I started a GLP1 (aka Ozympic, Wegovy, Mountjaro) to treat my obesity about a year and a half ago. Between job changes and changes to insurance coverage, I would get started, have to stop and get started on a different medication, rinse, repeat. So, between that, menopause and just life, I noticed the changes, but didn’t really “see” the changes. Let me explain.
I felt the changes almost immediately. My inflammation was reduced. My arthritis didn’t bother me as much. My appetite was diminshed, as were things like instrusive thoughts, stress and anxiety. I don’t have a scale at home and don’t plan on ever going down that “diet culture” path again. I would get weighed at the doctor’s office, so I knew I lost 30, 45, 55 and now about 85 pounds down. The medication makes my body burn food as fuel like it was always supposed to. GLP1s are undoing the damage of repeat dieting, trying extreme exercise, or both, having them fail me, so I would gain the weight back and then some. Also, rinse, repeat. My metabolism and those of many obese people are just completely screwed at this point (watch the “Biggest Loser” documentary on Netflix to see what I mean). In short, the medication is a life saver for me. It is expensive, but worth it. I’m lucky to have a good job that has good insurance. For the first time since my late teens, I feel like my body is “running” correctly.
So, this medication has meant a lot to me personally. I feel better. But, I already had entered my 40s and 50s and had gained self-confidence and body-positivity. If GLP1s didn’t exist, I’d still be doing what I’m doing. Blogging and making short-form videos on budget-friendly, size-inclusive clothing for nerdy people of all ages. But, I did start noticing a change in the past couple months, and could not figure out what was going on. Turns out, this is something a lot of people on GLP1s experience.
I noticed that my outfits weren’t “hitting” like they used to. My style has never really fundamentally changed my whole life. I like a dose of 80’s new wave, goth, nerdy/geeky things, sparkly things and some vintage mid-century thrown in for good measure. The only “new” thing I was doing was looking at street snaps from Japan, specifically, Harajuku street fashions. After visiting Japan, my style and fashion game changed a bit, wherein I would add doses and inspiration from those looks, but my overall aesthetic remained the same. Nerdy sparkle goth. So, why did I not feel like I was nailing my outfits all of the sudden?
I knew that my size had changed, but repeated dieting over the years, I was used to my body changing, and then changing back. Rinse. Repeat. My weight loss was in my mid-section, followed by face and unfortunately, my chest would take a hit and get smaller. But, a pair of knee-high boots told me to take a critical look at my “looks” as of late and see what I don’t like about them.
I had ordered these boots because they were a “grail” for me. I had been looking for a platformed, but not heeled, goth knee-high boot with lots of hardware and not lace-up. The lady on TikTok said they were “wide calf friendly”. I thought, “She hasn’t met these calves, but they are supposed to stretch, so WTF, go for it.” I assumed I’d get them, they wouldn’t zip up, and hey, free returns, so no harm. I put them on and they zipped up without effort. OK, time to measure my body cause that NEVER happens! So, I grabbed a tape measure and sure enough, all my losses were in my arms and legs and face/neck. My mid-section hadn’t shrunk like it used to. I needed to rethink how I was dressing to my new shape.
Here are a couple of examples: one that works, and one that doesn’t quite work…
These photos are from the same week. But, you can see on the left, it is coming off a little “dumpy”. I used Face App for my make-up only, fyi, so the body hasn’t been filtered in any way. The left was inspired by Simone Rocha/Japan street fashion type looks. The fancy tulle mixed with athelesiure, and it looks “fine”. The look on the right though is really serving, in my humble opinion. I remember actually hesitating to wear this because of the length. One of the things that never changed on me were my larger “thunder thighs” and big booty. No shade to me, just how I look. These pictures opened my eyes. My weight loss was different this time.
It is very common to not really notice how different you look because you live with yourself everyday. It happens so gradually, that you continue to see yourself as you were and always were.
So, I went through some more of my looks that were posted around the same time as each other and noted what worked and what didn’t in them. Like these:
This difference is a bit more subtle as both have big-ass tulle skirts (I like to twirl), but the cerulean one on the right is better. Why? The one on the left isn’t bad, but the blue shirt is giving me a waist, something that I need to give myself since my waistline has not begun to shrink on the medication yet. It also shows more leg, which is something I need to do more of because my former tree trunk legs are no more.
So, if you find yourself on a GLP1, first, hope it is going well for you. It’s nice to finally treat your obesity like the disease it is, isn’t it? It’s not a personal failing after all. You might need to do what I did, which is take a look at your wardrobe and do some restructuring. This can be tricky though. Because like most everyone, you are going to criticize your body and not the outfit. I make little jokes about my “tree trunk legs”, but I mean these things in a lighthearted way. At the end of the day, big or small legs, big or small booty, I still like what I see in the mirror. I just want to style it the best I can!
So, compare the outfits and not the body in them. Make sure that you are making sure that the clothes work for you and not against you. There’s nothing wrong with your body. I have posted all the outfits above. I won’t be taking any of them down either. The leopard print tulle skirt will have to be wrestled out of my cold, dead hands! I love it! But next time I wear it, I will style it differently by pairing it with a different shirt/shoe or both. If something doesn’t feel great on your body, then find the thing that does. Dress for the person you are right this second. Today. Don’t wait. You deserve to adorn yourself in clothes that make you feel great, because we are all deserving of great art that we live our lives in.
