Ozempic = Cheating? Seriously?

Herculean_Habits

Herculean_Habits

Well-known member
I'm really struggling to understand why some people think taking something like Ozempic is considered "cheating." Cheating at what, exactly? Health isn't a competition. Weight management isn't a game with winners and losers. So what am I supposedly cheating at?

You take an NSAID for inflammation. Is that cheating? You get an antibiotic for an infection - is that somehow wrong? So how is using a medication to assist my body in better managing insulin and curbing my appetite suddenly unethical?

It's not some miracle cure. You still have to modify your food choices. The side effects can be rough. The work is still there. And many of us have been trying to do this the hard way for years, decades even.

What people really mean when they call it cheating:
* "You reached your goals faster than I did."
* "You didn't struggle the way I think you should have."
* "I had to drastically cut calories, and you didn't."
* "It seems easier for you, and I don't like that."

It feels like it stems from insecurity and projection. It's not cheating to utilize tools that are effective for your body. You don't get bonus points for suffering longer. There's no award for sheer willpower. Some of us are just finished fighting against our own biology.

Let them be upset. I'm finally getting healthier, and I refuse to feel guilty about it.
 
It's because society still clings to the idea that obesity is a character flaw. They think you're weak-willed and undisciplined. In their minds, using Ozempic is an easy way out that prevents you from developing "true" self-control. It's complete garbage. These are often the same people who are drowning in debt and being unfaithful. They need to feel superior by judging you.
 
My doc thinks I have some kind of imbalance or genetic deal that makes it tough for my body to make enough GLP-1 on its own. She says it's like leveling the playing field. I'm doing well on it because I've been stressing about weight forever, so I already know the drill and want this *bad*. It might look like cheating, but I honestly just feel...normal now? No more constant food thoughts. Now I can choose to eat good stuff or junk, and I can choose to work out. It's not cheating, believe me.
 
It's preventing my partner from possibly losing a foot from diabetes and avoiding a stroke. So, yeah, I guess he's cheating...death?
 
Ozempic is frightening to those who base their self-esteem on being naturally thin. If people with weight challenges can achieve a similar physique without the perceived hardship, their sense of superiority diminishes, leading them to seek other things to criticize.

*I say perceived struggle because everyone has their own battles.*
 
If ozempic is cheating, then so are glasses. And bandages. Skincare. Vitamins. Ibuprofen. Electrolytes after working out.

Ozempic is healthcare. The whole point of healthcare is to make getting and staying healthy easier!
 
I went on a GLP-1 after decades of dealing with an eating disorder and so much therapy. It only helped so much. Hours after my initial dose, boom, the constant food noise was just gone.

If people struggling with alcohol can take meds to get sick when they drink, and addicts can get methadone... why can't this be a legit path to a better relationship with food?

The medication is giving me the space to address my ED issues in a way I couldn't before. Too much energy was spent just trying not to eat.

Best of luck, friend!
 
I used a medicine to kick cigarettes back in '11, and haven't smoked since.

I see Semaglutide in the exact same light. As medication to break habits that are literally killing me.
 
The bigger picture is that some religions assign virtue to suffering, and that thinking gets ingrained... the more you suffer, the more worthy you are... so, doing anything less than struggling is lazy, even sinful...(like, suicides go to hell)... but also jealousy, because they think they won't get a reward for choosing carrots over cookies and taking the stairs instead of the lift.
 
I needed to see this this evening. I just took my first shot and I feel guilty for not being able to conquer this alone.
 
it is not cheating at all! i have been trying to shed pounds since i was a teen and done every diet and exercise thing that exists were i live but never worked so if Oz made me healthy by shedding pounds and ppl call that cheating then okay i am a cheater!
 
I totally agree there's more to it. A smug pronouncement that they're somehow "better" for not needing medication. Can you imagine gatekeeping weight loss like that? Pathetic. lol
 
I think a lot of it boils down to the cost. It's so expensive, and lots of folks can't get their insurance to cover it, so they get mad at the ones who can.
 
It's a tool to assist you in accomplishing a goal. It's way easier to drive a nail with a hammer than with your bare hand.
 
It's really about punishing people. Herculean_Habits is right--some people think you have to earn being healthy by being "good," but only in the way the person judging you considers good, not in the way a medical professional does.
 
LeanAF said:
I think a lot of it boils down to the cost. It's so expensive, and lots of folks can't get their insurance to cover it, so they get mad at the ones who can.
Click to expand...

That makes sense. Resentment over money is a powerful thing.
 
Dr. Spencer Nadolsky has talked about the transformative role of GLP-1 medications. It's not just about weight loss; it's about overall metabolic health. People should check out his discussions on the topic.
 
PipNotes said:
I went on a GLP-1 after decades of dealing with an eating disorder and so much therapy. It only helped so much. Hours after my initial dose, boom, the constant food noise was just gone.
Click to expand...

This is so relatable. It's like a switch flipped off.
 
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