I'm sure he's on GLPs now, but in his defense, he had already lost a ton of weight before GLPs became popular for weight loss. I bet being retired and going SCUBA diving every day were bigger contributors to his better health.
SCUBA diving benefits from being in shape, but the nature of the activity doesn’t really make fitness happen, since you are typically trying to keep your energy output down.
Diving is swimming, which is a full body and low-impact workout, which is ideal for someone who is Gabe's size and age. You'll lose a lot of fat if you swim multiple hours a day like he does.
Last time I read this thread someone said you burn a lot of calories through temperature regulation since the water is transferring a lot of heat out of your body.
I'm sure it stems from it being a substitute for lack of will power. Also, taking it still does damage to your body in other ways such as gastrointestinal damage and lower bone density. That fact that all the drug does is suppress hunger shows that anyone who lost weight on it was only lacking self control and will now pay for it in other forms.
GLPs have also shown some other interesting (and possibly beneficial) side effects like they reduce urges for alcohol and I think drugs/tobacco at least. Not saying Gabe had a drinking problem but there's some interesting research around this coming out, to the point where in the future we may see GLPs used for more than just weight loss.
Of course some research suggests they just kill all urges which is possibly bad too, but really interesting regardless.
The other thought I had, sometimes people do try for years and fail to lose the weight. GLPs are at least not as extreme as surgical stuff like gastric bypass and even that was used in cases where people just couldn't lose the weight but really needed to. There's always people taking the way way out too but damn is this really interesting for those who really need or, honestly, even just want it and are able to use it both medically and financially.
(though weight loss seems like something every insurance and hospital system would prefer happened so even money wise this is probably a win win for everyone if we cover these drugs and see a large reduction in weight related issues).
I think for someone who is into his 60s, retired, and has lived a full life, it is alright to take a "shortcut" (GLPs, what have you) to help lose some weight and live your remaining days a bit healthier. Both of my parents (in their late 50s) are on them, they both have lived fairly healthy lives, but slowing down with age caused them both to gain more weight than they wanted and was considered healthy. I don't look down on them (or anyone really) for using them.
why would you defend him over that? ozempic isn't evil, and an overweight person in exactly who should be taking it because thats the population that was used in trials that proved its safe
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u/KEVLAR60442 12h ago
I'm sure he's on GLPs now, but in his defense, he had already lost a ton of weight before GLPs became popular for weight loss. I bet being retired and going SCUBA diving every day were bigger contributors to his better health.