I Go By Life Karen - It's Never Too Late

One year ago, at 60 years old, I decided to start a YouTube channel.Part of the decision came from my frustration with TikTok and its constantly changing restrictions, but there was something bigger behind it. After losing more than 100 pounds, I wanted to pay forward some of what I had learned and hopefully help other women who were navigating their own health and weight-loss journeys.But something else started happening.After years of living in a 55+ community and hearing from women in this stage of life, I became increasingly interested in a much bigger conversation: Why do so many women begin to believe their best years are behind them? Why do we decide we're too old to learn something new? And why do we sometimes avoid decisions about our health, finances, homes and future until circumstances force us to make them?In this episode, I'm looking back at my first year as a YouTube creator — why I started, what I expected, what was harder than I imagined, what completely surprised me, and where I think this journey may be taking me next.Because if this year has taught me anything, it's that starting something new at 60 isn't ridiculous.Sometimes it might be exactly what we need.

After 8.5 years in a 55+ community, we’re moving. I’m sharing what we loved, what became difficult, how our lives changed, and why we decided not to wait another decade to create a lifestyle with less driving, less maintenance and more freedom.

You asked the questions — I'm answering 22 of them! After losing more than 120 pounds and having a lower body lift with fleur-de-lis (FDL) and a breast lift without implants, I've received SO many questions about the surgery and recovery.In this episode, I'm starting with an update from my four-week post-op appointment and then getting into the questions you've been asking throughout this journey.We're talking about what “drainless” surgery means, how painful recovery really was, how I chose my plastic surgeon, why I stayed in the U.S. for surgery, what happened with my GLP-1 medication, how much skin was removed, the cost of surgery, whether I could have handled recovery alone, and much more.I also answer some of the more personal questions: Why didn't I tell people before surgery? Why am I sharing all of this publicly now? How did my husband feel about the decision? Would I ever have more plastic surgery?And, of course, the big question:Was it worth it?This is my personal experience with plastic surgery after major weight loss. Every body, procedure and recovery is different, and nothing in this episode should be considered medical advice. Please talk with your own qualified medical provider about what's appropriate for you.If you're navigating major weight loss, loose skin, body changes after weight loss, or simply wondering what this kind of surgery and recovery actually looks like, I hope sharing my experience helps you make informed decisions and know what questions to ask.If you enjoy the podcast, follow or subscribe so you don't miss what's coming next. And if you know someone who might find this conversation helpful, I'd love for you to share it with them.

After losing 120 pounds, I made the decision to have plastic surgery to address the loose skin left behind. But making the decision was one thing — getting close enough to surgery that it suddenly felt very real was something else entirely.In this episode, I’m taking you into the weeks leading up to surgery, starting with the nerves I was feeling on the way to my pre-op appointment. I’ll walk you through that two-hour appointment, what happened, what I learned, what made me nervous, and the point where I realized I had to stop second-guessing myself and trust the decision I had made — and the surgeon I had carefully chosen.And then life got very busy, very quickly.We came home from vacation, our house unexpectedly went under contract, and suddenly we were looking at communities, considering a condo, and dealing with a completely different kind of whirlwind. For a moment, I wondered whether all of that happening at once was somehow a sign that I shouldn’t go through with surgery.Eventually, I decided to see it differently.Maybe everything wasn’t happening to stop me. Maybe everything was finally coming together.This is another very real chapter in my plastic surgery journey after major weight loss — the nerves, the trust, the uncertainty, and everything life decided to throw into the mix right before surgery.Next episode: what I bought, gathered, and prepared at home for recovery — because there was far too much to squeeze into this one. 😂

After losing 120 pounds, I found myself facing a decision I never expected to make: whether or not to have plastic surgery at 61.This was not an impulsive decision. I spent months researching the risks, the recovery, the cost, the scars, the surgeon, and what life might look like afterward. I made a pros-and-cons list. I talked with my husband. I asked a lot of questions.And in some ways, it still felt like a lonely decision—because no matter how much support I had, no one else could make it for me.In this episode, I’m sharing why I ultimately chose to move forward, why I waited until after surgery to share this publicly, and the reasons the decision became about much more than appearance.I talk about the concerns that gave me pause, including my age, the length and complexity of the surgery, the cost, the recovery, and permanent scars. I also share the reasons I said yes: wanting to feel comfortable in my own skin, no longer hiding parts of my body, being able to exercise and dress more comfortably, and finally feeling ready to close this chapter after a lifetime of living in a larger body.I am deeply grateful for my body and my health. For me, gratitude and wanting to change something can exist at the same time.This episode is not meant to encourage anyone else to have plastic surgery. It is simply my personal story and the thought process behind a very personal decision.And no, this is not turning into a graphic plastic surgery podcast. 😂 I may share some practical things I learned about preparing for surgery and recovery, but there will be no gory play-by-play here.At 61, I know I have more years behind me than ahead of me—and I want to truly live the ones in front of me.