I hope all of you are having a great day! I just was feeling encouraged today as I have officially lost 30 pounds since August, 10 of which have been just this last month. I don’t have many people in my life to share this accomplishment with, so I figured I would post here.
I’m new to Beehaw and federated social media in general. I have spent a lot of time lurking on Reddit, but I’m finally ready to actually be an active part of a friendly, inclusive community!
If anyone here is concerned about their weight from a health perspective, don’t be shy about looking into medically managed weight loss. And it doesn’t have to be surgery- there are plenty of options out there now with independent medical research supporting them.
I started in November with my local hospital network’s weight loss surgery and medical weight management team, and I’m down 80lb over the last 8 months even on the non-surgery track, and it’s all covered under my insurance plan (unlike subscriptions with a the diet company).
Medical support isn’t a cop-out, no matter what Jenny Craig and Weight Watchers and NutriSystem tell you. And your doctor is incentivized to actually get you healthy rather than have you regain everything the moment you stop so you come back to pay them more.
What does a non-surgery track look like if you don’t mind me asking? Is it just a medically managed meal plan or are there weight loss supplements/drugs they prescribe you?
No problem! I’ve been taking the prescription medication Wegovy. You may have hear about the Ozempic craze over the last year or so, and Wegovy is the same medication but specifically FDA approved for weight loss. For me it massively cut down hunger signals, cravings, and capacity - I basically get full on about 1/3 the food I used to eat and no longer have issues with stopping mid-plate. I’ve also started eating at least a serving of protein every meal and snack which keeps me full on smaller amounts overall.
If you don’t want to do prescriptions or medications, these programs usually have a full team including nutritionists, psychologists, physical therapists, etc to help with tips and tricks to start eating more balanced foods (like the protein trick), identify and break down any mental barriers you might have that make it hard to change your habits, and help you get more active in a safe, planned way if you’re not so mobile or have physical restrictions.
Thank you for such a detailed response! Have you noticed any side effects taking medication for weight loss? That’s been the main reason I haven’t really looked into it
I got a planned diet and a drug that prevents you from feeling hungry. It doesn’t change your habits though and I gained some of the weight back.
Agreed, I’m on the surgery track with my weight management team and it’s been great so far. I think surgery is what’s best for me, but I could absolutely see it working without the surgery. I was 8 pounds from the goal they set for me when I last checked in, so hopefully my effort being good on vacation turns out results.