Partner jealousy after weight loss — looking for input

Dr.LipidDallas said:

Before/after narrative for mental health — one year in: Before (275 lbs): Winded climbing stairs, chronic back pain, pre-diabetic, on 3 medications,…

I read this differently from Dr.LipidDallas, on substance rather than tone. I would be careful about how confidently the flatness reports get attributed. Rapid weight loss, a large deficit and disrupted sleep produce low mood on their own, and separating that from a drug effect is genuinely hard.

sarah_nash92 said:

The weight came off and the harder part started, which is not what any of the material I read had prepared me for.

Body image adjustment with mental health: I've lost 82 lbs but when I look in the mirror, I still see my old self sometimes. "Phantom fat" is a real phenomenon.

My therapist specializes in body image issues with weight loss patients. She says it can take 12-18 months for your brain's body map to update. In the meantime: take progress photos (your eyes lie but cameras don't), try on old clothes, and be patient with yourself.

SarahChen_PharmD said:

I would be careful about how confidently the flatness reports get attributed.

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.

A narrower follow-up, since the general answer is now clear:

Was that from a primary source or from a summary of one?

Reporting back.

Update: I got the sleep and the intake sorted before deciding it was the drug, and most of the flatness went with them. Not all of it, and I am watching the rest.