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Why Weight Loss in Your 30s Feels Different
I’ve been overweight since I was 12. A lifetime of emotional eating, insecurity, and suffocating social anxiety. Food was the only thing that didn’t judge me, didn’t criticize me, didn’t ask me to socialize or perform. So I kept going back to it — again and again and again.
By the time I graduated high school, I was 220 pounds at 5 feet tall. I still remember being in the dressing room at some random department store, nothing fitting, me sobbing while my mom awkwardly hovered outside the door. (Bless her… neither one of us knew how to talk about our feelings back then).
Fast forward to me at 24. One month before turning 25, my older brother got fit thanks to this little DVD called Insanity. He recommended it to me and I figured, “Why the hell not? My life is already a mess.”
Ironic how I made a life-changing decision at 24, and here I am at 34 trying to do it again.
So there I was, 220 pounds, 5 feet tall, sedentary as hell — and I started Insanity.
And it worked. Like, really worked.
In six months, I went from a size 16/18 to a 10. From 220 to 165. And I maintained it for seven whole years. I wish I’d appreciated that era of my life more. I didn’t know how good I had it.
But then life life’d, I got complacent, and I gained the weight back… plus extra. Now I’m 34, 230 pounds, and very aware that the longer I wait, the harder it’s going to get.
My doctor mentioned GLP-1s. And look, nothing against them. Truly. But I know I can do this on my own because I’ve literally done it before. GLP-1 will be my last resort.
Starting Point (No Sugarcoating)
This is where I am:
230 lbs
5’0″
Size 16/18 again
Zero muscle
Can’t walk a mile without my lower back screaming
Emotional eating still my default setting
Cute, right? No.
But I’m changing it. Little by little.
1. Becoming (Mostly) Vegetarian
I’m transitioning to vegetarianism — not for deep ethical reasons (though it’s a nice bonus), but because preparing meat grosses me all the way out. If my thoughts wander for even one second while cooking chicken? Yeah, no. Straight to the trash.
Right now I still eat poultry, seafood, and fish, but the goal is to eventually transition fully. I’d love to be vegan someday… but I love eggs and cheese too much at the moment, so we’re taking baby steps.
Here are some of the vegetarian/plant-based cookbooks and kitchen essentials I swear by:
My mental health is just as important as my physical health. I’m currently on Lexapro and honestly… it’s been a godsend for my social anxiety and depression. But meds alone aren’t enough.
So I’ve been adding:
A weekly walk outside
Hobbies that stop me from doom scrolling (coloring, video games, language learning)
Journaling
“You can’t heal your body while ignoring your mind.”
The Why Behind All This
I’m tired. Tired of wearing the same oversized tees and jeans because nothing else feels safe. Tired of taking zero pictures because I can’t stand how I look. Tired of feeling like I’m living in a body that doesn’t reflect who I am.
I don’t even have a goal weight right now. I just want the feeling of comfort again — the ability to recognize myself.
I’ll update every month with my weight, measurements, and honest feelings. No filters. No fake “Day 1 vs Day 60” transformations. Just the truth from someone starting over at 34 and refusing to stay stuck.
1 thought on “The Weight Loss Reset That’s Actually Working at 34”
1 thought on “The Weight Loss Reset That’s Actually Working at 34”
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