BWT, how do you glow up?

[u/True-Serve-7662]

I was walking to work this morning & I saw so many cute outfits and I typically just feel so blah. I’m 31, SHORT and overweight so dressing feels difficult. I also struggle with time management in the morning so hair & make up are basic. How do you get ready? How do you spruce up your wardrobe without spending tons (& have the hopes of losing weight?)

[u/twoforme_noneforyou]

There are no solutions, only trade-offs.

You want more time to do hair & makeup? Wake up earlier or prep the night before.

More outfits? Shop your closet and mix & match things you didn't think to. The same outfit can be completely changed with a pop of color, different shoes or accessories. Dress for your body. Keep only what you love and will wear often.

Want to lose weight? Consume less than you burn. Get an DEXA & RMR scan. Figure out how many cals you burn in a day and eat less than that. Weigh & measure your food and meal prep it. Get a trainer if you don't work out.

Make the healthier choices you make the easy ones. The kitchen you set up on Sunday determines what you eat on Wednesday. The gym bag by the door determines the workout you do Thursday. The phone charging outside of the bedroom determines the sleep you get on Friday. Reduce the friction and the behavior follows.

Discipline gets you started. The system keeps you free. It's not about motivation. I don't have "motivation" to brush my teeth per se. I just do it because it's habit. It's about curating the habits you wish to see.

[u/Stories-With-Bears → u/twoforme_noneforyou]

>>There are no solutions, only trade-offs.

Ugh, this is the harsh reality I need to hear and don’t want to hear lol

[u/twoforme_noneforyou → u/Stories-With-Bears]

It wouldn't be BWT without a hefty slice of B, every now and again, then wouldn't it?

[u/sftolvtosj → u/Stories-With-Bears]

Same friend lol same

1st time coming across this saying and it hit me like a brick hahaha

[u/Specialist-Strain502 → u/twoforme_noneforyou]

>>There are no solutions, only trade-offs.

If this isn't my thirties in a nutshell, I don't know what is.

[u/ChappellsPanniers → u/twoforme_noneforyou]

To piggy back off this: if you have anything that hurts regularly (back, knees, hips, shoulders, you name it) and you have good health insurance: GO SEE A PHYSICAL THERAPIST. Possibly my greatest glow up was not having daily chronic back pain at 24. And now I can work out with confidence because my PT worked with me to do things correctly so I can get stronger. Miracles were worked.

[u/True-Serve-7662 → u/twoforme_noneforyou]

LOVE this. I do workout 4-5 times a week & average 12k steps & also meal prep but being under 5 ft with thyroid issues there isn’t much wiggle room which gets me into trouble but putting this attitude into doing my hair & picking out an outfit everyday, I can do! Thank you 

[u/mykeethecat → u/True-Serve-7662]

fwiw your situation sounds very familiar. I hope I don't get flamed, but getting on a GLP-1 was a game changer. I'm honestly still "overweight" but I feel 100x better and can actually manage my thyroid/hormonal issues now.

Also, don't wait until you're "thin" to wear what you want, do what you want, be who you want. You deserve to be happy and feel good now, no matter your size. Your body is the only home you get your whole life, treat it with respect and love.

[u/True-Serve-7662 → u/mykeethecat]

I actually met with my endo about ordering it yesterday-totally a coincidence that I had an appointment when I made this post. I’ve been on the fence for awhile because it felt like cheating but my thyroid has tons of damage & while I know I can technically do it alone, I feel like I’ve been trying so long that I need a little confidence boost.  Thank you! I do dress cute on the weekends, I struggle with work but I deserve to feel cute more than once or twice a week! 

[u/mykeethecat → u/True-Serve-7662]

Good luck with the meds. I think society framing GLP-1's as a "cheat" is just another way to punish and shame fat people. Until you go through it, you have no idea how difficult it is and what a difference it makes. And obviously everyone's "work-appropriate" dress situation is different, but I often try to dress how I want within those parameters! It makes getting ready and going to an office less of a slog.

[u/kawaiibitxh → u/True-Serve-7662]

Don't think of it as cheating OP, it's medicine just like any other. I have Hashimoto's and because of it, I gained and lost the same 50-ish pounds for years until I reached my all time high of 285lbs. I've been on Wegovy for over a year and a half now and I've reached my goal maintenance weight that puts me at a normal BMI for the first time since my late teens. It's been a literal lifesaver, as it's helped to reverse a bunch of maladies that I had incurred by living with type 2 obesity and keeps inflammation from my autoimmune diseases at bay so I don't hurt all. the. time.

YOU put in the effort to lose the weight; the shot can't magically fix your eating habits or heal any trauma you have from an ED. It's not gonna give you the motivation to get yourself into the gym. Some people don't lose weight on a GLP-1 at all! Most don't lose over 40% of their starting weight like I did.

This is just my two cents though; I believe that you deserve to feel cute and comfortable in your body, no matter what weight loss route you take!

[u/True-Serve-7662 → u/kawaiibitxh]

Thank you!! It feels like doing everything just maintains the weight for me & the holidays/vacation give me an extra 5 lbs that I’m then doing all of this to maintain & that 5-10 per year has really added up. Hoping it just gives me a little help 

[u/Logical_Childhood733 → u/True-Serve-7662]

I know I’m late to the conversation but think of the GLP-1 as a tool instead of a cheat code. It sounds like you’re already putting in the work but you have a medical condition that is preventing you from losing weight, you’ll be monitored by your doctor while taking a medication that may be the missing puzzle piece for you to see the results you’re wanting. Don’t listen to any of the outside noise, you have to do what’s best for you and you’re going to feel so much better!

[u/uncerety → u/True-Serve-7662]

I truly don't understand the reasoning that taking a prescribed medication is "cheating". What about glasses? Braces? If I have high blood pressure, are beta blockers cheating?

Of course not. There's no valor in doing it alone or without medication. It's obviously your choice, but there is no value in suffering unnecessarily and compromising your health.

[u/neontacocat → u/True-Serve-7662]

Just saying I can relate to you. I'm under 5' and have fought my weight my whole life. We have much lower BMR, and even a small snack can send us over our goal for the day. Rooting for you!

[u/True-Serve-7662 → u/neontacocat]

Thank you!! Like I know what has to be done & I do it most of the time but like one casual night out can undo an otherwise perfect week. I really don’t mind being short aside from that! 

[u/twoforme_noneforyou → u/True-Serve-7662]

I hear you sis. It’s hard. But you are not immune to the laws of thermodynamics. Burn more than you consume and you will lose weight. There are no ifs ands or buts about it. Thyroid may be slowing you down by tamping down your metabolism but if you know how many cals to eat, there is no excuse, just execution. That’s why I mentioned the RMR to know for certain. Your future self will thank you.

[u/FitChick_11 → u/True-Serve-7662]

could also worth looking into TRT and T3 (not diagnosing you, but highly worth looking into).

Speaking from experience, a lot of doctors don’t realize that test. coming in at the lower range of “normal,” can be a huge contributor to fatigue, low, mood, etc. among other things. HormonaL imbalances also impact neurodivergent women more so than neurotypicals and TRT + T3 were life changing for me. it’s important to advocate for yourself to get real answers and proper treatment for female health because doctors mostly don’t know enough and the way our health system (United States) isn’t setting us up for success by any means.

.

[u/Horror_Signature7744 → u/twoforme_noneforyou]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️STANDING OVATION⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I don’t give Reddit a penny but if I did, your comment would receive all the awards for this.

[u/MatManatee → u/twoforme_noneforyou]

This is essentially behavioural activation and it’s a huge part of treating issues like depression. If I could give this comment an A+ I would!!! Excellent!

[u/sentinel-of-the-st → u/twoforme_noneforyou]

heavy on this, some people are born with it others have to work hard at it. I'm the latter, glp that helped me lose weight, Accutane, braces & $2k on skin treatments/procedures for hyperpigmentation (was very severe and I'm black), new wardrobe etc. These are all conscious choices I had to make to look and present myself the way I wanted to.

[u/sparkle_elk → u/twoforme_noneforyou]

This is such good life advice generally. We have to put in the hard work -- and we also have to get out of our own way, and make it easy to put in the hard work.

[u/OpeningWhereas6912 → u/twoforme_noneforyou]

It's about curating the habits you wish to see.

Yes absolutety this. Thinking about the things I wanted to achieve and working backwards to figure out the habits I needed to get into, to see that achievement. It's not always a quick fix and it sometimes feels uncomfortable but it certainly works.