Metabolic_Mandy
Well-known member
So, yeah, its been a pretty awesome six months.
I've always been someone who's struggled with weight, even though I've always been pretty active. I was a swimmer and did other sports growing up, and then I got into CrossFit about a decade ago.
But then 2020 happened. I went into that year in pretty great shape, but by the third lockdown, I just… spiraled. My Friday and Saturday night cocktails turned into “Is 10am too early for a gin fizz on a Tuesday?” I quit working out. Once I was vaccinated and didn't think I'd die from getting takeout delivered – and yes, we were one of *those* households – I went all-in on delivery because I was just so over cooking, baking, pickling, all that stuff I did to fill time during lockdown. And I was still drinking way too much. Plus, workouts just weren't fun anymore.
Around May 20th, 2025, I saw a photo of myself with some friends on vacation. I'd been avoiding full-body pics for a while, but when I saw that one, I just thought… oh no. I was seeing my doctor a few days later anyway, but that was the moment I knew I had to do something about my weight.
I've been on tirzepatide since then.
I feel like I'm taking a different medication than some of the people posting horror stories here. I have basically no side effects, even now that I'm on 10mg. I haven't counted a single calorie. Haven't tracked one meal. I can eat whatever I want – bring on the heat! And I don't really have much appetite suppression either.
What *do* I have? For the first time ever, I don't have that annoying little voice telling me to keep eating. Or that some food will make me feel better. I can eat when I'm hungry and stop when I'm full. I can easily make better food choices, and still really enjoy them, because my brain isn't telling me that fried chicken is better than grilled chicken with good seasoning.
I cook the vast majority of my food at home. I don't really eat processed stuff. If it's a whole food, I'll eat it. It's pretty hard to overeat on, say, chicken and broccoli.
But I still eat out sometimes too, when there's a reason to… and I don't feel guilty. I also haven't had a drink in almost half a year. I just don't want it… and I've gotten through holidays, including Vegas and Oktoberfest, without drinking. I don't crave it or miss it.
I work out 5-6 days a week. I'm back to CrossFit and Hyrox, running regularly, and I've started reformed Pilates too. My strength is almost back to where it was before the pandemic.
My stats are a little weird because I'd been lifting for years before I gained weight… so I still had a lot of muscle. I'm 44, 5'10", and I started at around 302 pounds. Now I'm down to about 225. Based on BMI, I'm still obese and will be for another 15 pounds or so. The jeans in the second photo are a size 34, and I want to lose another 20-ish pounds overall. Even when I'm happy with my weight, I'll probably still be overweight according to BMI – but I'll take the muscle over the metric. Thick thighs are life, right? I'm happy with my height/waist ratio, though.
Tirzepatide basically let me take my life back… and it's a long-term thing for me: I'm not planning to stop it. I feel very lucky to be on it.
I've always been someone who's struggled with weight, even though I've always been pretty active. I was a swimmer and did other sports growing up, and then I got into CrossFit about a decade ago.
But then 2020 happened. I went into that year in pretty great shape, but by the third lockdown, I just… spiraled. My Friday and Saturday night cocktails turned into “Is 10am too early for a gin fizz on a Tuesday?” I quit working out. Once I was vaccinated and didn't think I'd die from getting takeout delivered – and yes, we were one of *those* households – I went all-in on delivery because I was just so over cooking, baking, pickling, all that stuff I did to fill time during lockdown. And I was still drinking way too much. Plus, workouts just weren't fun anymore.
Around May 20th, 2025, I saw a photo of myself with some friends on vacation. I'd been avoiding full-body pics for a while, but when I saw that one, I just thought… oh no. I was seeing my doctor a few days later anyway, but that was the moment I knew I had to do something about my weight.
I've been on tirzepatide since then.
I feel like I'm taking a different medication than some of the people posting horror stories here. I have basically no side effects, even now that I'm on 10mg. I haven't counted a single calorie. Haven't tracked one meal. I can eat whatever I want – bring on the heat! And I don't really have much appetite suppression either.
What *do* I have? For the first time ever, I don't have that annoying little voice telling me to keep eating. Or that some food will make me feel better. I can eat when I'm hungry and stop when I'm full. I can easily make better food choices, and still really enjoy them, because my brain isn't telling me that fried chicken is better than grilled chicken with good seasoning.
I cook the vast majority of my food at home. I don't really eat processed stuff. If it's a whole food, I'll eat it. It's pretty hard to overeat on, say, chicken and broccoli.
But I still eat out sometimes too, when there's a reason to… and I don't feel guilty. I also haven't had a drink in almost half a year. I just don't want it… and I've gotten through holidays, including Vegas and Oktoberfest, without drinking. I don't crave it or miss it.I work out 5-6 days a week. I'm back to CrossFit and Hyrox, running regularly, and I've started reformed Pilates too. My strength is almost back to where it was before the pandemic.
My stats are a little weird because I'd been lifting for years before I gained weight… so I still had a lot of muscle. I'm 44, 5'10", and I started at around 302 pounds. Now I'm down to about 225. Based on BMI, I'm still obese and will be for another 15 pounds or so.
The jeans in the second photo are a size 34, and I want to lose another 20-ish pounds overall. Even when I'm happy with my weight, I'll probably still be overweight according to BMI – but I'll take the muscle over the metric. Thick thighs are life, right? I'm happy with my height/waist ratio, though.Tirzepatide basically let me take my life back… and it's a long-term thing for me: I'm not planning to stop it. I feel very lucky to be on it.
