Opinion | GLP 1s: 14 Users Discuss

Joseph, 63, Md., Democrat, Black, driver

Health is good. No major problems, nothing insurmountable. So I would say everything.

Brooke, 39, Fla., Republican, white, dog groomer

My exercise regimen.

Ricardo, 33, Ariz., Democrat, Black, trainer

Friendship.

Navin, 54, N.Y., independent, Asian, consultant

I’m focusing on my walks with my puppy and losing weight, and that’s going well.

Sara, 26., Mass., independent, white, exhibits coordinator

My weight and my health.

Yessenia, 36, Conn., Democrat, Latina, teacher

Weight loss.

Xavier, 56, Ill., Democrat, Black, housekeeping

My health.

Andrew, 69, S.C., Republican, white, software engineer

My family finances. We’re really financially secure, and my boys are doing great in school.

Bill, 67, Calif., independent, white, bartender

Low stress level.

Virginia, 56, Mich., Democrat, Latino, disabled

My mental health.

Joseph, 63, Md., Democrat, Black, driver

I feel very fortunate. I’ve had some setbacks in the past. I’ve had some things to overcome, but my health is better now. I’ve lost some weight. I work out a lot in my home gym, and I just feel like I’m in a very good place right now.

Virginia, 56, Mich., Democrat, Latino, disabled

I suffer from anxiety and depression, and they’ve just been stable. I have a really good psychiatrist. I have a good support system. And my cats make me laugh. I have good friends.

Ricardo, 33, Ariz., Democrat, Black, trainer

Coming up on the holidays, everything that’s going on, I kind of lean on friends and community right now. We just support each other in whatever we’re going through.

Yessenia, 36, Conn., Democrat, Latina, teacher

I’ve been on a weight loss journey since I’ve been in high school. I did all the trends and then I’ve never been able to keep the weight down. I’ve found something that can actually keep the weight down.

Sara, 26., Mass., independent, white, exhibits coordinator

Yeah, I was considered obese. I got on Zepbound and I prioritized working out, trying to get fit and lean. I’ve lost a good amount and I’m happy where I’m at now.

Leo, 46, Texas, Republican, Latino, logistics

Financially, I’m in a little bit better space than I was a few years back. But for the most part, I still struggle like everyone else, but I think I just feel like I’m in a better spot now where I’m at.

Xavier, 56, Ill., Democrat, Black, housekeeping

I said better because last year, I found out I had diabetes. My A1C was extremely high, a 13.9. And this year I got it all the way down to a 5.7. So I’ve really been focusing on my diabetes and getting the numbers down and keeping them down.

Brooke, 39, Fla., Republican, white, dog groomer

I said that things were worse because things feel harder right now: just getting older, gaining weight, facing health crises and trying to get everything under control. I just feel like it’s harder for me right now.

Erica, 36, Mo., Republican, white, social worker

From a financial standpoint, things are just costing so much these days, and the pay is not really going up. It’s been really hard to keep up.

Ricardo, 33, Ariz., Democrat, Black, trainer

There’s a hiring freeze at my job. We have had to let a lot of people go, and I’m really close with people at my job.

Yessenia, 36, Conn., Democrat, Latina, teacher

Living a healthy life is watching what you’re eating, maybe having more self-control, not overindulging, moving your body, drinking lots of water, making sure you have the protein and just not overeating.

Andrew, 69, S.C., Republican, white, software engineer

I feel good almost all the time, despite some health conditions that are managed. That’s what healthy means to me.

Ricardo, 33, Ariz., Democrat, Black, trainer

Limiting media consumption and making sure that you’re feeling a sense of joy, doing things that bring you joy. I want to do things that mitigate the way that the negative things out there will make me feel. So I will go to the park, walk my dog, cook, listen to music, hang out with friends to just refill myself with joy.

Sara, 26., Mass., independent, white, exhibits coordinator

Mental health is probably the most important part of a healthy life. But just being able to walk around and breathe is really important, too. Whatever that looks like for someone, that’s what healthy would be.

Leo, 46, Texas, Republican, Latino, logistics

It’s a little bit of this, a bit of that, a little bit of finances, a little bit of health, family time, balancing work and life, that type of thing.

Joanne, 52, N.J., Republican, white, billing

I agree that I think it’s a combination of mental and physical. I think when you’re in a good frame of mind and things are going well, you feel better. Physically, I think it has a lot to do with what you eat. I just lost a lot of weight myself. It’s hard, but I feel 100 times better than I did.

Brooke, 39, Fla., Republican, white, dog groomer

I think it’s hard. There’s so many temptations; I have a sweet tooth. It’s been harder with the health journey now, because food is way more expensive. And so changing in our family, our eating habits, like our grocery bill, I don’t know. It’s jumped through the roof. So trying to balance everything else out financially to eat good, you have to be able to afford it. And I think a lot of people can’t.

Virginia, 56, Mich., Democrat, Latino, disabled

I think it’s harder, because the easiest food to get is the cheapest food to get. And I live in a rural area. It’s not very easy to walk.

Erica, 36, Mo., Republican, white, social worker

I think it’s a daily challenge, a struggle, just making those right decisions. You have to get up every day and just have a mind-set that you’re going to make good nutrition choices and move your body. They’re all connected: mental health and nutrition and physical movement.

Andrew, 69, S.C., Republican, white, software engineer

As I get older, keeping the weight down and being active and things like that get harder. But if you make a mental shift toward being healthy, then it just comes naturally.

Andrew, 69, S.C., Republican, white, software engineer

You make yourself do it, and then eventually it becomes second nature. It becomes part of your life and part of your routine.

Xavier, 56, Ill., Democrat, Black, housekeeping

It’s hard. It’s hard to eat right. It’s hard to not eat desserts. So that’s kind of a challenge for me sometimes, just eating right, eating healthy and getting out, walking, exercising. It’s kind of hard sometimes.

Leo, 46, Texas, Republican, Latino, logistics

Yeah, I think as we get into the holiday seasons, the sweets spark up, unfortunately. Trying to withstand that is a hard thing.

Joseph, 63, Md., Democrat, Black, driver

I was just going to say, it’s kind of hard to maintain good eating habits, especially if you’ve been engaged in bad eating habits all your life. It takes some work and it’s a journey, but it also has its rewards, too.

Joseph, 63, Md., Democrat, Black, driver

Your health and your mental state. The more you improve your health, your mental health will then follow.

Kathryn, 65, Ohio, Libertarian, white, accountant

Well, I think information is easy to get. You can do Google searches and ask A.I. My problem is I don’t know which sources to trust and whatnot. Getting information is easy. Knowing that it’s accurate, that’s a little harder.

Bill, 67, Calif., independent, white, bartender

I think sharing experiences with friends helps a lot. What’s worked with your friends, usually, you’ll share among each other. Because a lot of my friends, we all have the same health problems. So we talk about what works and what doesn’t work. That’s usually much more helpful than looking online.

Virginia, 56, Mich., Democrat, Latino, disabled

When it comes to my health, I trust my P.C.P. so intensely.

Joanne, 52, N.J., Republican, white, billing

I talk to my friends, mainly. We’re big googlers; we’re always looking up stuff to see what we have that we don’t have. We’re all the same age, so we’re all going through the same issues right now, whether that be menopause or just getting older in general.

Navin, 54, N.Y., independent, Asian, consultant

Well, I’ll say that, you know what? Information is out there. It’s for you to seek it. And for me, it’s like 95 percent of it is mind-set. You’ve got to make an informed decision in your head that you’re willing to make a change, because no matter how much somebody coaxes you, whether it’s your doctor, your friend or your family member, unless you decide you’re going to make that change, it’s not going to happen. And once you’ve made that decision, live with it for 21 days.

Yessenia, 36, Conn., Democrat, Latina, teacher

There’s social temptation, like when friends invite you out to places for a girls’ night type of thing.

Erica, 36, Mo., Republican, white, social worker

Time is a big one. Getting things on the go is a big one. And healthy foods are definitely more expensive than just grabbing fast food or junk food at the store.

Joseph, 63, Md., Democrat, Black, driver

Cost is definitely a factor. You want to eat healthy, but when you see the prices of how much healthier foods cost, it tends to deter you from doing so.

Xavier, 56, Ill., Democrat, Black, housekeeping

I got on medication in August of last year, when I found out my A1C was a 13.9. I had started on four different medications, and they wasn’t doing anything to lower my blood sugar. My endocrinologist put me on Mounjaro, and my A1C has dropped down to 5.7.

Yessenia, 36, Conn., Democrat, Latina, teacher

I’ve been struggling with my weight since I was in high school, and I tried all the different weight-loss programs: keto, Atkins, Weight Watchers. Then I started hearing about the weight-loss injections. And I started actually seeing people on it and losing weight drastically. I tried for over a year to get on it, but it wouldn’t get approved. My job unveiled a benefit for a health wellness program where I spoke to a telehealth weight doctor, who ended up approving my prescription.

Joanne, 52, N.J., Republican, white, billing

I’ve been on it for a while. I was hesitant in the beginning. I was more nervous about what was going to happen to me when I went off it, and whether I was going to gain the weight back. But my friends’ and my motto was: Well, if we gain back half of what we lost, we’re still ahead of the game. So I got approved easily, and my A1C went down. That was a primary reason for me to go on it, because it was kind of getting up there, and I was getting a little nervous. My insurance has stopped covering it. I still have a few boxes left. I’ll see what happens when I’m finished with those, and I’ll go from there.

Virginia, 56, Mich., Democrat, Latino, disabled

I was excited. My endocrinologist was very charming. And she said, I remember Mount Kilimanjaro, that’s how you remember it. Mounjaro. And it just made me feel good. I had the gastric sleeve and I lost 150 pounds. And then my A1C’s down to 6 right now. So it’s been a miraculous medication for me.

Bill, 67, Calif., independent, white, bartender

I was very optimistic. I was taking it to try and bring my blood sugar down, of course, but also to lose weight. And I was more excited about losing weight than bringing my blood sugar down. But that didn’t pan out at all. I lost five pounds, and two months later, I gained it back. But it did bring down my blood sugar, which is OK, so it was half the battle.

Navin, 54, N.Y., independent, Asian, consultant

My cousin was on Ozempic for almost five years, and after a discussion with her and my endocrinologist, I decided to give it a shot. It’s just been amazing. It’s working really well and I’m really, really happy. And it’s also helping with the weight loss, obviously.

Sara, 26., Mass., independent, white, exhibits coordinator

I was excited for the journey of losing weight, but also nervous, and also a little bit shameful, only I’m still young. And I didn’t know how others would view it, and I didn’t want to disappoint anyone. It was kind of that feeling of, oh, you couldn’t do it on your own. I was like: I need something to really help push me to the next level. Once I lose it, I’ll be more active, and it’ll be easier.

Bill, 67, Calif., independent, white, bartender

My only real concern was what was going to happen when you stop taking it. Do you gain the weight back?

Kathryn, 65, Ohio, Libertarian, white, accountant

I just take it for cosmetic purposes. I didn’t have any medical reason for it. I talked to my family doctor about how to do this in a cost-effective way. And I use a compounded product, so it’s not so expensive. And she referred me to another set of doctors that did it. I have gained and lost and gained and lost hundreds of pounds over my 60-something years. I wanted to stop it.

Kathryn, 65, Ohio, Libertarian, white, accountant

With Ozempic and then Zepbound, it’s worked well. The bad eating is not a habit anymore. And for the people that say, well, I feel like I’m cheating because I’m not doing it natural or should be doing it natural, I view this as much of a mental health drug as a gastrointestinal drug or whatever, because it impacts your head as to how you feel about food and that kind of thing. I come from a long history of obese family members. I think that it’s giving me chemicals that aren’t in my body naturally that I need to be healthier and happier.

Joseph, 63, Md., Democrat, Black, driver

I’ve been off it for six or seven months now, and I can tell you that the weight will start to come back. Your appetite will start to get worse than it was before. It’s something that you’ll probably have to use for a long time to come, because your body will fight to regain what it lost.

Joseph, 63, Md., Democrat, Black, driver

Cost. I just couldn’t afford it. It’s very expensive, unless you get a prescription. I tried some of the online websites, the telehealth websites, but it’s still expensive. I reached my goal. I got down to where I wanted to be and I felt healthier, and things were going OK. But you’re fighting thousands of years of evolution. You take all this weight off, and your body will fight you to gain it back.

Andrew, 69, S.C., Republican, white, software engineer

I was prescribed it for A1C control, though that number wasn’t terrible. It’s done wonders with that. And I’ve lost the weight, but it seems like after a year, I’ve plateaued. I eat hardly anything now because I’m never hungry. But the weight is not going down. Now my doctor prescribed me a higher dosage and I’m starting to lose weight again, but I’m like, what is the end game here?

Virginia, 56, Mich., Democrat, Latino, disabled

I like to buy clothes now. And it’s sad, but people are nicer to me.

Yessenia, 36, Conn., Democrat, Latina, teacher

It’s a lot more fun to go out because I’m getting a lot more compliments versus how it used to be.

Ricardo, 33, Ariz., Democrat, Black, trainer

I would say that I’m not — there’s no tension. It’s more like my friends are on board with my change of lifestyle in terms of, I’ve made a shift from my diet. I’m now doing a pescatarian diet, leaning more toward hearty salads and stuff.

Sara, 26., Mass., independent, white, exhibits coordinator

My boyfriend has told me that I definitely seem more confident and a little more positive. I definitely have a different aura about myself now than I did before. I didn’t want to be around people and I just didn’t want to try clothes on.

Joseph, 63, Md., Democrat, Black, driver

Yeah, the side effects.

Brooke, 39, Fla., Republican, white, dog groomer

It makes me nauseous.

Erica, 36, Mo., Republican, white, social worker

Once you get used to it, it stops working after a while. So you just have to keep going up and up until you can’t go up anymore, and then you have to change medications.

Leo, 46, Texas, Republican, Latino, logistics

For me it was a little different, or maybe not what I was expecting to happen when it came to side effects and the speed at which the weight came back when I stopped it.

Bill, 67, Calif., independent, white, bartender

Well, I was a little disappointed because I had talked to two friends that had taken it, and they had lost weight. I was very excited about it. And I talked to my doctor about it and he was like: Yeah, with this, you’re going to be skinny. He guaranteed it. He’s had to walk that back. I had absolutely no side effects whatsoever, but it didn’t work for me as far as weight loss. Just lowering my blood sugar.

Sara, 26., Mass., independent, white, exhibits coordinator

It’s changed how I think about the culture, for sure, especially because they talked about celebrities taking it like it was this bad, horrible thing. And then you go on it and everyone’s excited for you. And then you see commentary again and it’s back to: Oh, it’s bad, you shouldn’t do it.

Erica, 36, Mo., Republican, white, social worker

Because it’s so widely available online and even with primary doctors, it’s made me think doctors are more open-minded now, that they’re willing to do all these things.

Erica, 36, Mo., Republican, white, social worker

I once went to the doctor and asked the doctor for weight-loss medicines. I can’t remember what it was, but it was like a pill or something that’s supposed to curb cravings. And I had several doctors that looked at me like it was taboo, they wouldn’t prescribe something like that, that you should just diet and exercise.

Joseph, 63, Md., Democrat, Black, driver

I think there was a lot of skepticism about it at first. I think as more and more people started using it, it became more and more acceptable.

Andrew, 69, S.C., Republican, white, software engineer

I just think that the messaging out there was this is all sunshine and roses. This is wonderful stuff. And my experience has been, at least on the weight-loss side, that it’s been a little bit disappointing, that I’ve kind of plateaued and I keep needing to raise my dosages. That’s not what I’d heard, in addition to some of the side effects.

Joanne, 52, N.J., Republican, white, billing

For me, it was better. I lost more than I thought I was going to lose, and feel better. I’m not off it yet, so I don’t know if my opinion is going to change when I go off it. But for me, it was for the better. I hardly had any side effects, and I learned a lot online. I learned more online than I did from my doctors, and that helped me with managing any side effects, how to eat right, what to eat, what not to eat.

Joseph, 63, Md., Democrat, Black, driver

I learned a lot online from my dietitian, and I learned how to manage the side effects, and I lost 30 pounds. And my blood sugar and my A1C has been perfect for the last year. So it’s been a better, healthy thing for me.

Joanne, 52, N.J., Republican, white, billing

I would have answered it a different way entirely. I don’t know how I would have answered it, but I wouldn’t have said my health, for sure.

Joseph, 63, Md., Democrat, Black, driver

I’ve always been athletic. I’ve always worked out. I was always on the go all the time, and I tried my best to diet and eat the right things. And it just wasn’t doing any good. But once I started with the GLP and I started losing weight, it gave me a lot more encouragement. And now I can see the payoff. I couldn’t do that before.

Xavier, 56, Ill., Democrat, Black, housekeeping

I would not have said the same thing; I wouldn’t be as healthy five years ago if I didn’t take this medication.

Kathryn, 65, Ohio, Libertarian, white, accountant

I was not in as good a place five years ago, before I started this. This isn’t exactly related, but I think people discriminate against obese people. And I’ve spent a lot of my life obese and I’m not now, and I don’t have people discriminating against me in that way. And I think that makes a big difference in your mental health and your whole attitude about life. Like I said, I’ve gained and lost 100 pounds several times in my life, and I would feel it every time. Some people judge you for being on it. Those people are just ignorant. They don’t understand what the battle with obesity is and how this drug helps with it.

Joseph, 63, Md., Democrat, Black, driver

I think it’s generally a good thing. Obesity is a very serious problem in this country and a lot of people need help. They can’t do it on their own.

Yessenia, 36, Conn., Democrat, Latina, teacher

I’d say it’s mostly negative. I’ve been kind of hush-hush about being on it, unless someone tells me they’re on it, because I’ve heard people gossiping about others being on it.

Brooke, 39, Fla., Republican, white, dog groomer

I think it’s popular. I think it’s trendy. I like to read the tabloids, and all the Hollywood stars are on it, the Kardashians, stuff like that. And that’s OK, from my point of view.

Leo, 46, Texas, Republican, Latino, logistics

I look at celebrities that are on it or that have been on it, and it’s changed their life a little bit. But I think some have done that for the wrong reason, whether it’s women or men doing it, I think sometimes they just do it for the fashion piece of it, so they can get talked about.

Bill, 67, Calif., independent, white, bartender

I think more people would probably try it except for the price. For a lot of people, it’s unaffordable.

Erica, 36, Mo., Republican, white, social worker

I definitely think it should be covered by insurance. A lot of times it’s only covered if you have diabetes, not just for obesity. So that’s been the struggle for me the whole time. I don’t have diabetes. I just have obesity. That’s a disease, too, and I think as well, or a medical condition. So I feel like it should be covered.

Joanne, 52, N.J., Republican, white, billing

I agree. I agree with something Kathryn said earlier, that we are missing something in our body that other people may have. Medicine fulfills it. So I do think it should be covered. I think it would cover a lot of health issues down the road, and I don’t think these companies are looking down the road. I think they’re looking at the cost now.

Leo, 46, Texas, Republican, Latino, logistics

I think it should be covered — maybe limited, to some degree, like you get re-evaluated every six months or something — but fundamentally covered.

Ricardo, 33, Ariz., Democrat, Black, trainer

It should definitely be covered by insurance. I think that this journey is a part of health care. The health system should understand that when you help someone’s weight loss journey, you can alleviate some of the long-term consequences. It’ll save money in the long term. And so I think that’s the missing piece. Why isn’t it covered? That’s the main question.

Ricardo, 33, Ariz., Democrat, Black, trainer

Money.

Andrew, 69, S.C., Republican, white, software engineer

I don’t understand the insurance companies covering it for diabetes but not for weight loss. It’s like smoking. If you want to quit smoking, Nicorette gum and aids like that aren’t covered by insurance. Why not? I don’t understand it.

Sara, 26., Mass., independent, white, exhibits coordinator

My coverage is changing next year, and so my health care provider was telling me about this deal because it might help me afford the medicine. She did tell me that it would be vials and needles rather than pens, like we have now. It’s a nice sentiment from the president. But it’s honestly just a shame that insurance isn’t going to cover it.

Bill, 67, Calif., independent, white, bartender

I’ll believe it when I see it. Like so much with this administration, it’s just all talk, talk, talk, talk.

Joanne, 52, N.J., Republican, white, billing

I think it’s a good thing if it happens, but I also feel like if you can get it down that low, then they were overcharging the insurance companies and everybody else this whole entire time.

Virginia, 56, Mich., Democrat, Latino, disabled

I think greater access would be a double-edged sword. I think that there are people who want to lose five or 10 pounds, and they may take the drug away from somebody who really needs it for diabetes. There have been times when it’s been very hard to get because of the demand.

Joseph, 63, Md., Democrat, Black, driver

Obesity is why so many people suffer from other illnesses, like diabetes and high blood pressure and heart issues. Anything that would cause you to lose weight would affect other conditions, so I can’t see why the medical establishment wouldn’t make it more affordable for people to get this.

Joseph, 63, Md., Democrat, Black, driver

I’ll believe it when I see it, but as of right now, I’m not too optimistic about it. And if it does happen, I don’t think it’s going to be anytime soon.

Kathryn, 65, Ohio, Libertarian, white, accountant

Private insurance companies don’t want to really pay for long-term stuff because that patient is probably not going to be on that insurance when the long term comes. But what Trump’s talking about is Medicare. And I went on Medicare, and so the government’s picking up my health insurance from here on out. So they will save from the long-term benefits of me being on it. So I think that for things like Medicare, when the person paying for it can reap the long-term savings, then the government will pay for it. But for private employers, they don’t have any guarantee that a person’s going to be an employee when the heart attack comes or whatever later. So they don’t want to pay for it in the short term.

Sara, 26., Mass., independent, white, exhibits coordinator

I know about the F.D.A. kind of becoming more regulated with what we’re allowed to put in our foods, the dyes and whatnot, trying to be more like Europe, other countries, being more strict. So that’s something I know about him, and that’s something I like about that.

Bill, 67, Calif., independent, white, bartender

One word: unqualified.

Bill, 67, Calif., independent, white, bartender

He has no medical background. He has no scientific background. He’s the wrong person in that position.

Virginia, 56, Mich., Democrat, Latino, disabled

Anti-vaxxer. That’s all I have.

Kathryn, 65, Ohio, Libertarian, white, accountant

Well, it’s “make America healthy again.” And Kennedy, he’s got some good ideas and some really bad ideas. So it’s just all across the board. I do like the idea of getting rid of the dyes in the food and that stuff. I’m very nervous. My kids won’t vaccinate my grandkids. That would be a really bad idea.

Joseph, 63, Md., Democrat, Black, driver

At this particular time, it’s just a phrase. It’s just a word. It’s just something some people are saying. I haven’t seen anything that would indicate anything that’s being initiated.

Yessenia, 36, Conn., Democrat, Latina, teacher

Stop listening to all the stigmas and these crazy side effects social media keeps posting, and just give it a try if you feel like you need it.

Brooke, 39, Fla., Republican, white, dog groomer

Don’t be afraid. Just do what you have to do to take care of yourself.

Sara, 26., Mass., independent, white, exhibits coordinator

It’s not lazy to take it. I think that’s something that people automatically assume. You’re just lazy and you don’t want to lose weight.

Andrew, 69, S.C., Republican, white, software engineer

It’s not just a magic potion. You need to exercise and diet if you really have to keep the weight off.

Erica, 36, Mo., Republican, white, social worker

It’s a tool in your toolbox, not just a quick fix.

Bill, 67, Calif., independent, white, bartender

Go for it. Give it a try.

Joanne, 52, N.J., Republican, white, billing

It’s helpful, and I think some people need it. I learned about how much I was eating before I took it. It makes you realize a lot, and you hope that when you do stop it, you carry on doing what you need to do.

Ricardo, 33, Ariz., Democrat, Black, trainer

I just hope that people understand the science. That’s base line. People just don’t understand science, and it’s just a lazy thing to say: Well, you’re lazy. It’s like, you’re lazy because you don’t understand the science.

Xavier, 56, Ill., Democrat, Black, housekeeping

Go for it and try that for yourself.

Joseph, 63, Md., Democrat, Black, driver

If you’ve tried everything else and nothing seems to work, give it a shot.

Kathryn, 65, Ohio, Libertarian, white, accountant

I agree with what people have been saying. I think some people do act like it’s a lazy way out, and that is just not true.

Leo, 46, Texas, Republican, Latino, logistics

Just jump on in and test it out.

Navin, 54, N.Y., independent, Asian, consultant

I would say consult with your endocrinologist or whoever your physician is, and tell them what you’re shooting for. And if they say go for it, I would say go for it. Listen to your doc.

Virginia, 56, Mich., Democrat, Latino, disabled

Don’t listen to the people that think that the only way to lose weight is by being Rocky Balboa, running up the stairs. That’s so not correct.