The scale read a number I’d only ever dreamed about. I stood there in the kitchen holding my phone, waiting for the guilt to show up. It didn’t. Instead I felt something closer to relief. A year ago that number would have felt borrowed. Now it’s just mine.
So here’s the update you’ve been waiting for: 149 lbs lost, 54% of my starting weight, and I’m still working on it. This isn’t a highlight reel. It’s the messy, honest version — the medication, the walking, the hair, the loose skin, the food — and answers to the questions you keep asking me.
A quick note before we start: I’m a certified personal trainer with a master’s in exercise science, not a physician. This is my story, not medical advice. Talk to your own doctor before you change anything about your health.
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The Why: What Obesity Actually Is
Most of my questions landed on the same topic: the medication. Before we get there, here’s the part people misunderstand. This is how The National Library of Medicine defines obesity:
“Obesity is a multifactorial chronic disease resulting from complex genetic, molecular, environmental, and behavioral interactions. Its prevalence rises worldwide, affecting cardiovascular, metabolic, oncological, hepatic, respiratory, and skeletal health. Beyond caloric excess, genetic predisposition, epigenetic modifications, gut microbiota dysbiosis, endocrine-disrupting agents, circadian misalignment, and intergenerational and prenatal influences are critical determinants of obesity risk. Core pathophysiological mechanisms include insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, chronic low-grade inflammation, and neuroendocrine dysregulation of appetite and energy balance.” You can read the full definition on their site.
Translation: it’s not a willpower problem. It’s a chronic disease that needs a real strategy — and for me, that strategy has had several moving parts, not just one.
The Q&A You’ve Been Asking
How much did I lose?
For reference, I’m 5’3″. From the heaviest I ever weighed — back in 2019 — I’ve lost 149 lbs. That’s 54% of my starting weight. I used to tell myself, “If I just get under 200, that’s good enough.” I never once believed a clinically healthy weight was actually in reach for me.
Which medication am I on?
Zepbound (tirzepatide), the brand from Eli Lilly marketed for weight loss. Mounjaro is the same drug marketed for diabetes — same molecule, different label. My insurance covers the diabetes indication, not the weight-loss one, so I pay out of pocket directly through the manufacturer. A generic version likely won’t arrive until 2036–2039, so costs stay where they are for now.
If you want good information — from actual board-certified physicians who specialize in obesity medicine, not social media — I’d point you to Dr. Spencer Nadolsky and Dr. Rocio Salas-Whalan, whose book Weightless I’d make required reading if you’re considering a GLP-1.
How did I stay strong while losing weight?
Protein. When your calories drop, protein is what holds your muscle in place. I built my days around low-calorie, high-protein, high-fiber meals: cottage cheese, cold chicken from the fridge, Greek yogurt, protein shakes, and protein-forward snacks like Quest chips and Built Puff bars. I also added kettlebell sessions to my walking days.
When you lose a lot of weight you lose more than fat. I’ve always done some weight work on my walks, and now I add short kettlebell workouts — 10–15 minutes, at least two days a week. My body is less than half the size it was, so it doesn’t need the same amount of muscle to move. But the strength work keeps me feeling like myself.
What does my routine actually look like?
I’m a walker, honestly. Four to five days a week. On the treadmill I do a pre-programmed HIIT walk with dumbbells in the first 10 minutes; outside I walk early, before the sun is up, and I’m usually finished by then. Kettlebell sessions twice a week round it out. I may try a gym membership someday for heavier lifting, but for now the neighborhood works.
What’s the timeline?
I finally went to the doctor and got real baselines in October 2024. I started a GLP-1 in November 2024. From October 2024 to July 2025 I lost 92 lbs. From July 2025 to January 2026, another 35 lbs. And from January 2026 to now, about 20 more. Most of the loss happened in that first year and then tapered off — but my clothes started dropping in size faster over the last stretch, and so did my face.
The best part? I started feeling better in December 2024. Basically right away.
Am I taking it for life?
For me, tirzepatide isn’t just a weight-loss tool — it’s part of managing chronic obesity. I didn’t start it to shed a few pounds or kick-start a diet. It’s helped my weight, my glucose, and several other blood markers, and it’s been a real turning point for my inflammation: my psoriasis, which had gotten severe and was tipping into psoriatic arthritis, has calmed down. My rosacea has improved too — I credit my dermatologist’s serum for some of that, but I think the reduced inflammation helped a lot.
Will I stop someday? I won’t say never. I could see myself dropping to smaller, less frequent doses. But I never planned to stop the moment I hit a number.
The Honest Parts
Hair
Yes, I lost hair. A lot. It comes with substantial weight loss, not the medication specifically, and my hairdresser swears it’s already in a regrowth phase. I cut the thin ends and wear my hair up more than I ever have — a first for me.
Loose skin
Lose this much and loose skin is unavoidable. It’s not from the GLP-1 — it’s from the weight. I have it in the usual spots: thighs, upper arms, under the chin, chest, stomach. Surgery is the only way to remove it. Building muscle takes the edge off, but I haven’t had surgery and I’m probably not going to. I’ve come too far to get stuck on it. I still have my insecurities — shorts, swimsuits, sleeveless tops — but they’re smaller now.
I’ve been careful about the messaging around my daughter, too. She hears me talk about being strong and fit, not about a number on a scale. When she asked if I was going to “fix” the skin on my legs, I told her absolutely not — and told her how powerful our bodies are, and how what matters is how we treat them.
Coach’s Math
Why protein is non-negotiable: you can eat clean food and still lose muscle if your calories are low. Protein is the ingredient that keeps lean mass while you cut — that’s why it anchors every meal and snack in my plan.
Your Move:
Step 1: Today, grab one high-protein snack — a Greek yogurt, a handful of nuts, a protein shake — and eat it as a deliberate choice, not a graze.
Step 2: Book a baseline visit with your doctor if you haven’t had one this year. Bloodwork first, decisions second.
Step 3: Take a 20-minute walk tomorrow morning, before your day gets loud. That’s the whole first step of this journey.
You don’t owe anyone a clean story. You just owe yourself an honest one.