My Weight Loss Journey (The Real Version)

I’ve struggled with body image for what feels like my entire life. Back in 2011, I got the arm implant for birth control and ended up gaining around 50 pounds in just six months. Some of that was probably just getting older and dealing with hormones, but still—it was rough.

Transitioning from my teenage years (aka: eating whatever, whenever) into adulthood where I had to actually grocery shop, cook, and make decisions about food… that wasn’t easy. From 2011 to 2024, my weight went up and down with pretty much every yo-yo diet you can imagine. And alongside that, I’ve always dealt with body dysmorphia. What’s wild is I find people of all shapes and sizes beautiful—but when it comes to looking at myself, especially in mirrors or looking down, my brain just switches into hyper-critical mode.

On top of that, I’ve had knee pain for years and felt super limited in my mobility. Simple things like tying my shoes or bringing my knees to my chest to sit were hard, and it bothered me more than I wanted to admit.

In January/February 2024 (pictured above left), during a snowboarding trip, I hit a breaking point. I was so frustrated with how limited my movement had become while trying to help my 3 year old—I just felt stuck in my own body. That’s when I decided enough was enough. It was time to make a real change. I didn’t jump into anything extreme—I started super small. My first goal was just to take a 10-minute walk at work every weekday. That was it. I did that consistently for two weeks. Then I added another small step: watching my portions and stopping when I felt full, even if the food was amazing. (Tough, I know.)

Here’s the thing—I used to go all in with diets, full throttle, every time. And every time, I’d crash and burn. This time, I took it one step at a time and gave each new habit a couple of weeks to stick before adding something else.

Eventually, I started running—or more accurately, jogging. For the first time in my life, I ran a full mile without stopping. My knees and lungs hated me, but I did it. And honestly, I couldn’t have done it without my partner (shoutout to Will) holding me accountable even when I’m a total ass. After that, I committed to running a mile every time and doing it 2-3x a week. In just five months, I went from struggling to run a mile in over 15 minutes to clocking in at a 9-minute mile. Do I suddenly love running? Absolutely not. I still high key hate it. But I set a goal and shockingly, I hit it. The more weight I shed, the less my knees hurt but you will still see me running with compression sleeves on.

Starting Noom in April

Come April, I decided to try Noom. (Not sponsored, lol.) I’d always had a toxic relationship with food and dieting, and Noom came recommended for addressing the emotional side of eating. I didn’t love their food database, there’s a lot you have to manually enter, but the daily short reads and videos were a game-changer for my mindset. After a few months, I realized I could connect Noom to MyFitnessPal to track my calories more easily. Total game changer. The only downside? It doesn’t show the color-coded food categories (green, yellow, red) for the stuff you import—which kind of defeats part of Noom’s whole vibe. But it was still worth it for the easier tracking.

I learned some important stuff that I still have to remind myself of but thankfully less and less:

One bad meal or snack doesn’t “ruin” your whole day.
Calorie deficits don’t mean starving yourself.
Protein is essential—if you’re losing muscle, it’s not real progress.
Fueling your body properly matters way more than just hitting a number on the scale.

During this time, I added in 1–3 Apple workouts per week (20–40 mins each), plus my running. I kept that routine up from April 2024 through January 2025—with some breaks here and there for life (vacations, etc.).

In July 2024, I went to the gym a few mornings in a row with my friend Chelsea while we were out of town for a convention. I have major anxiety about the gym—people watching me, feeling like I don’t know what I’m doing, worrying I’ll make a fool of myself… all of it.

If you feel the same way, go with a friend. Seriously. I was still anxious, but having Chelsea there helped so much. At least I knew where to go and what to start with, which made it way less overwhelming.

Also I couldn’t move my arms or legs for days after, please imagine me waddling up and down stairs and wincing while reaching for objects. The soreness was honestly dumb, but it also kind of made me feel like I accomplished something—even though I know that’s not really how muscle building works. Still, there’s something satisfying about being sore in that “okay, I definitely did something” kind of way. So yeah, maybe get yourself a Chelsea. After that I got a YMCA membership and haven’t looked back.

In January 2025, I started Effexor for anxiety, and it made me want to eat everything in sight. I completely lost control and spiraled a bit. It did help my anxiety, so I tried to stick with it, but it honestly ended up making things worse for me personally. (For the record, not everyone has this side effect—some people actually lose their appetite on it. Just my luck to be in the unlucky percentage, lol.)

I quit Effexor cold turkey around March and started something else. But the appetite and impulse issues lingered even with Adderall (which normally helps suppress my appetite). Eventually, my psychiatrist gave me the green light to start a GLP-1 medication to help with food noise and regulation. I started at the end of April—and haven’t looked back. While many are skeptical about the idea of a miracle weight loss drug, if one truly exists, it’s likely a GLP-1. The absence of constant thoughts about food and genuinely not caring much about eating—sometimes even having to remind myself to eat—is incredible. I’ve included more detailed information towards the bottom of the post about the medication and pharmacy I used, including pricing and a breakdown of how the process works.

And just to say it loud for the people in the back: you don’t need a “reason” to start a GLP-1 other than wanting to lose weight. No shame. No guilt. Your journey is your own.

That said, please fix your habits first. If you don’t, you’ll likely regain the weight when you come off. Weight loss doesn’t magically stick just because the number goes down—you have to change how you live to maintain it.

The biggest thing I’ve learned? You can still eat what you want—just be intentional, portion your meals, and always be prepared. Planning ahead makes healthy choices so much easier and honestly more likely.

What’s Working for Me Now

Protein, protein, protein. Aim for at least 70% of your body weight (in pounds) in grams of protein per day.
Take calcium + vitamin D and Strength train to preserve muscle and bone density.
Walk! Even 15 minutes, 3 times a week is better than nothing. Gradually build up to more activity!
Focus on how you feel, not just the scale.

I’m not fully past my body dysmorphia, but I do love myself more now. I’m learning to appreciate my body for what it can do, not just how it looks.

Some of My Go-To Meals & Tips:

Protein bars + powders: I stock up when Vitamin Shoppe does BOGO 50% or when Target runs deals. My favorites are Barebells and clean simple eats for protein powder and bars but there are more budget friendly options otherwise make sure you grab them on a sale!
I cannot do protein powder with just water—like, it’s a hard no for me. It’s chalky, weird, and honestly makes me gag. My partner somehow drinks it with room temp water like it’s no big deal, and I’m over here acting like it’s a Fear Factor challenge. If you’re like me, definitely mix it with milk or blend it into a smoothie.
- Vanilla protein shake with fruit: Frozen fruit + Non Fat Greek yogurt + honey + vanilla protein + cashew milk (blend)
  - Freeze your fruit before it goes bad = free smoothie ingredients. Girl math.
- Morning shake: Cold brew + cashew milk + protein powder (I just shake this but you can blend if you want).
- Strawberry shake: Strawberry Califia + cashew milk + snickerdoodle protein. (I just shake this but you can blend if you want).
- Meal protein shake(more filling): PB2 + protein powder + banana (frozen, peel on) + ice + cashew milk. (if you have the calories for the day and need the protein you can double the scoop.)
- Now, I don’t usually recommend premade protein shakes, but if that’s what gets you out the door or helps you build the habit without stressing over blending(or shaking) something at 7 AM? Go for it.Do what works for you.
  - The Fairlife protein shakes aren’t bad for those “grab and go” days, and the recipes that use them for protein pudding? Delicious. They’re also awesome in Ninja Creami protein ice cream recipes if you’re into that.

Salads with baked lemon chicken. If you’re short on time or willpower, start with Kevin’s frozen chicken and a salad kit from the produce section.
- But really just any kind of salad I can get my hands on with protein.
Contrary to popular belief, just chopping up fruits and veggies counts as meal prep. Seriously. If you’ve got pre-cut produce ready to go, you’re way more likely to eat it.
Cheerios with cashew milk and fresh strawberries
Avocado—fresh, or in the Wholly Avocado single-serve cups by the spoonful or with crackers and cheese
Bananas with honey granola + almond butter, cookie butter, or chocolate sunflower butter
Veggie and fruit trays for the week (yes, some of mine have toddler snacks included—mom life = grazer life and sharing your plate most days)
Mini naan pizzas—super easy and customizable. Throw on whatever toppings you have and pop it in the oven
Yasso pops and drizzalicious rice cakes are my guilty pleasure. The pops are made with Greek yogurt, but honestly? They taste just like ice cream. The mini rice cakes taste more like a dessert than anything. The best of both worlds if you want something sweet without completely derailing your day.
Smoothie bowls aren’t visually appealing(at least not when I make them) but they are super yummy and much cheaper to make at home instead of get out.

Final Thoughts

One important thing to note—I’ve actually been active the whole time I’ve struggled with my weight. I climbed for years, and I’ve been roller skating for over 7 years now. What finally clicked for me was combining that activity with targeted eating and intentional workouts. That was the missing piece.

Since making those changes, my confidence has grown, and as a bonus, my skating has improved a ton. I feel stronger and more in control—on and off wheels.

This journey has been far from perfect, and that’s totally okay. Progress isn’t linear, and perfection isn’t the goal. Just start somewhere. Do it your way.

For anyone curious about the numbers: I’m 5’2″ and started at 194 lbs, wearing a size 16 in pants and an XL in tops. As of now, I’m down to 126 lbs, wearing a size 4 in pants and a medium in shirts. My goal weight is 120 lbs, but honestly, I already feel like a completely different person. The physical transformation has been wild and the mental and emotional growth has been even wilder.

I hope sharing my story inspires you to kickstart whatever your goal is—whether that’s feeling better, getting stronger, or just showing up for yourself a little more each day.

P.S. Needing to buy a whole new wardrobe as your body changes? Honestly, kind of the worst. It’s expensive and annoying. But having a pair of goal pants tucked away? That’s actually kind of fun. There’s something super motivating about finally zipping them up and realizing they fit.

FYI: I went through this site to get my medication. I’m super sensitive to side effects, so I picked them because they add B12 into their formula to help with that and watching Kaylla Spensers journey on Instagram was also inspiring. It was a super easy process, I did my questionnaire and a doctor reviewed it and suggested which medication I should take and once approved they had multiple different payment options. They have drops (GLP-1 sublingual drops), semaglutide injections (GLP-1+B12) $299 per month, and tirzepetide injections(GLP-1/GIP + B12) $449 per month. I am currently taking the tirzepetide injections. Ellie MD uses trusted pharmacies(I vetted this) and does not have the random monthly membership fees other sites have or doctors fees on top but still provide great customer service and are there if you need them. They also do not upcharge for higher doses when you decide to increase your dose which is great. I have also been able to squeeze out an additional week out of each vial to save some money (if you need help with this just message me).

It’s shown in studies that you can lose the following in the first 6-8 weeks: