Risking a flaming but jealous of those on weight loss injections

[Notmyfinesthours]

I’ve specifically not put this in the weight loss section as I’d rather hear from those who aren’t dieting or thinking about it. Might help me find perspective better.

I am not overweight. I never have been.
I have however had what feels like a lifetime of making sure this is the case.

I suspect many women feel like me. Brought up to fear being fat or greedy or ‘let myself go’ as if it were the worst sin.

Ive skirted close to or actually been in the midst of orthorexia for most of my adult life. Always saying no to pudding, finding the latest food that will fill me up but not have too many calories and fixating on it before I find the next one. Exercising most days, fitting it in by missing lie ins or nights in front of the fire.

Fretting in pregnancy, menopause and any ill health leading to immobility that it might trigger weight gain.

you get the picture? Self flagellation is big driven by an instilled fear of being fat given to many in my generation (I’m 58) (and yes I know I should address this first- I am trying but the media doesn’t help)

Several of my friends and family are big eaters, always seem to have the toastie and cake when we are out and by their own admissions do little exercise. They have often jokingly talked about being slimmer but say they like food too much and ‘have no willpower’ and can’t be bothered to deny themselves for the sake of a few dress sizes.

I know it’s more complex than that but they basically enjoy life in the way it should be enjoyed to my mind and accept they will be a bit larger bodied. I’ve actually always really admired this as an attitude or at least been a bit jealous of it.

But with the new weight loss injections several of them have dropped weight significantly and are so slim and delighted.

I just feel so cheated. Like I’ve been so careful for so long and they haven’t but they get to be slim just with an injection.

I know it’s more complicated, I know it costs them money, might have risks etc but it’s clear so many celebs are doing the same and it feels like it’s not going to be more commonplace.

Why is this making me feel cheated and am I just an awful person?

Does our climate make us hungrier, less inclined to exercise?

To be honest, I'd rather have battled it and won throughout my life (and it has been a battle at times) than have lived my life fighting it and losing. It would be horrible to feel shit about yourself.

I prefer to run on the slender side, so I live accordingly. It's a struggle at times. I slip into bad habits sometimes, like eating too many sugary treats (and it's quite scary how my body starts expecting it or just wants more and more) I put on more weight than I'd like periodically, but I manage to pull it back again.

I consider this a lifestyle choice, based on how I feel happiest. I'm not in competition with anyone or comparing myself to anyone - I couldn't care less what size anyone else is or how they achieve it. Its only 'cheating' if you're competing. The people that take it are only trying to live their optimal lives, same as the rest of us.

I'm slightly dubious about the longterm effects of these drugs, but again, that's personal choice and the longterm effects of obesity aren't exactly great. I've seen other threads declaring 'all the skinnies are jealous that we'll look good', and trying to blame every external factor going on being obese whilt not accepting a crumb of responsibility and I'm dubious that people with that mindset can ever make material changes to their lives, but that's really not my problem and it hardly keep me awake at night.

I have still had to low carb while on injections in order to lose weight and tackle the prediabetes that both contributed to my excess weight and occurred because of it. I will still have to low carb when I'm off the jags so it doesn't come back. My lifestyle will have to be like yours, but I'm not bitter about it. I'm getting a second chance, the way I see it, to turn my health around. If the price I'm going to pay for that is not being able to eat the way I used to, I'm willing to pay it.

3 months ago I was scared, felt totally powerless and overwhelmed about my weight and health and didn't know where to start. I couldn't face another failed diet. It's not a nice place to be. Perhaps your colleague was in a similar rut. I hope she is able to change her relationship with food through treatment, because if she doesn't it'll be a lot of money wasted. It's not the fast fix people think it is.

Obviously your body is not supposed to be a size 10. What is wrong with being a bit bigger? It sounds thoroughly miserable depriving your body like that, and is potentially ageing anyway as very restrictive diets are.

3000 people in Manchester to be given these drugs as a trial into widespread obesity treatment and economic benefits...

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/10/14/weight-loss-jabs-get-britain-working-wes-streeting/

Amazing!!

This is fantastic news and could transform lives and communities for the better

Thank you for all the replies- I have read every single one.
You have all given me so much to think about and reflect on and genuinely I appreciate how much kindness and understanding I have been shown in the face on my own lack of both towards others.
Ive learnt a lot and it has really shifted my thinking so being selfish (another bad trait!) I am glad I posted.

Im so sorry for anyone who was upset by some of the things written here. In general I think we almost all agreed that society/patriarchy/media etc has done a number on us all, some faring worse from that than others due to factors almost entirely out of their control.

It is very interesting to think about why some people are the way they are with food. I think the reasons you list above, plus living in relative poverty- for example, people who cannot afford large enjoyments like holidays, days out etc, will often turn to food as their enjoyment instead of anything else, and I also think that the way people get addicted/ obsessed with food strongly mimics the cycles of alcoholism (I also find it very interesting that many people who overcome their food issues swap it for alcohol and vice versa)

These jabs are fabulous in cutting down addictive behaviours across the board, from the last time I checked, people were finding greater chances of achieving sobriety from addictions like drugs and alcohol, gambling, shopping as well as food. I am really interested to see when further studies are complete on GLP-1jabs because they seem like a wonder drug right now.

I also think there are some genetics when it comes to our weight. My children are all large. Even at the point where all they have is milk, they run 1-2 sizes above the age they should be in...

I think the weight loss drugs we now have available will mean in 5-10 years we should have better answers about obesity.

Even when my diet was spot on, I was exercising etc, I was still 3 + stone bigger than people who were not exercising or eating half as healthily as I was.

This thread is making me realise how most of us women live with 'food noise' from a young age, and I'd be very surprised if many men would say the same.

Im quite tall
but about 4 stone overweight. I tried weight loss injections about 2 years ago. I lost a stone ish in 6 weeks but felt awful -
regularly vomited and shat myself twice. That was on the lowest dose.

decided it really wasn’t worth it, and put the weight back on almost straight away as soon as I stopped.

Would you also be jealous of living life literally always hungry? To the point that your entire brain and body is channeled towards nothing but the next food.

Because that's the food noise that most obese people live with day in day out and it's literally impossible to beat with "willpower" alone. Willpower helps normal people avoid a second biscuit. There is not enough willpower on earth to overcome the feeling of constant hunger.

So yes, you are being unreasonable in being jealous of people paying through the nose for something that makes it just a little bit easier, by dulling the noise and constant craving. They are still dieting, they are still putting in the effort. They are just getting a bit of help to be on an even playing field with everyone else.

You gave highlighted society's judgement of fat people. That they are lazy, gluttonous, feckless people with no self control. You have verbalised what many people think. That it's a level playing field and if everyone ate the same and moved the same we would all be the same size. That everyone's bodies work exactly the same way

Science has proven this not to be true. You managed to do what others couldn't. Perhaps you are the lucky one and it is they who should be jealous of you.

I voted YABU

but I agree with others, you're not awful. Just honest.

I think there will soon be a time where there are no obese people. Whether that is through "will power", or medical treatment.

There are costs to having the jab (financial costs, not enjoying food, side effects). So, I don't think you should be too jealous. Just try to be happy for others. Think of it as someone who is having successful treatment for an addiction - I don't think you would feel jealous in those circumstances, even though you might have to use "will power" to drink or gamble in moderation, for example.

@Smallsalt except the marginally overweight & those with a normal or upper end of normal are increasingly also on the drug.

*missing word - BMI.

why has no one pointed out the number of posters saying just think about all their saggy skin and how fat people who've lost weight have already damaged their insides?

All the posters saying they agree with the OP need to self assess themselves. Its no ones business what medications people choose to take, with the informed risks. It's personal medical information. Its no ones business. No one gleefully rationalizes their jealously that people who take other types of medications are cheating and they'll have to suffer the side effects anyway.

People, and sadly a lot of women, are obsessed with the bodies of other women. There is an element of moral judgment as one poster said above. This language shouldn't be justified.

Deal with your own issues and stop projecting your own hate on people trying to be healthier. Honestly nothing pisses me off more than how this attitude is condoned. Grow up.

wtfffffffff

You cant eat what you want on them. You cant eat much at all on them. You would eat and be even more restricted than now. If you eat more than essentially a ration portion you will likely feel rapidly unwell.

your attitude is embarrassing

Probably because more girls are raised to be conscious of the amount they eat than boys are. But also it's more socially acceptable to be fat when youre a bloke.

Except that the marginally over weight aren't who she is jealous of.

It's the big fat bastards that she's been happily judging for her whole life and now feels a bit put out that they aren't fat any more so she is having to to find something else to judge them on to feel happy about herself.

Ha yep this. I had a weird pang of jealousy about it as well and no idea why. Not too over weight but I live with an extra half a stone to a stone on as I do eat the cake etc.
it's a very strange thing isn't it maybe cause it feels like it's cheating I think?

Or you can have no side effects, experience apetite supression to help caloie deficit and still enjoy food without cravings and stop before you have over eaten.

I trained every day but had a BMI of 35 because I could not stop eating. My resting heart rate was 48.
With the jabs, I still train every day, my BMI is 20 and my resting heart rate is 44.

You really shouldn't generalize.