You're at a birthday dinner. You ordered the thing you actually wanted, you ate about half, and you asked for a box, and from across the table someone you love says it just loud enough for the whole end of the table to hear: "That's it? That's all you're eating?" And just like that, your fun night out has turned into a press conference.
If you're on a GLP-1, you know this feeling. Nobody warns you that starting the medication also means starting a whole side job explaining yourself, to your mom, to your coworker in the break room, and to the cousin who has never once asked about your blood pressure but suddenly has a lot of thoughts about your shot.
And it's not just you. A UK survey of more than 3,000 patients released this spring found that about two-thirds of people on weight-loss medication hide it from some or all of their friends and family, and women hide it more than men. Of the people who got judged, about 8 in 10 were told they were taking the easy way out. Then in April, a Georgetown study found that women who lost weight with a GLP-1 were judged more harshly than women who lost the same amount with diet and exercise, and the belief that it's a "shortcut" was driving most of it.
So no, you're not being too sensitive. The comments are real, and they are everywhere.
I've lost over 75 pounds on this medication and I still have weight to lose, which means I've heard my fair share. So I went digging through surveys, comment sections, and forums to find the comments women hear the most, and I wrote a comeback for every single one. Some are polite and some are a little less polite, so use them at your own risk.
1. "Isn't that the easy way out?"
This is the big one, basically the official welcome to GLP-1 life. What it really lands like is you didn't earn this, as if every single year you spent trying before this somehow doesn't count.
Say back: If it was easy, I would have done it twenty years ago.
2. "Have you tried just eating less and moving more?"
Oh wow, no, it never once crossed my mind, thank you so much. Most of us tried every version of "eat less, move more" for years before we ever said yes to medication, and this comment assumes you skipped straight to the end.
Say back: I've been eating less and moving more since middle school. This is what finally helped it work.
3. "You'll just gain it all back when you stop."
Sometimes it shows up as a question instead: "You know you have to be on it forever, right?" Here's the thing, though. Nobody says this to someone on blood pressure medication, and whether you stay on it, taper, or stop is a conversation between you and your prescriber, not you and your aunt over the mashed potatoes.
Say back: Then I'll figure that out with my doctor. Not at Thanksgiving.
4. "That's it? That's all you're eating?"
The portion police show up at every restaurant, every birthday, and every holiday table. They mostly mean well, but a to-go box is not a cry for help. It's lunch tomorrow.
Say back: I'm full. Turns out that's what it feels like.
Being full on half a plate is not a problem you have to solve for anyone else.
5. "Should you be eating that?"
And then it's the very same people, one week later, when you have a slice of pizza. You cannot win with this crowd, because if you eat too little you're starving yourself, and if you eat too much you're "wasting the shot."
Say back: Yep. That's kind of the whole point. I get to live my life now.
6. "You look sick." (Or, "Are you okay? You look tired.")
This one stings the most because it's dressed up as concern. Sometimes it really is concern, and sometimes it's someone who just isn't ready to watch you change. Your face is going to look different because your body is changing. If you actually feel off, that's worth a call to your prescriber, but looking different and being unwell are not the same thing.
Say back: I actually feel better than I have in years. My face is just catching up.
7. "You're taking it from people with diabetes who actually need it."
This one gets thrown around like a fact, and it's built to make you feel guilty for getting help. A medical provider prescribed you a medication for a medical condition, and that's the whole story.
Say back: My provider decided I needed it, and I trust them more than the internet.
8. "You're going to lose all your muscle and have loose skin."
The doom forecast, usually delivered by someone who has never once asked about your protein. Muscle and skin are real things to pay attention to, and a lot of us do, with protein, lifting, and a whole lot of patience. But getting warned about your future body by someone who never cared about your current one is a choice.
Say back: That's why I lift and eat my protein. Thanks for worrying about my biceps.
Speaking of protein, here's something I'm into right now. My two-ingredient morning protein shake: one scoop of clear protein in a quarter cup of water over ice, plus half a scoop of collagen stirred into a splash of Fairlife protein milk. It's simple enough for any morning, even the ones where you forgot you were supposed to eat.
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9. "Are you on one of those shots?"
It's usually asked in a whisper, in front of other people, right after "you look great." You don't owe anyone your medical history. Some of us share it loudly (hi, it's me) and some of us keep it close, and both are completely fine.
Say back: Why? Are you thinking about it?
You would be amazed how often the answer is yes, and suddenly you're the one being asked for advice.
10. "I could never put a needle in my body."
Okay, well, good thing nobody asked you to. Plenty of us were scared before we started too, and that fear is real, but it's not a reason for anyone else to make you feel weird about your choice.
Say back: Totally fair. Good news, it's not your body.
Why these get under your skin
Most of these comments aren't really about you. They're about what people believe weight loss is supposed to look like, which is hard, miserable, and very visibly suffering, and when you don't suffer the way they expect, it makes them uncomfortable and that discomfort comes out sideways at the dinner table.
So here's what I want you to hear: You do not have to defend getting help. Not to your mom, not to your coworker, and not to a stranger in your comments.
You also don't have to use a single one of these comebacks. Sometimes the best answer is "thanks," a smile, and changing the subject to literally anything else ("Anyway, how's your dog?" works every time). You get to decide when it's worth explaining and when it isn't.
Not every comment deserves an answer. Some just deserve a subject change.
Which one have you heard the most? And what did you actually say in the moment, or what do you wish you'd said? Tell me in the comments, because I read every single one.
I hope you never need a single one of these comebacks, and I hope you feel a little braver if you do.
-Nyk
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Come for the comebacks. Stay because nobody in here is counting your bites.
I'm not a doctor. This is my personal experience, not medical advice. Please talk to your prescriber about anything related to your medication or health.
My bitch is when people say “You’re taking it away from diabetics.”
I come back with “See! That’s how uninformed you are. This is NOT insulin, no diabetic is going to die because I am on this shot!
Get your facts straight before you open your mouth.
(I lost 122 lbs on Tirz almost 5 years ago. Brought my A1C from 6.5 to 5.2)
I don’t care about being on it for life.
I know how to eat and how to listen to my brain.
Try to take it away and you will see the wrath of a million women and half that of men who’ve tried everything for 50 years and never had the results of this GLP.