Things I Thought I’d Miss After my Zepbound GLP-1 Weight Loss (But Surprisingly Don’t)

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The Unexpected Freedom of My Zepbound Life

Before I started my weight loss journey with Mounjaro (and later moved to Zepbound), I had serious concerns about what life would look like without my familiar comforts. My car wasn’t just transportation, it was a mobile snack station. My wardrobe consisted primarily of strategic body camouflage (not th print!) and a flurry or elastic waist stretch pants, rather than style choices. And yes, I had perfected the art of using my stomach as a convenient shelf for my phone during Netflix marathons.

I genuinely worried: Would losing weight mean losing parts of my identity? Would I still be me without my emergency Slim Jims and dad-bod humor? Saying goodbye to my belly phone shelf and my car’s snack arsenal turned out easier than expected on my GLP-1 journey.

Spoiler alert: Now that I am 10 months into maintenance, the things I thought would be hardest to give up haven’t been missed at all. Here’s my surprisingly liberating reality of life after GLP-1 weight loss.

1. My Apocalypse-Ready Snack Stashes

Before my Zepbound weight loss, I lived like someone expecting a food shortage at any moment. Granola bars in the glove compartment. Chips hidden in desk drawers. Chocolate strategically placed within arm’s reach at all times.

My entire day revolved around meal planning, snack breaks, and the 3 p.m. hunger rage that could only be tamed by whatever convenience store treasures I could find. I was always on the hunt for the latest snack cake and newest flavor our Mountain Dew.

Since starting my GLP-1 journey, that constant hunger has simply… vanished. I actually forget to eat sometimes which is a concept so foreign to my former self that he wouldn’t believe it. My car is cleaner. My desk drawers hold actual work supplies now. And somehow, civilization hasn’t collapsed without my emergency food reserves.

2. Being the “Funny Fat Guy” in Every Situation

I am a funny person. For proof, look me up on TikTok! I am quick and will always put someone at ease with humor. However, let’s talk about social armor. As the big guy in my friend group, I developed an advanced defense mechanism: strike first with self-deprecating humor before anyone else could. I turned every potential body joke into my own punchline. I made my size part of my personality because it felt safer that way.

What I have since discovered post-weight loss is remarkable. People still find me funny when I’m not using my body as the butt of every joke. In fact, my humor has evolved into something more authentic and less defensive. Turns out I wasn’t funny because I was fat; I was funny despite carrying that emotional weight.

3. The Built-In Excuse to Avoid Living Fully

4. The Familiar Territory of Big & Tall Sections

Shopping used to mean heading straight to the limited section at the back of the store. You know the section where everything came in various shades of “hide me” and styles ranged from “tent-like” to “slightly less tent-like.”

I genuinely thought I would miss the predictability of those stretchy waistbands and forgiving fabrics. Instead, discovering that regular stores carry clothes that actually fit me has been unexpectedly thrilling. Bright colors are my new norm, and well beyond black and navy! Patterns that don’t have to be “slimming”! Buttons that function as actual fasteners rather than stress test subjects! My wardrobe is smaller in size but vastly more expansive in options.

5. Food as My Primary Emotional Language

For years, food was my default response to every emotional state:

• Happy? Celebrate with food.
• Sad? Comfort with food.
• Bored? Entertain with food.
• Social? Connect over food.

I feared that GLP-1 medications would rob me of this emotional tool. But rather than feeling deprived, I have gained a more diverse emotional vocabulary. I have even discovered that connection no longer requires caloric intake, celebration doesn’t demand dessert, and comfort can come from activities rather than appetizers.

6. The Post-Meal Coma Ritual

The food coma, you know it well. It is that semi-conscious state after consuming enough carbs to fuel a small village! It used to be a daily occurrence. Lunch followed by desperate attempts to stay awake during afternoon meetings. Dinner followed by immediate couch collapse.

I thought I would miss those food-induced naps. In reality? Having consistent energy throughout the day is revolutionary. I can eat a meal and then… continue living my life. No crash. Or brain fog. No need to lie down “just for five minutes” that turns into two hours.

7. The Convenient Belly Shelf for Phones, Remotes, and Snacks

Although it is incredibly embarrassing looking back, I have to be honest. Having a built-in shelf for your phone while watching TV was convenient. My stomach was essentially a living coffee table, perfectly positioned for maximum viewing comfort.

As my weight decreased on Zepbound, this utility disappeared. While I momentarily mourned this loss of function, the trade-off has been worth it. I bought a proper phone stand. My posture has improved. My dignity is making a comeback. Well, mostly. Let me repeat, have you watched me on TikTok? Now you know.

What GLP-1 Weight Loss Really Gave Me

Through my journey with Mounjaro and Zepbound, I’ve lost:

• The constant preoccupation with my next meal
• The exhaustion that followed every eating occasion
• The need to hide behind humor or hoodies
• The limitations I placed on my own experiences

And what I have gained is incredible:

• Energy that lasts throughout the day
• Confidence beyond what I thought possible
• A relationship with food based on nutrition rather than emotion
• The freedom to participate rather than spectate in my own life

The Surprising Reality of Life After GLP-1 Weight Loss

What nobody tells you about losing weight with medications like Mounjaro, Zepbound or Wegovy is that you do not lose your identity along with the pounds. Instead, you often discover the person you were meant to be all along, just without the physical and emotional weight holding you back. The things I feared losing turned out to be burdens, not benefits. The comfort zones I clung to were actually confinements. And that belly shelf? Well, some things are better replaced with proper furniture.
Want more mildly inappropriate humor, GLP-1 real talk, and unsolicited life advice? Subscribe and listen to our 5-Minute Podcasts available on your favorite streaming services., or find me on social where I’ll probably be oversharing in stories.