To be really jealous of people who can afford weight loss injections?

[Charliede1182]

It seems like everyone and their dog is taking them, I personally know several people who are on them with significant and effortless weight loss, and I feel like there is becoming more and more of a disparity between those who can afford to buy themselves a smaller appetite and those who can't.

It's not just a social or cosmetic issue, it's about health equity.

In my case I don't want to lose weight for vanity or to cater to patriarchal beauty standards, I am comfortable and confident in my appearance and keen to model body positivity to my daughter.

However I am on the combined pill (for important medical reasons not contraception) and my weight is starting to threaten my ongoing access to this.

I am very fit, walk 5-8 miles a day, some of it with a weighted vest, gym 2-3 x weekly, resistance training, cook almost everything from scratch and although I am no angel I would say my diet is about 90% healthy.

I just don't feel full with small portions, it is an apparent mismatch between appetite and metabolism which is why I would love these injections to make me less hungry.

Even if I had the willpower to just eat less, being hungry all the time isn't a good quality of life and my attitude has always been I would rather enjoy myself and be a bit heavier than society thinks I should, than be thin and miserable.

Whilst I could probably get the money together for a couple of months of treatment, this is not how these drugs work, as people's appetite just comes roaring back if they stop, and then they can end up in a worse position having lost lean mass as well, so I would only go down this road if I could afford it longer term.

Just wondering if anyone else has Ozempic envy right now??!!!

There is a huge black market for them, sellers bringing them back from Turkey.

This isn’t true, not for MJ WLI anyway, it’s the same price in Turkey as it is in the UK.

I was/am going to the gym 5x a week and doing cardio (running) 4 x weekly, plus working full time and just basically being a mum, however due to undiagnosed thyroid, I was putting weight on at an excessive rate and the NHS was completely ignorant/useless in diagnosing me, even when my blood results were showing as critical illness and advised my heart palpitations and confusion/memory fog was due to early menopause.

After 2 years of horrendous symptoms, I went privately as I literally felt as if I was dying, unfortunately I was critically ill with a life threatening illness called thyroid storm!

I was diagnosed with UAT and admitted to the High dependency unit within 24hrs of my private blood results, as I was in a thyroid crash and admitted for several weeks, I was put on Levo and T3 hormone replacement and my private consultant suggested I start WLI as he believes this would aid my weight.

Im just starting to feel myself again, I’ve lost 2.5 stone and that’s between a combination of the thyroid medication and the WLI, however my physical and mental health is slowly starting to return to a healthy balance.

Not everyone is on weight loss medication for just being “lazy” or taking the “easy way out” no matter what people’s reasoning is for taking WLI, is unique to them and what’s important is that they are trying to improve their health and lifestyle and no one should be bashed for taking control of their health.

Are you in a calorie deficit?

Your gym membership would go to a good chunk. You dont "need" the gym - you can achieve all the gym exercises in natural situations by substitution.
Stepper - use your flight of stairs
Running machine - go out for a run
Bike machine- go out on a bike
Classes - get the routine and do it at home

The gym is a luxury that you can substitute

A disparity in health care isn't exclusive to weight loss injections. People use private health care to skip long NHS waiting lists, people get gastric bands privately, breast reductions privately, dental care needs to be paid for as does eye care. I've paid for private speech and language therapy for my autistic child after 2 years on the NHS waiting list and I am saving for a private OT assessment because I can't get that on the NHS in my area.
It is what it is really. If it was up to me where NHS money went there would be many things in front of weight loss injections. Weight loss is something the vast majority could manage without medical intervention if they put in the effort.

Whilst losing weight is as simple as eat less, It's not as simple as "eat less" in real life.

It's breaking/rewriting habit's of a lifetime... Clearing your plate, "rewarding yourself" with sweet food, eating at art times because of society, getting home and having a snack..

It's having to remember to do it all "cook 1 sausage, not 3", weigh portions.

It's breaking the emotional relationship with food. People eat when stressed, angry, sad, bored etc

It's solving the problem of being time poor and just eating whatever you grab, not feeling like you have enough time to cook etc.

It's re-education for some people knowing what is good and healthy food.

It's finding things that everyone will eat at once.

It's emotional "admitting" you're overweight... It's like you've failed or something.

Answering/fielding questions from people "oh is that all you're having" or "oh don't you like my cake?"

It's keeping track of everything.... "Oh I had a custard cream earlier, probably shouldn't have this bourbon for afternoon snack...or should I?"

If it was so easy, nobody would be overweight.

I know right!

I can’t believe that people are willing to stop their gym membership to spend money on these drugs?!

I go to the gym to get fit, build muscle and burn calories so that I CAN enjoy my food. Win win!

This was probably psychosomatic- you were reading about WLI a lot and appetite suppression and it subconsciously caused your own appetite to suppress slightly.

Why would WLI manufacturers want to give it away for free in the water system? 😂

Eh? Where did I say it was easy? I was talking about eating less using WLI.

The point of my post was that eating less costs less money than eating more, not that losing weight is a case of “simply” eating less.

Good for you.

I go to the gym and walk 6 miles every day and still eat far too much sometimes, meaning my weight yo-yo’s and I’m often tipping into the overweight bracket. I love nice food and drink.

MJ takes away the ability to overeat and keeps me at a constant healthy weight. No more yo-yo-ing. I’ve been at the same weight for a year now, give or take a few pounds. Never done this before in my adult life.

What about this do you find so difficult to understand? - you do realise people are not all the same, right?

MJ allows me to still eat nutritious, tasty food and eat out regularly but stops me being able to overindulge (which I often would - to the point of feeling ill).

It’s fantastic and life changing for many, many people. Why do you care so much that people are choosing to take a safe, rigorously tested medication that helps them live a much happier, healthier life?

It comes across like banging on about doing it “yourself” ie. without the help of medication - makes you feel superior in some way? Why is that do you think? I’m genuinely interested.

I can’t believe e anyone is paying £150 (at least, after discounts are used up) every 4 weeks to a gym though. There is no way a gym costs the same as WLI and if it does you are being ripped off.

Id rather pay for wli than the gym. I went through a stage of going to the gym every day, doing various classes such as pump, hiit, spin. I got fitter for sure but it didn't affect my weight...if anything I felt hungrier and ate more. Have lost over three stone on wli and don't do any exercise.

Because it's much easier than going to the gym 4+ times a week and burning enough calories to lose weight and enjoy food.

On Mounjaro I can easily eat 800 cals a day and feel full enough, have energy.

Previously on an 800 cal diet I was miserable, hungry, constantly considering what food I could have etc.

Even going to the gym to get the deficit to 800 requires a lot of effort...

Having the injections is a million times easier than going to the gym and having to constantly watch what you're eating etc.

I've done them all, and WLI is by far the easiest way to lose weight.

I’m simply sharing my own experience and thoughts. It was not my intention to upset anyone.

I wish some of them would come and piss in my local reservoir - my tap water must be full of steroids and cannabis 😂

Maybe I just need to start drinking bottled water!

I can afford it but choose not to as I’ve read when you come off it, it messes with your metabolism so you actually end up having to eat less yet your cravings go crazy. Unless you want a lifetime pay for slim subscription you’re most likely going to balloon as soon as you stop taking it.

So i don’t think it’s the answer. Just another quick fix that’ll cost you dearly in the long run unless you can take it forever.

Pay for slim. Fucksake.

Im planning to pay for as long as I can for the reversal of type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, high blood pressure and improved focus and ability. Probably more but fucking hell, not to be slim. To be alive

@averychoc Indeed. My lowered BP and reduced risk of stroke is worth every single penny. Being "slim" and suddenly socially acceptable is a side effect and not a goal.

@Merlinis it's not a "quick fix" and the risk of rebound weight gain if you stop taking it is similar to any other weight loss method. It also doesn't "mess with your metabolism". There is no metabolic damage as a result of the medication. A large weight loss alone, however you achieve it, will change your metabolism potentially but that can be prevented by exercising.

I really hope this doesn't happen to me. I've been off it 9months now and gained 4lbs back. My cravings haven't come back yet either. However I was on it for 2 years in total before titrating down.

Honestly I call bullshit on this.

Yes hormonal or thyroid problems can cause weight issues, but no one is getting fat and staying fat because of these: people get fat because they eat too much, then they struggle to lose because they’re eating more than they’re burning.

FWIW I think we’re sold a lie as women that we need to eat 2,000 cals a day. My TDEE is somewhere around 13/1400 tops (5 ft 5, 9 stone). I need to eat surprisingly little to maintain my weight. I also don’t believe the calorie burning numbers on machines at the gym, nor really on my watch. I think we can’t get our heads around the actual amount of food an average-sized woman needs because we’re constantly marketed to

Ffs, at 5.5ft and 9 stone….do you even understand what being overweight is about?
hormones and thyroid issues do not just “get better” by popping a few pills. I was exactly like you through my 20s and well into my 40s…..had a child, and then hit menopause by 50, with a good dose of underactive thyroid chucked in for good measure. My weight ballooned over 3-4 years by 2-3 stone. Now in my 60 I’ve had a medical issue where I have to take steroids, hello another 2 stones.
how dare you say health issues are not to blame…..just lazy, fat people…eating too much. Fuck you.

Not true. Been off for 12 months.

It won’t now you’ve learned how to feel satisfied on smaller amounts.
My diss lost over 4 stone, years ago at slimming world, she never got her large appetite back and has kept the weight off.
She continued cooking low calorie meals, fake away takeaway and always has a meal
out on a Saturday night.
I think she put back on 7lb but looks great.

I was the same @soupyspoon

I think as I was so big before that I looked so slim and I kept saying but I’m still overweight. BMI is 26

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iyswim

Ok I’ll bite. Do you think those of us who aren’t overweight are just blessed with good genes? If I eat too much, I gain; if I quit my exercise regime, I gain. I’m not saying health issues don’t contribute to weight gain (read my previous posts); I’ve not once said some people don’t find their weight more difficult to manage than others. If anything, it pisses me off the whole narrative of it’s just luck and good genes: it’s bloody hard work let me tell you. Anyway, not to derail the thread. I still 100% call absolute nonsense on health issues being entirely to blame, same as I don’t believe some people magically gain three stone eating 900 calories a day. Honestly confronting problems head on by being honest with yourself is always the best strategy

I hope you get a chance to try it. I am so happy to be on Mounjaro. Life changing for me x