When you start dropping major weight, whether that’s through surgery like gastric sleeve or bypass, or with GLP-1 meds like Wegovy or Ozempic, you’ve got a rough idea of what’s coming.
You know your body is going to change, you might get some loose skin, and you’ll probably have to replace your entire wardrobe…
What I didn’t expect is just how many totally random things would also come along with it.
You feel like a human ice cube
What keeps a whale warm? Blubber. Great insulation for a sea creature, and as we lose weight, we lose some of that too, so it makes sense that we become more sensitive to the cold.
On top of that, you’re eating less overall, which means your body isn’t generating as much heat for a while. Your internal thermostat will eventually adjust to your new weight.
Drinking water feels like swallowing river stones
You go to drink water, something you’ve done your whole life without thinking, and it suddenly feels dead weird. Not necessarily painful, but uncomfortable enough that you notice it every time.
It comes down to how your stomach now handles volume. Smaller capacity or slower emptying can make plain water feel heavier than you’d expect, especially if you drink it quickly.
Most people adjust without overthinking it, but it can take a while. Smaller sips, more often, is the key. Being properly hydrated makes a big difference to your energy levels, so don’t skip the sips.
Adding lemon juice or apple cider vinegar made all the difference for me in the early days. Now, five years on, I’m hooked on soda water. It’s generally not recommended to drink carbonated drinks in the first few months after weight loss surgery because the gas can lead to painful stretching of your new tum.
Your feet can actually change size
This didn’t happen to me, but I’ve heard people mention their shoes fitting differently, or even going down a size.
As weight comes down, there’s less pressure through the feet and the overall shape can shift slightly. It’s a win for your joints, even if it means your favourite shoes don’t fit quite the same.
If you needed an excuse for new shoes… there it is.
Sitting down is less comfy than before
With less junk in your trunk, you might find yourself shifting around on chairs, avoiding hard surfaces, or subtly grabbing a cushion whenever you can.
With less padding, you’re sitting more directly on your tailbone, so it makes sense. It does improve over time as your body adjusts, but there’s definitely a stage where you notice it more than you’d like.
Your pee may turn bright yellow
That bright yellow colour and stronger smell is usually caused by B vitamins, especially B2, being excreted in your urine - especially if you’re taking a high-strength multivitamin. Your body takes what it needs and gets rid of the rest.
It can vary depending on the supplement and how your body absorbs it, so you might notice it more at certain times than others. It’s nothing to worry about though, and I’ve turned it into a game to drink enough water to make it clearer again.
People start treating you differently
This one took me by complete surprise, and I was not happy about it.
You might notice people being a bit nicer, more inclusive, or just engaging with you differently. It can feel good, but it can also feel a bit off because you’re still the same person you were before, just in a smaller body.
A lot of this comes down to unconscious bias. People often associate weight loss with things like discipline or confidence and respond to that without really thinking about it.
It doesn’t make it any less weird when you notice it happening, but you do get better at taking it with a grain of salt and not letting it mess with your head too much.
And they ask super personal questions
Once the changes become visible, people get curious. Some ask in a supportive way, others are a bit more direct than you’d like, and some forget their manners completely.
You’ll probably get asked how you’re doing it, the actual number of kilos you’ve lost, how much it costs, and what you can and can’t eat.
How much you share is up to you. You can educate, deflect, or brush it off. It can feel a bit uncomfortable at first, especially while you’re still finding your feet, but you start to care less as time goes on.
Lol, farts
We’re not skipping this.
When your eating patterns change, your digestion does too. Different foods, smaller portions, and often more protein than before can all have an effect.
That can show up as more gas, stronger smells, or just things being a bit unpredictable for a while. It usually settles once your routine evens out, but there can be a phase where you need to be extra careful.
Your taste buds change
In the beginning you can end up getting a bit fixated on certain foods for a while. Not in a dramatic way, just reaching for the same thing because it feels easy, sits well, and you know what you’re getting. It’s basically your brain and body simplifying things while everything else is adjusting.
At the same time, foods you used to love might not feel the same. Some feel too sweet or too heavy, while others suddenly become way more appealing.
And then there are the hard no’s. For me, I couldn’t even look at a banana for years. No logical reason, just absolutely not.
You get really good at protein maths
In the beginning, adding up all that protein is a bit of a chore. Then, somewhere along the way, it becomes second nature. You start noticing it on labels, mentally adding it up throughout the day, and adjusting meals without really thinking about it.
If you’re still wondering how much protein is enough, your dietitian is your best guide here, but as a rough rule of thumb:
- Women: 60–80g per day
- Men: 80–100g per day
- Or approx 1g per 1kg of body weight
This is where things like a good whey or tasteless protein can make life a whole lot easier.
Alcohol hits harder
If you like a tipple, you might notice your tolerance shifts a bit. What used to feel fine can suddenly feel stronger, faster, and sometimes just not that enjoyable.
That’s partly because alcohol is mostly absorbed in the small intestine, and with a new tum, more of it can move through quickly and hit your system sooner. So you may feel the effects more intensely than you used to.
For a lot of people, that naturally leads to drinking less, simply because it doesn’t feel the same. For others, it can become something to keep an eye on.
It’s not talked about much, but swapping one coping habit for another can happen. If that’s something you’re experiencing, there’s support out there and you’re definitely not alone, so reach out.
- Vanessa Warren – thewellnessclinic.co.nz
- Kate Berridge – yourweighteam.co.nz
- The Alcohol Experiment – thisnakedmind.com
A small side note here: alcohol can also affect how your body absorbs certain nutrients. If something feels off, like ongoing fatigue or low mood, it’s worth checking in with your GP and keeping up with your blood tests.
Anyway… here’s the thing
Dramatic weight loss brings a lot of change, and not all of it is obvious at the start. Some of it makes sense once you understand it, and some of it just stays weird.
Either way, you’re not doing it wrong.
If anything in here made you think “oh thank gawd, it’s not just me”, then job done.
And if you’ve got your own weird one, I’d genuinely love to hear it.