Gym anxiety after major weight loss — anyone have experience?

newstart_MO said:

Training does two things here and only one of them is on the scale.

This is exactly what I could not find anywhere else. Printing the relevant bit and taking it with me.

Adding the clinical framing, because it changes how the question reads.

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.LipidDallas said:

Positive side effects of mental health that surprised me: Clearer skin — inflammation reduction improved my rosacea Better sleep — weight loss…

Recovering from an eating disorder and using mental health: this is a complex situation and I want to be transparent about it.

I have a history of binge eating disorder. My psychiatrist, therapist, and prescribing doctor all collaborate on my care. The GLP-1 agonist has actually been therapeutic — it removes the biological urgency of binge impulses without relying on restriction.

This is NOT appropriate for all ED patients. Anorexia, bulimia, and restrictive EDs require different approaches. But for BED specifically, the evidence and my personal experience are positive. Always involve your mental health team.

andrew_nyc said:

The mental-health dimension is under-measured in the trial literature and the reports here are consistent enough to take seriously.

Mood changes on mental health: I want to be transparent — I went through a rough patch emotionally around month 2. Not depression exactly, but a weird flatness. Food was my main coping mechanism and without that, I had to develop new ones.

Therapy has been essential. I'd strongly recommend anyone starting GLP-1 therapy also invest in mental health support. The physical transformation is only half the journey.

Moderator note: good thread. Keeping it here rather than moving it, because the question is general enough to be useful. Thread quality here is what the rules are for. Keep it up.