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onefishtoday at 7:21 AM0 repliesview on HN

I have a very similar situation: on it for about a year, 220lbs to 180 at age ~40. Also very active: weight lifting / biking / swimming and - the sport that made me realize I needed to loose weight - rock climbing. I've always been very outdoorsy-adventurous, and climbing/mountaineering is the natural sort of "end game" for this lifestyle. My weight never really got in the way of anything else in my life (maybe my self esteem) but, this might offend some people, but climbing is a sport where you really cannot be even a little bit fat. It makes you painfully aware of your body weight. Most "good" climbers are built like bean-poles. I don't really need to be a "good" climber, just an "okay" and safe climber - I'm mostly interested in alpine trad below ~5.7. I still feel like I need to lose another 10lbs.

I was a fat kid growing up. I've had a BMI of 30±1 since age 12. I also have a family history of heart disease. Literally every male on my father's side for three generations has had a heart attack in their late 50s. We all have roughly the same body type. I already had hypertension in my mid 30s. Semaglutide has made me feel like there's hope.

Unfortunately, I can relate to the lower energy levels. While I'm no longer lugging an extra 40lbs around (a full pack!), I still bonk way faster. My gym sessions are way shorter. Luckily, I haven't lost much muscle mass, so I look great and it's been the "cut" I've never been able to achieve, but I'm sure if I ever wanted to "bulk" I'd have to go off it. I've found if I have a big trip or climb coming up, I have to take a way smaller dose the week, or even weeks, prior. I found this out the hard way when I puked on a climb in North Cascades. I just couldn't eat, and felt like shit the whole time.

The trick has been self managing my dose. I'm on compounded generic, so I can dose myself with my own needles. If I have a big trip coming up, I'll take like 25% of my maintenance dose for a week or two prior. This has been almost a superpower, because I'll get this massive burst of energy from the calorie intake. Im still not really sure if this is healthy, not the "taking 25%" part, but the fact that I feel like superman when I'm off it or on a low dose for a bit. Not sure what this says for someone who is basically taking semaglutide because their weight was holding them back from the activities semaglutide makes them too bonked to do anyways.