After gaining weight, I felt invisible — like I didn’t recognize myself anymore. But piece by piece, I’m learning how to feel beautiful and strong again, even in this new body.

I thought I was doing everything right, but the weight just kept creeping up in my 40s. It felt frustrating and confusing — until I learned what was really going on with my body.

I’m in my late 40s, and I haven’t really changed what I eat. No junk binges, no big diet shifts. But somehow, I’ve put on about 10 pounds over the past year. It’s frustrating because I feel like I’m doing ...