People who think weight loss injections are cheating

[AuntieDote]

I've seen this viewpoint over multiple threads recently, and I'm just really curious to understand it a bit more because it makes no sense to me whatsoever.

What do you think people using the injections are cheating at?

As in - what's the competition and who are they gaining an unfair advantage over? What do you think the rules of being allowed to lose weight are/ should be?

Is it more important to you that overweight people/ those struggling with obesity lose the weight, become healthier, reduce the burden on the NHS, stop taking up more than their allocated amount of space in the world, or just stop doing whatever it is that upsets people so much about the existence of fat people -- or is it more important that they struggle and suffer whilst doing so?

Or would you secretly prefer them to remain fat so you can feel superior?

Is it that you feel you've worked really hard to either lose weight, keep it off or never put it on in the first place, so nobody else should be allowed to achieve this without the same amount of struggle?

What do you think the weight loss injections actually do, and do you not recognise that those on them are also doing all the usual things people who are trying to lose weight e.g. modify their eating, exercise etc? Does it not count that they're doing these things because it's made easier in some ways by the drug?

What types of weight loss support or tools are not 'cheating'? e.g. I used hypnosis once and it worked for a bit, to the point that I felt pretty much the same way I do with the injections i.e. reduction in food noise and compulsion to snack etc. It didn't last anything like as long, but it worked for a time - was that cheating?

Would it still be cheating if they weren't as effective as they are?

FWIW, I really couldn't care less if people think I'm cheating - who cares? Who does it impact only me and my bank balance? If someone said here, press this button and you'll be a healthy BMI overnight and stay there forever I'd press it with both hands and not give a shit about how anyone felt about it.

But it's just the logic of it that baffles me - I've never seen it as a competition and have never felt like getting to or being a healthy weight only counts if it's done in a certain way - I suppose I'm not much interested in what size anyone else is or what they do to get that way, so I can't imagine for a second ever thinking another person was 'cheating' - only ever being happy for them if they're happy and hopefully healthy too.

Yey! Another thread that will descend into nothing but judgment of fat people. Can we go back to hating dogs instead?

Different medications work differently for different people I guess. Antidepressants aren’t one size fits all. If you find something that works for you that’s great but as I say not everything suits everyone. We are all very individual x

That's you though .
You aren't everybody else.so you can't really judge what's happing to them can you?

@insomniacalways I could say snap. I don't have noise even after three weeks off the WLI (I couldn't take them).
I will write a longer post but I wanted to acknowledge your experience.

Actually, while the jury's still out to some extent, most experts seem very upbeat about semiglutides, and believe they could have a range of positive effects beyond just weight loss.

Erm ... for weight loss injections to work, you need to be on a calorie controlled diet and exercise will power. The weight doesn't just magically fall off once you've injected yourself. You have to develop better eating habits to get the results.

@Iloveyoubut 💐

So what happens if you do all that without the injections? Do the injections speed up the weight loss? Or give you more motivation to gym and eat better?

2.5mg. People are entitled to use them if they want but I’m also entitled to feel a little concerned for my friends who are on them. Small portions all the time is miserable.

Oh god, I get that too; it drives me nuts. I watch what I eat, exercise. It isn't easy, I am sick of this notion if you're slim, it is easy, because it isn't. I eat in moderation. I also hate when people think you don't eat because you're thin. I can eat a massive meal, but on that day I won't have eaten too much before it, or have balanced it out through the week. Your body gets used to a certain amount of food, which is why a lifestyle change is always more difficult in the beginning. I don't believe in diets. Nobody has the right to comment on anyone's weight; yet they do when you're thin.

I can manage a much more than average size portion, and I'm sick of the stereotype of, "Oh you'll not be able to manage that?" Erm, I think I know what I can and can't eat.
I eat when I am hungry, and don't usually have 3 meals a day, unless burning a lot of energy. Sometimes intimittent fast etc, because that suits my body. If I want cake I'll have it, I don't ban any foods, just don't eat it every day. I don't calorie count, or measure portions. I am aware if I over eat within the space of a week in ratio to exercise than I'll inevitably gain weight.

If people struggle and want to use injections, I would not judge. I do think any existing MH issues should be addressed at the same time, though. My dm has a real issue with food, she was deprived of it in her childhood, so when she grew she would eat her feelings, and just because she could; no restrictions. Sadly she has ended up with diabetes.

I also think food can be confusing for a lot of people. My friend though she was eating well, but she was having salty processed ham, adding unnecessary salt to things, a lot of jars of sauces etc. You can sort of eat the same things, but in a much better healthier way.

Not you taking it, not your business. That’s my thoughts. 🤷🏻‍♀️ I don’t judge people that drink alcohol, smoke, overeat or vape etc. Because it’s none of my business. So why does anyone think being overweight is open for discussion? Baffles me. I don’t ever see anyone saying what a strain it is on the NHS because of alcoholics or even just ppl that drink regularly. Because it does affect your health, but if you’re slim that ok of course. I don’t think it’s easy for anyone to be who they are, regardless of their weight. Weight is not relevant to struggle nits a by product of it for some.

I'm a bit jealous. I'm keeping my BMI down to 21 post menopause by eating sparingly, running, cycling and doing Pilates. I never bloody stop, because I daren't. And I'm always hungry but I'm a binge eater so I daren't touch food outside a mealtime because I wouldn't stop. ADHD means that food noise is constant and obsessive but I HAVE to ignore it, and that's hard. I wish I could have a jab that stopped me thinking about food ALL THE TIME and stopped me running to the cupboards to have another spoonful of peanut butter after I've had my one meal of the day.

So I really really don't begrudge those on the injections. I just wish I could turn the food noise down a couple of notches sometimes myself.

It's also largely not true.
Most people get hungry around meal times, but are full up quickly on a smaller portion than they would normally need to feel satisfied. They also remain full longer as gastric emptying is slowed down.

That the experience for the majority. A minority are super sensitive and really food averse but it's not the norm and that effect will also become less as the body adjust.

Almost as abundant as the vitriol towards fat people becoming slim .

I've not seen anything remotely like that on this thread.

I love cooking, it's my zen after a day at work. 95% of what we eat is unprocessed. Still fat. My body simply doesn't deal with food in the same way as a lot of people. This is one of the reasons I weighed less within 2 days of giving birth than when I got pregnant!

So…. You are precisely the type of person who is not allowed to have it. People with eating disorders are screened out (although you could lie and/or refuse to share information with your GP who would then veto prescribing it - but as it wouldn’t help you to lose weight, by your own admission, you’d be wasting your money).

Contrary to your post above, just because you have an eating disorder, doesn’t mean that every overweight person - or even most overweight people - have an eating disorder and cannot distinguish hunger. Of all the people I know taking it (7 at last count), not one has an eating disorder. They all have thyroid issues, PCOS, are post menopausal, gained weight after an injury/illness or a period of depression due to a significant bereavement or similar emotional trauma. Usually a combination of several of these. They have underlying medical/life issues that have impacted them and, yes, they may also have had a distorted relationship with food - along with 90% of women, it seems from these posts, regardless of which end of the weight spectrum they sit on.

Your story, desperately sad though it is, is not the norm or representative of overweight people. And certainly not an argument for why people should not be allowed to try it to see if it helps them.

So people who don't have that voice in their head still want to feel superior to people who's genetics mean they have that voice in their head. Once the latter begin to lose excess weight and secure the systemic longevity benefits from the injectables, the former then need to to say 'it's' cheating, whatever that means so they can still try to feel superior.

Try not sharing your use of medication. Otherwise ignore the toxic people. The alternative for many will be choosing unhappiness and worse health to satisfy unpleasant idiots.

Good luck.

Yes, and perhaps a sign that they have titrated up the doses too quickly. My son has been on 7.5mg for several months and will not be moving up any time soon as his appetite is well controlled and he is eating sensible portions. He won’t move up until/unless his weight-loss slows and he finds himself eating more often/larger portions due to feeling hungrier.

Ooooh what is the top right? It looks delicious!

I’d also be concerned for them, and I didn’t say you shouldn’t be. And small portions, or healthy portions is what we should be eating.

This matches what is reported by users to me. It's not being uninterested in food, it's becoming satiated when eating enough and having no interest in over-eating, like 'naturally slimmer' people routinely feel though they usually have put it down to their 'superior willpower' and rubbish about 'calories in and out and exercise'.

I'd admire the 'willpower' comments from someone who had been historically obese and who had lost and kept excess weight off in the long term through diet and exercise. 'Willpower' comments from the 'naturally slim' just shows their ignorance,

The problem with weight loss injections for me is that lack of muscle / sedentary lifestyles are the problem for many people's metabolic issues and excess weight. To build muscle you need to eat a decent amount of calories / protein. If you take an injection to suppress your appetite you're limiting the amount of muscle growth your body can achieve, and you're losing fat but you're probably also losing lean tissue too.

They cost what...£200 a month? I've been spending that amount roughly on a personal trainer for many months and I feel fucking fantastic. I've lost many inches around my whole body and have changed my body composition by increasing muscle, losing fat and I'm down a few stone. I have reaped all the benefits of exercise such as endorphin release, better sleep, socialising with others at the gym, better skin, improved blood flow, mental clarity, belief in myself that I can achieve hard things, improved fitness, strength, better hormonal control etc. Losing weight from an injection gives you none of these benefits, despite it costing the same.

And before people jump on and say "its alright for you, you don't have metabolic issues" - I do. I have PCOS and I gain weight easily. Weight lifting and eating plenty has helped me reverse the symptoms.

Spend your money on a trainer - it'll change your life with no unpleasant side effects.

It’s because they are pissed off they can no longer feel superior

Yes, what you describe is what people on the injections are doing. It gives people the willpower to do it.