Help! I lost too much weight

Thanks, that is thoughtful and something I had not considered. I started as diabetic with an A1c of 6.2 and began metformin along with reta. My latest labs show 5.6, which is pre-diabetic. I am still taking metformin and my doctor was happy with the weight loss. You are right though, it is mainly my family saying I look like I am wasting away and getting too skinny.

My blood sugar test came back at 6.2 meaning prediabetes while 5.6 sits in the healthy zone. I stuck with my physician's guidance and noticed my own physical sensations more than what relatives thought. Body image problems can feel weird and also color how someone sees other folks. Relatives grew used to my bigger frame so the current appearance strikes them as off. Anyway I had said I wanted those ten pounds back so I lowered the medication by half. Abruptly ending it never felt like the right move.

I like that response. From a 42-year-old married man who is mostly full of it.

This. If you are doing cardio, cut it back to the minimum. Focus on weight training for strength and size. Lower reps with heavier weight will help fill out the areas that look deflated. If it were me I would pause reta or cut the dose sharply and add something for recomposition and muscle growth, but only if there were no precancerous growths, heart issues, or uncontrolled diabetes. Most important, I would raise protein to one to one and a half grams per pound of ideal body weight. I would eat protein first at every meal. I would also talk to a doctor and a trainer who actually knows training, diet, and peptides. Female to female, if your closest relatives are noticing, you may be moving into disordered territory unless you are still outside a healthy range.

I strongly disagree with that rule of thumb. I have seen many women pressured by insecure husbands or mothers who preferred them to stay the same size, even when those women were still medically heavy or even obese.

I have been on reta for six months and my A1c dropped from 6.6 to 5.4 this week.

Exactly. I have gotten negative comments from family and friends both when I gained weight and when I lost it. One friend even stopped talking to me. People often react badly to change because it upsets the roles they have assigned in their heads, such as always being the heavier one. They are not a reliable gauge. I have plenty of theories about why.

You are not wrong. That was an overgeneralization that ignored how unsupportive some families can be. My mistake.

No judgment. I am actually glad you do not immediately assume the worst about families, because that means you have mostly good people around you. It shows you have loved ones who have good loved ones too.

Yes. I am from rural farm country and have seen strong resistance when someone who used to eat the same heavy meals as everyone else no longer fits that pattern, even while the rest of the family keeps heading to the doctor for every health issue.

I have been fortunate; the relatives I still have nearby are supportive, and my friends are great. Even the ones who are body-positive and generally against weight loss are happy for me doing what I want, though we are careful how we talk about it. Since I am open about using tirzepatide and to some extent grey-market options, everyone on these medications tells me their stories. The family and spouse struggles I hear from women just trying to avoid a heart attack or see what normal-size life feels like are intense, and I have to keep a neutral face while internally I am screaming.

That is exactly why I have told only one person in real life. Most of my friends would judge it. So now I only have you all to talk with about it. Today I tried on a dress I loved almost thirty years ago and it fit and looked good, except for the bat wings, so back to the gym.

I am happy for you. You are a lovely person and I am glad something like this is bringing you joy.

Aww thank you, same to you.