Oprah reveals struggle with ‘shame’ of weight-loss drugs and what happened when she quit
“Every time any comedian wanted to make fun or make a joke about it — they could make a joke about it. And I accepted it because I thought I deserved it,” she said. “I accepted it. I was shamed by it and I received it, because I thought, ‘Well, they’re right.’ Now I know they were so wrong.”
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Winfrey noted that many overweight people, even those who aren’t on TV every day, have experienced the same “level of shame and embarrassment” for being unable to control their weight.
“Somehow, in society, we think that how much we weigh is in our control. And it’s not. Our brain is in control.” (AP)
“It feels like the punishment you deserve,” Winfrey said.
“It’s absolutely the opposite,” Jastreboff responded. “And none of this is in our control. Somehow, in society, we think that how much we weigh is in our control. And it’s not. Our brain is in control.”
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Winfrey likened this to the brain of an addict, noting that obesity is now considered a disease just as much as addiction.
“All these years, I thought that thin people … just had more willpower, they ate better foods, they were able to stick to it longer, they never had a potato chip,” she said.
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“And then I realized the very first time I took the GLP-1 that … oh, they’re not even thinking about it. They’re only eating when they’re hungry, and they’re stopping when they’re full.”
Jastreboff agreed that while obesity is “not an addiction,” the “food noise,” or impulse to eat, uses the same pathways in the brain.
Winfrey aims to break the misconception that taking a GLP-1 is “taking the easy way out.” (iStock)
The discussion continued with guest Amy (last name withheld), a GLP-1 patient who lost 160 pounds in one year. She shared that in her experience, shaming by the public persists. Jastreboff responded that there is “no winning.”
“You’re shamed if you have obesity. You’re shamed if you don’t try to lose weight. You’re shamed if you lose weight,” the doctor said. “You’re shamed if you use the medicines, if you don’t use the medicines … there’s literally no winning.”
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“What’s right is to stop shaming and blaming people … [when] you’re taking care of your health.”
GLP-1 medications have been linked to several side effects, primarily gastrointestinal in nature. These commonly include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation and abdominal discomfort. Less frequently reported effects include fatigue, dizziness and reactions at the injection site.
People interested in taking GLP-1s should consult a doctor about recommended dosage and potential risk factors.
Article source: https://www.foxnews.com/health/oprah-reveals-struggle-shame-weight-loss-drugs-what-happened-when-she-quit