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

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.

BiostatsBrad said:

One year anniversary on mental health — reflections: What I wish I'd known: the side effects are temporary, the benefits compound over time, protein…

Anxiety increase on mental health: counterintuitive, but losing weight rapidly triggered anxiety for me. Change — even positive change — is stressful. I was anxious about people treating me differently.

This is more common than people admit. A therapist who specializes in weight management has been invaluable. Don't neglect the mental health side of this journey.

BiostatsBrad said:

One year anniversary on mental health — reflections: What I wish I'd known: the side effects are temporary, the benefits compound over time, protein…

Therapy insights from my mental health journey: my therapist introduced me to the concept of "identity updating" — the psychological work of becoming a new version of yourself.

Key realizations: I used food to manage emotions, I had internalized fatphobia that I'm still unpacking, my social identity was partly built around being "the big guy/girl," and learning to accept compliments is surprisingly hard when you've been invisible for years.

Physical transformation without emotional processing is unstable. Do both.

A narrower follow-up, since the general answer is now clear:

What would you measure differently if you were starting again?

Moderator note: the sourcing question belongs in the vendor section and has been split out.