The Weightlifting Witch

There are so many health ideas that have been a part of my life, but didn’t necessarily apply to me. My body loves to be the exception. I still get Croup. (At age 38, which is unheard of.) I’ve spent years trying to explain to my partner that nutritional/dietary science isn’t ONLY calories-in, calories-out, and that the human body is incredibly nuanced and amazing. With the medical community finally starting to come around to the idea of obesity being a chronic, lifelong, recurring metabolic disorder, I can finally begin to wrap my head around the fact that my lifetime of dieting was NOT in fact an issue of willpower. (Below, check out my INCREDIBLY non-linear journey, it’s never JUST a decline in weight and suddenly you’re happy and healthy….)

For a long time, the world treated weight management like a basic math problem: eat less, move more. But if you’ve struggled to keep your body fat percentage down, you know it feels more like an uphill battle against your own body. Today, the medical community recognizes obesity as a chronic, recurring illness—much like high blood pressure or asthma.
This struggle isn’t a character flaw; it’s a biological condition where your body’s “set point” stubbornly fights to keep you at a higher weight, making traditional “calories in, calories out” dieting feel nearly impossible.

Because the body has such strong defenses against weight loss, many people are turning to the two most effective, science-backed tools we have today: 

Metabolic Surgery and GLP-1 medications. 

Recent studies show that bariatric surgery remains the “gold standard” for long-term results, often helping people lose 25% to 30% of their body weight by physically and hormonally changing how the body processes food. On the other hand, GLP-1 medications (like those offered through telehealth clinics like Shed) work by mimicking natural hormones that tell your brain you’re full, offering a powerful non-surgical way to quiet the constant food noise and manage the biology of hunger. Some of them do even more than that, but that’ll come later!

The most exciting development in 2026 is how these two treatments are working together. Doctors are finding that combining the two—using GLP-1s either to prepare for surgery or to help maintain progress afterward—provides a “double-layered” defense against weight regain. By treating the root biological causes rather than just the symptoms, these therapies offer more than just a lower number on the scale; they provide a realistic path to lasting health and a better quality of life.

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Content Warming, Diet Culture, Disordered Eating

Megz’s Weight Timeline

• Average/small height and weight until puberty.

• 2000 – Stopped getting taller at age 12, height 5′ 0″, weight: 104lb

• 2000 – Stopped getting taller at age 12, height 5′ 0″, weight: 104lb

• 2000 – 2006 With puberty came a slow steady weight gain, from ~ 130lb to ~180 lb between Sophomore and Senior years of high school.

• 2002 – 2007 In that time I tried cutting calories, increasing my walking, Atkins, and Weight Watchers.

• 2007 – 2009 I was a vegetarian. Poorly. I was a terrible vegetarian, queue my weight going up to 200lb. Then I suffered a major trauma in Fall 2009.

• 2009-2013 Being vegetarian hadn’t worked, but that’s okay, I have a strong aptitude for nutrition so I’ll just figure it out. As a matter of fact, I’m adding a Minor in Human Nutrition to my Bachelors so that this never happens to me or anyone else again. During this time I tried Paleo, Primal, and Whole 30. I did MANY a Whole 30. My weight got as low as 179lbs and as high as 214 lbs.

• 2013-2015 My partner and I had our first child, my son (born to my co-parent) and eventually I became pregnant with our second child, my daughter. During this time I tried Paleo, Keto, and Intermittent Fasting. I belonged to a gym and had private training during this time as well. I attempted and failed to complete a C25k several times. I tried the IFFYM diet.

• 2015-2016 I went to Therapy with a Psych APRN who’s also a Registered Dietician to help me with my disordered eating. This was my first time admitting that I was not eating normally. Discussing binging openly with a therapist, and my ED went into remission. I belonged to a gym and had private training during this time as well. I took yoga classes, walked, and did private pilates classes.

• 2015-2016 My pregnancy with our daughter was challenging but it was also a DREAM. All I’d ever wanted was to be a mom, and I was lucky that most of my autoimmune and chronic health issues went into remission while I was pregnant. I had a few complications during my pregnancy but zero diabetes. For some reason I was really proud of not having diabetes, as though it’s something I could have controlled.

• 2015-2016 My pregnancy with our daughter was challenging but it was also a DREAM. All I’d ever wanted was to be a mom, and I was lucky that most of my autoimmune and chronic health issues went into remission while I was pregnant. I had a few complications during my pregnancy but zero diabetes. For some reason I was really proud of not having diabetes, as though it’s something I could have controlled.

• During my pregnancy I went from 214lb to 251lb. My highest weight ever was 251lb. My body worked really hard to stay at 251. and 220. and 199. There are specific numbers that my body has liked the entire time. Right now, sitting in the low 180s, I’m still not *quite* down to my lowest adult weight, but I’ll be there soon.

• 2016-2020 I yoyo-ed between 231-251 lbs with all of the techniques I’d already tried. Whole 30, Paleo, IF, Keto… Then I also introduced new things… Zumba, pilates, jogging, running… I even tried and failed to complete a 10k at Walt Disney World!

• 2019-2021 I burned out for the first time ever in 2019. At home we were dealing with some really complicated social and family situations, and my stress was the highest it’s ever been. The pandemy compounded on that, and I’ve been in a burn out and recovery cycle since then.
  

• 2021 Started Megan O’Lena Travel

• 2022 Started Coaster Corner Blog

• @meganeolenatravel

  Compiled Stories Part #2 – by request of several Instagram Followers#PlusSize #PlusSized #MomsOfTikTok #MomTok #ThemePark #AmusementPark #disappointment #embarassment #SmallBusiness #TravelAgent #Orlando #OrlandoFlorida #plussizedisney #PlusSizeLife #accessibility

  ♬ original sound – Megan O’Lena

  My First-Ever-Viral-Video was me, crying at Universal Studios Orlando, because their roller coasters were not pooh-sized.^
  This series of videos had thousands of comments with people expressing their opinions on my body, my choices, and my life.
  It’s tricky to review food as part of your job, and also be obese and in the public eye. EVERYONE is a dietitian when you’re fat.

• 2022-2023 Wegovy -30lbs

  

  Believe it or not, I actually grew the original following for Mega2MinnieMegz in 2022 by sharing relatable and educational GLP content.

• @mega2minniemegz

  Replying to @slhenry39 #ozempic #wegovy

  ♬ original sound – Megz | Weightlifting Witch

  My Second-Ever-Viral-Video was me, doing my first Wegovy shot, before TikTok’s algo hating GLP-1 medication.

• I used Wegovy until a couple of months prior to my VSG, and my surgery weight was 30lb lower than my high weight, 221lbs.

• July 5, 2023 Sleeve Gastrectomy (VSG) -40lb

• 2024 Worked with Jamie Mills, Dietitian (https://thesleeveddietitian.com/)

• 2024 Completed a 10k in Walt Disney World… finally!

• 2024 Laid off from my corporate job; had to navigate life as an unemployed person for the first time since I was 16!

• 2024-2026 Alternating being an excellent gym bro and a burned-out mess. I never make it below 181lbs. I have periods of loss, periods of maintenance, and periods of regain, but no significant physical progress.
  

• 2024-2025 Regained 20lbs, lost 20 lbs

• 2026 Started Compounded Tirzepitide through Shed

@mega2minniemegz

Hitting your protein numbers after bariatric surgery is the number one way to see success across all goals 🤷🏼‍♀️ Think of protein as the single most critical nutrient in your post-bariatric diet. The general recommendation is to aim for 60 to 100 grams of protein per day, with the specific goal depending on your individual needs and the type of surgery you had. I personally need to aim for 80-120g to feel my best, so your mileage may vary! #extremeweightloss #bariatriccommunity #beforrandafterweightloss #doctorsappointment #vsg

♬ original sound – Sorry X