTAINABLE changes. The weight would come back and my inner self would answer with shame and disappointment. It was a toxic roller coaster. 

Consequently, when GLP1’s were suggested by my NP I was curious but really hesitant. Muscle loss was a big concern and gut issues took a close second. Not to mention the money on a tight budget. I researched, reviewed current labs,  and contemplated. Then researched and contemplated some more. It was actually the science and benefits beyond weight loss that won me over. 

GLP1s are one of hundreds of peptides our bodies make to do all the things our bodies do. I don’t understand all the complexities enough to explain them but it is beyond dispute  that the  role peptides play is critical to our health and well being. As is the fact that our bodies become increasingly less efficient at making them.

At 61 years of age I was all about the anti aging, heart and brain benefits. So with this bigger picture at the center of my decision I started on Tirzepatide. I did so with redefined expectations of why I was doing it and what it was going to take. I gave myself permission to think long term and imperfect. The results have been both health and life changing. 

Was it quick and easy? Nope. 

It required time, commitment and the acceptance that GLP1’s are not a magic shot. They did not replace the unrelenting truth that I've gotta move more and eat better 80% of the time. Not just for the next 30, 90  or days but permanently. There were times I didn’t feel so good either.  I missed food but didn’t want to eat. Didn’t eat enough and got a headache. Ate too much and got a stomach ache. It took some figuring out and practice but I got there. And the shift in my mind set and appetite helped me stay on track.  Well, most of the time. There are always going to be those days. 

Real life includes being under prepared, vacations, time management glitches and a host of other things that you don’t plan for.

At first this was a stressor for me. Eventually I got better at giving myself grace and having hard boiled eggs and tuna fish on hand. I learned the importance of adding amino acids and creatine into my routine despite that I don't love the taste. And that a 15 min resistance routine first thing in the morning along with a brisk walk over lunch is not only doable but gives me energy and is  all I need to maintain muscle mass ( heavyish lifting required to build though). 

It took me 9 1/2 months to lose 32 pounds - 27 of which was fat and 5 of it muscle (which I am working to get back)  but the changes I saw and felt started in a few weeks. I had less bloat, my knee didn’t hurt as bad, I slept better. I lost my first 4 pounds. Initially I was impatient. I wanted 4 to be 10. I reminded myself that I was playing for keeps and it was going to take more than a minute. 

At 6 months my body comp testing showed that I had lost 16 pounds of fat and 3 pounds of muscle. “ Not setting the world on fire” is what I thought. Yet I looked and felt so much better. The inches were coming off in all the right places.  Then I reran my labs and the results had me doing a cartwheel. I kid you not. An actual cartwheel. It was not pretty nor will I ever do another one. But the fact that I even tried is pretty telling. 

My metabolic dysfunction had improved across the board. A1c down from pre diabetic to a ‘healthy normal’ range. Cholesterol dropped 22 points. Inflammatory markers went from high to low, liver enzymes stabilized and, most surprising, my thyroid function had improved so much that my medication was cut to a third of its previous dose. These are all impactful, health transforming results!  

I can not deep dive on the complex topic known as metabolic dysfunction however I can say with certainty that carrying around excess fat leads to a host of dysfunction and we are wise to shed it. (Note the word “fat” rather than “weight”. There is a big difference. It matters a lot and I track it for that reason).Tirzepatide helped me do that. It didn’t do all the work but I truly couldn’t have gotten these kinds of results without it.  

Looking in the mirror is a treat. Not just because of my smaller, fitter image but because it is  a reflection of my grit and determination.  I even  lovingly accept some of the new found sags and wrinkles. I feel years younger. But the best part? I can chase and lift grand babies with a joy that comes with confidence (still no cartwheels). 

The cherry on my no calorie cake is that my experience  led me to a new chapter. 

It inspired me to get certified as a GLP1 ‘coach, to share my experience and to work with others seeking similar change. I did not anticipate that it would be an equally fulfilling part of my story but it is. 

I have gotten to walk alongside people as they plunge into their adventure and commitment into self care. We share truths, defeats and recipes. Celebrate victories no matter how small. 

Do these medications work for everyone? Nope. Some people’s bodies don’t like them, others see little to no change. It can be discouraging for sure. There were days and even weeks when I thought “I want to be done” . However I learned the art of perseverance. And it was empowering. For some  this might mean other avenues all  together but that’s what self discovery is all about right?  

For all of us who have felt trapped  in and by our bodies we need to be a community for one another. Together we can feel better and do better.  My work in this field of  GLP1’s has given me those  connections.

And I am a better version of myself - in a multitude of ways - as a result.