Alright, my love. It’s a new year, which means we’re all staring down our wellness goals and wondering who we’re going to be by February.
In a best friend, pull-you-aside kind of way, I want to share what I’ve learned after years of both healthy and unhealthy attempts at being happy with my weight and body. Maybe you’ll relate. Maybe it’ll save you from something. Or maybe it’ll give you permission to try something new without shame.
I grew up always a little chubby, but active and involved in sports. It wasn’t until my late twenties that I discovered online fitness communities and changed the narrative around wellness and my identity. Along the way, I dealt with health issues, took a more holistic approach to my life, learned how ADD and PCOS impact hormones and metabolism, and eventually earned my NASM personal training certification. I went on to coach hundreds of busy corporate women.
The embarrassing stuff
Weightloss pills. I bought fat burners from Walmart. No research. Just grabbing whatever was over the counter. Did it “work”? Sort of. Mostly it gave me anxiety, a racing heart, dry mouth, and a constant fear about what I was putting in my body. I lost weight because I wasn’t eating enough—and it all came back fast.
Vitamin store pill. Then I tried “healthier” supplements like CLA and green tea extract. The truth is they only work alongside consistent workouts and balanced nutrition. Without that foundation, that one-percent effort doesn’t move the needle. I genuinely thought a supplement would make me skinny overnight.
Phentermine from high-volume weight loss clinics. It was legal, yes, but felt gimmicky and artificial. I lost weight, but my quality of life suffered. The side effects were unpleasant, and my body felt like it was fighting itself.
The good stuff
Beachbody. Depending on your knowledge of them, this can be a controversial opinion. They used to have a big MLM network attached called “coaches” and now have switched to just affiliates but this is what worked for me. It gave me workouts, nutrition guidance, and community in one place. I could follow a calendar, press play, and not overthink it. I’ve been doing Beachbody workouts for nearly ten years, both at home and in the gym. I personally use their pre-workout, wellness shake, and recovery protein because it’s good quality and have proven to work for me.
Learning macros. Understanding macronutrients changed how I see food. Calories matter, but body composition and metabolism are more nuanced, especially for women with PCOS. Pairing carbs with fat or protein stabilizes blood sugar far better than carbs alone, and that knowledge alone can shift results.
Anything with community. If you do one thing, do this. Join something with people. A class, a run club, a gym —go to something, somewhere the energy is BUZZING. You’re far more likely to stick to a goal when you’re not doing it alone.
Supplementing my body. I use creatine gummies, prebiotic/probiotics, collagen, amino acids, fish oil and NAD+ as my go-to stack especially as I get older I know I need to help my body’s nutrients outside of what I can consume with food alone.
Hers. I tried Hers during a season when weight loss felt impossible due to underlying health issues. I appreciated the transparent pricing, easy check-ins, and provider access. While I didn’t stay on the program long-term, it can be a solid, lower-cost option for anyone looking for a structured, medical starting point.
GLPs. I’m a big fan of GLPs. I have tons of friends on various levels of fitness and health on them, and they’ve been game-changers. (Also: Let’s get over the stigma that GLPs are “cheating.” By that same logic, everyone who wears glasses is cheating by fixing their vision. If there’s a tool that helps you live a healthier life, use it!) Work with a doctor for weight loss or a functional medicine doc for biohacking. Peptides and GLPs are worth exploring.
Whatever you decide to try for weight loss is okay! My only unsolicited advice: don’t focus on skinny. Focus on long-term wellness. Don’t pursue a weight loss journey because you want to “look” a certain way or fit into a certain size. Those milestones are fun, but the real reward is longevity. It’s waking up at 80 without severe health problems, happy and healthy and able to live your life fully.
Thania (TA Content Mgr)
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