​Why Do People Want Overweight People to Suffer?

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.