Is using a GLP-1 for Weight loss Cheating?

MargaretYakoda wrote: »

MargaretYakoda wrote: »

AnnPT77 wrote: »

MargaretYakoda wrote: »

AnnPT77 wrote: »

MargaretYakoda wrote: »

MargaretYakoda wrote: »

jwardtabitha1 wrote: »

I think it depends. If you are doing a competition with others who are not using medication to lose weight, then yes. Otherwise, it's just part of your journey.

This issue comes when people stop taking the medication and gain the weight back because real and sustainable changes were not made.The drugs make it much easier to eat less calories since decreased appetitie is a medication side effects. Everyone I know has gained their weight back after stopping the medication.

Regain of weight is something that happens with every system of weight loss, and should not be used as a reason to avoid taking prescription medication that a medical professional recommends.

Coming back to this:
The last few days I’ve been mulling over something.

I’m about 40 pounds away from my ultimate goal weight. It’s likely going to take months to get there. Even with the GLP-1.

It’s really hitting me that once I’ve achieved that goal, I absolutely have to remain in maintenance mode for the rest of my life.
I do think that GPs don’t emphasize this enough.

It’s a lifelong commitment. Just like diabetes management.

I’m glad to have this online community where we can share these insights and experiences.

I think that's the heart of the essential mindset shift. It's a completely different thing from treating weight loss as a project with an end date.

I think treating weight loss as a project with an end date is fine for people who just want to drop ten to twenty five pounds for an upcoming event.

I think that anyone who wants to stay at/around goal weight long term (or permanently) is poorly served by treating weight management as a project with an end date.

Permanently different outcomes require permanently different habits.

I agree that the challenge can be more profound for someone who's materially overweight, because the more overweight/obese, the bigger the permanent habit change(s) will need to be.

Sure, not true if a person just wants to be slim for an event, and go back to old habits and old weight (probably plus a little, realistically) after that event.

Overweight is one thing.

Morbidly obese (I don’t like the BMI categories for a bunch of reasons but here there is a useful distinction) is a whole other thing.

In general I agree.
My point, which was admittedly not well fleshed out, is that I think that in people who are more than ≈ 40 pounds overweight there is something else happening often in addition to overeating combined with a lack of physical activity.

We do see a lot of anecdotal evidence of this in all of these discussions here about GLP-1 meds. Reports of quieting a background food noise. I’ve even experienced it in the past month that I’ve been taking Ozempic. Prior to taking this med I would never have said that was an issue for me. But I can feel a significant decrease in cravings. Something I didn’t expect, because I just thought that sort of thing was normal.

Example: I used to avoid buying Halloween candy because I would find it very difficult to moderate the amount I would eat. Single serving packs are helpful. But even so. it was something I had to pay attention to.

Now? My partner purchased a bag at the beginning of the week.
I’ve had some. And it was nice. But I’ve not been obsessed by its existence in the house. The bag is currently still half full.
Prior to Ozempic that would have never happened.

At the GP’s office today. Got my GLP-1 renewed at the same dose. (fingers crossed the insurance company approves)

We discussed this a bit. She also is seeing this effect. People who are merely overweight don’t tend to have that voice in their head nagging them about food.
But people who are obese or morbidly obese often do.

It seems to be a very real factor in why people become obese. And if there’s a prescription medication that works to reduce that noise? I don’t think we can call it cheating if prescribed by a medical professional.

My opinion, of course.

One more data point

Someone in a spousal caregiver group I’m in recently asked about how to deal with a loved one whose dementia is causing them to crave sweets and carbs constantly, causing them to pack on weight, and putting a strain on the grocery budget.

It’s a problem I’ve seen discussed off and on over the years I’ve been caring for my husband. In the past suggestions included buying nothing but the very healthiest of foods. Which only sort of works when the person you’re dealing with has reduced ability to remember what they’ve eaten earlier, as well as reduced or absent impulse control.

Some spouses have had to lock cabinets a their refrigerator.

Anyway, today a couple people mentioned a very different idea.

Ozempic is now being prescribed off label for this issue. And the spouses in my support group are saying it works pretty well.

One more bit of information that strongly suggests there is something going on in the brains of people who have a difficult time with constant thoughts of food and feelings of hunger even when they’ve consumed enough calories and macros.