The rise of the trend of GLP-1 and the pressure it brings?

[PiriPiriMenopause]

First of all I just want to say I have nothing against the choice people make for the injections at all, I think they’re great and they obviously work for people who need them! I totally get why someone would want to take it, and it really is transforming lives.

But I worry about the pressure this is bringing so the it. I’m a size 14 and pretty normal. At the moment I don’t have trouble buying clothes or getting stuff to fit. My BMI is about 26 which yes is higher than the recommended but not massively so.

So many people I know are on this drug! Honestly, in my normal every day life, I know of at least 15 people who are taking it. It’s working brilliantly and the results are fantastic they’re happy and it’s great, I love seeing how their confidence has turned on a sixpence. Some of the women were larger than me some were not that much larger than me or the same size.

I’m not sure if my experience is a reflection of what’s going on country wide or not. But AIBU to worry about the knock on effect this will have moving forward. I worry that a size 14 will soon become almost obsolete in the shops because people are no longer requiring larger sizes, I worry about the knock on pressure this will bring to those of us who can’t afford to take it or simply don’t want to or can’t take it. I worry about it becoming a culture for people of my daughter’s age and what it means for their confidence in future.

I’m just interested to see if I’m just being paranoid or if this is something other people worry about. There’s always been a massive pressure on women in particular with their size and appearance but this is the first time I’ve ever really felt it so extreme!

thar won’t happen as it about the regulatory authorities, not big pharmaceuticals. Big pharma would, sure, but the authorities won’t permit it.they say no. So I don’t think that will be the case, these will remain prescription medications and the global health authorities are not looking at changing that.

I think that's good.

That’s only on the nhs, for everyone else, which is 99 percent of people, it’s private prescription and it’s 30 bmi or 27 bmi with a weight related health issue and that can be anything from high blood pressure to menopause.

i was about 32 bmi, lost 6 and a half stone, now bmi 20. No loose skin at all, and im in my fifties, but ive worked out throughout and eaten my protein, im toned and you can see muscle definition.

much depends on genetics, how well you lose the weight ie protect muscle and how long you were fat for. I was about three years obese, ie 30 or over bmi, so no issue, I snapped back.

@AbbaCadaBra my starting BMI was 50, it’s now 25. I have some crepey areas of skin, bingo wings and a bit of stomach overhang but I don’t require/need any surgery. I suppose I could opt for it if it really bothered me. I’m going to see how it all settles down for a year or more at a stable weight and then reassess.

My BMI was 40+, it’s 23 now. The only saggy skin I’ve got is my belly (I’ve carried 4 big babies so it was never going to be good!). I just tuck it in my knickers. Apart from my tummy, the rest of me looks reasonably ok.

I’ve been maintaining for about 8 months now, it shrinks back, when I stopped you could see I’d lose weight, some crepeyness on my upper arms, my stomach if i twisted, and under my backside, it’s all gone, you’d now never know I lost weight if you saw me naked. To be fair there was no loose skin , just crepey, even the little turkey neck I developed has gone.

i focused in body recomp when i hit goal, so upping my cals and protein and strength training,

they say it can take up to two years, I’d say I was six months for me, it’s odd, it’s like your skin just takes a bit longer.

obviously if you’ve been very fat for very long, it would be more complex, but I doubt many fit into that category.

@Daisywhatsyouranswer sadly I’ve been obese or morbidly obese for almost all of my adult life, so three decades. I am actually amazed that I don’t have more of an issue with loose skin, given that! I had two big babies and two c sections as well, so the stomach was never going to be a washboard.

I don’t know how you feel but it doesn’t matter does it you’ve done so well and better some loose skin than still being obese, ☺️

That's exactly what I am saying! 'I think you may be attributing something to me that comes from another post.

I am saying I doubt size 14 will disappear because not that many people at that size will be getting it, either because they can't or because even among those who could pay for it, some of them simply won't want to unless they have proper concerns about their weight for their health.

I'm not sure why you keep coming at me because I think we are agreeing. Size 14 is here to stay.

@LavenderBlue19 I’m just like you. I’ve always loved all the food that’s bad for me, but now I find I don’t want to eat greasy food. Ive tried smaller portions or feast food and don't enjoy it now.

I’ve even been choosing to eat fruit! (Unheard of). I’ve finally learned how to tell when I’ve eaten enough, and now manage to stop eating when I’m full.
plus, as you say, m not constantly thinking about food.

I think we're going to go from an obesity crisis to an eating disorder crisis. I know quite a few women who obtained the jabs via nefarious means as they don't qualify for them. They ranged from a 10 to 12 and are all now a size 6...and getting smaller.

@Daisywhatsyouranswer thanks, I feel amazing. I look great in the clothes that I want to wear (size 14!!) and very much more importantly my health is vastly improved, as is my fitness and general well-being. A bit of loose skin and crepey bits is massively preferably to carrying another 11 stone around with me all day. I actually don’t know how I was able to be as active as I was, looking back.

I’m in the healthy range for BMI but I’m at the upper end of it but love the sound of being able to take a pill to help me control my eating. I’m always at war with myself to keep the weight off.
I think it’s brilliant that so many people are loosing weight so well. I think of the massive amount of money that will be saved by the NHS. Being overweight or obese is so bad for your health.
I think lots of people won’t want to take it. I would be hesitant to take it as I’d worry about feeling nauseous but if I was in the unhealthy weight range I’d definitely try it. I’m hopping they will develop a low dose drug that does something similar for people who are not overweight.

I know some people struggle with it but it incredible what it’s done for some people.

I’m the same with fruit, it’s really odd, I’ve spent 50 years turning my nose up at it, eating in minor quantities if I felt I should. Now god, give me some pineapple, mango, strawberries, grapes and I’m in heaven, our fruit bill is through the roof, but I don’t give a second thought to the chocolate or crisps, not remotely interested.

Chocolate just tastes so artificially sweet now its unappetising, in 18 months I’ve had one Lindt and one markies caramel bite thing, both I found artificially sweet , didn’t really enjoy, and didn’t want more.

I can even taste the sweetness in veg and salad now, I used to hate frozen mixed veg, I recall the first time I had some on mounjaro and I was exclaiming oh god that’s so good, it is so sweet, my husband was side eyeing me like I was nuts.

then he went on mounjaro, and we were out for dinner, and he went on and on about how good his very plain side salad was, how tasty and was the best salad he’d ever had . From the man who always dodged a salad if he could. 😂

Absolutely and congratulations, it is such a huge achievement. x

Her transformation is remarkable, so people are remarking.

I really don't think telling people off is going to make a difference.

There's never an answer to this.

Im a size 14 and nowhere near heavy enough to take them. Also without trying to be awful, there are side effects! And unfortunately the two people Ive known to go on them gained weight pretty quickly again once they stopped. People need to make proper changes at their target weight ro keep it off.

I agree.

I do think if people are really heavy, the loss probably makes some of the changes they need to make easier eg exercise. And just the incentive of keeping what has been achieved, rather than having the hard slog of losing it. Some people get obese through complicated circumstances that have been hard for them to get in front of. The drugs do help them get ahead of the problems - at least for a time.

But I do think at a size 14 there isn't so much work to be done that thoughtful dietary adjustment and some good walking shoes wouldn't deal with it.

House!

Why would you be awful for saying there are side effects? Not for most, but there are for a small number of people - that’s a fact. Why the faux concern about raising it?
Don’t you think your tiny sample of 2 is rather small to be concluding that people aren’t making proper changes to keep the weight off?
Do you honestly think this phenomenon of regaining weight after dieting is unique to WLI? If people didn’t regain weight after losing, programs like WW and slimming world would go out of business, wouldn’t they?

I think if you are on it for medical reasons and it improves your weight and co morbidities great. If you take it privately for vanity reasons and it makes you happier in your body, fill your boots, it’s your life and money, do what you will. What I cannot understand is this defensive stance users take when anyone dares question the legitimacy of using the drug or any possible side effects that may or may not exist. It’s almost “cult like”. Emma Stone once said “We're always too skinny, or too fat. Too tall, or too short. We're shaming each other, and we're shaming ourselves, and it sucks”

Ah, I didn’t see this earlier. The old ‘they all look haggard and wrinkled’ bullshit. Pure jealously from those unable or unwilling to use WLI - or those who have never struggled with weight who are worried about no longer having the skinny advantage…

The drugs help them make the changes.
People who change their habits don’t regain.

Why do you care what others do so much?

Who is questioning the side effects? They exist. Mostly due to rapid weight loss, rather than the medication itself but they do. I’ve not had any - like most on the medication.
I’ve taken mounjaro privately - not for vanity reasons but because I was morbidly obese and the NHS hadn’t rolled it out yet (not that I’d qualify anyway, as I was a reasonably healthy fatty) - why do you think those on a private prescription are using it for vanity reasons?