Semaglutide for weight loss

Sac Arrow

Sac Arrow

Touchdown! Greaser!
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I'm not "fat" per se, but I'm carrying about 20 pounds over. Lack of exercise isn't the issue. And I don't really eat that bad of a diet. I'm considering oral Semaglutide (which I can buy off the shelf) to help cut down the weight. Does anyone have any experience with it? Cautions? Does it work?
 
You’ll lose weight, but you may also get…. Cross eyed, bad breath, babies born naked, a new left toe, anal itching, transmission leaks, the urge to watch Hallmark movies, and fear of clowns.
 
Know someone who's been on a clinical trial on such a drug. Had lost 80 pounds in ten months.

Yes, there have been side effects. Upset stomach, digestive upsets, etc.

But eighty pounds that they've carried for 30 years. Legs, knees, and hips are a LOT happier. Feeling a lot better about their appearance.

Be advised, too, how these work. They're not enablers for gluttony. Massive kill of appetite, full up very quickly. Buying six ounce steaks instead of twelve ounce, and STILL bringing leftovers home. Perception of taste skewed as well, actually dislikes sweets.

When I retired seven years ago, I went on a traditional diet. Lost 65 pounds. Despite twice-weekly workouts, 30 pounds of that were muscle (as measured by my trainer). So it's little different from the new drugs.

Ron Wanttaja
 
They say that if you take it, you will lose weight.
And most of that weight will be muscle weight, meaning you will need to double up on your weight-bearing exercises.
But when you stop taking it, you will gain that weight back.
Sounds like a scam to me to get you to keep sending them money for the rest of your life.

Wrapping a double cheeseburger with bacon in lettuce is the epitome of putting lipstick on a pig.
 
From what I know about those sorts of drugs is that they do not address the underlying cause, and so you'll regain the weight when it's over... Except maybe not the muscle mass that comes from losing weight too fast.

My wife is on a GLP-1 antagonist now, and has lost weight. It's a good thing. I'm just concerned that she'll gain it back. I was addicted to carbs, but she takes it to another level!

Personally I was on a drug called Contrave three different times. Not as effective I think, as the GLP agonists but similar results all around. This after many many years of trying to eat salads, move more...all the standard stuff.... weight would go down and back up, but I never really lost enough on it.

finally I went no carb and I feel like I discovered the root underlying cause....addiction to carbs. I Cut the carbs and the weight will fall off, easier than anything else...and it has stayed off this time, going on two years. Lots of other things improved with it too! I just wish that I would have taken up weight training at the same time, and tried to throttle the loss rate a little better.
 
I have a guy who went from 256 to 278 to 299 to 317. He needed it. He already had sleep apnea and a bout of A Fib and a big fat SI. Was I going to wait until he actually had diabetes, in addition....while he's on YOUR fight deck?

So it has uses.....
 
GoFly said:
You’ll lose weight, but you may also get…. Cross eyed, bad breath, babies born naked, a new left toe, anal itching, transmission leaks, the urge to watch Hallmark movies, and fear of clowns.
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Add to that list an uncontrollable need to post mildly comedic off topic replies and you’ve described my life. Hook me up with a taste, Sac, I’ll PM you my info.
 
Not aware of any OTC ozempic? Should be prescription and more importantly this is a complex topic, and the medication is probably best administered under the direction of a physician that is knowledgeable of weight loss and GLP-1's . Should be done with nutrition and exercise counseling. A well balanced protein biased diet coupled with exercise will prevent the muscle loss. These medications are revolutionary and not only are the most effective medication ever found for weight loss, but the only one that has been demonstrated to improve hard endpoints of health. Decreased risk of stroke, heart attack, improved cholesterol, blood pressure, decreased insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome etc. Long term use has thus far been shown to be quite safe when done correctly. Notwithstanding, it is the wild west out there with everyone that has any number of letters after their name selling it with little knowledge and little supervision, little follow up of patients. You can even get it online from some "provider" on a screen that has never even actually examined you. Sending you meds from the lowest bidding pharmacy, with drugs of unknown origin or quality. Soooo buyer beware. I would search out a physician locally that actually knows what they are doing, and use them in a supervised environment, if you want the best results with the safest experience.
 
Sac Arrow said:
I'm not "fat" per se, but I'm carrying about 20 pounds over. Lack of exercise isn't the issue. And I don't really eat that bad of a diet. I'm considering oral Semaglutide (which I can buy off the shelf) to help cut down the weight. Does anyone have any experience with it? Cautions? Does it work?
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Gaining weight isn't about lack of exercise or a bad diet. It's about consuming more calories than you need for your level of activity. And losing weight is about consuming fewer calories than you need.

Cutting carbs and sugar, eliminating drinks with calories, and actually tracking my in and out did it for me. Much healthier than drugs.
 
Lindberg said:
Much healthier than drugs.
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It's not clear that's the case with this one. In addition to weight loss this class of hormone may well benefit heart, liver, brain and kidneys. Time will tell, but early data suggests that the old rule "lifestyle is better than medication" may not be applicable this time around.
 
Sac Arrow said:
I'm not "fat" per se, but I'm carrying about 20 pounds over. Lack of exercise isn't the issue. And I don't really eat that bad of a diet. I'm considering oral Semaglutide (which I can buy off the shelf) to help cut down the weight. Does anyone have any experience with it? Cautions? Does it work?
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I know you didn’t just fall off the turnip truck, so I know you’ve done your homework: do you know your real BMI? Losing fat without losing muscle - are you carrying 20 lb of fat that’s even possible to lose without getting into a non-sustainable BMI range?
 
JOhnH said:
They say that if you take it, you will lose weight.
And most of that weight will be muscle weight, meaning you will need to double up on your weight-bearing exercises.
But when you stop taking it, you will gain that weight back.
Sounds like a scam to me to get you to keep sending them money for the rest of your life.

Wrapping a double cheeseburger with bacon in lettuce is the epitome of putting lipstick on a pig.
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You see a dirty animal. I see ribs and bacon.

GoFly said:
You’ll lose weight, but you may also get…. Cross eyed, bad breath, babies born naked, a new left toe, anal itching, transmission leaks, the urge to watch Hallmark movies, and fear of clowns.
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Hallmark movies would be a deal killer.

catmandu said:
Add to that list an uncontrollable need to post mildly comedic off topic replies and you’ve described my life. Hook me up with a taste, Sac, I’ll PM you my info.
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Sounds too close to the beginning of a Hallmark movie.
 
Matthew said:
I know you didn’t just fall off the turnip truck, so I know you’ve done your homework: do you know your real BMI? Losing fat without losing muscle - are you carrying 20 lb of fat that’s even possible to lose without getting into a non-sustainable BMI range?
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I don't know the numbers, but the gut doesn't lie.
 
Sac Arrow said:
I don't know the numbers, but the gut doesn't lie.
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Sac Arrow said:
I don't know the numbers, but the gut doesn't lie.
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Yeah, there are always signs. Unfortunately, many of those signs are usually a result of age and genetics. Exercise and diet can only do so much. I hope you can work something out.
 
172andyou said:
It's not clear that's the case with this one. In addition to weight loss this class of hormone may well benefit heart, liver, brain and kidneys. Time will tell, but early data suggests that the old rule "lifestyle is better than medication" may not be applicable this time around.
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Ok. Until they start prescribing it to skinny people, I'll stand by my statement.
 
The drug was developed to treat diabeates; weight loss was a side effect (similar story for Sildenafil -- developed to treat pulmonary hypertension, when the side-effect... errr, sprung up).

I'll defer to Dr. C here, but my understanding is that if you take the drug, the FAA presumes you have been diagnosed for its primary indications. Ergo, take the GLP1 jab to lose weight, and you're on the hook to prove to the FAS that you are NOT diabetic via SI process.
 
One data point and FYI: the oral (ODT = oral dissolving tablets) take a while to ramp up into your system (bioaccumulate).

Been back hitting the gym for a bit over 7 months and losing weight slooowly, so I decided to give them a try to speed the process along. The ODT has had little to no effect for me in ~7 weeks. Just decided switched to the injections since those seem to be 'more legit'.
 
Sac Arrow said:
I'm not "fat" per se, but I'm carrying about 20 pounds over. Lack of exercise isn't the issue. And I don't really eat that bad of a diet. I'm considering oral Semaglutide (which I can buy off the shelf) to help cut down the weight. Does anyone have any experience with it? Cautions? Does it work?
Click to expand...
A proper lowish-carb Mediterranean diet, with no other changes in lifestyle, has allowed me to drop 25 pounds since March.
And I'm eating tons of stuff.
Diet is the #1 thing you can change for your health.
 
Lindberg said:
Gaining weight isn't about lack of exercise or a bad diet. It's about consuming more calories than you need for your level of activity. And losing weight is about consuming fewer calories than you need.

Cutting carbs and sugar, eliminating drinks with calories, and actually tracking my in and out did it for me. Much healthier than drugs.
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Kenny Phillips said:
A proper lowish-carb Mediterranean diet, with no other changes in lifestyle, has allowed me to drop 25 pounds since March.
And I'm eating tons of stuff.
Diet is the #1 thing you can change for your health.
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Agree 100%. That is a little tough when the Other Person is a carb freak.
 
My experience: I was 212 pounds 25 years ago. I am 5'-9." When I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, I immediately reduced the amount of sugar in my diet. No more candy, cake, cookies, donuts or pie. No soft drinks. I quickly lost 20 pounds in a month. The doctor said that was too much, too fast, and that I would not keep it off.

He was right. Some of it came back. My weight settled at around 195 for years. I still avoided the sugar, though I do make a few exceptions (an occasional root beer float on a hot day). But today I can't remember what cake, or a donut tastes like, or cookies... when I am offered those things, I decline, because I see them as poison for my body. (I am on metformin, but not insulin-dependent and don't want to be.)

At Christmas four years ago, my wife gave me a FitBit, and I started trying to walk 10,000 steps a day. It was surprisingly enjoyable, even in Wisconsin's cold winter. Our area has many beautiful trails, and using those, I went down to 175 pounds. I no longer try for the 10,000 steps (though I do use the FitBit for tracking) and I have been between 174-179 the last couple of years. I weigh myself every morning, and if I am on the high side, I deliberately increase my activity and am more careful about what I eat.

The two best things I ever did for myself are quitting smoking on my 30th birthday and losing weight. I am 79 and still pass the Class II medical exam.
 
From a friend:

Ozempic-dropped 30# (10% of body weight) in a few months with no changes in diet (really bad food habits) and exercise (none)

Beginning was not great because it was a month or so of light nausea before I was used to it.

Basically never hungry for weeks at a time.

Stopped losing weight because of decades of habits (eating three times a day, eating when bored, or stressed, or need a break from the idiots at work, eating things to avoid food boredom, etc)

So my recommendation is…losing excess weight, fixing blood levels etc is easy if you are psychologically healthy enough to say no to eating when not hungry/needed

Someone above mentioned food tastes funny or bad or something along those lines. Unfortunately for me, over time I discovered that isn’t true for certain foods. I went decades not eating any chocolate but, on ozempic, it’s one of the foods that I can taste normally. Not great!

So, one is mentally ready, two is able to not explore food groups looking for “old palate/tastebud” happiness
 
We were taught (incorrectly) that wight loss was a simple formula of calories in and calories out. But it is way more complex. If you take an obese person with metabolic syndrome, and starve them, the body will eat their muscle first, and leave the fat behind. Additionally, when starved, the metabolism slows further, to the point where the body needs almost no calories, because it is burning no energy. Muscle is gone, there is nothing to burn the calories. Think of what happens to a bear in the winter when it quits eating (hibernation). Muscle is easier for the body to eat than fat, so it goes first. So there is a complex metabolic situation, that is not really well understood. It involves hormone balance, the type of energy delivered to the body, and the type of muscular activity that the body performs. Nowhere in that equation is there an emphasis on calories. Body builders may eat 6-10,000 calories a day, and their exercises may only burn1-2000 calories. So what happens? This area of medicine is super boring, very complex, and there are few studies and guidelines to help physicians treat their patients. You will find that area of expertise has largely moved out of allopathic medicine into cash based performance and wellness clinics that combine hormones with prescription meds, nutrition and exercise.
 
Rockymountain said:
We were taught (incorrectly) that wight loss was a simple formula of calories in and calories out. But it is way more complex. If you take an obese person with metabolic syndrome, and starve them, the body will eat their muscle first, and leave the fat behind. Additionally, when starved, the metabolism slows further, to the point where the body needs almost no calories, because it is burning no energy. Muscle is gone, there is nothing to burn the calories. Think of what happens to a bear in the winter when it quits eating (hibernation). Muscle is easier for the body to eat than fat, so it goes first. So there is a complex metabolic situation, that is not really well understood. It involves hormone balance, the type of energy delivered to the body, and the type of muscular activity that the body performs. Nowhere in that equation is there an emphasis on calories. Body builders may eat 6-10,000 calories a day, and their exercises may only burn1-2000 calories. So what happens? This area of medicine is super boring, very complex, and there are few studies and guidelines to help physicians treat their patients. You will find that area of expertise has largely moved out of allopathic medicine into cash based performance and wellness clinics that combine hormones with prescription meds, nutrition and exercise.
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It's diet AND exercise. No one has ever said the key to fat people losing weight is them sitting on the couch starving themselves.

Body builders have high caloric intakes when they're bulking, i.e., gaining weight.
 
For a few minutes I was considering this too. So I checked GoodRx.
Yikes. That's PER MONTH.
 

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Lindberg said:
Gaining weight isn't about lack of exercise or a bad diet. It's about consuming more calories than you need for your level of activity. And losing weight is about consuming fewer calories than you need.

Cutting carbs and sugar, eliminating drinks with calories, and actually tracking my in and out did it for me. Much healthier than drugs.
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Mayo clinic and other reputable sources such as Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics note that 3000 calories is 1 pound. If you reduce your weekly intake by 6000 cal each week, that's a 2 pound loss each week. Again, these organizations point out that a 2-3 pound loss a week is reasonable and healthy. That's about 8-12 pounds a months. That means in 2-3 months, you've lost that 20 pounds without resorting to chemicals or fad diets.
 
murphey said:
Mayo clinic and other reputable sources such as Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics note that 3000 calories is 1 pound. If you reduce your weekly intake by 6000 cal each week, that's a 2 pound loss each week. Again, these organizations point out that a 2-3 pound loss a week is reasonable and healthy. That's about 8-12 pounds a months. That means in 2-3 months, you've lost that 20 pounds without resorting to chemicals or fad diets.
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I find that about as true as the theory that people choose to be gay.

Yes, you can go through the motions of eating less and exercising more and you will lose weight. But in another three months (or maybe years) your true self will emerge and you will gain it all back. And more. Yes, there are exceptions, but they are just exceptions. I lost around 30 pounds around a year ago. At that point, losing weight became harder and hard and so far I have only put about 5 pounds back on. But every single damn day is a struggle to not wolf down a whole pizza or a 16 oz Ribeye and loaded baked potato.
 
JOhnH said:
I find that about as true as the theory that people choose to be gay.

Yes, you can go through the motions of eating less and exercising more and you will lose weight. But in another three months (or maybe years) your true self will emerge and you will gain it all back. And more. Yes, there are exceptions, but they are just exceptions. I lost around 30 pounds around a year ago. At that point, losing weight became harder and hard and so far I have only put about 5 pounds back on. But every single damn day is a struggle to not wolf down a whole pizza or a 16 oz Ribeye and loaded baked potato.
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John - I didn't offer an opinion on long-term weight management, I reported what are consider to be reputable sources about weight loss and did a bit of simple arithmetic. Like many of our aging population, I'm overweight by about 20 pounds. But as my physician points out, I've maintained that weight and my "numbers" for many years, so he isn't overly worried. Yes, it would be beneficial if I lost that weight but not being in dire straits, I see no reason to resort to drugs.
 
I am enjoying some of the stuff coming from a kettlebell guy named Dan John.

“It’s not what you eat, it’s what you ate”
 
My good friend started tirzepatide about 6 weeks ago. We talk about it often, so I can understand how the stuff is working for him. He's 6'2" and weighed about 270 when he started. He said that other than a full feeling in his stomach, there have been no other noticeable side effects. He said he doesn't have a desire to eat nearly as much or as often as he used to, and his craings or desire for sweets has pretty much gone away. He went from drinking Pepsi after Pepsi all day long to not even finishing one of them with his lunch. In 6 weeks, he's already lost about 10 pounds. From what I see, he could have done the same thing without the drugs by just eating less, but I guess the medication takes away the desire or hunger that he could not choose to ignore. I've heard that the weight will come back after stopping the drug, but I think if you can get used to eating less, it may be sustainable, especially once the excess weight is gone and you fell better about how you look and feel.
 
After managing to lose 40 pounds: it does ease the wear and tear on knees and hips. That makes it easier to move, that makes it easier to work out, and that makes it easier to maintain that weight loss. But there’s a major mental hurdle that I don’t think meds can help with, and that’s the determination necessary to keep that weight off.
 
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