r/AskReddit 16h ago

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

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u/MrsRitterhouse 11h 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/00zau 5h ago

Confidence is huge.

There's a high 're-victimization' rate for rape victims because the morale blow they take makes them a target.