I’m not sure if this is the right forum for my post as most of the Pharma posts are more about TRT. That said, I thought that others might find my experience with GLP-1s interesting.
In terms of background, I’m 59 years old, 6’6”, 284lbs (starting) – I played offensive line in college and have always been a taller wider person. Because of where I started, I’ve continued to lift/workout since college – sometimes more intensely, sometimes family, parenting, career, relationships, have taken precedence. I’m still quite strong, have full range of motion, and fairly strong cardio fitness (I have a concept2 rower). Basically, I’ve been lucky not to have maintained my health (no diseases or illnesses, no significant injuries). I never used PEDs, but in some ways, this GLP-1 is probably a forerunner to some sort of TRT in the future, with the goal being corrective vs. augmentation. As I age, I’ll want a boost at some point.
Anyway, I still workout very regularly, but I’m less interested in maxing out vs. strength and endurance preservation as well as injury prevention (note: as you get older, staying uninjured and therefore staying in the game becomes more important). Because my goals are focused on remaining as strong and fit as possible, I’ve been tolerant of carrying a little more fat than optimal as I’m not genetically inclined to be skinny. I don’t eat badly or drink to excess (I barely drink much anymore) – it’s more that I have too much of what I do eat. I have dieted down before, but I’ve always felt like I came away much weaker and diminished while restricting calories. Still, once you’re in your late 50s, the fat comes more easily. Genetically, it hits me in the front midsection (below the ribs and above the belt) and around the neck a bit. I still looked like a big, strong guy, but with a little too much in the middle. It just became too much. I decided to do this fairly quickly. In retrospect, I wish I had taken a body fat percentage, etc., to do a before and after.
Based on some recommendations, I went to a GLP-1 clinic. I started with 25 units of semaglutide. In the first week, I dropped 5 pounds. In the second week, I dropped 3 more. My third check-in is this Saturday. The adjustment for me was easy as I was already more or less following their recommendations (no alcohol, more protein, more fiber, more water). I have yet to experience any of the potential side effects (nausea, constipation, etc.). Everything feels more or less normal. I’m less hungry; more accurately, I’m less inclined to eat recreationally. Maybe the most telling moment was last week when we had a catered sandwich lunch at a meeting. The sandwiches were not that good. In the past, I would have eaten it anyway – probably because I was raised not to waste food, probably because I like to eat. However, in this case, I ate a bit of it, realized I didn’t like it, and decided not to finish it. Since I’m less hungry, I’m relying more on protein shakes as getting enough protein is no longer guaranteed.
The most interesting part is that I haven’t had any sort of strength or endurance breakdown. In fact, my concept2 rowing is improving. In terms of lifting, my sets, reps, and time between are holding up consistently. Best of all, the small traces of visual improvement that are starting to emerge are in the places that I wanted them to be.
In terms of endgame, I’m not sure. I don’t have a target weight or clothes size. I think I’ll know when I know. My biggest goal is to get these eating behaviors fully integrated so that I can go off and hold on at a stable level. We’ll see. I really don’t want to have to remain on this forever. Actually, that’s why I’ve held off on TRT. I realize that once I start it, I’ll be on it for life at my age.
It’s early days, but so far, this is working better than I expected. Not sure how many other heavy old guys there are out there, but hope this helps if you’re considering GLP-1s. I was on the fence for over a year. I’ll update from time to time to describe how things progress. If anyone has questions, please ask, but also, please realize that I’m an n of one - your situation may be different, and your healthcare providers may have different recommendations.