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Welcome to Weight Loss Buzz, your fix of weight loss news. Weight Loss Buzz is for patients and health-conscious consumers wanting weight loss products, treatment and medication. We bring you the news on the latest weight loss trends, breakthrough medications, buying advice, and tips for losing weight well.

This week’s edition is sponsored by Eatiful: revolutionising weight loss without a diet. Learn mindful eating for enjoyable, sustainable weight loss at weareeatiful.com.

WEIGHT LOSS MEDICATION NEWS

Wegovy became available in the UK this week. Then sold out.

Private patients in the UK are going to find it easier to get ‘skinny jab’ semaglutide in the form of Wegovy which launched in the UK this week. While some of the supply from drug company Novo Nordisk was allocated to the NHS, more was allocated to pharmacies selling the weight loss medication privately. However, before you rush over to buy Wegovy online be warned; while several online pharmacies announced they had received stock, all the ones we checked today were firmly sold out.

All bar one… see below for details!!

Now this may not be the case if you’re an existing customer who’s previously bought Ozempic or any other weight care treatments from a supplier, however mostly, it’s all sold out. There will of course be more stock available at online pharmacies and weight loss apps and services that plan to sell Wegovy as part of a broader weight loss solution, but the supply issue is most certainly still an issue.

Most of those who want to buy it privately will have to wait a little longer, and those who want to access the medication via the NHS will have to wait longer still; while the NHS has been allocated stock, it seems, not as much as they would like. Online, plenty of pundits have criticised this move suggesting that those that need it most will have to wait, whereas those that can pay can access it sooner. Yep, free market economics are winning out over government control.

Avoiding Weight Loss Scams: Part 1 - Debunking Unrealistic Claims

Many people have unwanted weight, and know that losing weight takes time and requires a shift in behaviour and mindset. As such, embarking on any type of weight loss journey is serious business and needs careful research and thought. It’s important to choose the method that’s right for you and to choose a provider you can trust to support your journey. Weight loss is of course big business and with online options promising quick fixes and miraculous results, it’s crucial to distinguish genuine weight loss programs from scams. Weight loss scams can not only waste your time and money but also jeopardise your health. Today, we take a look at weight loss scams that fall into the ‘unrealistic claims’ category, and provide tips on how to spot them.

There are many reasons that providers and sites use unrealistic claims. There are those who want us to subscribe to their service, and then there are those who use unrealistic claims as clickbait - we click on an article to read about the ‘best way to lose 7 pounds in 7 days” and they make money from the adverts on the page. In both circumstances, consumers lose - either by buying things that don’t live up to the hype, or by reading about implausible techniques.

What is a weight loss scam?

The fact that so many of us would love to be able to quickly and easily lose weight means that there are plenty of unscrupulous people out there hoping to capitalise on our desires. A weight loss method, diet, medication, programme, plan or app is a scam when it takes your money for something it knowingly won’t deliver. This is in contrast to weight loss programmes that, for one reason or another are not scams, but just aren’t the right method, plan, app, or approach for you.

What is an ‘Unrealistic Claims’ Weight Loss Scam?

An unrealistic claims type of weight loss scam is any product or program that promises unrealistic results while preying on people's desire for quick and easy weight loss. These scams exploit people by making false claims and often involve unsafe or ineffective practices that can be harmful in the long run.

The problem is that losing weight well, and so that you’ll never have to do it again, requires many changes, and can be hard. Even those of us who’ve found a way to lose weight well often took a while to get there. Of course, we’re naturally in a hurry and want results yesterday, which makes us more likely to be drawn to quick or instant fixes.

How to Spot Weight Loss Scams and not fall for unrealistic claims

Spotting unrealistic claims is crucial to safeguard your health, your financial well-being, and your emotional well-being too. Here are some red flags to watch out for:

Let’s take a tour of the top 5 things unrealistic weight loss claims to avoid!

The promise of speed

Be wary of crash diets… you know, programs that guarantee rapid weight loss, such as “lose 30 pounds in 30 days”, “7-day diet plan”, “7-day cleanse” “28-day programme” or “lose belly fat in 7 days”.

Promising that you can lose your weight in a fixed period of time serves no one. Successful weight loss is best done slowly and it’s likely that to lose weight successfully, you will need to make some longer-term changes.

The promise of a fixed period of time could make consumers think that they ‘only’ need to follow a plan for a short amount of time to lose eight. What this doesn't make clear is that if you revert to your usual ways after this period you will put on any weight you have lost.

Losing weight fast is also not good for your body. When losing weight fast, you put your body into starvation mode and tell your body that food is scarce. Your animal instincts then kick in so that when you do eat ‘normally’ again, your body will respond by storing the increased amount of food ‘in case of future starvation’. This can mean you put more weight on than you lost and enter a cycle of yo-yo dieting, ultimately increasing your weight each time.

Also, know that you’re unique, while it might take your identical twin 3 months to lose 20 pounds, it might take you 4 or 5 months.

Stop being tempted by promises of speedy ways to lose weight and accept that your body will lose weight at a pace that's right for you. A pound a week is considered a sensible rate to lose weight and 2 pounds a week is considered fast. There are 52 weeks in a year, so, by this time next year you can have made significant, dramatic and lasting progress.

The promise of massive weight loss

“Lose 30 pounds”, “lose 50 pounds”, “100 pound weight loss” may seem like appealing attention grabbing headlines or marketing messages for those of us with larger amounts of unwanted weight. But are they achievable using the methods suggested and will those methods be sustainable for you?

If you did any calorie-restricted diet for a very long time, you could lose significant amounts of weight, but what you need to consider is how sustainable the method is for you. Would the diet or programme fit into your lifestyle and budget? Will it keep you sated or make you hungry and miserable? Losing larger amounts of weight takes longer, so any method needs to be sustainable, physically and emotionally.

Big promises can also lead to big disappointments. If you set out to lose 50 pounds but ‘only’ lose 30 you may feel like you've missed your target even though losing 30 pounds is an amazing achievement. Starting with small goals is often a better way to approach a sustainable weight loss journey. Setting and achieving smaller goals helps you to train your brain that you can achieve what you put your mind to.

Ignore the big numbers and focus on something achievable, then scale your success.

The promise of a ‘hot’ body

If the body of a slim 20-year-old model appeals to you, you’re not alone. Many people would like to achieve a stereotypically hot body. The problem is that this isn't a realistic expectation, especially if we're older, or have carried unwanted weight for a while.

Often when people lose large amounts of weight, their bodies don't snap back to a skinnier, younger version of themselves. Sure, the weight is gone, but they have a more realistic, normal-ish type of body.

Accepting yourself for who you are, and accepting your body for all its amazingness is key to a successful weight loss journey. You are already ‘hot’, just don’t be taken in by images of people who have never people who’ve never been overweight and have unlikely followed whatever weight loss solution is using them in their promotional material.

The promise of weight loss from your belly, face, arms etc

‘Spot reduction’ is the term for losing weight from a specific area of your body. “Lose belly fat” is a popular online search and plenty of services will offer to help you do that. The problem is that fat tends not to go from one place on your body and is even less likely to go from the place you'd like it to.

Targeting areas of your body with exercise could help you build muscle but fat will go from wherever it likes. When we lose weight, we lose tiny layers of fat from everywhere rather than losing weight area by area. If a provider is offering to help you lose weight from one specific body part, it’s a red flag. Avoid!

Scams often use doctored or stolen images as proof of success. Look for reviews and testimonials from real people.

The ‘this could be you’ promise

The use of real-life before and after photographs can be inspiring but be cautious about what you’re looking at. Some images used online aren't real, it's as simple as that. We’ve often seen images of people we follow on Instagram used to advertise products - and the person whose image it is is unaware. Other times, stock photography is used. There’s nothing necessarily wrong with using stock photography if it’s noted - after all images can be used to inspire you as to what's possible. The most important thing to be aware of is that while ‘this could indeed be you’, it’s not guaranteed that you’ll get this result.

If you’re unsure about the legitimacy of an image you can use https://images.google.com/ to see where else online an image is used.

Take your time

Weight loss scams are prevalent online, but with the right knowledge and awareness, you can avoid falling victim to them. Always be sceptical of unrealistic promises and do your research before investing in any weight loss program.

Remember, there are no shortcuts to sustainable weight loss, and patience and dedication are your best allies on this journey. Weight loss is possible, you can achieve it, and there are reputable services out there to help you, but you’ll get there quicker, if you steer clear of things that seem too good to be true.

If it seems too good to be true - it almost always is!

WEIGHTLOSS NEWS FROM AROUND THE WEB

How to qualify for Wegovy 'miracle' weight loss drug that's now available on NHS - Mirror

Boots, Superdrug and Well line up to offer private Wegovy weight loss jabs - Chemist and Druggist

Pent-up private Wegovy demand prompts UK availability concerns - Reuters

NHS patients will miss out on Wegovy as private clinics stock up on 'miracle' weight-loss drug, doctors warn - Daily Mail

Ozempic and Wegovy Can Also Protect Your Heart - Wired

Weight-loss jab could ‘eliminate need for insulin injections’ in type 1 diabetes patients - The Telegraph (Paywall)

Lanarkshire woman turns life around with dramatic nine stone weight loss - Daily Record

Woman who lost 10st in one year died over 'turmoil' of weight loss - The Telegraph (Paywall)

WEIGHT LOSS TIPS

Whether you are using weight loss medication to lose weight or you’re using a more traditional strategy, you may benefit from a little help and guidance so we share a WLB (Weight Loss Buzz) weight loss tip each week.

Weight Loss Buzz Tip:
Harness the Power of a Weight Loss Journal for Success

Keeping a weight loss journal is an invaluable tool to boost your weight loss journey and enhance self-awareness. By putting pen to paper, you create a space to track your progress, emotions, and insights. Click here to read how to make the most of a weight loss journal.

WEIGHT LOSS MEDICATION AVAILABILITY

While the availability of Wegovy, Saxenda, and Ozempic weight loss medication or ‘skinny jabs’ is such an incredibly hot topic we’re on the lookout for who’s got it in stock. While it's still hard to come by, plenty of online providers are now listing Wegovy and if they’re out of stock, offering a notification feature so you get to know when they have it available for purchase.

Remember, you have to fulfil the eligibility criteria and different providers have different verification processes for that.

This afternoon (around 3pm UK), we found plenty of providers who were already out of stock of Wegovy, but Health Express had some starting doses available.

STUFF WE LOVE

We bring you a selection of useful products each week to help accelerate your weight loss journey. Whether you are using weight loss injections or not, you may find the following useful. This week we're loving…

Fitbit Luxe

Shine a light on your mind, body & health with a wellness tracker that doubles as jewellery. With all the essentials, you'll be unstoppable.

We hope you’ve enjoyed Weight Loss Buzz this week. If you have, please share this newsletter with your friends. We wish you every success on your healthy weight loss journey.

Until next time,

The Weight Loss Buzz Team

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