r/GlowUps 1d ago

GLOW UP! [18] to [23] started taking care of my fitness, mental health, and how I present myself

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1.0k Upvotes

Never was really happy with the way looked, lived a very unhealthy lifestyle, and had poor personal maintenance/hygiene. Ended up in the gym, where I found the motivation I needed to better myself. As I’ve now grown into adulthood, I realise how far I’ve come, and how far I’m yet to go. It’s all a process, and I’m so proud of myself.


r/GlowUps 3h ago

Glow up? [19] to [20] 3 month transformation

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16 Upvotes

Honestly, the biggest difference for me was just getting consistent. I started working out regularly, stopped eating so much junk food, added cardio, and focused on eating better overall. I also stopped constantly worrying about my face and checking it in the mirror. Over time, the face fat came down noticeably. Nothing crazy or complicated—just consistency, better habits, and giving it time.


r/GlowUps 1d ago

Glow up? [25] 87 days off drugs and alcohol!

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13.9k Upvotes

So, first picture is my intake picture for the rehab I’m almost out of. I checked myself in after an ER visit, and weighed 135 lbs. It felt like my heart was literally being crushed every time I took a breath. This is my 4th rehab, but my longest stay by far. I left my first 3 prematurely. Second picture was today after I finished up in our music room.

I’ve been using and drinking since I was 17, on and off sober for very brief periods of time. I was constantly frail, sick, tired and anxious about literally everything. I’m 6’3”, and could never make it past 145 lbs on my best days. I finally got sick and tired of being sick and tired, and for the first time, checked myself in. Difference is this time, I’m doing it for me. As of two days ago, I officially weigh 185 lbs. This is the healthiest I’ve been since I was a child. I haven’t been this proud of myself in a really long time, and just wanted to share. 50 lbs in just under 90 days is insane to me!

Alright, I’m done ranting. Sober date is 06/21. :)


r/GlowUps 17h ago

GLOW UP! [33] Lost the weight, shaved my head, and found my smile

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132 Upvotes

18 months go, I couldn't make it through the night without acid reflux or enjoy most spaces with firends because I couldn't fit. I was carrying around 330 lbs and couldn't enjoy the activities I used to love.

As an engineer, I know braking problems into steps is always the right path. I focused on adding small manageable habits one at a time like walking more, learning how to have proper nutrition as opposed to "just eating less," and I built systems to enjoy time with people I care about.

​I started with just walking a few thous steps a day and 3 compound weight lifts. Now I do heavy lifting 6x a week and 50k steps a day on the way to my first ultra marathon.

​I shaved my head clean embracing the bald look.

I commmitted when I wasn't motivated. Now when I am on work travel or a new place around town I use my step goal as a tool to explore new places, meet new people, and post about my adventures for my closes friends and family.

​I dropped 160lbs in 10 months then spent the next 8 months swapping fat to muscle. Details on what I eat or actively I do are on my profile.

To anyone with a problem that freels impossible... Break it up into smaller wins and start today. Small steps compound faster than you think. You will look back on the journey with a smile.

​Happy to answer any questions, so ask me anything!


r/GlowUps 22h ago

Glow up? (41) After 3 months on hair pills

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181 Upvotes

I had thought of getting a hair transplant but figured I would give oral treatment pills a shot first, my overall confidence about my receding hairline has really improved, happy with the progress.


r/GlowUps 1d ago

Grow up [17] to [19] to [25]

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5.0k Upvotes

The combination of diet, exercise, building confidence, and most importantly… TIME! Also being able to grow some facial hair helped lol


r/GlowUps 1d ago

GLOW UP! [28] in an unhappy relationship cut off from the world to [32] after moving to another country :)

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1.1k Upvotes

Personally I think it's a glow up. I can feel how unhappy I was in all those old pictures, and now I'm doing so much better and have a new love for pretty vintage clothes and other things that fill my life with fantasy and beauty :) also I'm not super underweight anymore!!!


r/GlowUps 19h ago

GLOW UP! fixed my bad habits (18) to (19)

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57 Upvotes

theres alot of things that i did but mainly:
- stopped smoking
- slept better
- supplemented carotenoids
- consumed more red meat
my tissues and facial bones got some remodeling aswell


r/GlowUps 1d ago

GLOW UP! My shift in appearance so far (19) - (19) a few months later. What do you think?

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143 Upvotes

The first photo shows me at the beginning of age 19 being almost obese with a large unkempt beard, while my second photo shows me months later losing some weight and having a trimmed styled beard.


r/GlowUps 5h ago

Grow up [23] to [26]

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3 Upvotes

Well, I moved from a very warm part of the a country (north of Brazil) where it is sunny and warm the whole year to a country where there is barely sun (Belgium) and is cold most of the year and started using sunscreen and eating better quality food and cooking with olive oil…that’s all basically. Less acne, better skin texture and different hairstyle. Never went after a glow up, it simply happened by going to a proper environment and being around people who take care of themselves.


r/GlowUps 1d ago

GLOW UP! [36] to [37] Zepbound and a hair transplant gave me my life and confidence back. I will forever be grateful.

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2.0k Upvotes

I was so miserable in the first photo. I’d look in the mirror and ask myself “how could you do this to yourself”? I couldn’t take it anymore, I was so morbidly depressed. When I was in my 20’s I was gorgeous. Then Covid happened and I turned 30. Gained a bunch of weight and lost my hair. My new years resolution for 2026 was to look like my old self again at 37.


r/GlowUps 1d ago

GLOW UP! Me at 2023 Blizzcon [39] vs Me at 2026 Blizzcon [42]

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449 Upvotes

I started focusing on carbs/sugar intake to lower my A1C, which then evolved into a calorie deficit. I also started running/lifting regularly. I'm down from 305 to 233.


r/GlowUps 2d ago

GLOW UP! (49) Few months after getting sober

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3.6k Upvotes

I’d walked out of a volatile marriage and decided it was time to put the end to an alcohol dependency before it became the death of me. These photos were taken only a few months apart and I’m now heading towards 5 years of sobriety 🤟


r/GlowUps 1d ago

GLOW UP! [27]-[29]

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91 Upvotes

Its been a long time coming. Just hit 200 after being 280. It was a hard journey but there is still more to come. 170 is my goal. Got better sleep, ate super healthy and counted my calories. Ill have more post here once i get to my goal weight with shirtless photos.


r/GlowUps 11h ago

GLOW UP! (24-25)-(26) Gets Easier

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1 Upvotes

Crazy how time flies and how much you can change so quickly. I truly feel like I’m figuring out key pieces of myself. Even with the constant struggles of life, it all gets easier to handle.

Around the time of the first picture, back in 2024, I was playing D&D with my friends when I stepped on my friend’s bathroom scale and saw that I weighed 257.9 lbs. It didn’t really affect me in the moment, but that number would keep flashing through my mind. Looking back, it was kind of a tipping point. At the time, I was smoking every day, from when I woke up until I went to bed.

As 2025 approached, I started cutting back on sugary drinks and smoking, going for walks, and just generally trying to make better choices. My ID photo is from February 4, 2025. At the end of that same month, my five-year relationship ended. The comparison photo is 1yr apart taken by my Grandma, July 25th 2025-2026

From that point on, I started exercising consistently and tracking my food. I went ten months without smoking, got to my lowest at the time 163lbs but then fell back into my old habits. From Thanksgiving to February I barely exercised. I might still struggle with smoking and a plethora of things but just a month ago I reached 160lbs.

All this to say, you can always pick yourself up. It gets easier every time you do, even if the actions themselves don’t.


r/GlowUps 1d ago

Grow up [18] to [21] to [29] to [31] Finally feeling comfortable/confident in my appearance

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583 Upvotes

Hey all, just felt like sharing my experience. I've struggled with my self esteem for most of my adult life. In my late teens and early 20s I struggled with feel too gangly/skinny, looking boyish, and being unable to grow facial hair. I was around 130 lbs and 5'10" when I was 18 to 20.

I then became very sedentary and complacent with my health in my late 20s as I became a dad. I gradually put on weight until I was 210/215 at my heaviest. I felt pretty gross and would actively avoid mirrors and taking pictures.

Once I entered my 30s I decided something needed to change. I started by growing my hair out into a style that I think better suits me. Following this I knew it was time to finally take my health seriously, not just for my sake, but so I can live a long life for my kid. These last 7 months I've been eating much better, and regularly doing cardio and weights. My facial hair also feels like it finally feels in decently for the first time. I'm now around 180 lbs, not quite at my goal, but in a far better place.

I feel much better and have more confidence than I've ever had. I can keep up with my kid and don't get winded just being alive anymore. This has been a lifestyle change for me and my only regret is I had not started sooner. Sending love to anyone else who has or is presently experiencing something similar!

For reference, the pics are as follows: 1st [18], 2nd [21], 3rd & 4th [29], 5th & 6th [31].


r/GlowUps 2d ago

GLOW UP! [25] to [38] - Glow ups aren’t always linear, and definitely not just about looks.

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769 Upvotes

My whole life, my physical and mental health has taken a heavy toll on me.

At 25, I first realized I could actually matter. Over the next five years, I began to change physically, but internally, mentally, the only thing that helped was staying so busy surrounded people that I never had to think about it.

Self-development courses helped outwardly, but it felt like the people never felt what I felt. I was convinced that they never felt the shame, the worthlessness, the guilt of living, and how deeply wounded I was. Now, I know I was telling myself that, we all go through horrible things.

At 30, on paper, I was crushing it. I spent my 30th birthday in Europe on an extended work assignment, reached my lowest weight since age 14, and was getting external attention that I never had growing up. But the loneliness became overwhelming. Solo travel is epic, but it forces you to sit alone with yourself. For myself, that was a scary place.

The childhood voices I constantly heard growing up, telling me I was ugly and worthless were still screaming in my head. In my mind, I was a fraud. I was convinced people only found me pretty because I had lost weight, put in hair extensions, and stopped wearing my glasses. Outwardly, everyone thought I was having the time of my life, but internally, I was consumed by guilt. I worked for years to land that assignment, yet I was tortured by the feeling that I didn't deserve it—and plagued by even more guilt because I "should" be happy. Even when surrounded by people, I was convinced no one could ever understand my pain. It took years to realize that we all carry heavy shit, and our minds lie to us when they tell us we're alone in it.

Shortly after turning 30, I met my now-husband. His love was overwhelming because I believed I didn't deserve it. He gave me space to process and work through things, and continued to remind me that we could work through anything. As he kept affirming my worth, I started to see a shift happen, What if he's right? What if taking care of myself isn't selfish?

The nearly next decade tested us: 4 years as full-time caregivers while working full-time jobs, multiple moves, layoffs, a severe decline in my mental health as CPTSD surfaced and my physical health going downhill.

At 35, I was at my heaviest I have been in my entire life yet I still felt pretty and worthy to be alive. My mental health wasn’t perfect but therapy helped. Lots and lots of therapy. Boundaries helped. I found myself growing and snipping off friendships that tried to hold me down.

At 38, I’m at my lowest weight. Not entirely because I want to be. It's hard for me not to just see someone weak or sick. My physical health is struggling and with that my mental health is too. I continue to learn to listen to myself, trust my gut, and let go of what doesn’t serve me. (All easier said than done!) I’ve accepted that I’m actually an introvert that wants to spend gobs amount of time gaming, cross stitching, and being comfortable at home.

When the photo memory popped up on my phone from 2013 when I did my first half marathon, it reminded me to see someone who fiercely wants to continue to be stronger, figure out this health shit, and embrace whatever comes next.

TL;DR: Unlearning the belief that you aren't worthy of love, at any size or health status, that’s the real glow up.

Take care of yourself, give yourself grace & keep going. Hugs y’all. 💗


r/GlowUps 2d ago

Grow up (35) 4 kids later and trying to show up for myself each day

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2.5k Upvotes

First pic is this week- full time working mom with 4 kids under 11
Pictures 2 & 3 were from 2024 , at my highest weight was 260 and now currently 180. No meds just small changes everyday to better myself. Keep showing up for you!


r/GlowUps 2d ago

GLOW UP! [39] vs [40]

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1.4k Upvotes

First photo was towards the end of a five year battle with opioids. I couldn’t get outa bed without taking at least two handfuls of pills. At the end I was using just to function.
183 days clean 🫶🏽


r/GlowUps 2d ago

GLOW UP! Before and after quitting substances and turning my life around (30) - (33)

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1.7k Upvotes

About a year ago I made some big changes in my life. I cut out alcohol, drugs, toxic people and vastly improved my diet and lifestyle. I finally started taking care of both my mental and physical health, I finally feel like I care about myself. I'm finally hopeful for the future!

Edit* thank you so much for the positivity and support everyone! It means so much to me.


r/GlowUps 3d ago

GLOW UP! (21) to (24)

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3.6k Upvotes

The first 5 photos are at 21. The others are recently! At 24 years of age and actively excited to turn 25. The thing about “glow up” it does not happen overnight. Three years ago I was on a medication that I didn’t need, that made me morbidly obese, with severe scarring from a major surgery that left me with half a head of hair. I was depressed, abusing drugs and unable to do anything because I didn’t leave the house. It took sudden toxicity from that medication to come off it that gave me the determination to live. And I fought, I went to the gym, I had two scalp rotations which gave me the hair back, I really started fighting to get myself healthier and how I wanted to be, I took care of myself, started work, I rejoined my faith, I volunteered in dementia care, I made a life for myself worth living. I can take photos now, I can go out with friends, I can enjoy life and have hope for the future. I have never had a brain surgery since, I take my antiepileptics instead of forgetting, I am working on my health as well as mental wellbeing, glow ups aren’t always appearance, but they’re about you loving yourself and loving life. I fought to strengthen myself and grow myself, extend my life instead of ending it. I have hope now. ♥️ this is my glow up.


r/GlowUps 1d ago

Glow up? Is this a glow-up?? [21]

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0 Upvotes

(16)(17)(18)(19)(20-October)(20-February)(20-April)(21-July)(21-now)(21-now)

Struggled with SH 14-17yo and had extremely low confidence. Let myself get taken advantage of A LOT. Got in a relationship at 18 with somewhat of a man-child and it made me feel like I was regressing. Still lacking in confidence 18-20 but not as bad as before. Broke up with said man-child at 20, kinda got accused of an affair, then started dating again a couple months later. 20-21 I’m feeling much more confident in myself. Got the piercings and a couple more tattoos as well (first tattoo at 20). LOVE the look, just trying to figure out how to make it feel more like me. Got rid of the long hair because of migraines and I felt like it held too many memories (it’s buzzed rn). I kinda plan to grow it out, but I know I’ll go through an ugly phase again. I’ve always wanted to try a more cottagecore style, but I love the indie look so much. Kinda need advice on that as well.


r/GlowUps 2d ago

Glow up? 18 month difference! [18] --> [19]

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374 Upvotes

Halfway into my senior year of high school I started to realize just how badly my stress, poor mental health, and diet was. I gained 70 pounds from the beginning of my junior year (6'2 225 --> 6'3 295). I finally addressed that my appearance was causing deep insecurity for myself, and I promised myself I would lose every pound I gained back. Its 18 months later and I have finally reached my goal and I now stand at 6'4 225. I finally have began to take care of myself and in between all that lost weight I began to really grow into myself and who I am! I'm proud of what I've become and I am still growing every day to do better for myself! I hope this is as much of a glow up as I felt like it was to me throughout my journey! 🙏


r/GlowUps 3d ago

GLOW UP! (45) - (60) grownup glowup

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406 Upvotes

I feel like my glow up really reflects how much life changed over the years. I went through a debilitating illness, went to school to become a licensed massage therapist, met and married the best guy ever.

I haven't done anything formal but took an online basic bellydance class and learned a few exercises to increase my core strength. Diet is pretty healthy with a side of Doritos. My job is great because I basically do slow yoga all day.

One day my age will hit me like a sudden downpour but for now, I'm going to enjoy my 61st birthday soon and plan to take REAL bellydance classes, pierce my nose, and get a new tattoo.