One year ago, I anxiously awaited the FedEx delivery of a medication that I hoped would change my life. From the time the driver dropped the package at my door to the moment I did my first injection, only about 15 minutes had passed.
In June 2022, my father, who had struggled with obesity his entire life, passed away unexpectedly from a Type 2 Diabetes-related cause. His death was a catalyst for me to try whatever means necessary to avoid the same fate. However, my grief led to me gaining about 50lbs in two years. Already on blood pressure medication, I knew it was only a matter of time until a diabetes diagnosis would follow if something didn’t change.
I have to admit, I was skeptical that a GLP1 would work for me. I had spent my entire adult life dieting, counting calories, avoiding carbs, trying personal trainers, weight loss clinics, fasting, liquid diets—you name it, I had tried it. Nothing worked. If I did lose weight, it was through such extreme measures that it wasn’t sustainable, and I would gain it right back.
I was a college athlete, so I knew how to work out and eat properly. Despite doing all the right things, the weight never budged. At one point, a trainer encouraged me to try a 5-day liquid diet. I stuck to it begrudgingly, and at the end of the five days, I had gained 2lbs. WTF?!?
Many people I knew were losing weight after years of struggling with obesity on these medications, which cautiously gave me hope. I researched everything I could find about GLP1 medications. I learned which ones had the highest success rates, understood the side effects, and knew how the medications were supposed to work. Yet, nothing could have prepared me for my personal experience over the past year.
The image to the left is a screenshot from thoughts I journaled in my iPhone of the morning I woke up, knowing the medication would arrive. The desperation I felt, being trapped in an obese body was too much. I had become depressed, and hopeless, and I was willing to do whatever it took to change my story.
It truly doesn’t feel like it has been a year since I started documenting this journey, but I am so glad I decided from day one to share this with the internet, whether it worked for me or not. Sharing my experience has allowed me not only to track my own progress for self-motivation but also to create an incredible community of like-minded men and women who understand the darkness and desperation of the struggles I've had with obesity.
We have built a community of people who understand that you CAN do all the right things and still not see results. We have almost 16,000 of us who know we’re not lying about what we’re eating or the exercise we’re doing. We understand that underlying issues like PCOS, addiction, and insulin resistance make losing weight more complex than simply calories in versus calories out.
In the past year, I have lost 62.5lbs (79lbs from my highest known weight), and while I am proud of my weight loss and commitment to my health, I am most proud of bringing so many others with me to experience the same life-changing success.
There is no doubt in my mind that our community of GLP1 users is saving lives. We are giving people the courage to use a much-needed medication to literally cure obesity. By curing obesity, we are reversing many other health problems associated with being overweight, including high blood pressure, cancer risks, diabetes, inflammation, arthritis pain, depression, stroke, and heart attack.
While I am not a doctor (and never claim to be), I am a well-educated advocate for the GLP1 community and will continue to serve others as long as the universe allows.
So with all this being said - let's do a little year-in-review for Jasmine:
Highest Known Weight 222lbs
July 14, 2023 - Starting Weight 205.6lbs
July 14, 2024 - Current Weight 143.1
Weight loss in 1 year - 62.5lbs
BMI - 36.9 to 23.8
Clothing Size:
Starting - Size 22 or XXL
Now - Size 6 or Small/Medium
Non-Scale Victories:
I am 100% off of my blood pressure medication.
My severe IBS is COMPLETELY gone.
My chronic arthritis pain has diminished by about 70%.
I don't hate photos of myself any more.
My relationship with food is healthier than it has been in my entire life.
This journey has not been easy. It has required immense effort in terms of nutrition, physical activity, and workouts. However, the most significant changes have been internal—my mindset. The mental adjustments I've had to make while living in a smaller, healthier body have been some of the most surprising aspects of this journey.
One of the biggest challenges has been seeing myself as I am now, rather than who I used to be. Letting go of toxic "good food" and "bad food" habits has been incredibly difficult. It’s also tough to recognize that people treat me better now that I fit into society’s accepted weight range.
Like most diseases, I believe obesity is something I will always struggle with. The fear of gaining the weight back is a constant presence in my mind. I know I will always need to be mindful of what I eat, the physical activity I engage in, and the medications I take. I am aware that incorporating the cost of an expensive medication into our family’s budget will be a permanent adjustment.
There will always be reminders that I struggle with the disease of obesity. However, now I have a way to manage it, whereas before, it was managing me.
What's Next?:
Maintenance. For the first time in my adult life I will not be trying to actively lose weight. I will move into a maintenance phase of my journey where my goal will be to stay between 140-145lbs, while NEVER going about 150lbs again. I'm unsure what life in maintenance looks like for me, as I have spent the last 20 years ALWAYS trying to lose weight. However, I am going to take all of you along this journey with me too, as I did this past year and we will figure it out together.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you all for being here; for being my support system, my cheerleaders, my understanding friends - you have made this journey one of the best year's of my life and I am forever grateful to be blessed with this platform and all of you. I truly love y'all for always being here and engaged - you give me purpose.
xoxo, Jasmine
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