Why are you not taking WLI?

[Pronkey]

First of all I do not look down on WLI. In fact I possibly regret not going on them as my weight loss has been very very slow (50 pounds in 18 months). With plenty of step backs after holidays, Christmas etc. I must have lost the same 7 pounds at least three times.

But I chose not to go on them as I have had horrific gallstones ever since my last pregnancy and just could not risk it after they finally went away.

My cravings have definitely reduced since I have made diet and lifestyle changes. Was living off and craving pasta before my weight loss journey. And now I can definitely take it or leave it.

Just curious to hear why you didn’t go down the WLI route?

1. I have gastric issues that means I probably wouldn't have been able to get a private prescription (BMI was never high enough for NHS)
2. Cost
3. Didn't fancy the rigmarole of sending photos etc. to prove I was overweight 'enough' to get them
4. Didn't want to potentially be on them for the rest of my life
5. Side effects are an unknown quantity

My BMI is 22 now (down from 31) through calorie counting/healthy eating/minimising UPF. Yes, I feel hungry often and have 'food noise' but the end result is the same, I am a healthy weight.

I don’t weigh enough!

Side effects unknown. What happens when you stop - exactly the same as after a diet m, the weight starts piling back on.

Medically contra-indicated

I could do to lose a few pounds for sure but I’m not exactly obese. The idea that I could lose weight effortlessly with these jabs has certain appeal, but I won’t even take a paracetamol unless I’m in absolute agony. I just wouldn’t feel comfortable injecting some chemicals/drugs into my body on a daily basis, especially as the long term effects are an unknown. I realise I’m in the minority here however and people need to lose weight for medical reasons. It’s just not something I would do.

Am overweight but my BMI not is not quite high enough even for private providers - whilst I'd like to try WLI I'm not prepared to try and lie to get them.

I dont want to be tied into to a very long time financial commitment which seems to be happening to stay at maintenance level.

I am concerned about long term affects that may not be known yet.

I’m scared of self-administering needles 😳

Cost, side effects and possible rebound.

Always had good health apart from middle aged+ (63) tubbyness and I am scared of possible side effect.

Main reason is that I love thinking about and preparing food. I love coming up with meals for the family and for me - we all really enjoy it and are quite foodie. I’d be more than happy to eat less of what I cook, and to find it easier to avoid the snacking etc. but I am really reluctant to do something that might stop me having enjoyment from food / cooking / planning.

My family are all lean and very fit and healthy - it’s just me as the late 40s woman who piles it on when they all just easily absorb the calories as giant growing teens / permanently slender husband who does loads of walking etc as part of his commute.

Would love to hear from anyone on WLI who managed to maintain the fun of cooking and food, but just ate less of it. I really don’t think I need to change what I cook, as I’m cooking good stuff from scratch a lot of the time and it works brilliantly for everyone else - just how much I eat of it!

eta - my DH cooks a lot too, but me probably more. It’s not all on me!

I wish I could I just can't afford it. If it drops in price over the coming years I'll be first in the queue. Or if it becomes more available on the NHS, currently I'm too healthy apart from being morbidly obese

Mostly medical reasons as I’m most likely to have all the side effects which would be really bad for my health history and quite dangerous.

Having said that, I haven’t really considered them properly as it’s just not in my consciousness. They are talked about on here endlessly but I’ve never heard anyone even talk about them in real life, even just as a topic of conversation. Haven’t seen anyone drop loads of weight and wonder why now. None of my patients are on it. It just isn’t in my sphere of consciousness so it surprised me when so many people are on them on social media!

I can’t afford it.

Me, been on about 18 months, maintaining for half of that, I have always cooked thoroughlut, my meals were always healthy, nothing changed and we still go out for dinner, I just eat a healthy portion rather than a large portion.

@Talipesmum being on WLI has not changed my enjoyment of cooking, it doesn't interfere at all with that, in fact the lack of stress I feel around food and eating makes it more relaxing. I do just eat less of everything, but still enjoy what I am eating. I am not sure where this idea comes from that everyone on WLI can't enjoy eating food or planning/cooking it.

Because a friend of DH had to have his gallbladder removed after going on WLI and he was closely supervised by a Dr as he was on them before all the online suppliers gave them.

I don’t think we know enough about their long term side effects. But I’m 3 stone overweight and I have terrible will power and have put my weight on over 2 decades so probably an ideal candidate!

1 - too expensive

2 - don't yet know what the long term effects of taking them are

3 - keep hearing that the weight just piles back on once you stop taking them.

@SilenceInside @Daisywhatsyouranswer thank you both, that’s really good to hear. I’ll have a think and see if anything else is putting me off now then!

I need to lose weight but my BMI is not medically considered problematic

I was but can no longer afford it. Lost 1.5 stone and now relying on eating clean and exercise only. It’s been 2 months and ive maintained/lost the same pound back and forth.

its tough. My issue was never snacking but portion control and I can see that creeping back a bit.

I would never say never and in no way look down on anyone who uses them. In fact Im being assessed for diabetes myself atm -

Cost. I live in Spain and its more expensive over here.

Having done Cambridge diet twice and put it all back on, plus more twice I do worry what would happen once I came off it.

It’s the Same for any diet though right, nearly everyone regains, obesity is a relapse disease. I’m not sure I’d view it though as a reason to never diet, but I can see the pointlessness of it. At least with wli you can stay on long term and they bring a lot of other health benefits and cost will come down in time, but like any other method of weight loss, maintenance needs to be considered.

So many wonder drugs are later found to have bad effects and though it's loads slower and harder, losing weight naturally by changing my habits is going to be better for me in the long run and hopefully give me a healthier old age.

My eye consultant strongly advised against it - she told me that eye specialists are seeing an increasing number of people who have been on it who have now developed retina problems. Consultant also said that though it's been used for a while re diabetes, there is not enough research on the long term effects of non diabetic people using it for weight loss. It's not worth getting sight loss for.