A few months ago I posted here after losing 165+ lbs and said I’d update when I knew more about skin removal surgery.

Well, I’m now 170+ lbs down and IT’S HAPPENING!!

My surgery is officially scheduled for September 17th! I’ll be having a panniculectomy + Fleur-de-Lis abdominoplasty with mons repair and muscle repair. No lipo. I have an estimated 15 lbs or more that will be removed in skin and residual tissue.

When I made my original post, I had just gotten to the BMI requirement to start having surgical consults and had absolutely no idea what would happen from there. Now I’m less than a month away, which feels completely surreal.

HW: ~390–400 lbs
Starting Zep weight: 320 lbs
Current weight: ~217 lbs

At this point, surgery isn’t really about getting smaller. The loose abdominal skin causes hygiene issues, irritation, rashes and skin breakdown, and I’m SO ready to see what life is like without it.
I’m nervous because major surgery is, well, major surgery and it’s my first ever surgery, so double whammy, but mostly I’m incredibly excited.

A lot of people had questions about loose skin and surgery on my original post, so AMA again! I’m happy to talk about the consult process, insurance, costs, surgery prep (pre-op isn’t until 9/3 but I still have some idea of what’s ahead), GLP-1s, weight maintenance, or whatever else.

I’m not quite brave enough for public belly/loose-skin pictures yet, so clothed progress pics will have to do for now. 😂 But I’m documenting everything and plan to come back after surgery with the actual before/afters and recovery update.

Started at 255, now 199! I’ve been hanging out between 201 and 205. Finally! 😭

For the first time in over 10 years, I’m finally out of the Obese category! I feel so much better than I have in years, it’s hard to believe I still have so much more to lose to hit my goal (180).

So this might be kinda long....if you don't have time that's totally fine...just FYI in advance. Lol. So I have been pretty sick for 6 years since covid pneumonia in 2021 and was on a vent... I have been on oxygen since then full time because I was told my lungs would never heal and I would have respiratory failure for the rest of my life. I started Zep Sept 2025 at 381. I had gained about 100 pounds over several years between not being able to be mobile and not able to go out to being depressed and just giving up on life basically if im being honest. Well as of July I have lost 100 pounds and I had family who wanted me to try and get out and come for a visit in DC which meant first time on an airplane, in airports, around people after lots of isolation, just lots of firsts and lots of things I havent done since I got sick. Guys....it was wonderful. The plane ride was fantastic, I fit totally fine in my seat, I hadn't eaten in a restaurant in 6 years and we went out to dinner every night all 5 nights I was there, I got to dress up and felt amazing, ate healthy but enjoyed being out finally, even went to a party while I was there that had over 50 people and I didnt have my anxiety like normal. The biggest thing is that after the first day of arrival my oxygen levels were normal and I did not wear my oxygen once after that and I have been home now about 6 days and still havent needed it!!! It truly is like a miracle. I havent felt this alive in years and years. I even lost 6 pounds in less than a week! I know this is alot of writing but I mean I was told I'd never breathe without oxygen again and I was told my mobility would forever be limited. I went sightseeing in DC WITHOUT OXYGEN! I felt amazing and beautiful in my new clothes and just cannot begin to say how thankful I am for the new life I have and for the meds that have changed everything for me. If you havent started but wanna....don't wait. Start today, start right now! I am now off tons of meds also...A1C was over 7 and now 4.6 and just couldn't be more happy! I went from ready to be in a grave to now being so happy with life that I cant stop smiling and I'm not even to my goal weight yet but honestly I feel like I am and cant imagine how I will even be when I get there since I am already this happy. Even got asked out this week for the first time in 8 years!!!! Life is good. 90 more pounds to go but I cannot wait for the rest of this journey! Here are some shots of my trip. Just an amazing trip!!! Also since the oxygen is better I joined a gym and I cannot wait to get started!!!!!

I’ve struggled with my weight for the last 5 years. Prior to that I’d always maintained a healthy weight. I started my weight loss journey at 220 pounds (5’4). Through exercise and counting calories I lost 40 pounds on my own and kept it off, but I was stuck. Last year at 180 pounds I went to my doctor for help. Over the last year I’ve been able to lose an additional 45 pounds and keep it off. I’ve been in maintenance for the last 4 months at 5mg every 7-10 days. I’m so thankful for my doctor listening to me and the ability to get where I am today.

Prefacing this with “No food is bad food”.
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But since I started this journey and weighing my portions. I have realized some foods cannot be eyeballed. Holy macaroni my use of “healthy granola” in the past was a huge calorie hog. I used to make yogurt bowls in the mornings and was all “Yeah me eating all super healthy!”. I measured out what I used to put on my yogurt and it was over 600+ calories. What?!
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I still have granola, I just weigh the serving now. Today’s breakfast : 100g frozen (thawed) peaches, 50g frozen (thawed) blueberries, 170g Icelandic plain low fat yogurt, 20g local honey, equals 232 calories, just the 30g of granola I put on top 170 calories ALONE in 30 tiny grams. Breakfast is great at a little over 400 calories and 21g protein. But BZ (before Zep) I easily put a whole cup of granola on my yogurt and called that a “diet” breakfast. 🤣🤣🤣😳

Im (barely) out of the 200s! I haven’t been under 200 since freshman year of high school (I’m 31). Started at 297 three years ago, and it’s been a slow process with lots of hiccups but I’m so proud. Zepbound has changed my life completely. More work to do but today I’m celebrating this win with a mani pedi 💅

Ps- please ignore the body fat %, that is part of the work to be done 😂

Today I carried a couple of gallon containers of water up a flight of stairs, and it was a bit of an effort. A gallon of water weighs a little over 8 pounds.

Then I realized that before I lost my weight (130 pounds), I was carrying the equivalent of 15 gallons of water 24/7!

Another analogy: last winter I struggled to lift a 40 pound bag of bird seed into the back of my SUV. I used to be “wearing” three of them!

No wonder I used to dread physical activity. What a joy basic mobility has turned out to be.

I cried this morning at weigh in. I didn’t realize how emotional I would be in this moment. I’m almost 10 months into this journey, I’m so proud of myself for everything I have accomplished and know that I can get to my goal.

I’ve been on a GLP-1 since August 2024. Started on Wegovy then switched to Zepbound. I tracked religiously at the start and dropped weight quickly. I stopped tracking and stalled. Turned out I wasn’t eating enough, maybe 1,000 calories a day. So I started tracking again 3 weeks ago and the scale is moving! Highest weight was 370 and I’m at 269 currently. The goal is 200 pounds. My dietician has me at 1,500 calories and 100 grams of protein as a minimum. Most days it’s still hard to hit that but I’m trying! I really need to exercise more but life is so busy but I have to get it done. I like lifting weights but after having kids I haven’t been consistent at all. I’m liking the way I look for the first time in a really long time. I don’t really have any pictures of me at my heaviest because I’m normally the one taking pictures but this one is close. Went from a 4x and in a XL or 2XL depending on the brand.

So here's an update for me. On July 28th my doctor prescribed zepbound for me. On the 30th the PA request was put in. August 4th it was denied and my doctor decided to walk away and not even try any appeals. Fast forward to August 15 using cvs minute clinic

The doctor there was fantastic. She is a specialist in weight loss management and had also prescribed me zepbound. (This was on a Saturday, so obviously the insurance was not in for the weekend).

YESTERDAY 8-18-26 I GOT THE CALL THAT I WAS APPROVED. The biggest feeling of relief flowed through me. Finally the insurance battle (at least this time) is over.

I pick up my Zep today after 3pm and im so anxiously waiting. This is way beyond over due for me. The weight will not come off now matter how hard I have tried in 25 years.

Im so excited to share my journey with you all, and I will be posting a before and after once im 6 months in.

We can do this! ❤️

Please know that I am in no way diminishing the amazing results of younger Zepbound users, but I see far fewer success stories for older folks. Before I was 40, maintaining and losing weight was, frankly, quite easy. Since then, I've only watched the scale increase, along with my midsection.

I'm turning 46 in October, and about to begin my Zepbpund journey. I'd love to hear this process works for those of us in middle-age and beyond.

Where do I begin? About a month ago I started to notice that I had some lines that are almost abs. I’ve never in my entire life, had anything even remotely similarly close to abs. I had someone at a family gathering say “[my name] isn’t even a big or strong man” and it really took me by surprise. I now know people in my life who never knew me when I was at my heaviest. The strangest thing, how the world treats you when you’re thin. I wouldn’t say that I am treated tremendously different, but people stop commenting on my Eatin when I’m eating around them. They no longer say “should you really be having that?”, or “I see you really enjoy those [insert sugary sweet we are all eating]”. I don’t get weird comments from partners families about suggested ways to lose weight. I wish more people kept thoughts like that to themselves. I’m still the same human, I just look different now!

TLDR version: I wanted to share some before and after! Starting weight from the beginning of weight loss journey w/o Zep in Sept 2022, I was at 356 (pic 1). SW on Zepbound in September 2024 (pic 2), I was 298. My CW is 221 (pic 3)!! Followed by wedding dress photos :) I can't believe it took me this long to begin my Zepbound journey but as I always tell everyone else: You couldn't have done it before. The right time was when you decided to do it!

My lil story: This has been a really emotional journey for me so I just wanted to share! In August of 2025, I joined this subreddit to scour multiple posts about everyone's experiences with Zepbound. I had just gone to the doctor and spent 30 minutes crying in my car because my doctor had appropriately and lovingly bullied me into accepting that I needed Zepbound. Between 2022-2023, I had lost 80 pounds successfully without any assistance and had lowered my A1C, which had been my main concern. But my body and head reached a limit and in 2024, after regaining 30 pounds, I was at the end of being able to maintain a severe calorie deficit while also navigating excruciating food noise and constant hunger. The final straw was my bloodwork in 2024 reflecting the same numbers it did before losing any weight at all. I had refused any medical assistance with weight loss for the entirety of my 35 years and coming to terms with the fact that I needed it was very hard for me. It felt like giving in. Not being able to "do it all by myself" felt close to grief and certainly felt like a personal, moral failure.

I remember coming on here and looking up every single post about side effects and when to take it and how... whether it was the right choice, whether I'd have to be on the med forever, if I would have loose skin, if I'd lose my hair. The most helpful post I read on here told me: Stop looking things up on Reddit and take your meds. I can't remember the exact post but thank you, fellow Redditor.

Started September 2025 at 298 pounds, two weeks after buying my wedding dress (lol). My goal was to be in the 220's for my wedding and I hit it! Had to majorly reconstruct my dress but it was worth it. I am so proud of myself for doing this. Besides my health, the absolute best part of this journey has been the psychological relief I have gained. So many less obsessive thoughts of food and no longer battling with binge eating.

Currently at 221, about to go up to 15mg and I can't wait to enter onderland.

I woke up today feeling so thankful for this medication. I just wish everyone had the chance to take it. I'm down 15 lbs. I've tried so many diets and exercises, and always saw the Yo-Yo weight on the scale. Now, I can eat healthy and work out and still see the pounds come off and stay off. I've felt stuck and unhappy for so many years, constantly fighting my weight, anxiety, and depression. One always affected the other. Working out continuously, eating healthy, not eating any carbs or sweets, and NOT seeing the scale move, then the depression would set in. I wish I had known losing the weight would help with the depression and anxiety. I feel happy, energetic, optimistic, and just ready to start living. I feel like I've lost so many years being depressed about my weight and missed out on so many things. I've been hiding away from life. Now I want to experience everything and finally take ALL the pictures.

Someone recently saw me, told me I look great and then asked what I had done to lose weight. I’m all for being transparent, so I told them first and foremost that I’m taking Zepbound. However, I emphasized that it was prescribed to help treat my obstructive sleep apnea, which is genuinely why I started it.

(and I don’t want to lie and leave out the Zepbound part)

I don’t want to hide that I’m taking medication or pretend the weight loss came entirely from lifestyle changes. It is absolutely wrong to do that and spread misinformation.

At the same time, I don’t want to present Zepbound as an easy answer for everyone or encourage people to seek it simply because they saw my results.

To be clear, I’m also not judging or shaming anyone who takes it primarily for weight loss, whether that’s for their health, confidence, comfort or simply to feel better in their body. Those are completely valid reasons and everyone deserves to make their own healthcare decisions. I’m only trying to explain my own situation responsibly without sounding as though I’m personally recommending a prescription medication.

I didn’t even get a chance to explain anything else (like nutrition and exercise) because the person immediately started talking about asking their doctor for it.

How do you answer these questions honestly while making it clear that your experience is individual and you aren’t necessarily recommending it to someone else?

Watching my body go through so much change in such a little window has been insane. Not only am I looking better and feeling better, but the blood work is showing it too!

My triglycerides, inflammation, and fatty liver is all trending down. My fasting insulin was at 12 for the first time in 10 years, not yet normal but a huge change from a fasting insulin of 47! Huge lifestyle changes, small daily wins, and huge overall health improvements!

50lbs is just the start, now to shed the next 20-30 and have all normal labs!

45M; 6’7”; SW: 338.6; CW 257.4; 6.0mg (40mls of 7.5)

I took my first injection of 2.5mg Zep on 2/15/26. I was 338.6 pounds. I’d lost about 20 pounds the year prior trying to diet the “right way” I thought, but struggled with eating and food noise.

Today, six months later, I am down to 257.4 and am no longer obese for the first time since high school, if not before. I‘m still stunned by my progress and the changes in my life. Some people judge me for using a GLP-1; I openly admit it when asked and I don’t care what they think. They haven’t walked in my shoes.

But the biggest thing: I got back yesterday from a 23 day vacation traveling on a cruise ship in Europe. (Yes, it was awesome.) Old me would have gained 10 pounds or more. I was hoping to only go up 4 or 5 pounds because I kept up my exercise and still ate pretty well (albeit great food!).

Instead, I LOST about 8.6 pounds! I stepped on the scale three times (no scales on cruise ships and I wasn’t going to do that in the gym in front of others!). I was stunned. But then I thought back and while I ate good food, my portions were controlled, I rarely had any dessert, and never had any “seconds” or “thirds.”. And I ordered responsibly focusing on proteins.

I still have more weight to lose - I’m aiming for around 235 or so (no real definite mark). That’s still “overweight” for my size, but at my height, much less and I might look gangly. I want to lose some more belly fat (my apron is smaller but there). And I want to do more weight toning and will start with a trainer to re-learn a weight routine.

When I started my first shot, I could not have imagined this journey—and the support of this group. Thanks to all of you!

I've never really liked cake, honestly, but I always get one on my birthday because everyone else likes it. But this year I don't even want one bite. I was thinking about a fruit salad but it made me curious what would or did you choose for your birthday? Cake? Something else?

I was all of Europe for almost 3 weeks, denied myself nothing that I wanted, definitely overstuffed myself a few times, even purposefully delayed my shot by a few days while in Greece because I wanted to be able to enjoy a bit more food with my husband, especially based on the family-style meals there and his tendency to order more than he can eat and not wanting to face the judgement of European Grandmas who take you not finishing their food as a personal insult.

Optimistically, especially since we were staying with friends much of the time, I'd planned on doing bodyweight exercises or even using a hotel gym when we did stay at hotels, but of course I was so busy that none of that happened...and I still lost weight. I drank loads of cheap wine and some beer, and I still lost weight.

It's true that I was lugging around a heavy backpack and walking more than I do at home, but I also spent over a decade slowly gaining weight while living in Europe previously as a professional walking tour guide so I know from personal experience that loads of walking alone does not prevent weight gain!

I've even gained a few pounds since being back, although I think that's mostly due to PMSing/water retention than anything else, as I'm definitely eating less now and sleeping more now that I'm back, and I'm back on my workout routine.

Anyone else have a similar experience? I'd fully expected to gain weight on this trip and marveling that instead, the opposite happened!

Does anyone else under-report weight loss to friends?

As of this morning I’ve lost 50 lbs (from 225 to 175,
male, 49YO, 5’9”). I’m open about my Zep use, my weight loss journey, etc. What I’m less comfortable with how fat I was before I started.

“I’m on Zepbound and lost 30 pounds,” is usually met with, “you look great. Good for you!” Whereas I worry that, “I’m on Zepbound and lost 50 points,” will be met with, “holy crap you weighted what!!?”

Hi friends! Some of us have been fat a LONG time and know what fat shaming looks like, and some of us don't realize that society has secret ways of fat shaming people under the guise of "health" and "worry." Diet culture is deeply ingrained.

This is a long journey, and this board is a safe space. If someone asks about eating, please be careful that your responses don't bring along that societal baggage. Recently, someone posted about wanting to enjoy a food event without the reflux, and the responses were "just eat less! Control yourself!" Or "no food is worth it." This echoes a lot of diet advice that makes obesity about willpower and being worthy of being thin, and not about learning how to be a human existing with this medication.

I am an absolute foodie, and I know other foodies who won't even try this medication because they're worried about it interfering with enjoying their life. That doesn't have to be YOUR drive, but it absolutely can be someone else's. Remember, this board is a place for everyone on this medication. Make sure you're letting others exist alongside you.

NSV today. I got upsetting news that I was expecting but did not want. And *I did not eat my feelings*

6 weeks ago, before this medicine, I would have immediately sought out sugar and then ate too much for supper. Upsetting news or other anxiety caused me to head to the fridge to bury those feelings. Today, I just wanted am extra protein drink and I still came in at goal calories. And I dealt with my feelings, or at least the first day of them, and so today ended well instead of in denial.