Clinical perspective, offered as context rather than as advice.

One year anniversary on mental health — reflections:

What I wish I'd known: the side effects are temporary, the benefits compound over time, protein is more important than I thought, and the mental health aspect needs as much attention as the physical.

What surprised me: how much my relationship with food changed, the cascade of health improvements beyond weight, and how supportive this community is.

What I'd do differently: start therapy earlier, prioritize resistance training from day 1, and stop comparing my progress to others. Everyone's journey is unique.

Dr.PeteFamMed said:

Body image adjustment with mental health: I've lost 72 lbs but when I look in the mirror, I still see my old self sometimes.

Thank you — that is the clearest version of this I have read, and I have read a lot of them. Taking it to my next appointment.

From the other side of the consultation, briefly.

Therapy insights from my mental health journey: my therapist introduced me to the concept of "identity updating" — the psychological work of becoming a new version of yourself.

Key realizations: I used food to manage emotions, I had internalized fatphobia that I'm still unpacking, my social identity was partly built around being "the big guy/girl," and learning to accept compliments is surprisingly hard when you've been invisible for years.

Physical transformation without emotional processing is unstable. Do both.

NurseKim_ATL said:

Therapy insights from my mental health journey: my therapist introduced me to the concept of "identity updating" — the psychological work of becoming…

This is my experience too, for whatever a second data point is worth. I had assumed I was the exception until I read this.

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