Weight Loss Meds (Wegovy, etc)

[ColonelJLloyd]

Originally Posted by fourflys

...but there can be many reasons why these meds could be a great option for someone for a while..

I would be interested in these as well, but even if my doc was on board with it (I have not inquired) there are reasons I'd better do all I can to lose weight without them.

1. Isn't the thing with these meds that they are, in fact, not temporary?

2. I spent a lot of time in the hospitality industry and I'm a trained cook. It's actually a big part of my daily wind down and mental health reset. I nerd out on handmade knives, heirloom cookware, and high-powered flames as much as I do on the bikes and associated tools we all love here on this forum. To take a drug that made me feel sick or worse if I ate some carbs would suck for me personally. And while my love of food is a contributor to why I am overweight it would be terrible if I flipped a switch and that was effectively gone for me.

That said, I can admit that at this point in my life I could use some help with it. My metabolism really changed at 30 and between work, kids, and a job time is hard to come by. So I totally get where you are coming from.

[prototoast]

Originally Posted by AngryScientist

Endurance sports, like cycling are basically an exercise in getting comfortable being uncomfortable.

If we can train to ride centuries and climb mountains on our bikes, we can train to pass the twinkie plate.

Empirically, this is not the case for a large share of the population, which is why such drugs can be so valuable.

[AngryScientist]

Originally Posted by prototoast

Empirically, this is not the case for a large share of the population, which is why such drugs can be so valuable.

I know for some reason you have made it your job to refute literally any point i make on this forum lately, but...

This thread is not about the large share of the population. This is one cyclist asking other cyclists a question.

My opinion is that if the OP is a generally fit cyclist and is struggling a bit with a few excess pounds, changing lifestyle (eating and excercise) is smarter than taking pills.

[XXtwindad]

Originally Posted by AngryScientist

I know for some reason you have made it your job to refute literally any point i make on this forum lately, but...

This thread is not about the large share of the population. This is one cyclist asking other cyclists a question.

My opinion is that if the OP is a generally fit cyclist and is struggling a bit with a few excess pounds, changing lifestyle (eating and excercise) is smarter than taking pills.

If this is case, then yes, I agree 100 percent. I also know more than a few people with “middle-aged spreads” than are functionally healthier than ostensibly “skinner” people.

[Derosid]

I think there is a place for the new GLP-1 agonists. I have a friend that is about 40 lbs overweight, despite working out with Orange Theory daily for a year as well as with a nutrition coach and a trainer. This is a change that occurred rather suddenly in their later years. The GLP-1 agonists appear to be helping them get back down to a healthy weight, in combination with directed exercise and diet.

So while I would not advocate for the pharmacologic approach as a first line option, it does seem to help folks that have a real metabolic disorder.

[EB]

OTOH, I do think there is legitimate issue with the off-label use of these drugs, which were developed to treat pre-diabetic disease, which is a massive national problem. Large numbers of people taking these drugs are obtaining them off-label and usually without health insurance supporting them, which has led to shortages that make it harder for pre-diabetic patients who need these medications to obtain them.

[XXtwindad]

Originally Posted by Derosid

I think there is a place for the new GLP-1 agonists. I have a friend that is about 40 lbs overweight, despite working out with Orange Theory daily for a year as well as with a nutrition coach and a trainer. This is a change that occurred rather suddenly in their later years. The GLP-1 agonists appear to be helping them get back down to a healthy weight, in combination with directed exercise and diet.

So while I would not advocate for the pharmacologic approach as a first line option, it does seem to help folks that have a real metabolic disorder.

Not to get too deep into the weeds about this, but 40 lbs overweight according to whom or what? I think that’s something worth considering.

[bigbill]

I lost almost 60 pounds using NOOM. I had packed on the pounds 2019 to late 2021 because of a stressful job, grad school, and to some extent, Covid. I lost around 2 pounds a week with a calorie deficit of 800-1000 a day. You lose far more weight with diet than exercise, and in the first few months, your body has to adjust to the reduced calories. During that time, I was primarily getting exercise by walking a few miles a day and some weight lifting to maintain some muscle mass. Until I adjusted, riding was tough, so I basically waited until I lost 30+ pounds before I got back on the bike. After I hit my target weight, I started over on my fitness.

Wegovy and Ozempic is helping my mutual funds. I am in the VA system and the PCP provider had mentioned one of the drugs because I am classified as pre-diabetic. My A1C has been 5.5-5.9 my entire adult life. Most recent was 5.5 so we decided to hold off on any meds to lower my A1C. The VA likes to push meds. If I end up at 6 or higher, then we have the conversation. I have a connective tissue disease and there have been studies demonstrating the anti-inflammatory properties of Ozempic which may mean I end up on that med and off the Plaquenil, but everything is a trade-off.

As an athlete, weight loss is a challenge. We need a certain amount of fuel to perform, and most diet plans are based on a sedentary person starting from scratch. Diet apps where you input your food and activities are pretty accurate on food caloric content, but the exercise calorie burn is just an estimate. I lost weight rapidly in the first two months but was completely zapped, energy-wise.

[Turkle]

Not an expert here, but I think if you're taking those weight loss pills, you have to be super careful about the foods you are actually eating, as since you're eating less you need to make sure you're getting adequate nutrition in there. It can be easy to mess that up.

I would personally never try to mess with my appetite as an endurance athlete. Your body is telling you when you are hungry and you need to properly fuel to ride a bike.

I recently lost 20 pounds (went from 210 to 190) and the only lifestyle changes I made were 1) stopped drinking beer, I drink wine or cocktails instead, and 2) eliminated meat and dairy from my diet, only eggs and fish for protein. The above allowed me to continue to properly fuel my body for riding and still lose weight.

[Likes2ridefar]

Originally Posted by EB

Obesity is a disease, not a moral failing. It may not be a curable disease, but these drugs at least treat some of the symptoms.

I do not think they are very relevant to professional sports as the side effects do not seem compatible with world class athletic performance.

I suppose diseases can appear during any time period but this one has way too much correlation with the move to sedentary lifestyles and increased consumption of processed foods to call it a disease. Or maybe ignorance of nutrition and basic understanding of requirements to keep one healthy is a disease?

[FastCanon]

I watch older documentaries from the 80's and earlier and notice that people aren't that fat. Are we more sedentary with our lifestyles? Maybe drinking more beers? Snacks more chips? Have a dessert after every dinner?

What we don't realize is that it's the little things over long periods that add up. I'm not sure many of us bike enough to burn off those extra calories.

Childhood trauma can nudge us into a direction of a lifestyle that is more complex and more than we can handle. We don't notice the little things as much so it's harder to troubleshoot our weight problem.

Taking meds is a patch for most of us. The real solution might not only make you skinnier but mentally healthier. But that takes time, and we want it now.

[EB]

Originally Posted by Likes2ridefar

I suppose diseases can appear during any time period but this one has way too much correlation with the move to sedentary lifestyles and increased consumption of processed foods to call it a disease. Or maybe ignorance of nutrition and basic understanding of requirements to keep one healthy is a disease?

Would you say the same about alcohol and alcoholism?

[Likes2ridefar]

Originally Posted by EB

Would you say the same about alcohol and alcoholism?

I would not. Food is required to live and historically has shown if active and not eating too many calories the majority of people won’t be obese.. It’s not proven poison.

[fourflys]

so in case there is any confusion, I am the person who is considering taking the meds..

1. per BMI (yes, it has it's issues), I am obese.. at 5' 8.5", I hover around 220-225#.. 39-40" waist..

2. per most height/weight charts, I would be at least 40# over where I should be..

3. After a 30 yr career in the military, I have been diagnosed with PTSD with persistent depression.

4. I am not set on taking the meds as I am aware of the side effects for sure and they don't sound fun for many of the folks.. they also sound like they can be very effective in taking off 10-20% of the weight in a fairly short time..

5. I'm still waiting to talk to my Doc, so not even sure if it's a possibility yet..

I appreciate the thoughtful comments and even some of the others..

[fourflys]

Originally Posted by ColonelJLloyd

I would be interested in these as well, but even if my doc was on board with it (I have not inquired) there are reasons I'd better do all I can to lose weight without them.

1. Isn't the thing with these meds that they are, in fact, not temporary?

having not asked this question to the doc specifically, many folks will need to be on a "maintenance dose" for the rest of their like, but not all.. (per some folks who are currently on it)

for sure it would take some deliberate choices once you get to your goal weight to no bounce back, but I imagine it's possible..