Four Skorts, One Closet, and a Version of Me I Thought I’d Lost - My Peptide Therapy Journey
- Mandee Montana
- Jun 22
- 4 min read
Updated: Jun 24
A few weeks ago, I was digging through my closet looking for something lightweight to wear to an outdoor event.
If you live in Texas, you know exactly what season I’m talking about. The one where you’re trying to look put together while also avoiding a heat stroke.
As I moved things around, I found four skorts tucked away in the back of the closet.
I immediately recognized them.
They had become part of that category of clothing most women know all too well: the “maybe someday” section.
Not because I didn’t love them.
Actually, that’s exactly why I kept them.
They were comfortable. Cute. Easy to dress up or down. Perfect for summer events, community gatherings, and all the outdoor work I seem to find myself doing this time of year.
But they hadn’t fit in a long time.
Still, I couldn’t bring myself to get rid of them.
So on a whim, I tried one on.
Then another.
Then another.
Then the last one.
Every single one fit.
Not technically fit.
Not “if I stand really still and don’t breathe too deeply” fit.
Actually fit.
I stood there laughing in my bedroom because I genuinely wasn’t expecting it.
And suddenly, it wasn’t about the clothes at all.
It was about realizing how much had changed.
The Number Wasn’t the Point
This morning, the scale read 127.6 pounds.
I haven’t seen that number since August of 2020.
Almost 6 years.
And while I won’t pretend that didn’t make me smile, it wasn’t the thing that hit me the hardest.
The skorts did.
Because the scale tells you a number.
The skorts told me a story.
They reminded me of how uncomfortable I had become in my own body.
How frustrating it felt to keep doing the things that used to work and not see the same results.
How often I found myself wondering if this was simply what life in my 40s was supposed to feel like.
Tired.
Inflamed.
Stuck.
Not miserable.
Just… not quite myself.
Looking for a Different Answer
When I began exploring peptide therapy last October, I wasn’t searching for a miracle.
I wasn’t looking for a shortcut.
Honestly, I was looking for support.
Because despite lifting weights, paying attention to nutrition, prioritizing protein, and doing so many of the things I had always done, my body seemed to be speaking a different language than it used to.
I started with a compounded GLP-1 protocol and later transitioned to a compounded GLP-1/GIP blend with B12 and NAD+ support with XMD Wellness.
The weight loss followed.
Today I’m down about 30 pounds.
But the weight loss isn’t what has surprised me most.
The Unexpected Gifts
The biggest changes have been the ones I didn’t expect.
The mental clarity.
The steady energy.
The reduced food noise.
The feeling that I’m no longer negotiating with cravings all day long.
The confidence that comes from feeling comfortable in my clothes again.
The freedom of getting dressed without frustration.
The realization that I don’t have to fight my body every single day.
For so long, I thought the answer was more discipline.
More willpower.
More effort.
What I’ve learned is that sometimes the answer is support.
Sometimes our bodies need different tools than they needed ten years ago.
And that’s not failure.
That’s wisdom.
The truth is, I don’t think this journey has been about becoming a smaller version of myself.
It’s been about reconnecting with myself.
The version that has energy for the things she loves.
The version that feels confident walking into a room.
The version that isn’t constantly distracted by discomfort.
The version that can pull four forgotten skorts out of the back of the closet and get excited about wearing them all summer long.
Not because of the size on the tag.
But because they represent possibility.
They represent feeling good in my skin again.
And after the last few years, that’s worth celebrating.
Curious About My Experience?
If you’ve been hearing about peptides and wondering whether they might be worth exploring, I’d encourage you to learn more and have a conversation with a qualified healthcare provider.
I personally use XMD Wellness a physician-guided wellness platform that supports both microdosing and more structured weight-loss approaches, depending on your goals and needs. For the first time EVER, the provider I use has a promotion available for new patients for a limited time.
If you’d like to learn more about my peptide therapy journey or explore whether it might be a fit for you, I’d love to connect.
Individual results may vary. Peptide therapies are prescription medications and must be prescribed by a licensed healthcare provider. This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
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