Would taking weight loss pills undermine my husband’s hard-earned progress?

[Wofflewaffle]

I’ve been overweight for most of my adult life. I’ve lost weight at times, only to gain it all again and more when life / circumstances change. I’ve been trying to get myself in the frame of mind to start over again - 16:8, low carb, whatever, but I’m fairly gloomy about it. I’m contemplating weight loss pills, which weren’t available until recently and look like a bit of a game changer.

DH has lost 25kgs over the last year. He’s done it the old fashioned way - gave up drinking, eating incredibly healthily, gym and personal trainer 5-4 times a week. He looks / feels great but it’s been really hard work: I know myself and I could not sustain this level of effort. I don’t even want to. Plus I work full time - I just don’t have time to do it his way (he’s part time for medical reasons so can go to the gym etc during the day).

Would it be a betrayal of his hard work if I took the ‘easy option’?
Anyone who’s lost weight the hard way, how would you feel about your partner taking an alternative route to the same destination?

No point in the injections at all unless you’re prepared to maintain eating fewer calories and having a healthier lifestyle. Which you’re not, so you’ll pile the weight back on once you’ve finished the jabs. Totally waste of time and money. Your dh on the other hand will keep it off as he has changed his lifestyle.

Don’t be ridiculous @Pleasedontdoitagain , you know perfectly well how your comment would come across. Don’t insult people’s intelligence.

@ownedbymydogs
I think the fact you have taken my comment on the dismissive phrase OP used regarding her H's weight loss as a personal attack on yourself says a lot about you.

Ok, I’ll bite. What are the negatives you speak of? Huge decrease in cardiovascular disease? Decrease in risks of cancer? Reduction in inflammatory diseases?

And how you managed to interpret OP as being disparaging about her husband’s weightloss is beyond me. She’s literally saying she’s thinking of not taking wli because it’s not doing it properly like he did.

Some people can't take GLPs for medical reasons. Some people don't respond to them. Some stay at a healthy weight easily. Some have medical issues meaning they eat very little and are overweight. Some people work part-time and can go to the gym. Some have disabilities and can't do many forms of exercise.
Judging anyone is wrong-people should do whatever is best for them in their own situation, taking medical advice.

So why call it The Old fashioned Way? Totally unnecessary.

I would head over to the WLI board to ask your question @Wofflewaffle , you will get more educated responses. The rest of mumsnet is full of people like @Pleasedontdoitagain and @titchy who are keen to show their disdain for those of us who can’t go to the gym every day, or survive on fewer than 1000 calories.(And they really don’t like it when they get called out on their attitude!).

I think this is a very common misconception. Yes they take away the food noise and help you feel fuller, longer, whilst you are on them, which allows you to focus on making new habits around eating and the psychology of food.

You really do need to put the same effort in though, especially the mental effort. It's still hard. It continues to be hard when you stop.

Until the cost of these come down, not everyone can afford to take them once they reach target. I spent two years on MJ. It certainly wasn't easy for me, and I very much doubt I'm alone in this.

People need to change the way they think about this shit.
If medication makes it less difficult to lose weight then take it.
People need to get to fuck with this cheating/easy option/not fair bullshit.

If you are fat and want to lose weight and meds help that, that's ok.

What matters is the health benefits of losing fat.

@Pleasedontdoitagain I think you’re being very subjective. I used surgery to halve my body weight, which many people consider actually ‘cheating’.

I originally lost weight the ‘old fashioned way’, blood, sweat, tears, extreme diet/exercise but a nasty accident and reduced mobility means I’m not allowed to/can’t do the extreme exercise now.

I don’t consider using the old fashioned phrase at all derogatory and the OP goes on to say she couldn’t do it. She sounds like she admires her DH. Fair play to anyone wanting to improve their health. She’ll find her mindset changes once she no longer has the ‘food noise’, chronic phrase but exactly what my local councillor said to me on one of his door to door wanders this week when I told him how well he looked. (Seems weirdly personal but I taught his niece for years, we have huge chats).

Do it! Had it been more widely available when I was contemplating surgery 4 years ago, I might have gone for it. Any support when wanting to lose weight is excellent. I bet your DH would be delighted to see you become healthier. My DH was really worried about our future, we had plans to move very rurally and he thought I wouldn’t cope at nearly 24st.

The guy in my other post has reversed his diabetes and sleep apnea. He took mounjaro and is now on a tiny monthly maintenance dose.

Where did she say she needs to stop. She can stay on a low maintence dose and maintain for ever.

I took Orlistat when NOTHING else would work, and I mean nothing. I put on three stone at 40, despite running, spinning etc. I also have fibroids and an enlarged uterus. All in all I looked huge and felt horrible.

I've said on here many times that Orlistat is a total game changer. You still have to work bloody hard. I run for about 3 hours a week, and spin for 3-4 hours a week. I eat healthily but still eat cake.

I lost the three stone. I don't publicise taking it, apart from on here. It worked for me and I feel and look so much better. If anyone told me I took the easy option, I would want to swing for them. Yes it's a kick starter but you have to still work so hard.

Highly recommend it.

I have commented on OP's use of the dismissive term The Old fashioned way.
When pressed I have said I am not personally in favour of taking weight loss drugs or injections but said it's entirely up to others if they wish to do so. Please explain how you interpret that as showing disdain?

You really are coming over as having a very big chip on your shoulder by taking such offense by other people's opinions that don't chime with your own. Why call expressing an opinion as "having an attitude"?

BTW I don't go to the gym at all, let alone every day. And I certainly wouldn't make myself miserable by eating 1000 calories a day. I do however eat a healthy balanced diet and lead a reasonably active life . I maintain a steady weight. Ideally I would like to lose an inch or two but I've been the same clothes size for the past 20 years and I'll take that given I'm healthy and active. I haven't dieted since I was in my 20s and I certainly wouldn't start now.

There is always someone in these threads who wants to rush in and say how they don’t approve of weight loss medication, it’s so wearying.

jealousy, resentment, thinking people have got it easy when they need to work at it,

its all so petty and ridiculous really . Everyone should just ignore it.

Do it. It’s life changing

No it’s generally easier for men to lose weight. Has he had the years of dieting that you have?

I’ve been obese my whole life from aged 11. It tried to diet ever single day it was so depressing and eating unhealthy food felt like a failure. I mean Christmas dinner or on a holiday, birthday meals out, take out with friends, work meals and so on. Not gorging on a family size cheesecake in secret.

I took Mounjaro and the weight melted of with not effort what so ever. I’ve lost 5 stone and feel normal. I have stayed on it as it makes me feel in control of my weight and not over eating. I can eat what I want within reason. I like healthy food anyway and always have done. I exercise regularly.
As an obese person I felt everything I ate was scrutined (probably me thinking what other though) that healthy she doesn’t want to be seen to eat bad food. That not healthy she shouldn’t be eating that. Shes for a cake- makes sense now.

And like PP said do people want me to still be fat?

I really find the phrase The old fashioned way derogatory and dismissive.
I made that point and said well done to OP's H.
I really didn't intend to get drawn into the weight loss injection/ drugs debate.

As I've said to other pp if they want to use these methods then fair enough. I wouldn't use them personally.

I think it's really strange the pp who are being so defensive about their use of them and calling me out on my original post when all I commented on was OP's use of an unnecessarily derisory term.

Thanks all.

The ‘old fashioned way’ comment wasn’t meant to be disparaging at all! I just meant ‘the way people lost weight before wli/wlp were invented’. DH has worked incredibly hard to lose this weight and I’m very very happy for him and admiring of him. But he and I are very different in some ways, and what worked for him won’t work for me.

i have talked to DH about this since posting: he’d be 100% supportive with whatever I want to do. And WLI would be a lot cheaper than a personal trainer!

Surely the priority is your health - for you and him - and if weight loss pills are going to help you with a situation that’s been a problem most of your adult life, it makes sense to try something new

And there’s nothing to stop you also incorporating exercise and a healthy diet alongside taking them (as you should). They’re an aid not the solution

I think if he sees you eating healthily and exercising alongside then it is hard for him to complain. I’ve seen friends who have taken them and lived off digestives and coffee!