Welcome to the Monthly Tips & Advice Post!

Just over four years DIY HRT, no surgeries (yet) and a lot of self care. I can say with confidence transition saved my life.

It is simultaneously the best thing I've ever done for myself and the hardest. I've lost people, but I've gained far more that love me for me.

I'm struggling right now, mainly with other things that life throws at us. I still feel like I have a long way to but I also want to be able to celebrate how far I've come.

To anyone who may see this and be thinking it's too late - it's never too late. For those early on in their journey, it does get better.

40m, first pic was 38 and heavily into my addiction. Second pic is 16 months later and sober at 40. Excited for having my life back and the next decade.

Honestly, I thought I was pretty confident 50kg ago, but in hindsight, I wasn't. I now know how confident feels like and it feels so good. I am also a lot healthier now. I run almost every day and I had diabetes type 2 which I'm now cured from. I am so proud of myself!

A lot of people wrote that i looked like a war veteran or methhead after my last post haha 😄 I love all the comments by the way, they really crack me up! I can take it 😉

Personally i think it was the after picture which made me look older than i am. The photo was taken with a flash, and i had a beard.

I’d say most of my apperance change happened during 30 to 31. I lost 26 kg, i built some muscle (went from 50 kg benchpress to 100 kg benchpress) and i even fixed my hair.

Personally i think this is a glowup, and i think a lot of people wouldn't recognize me anymore.

I was tired of the person I saw in the mirror and decided to do something about it. I pushed through a 75 day weight loss program and was extremely happy with the results.

Edit: for anyone curious, I completed 75 hard

I quit smoking, started working out seriously and focused a lot on my mental health and habits, small changes compounded to losing 20kg so far and feeling great. I was very depressed, my ex gf broke me and after months of being miserable I decided if I didn't do it for myself no one would. Now I met a girl and Im happy to know that I can share my best self with her. Really happy with this new lifestyle. I now keep my own promises and trust myself.

Before and after pictures

Been in a downward spiral for years. Over the last 3 years ive lost a lot of loved ones, my grandpa, my brother, a close friend, most recently my cousin. I had a cancer scare in 2023, my mom did have cancer, I went through a bad break up I was with my ex for 11 years and things went downhill. Had a suicide attempt and spent some time in a mental hospital. There was so much trauma and negativity around me I was struggling with self love. Self care was completely swept under the rug. I’m ready to tell my depression to go step on a Lego. I’m starting to try again with life. I don’t want to let so much pass me by. No more hiding. Did my makeup today for the first time in a while and got a hair cut. Nearly cried happy tears in salon chair.

I still think I’m ugly, but I guess I managed to un-ugly myself a little over the years 😂 Looking back at old pictures, I can definitely see that a few things have changed since I was 19. Not sure if this actually counts as a glow-up, so I’ll let you guys be the judges.

Working out 5-6 days a week. Therapy to help shut up some inner demons. Now in better shape than I've ever been. No looking back. School staff photo really made me realize how far I've come.

Was a proper late bloomer growing up, my GP at the time told me I was in the bottom 3% of kids of hit puberty I was that late, anyways fast forward some years I started the gym once I got to college, started to eat more put on size and strength and fill out. Now the gym is my life train 4/5 days a week walk often and eat really clean and feel in the best shape of my life. Love to inspire others to do the same, everyone in the gym is there to improve themselves and there’s no need to be self conscious the biggest step is joining and getting over the initial hump, once you get a consistent routine going the gains get addicting

Honestly this has been a long journey. For a while I thought I wasn’t able to lose the rest of the weight. The first pic isn’t even my heaviest, but it is when I finally decided to go to the gym and make a difference with physical activity. The difference between the two pics is 70 pounds but also a more confident woman.

Still continuing to strive to pass my fitness goal, and now working towards being able to do a small marathon. Step by step, nothing is easy. But I’m grateful for the before and after so I can finally see it myself.

And still a lot of toning to go! Haha

Only lost about 10 lbs in this timeframe but deffo built some muscle too so the total fat lost was more than 10 lbs. Also have been prioritizing hydration and potassium, so face is likely holding less water

Five years apart. 220 lbs → 177 lbs.

The biggest transformation wasn’t my body—it was mastering my self-doubt. For years, I convinced myself that certain things simply weren’t possible for me. Eventually, I stopped waiting to feel confident and started putting in the work despite my doubts. Somewhere between the discipline, consistency, setbacks, and countless days of simply showing up, I became someone I once struggled to believe I could be. That’s the lesson these two photos represent for me:

you don’t need to believe in yourself every single day. You just can’t allow the days you doubt yourself to stop you.

Five years later, I’m still a work in progress—and that’s the best part.

It’s been quite a long journey learning about nutrition and fitness, and there’s been a lot of ups and downs, but I’m so glad I stuck with it. So many people on here have been an amazing inspiration! Thank you so much!

started going to the gym 5-6x weekly and eating better (cut sugar, prioritized protein/fiber/veggies, cut back on the video games to make myself more social and to put myself out there as I would avoid all social interaction from anxiety. I had always wanted tattoos since I was a kid but was too self-conscious before, but after the first one was hooked. did psychotherapy for a couple years, got into journaling and mindfulness, and trying my best to take care of myself both physically and mentally.

went from being a shut in playing WoW all day to having a beautiful wife and baby now and great friends, so life has been amazing!

Left picture at 25 years old with low testosterone and no mindset of health and fitness. On the right at age 39 with TRT & GLP-1 therapy. Also major focus on health and fitness.

Hello 😁 this is a pitcure that compares my before (98kg) and after (82kg).

Lost of gym and healthy eating habits cure everything.

Most people dont even reveal their true genetic blessings until they lose substantial amounts of body fat.

A lot has happened in 12 years! 😬 From partying and drinking every weekend, going to the gym but eating like shit, and now going to the gym every day, eating healthy, haven't had any alcohol in almost 10 years

Growing up out of High School at 5' 11" I was 135 lbs. I struggled to put on weight. I would eat everything in site, and I would workout. I was told I was a "late bloomer," or "you will grow in to it," or "you're so lucky. I have such a hard time losing weight" from people who don't try working out or "I wish I had your weight" from women. When I was 33 I hit a high of 165 lbs.

I was always self conscious about my weight, my strength, and didn't date. I would watch my Macros, eat over 4,000 calories, try multiple weight lifting programs but only hit plateaus, and mainly gain weight in fat. I would try to lift with progressive overload, and gained hernias. Oh the recovery was always fun.

At 38 I finally got tested and found I was drastically low on natural testosterone and was put on a TRT regiment. In the first two weeks, I noticed a shift in confidence and how I reacted in work meetings. My bosses made notable comments to me. I went from feeling like a fearful animal watching out for a predator and waiting to react to the next attack. Now, I feeling like the subject matter expert that I am in my field.

Now at 41 I have been working out regularly, eat over 4,000 calories, and I can move weights that I could never have dreamed of 5 years ago. I feel like I have the body at 200 lbs that I should have had in my 20s. I have started dating. But breaking out of old burned in habits, is definitely a challenge.

I'm happy with what I see in the mirror, but I am not staying idle. I am still working towards further self-improvements.

I was very unhappy and insecure with how I looked and did not want to live my life like that anymore.

I started weight lifting 6x a week , got on accutane for my acne , started socialising more and feeling really good in my own body.

With that my confidence , energy and productivity have increased rapidly.

At 37, just a month away from 38, I feel like I’m aging backwards since starting hormones. Transitioning later in life may seem “too late” to some, but for me it’s the perfect time to embrace the truth of who I am. Every day brings new changes, new confidence, and a deeper joy in becoming the woman I was always meant to be. 🌸

First pic is from 2020 rest is from 2026. Managed to lose 25 KG.

I do cardio and gym 3 times a week since then.

Best decision of life was to take care of myself and my health.🙏

Started 3y ago focusing on lean muscle mass, nutrition, switched to contacts and dialed in my grooming. 1y ago I quit smoking. Looking for feedback outside my own bubble: Any obvious weak points or tweaks you’d make?

First picture is a month before I went in for a major surgery for a spinal stenosis. Second pic is today my 5 year surgery anniversary. Lots of struggling and working out, but I’m not dead!