Why are so many people anti WLI

[Mumble12]

I just don’t understand it!

Mounjaro has literally changed my life overnight. It’s dealt with things that I didn’t even know were fixable. Why are so many people (presumably those that haven’t tried them and really have no intention to) so dead against it.

Do people misunderstand how it works? So many people perceive it as cheating…but I can’t fathom the logic - even if it was cheating…so what?! Why do they want people to be miserable and struggle with obesity?

I do get the worry of not fully knowing the side effects, although of course that goes for any new-ish medication, but if it was taken for what people deemed to be a worthy cause, there’s never any uproar, so it does feel a bit disingenuous from some people.

With regard to anorexia etc as I’ve mentioned it’s not been my experience at all. Losing weight ‘naturally’ helped me develop a borderline eating disorder, whereas this has completely broken that cycle around food for me. I’m not sure if there’s any significant data from people who have stopped that disproves my experience though.

I’m on them and even tho I don’t see it as bad, as such, there is a a part of me that does think I’m cheating. Because I can’t control my own food noise and hunger levels as my willpower as shit and whatever other reasons I need to delve into. I know I can do it as I’ve done before but put it back on. so I AM kind of cheating, my willpower now is because I can’t physically face eating shit or too much. I don’t feel bad about it tho, not one bit. I had help to quit smoking with patches too. If there’s something I can pay for to help me i will and I don’t care what anyone thinks honestly.

It’s not off license in the UK, as it was approved for use for weight loss in 2023. I do get the cult vibe, it’s very much that! I think purely because of the life changing effects it’s having for so many people - they can’t believe how transformative it is and has changed their lives in ways they didn’t think was possible and so they want to rave about it.

Yes this is exactly how I feel, it is cheating in the sense that I can now eat healthily without giving it a second thought, rather than it consuming every minute of my existence. But why that would bother anyone else I don’t know 🤷🏻‍♀️ Particularly if they don’t have a need for them.

I think a lot are stressed that their own skinniness won’t be praised as much as there’s going to be less fatties around

No I don’t expect things to ‘magically’ make me better. I know I have to work hard to feel good in my body; whether that’s doing the extra rep at the gym when I just want to stop, lifting heavy when I really want to go light, or doing a 10 minute Pilates when I want to do nothing at all. I’m slim - always have been so weight has never been an issue but as I get older health has come to mean something more to me; feeling pain free, moving confidently and with purpose and occupying my whole body - these are things that only movement and exercise will give you. I have a condition actually it’s classed as a disease, for which I have a subscription of low dose morphine I don’t take the medication - never have. Instead I don’t drink alcohol, I don’t overindulge on refined sugar (a nice meal out I’ll have a desert), and I don’t drink caffeine. These are all inflammatory foods that aggravate my disease. We all have to abstain from things eventually. There are two types of people in life those who are disciplined and those who are not. You can teach yourself to be either it’s just mindset.

That’s the point though - there isn’t significant data full stop on the impact of WLI. On long term health issues, on eating disorders, on rebound weight gain etc. People wouldn’t dream of injecting a broadly untested drug on their children - heck, they wouldn’t inject their dog! - so it is a concern how easily Big Pharma is roping people in.

This is what my issue with it is.
Alongside the fact that the long term side effects are not yet really known.
I just dislike how it’s being touted as this miracle drug that will fix everything. All things like this should be approached with caution.

I overheard someone talking about this at work, one lady was considering it but decided the possible long term side effects would cause her too much anxiety. So although she doesn't seem to think it is cheating, she prefers to do weight loss the conventional way.

Ha. It’s not just mindset. I see you have a very narrow view. You’re right, it is easy to abstain from things. That is incredibly basic advice that everybody knows. And what if that doesn’t work??

How’s that any of your business though? Your weird. It’s not your money or your body.

So you dont want the taxpayer to fund them, but paying for the greater costs of obesity related diseases is ok? Because that's the choice.

I think you misunderstand how it works. I’ve been on mounjaro for about 7 weeks and while my appetite is suppressed and I’m eating less, I still enjoy tasty food. In fact I’ve experimented more recently as have fancied different things - like putting nuts and seeds in salads for a bit of added crunch, and different flavours with chicken. It really just turns off that devil on your shoulder that says “you’re hungry, make a bacon sandwich” and instead you make healthier choices.
You don’t need to feel sad.

Here's my perspective as someone who is overweight, not o WLI, doesn't know much about them and doesn't know anyone on them.

I'd be worried about the long term effects, as they are unknown (but then, I happily had my covid injections so 🤷‍♀️).

I find all the information online confusing and overwhelming. The fact you have to buy them online and not prescribed by your own GP (if that's correct) worries me.

The cost - how do so many people afford it?

The long term impact, what happens once you reach your target weight and come off them? I've been a yoyo dieter all my adilt life and would feel awful to have spent thousands on weight loss only to pile it all on again. Is there any associated support to help keep that mindset of eating less and more healthily to maintain a healthy weight?

I admire people who are taking them and seeing the benefits, I'm not remotely jealous or critical of them, so just offering my perspective to the OPs question.

Iterations of these weight loss drugs have been around since the 80’s for diabetics. They have only been approved for weight loss since about 2022 but they’re not a new drug.

Sorry if slightly off topic but do WLI have any effect on menopause weight gain? I’m talking weight put on for no other reason other than menopause. I’ve gained 10lbs, I work off more calories than I consume almost every day but still gained. I wonder if people will notice the same thing even if taking the injections?

I am not anti WLI. But I do not want them. It is my choice as an obese person. I am following the Fast 800 plan and loving the food. I got fat because at 5ft small I have been eating the same size portions as my 5ft 8 family. I was over eating for emotional reasons too. I do not believe I have a disease. I ate too much because I was a greedy cow and love the wrong food. Now I am losing weight and having help with my self esteem I finally feel in control of my life. I am more organised, I can see myself in the future as a healthy person as I know I can achieve it. Working on my self discipline has given me such a boost. Iam happy that those on WLI feel the same as we are all individuals with choices and we alone know what goes on in our heads.

I'll admit there's a slight bit of envy in my mistrust of WLI. Not because people are loosing weight, I'm very good at loosing weight, but of how they are doing it and how it is viewed by the general public and to a lesser extent medical professionals.

When someone on WLI loses 4 to 7lb a week by eating 800 calories a day its a good thing. Yay Mounjaro!

When i do the same bit without WLI it's problematic and I need help.

When someone on WLI becomes underweight its fine, hun, they just need to adjust their dose and don't they look great?

When I do the same it's a threat to life and inpatient treatment or sectioning under the mental health act should be considered.

It's either dangerous to live on less than 1000 calories a day or to be underweight or it's not. (It is FWIW)

Everyone has a metabolism that works differently. I have the type that means I can look at a cake and gain a pound…and I’ve been regulating my weight since I was 12 years old. Most of the women in my family are overweight and we’ve spent most of our lives on and off diets, losing, gaining, losing, gaining. Through trial and error (I’m short), I’ve learned that to lose weight I can’t eat any more than 1100 calories. If anyone’s tried to do that for a long period, it’s utterly miserable. In time, that creeps up to 1500
or more and before I know it, on comes the weight.

For me, although I’m quite new to it (5 weeks in), MJ has been life changing. I’m steadily losing by eating 1100 cals a day, packed full of protein but I’m just not starving which is such a feeling of freedom. Normally by now I’d have caved in and eaten ‘normal food’.

I’m building exercise into my day and trying to reshape my whole approach to food. Of course I’m concerned about what will happen when I come off them but I will focus now on getting my body healthy.

The rage that some people feel is based on believing fat people don’t ‘deserve’ it. ‘They’re just lazy slovens who stuff their faces all day long’. And yet they don’t seem to deny smokers nicotine patches or drug addicts the possibility of methadone etc.

Bottom line is, it’s a weight loss tool and it’s really no one else’s business how I choose to get healthy!

It's a similar mindset that prevails towards childbirth that natural is better. If you can lose weight the natural way that's got to be better than potentially giving yourself other problems with drug use.

Tests show that you need to be on WLI forever to keep the weight off. Eating less lowers your metabolism and can increase your weight set point so when you go back to normal you pile it all back on and more.

I do understand that some people are genetically prone to being overweight. I just don't think WLI are the answer. I think a sensible diet and exercise programme is better and have more respect for someone doing that than WLI.

That said I don't really begrudge someone and would never say anything nasty about their WLI use in the same way I wouldn't slag them off for having acrylic nails or HD brows or something else I wouldn't do. We all make our choices. Some choices are healthier than others and I'm not perfect either.

I think a sensible diet and exercise programme is better

Why is a sensible diet and exercise programme better when we know that on a societal level, that will not work for obese people? Since you've posted about people on MJ not keeping weight off when they stop, it's very disingenuous not to also highlight that exactly the same occurs when obese people lose weight through more traditional methods.

I think k that for a lot of people it is jealousy plain and simple. They had a fat friend who was constantly trying to diet but constantly falling off the wagon. They were always kind to their friend. Sympathetic when the next diet failed, assuring them that they looked good when they went out. But secretly they did like being the slimmer, more attractive one who got most of the attention. They would never dream of being unkind to the friend, calling her fat ext but deep down being with this friend enhanced their own confidence. Then suddenly ...wow ...friend looks amazing. She's loving the new look, new clothes and all the positive attention and her own confidence soars. The dynamic has changed and deep down originally thin friend doesn't like the new, more equal dynamic.

I think they’re great as a tool to help obese people and those with weight related health issues to lose the weight, and hopefully keep it off. Congratulations to anyone who’s done that, it must be a life changer to be a healthy weight again.

what I’m worried about is the Hollywood contingent using it to stay extremely slim and the impact that has on society. The lack of healthy role models in the media, etc.

Also, I do worry “food noise” has become a marketing gimmick to get more people to take them. I’m not for a second suggesting people don’t get hugely preoccupied with what they are and are not eating, particularly when trying to lose weight or if they eat UPF that is known to trigger cravings, but it’s becoming an epidemic and frankly that feels like nonsense.

It’s cheating in a similar way that driving 3 miles to work instead of walking is cheating. Or using a dishwasher to clean your plates instead of washing by hand is cheating.
It’s a tool that makes things easier.
I’ve genuinely had the easiest ride on MJ, lost 5 stone and never eaten better in my life. Made all that much easier without cravings or food noise. I’ve got insulin resistant PCOS. This medication replaces something my body does not do for itself. I’ll be on it for life or as long as they’ll let me have it for. If I put all the weight back on if I have to come off it (highly likely as, like I mentioned, my body physically can not use enough of the insulin I produce without it) I will wait until I qualify for it again and go back on it. Ideally they will allow me to take it long term.
Don’t give a shit about whether or not people think I’m cheating - although I do understand how people feel envious of how easy it seems to be to lose weight on them.