I’m thinking about some of my pet peeves regarding a health journey today.
 
Some people are saying Oprah has lost way too much weight and gotten too skinny very quickly. Not true. She has been on a GLP-1 journey for a long time (as have I). Some of the videos circulating of her right now are obviously AI-generated. Fake. Recent real photos and videos of her show a different picture. She looks healthy, and when asked, she says she is feeling and doing great.
 
Our culture has normalized talking about women’s weight in ways that are harmful (and not just celebrities). In fact, why is it ok to talk about anyone’s weight or appearance at all? Stop that, please. There are many reasons for someone to be at an unhealthy weight. We don’t know the whole story, nor do we understand the physiology of that individual person. Going on about someone’s weight in a negative way is cruel (especially if it is to their face), and it is cruel gossip (if behind their back).
 
Let’s normalize NOT talking incessantly about everyone’s weight. Deal?
 
(Give a compliment? Sure! That is not what I mean. I think we all know what I mean!)
 
Whenever we gossip or criticize someone’s weight or appearance, we are criticizing an image-bearer. All humans are made in the image of God. That is all we need to know (or say) about anybody. That is what gives them value.
 
Genesis 1:27
So God created man in his own image…
 
I am one of the image-bearers who has had criticism of my weight and appearance directed at me, said to my face. And behind my back, I’m sure, but I don’t need to know that.
 
I have mentioned this story before, but I want to talk about it again so that anyone who can relate might be set free of the shame it produces. If you cannot relate, I hope you never have to hear anything like this. I hope you never say this kind of thing to anyone, too. And, shaming ourselves never lands in a good place, either.
 
It was a 1:1 meeting with my pastor at the time, who told me my weight was a concern to him because I couldn’t be a good role model for other women (in the context of leading a women’s health-related Bible study). I knew it was coming because he got up to shut the door before he said it, because the secretary was sitting nearby. I still struggle not to hear those words in my mind at times (it was years ago!). I know it was a lie. I know who I am in Christ. But I am human. I responded, “Well, I think they will find me relatable, which is more important.” He gave me the opportunity to lead after that, but it came with caution about his ongoing concerns about how my weight might affect the ladies I was there to serve. I went into a season of fruitful ministry in the years following that awkward conversation. I led the studies and I became certified as a counselor, too. Still, those words never left my mind and I carried that shame all the way through it until this health journey I am writing about began about 2.5 years ago.
 
Shame. Feeling ashamed. This is the kind of damage caused by criticizing someone’s weight. If it’s happened to you (from a spouse, friend, stranger, boss, leader, whoever) and you want to talk about it, I would be glad to. I have come a long way in not letting things like that continue to define me, but it creeps back in a little bit when I see others criticizing someone’s weight (like Oprah’s!). Thus, my thinking about pet peeves today!
 
Have you been shamed? Ashamed? Let’s talk about it. If you want to or need to, I’m here.
 
Now that I got that off my chest:
 
A little update on my journey now that I am 7 months post surgery on my right knee, and 3.5 months post-surgery for my second knee replacement.
 
Six months ago, I was clipping along on my GLP-1 at a steady, slow rate. I was losing about half a pound per week while maintaining my new normal A1c. Then I had my left knee replaced. When you have surgery, you stop your medication a couple of weeks before surgery. This is because one function of GLP-1 is to slow gastric emptying. Anesthesiologists don’t like to risk having too much stomach content when going under, so you stop it for a bit. You can get right back on it after surgery as long as you are doing well enough. I was hospitalized for 7 days, so I was off of mine for just over 3 weeks. I went back on it without any issues, except that I noticed I was not responding to it as well as before. I maintained during that time, and then 3 months later, had my other knee replaced. I was able to get back on Ozempic about 3 weeks later. The starts and stops, along with two difficult surgeries and my ongoing challenging recovery, have taken a toll on my system.
 
A couple of months ago, I noticed that I felt like I wasn’t even taking medication anymore. I barely felt any effects; it was different than before. A few pounds crept back on, which didn’t worry me because I know surgery wreaks havoc on our systems and it takes time to get back to normal. My doctor and I agreed to increase my dose. So I am currently on a higher dose, and it is going well so far. Only time will tell if my A1c stays stable and if the weight comes off again. I still have plenty to lose, and would love to get that accomplished this year. Not to be thin. But to be the healthiest my body is capable of becoming. My main motivator right now is my mobility. New knees are great, but they still feel very sore and stiff all the time, and losing a bit more weight will help alleviate the pressure on them. That is what my doctors and PT tell me, and I believe they are right. I take their advice to heart and apply it, and will continue to do so even on the hardest days (there are a lot of those still, to be very honest!).
 
Health journeys are not linear. I have heard that said so many times. It is so true, and something I’ve learned to accept. I don’t get freaked out if the scale moves up instead of down. I give myself grace and don’t set goals I cannot reach. I don’t expect perfection, and I let myself enjoy life, including all kinds of food. GLP-1 helps my body know when it has had enough and helps my brain stay clear and focused on things other than food.
 
If you have never had what we call “food noise”, you have no way to relate to the struggle. It is very real. And GLP-1 helps reduce (or at least lessen) the food noise. It is freeing and such a relief. All those years of feeling like a failure and weak, when all along it was never a moral failure at all. It is physiological. If you disagree, look at the science and listen to the experts. Some counseling colleagues I know say it is a choice, a spiritual failure, a lack of self-control, and a weakness of faith. Just pray more, read your bible, take your thoughts captive, and your tendency to rely on food improperly will go away. Food is your idol. They are wrong. I can say this firsthand. Believing those things and teaching others to believe them is harmful. I am speaking out about this because I know how much harm was done to my well-being over the years of believing and being taught that wrong approach. I am so sorry if I ever said any of these things to you, too.
 
I want this to change for others, and my story might help at least one person change their thinking about themselves or towards those who have the disease of obesity. (Is it a given that an overweight person has this disease? Maybe not. I don’t really know. It might be their idol, but that is not the point here. I just know my situation and what it has taught me.) Get good medical advice. No amount of therapy or counseling is going to fix the physiological problems, including the food noise. “You can control your thought life” (which is true if that is all the problem is) is not helpful for someone like me, who needed medication to address real metabolic deficits that led to obesity over the course of my adult life. The thoughts and spiritual/mental/emotional issues are resolving along the way, just like yours are as a human being who struggles at times, too. Metabolic issues blocked a lot of that work for me prior to a GLP-1.
 
If you are on a health journey, remember that it won’t be linear either, and that is okay! It is a journey, not a sprint, and it is meant to change you.
 
I have yet to process and realize all of the spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical benefits that this journey has brought me. People ask me, “What have you learned?” and I hesitate to answer. It’s deep, private, personal, and a lot to sort out. So that’s all I can say about it right now. Maybe I will eventually have a more detailed and well-explained response to that question. And maybe I will write some blog posts about it in the future. My journey is not over.
 
For now, I just know that God loves me no more and no less based on my health or my weight. He approves of me based on His Son’s righteousness, not mine. That grace gives me the freedom to have ups and downs on this journey, to stop blaming myself for being “bad,” to make mistakes without fear of rejection or punishment, and to just live my life while using tools like GLP-1 to be a good steward of the body he has given me. We are embodied souls; you can’t separate the soul from the body or the body from the soul, so this journey is a mix of both. That is why I can say it is as much a spiritual journey as a physical one.
 
As always, you can leave a comment or message me anytime.
 
Ellen
 
 
 

In the Oprah video I posted last time, she and a friend discussed things they felt guilty or sad about missing out on in their lives because of their obesity. The stories told were so sad to hear, but understandable and relatable, too. It stirred up some things I still needed to deal with and stop carrying around. I have many examples of important life events that I said “no” to because it was too embarrassing and uncomfortable to get on a plane, or too hard to climb up some bleachers, or too difficult to walk far enough to get somewhere, you get the idea. I lived for years with FOMO (fear of missing out) because I really did miss out. I blamed myself entirely for missing important parts of life.
 
To work on your compassion for people with obesity, listen to their stories (and mine) and imagine how their experiences have shaped how they navigate the world and how they feel about themselves. If you have judged someone rather than shown empathy, I hope you will do better moving forward.
 
Here’s one example from my history so that you see what I mean:
 
I once travelled with a friend who had made some comments about my weight, but I never acknowledged the pain her remarks caused me, and I chose to travel with her anyway. When we got on a plane, I said it was embarrassing to ask for the seatbelt extender and wished they were available without having to ask in front of everyone. My friend said, “You know, Ellen, it doesn’t have to be this way”. I felt shamed and just said, “Yeah, I know, but it’s harder than you realize”. But at the time, I also thought it was all my fault, that I was weak, that my faith was messed up because I couldn’t seem to change in any lasting way, and I took her words and used them against myself for years. Until I started on a GLP-1 and learned that obesity is a disease and that it was never, in fact, my “fault” or just a choice.
 
And here’s an example of missing out on life:
 
My brother passed away after we moved to Texas. He had cancer, and it wasn’t sudden, but it was really sad for me to lose him, and I miss him. His wife and kids are amazing people, and I miss seeing them now that we live several states away. My brother was an interesting man who deserves an entire post, but for this post, I will just say that he was honored by many, many people when he died. He was the Track and Field Director at a university and a well-known runner (he ran Marathon in the 1988 Olympics, in fact!) The college honored him, and there was a celebration of his life. It was a big event. My sister travelled to go to it.
 
I did not go. I wanted to go. I needed to go. I wanted to be there to see the impact his life had on others, and to say my own goodbyes to him. But, I wasn’t capable of traveling at the time due to my knees being so painful, my diabetes not being controlled, and generally not wanting to fly for a million reasons. I have felt regret that I did not make an attempt, all because of my obesity (before this weight loss or taking Ozempic.)
 
I can’t change things. I wouldn’t have been able to handle much of a trip like that, but I hate that I wasn’t there. I hate that I was afraid to try, but I also believed I really just couldn’t handle it. I did not mean to dishonor my brother or his family, and I hope they didn’t feel that way. But, it is what it is, and I was in a very different state of mind and in such poor health then. I am not the same now, in so many ways. I have a goal: once I am a little further along on this journey and my knee surgeries heal, I want to go to California to visit my sister-in-law, see the track where his name is honored, and have my own way of saying a more official ‘goodbye’ to my brother. I think that will be very healing.
 
Thanks to watching an Oprah podcast, I was finally able to acknowledge these feelings and say them out loud. I don’t blame myself today, but I did feel guilt and shame over not going in spite of my poor health and state of mind until recently. I have now let myself off the hook and am not wallowing in regret. I don’t take the blame, but I do still feel sad about what I missed.
 
Ozempic did not heal my heart’s grief and regret over missing my brother’s life celebration. Jesus did that. But the medication changed my brain in such a way that I gained clarity about my health, which changed my relationship with food, which changed my mental clarity so that I could stop accepting the shame of obesity and encourage others to do the same. I can stop accepting shame and guilt now, because of clarity and because of my faith. There’s no way I can stay in shame and still have a healthier life. No more guilt. No more shame. (And no more FOMO!)
 
If you carry any guilt or shame from obesity or anything else, please know that it is important to accept God’s love through His Son and believe that He bore that guilt and shame on the cross on your behalf. It’s amazing, really, and super freeing to say the least! (Some of you reading might think that sounds weird, or like a political red flag. I promise you that is not what being a Christian really is. Jesus is not portrayed accurately by a lot of what you are seeing in the name of “Christianity” these days. I stand with the marginalized and have compassion for them, because I have been there and am there.)
 
Let me know if you need someone to talk to about all this. I’m happy to do that. I have not “arrived” at some magical place on this work-in-progress journey, but I have progressed and would love to see others progress, too.

​I have posted a must-watch podcast video (below) for anyone interested in GLP-1 medication, on a GLP-1, has a friend or loved one on a GLP-1, is a naysayer or skeptic about GLP-1s, doesn’t believe obesity is a chronic disease, thinks obesity is a sin or lack of faith, thinks it is all about willpower and diet culture, or is simply just curious what all the chatter about Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Zepbound is all about.

Even if none of that fits you, please educate yourself by watching this video anyway. You will be smarter on this topic and therefore more compassionate and understanding (and KIND).

Please watch this podcast. Watch it all the way to the end, whether you agree with it or not, because so much important stuff is said right up to the end. If you tune out, skip parts, or don’t finish it, you will have an incomplete picture of what this is all about.

Oprah is using her voice in a great way here, but this is not about Oprah. So if you don’t like her, that is so not the point of this - just watch it and appreciate her vulnerability, relatability, and her courage to share something so personal after decades of her suffering with obesity and being publicly shamed for it. Nobody has been “fat-shamed” more than Oprah has through the years. Nobody deserves that. I wonder if the stigma of obesity will end in my lifetime. I hope so.

Two profound things came out of this podcast for me personally, but I am going to write about those on a separate blog post soon. I need to put my thoughts together first.

Did I say to PLEASE WATCH THIS? Please.

And buy the book. I did, and so far it’s super helpful, encouraging and educational. The author is one of the most respected medical research professionals in the field. She has taught me a lot and I’m grateful for that!

When I started this health journey on 11/01/23, I had 3 goals I wanted to reach (in addition to diabetes going in to remission, which happened very quickly thanks to Ozempic.) I didn’t and don’t set time limits on my goals, they are just different things I looked (and look) forward to. I had a “reward” in mind for each one. 
The goals are:

1. I wanted to reach “one-derland” (weigh under 200 lbs.)
2. I wanted to lose 100 lbs initially, with more to follow
3. I want to get to a healthy maintenance weight range, and stay there for good

Here’s where I’m at on all 3 goals as of 10/30/25:

1. Goal #1 was met a couple months ago. Reward: I got my original wedding set resized (haven’t been able to wear them in decades), and a ring that was my mom’s resized (I’ve had it since 2012 but it never fit). I did this so that I can enjoy wearing them from now on. I love wearing them for so many reasons - what they represent in my life as well as what they represent in meeting this target.
2. Goal #2 was met last month. I wanted to reach that weight loss in order to get my knees replaced safely and to be able to handle the recovery rehab. One knee is done, the other to follow soon! Work in progress, totally worth doing even though it’s been hard. If you follow my social media, you know the details (probably more than you want to know, but it is a journal for me to look back on.)
3. Goal #3 - I am not at maintenance yet. I don’t know when I will be, but I do know that I will get there. I have no set weight in mind, because my doctor and I will decide that as I continue to make progress. I don’t care about being “thin”. I do care about maintaining a healthy A1c and health in general for a better quality of life in to my aging years! I am not sure yet what my “reward” will be for reaching maintenance. I do have a couple of ideas that I’m not ready to share. To be determined! But it’s gonna be something great, for sure!

What kinds of health goals do you have? I’d love to hear about them and cheer you on!

​Losing weight feels great, but it isn’t the best part of this health journey for me. The best part might be surprising, but it is this:
 
The most unexpected benefit of taking a GLP-1 has been finding my voice. Let me see if I can explain that; it might be difficult to articulate. If you can relate to some of this, you will understand. If you can’t relate, it might sound like an unlikely side effect of a medication, but try not to discount my experience—just open your heart and mind to this perspective (and read my former post on empathy).
 
I want to be clear that taking a GLP-1 like Ozempic does not do the work for you or fix everything on its own. One thing it does for many people is clear the mind, in a sense, as it lessens the “food noise,” improves the dysfunctional relationship with food, and improves other ways the mind is impacted by poor health (inflammation, etc.), giving the mind the ability to think more clearly. This is a gradual, but profound way that I have changed (and continue to change) as a result of taking the medication. Weight loss through dieting alone has never achieved this benefit for me in the past, and others report the same experience. There are even statistics and studies that back this up; it is not just my experience.
 
The mental clarity has helped me find my voice in this way - as I look back on my life, I realize how much of my mental space was taken up by the feeling that I was a square peg trying to fit into a round hole. I was very shy as a child, and that went on into my adulthood. As an adult, it became more of an internal struggle to feel I needed to conform to certain expectations and hide my real feelings, thoughts, and opinions. This was more than an insecurity or people-pleasing. It had an element of imposter-syndrome, but it was more than that, too. As I became obese, I was given certain messages from society, from people in my life, from the theology of churches we’ve attended, and from my own unmet self-expectations that added to this sense of needing to hide who I really am. This played out in many realms of my life— career, church, socially, and in my ministry as a biblical counselor.
 
Here are just a few examples (maybe in future posts, I will expand on these and other examples). We adopted some of our kids in an era and location where this wasn’t a popular thing to do. A couple of our kids were special needs and very difficult, and our family had to learn to function accordingly, which was incredibly isolating and lonely. We faced such misunderstanding and lack of support in our church circles that we just shut down and kept quiet about some struggles rather than face inevitable judgment and criticism for the way we parented differently than what was considered ‘biblical parenting’ in those circles. For years, we were active in church but never really shared what we were going through at home (other than a few close friends, thankfully, we did have those!). We were misunderstood, gossiped about, and more. Eventually, we did open up about everything, but the support system wasn’t there as it should have been, so, as a mom, I stayed closed about it. Square peg behavior!

I also have found myself struggling to express a different viewpoint or opinion about church issues and counseling-related things. I don’t blend in well with any particular tribe, and I never felt free to just be ok with that —be who I am, be ok with having a different opinion or seeing things in another way. In the current political climate and the way it has intersected with Christianity, I find myself seeing some things differently than other popular viewpoints in some of my circles. Also, I have endured mistreatment by abusive leaders in previous churches, and instead of using my voice to address it, I shut down and never entirely told the story (mainly because some counseled me to stay quiet, and I was told by others that I must have done something to contribute to their behavior towards me, dismissing my experience added to my shut down and not using my voice.) In those hard times, my foggy mind could not process the reality of the situations, nor could I receive the counsel I was given (both good and bad!). As a counselor for over 20 years, I have kept my voice quiet at times within the biblical counseling movement because I don’t seem to fit into the molds that are expected in order to belong in certain groups. I am a square peg in any given group, it seems. Again, these are just a few brief examples of a lifetime of struggling with this square peg dilemma.
 
Enter Ozempic. Gradually, I have gained more mental clarity. I am not a scientist nor a physician, so I won’t try to explain how this works scientifically here, but it does. I was able to start to work through these kinds of issues in my life, and I feel more confident in using my own voice as God has called me and made me (in His image, as are you.) One way I am doing this right now is by writing this blog and being honest about things I never would have spoken about before. I am working on being more transparent and vulnerable in everything I say and write in church and in ministry, feeling confident that God has given me a distinct voice in these spaces and that I am supposed to use it, not hide it. I do not want to focus only on myself, even though this is my journey, because the sole purpose of my voice is to give glory to God and to help people. I have become more forthcoming in the various ways I use my voice (teaching/training, mentoring, counseling), but I have a long way to go, no doubt. I am a work in progress, still on this journey. I am finally more comfortable using my voice than ever before, and I know this is a result of taking a GLP-1, which has given me newfound mental clarity. How cool is that?!
 
Don’t get me wrong. The GLP-1 doesn’t fix everything. It just cleared up some health issues that interfered with my ability to do what we all need to be doing: take care of our health in a sustainable and balanced way (mental health, physical health, and spiritual health all work hand-in-hand). It is still just as important to get counseling if needed, talk to close family and friends, and do the ongoing work of spiritual growth, as we all should. But for me, Ozempic does clear the mind and make the body healthier, leading to being able to do better mental/spiritual/emotional work without the mental garbage in the way.
 
In summary, for me, a GLP-1 is the tool that cleared my mind enough to finally have the bandwidth to see my food issues more clearly, to gain perspective and help with issues that always felt so muddy before due to the shame and guilt that was both self-inflicted and inflicted by the messages conveyed in the spiritual communities I was involved in through my adult years. GLP-1 removed the brain fog and mind clutter and helps me to understand God, others, and myself so much more.
 
This is a longer story, of course, and I have left a lot out, but the end result has been …. FREEDOM. Freedom physically, spiritually, emotionally, and mentally. At age 68, I can honestly say that I am changed in every aspect of my life due to the use of Ozempic for the past two years. It wasn’t just Ozempic; I’ve been doing a lot of work on myself lately in other ways, too. Ozempic has helped me do all the different things necessary for change. It works for me, profoundly!
 
Years ago, before I did counselor training, a stranger at a conference told me that she wanted me to remember this verse and that it would be the foundation of my counseling ministry. I have thought of it as my “ministry verse” ever since, but it has taken on a deeper, more profound meaning for me in light of my recent discovery of my voice. It is this:
 
1 Peter 3:15: “…but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, ready at any time to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.”
 
Ozempic is not my hope; it is simply a tool that has helped me. Jesus is my genuine hope, and I hope that He will use my voice to share real hope with others who need hope, too. I ask Him continually to give me a voice of kindness, grace, mercy, truth, and love. If I have ever failed to do that with you, please forgive me and let’s chat about it.
 
As always, feel free to leave a comment here or on my social media. I’d be happy to have a conversation with you.
 
Ellen
 
 
 
 

I’m feeling fairly annoyed today about something I saw online, re-posted by an acquaintance on social media, that was very anti-GLP-1 and misinformed. It struck me as cruel, too. (I do not know the original author, and have spoken to the person who re-posted it; we have agreed to disagree because he believes that GLP-1 use is dangerous and wrong for Christians.) The person who wrote the original post stated that they lost some weight by reducing their calories, exercising, and eating only certain foods. They felt that if they could succeed, anyone could by doing the same thing. Then they said that it bothers them to see people losing weight on GLP-1 medication and therefore “cheating” as they pondered why anyone would ever choose to do something that “reckless” when the solution to their weight problem is “so simple” (meaning, draw whatever method you desire from diet culture).
 
Listen, if you are overweight and can lose weight without medicine or surgery, that’s amazing, and you should do it! I am all for that when it helps someone! It’s their own business, and I have nothing against their choices whatsoever. But some, like that person who made that post, seem to be against others who make different choices for their health. That doesn’t sit well with me.
 
For so many people with obesity, it’s nearly impossible to succeed without medical help. Oh, you might succeed for a while, but statistics and many of our experiences prove that the weight piles back on, and often more. None of this has anything to do with being “reckless”. GLP-1 medication is well-tested (for over 20 years) and available by prescription only, given by a licensed provider. That is not reckless. (If someone is getting it without a prescription from a provider, that is reckless and dangerous and probably counterfeit!)
 
Telling someone with obesity that they should simply diet and exercise to lose weight and keep it off is like telling someone with chronic and severe high blood pressure to lower their own dangerous level of blood pressure by eating less salt instead of taking medicine for it. It doesn’t work that way (although using less salt might be helpful in some less severe cases or for someone already on medication). Some people need medication; it is just a fact.
 
It seems to make a lot of people uncomfortable that obese people have been given a proven and safe tool that actually works, and works for the long haul. It is weird to me, and unkind to say the least, that they essentially seem to think an obese person needs to suffer (as if they aren’t already) and struggle and endure the correlating health problems while they tough it out on the next fad diet that they know won’t be sustainable. Why would people rather see us suffer than succeed?
 
Overweight people deal with stigma every day of their lives. Some of us have gone on a GLP-1 to get healthier, and as a perk, some weight has come off, which makes some people mad. That is weird, don’t you think? Not only that, there is often stigma attached to being on a medication like Ozempic. I frequently see it in the media, especially when celebrities lose weight, and everyone wants to know how they did it. The comments fly in, such as “I bet it’s Ozempic,” as a criticism. I say, “I think it’d be great if they chose a GLP-1 like Ozempic if that was helpful to them. Good for them for wanting to improve their health”!
 
The stigma often arises from people being misinformed, drawing their own conclusions without evidence, or simply needing to have an opinion. I wonder if sometimes it makes thinner people feel threatened when an overweight person loses the weight. That sounds like a deeper issue than a blog post can handle, but I think there is sometimes something to this. If it isn’t that, then why is someone angry that another person got help, lost weight, and improved their health? Why do people care what kind of medical care someone else is getting? Why is there a need to know what medication someone is taking? Why be critical of someone’s health choices based simply on an opinion?
 
I don’t have answers to these questions. They are just something I have been thinking about. If you have insight to share, please do, I’d really be interested in hearing it. One thought I have had is that we are living in such contentious times that people tend to quickly default to a critical spirit and become contentious. We hear name-calling and accusations every time we turn on the news, so maybe we are getting desensitized and adopting some of the same tendencies to be more “against” others than “for” them. If you are a Christian, you are called to be “for” the suffering struggler. Obesity is a form of suffering, and that deserves compassion and care, not name-calling, judgment, and criticism. Just a thought. I do think that thought is backed up by scripture, like:
 
Please look these up to read them, it’s worthwhile!
Colossians 3:12
Romans 12:15
Zechariah 7:9-10
1 John 3:17
Psalm 103:13
Isaiah 54:10
Hebrews 4:15
Micah 7:19
There are many more. What are your favorites?
 
I really don’t need to tell anyone I am on Ozempic. Nobody needs to know what medication you are on, either. It’s personal, between us and our physician. I don’t owe anyone an explanation of my personal health or how I have lost 100 lbs. But I am choosing to talk about it now that I have been on it for two years, to chronicle my profound journey and potentially encourage another struggler.
 
Why didn’t I do it sooner? I was not ready to use my voice in this way. I had to work through a lifetime of weight-related shame first. I had to make sure my GLP-1 positively helped me before I shared about it. It has been a profound and private journey, but the bottom line is that I honestly believe that God has called me to share certain things as part of the ministry He has entrusted to me for many years as a counselor and mentor. I  realize that I may be drawing some criticism for talking about this topic, but at this point in my journey, I can handle that because my confidence is not in medication or in my reducing weight; it is in my faith in Jesus alone.
 
Having said all this through that slightly annoyed tone I mentioned today (I am only human), please know that you are welcome to contact me if you have questions, concerns, want to discuss this further with me personally, or if there is any other way I can serve you. It is my privilege, truly, and I promise to get past my annoyance before I reply to you (and before I write my next post)!
 
Thanks for reading, and as always, feel free to leave a comment here or on my social media posts.
Ellen
 
Please remember, none of this is medical advice. Consult your provider if you are seeking help for your health.
 

Empathy. That word has recently drawn some controversy, to the detriment of the basics of Christianity. The concept of “toxic empathy” is something I won’t delve into deeply because I disagree with the term and its promotion by some. Without genuine empathy, we cannot truly love our neighbors. Some popular voices have tried to convince us otherwise, as they have hijacked the term and politicized it. They claim that empathy towards certain groups is toxic because it causes you to lean a certain way politically that they deem wrong. Personally, I can’t imagine how I can follow Jesus and only be empathetic towards certain people and not others. I want to have empathy towards all humans because everyone is created in God’s image. Everyone. Not just those who lean the way we do politically or have the same worldview. To be empathetic towards fellow humans is to be Christlike. There is nothing toxic about that.
 
I would put it like this: empathy is about putting yourself in another person’s shoes. It is the ability to relate to someone either specifically or in concept. We always have something in common with another person, just by the nature of being human. You don’t have to have gone through the same thing as someone to be empathetic, but you do have traits or experiences to draw from that help you to relate to someone and be able to imagine what it is like to go through what they go through. Taking it a bit deeper, picture the cross of Christ. In front of that cross is a level playing field. He died there for all sinners (us), not based on their ‘level’ of sin. People have different consequences in life based on their sins, but at the cross, the playing field is level, and forgiveness is available for all who believe. If we are all on a level playing field, then we can all have empathy towards others.
 
As a woman who spent most of her adult life in a larger body than is healthy, I have experienced a fair amount of judgment, criticism, and mistreatment. All larger individuals experience these issues because our society’s standards prioritize thinness, fitness, and appearance. When you don’t meet those standards, you live a different experience from people without obesity. If you are not someone who has struggled with obesity and has not experienced what I have, you can still have empathy towards me and others like me. Do you have this kind of empathy? If not, why not? I hope you will engage in some self-reflection about this, as it matters. It matters to others, it matters for you, and it matters to God.
 
Maybe some specific scenarios will help you to develop some empathy towards people who live in bigger bodies:
 
*Imagine boarding an airplane, knowing you will not be able to fit well in the seat. You dread having to ask for a seatbelt extender because it is embarrassing. You dread who might be sitting next to you, because you might take up a little more space than other people, and that can be embarrassing and uncomfortable for both you and the person next to you.
​
*Imagine walking into a restaurant, and you only see booths available. You either ask for a table and have to wait, or you accept a booth knowing that you will either not fit in it or it will be extremely awkward and uncomfortable to sit there. An unpleasant and embarrassing situation, regardless. You dislike restaurants because of this.
 
*Imagine a young child asks you, “Why are you big?” in front of their mother, and the mother looks at you, waiting for you to answer. You are waiting for her to correct her child with something like, “That is a rude thing to say to someone,” but she doesn’t say that at all, and you feel ashamed and embarrassed.

*Imagine being a younger woman who is overweight and getting asked in public when your baby is due. But you are not pregnant, you are overweight.
 
*Imagine a pastor, boss, or leader telling you that you cannot be a role model to others because of your weight, disqualifying you based on appearance.
 
*Imagine your parent focusing on your weight as a teenager and young adult, mentioning it frequently, and telling you they are embarrassed by you.
 
*Imagine going to someone’s house and feeling afraid to sit in their chairs for fear they will not hold your weight and break (because it has happened before), so you would rather stay home.
 
*Imagine opening up to a friend you trusted to handle your vulnerability, sharing your shame about your weight, only to have her say, “Well, it doesn’t HAVE to be this way, you brought this on yourself.” Being shamed by a friend is a form of betrayal that can be difficult to process.
 
*Imagine having diabetes, bone-on-bone knee joints with excessive pain, high blood pressure, and other ailments due to carrying extra weight. You seek medical help for years, only to have doctors add to your shame by telling you the only solution is to lose weight, but they never tell you how or offer any specific help.
 
*Imagine having to pay more for clothing (often unattractive styles because nothing else is available) simply because you are “plus size”.
 
*Imagine walking into a room and automatically scanning the people to see if you are, once again, the biggest person in the room. You do this because you carry a constant shame and embarrassment about being seen in this way.
 
The above scenarios came to mind easily. I didn’t have to think hard to come up with these examples because I have lived through every single one of them.
 
Can you relate at all? If you have not struggled with weight, have you struggled in similar ways? If not, can you at least picture what it might be like and find some empathy towards people who live in bigger bodies? I hope so. I hope that you can therefore be kind, compassionate, inclusive, and considerate of people who struggle with obesity.
 
Perhaps it will help you develop empathy to know that obesity is not their fault. No, nobody forced them to overeat. However, their biology is likely working against them, and as a result, this is not a simple moral issue. This is why the answer “just eat less and move more” is an incomplete solution to the problem of obesity. I know some will disagree with me in calling obesity a disease. Still, I am drawing this conclusion from specialists in obesity medicine who are skilled, trained, and educated, and are changing the future of medicine when it comes to obesity. It is complicated, and there are behavioral issues involved, but even those stem from biological problems that make it much harder for someone to succeed at weight loss. My own life experience now makes a great deal more sense, as I understand this. Understanding this has also freed me from guilt and shame that added even more “weight” to my bigger body.

Now that my bigger body is getting smaller, I am experiencing new things. I no longer shop in plus sizes. I fit in booths. I won’t need a seatbelt extender. Children won’t ask me why I am so big. Pastors or bosses won’t question my ability to help people due to my weight. I have stopped scanning the room to see if I am the biggest person there due to my shame. None of these experiences is the goal of weight loss, and being thin is not my ultimate goal. My health has been my primary goal, but these new experiences are certainly freeing and a relief. That is just the honest truth. It is easier and feels better to get rid of those prior experiences, but they still linger in my mind because I want to remain empathetic towards people in bigger bodies. I don’t want to forget how it has felt to live as an obese person. I can do that because I have been there. You can do that whether you have been there or not, because you can find other ways to relate to and be empathetic by growing in your understanding and imagining yourself in someone else’s shoes.
 
Sometimes I wonder how different things could have been if my leaders and bosses had been more empathetic, rather than judging and disqualifying me based on my appearance. Or if that mother had corrected her child. Or if airplanes and restaurants had a little more space so as not to embarrass people who don’t fit well. I think the difference would have been that I would have still been unhealthy physically, but emotionally, I would not have felt so much shame and embarrassment about who I am. When you lack empathy, you may be causing emotional harm to others. That is not kind, compassionate, or…Christian.
 
My desire in sharing all this the way I have is to get you to think. Consider people from a new perspective, through the lens of empathy. Less judgment, more understanding. Encourage others in your life who struggle with obesity to get proper medical care to determine what is appropriate and might help them change the course of their health.
 
It is really helpful to understand obesity as a disease that has medical solutions.  In fact, it has changed my life! Losing guilt and shame have been the best losses. Losing body weight is just icing on the cake. (And yes, you can still eat some cake and lose weight!)
 
Thanks for reading, and as always, feel free to leave a comment here or on my social media posts.
Ellen
 
Please remember, none of this is medical advice. Consult your provider if you are seeking help for your health.
​
Scriptures to consider regarding empathy. Can you think of others?
 
Romans 12:15: 
"Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep".
Galatians 6:2: 
"Bear one another's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ". 
1 Peter 3:8: 
"Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind". 
Philippians 2:3-4: 
"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests, but each of you to the interests of others". 
Colossians 3:12: 
"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience". 
Matthew 7:12: 
"So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets".
 
 

In this second post, it is essential to establish some proven facts about GLP-1 medications and how each fact has personally impacted me. I have many other topics I'd like to discuss in future posts, but let’s start here.
 
(Note: I take Ozempic, but also commonly used are Mounjaro, Wegovy, Zepbound, and others. Each of these has specific FDA-approved uses, and there are some differences in their ingredients and functions. Your provider will be able to help you to determine which one, if any, could be best for your situation. None of this is medical advice. Please be sure to talk to your own medical provider for advice.)
 
Fact: These medications are not a quick fix. I hear people say this often: “People on weight loss medicine are just looking for an easy way out or a quick fix because they don’t want to do the work to get healthy.” There is no quick fix or easy way out when you are on a GLP-1. Quite the opposite, in fact.
My experience: I have worked very hard on my health, but the medication did not do that for me. It simply helped me to do it successfully. We are all different, and there is nothing helpful in comparing our journey with someone else’s. My weight loss has been very slow. I have lost an average of .5-1 lbs per week. I have experienced long plateaus where I didn't lose any weight, and some short stretches where the weight seemed to fall off without any effort on my part. It has not been a linear experience. But I have seen the scale move down overall, and the slow process has been fine with me because it has never just been about a number on a scale. It is so much more than that.
 
Fact: These medications do not melt fat away; they are not magic or a simple fix for lazy people who don’t want to diet. They are not “cheating” to lose weight; you still have to do every bit of the work. Nobody on a GLP-1 is taking it because they are lazy.
My experience: Nutrition has been super important for my weight loss. By that, I mean you have to be in a calorie deficit in order to lose weight, no matter how you are doing it. What I don’t mean is that you have to engage in diet culture. Diet culture is focused on rule following, and when the scale doesn’t budge, the sense of failure and shame takes over, and the cycle repeats (lose, gain, lose, gain more). The medication helps me stick to a healthy, balanced way of living. I do not fad diet; I eat and enjoy any and all kinds of food. No food is “bad” in and of itself unless you misuse it, of course. Common sense says that a steady diet of junk is never a good idea, so I eat those kinds of things in moderation when I really want to. I have learned to enjoy focusing on protein, fiber, healthier food choices, and good hydration. Those are the key ingredients in losing weight on any diet, including when taking a GLP-1. I no longer obsess about these things; they have become my natural habits because of the way Ozempic has changed me. The medication has helped to change my approach to food. I don’t experience cravings very often anymore, and I no longer obsess or fret about counting calories. I have a reasonably consistent eating pattern now, and I make the healthiest possible choices most of the time (although not all the time, as I do treat myself too!). If I stall in my weight loss, I take a closer look at what I am eating, just long enough to face reality and get back on track with a calorie deficit if I realize that I haven’t been as mindful about my health as I need to be as a good steward of my God-given body. Ozempic keeps me from overeating because I physically feel full after a reasonable meal and have no desire to keep eating, and it has taken the “food noise” (mental obsessions and constantly thinking about food and eating) away so that I don’t have urges to eat when my body is not really hungry. Naturally thin people do these things automatically. People with the disease of obesity do not. We often benefit from the extra help a GLP-1 offers as one tool in the health tool belt.
 
Fact: GLP-1 is useful for lowering A1c in Type 2 Diabetics, which I have. GLP-1 helps your body produce insulin and lowers your glucose numbers.
My experience: My doctor uses the A1c number to assess how Ozempic is working for me and determine whether I need a dose adjustment. Weight loss is a factor, but not the primary concern. She calls it a “side effect”. When people call Ozempic “a weight loss drug” or “the fat jab”, I want to tell them that it is neither. It is a diabetes management (or other qualifying diseases) medication. Some people lose some weight while taking it. Some GLP-1 medication is approved for weight loss for those who meet criteria, but the one I take was prescribed for my uncontrolled Diabetes.
 
Fact: GLP-1 medication can regulate blood sugar levels, promote satiety, and delay gastric emptying. This means that after a meal, the hormones impacted help you feel full for longer, reduce the rate at which your stomach empties, and ensure that your blood sugar levels remain stable. They also act in the brain’s hypothalamus, which, among other things, controls feelings of fullness and satiation.
My experience: YES. All of these benefits combined have enabled me to achieve a life-changing weight loss. In the past, I lost plenty of weight on diets and always gained it back (and more). This is common with the disease of obesity, for a variety of nuanced reasons.
 
Fact: Obesity is largely metabolic, which leads to behavioral factors, but it is not just behavior, and it is not a person’s ‘fault’. This is why counseling alone was never enough for me to lose weight. It is also why obesity is known now as a disease, not just a behavioral problem. While it is true that medicine cannot fix what is broken inside of us mentally, emotionally, and spiritually - only Jesus can do that, it is also true that medication can impact the brain and body in ways that clear the mind of food noise and emotional and spiritual confusion in such a way that the mind is finally clear enough to absorb proper counseling and spiritual input. Is everyone who is overweight also struggling with satiety, food noise, and metabolic problems? Probably not. Some will diet and lose weight and keep it off without medication, of course. These medications are not for everyone. But for those who need them, they are a game-changer.
My experience: Understanding this has freed me from a lifetime of guilt and shame (self-inflicted and inflicted on me by others and society in general.) Have I needed to make behavioral changes? YES. Could I have mustered the strength to do better? I tried. And tried harder. For years. It never worked well, and it never ‘stuck’, which I deemed a personal failure (resulting in shame and imposter syndrome, especially as a people-helper.) Ozempic has been the tool that has helped me to do all the necessary things to get healthier. I could not succeed without it; no amount of “trying harder” was going to change me. That does not make me weak; it makes me a human who has accepted her physical limitations and found a way to overcome them. Ozempic has made it better. I no longer have food noise, I no longer turn to food for comfort, I no longer eat past satiety, and I no longer indulge in constant cravings. I get full, a feeling I had never experienced before with Ozempic. My results are not because I tried harder, or did the right food-related bible study (I have done many), got the right kind of counseling, read the right bible verses about self-control and gluttony (have had those thrown at me more times than I can count) or not because I just need to repent of my sin (what does that really look like when it comes to eating anyway?). Still, my success is because my doctor prescribed a proven, safe medication that addressed my body metabolically, hormonally, and mentally. It gave me the ability to stick to a new way of eating, and my A1c is now normal. The weight has gradually come off, which is beneficial for my overall health.
 
Fact: Two things can be true at the same time.
My Experience: Big pharma is a problem in our country, and these medications are not accessible enough to everyone who needs them. This is a huge problem. This has nothing to do with the effectiveness of the medication. That is entirely separate from the business side of big pharma. Medication can be good, and Big Pharma is bad; both are true at the same time.
Additionally, people sometimes abuse medications in various ways. Some providers might be prescribing them without proper criteria. Some people might be self-dosing and taking them improperly. All of these factors have nothing to do with the effectiveness of properly using GLP-1s, prescribed by a qualified provider and used as directed. People abuse medication, and that is bad, but medication itself, used properly, can be good; both are true at the same time.

Fact: If you stop taking the medication, you are at risk of gaining it back. You might need to be on it for the rest of your life.
My experience: Any weight loss plan can help you lose weight, and when you stop that plan, you are likely to regain the weight. It is the same with a weight loss medication. It works as long as you take it properly, and when you stop using it, you are no longer getting the help you need for success. This is not a bad thing about GLP-1s, it is common sense.
 
Fact: These medications have been extensively researched and studied for over two decades and are not new. Side effects are known, although rarer than the media and naysayers would have you believe.
My Experience: You may be concerned about their lack of testing or potential long-term effects for those of us who are on them, but there is plenty of research available. These medications have been available for over 20 years. There are side effects associated with any medication, and these are no exception; however, the study shows that serious side effects are extremely rare. There are ‘side effects’ of obesity and yo-yo dieting, and all the health problems that come with it. I had to realize that the side effects of my weight were far more scary and dangerous than any slight chance that a GLP-1 would cause me long-term damage. Sometimes we have a choice to make, and I have no regrets or concerns about the choice I made to take Ozempic.
 
My challenge to you:
If you are someone who has judged, assumed, criticized, or been against someone taking a GLP-1 medication, either for weight loss or Diabetes and other qualified medical diagnoses, I hope that you will reconsider your stance. I have heard a lot of naysaying in Christian circles, and that is why I am compelled to bring this up and share my journey.
God allows, in His common grace, medical care that people can choose to use or not. It is not a moral issue for someone to be on medication of any kind. It is a choice they are free to make. Any concerns you have, unless you are a medical professional or expert in a specifically related field, should be addressed between the person and their medical provider. I get very concerned about laypeople advising people on medication choices, even if they believe they can prove the harms and woes of certain medications and Big Pharma. Your opinions are just that – opinions. Opinions can be wrong (mine included). In our Christian communities (including biblical counseling), there is no place for addressing medical concerns with opinions. Please encourage people to do their due diligence and then support them on their health journey, regardless of whether you agree with their choices. I am passionate about giving grace, extending kindness, and viewing science and medicine as gifts from God, provided for our benefit and His glory. Ozempic, included.
 
I did not write the following. It is an excerpt from an excellent, reader-friendly book that helped me to understand GLP-1 medication more thoroughly, but in lay-person language. I recommend this book:
Decoding GLP-1: A Guide for Friends and Family of Those On The Pen, by Dave Knapp
 
Here’s an excerpt from Dave’s helpful book that explains more science about the facts I mentioned above. Please read it and get educated:
 
Essentially, the medication helps your body produce insulin when you need it, on demand. When you eat, GLP-1 levels naturally increase, signaling the pancreas to produce more insulin. This helps lower blood sugar levels by allowing glucose to be taken up by cells for energy. GIP is another incretin hormone with similar functions. Both GLP-1 and GIP work synergistically to regulate blood sugar levels, promote satiety, and delay gastric emptying. This means that after a meal, these hormones help you feel full longer, reduce the rate at which your stomach empties, and ensure that your blood sugar levels remain stable. They also act in the brain’s hypothalamus which, among other things, controls feelings of fullness and satiation.
The effectiveness of GLP-1 and GIP receptor agonists lies in their ability to mimic natural incretin hormones, and in their resistance to being broken down by enzymes in the digestive tract. These medications are designed to have a longer duration of action than the body’s own GLP-1, providing sustained benefits throughout the day. When you inject a GLP-1 receptor agonist, it travels through your bloodstream to various organs, including the pancreas, brain, and stomach. In the pancreas, the medication enhances the release of insulin in response to food, just like natural GLP-1. In the brain, it acts on appetite-regulating centers, helping you feel full and reducing cravings. In the stomach, it slows down the emptying process, ensuring that you feel satisfied for a longer period after eating. One of the most remarkable benefits of GLP-1 medications is their impact on weight loss. Clinical trials and real-world evidence show that these medications can lead to significant and sustained weight loss.
Research has shown that these drugs can also improve cardiovascular health. Studies have demonstrated that GLP-1 receptor agonists can reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events, such as heart attacks and strokes. ⁵ This is particularly important because people with diabetes and obesity are at a higher risk for cardiovascular disease. Additionally, GLP-1 receptor agonists have been found to have positive effects on blood pressure, cholesterol levels, inflammation, and sleep apnea. Perhaps even more exciting is the potential to reduce occurrences of the many cancers that are associated with obesity by treating obesity with these medications. ⁶ These combined benefits make incretin mimetic medications a powerful tool in managing not only diabetes and obesity, but overall health. There are ongoing studies suggesting that GLP-1 medications, like semaglutide, may also play a role in reducing amyloid plaque in the brain, a significant factor in the development of dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Recent research has shown promising results, indicating that these medications could potentially offer neuroprotective benefits. ⁷ This expanding area of study highlights the potential for GLP-1 medications to impact not only metabolic health but also cognitive health, offering new hope for those at risk of neurodegenerative conditions. As these studies continue, they may open up new avenues for treatment and prevention, further emphasizing the importance of these medications in broader health contexts. The effectiveness of GLP-1 receptor agonists is not just supported by scientific research but also by countless real-world success stories.
 
Thank you for reading. See you next time! As always, feel free to comment here or on my social media posts.
 
Ellen

Diabetes, Ozempic, and 100 lbs

I have experienced a 100 lb weight loss over the past two years. I still have more weight to lose, but this milestone of 100 lbs was the first goal I wanted to reach before I started to share about this journey. I want to share my insights on various aspects related to the body, obesity, mental health, spiritual well-being, and weight loss.
 
As I recover from knee replacement surgery, I have some extra time to process my recent health journey and get some thoughts down in writing. I am old-school and prefer to do this on a blog page instead of doing videos on social media, at least for now, since I process best in writing. I am also aware that it is never just about me. Our life experiences shape us, grow us, and refine us, but they are wasted if we don’t use them to help others along the way. My entire counseling/mentoring ministry is born out of my own life struggles and victories.
 
This health journey is one that I have kept mostly quiet, but that ends today. There is always some risk in sharing such a personal journey. There can be a cost, too. It is easy to be misheard and misunderstood. It can bring assumptions and judgment. It can seem self-serving at times. So be it. At my age (68 as I write this), I am far less concerned about these risks than I would have been even 10 years ago! So, here we go:
 
Health journey. That is a loaded phrase. We are embodied souls, meaning we are both material and immaterial, and the two cannot be separated. Our mind and soul are affected by our physical bodies. Our physical bodies are affected by our minds and souls. A health journey is never just physical. It is also emotional, mental, and spiritual. When one aspect changes, the others also change. I have changed a lot in the past few years!
 
There is so much misinformation about obesity in our society, and it is a sensitive subject for many people. It is tied to heavy shame, a feeling that I am no stranger to. If you read my health journey posts in the coming weeks/months, please keep an open heart and mind. Be willing to trust facts, not opinions, and repent of harmful attitudes. Be willing to learn and grow. Be willing to do your own due diligence. Don’t assume that “everything is spiritual” and that obesity is simply a “sin issue” and lack of self-control. Don’t just read opinion pieces and call that research. If weight loss topics interest you, there are many trusted, experienced, highly skilled, and trained scientists and medical professionals speaking on the subject of weight loss these days. I’d be happy to share links to some that I have been helped by. There is solid, trustworthy science-backed information out there, and the knowledge of obesity medicine has and is changing rapidly these days. All of this has been to the great benefit of people like me, as I have struggled with obesity my entire adult life.
 
Before 2023, I had lost about 20 lbs by counting calories and staying in a deficit. Then I stalled, and the weight just would not come off. This is a repetitive cycle in my life, landing in shame every time. I have had Type 2 Diabetes for many years, and my doctor noted two years ago that my A1c was no longer benefiting from the common medication I was on. Even the 20 lb loss did nothing to improve the increasing A1c results. Uncontrolled diabetes leads to all kinds of scary, bigger problems (heart disease, kidney disease, even blindness or limb loss). When I heard this kind of news (again), it would send me into a spiral, with intrusive thoughts like “It must be my fault. I cannot get myself together. I must need more willpower. I have failed again. I am less-than and undeserving because I am overweight.”
 
In addition to my own voices in my head, I would hear the voices of people in my past. Voices I haven’t entirely shaken to this day.
~My mom, who heavily focused on my weight and told me often, “Ellen, you are obese, you look terrible, you need to be on a diet.”
~My former pastor, who told me, “Ellen, how can you be a role model in ministry to women when you are so overweight?”
~My former boss, who marked me down on an employee evaluation for “appearance”, noting a weight gain after I had a baby.
These shaming events marked me forever, but this recent journey has helped me to face them head-on.
 
When my doctor expressed her concern in November 2023, she suggested that I start taking Ozempic, a GLP-1. I immediately said no, thank you, because I had only heard the misinformation about it. (The nay-sayers are always plentiful and loud.) The doctor still advised that I seriously consider Ozempic, and said to let her know if I want to try it.
 
After that appointment, I did my due diligence. I tried to find articles or resources in the world of biblical counseling (which had been my profession and community for over 20 years). I could not find much, and what I did find was solely based on opinion, generally shame-provoking (“you have a sin issue and no self-control, just eat better, be more disciplined to please God”, etc.) I found this extremely discouraging, lacking in expertise, and eye-opening. We need more voices on this topic from a more informed perspective because these medications are becoming more utilized and respected, and being a counselor does not necessarily make you an expert in weight loss and medical issues. We need to be very careful to give counsel from truth, facts, and grace instead of opinion. We cannot deny the work of true experts who have given their lives to study and research. We must always be willing to be wrong, and to be honest, I think much of the counseling community I have experienced has been wrong on the topic of obesity.
 
Instead, I learned a lot of helpful information about Ozempic and GLP1 use from the world of science and medicine, and with my family’s blessing, I decided to try it. I am SO GLAD I did. It has, quite literally, changed my life. It began with the understanding that obesity medicine professionals have come to view obesity as a disease. I agree with this, now that I have learned more about it and engaged with this journey in my own life.
 
The most important change is that my A1c is no longer in a diabetic range because Ozempic worked for me! This is not just about the weight loss; it is about many other ways I have changed as a result of taking Ozempic.
 
A GLP1 has changed me physically, emotionally, mentally, and therefore spiritually. I want to talk more about this, bring some education about GLP-1s to this blog, and maybe shed some light on the amazing gift this kind of medication is to people who struggle with obesity, diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, and a growing list of other things that are addressed by this class of medications. There will be no medical advice here, just my own experiences and understanding.
 
If you have different opinions based solely on bias, misinformation, or a lack of education, buckle up. These medications are not the weight loss drugs of the past, not even close. Medicine always comes with some risk, true. You may hear about the muscle loss, the “Ozempic face” or “Ozempic butt”, gastroparesis, pancreatitis, and gastrointestinal side effects. Any weight loss will cause skin to sag, so that is a no-brainer and not caused by the medicine. Digestive issues do occur, but they are usually mild, short-term, and manageable. Don’t buy into all the hype against these medications - people love to hop on that bandwagon for all kinds of reasons, which we will talk about in other posts. The medication may not be for everybody.
 
But unchecked obesity also comes with risks that for someone like me are even greater. I genuinely believe I was headed for an early death. Now I have renewed life and better health, neither of which would be possible by simply trying to do another diet that doesn’t work for my body or address all of my metabolic issues. I take medical advice from a trusted provider with the necessary education and skills, and urge anyone else to do the same if you want to explore your own options.
 
I had to choose - stay obese and risk more health problems and probably early death, or take a GLP1 to manage diabetes (with a side-effect of weight loss) that might have some pesky side-effects (mine have been easily managed). I chose the help of Ozempic, and it has worked very well for me, and I could not be more grateful for that. I fully intend to stay on it, get to the healthiest weight for my body, and keep the diabetes in remission.
 
If you are interested in this journey, on your own journey, considering medication, or worried about loved ones who take them, know that I will be talking in future posts about all kinds of aspects of GLP1 use (see topics listed below). I will also talk about all that this journey has taught me about myself, about others, and about God. I could write many posts on various topics related to obesity, weight loss, and mental/emotional/physical/spiritual health. If for no other reason than to keep a journal for myself to look back at. But I do hope that someone reads it and finds it helpful.
 
More later, lots more to come...thanks for reading! If you have any questions or private comments, feel free to send me a message by using the contact form on this website, or dm me on any of my social media accounts. You can also leave a comment under this post.
 
Check back periodically for new posts. I’m not on a deadline, and posts will get written as I get inspired!
 
Brainstorming: Things I want to talk more about in no particular order, eventually:
*Obesity: is it a disease or simply a lack of self-control and therefore a sin issue?
*The stigma of obesity and overweight in general, what it is like to live in a larger body, why some people don’t want to admit they are on GLP1 medication, and why people judge
​*How does weight loss impact you spiritually, emotionally, and mentally?
*The physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual connection to obesity
*Food noise, what it is and what it isn’t
*Why “eat less and move more” isn’t enough for some people
*Is nutrition and exercise vital if you are on a GLP-1?
*What is a GLP1, how do they work, and are they untested and unsafe, or well tested and proven safe?
*Is taking a GLP-1 cheating and taking the easy way out?
*How does a GLP-1 help you eat healthier and move more in sustainable ways that you couldn’t accomplish without the medicine’s help?
*What kind of diet and exercise are required to lose weight, or is the medicine going to melt the fat away regardless?
*Why are there so many naysayers when it comes to using medication?
*Is Ozempic (and Mounjaro) a “weight loss drug” or a diabetes treatment?
*What about side effects?
*What are the risks vs benefit?s
*What about loose skin and muscle loss?
*Is it just a big money machine and not really about helping people, is big pharma a problem with these medications, and does that negate their effectiveness (can two things be true at the same time)?
*Why do these medications cost so much, and why won’t some insurance companies cover it?
*What about compound versions? Are they safe?
*What happens when you stop taking it? Do you have to stay on it for the rest of your life?
*What else would you like to know? Send me a message, and I’ll add it to this growing list of future topics related to weight loss and health!
 
My hope is in faith, not medication. However, medication is a kindness from God that helps me on my journey as I seek to follow Him. It is simply one tool in the weight loss tool belt. It does not take weight off, but it enables me to do the things I need to do for losing weight sustainably.
 
We may disagree on points of theology or doctrine and what it means to live the Christian life, but I hope we can all agree that Jesus is Who He says He is. This is why I write this blog: 1 Peter 3:15 “but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, ready at any time to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.”