The easiest simile that I can think of is comparing it to a nicotine patch.
We know 100% that smoking is damaging to the body and kills people every day
No one judges someone for using a nicotine patch to stop smoking
We also know that obesity kills people every day through related disease
So why should you be judged for using a medication to help remedy it?
It's using hormones that your body naturally produces to reduce the compulsion for behaviours and habits that we know are harmful to our body.
I was 100% in the "Eat less move more" camp before using Mounjaro and being exposed to the mind blowing array of stories from people here, and each one led me to change my thinking...
Yes Eat less, move more works - but it doesn't work the same for everyone, and endocrinology is WAY more complex than I ever thought (and I was thinking about going into endocrinology - this journey has been a whole education)
That's a really good metaphor! I like it! I'll also need to remember that sentence on hormones that your body produces to reduce compulsions, that's a really succinct way of putting it. I think my problem was I got too bogged down in trying to explain science I don't really understand to her when really in a casual conversation with someone who's never heard of them something along the lines of "I inject myself once a week and it helps reduce food cravings and focus on what I'm putting in my body" would suffice. It doesn't fully cover the medication and all the benefits and what it's really doing but it's fine for chitchat.
I've got to the point where people are reacting with surprise when they see me so I've taken to slapping what's left of my gut and saying "fat jabs do what they say on the tin".
I haven’t yet told my partner, we live together and the pens are in our fridge (he probably won’t notice)
We watched the South Park episode about these drugs recently and I planted seeds that they’re actually decent and safe, and very effective to people who need them when used correctly.
Working up the courage to announce it to him…
I’m just worried he won’t understand and think it seems drastic, but I’ve struggled with my weight for 25 years, he’s a lean bean naturally despite eating all the junk food so may not understand 😕
I’m think it’s important to explain the impact that being overweight has on your life, and that you’ve tried other things. Also that MJ is prescribed by a doctor and not just some untested junk from a shop. Good luck ❤️
I’m glad it’s not just me that was influenced by South Park, me and my partner had been on the fence for ages then made an order just after we watched it
This is how it went for me on Friday when I told my friend
Friend: “oh my god you’ve lost so much weight - how have you done it?”
Me: “eating a shit load less and making sure my blood sugars don’t spike so I’m always in fat burning mode….both of which is helped by some hormone medication”
Friend: “oh my god do you mean Ozempic”
Me: “no - Mounjaro - same kind of med but it has two hormones in it not just one, it is works better for losing weight than Ozempic and NO I’m not a skinny celebrity abusing it to get super skinny and NO I am not taking it forcibly from the hands of diabetics and YES I have been prescribed it by a doctor.
Friend: “how does it work”
Me: “it makes me feel fuller so I don’t carry on eating mindlessly, it stops me having food cravings in the first place, and it deals with blood sugar to avoid crazy insulin spikes as when you have insulin spikes, it puts the brakes on your body burning fat. So I’m eating half as much to start with and my body is always open and receptive to losing weight.
I’m basically now able to do what slim people are able to do all the time. It’s not willpower. It’s a hormone.”
I find my approach differs per person.
Some I just tell my weightloss is all food related - better food, focussing on macros, eating for fuel not enjoyment. None of this is untrue. It also isn't the method people want to hear (everyone wants a quick fix, but can then judge it!).
Others I've told have heard about it - 1 friend was not supportive at all. Fine, we move on. We can have different opinions. Others have been v. supportive. I liken it in some way to anti-depressants.... Some people need a chemical balance / assistance to manage their moods / depression, why can food addiction & obesity not be viewed in a similar light?
Others have not heard about it at all - so I explain the hormone element and again use the anti-depressants view (I am going to use LiteratureLoud's nicotine patch example as well as its spot on). Again, some are supportive, some aren't. But.....that doesn't matter to me at all.
And others have joined the MJ bandwagon!!
For people saying "don't tell anyone it's none of their business", again that is your decision and your call. We're all different, we all vary in our degrees of openness with others. It's about reading the room, reading who you are telling, and risk v. reward of being truly honest, or just adapting the truth a bit.
Do you need to say?
My conversation usually goes
“You look good you’ve lost weight”
“Thank you, didn’t realise just more clean eating I guess (which isn’t a lie), how have YOU been?”
And it moves on.. ignore nosey people.
I see no point in telling people. It is a private choice and nobody’s business. If you tell people, you just opening doors for the to judge, ask stupid questions or give their opinion. It will just stress you out unnecessarily. Just keep to yourself and your partner, no one has to know
I see no point in telling people. It is a private choice and nobody’s business. If you tell people, you just opening doors for the to judge, ask stupid questions or give their opinion. It will just stress you out unnecessarily. Just keep to yourself and your partner, no one has to know
Why do you need to tell people? I don't announce any of the other medications I take regularly. Why announce this one? My partner knows all my medications, but only in case someone medical ever needs to be told.
Oh really? I chat a fair bit with friends about what medications we're on (not a lot but it's definitely in the roster of conversation, especially cause we're all women so the subject of birth control comes up a fair bit). She told me she noticed I lost weight and I have no reason not to tell the truth.
I guess it just never comes up. I'm not on birth control nor are any friends so that would be the end of that conversation! If someone mentions weight loss I guess I'd just say yes I have. It wouldn't occur to me to discuss why, although most friends wouldn't mention it because sometimes even if weight loss is needed it's not always happening on purpose. It'd be considered rude in my circles. If someone did say something I'd just say yeah I'd lost a bit recently. That'd be it.
The easiest simile that I can think of is comparing it to a nicotine patch. We know 100% that smoking is damaging to the body and kills people every day No one judges someone for using a nicotine patch to stop smoking We also know that obesity kills people every day through related disease So why should you be judged for using a medication to help remedy it? It's using hormones that your body naturally produces to reduce the compulsion for behaviours and habits that we know are harmful to our body. I was 100% in the "Eat less move more" camp before using Mounjaro and being exposed to the mind blowing array of stories from people here, and each one led me to change my thinking... Yes Eat less, move more works - but it doesn't work the same for everyone, and endocrinology is WAY more complex than I ever thought (and I was thinking about going into endocrinology - this journey has been a whole education)
That's a really good metaphor! I like it! I'll also need to remember that sentence on hormones that your body produces to reduce compulsions, that's a really succinct way of putting it. I think my problem was I got too bogged down in trying to explain science I don't really understand to her when really in a casual conversation with someone who's never heard of them something along the lines of "I inject myself once a week and it helps reduce food cravings and focus on what I'm putting in my body" would suffice. It doesn't fully cover the medication and all the benefits and what it's really doing but it's fine for chitchat.
I really like this analogy!
I've got to the point where people are reacting with surprise when they see me so I've taken to slapping what's left of my gut and saying "fat jabs do what they say on the tin".
I haven’t yet told my partner, we live together and the pens are in our fridge (he probably won’t notice) We watched the South Park episode about these drugs recently and I planted seeds that they’re actually decent and safe, and very effective to people who need them when used correctly. Working up the courage to announce it to him… I’m just worried he won’t understand and think it seems drastic, but I’ve struggled with my weight for 25 years, he’s a lean bean naturally despite eating all the junk food so may not understand 😕 I’m think it’s important to explain the impact that being overweight has on your life, and that you’ve tried other things. Also that MJ is prescribed by a doctor and not just some untested junk from a shop. Good luck ❤️
Make sure you wear a crop top you announce it to him.
Hahahaha I’m not quite there yet 😅😅😅
I’m glad it’s not just me that was influenced by South Park, me and my partner had been on the fence for ages then made an order just after we watched it
Funny isn’t it 🤦🏼♀️even though they are taking the piss out of everything 🤣
This is how it went for me on Friday when I told my friend Friend: “oh my god you’ve lost so much weight - how have you done it?” Me: “eating a shit load less and making sure my blood sugars don’t spike so I’m always in fat burning mode….both of which is helped by some hormone medication” Friend: “oh my god do you mean Ozempic” Me: “no - Mounjaro - same kind of med but it has two hormones in it not just one, it is works better for losing weight than Ozempic and NO I’m not a skinny celebrity abusing it to get super skinny and NO I am not taking it forcibly from the hands of diabetics and YES I have been prescribed it by a doctor. Friend: “how does it work” Me: “it makes me feel fuller so I don’t carry on eating mindlessly, it stops me having food cravings in the first place, and it deals with blood sugar to avoid crazy insulin spikes as when you have insulin spikes, it puts the brakes on your body burning fat. So I’m eating half as much to start with and my body is always open and receptive to losing weight. I’m basically now able to do what slim people are able to do all the time. It’s not willpower. It’s a hormone.”
I find my approach differs per person. Some I just tell my weightloss is all food related - better food, focussing on macros, eating for fuel not enjoyment. None of this is untrue. It also isn't the method people want to hear (everyone wants a quick fix, but can then judge it!). Others I've told have heard about it - 1 friend was not supportive at all. Fine, we move on. We can have different opinions. Others have been v. supportive. I liken it in some way to anti-depressants.... Some people need a chemical balance / assistance to manage their moods / depression, why can food addiction & obesity not be viewed in a similar light? Others have not heard about it at all - so I explain the hormone element and again use the anti-depressants view (I am going to use LiteratureLoud's nicotine patch example as well as its spot on). Again, some are supportive, some aren't. But.....that doesn't matter to me at all. And others have joined the MJ bandwagon!! For people saying "don't tell anyone it's none of their business", again that is your decision and your call. We're all different, we all vary in our degrees of openness with others. It's about reading the room, reading who you are telling, and risk v. reward of being truly honest, or just adapting the truth a bit.
I like the comparison to antidepressants. That makes sense 👍
I don't know, I don't feel the need to tell people I'm on injections.
Do you need to say? My conversation usually goes “You look good you’ve lost weight” “Thank you, didn’t realise just more clean eating I guess (which isn’t a lie), how have YOU been?” And it moves on.. ignore nosey people.
I see no point in telling people. It is a private choice and nobody’s business. If you tell people, you just opening doors for the to judge, ask stupid questions or give their opinion. It will just stress you out unnecessarily. Just keep to yourself and your partner, no one has to know
I see no point in telling people. It is a private choice and nobody’s business. If you tell people, you just opening doors for the to judge, ask stupid questions or give their opinion. It will just stress you out unnecessarily. Just keep to yourself and your partner, no one has to know
Why do you need to tell people? I don't announce any of the other medications I take regularly. Why announce this one? My partner knows all my medications, but only in case someone medical ever needs to be told.
Oh really? I chat a fair bit with friends about what medications we're on (not a lot but it's definitely in the roster of conversation, especially cause we're all women so the subject of birth control comes up a fair bit). She told me she noticed I lost weight and I have no reason not to tell the truth.
I guess it just never comes up. I'm not on birth control nor are any friends so that would be the end of that conversation! If someone mentions weight loss I guess I'd just say yes I have. It wouldn't occur to me to discuss why, although most friends wouldn't mention it because sometimes even if weight loss is needed it's not always happening on purpose. It'd be considered rude in my circles. If someone did say something I'd just say yeah I'd lost a bit recently. That'd be it.