It’s hardly controversial — or even all that original — to say that each of us has a complicated relationship with our own body. Some of us feel good about the one we have; others not so much. We’re each healthy — more or less, or sometimes not at all. In any case, the challenge of staying fit and/or well is real.
Four years ago, I wrote in this online journal my thoughts on my body image, and two years later, I revealed my lifelong yo-yo weight journey. It’s personal.
The yo-yo’ing hasn’t stopped, although most recently, the cycle of highs and lows has been less intense. Currently, I am not pleased with what the scale tells me.
My suspicion? The anti-estrogen drug tamoxifen—which I’ve been on post-chemo since 2022—is slowly but surely padding my butt and belly, despite my continued scrutinizing of my food intake and getting a decent amount of exercise. Weight gain is a known side effect of this drug for some, but the research is mixed. So, I can’t be sure.
What I am sure of is that there are no quick fixes, at least not for me.
A fit body, a calm mind, a house full of love. These things cannot be bought – they must be earned.
Naval Ravikant
This post cannot cover the entire topic of weight gain and loss, but let me share a couple of eye-opening figures. In the US, the most recent study I could find (2016) showed that 70% of adults over 20 are overweight or obese, and about half of them have tried to diet to lose pounds/kilos. The success rate is pretty depressing: only 20% to 40% manage to shed any meaningful weight—and 95% of those who do? They gain it all back within a year or two. The numbers are nearly the same in Canada. Ugh.
And yet it’s now common knowledge that people with obesity, on average, have a higher risk of many diseases and a higher risk of earlier death than people at a healthy weight or even slightly overweight. Body shaming by others often just makes things worse: it can increase stress and cortisol levels, and sometimes worsens eating, activity, and health outcomes.
It’s not surprising, then, that in the US alone, the weight-loss industry generates over $20B a year—that’s in diet programs, books, apps, drugs, surgeries, and more.
And whoa, it’s also not surprising that scammers aim their scams at people desperate for a simple solution. One of the recent rip-off trends I’ve seen is a non-stop stream of advertisements for “tai chi walking”! Just seven minutes a day for 28 days will make you look unrecognizable to your friends, they tout! Uhuh, yeah, sure. 🙄
Never mind that “tai chi walking” isn’t even a real thing—it’s a made-up term for basic step drills in regular tai chi practice. Then, the promises of losing body pounds and inches in seven minutes of movement a day in less than a month are ludicrous—the math doesn’t math—and besides, tai chi was never about rapid weight loss.
So, what’s the scam? According to what I’ve learned, not only are the assured results unachievable, people don’t get what’s advertised, they are being charged more than they agreed to, and it’s impossible to cancel. The Better Business Bureau gives a lot of these companies an F rating, the lowest possible. Please, don’t fall for the marketing clickbait, disinformation, and false claims.
Is tai chi good to learn and do? You bet! Lots of significant benefits; just not the ones being pushed on anxious people looking for a quick fix. And you can learn it at no cost on YouTube. In an informative, no-nonsense 10-minute video about tai chi and these ads, this certified teacher correctly says: extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.
Now, here’s another trend I’ve been noticing: a flood of articles and ads pushing weight-loss drugs—Ozempic being the most recognizable name in the GLP-1 category.
If you’re among those who have read more of this online journal, you know that I have a bias against taking medication. I call myself a drug minimalist—meaning I won’t take a pharmaceutical drug if a more natural remedy is available (the reason in a nutshell: all drugs have unwanted side effects).
And yet… I got curious. Especially after watching friends drop significant weight.
Keeping your body healthy is an expression of gratitude to the whole cosmos – the trees, the clouds, everything.
Thich Nhat Hanh
For most (if not all) of my medical decisions that I’ve shared with you in this journal, I spent many hours reading peer-reviewed studies before deciding on any course of action. With my medical team.
So it was a happy case of synchronicity when my former client, now friend, and health educator/coach Patti Wohlin MS, CFHC, asked me to review her new guide:
What most impressed me about this guide was, as promised, the objectivity and thoroughness of her research. Patti neither starts nor ends with a recommendation of what the reader should do.
In just over 200 pages, the guide is set out in layers—I could read the essential summaries, or I could take a total deep dive with all the supporting studies, saving me countless hours doing my own research.
In a time when anyone can get onto an AI platform and ask questions, what this guide does so well is tell you what you don’t even know to ask. Think of it as a research buddy: a solid, trustworthy starting point on a genuinely weighty topic.
So, for people with metabolic/weight issues who are considering going this route, I can’t recommend this guide enough. Patti does an excellent job of explaining the details on her website. [NB. This is not an affiliate link; there is no financial incentive for me here.]
My undertaking with this online journal, besides being a personal sharing, is well aligned with Patti’s mission (in her words): “To help people help themselves and to bring more skills to patients to make health care more collaborative and compassionate.”
I’m quoting Patti again when I say, “Your future is in your hands.” As I’ve aimed to model in my journal, don’t be a compliant patient; be a partner patient.
Make wellness your hobby, if not your occupation.
To keep the body in good health is a duty… otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear.
Siddhartha Gautama – Buddha
So, bottom line: I’m not thrilled with what the scale is saying, but no alarm bells are ringing. It’s a matter of six to nine pounds or three to four kilos. I look fine enough. More importantly, I feel healthy… mostly. 😄 And I’ll keep monitoring my nutrition and diet.
I have chosen to be happy because it is good for my health.
Voltaire
Have you navigated your own weight journey, tried a GLP-1 drug, or spotted one of those sketchy “tai chi walking” ads? I’d be tickled to hear from you in the comments below.
Well said and I *love* the idea of that guide (and her approach to writing it). Brilliant post and a joy – always – t to read your brilliant thoughts!
Thank you for your steadfast support, my friend. 🌸💜🌸
For me, GLP-1s have been a reset—not just physically, but metabolically and mentally. I’m still adjusting because the changes have extended far beyond the scale.
In fact, my weight loss has been modest, because something more foundational is happening first—a shift toward a more sustainable way of living in my body as I age with grace.
What’s been most striking for me personally is this: GLP-1s don’t just affect my appetite—they’ve quieted an internal noise I didn’t even know was there.
And in that quiet, I’m recognizing what’s been there all along.
I’m genuinely amazed and still taking it all in.
Thanks so much 🙏 for sharing your personal experience, dear Diane. It will surely help someone. My sincere wishes for an amazing journey and outcome. 🌸💜🌸
Aloha, I love your article. Yes that ….. ad about Tai Chi is driving me crazy too here in UK. UUg. I spoke to my sister in law who in a wealthy neighbourhood in Surrey and she says the first topic of conversation these days is the weight loss drug. So what happens when you stop…. are there any long term effects?
Your quote from Thich Nhat Hanh, giving gratitude for the creative force around us so we can live as they do in harmony, reciprocity and co-creation. Now, what does that look like? A pill, AND exercise class or perhaps invent your own.
Aloha, Alison. Indeed there are long term effects of taking GPL-1s and Patti’s guide covers that well. May I suggest you share the guide information with your sister-in-law?
Ultimately each of us must consider the options and decide, best together with a trusted medical professional. 🌸💜🌸
If you click on any Facebook ad, you’ll see the same kind of ads for weeks. The algorithm interprets a click as interest, so you end up training it to show you more of what you engaged with. The best strategy? Never click on ads in the first place.
I find losing weight quite straightforward. About 80% of what’s sold as food is unhealthy—too much sugar, too much salt, and too many unhealthy fats.
Here’s the reality: sugar and oil make you fat. Avoid excessive pasta, bread, and pizza.
To lose weight or maintain it, eat mostly:
Vegetables and nuts
Olive oil and fatty fish (small ones like sardines)
Sweet potatoes
Lean chicken, tofu, and beans for protein
There’s an old joke: what tastes good is unhealthy, and what doesn’t taste good is healthy. For me, eating well works extremely well. My main challenge is getting enough protein since I don’t eat red meat.
Strength training is crucial—it matters for both brain health and muscle mass. Sleep is equally important. If you eat healthily, exercise regularly, and sleep well, you’ve covered most of it. Bad genes? You learn to live with them.
Good to hear from you, Sidney. 🙏 I’m pleased for you that you have a lifestyle that works for you. We’re substantially on the same page. Remember to also feel thankful that you’re not encumbered with metabolic or hormonal issues that so many are, especially post-menopausal women. 🌸💜🌸