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Comment by Sophistifunk | Hacker News Reader

Fat guy here: these side effects are pretty scary for somebody like me.

3 months of noticeably extra fatigue on top of my current baseline level of exhaustion seems to threaten serious psychological effects.

3 months of brain-fog sounds like a great way to get fired and really fuck up my life.

If my "gastro situation" was noticeably worse than the unpredictable wildy-swinging nightmare it already is, I honestly have no idea how bad the consequences could be for my social life (I would be the flakiest person anybody knows and everybody hates that guy) and ability to make plans / focus long enough to do any work.

For some reason, I don't know why but I've always been this way, there's nothing my body hates and wants to avoid more than throwing up. I dread it. I'm not so sure I enjoy life enough to get through 3 months of nausea.

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Another fat guy here. I haven't taken any of these drugs, but I stopped eating processed food (or anything with added sugar), avoided late night snacks, and lost around 30 pounds in 8 months as a result. I had the fatigue and such early in the process, but it sorted itself out eventually. The most important thing I recognized was that if I avoided eating late at night, I didn't feel awful waking up in the morning. I'm embarrassed to say it took more than a year to change my behavior, despite my clear understanding of the harm of snacking all the time.

> I'm embarrassed to say it took more than a year to change my behavior, despite my clear understanding of the harm of snacking all the time.

You shouldn't be - this is the crux to why weight loss is so hard, and something I try to harp on any time I get.

Yes, just for reference, I was fat too once (more than 40lb above my ideal weight). I managed to lose the weight, just like parent, through small, sustainable lifestyle changes.

It's simple: eat less, move more.

But it's not easy. Start small, do things you can do do for the rest of your life.

> I'm embarrassed to say it took more than a year to change my behavior

That's nothing to be embarrassed about - I've taken decades to learn "easy" lessons". You should be proud you made the change and you can focus on the incredible results you have achieved!

I was quite overweight for 20 years, now I'm just a bit thicc on my way to a lean muscular physique. It feels good. The biggest factor was getting away from the wrong people and habits. I'm not a fan of artificial intervention because I believe I should be able to get my body in line. It takes time for your body to adjust to the absolute shit you did to it for decades. I always said in my head "this is payback for what I did to me for 20 years, how can I expect to just turn on a dime." There is a good chance I will be the sexiest 40 something for miles around (I live in the middle of nowhere, but still!) The best feeling is looking great in clothes. Finding well fitting stuff is now fun.

You can do it. If I can do it.

Be warned that people who know you from the other physique will mock you for taking care of yourself. Be glad they are mocking you, it means you did something right. I felt such a sting the first time, it was traumatizing. "Shouldn't you be happy for me?" Turns out the answer is "no".

it could be the effects of caloric restriction. 3 months, in the context of a whole life plus increased lifespan is not that much time.

Time it properly. Pick the end of the year around December when things are slow. That knocks off a month. Save the vacation time to knock off 2 weeks in January. White knuckle it through February.

You have to try something.

> Pick the end of the year around December when things are slow.

Ah yes, December: famously known for its lack of social engagements.

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