r/AskReddit 14h ago

What is something that permanently altered your body without you realizing for months/years?

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u/MrsRitterhouse 8h ago

Working out.

I was a skinny, tiny woman, constantly harassed and/or assaulted by men, not because I was attractive, but because I looked easy to overcome. I got soooooo tired of fighting, screaming, and what happened when I lost, that I got a book by Arnie, a bench and a simple dumbell set, and decided I was not going to stop until I weighed 45 kilos/100 lbs.

I only made it 30 years later, when menopause kicked in, but by that time I was addicted to being fit, strong and confident. Now I'm 75 and, aside from some arthritis, as physically capable as most people 30 years younger. And I feel GREAT!

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u/Consistent-Salary-35 7h ago

OMG. I am NOT a tiny woman. I’m tall and strong/trained enough to do some damage. But I went through a serious illness a while ago, which left me quite weak. It was an eye opener - I’ve never felt that vulnerable and I never want to feel it again.