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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:
What kinds of health goals do you have? I’d love to hear about them and cheer you on!
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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". |
AuthorThis is Ellen's personal health journey blog where she shares her weight loss experience with the help of a GLP-1 (Ozempic). This content is not directly related to Bridge the Gap, but it is placed here for Ellen's ability to write and process her health experiences (physical, spiritual, mental, emotional). She hopes that it educates, informs, encourages, and inspires others on their journeys. ArchivesCategories |
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