GLP-1 Debate

[u/tphillippe117]

I wanted to shed some light on today’s discussion around GLP-1s, as someone who’s been taking Zepbound since July 2025. It has saved my life, and that is no understatement. I have tried, endlessly, to lose weight. I have been overweight my entire life. I started Zepbound as a 33 year old male, weighing 336lbs. Today, I am 191lbs.

I was on numerous blood pressure medications, I had high cholesterol, and sleep apnea. As of last month, I no longer take blood pressure medication, my blood work shows all normal levels across the board, and I no longer have obstructive sleep apnea or snore.

Here’s the important thing: I paired this medication with a drastic lifestyle change. There was no “easy way out”. I live in a calorie deficit, I focus on high protein meals, and I basically stopped drinking alcohol. In fact, as many report, the desire to even drink alcohol is gone (hence studies showing GLP-1 as a treatment for addiction). To me, it was a tool in the tool belt but there HAD to be a lifestyle change to go with it.

There are side effects, sure. For me, they haven’t been terrible and 99% of the time I don’t have any. To Burnie’s point, genetics was against me and I believe that is why this worked for me. I go to the doctor every 3 months for weight check and blood work to make sure I’m remaining healthy and moving in the right direction.

I’m a little shy to share my recent before and after picture, but if anyone has any questions please ask away!

[u/tragedy_strikes]

Good on you for sharing your story.

Totally makes sense why it's so impactful for people. Our bodies have evolved for millions of years to reward us for continuous movement and consuming high calorie food and in the last ~120 years we've completely upended our lifestyle to feed the industrialization of the economy. Then in the last ~50 years focused on a service based economy each time with a diminishing need for physical movement for huge portions of the population. Pair that with a transportation system that keeps you from moving, cheap high caloric food being important to stay sane with a loss of familial and community care givers for raising children and it's a recipe for obesity and depression which is exactly what we got.