My GLP-1 Journey: I've Lost 20 Pounds. But That's Not the Most Interesting Part

I’m in my early 70s. I’ve gone up and down in weight over the years, but from the time I was maybe 40 until I was 60, I actually kept at a pretty steady, healthy weight. I watched what I ate and I worked out consistently.

For 20 years.

Then I became a farmer and got busy. And somewhere around 60, keeping the weight off seemed to get a lot harder.

Then came Covid.

Before I knew it, or maybe before I really paid attention, I had gained 30 pounds. And no amount of willpower seemed to work.

A year or so ago, some of my lab results weren’t as good as they should have been. And I was now taking two medications to control my blood pressure. My doctor told me it would help if I lost some weight. I promised him that by my next annual appointment, I’d be at least 15 pounds lighter.

In May of this year, a year after that appointment, it was time for my annual.

I hadn’t lost the 15 pounds.

In fact, I weighed more.

That’s when he said, “Maybe we should consider a GLP-1.”

I’d heard about the weight-loss shots, of course, but that was about it.

He gave me a prescription, and in early May I began my GLP-1 journey.

I guess I would start with this headline: I’ve lost 20 pounds, and I’m within five pounds or so of my goal weight.

But it’s been a fascinating, and unexpected, journey, and I wanted to share some of it with you. (I was surprised to learn that about one in eight Americans are now using GLP-1s.)

I’m not the kind of person to just start taking a new medicine without doing some research. In the first couple of weeks, I found myself hungry for information. So I read books, watched interviews, joined GLP-1 groups on Facebook, and asked people I knew who had been using these drugs about their experiences.

At the same time, I began having an experience that many others have reported. And for me, it was pretty profound.

The biggest change: the “food noise” went away.

I wasn’t starving for a snack of chips an hour after dinner.

I wasn’t driving down the road thinking about how good a donut would be right about now.

I still enjoy food. I still look forward to a good steak or a great meal. But I don’t think about food the same way I did before.

That has probably been the strangest and most interesting part of this whole experience.

But my doctor had given me one important warning before he handed me a month’s supply from his sample closet.

He was concerned about me losing muscle along with the fat, especially at my age.

And he insisted that I do two things to help prevent that: prioritize protein in my diet and get back to something I hadn’t done in a decade: strength training.

Now, I’m Farmer Dan, so prioritizing protein has been relatively easy. Although there are times when trying to consume 100+ grams of protein in a day, when you’re not all that hungry, can be a challenge. But my protein shake at lunch, and the good meat I keep on hand in my freezer for dinner, are about all I need to make the numbers work.

And then there’s the strength training. One day a week I work with a trainer at his gym, and two days a week I work out at home with dumbbells.

So that’s what I’ve been doing for the last five months. That and weighing myself once a week and feeling good about the results. 

And this is the truth: I feel better than I have in a long time, physically and mentally.

It’s actually kind of strange.

The funny thing is, losing weight has made me think more about nutrition, not less.

For me at least, eating considerably less food has resulted in me being more selective in what I eat. There just isn’t as much room for food that doesn’t give your body much in return.

And at my age, maintaining muscle and strength has become increasingly important to me. I’m not trying to become a bodybuilder (which was never a possibility anyways!).

I want to stay strong enough to keep farming, working, traveling, carrying things, getting up off the floor, and doing all the ordinary things that I’d like to still be doing 10 or 20 years from now.

My favorite new strength-training exercise is one I had never even heard of: The Farmer’s Walk. (How appropriate is that?)

But I’m still learning.

I’m not writing this to convince anyone to take a GLP-1. These are significant medications, and that’s a decision for someone to make with their healthcare provider.

I’m just sharing my experience.

Five months ago, I was frustrated. I had promised myself and my doctor that I would lose 15 pounds, and instead I had gained weight.

Today, I’m 20 pounds lighter and close to where I want to be.

But I think what I’ve gained from the experience may turn out to be more important than what I’ve lost.

I don't think was the medicine alone that shifted things - but perhaps it was the catalyst. Changing the status quo when it comes to your weight and health is hard, sometimes you need a call to action. Or at least I did.

I’m paying more attention to what I eat. I’m lifting weights again. I’m thinking more seriously about maintaining strength as I get older.

And I’ve learned something about hunger and willpower that I’m still trying to fully understand.

I’ll keep you posted.

Have you - or someone in your family - used GLP-1s? Have an experience or thoughts to share? Comment below, I read every one.

-Farmer Dan

As you may know the GLP1s are quite expensive and many insurance plans do not cover them. However, as of July 1, Medicare began coverage with a $50 co-pay for Medicare participants who meet certain criteria.  Your doctor will have more information about this as well.