Ozempic for life?

[curiousfurious]

This drug seems to be all the rage at the moment and gets good results. If you are not diabetic and lose enough weight on this to get down to a normal healthy weight do you stop taking it? Will the NHS continue to prescribe it if you are a normal weight after however long it took to reach your goal weight? If you are getting it privately because you don't meet the NHS prescribing criteria will your provider continue to provide it if you are no longer overweight?
I've read threads on here recently and there doesn't seem to be much focus on lifestyle changes or addressing the causes of being obese in the first place. I wonder if there's a danger in this being perceived as a wonder drug cure for obesity but that it's only short term. Diabetics will be on it for life perhaps but what about those who aren't diabetic? It's very expensive, prohibitively so to many, so what happens to those who can't afford it any more?

Good for you. But my advice WORKS.

I'm done with some of the idiots on this thread (not talking about you of course!) Such limited levels of understanding and empathy. I'm going to leave them to their superiority complexes.

Nice lady like behaviour lol.

If you want empathy ask your husband. If you want FACTs then stick around.

I've lost weight by calorie counting and exercising. I also don't drink. But, I am also capable of empathy, don't see the world in black and white and understand that while fat loss may be simple, it isn't always easy.

Agree with you on most points.
it is simple but not easy.
have to change habits.
very well done on your fat loss though.

The point I was making was aimed at everyone here saying that cutting calories doesn’t work. Of course it gets harder once you have lost the weight, I have experienced this most of my adult life. But I am not deluded…I know that when I eat more I gain weight and when I eat less I lose weight. It gets harder now that I am 60, but not impossible. I think telling ourselves things that give us comfort - eg this “set point” and the starvation mode theory, does nobody any favours. Ask yourselves - do people held against their will for months/years and who are starved…do any of them have this set point? Did their bodies stop losing fat as it went into so called starvation mode?

It’s not that it doesn’t work, just that statistically it is incredibly difficult to maintain significant weight loss. Understanding about the mechanisms around weight regain/loss, including the hormonal changes, allows you to stop the regain from happening.

Of course someone kept as a prisoner and starved would not regain weight, but that isn’t the environment which the average dieter is in, so it isn’t a great parallel. We are surrounded by food, and if hormones are all over the place and things like insulin remain high, weight regain is very likely - then the individual tends to blame/shame themselves for not being responsible enough or having enough willpower, without being aware that their body was really working against them to regain, with the impact on leptin/insulin/ghrelin.

It isn’t starvation mode so much as metabolic adaptation, the statistics on long term weight loss really speak for themselves in that regard - 95% of people who get to a healthy weight from overweight/obese aren’t simply greedy pigs who can’t put down the fork, there’s a really complex metabolic process at play. It’s not impossible to lose weight and keep it off, it just takes some awareness of what is actually going on so someone doesn’t fall into the yo-yo dieting trap.

It's funny no one has mentioned sleep as part of the weight loss journey. There's research out there that getting inadequate sleep leaves people feeling hungrier, craving more carbs and sugary and fatty foods. When one's sleep deprived it's harder to make healthier food choices or have the energy to exercise.

Obviously there are individual differences to this, some more prone to sleep deprivation weight gain, than others.

Hence why many new sleep deprived parents get the 'dad bod' or mum weight gain.

Cortisol (hormone involved when waking up, especially abruptly) contributes to flab particularly around the belly. Leading to heart disease risk etc.

I'm getting earlier nights and drinking plenty of water in evenings, it's definitely helping the with dealing with food cravings in the evenings.

But it's taken me years to gain the weight, so I know patience is key; it'll take years to loose it too, for the long term.

@Cappuccinopup
Thank you for the information you have provided, you are well informed on this topic.

It's surprising how some people in this day and age are so ignorant of the role of hormones in obesity.

There should be no shame in using any legal tools to help in a weight loss journey. If Ozempic is for you, then use it, if you can afford it, and are ok with the side effects vs benefits ratio.

Sleep is one of the most important tools for fat loss or muscle gain. As even just 1-2 hrs of less sleep increases cortisol leading to possibly more fat gain or temptation to poorer food choices. Even with deprived sleep as long as in calorie deficit WILL lose weight but more will be from muscle not fat.

parents of new borns make poorer food choices and their sleep isn’t optimal and probably don’t exercise enough.

Good article

But there’s good news: There are many things that you can do that will lead to lasting body composition change.
Take fish oil. Omega 3 fatty acids are linked to decreased hunger. (7)
Sleep. Lack of sleep leads to more ghrelin and less leptin, as well as disrupted glucose and insulin metabolism. (8,9)
Don’t get discouraged by these kinds of studies. Other research shows that it is possible to lose weight and keep it off — you just have to do a bit more than pop a leptin pill or do a few jumping jacks. The National Weight Control Registry tracks the features of successful losers. These include behaviour change, a commitment to good nutrition, and regular exercise.
Understand that when losing fat, you might be hungrier. That’s normal.

from precision nutrition

www.precisionnutrition.com/leptin-ghrelin-weight-loss

More practical advice for controlling hunger hormones Leptin and ghrelin.

What can you do to help control these hunger hormones?

Research supports that what you eat and when you eat impacts how leptin and ghrelin work. Here are seven tips to help stabilize these hunger hormones, minimize cravings, feel satisfied, and improve leptin resistance.

Develop the habit of eating breakfast and plan to eat every 2-3 hours. Eating regular meals and snacks throughout the day keeps leptin and ghrelin levels stable and prevents you from feeling overly hungry, especially in the evening when 90% of people overeat. (6)
Incorporate high-quality protein-rich foods at meals, starting at breakfast. Compared to carbohydrates and fats, protein is the most filling nutrient. Studies show that protein reduces ghrelin levels so you don’t feel hungry and increases leptin to help you stop eating. (2, 4) Aim to get 15-35 grams of protein with your meals.
Consume omega-3 fats to improve leptin resistance. (5) Foods rich in omega-3 fats help leptin work better in your body. Good sources of omega 3 fats are fatty fish like mackerel and salmon; nuts, especially walnuts; flaxseeds and hemp seeds; cod liver oil; egg yolks; and avocados. Eating fish twice a week, snacking on nuts 4-5 times per week, and adding avocado to your morning eggs are ways to boost your intake of omega-3s.
Include foods that are high in resistant starches at each meal. Resistant starch is a type of carbohydrate that is resistant to digestion and supports healthy gut bacteria. Examples include lentils, oats, sweet potatoes, and green bananas. Resistant starches suppress the appetite by boosting leptin production.
Fill up on low energy dense foods. Low energy dense foods are foods that are low in calories and rich in vitamins and minerals. Fruits and vegetables, lean meats and whole grains are examples of low energy dense foods. Studies have linked diets high in low energy dense foods with lower levels of ghrelin. (6)
Get enough sleep.There’s no denying the importance of sleep. Most people need 7-8 hours of quality sleep for optimal health. Studies show getting two hours less sleep than what is needed results in higher ghrelin levels the following day and increased cravings for carbohydrates, especially sugar and processed foods. Lack of sleep also appears to negatively impact leptin levels. (4)
Commit to regular exercise. Exercise is proven to increase levels of leptin and improve leptin resistance. (6) If exercise is new to you, start with 15 minutes of walking or biking two to three times per week and gradually increase until you are able to exercise 30-60 minutes most days of the week. Consider hiring a personal trainer to help you get started and stay motivated.
To learn more about how to control your hunger and cravings, make an appointment with one of our registered dietitians at the club nearest you. Click here to request an appointment.

Resistant starches suppress the appetite by boosting leptin production.

Interestingly boiled, cooled and reheated white potatoes have increased levels of resistant starch. I boil a 500g bag and reheat 80g for each mealtime. Easy and delicious, especially skin on.

The great thing about the balloon is that I can't eat much and the grehlin is adjusting to the lower intake as a result. I'm learning how to eat the most flavorful and enjoyable foods on a low calorie intake.

For those wondering why it's so hard to "just eat less" forever following a diet, have a look at the Minnesota Starvation Experiment.

From the study conclusions:

"Among the conclusions from the study was the confirmation that prolonged semi-starvation produces significant increases in depression, hysteria and hypochondriasis as measured using the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory. Indeed, most of the subjects experienced periods of severe emotional distress and depression.[1]: 161 
The rehab phase proved to be psychologically the hardest phase for most of the men with extreme effects including self-mutilation, where one subject, Sam Legg, amputated three fingers of his hand with an axe, though the subject was unsure if he had done so intentionally or accidentally.[6] Participants exhibited a preoccupation with food, both during the starvation period and the rehabilitation phase. Sexual interest was drastically reduced, and the volunteers showed signs of social withdrawal and isolation.[1]: 123–124  The participants reported a decline in concentration, comprehension and judgment capabilities, although the standardized tests administered showed no actual signs of diminished capacity. There were marked declines in physiological processes indicative of decreases in each subject's basal metabolic rate (the energy required by the body in a state of rest), reflected in reduced body temperature, respiration and heart rate. Some of the subjects exhibited edemaa_ in their extremities, presumably due to decreased levels of plasma proteins given that the body's ability to construct key proteins like albumin is based on available energy sources"
Doesn't sound much fun does it? And that would be for the rest of your life, not just for 8-12 weeks as here. Not really surprising that most people don't manage to maintain 1,000 calories a day for the rest of their life, is it?!

@Anklespraying
I thought that if you re-heat the potatoes, the starch in the potatoes is no longer as resistant? Is it still resistant once reheated?

@AndSoFinally
Living on 1000 calories is extreme for anyone. Whether you're slim or obese. Most health professionals would not recommend it, for the potential negative health consequences you've outlined.

From my experience as both a slim child and young adult, as well as an obese middle aged person, obesity is an addiction. No one should fat shame an obese person. It's not their fault, they're not lazy, or lacking in discipline or ignorant of beneficial nutritional information/education. It's not a character flaw. It's an addiction. It's an illness.

An addiction to highly addictive processed foods, foods high in oil, salt and mainly sugar. Dr Robert Lustig is 100% correct. Sugar changes the bodies hormones, sugar promotes obesity. Just like smoking promotes lung cancer.

If you can get over the sugar addiction/processed foods addiction, you can reverse obesity without surgery or injections.

It might take very long to get there, a lot of patience and persistence over years, slowly. But you can get there. You might not ever reach model slim (size 6) but could reach in the NHS BMI healthy upper range (size 12).

Unprocessed foods, if you eat enough of them, in the right balance combination, can act like a natural balloon in your stomach and can be as appetite suppressing as injections.

I used to hear this from research all the time, but couldn't break the sugar addiction, until I was told from health professional I'm at high risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke, etc, and could get them/die/become disabled from these conditions any day now. Potentially leaving young DC motherless. This shook me into a state of breaking the addiction.

Now I never have even one crisp, one biscuit, one cake, it's all replaced by nuts, seeds, fruit, salad, veg, whole meal toast, brown rice, boiled potatoes etc. I'm plant based eating. No meat, milk, eggs, butter, etc. I eat as much as I like. I don't count calories, I don't portion control. The rule is it's plant based, it's whole foods. The trick is once you give up processed foods, don't touch the stuff, not even one crisp.

Now my appetite has reduced so much, by eating plant based whole foods, it's truly amazing!

If I can do it, anyone can.

No, no one would recommend 1,000 cals a day, but for the reasons previous posters have outlined, some formerly obese people have no option if they don't want to regain the weight (as per the Biggest Loser research)

I pay for mine and yes I fall into the category for the injection

Agreed

First week Ozempic. No side effects. I THINK it's having a real effect and not just placebo effect.
I am pretty good during the day when dieting then outrageous before bed with toast and anything I can grab. This week I still seem full from dinner by supper time. So no bedtime binge .

Got it for £139 from Manual but next month was to be £199. I cancelled and they dropped to £179.

Can you use codes more than once for any of the companies?

Tried NUMAN which someody said was reasonably cheap but it only offered Saxenda AND WAS £299.

What is the cheapest way to do this?

@montysma1 - I think you would be better posting on the I Started Ozempic Last night thread in Weight Loss Chat.

There is a problem with the recent legislation requiring eateries to display calorie counts. They all have statement to the effect that adults need 2000 calories a day. Many people don’t understand that the “average” does not apply to them. As a 5ft 3, 8 stone woman my requirement is around 1300, if I’m not exercising. If I ate 2000 calories a day I would soon be overweight or obese.