Mel Sexton's weight loss is the result of the diabetes medication Ozempic. She has lost 45 kg in the last six months. Sexton has never liked herself, but she can now look at herself in the mirror. She now works out at the local gym at least three times per week.
Mel Sexton's journey to lose weight began after she was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and obesity. She decided to do something about her weight and embarked on a major health overhaul, which resulted in her losing a significant amount of weight. How did she lose weight? Learn how Mel Sexton lost weight and got into great shape.
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Mel Sexton weighed 163 kg last spring after starting on the diabetes medication Ozempic, which is widely prescribed by doctors off-label for weight loss. In the last six months, she has lost 45kg. Food had become an addiction for her, but there are no carvings left now. There is no desire to eat, and she has something resembling a blocker in her mind. Sexton has completely changed her habits and diet. She has switched from burgers to a salad with tuna or salmon for lunch.
Ozempic has helped Sexton not only radically but also change the small things that no one could ever see. Getting in and out of the show, she now doesn't have to stand sideways. Mel has never liked herself but she can look in the mirror now. At least three times a week now, she works out in the local gym. She goes for long walks every day. Working in the gym for the first time was terrifying, but the staff and fellow patrons bent over backward to help and support her.
Mel has grown her confidence each week. She now feels amazing without needing Ventolin. She is now planning to marry her partner Sam, which she has long desired but has never felt worthy of until now. She wants to stand at the altar where she's the center of attention and feel proud, not feeling like she shouldn't be standing there.
Sexton learned from a young age that the world does not account for size. In the uniform of her high school, it was clear there was no point trying on the largest school dress. The only thing to be done was for her mother to buy two and sew the dresses together. At school, she never took her jumper off regardless of the weather because she didn't want anyone to see the scars on her arms.
However, life in a larger body has never got easier. Shame and self-loathing are ever-present. The fear of judgment from strangers is so acute that going out in public is an act of considerable courage. Disordered eating has been a daily reality for Sexton, with days of starvation relieved only by binges that left him suicidal.
The medication has been dubbed the "Hollywood drug" after US talk show host Andy Cohen tweeted that everyone on his show was suddenly 25 pounds lighter and blamed it on Ozempic. It was widely reported that celebrities in America were paying $2000 per month for the drug. Similarly, TikTok influencers recognized the trend, as did tech titans such as Elon Musk.
The drug became so popular among Australian consumers that diabetics who rely on it have been unable to obtain it and have been forced to switch to other medications, prompting the Australian Medical Association to demand that when supply returns, it be quarantined for diabetics. Some doctors are now voicing strong opposition to the use of pharmaceuticals as a routine treatment for obesity, claiming that drugs are only indicated for a small percentage of people who face metabolic or hormonal barriers to normal weight loss.
Ozempic is a once-weekly injectable medication designed to assist adults with type 2 diabetes in managing their blood sugar levels. Although Ozempic is not a weight loss medication, research suggests that people who take it may lose a small amount of weight while on it. The active ingredient in Ozempic, semaglutide, is FDA-approved at higher doses for the treatment of obesity and other weight-related medical problems under the brand name Wegovy.
The injectable medication aids weight loss by slowing the rate at which food passes through your digestive tract (called gastric emptying). This may help you feel fuller for longer periods and reduce the amount of food you eat. It also aids in the prevention of large blood sugar spikes. When your blood sugar levels do not fluctuate dramatically, you may feel less hungry.