Why I’m Here (and why you might like to be here, too)
How I Got Here
In May 2024, I was on a path to Ozempic. I had referrals from two friends to doctors that prescribed for them. I have excellent insurance, privilege, and 30 lbs of extra weight that stuck like glue after my son’s birth in 2022 (plus an additional 20 lbs of extra weight beyond that, according to BMI guidelines).
More importantly, during my pregnancy I was borderline for gestational diabetes and also experienced post-partum preeclampsia (a pregnancy related hypertension / blood pressure condition). And since women who experience these pregnancy conditions are at a significantly higher risk for heart disease (the #1 killer for women in the US) later in life, my vanity, for the first time, was trumped by real fear for my long-term health and the amount of life I get to live with my son.
From what I’d been hearing, Ozempic seemed like my best (and only?) option for actually shedding 50 lbs.
And then I read The Magic Pill, by Johann Hari.
I picked it up by chance at the airport during a work trip. It was exactly what I thought it would be, and so much more. I read it in 48 hours. I came out with my own, personal answer to the should I/shouldn’t I Ozempic question (I shouldn’t, for now). Surprisingly, I also came out with knowledge that offered me freedom, peace, and clarity I’ve never experienced before on the topic of bodies, food, obesity, weight-loss culture, acceptance, surrender, perfectionism, and life satisfaction. A feat for 252 pages.
What’s Next From Here
Down Eight 