Telling Everyone or Telling No One: Two Stories, No Judgement

Two people. Two choices. One powerful truth: there’s no “right” way to do this.

Weight stigma is still very real. Despite growing awareness, people who are on a weight loss journey are too often labelled - lazy, weak, lacking in willpower - and those stereotypes can follow them into every space they inhabit. Research backs this up - weight stigma persists regardless of the facts.1

So it’s no surprise that 1 in 4 people in the UK think using weight loss injections is unacceptable.²

Given that, how do you decide whether or not to tell someone you’re using medication to help manage your weight?

Here, we hear from Linda and Marcus - two people on the same journey, taking very different approaches.

Linda: Keeping it private

Linda, 47, works in a busy vet practice, lives with her husband and three teenagers, and started GLP-1 four months ago. She’s been quietly pleased with her progress - but hasn’t told a single person.

“I’d be judged on literally all levels.”

She’s heard her family - especially her husband - make cutting comments about people who “spend hundreds instead of just keeping their mouths closed.” Linda has tried to explain that maintaining her weight has never been simple. When she was slimmer, it was because she was obsessively controlling her food. When she wasn’t, she felt like a failure.

Now, she's quietly funding her medication herself, stashing deliveries in a laundry drawer packed with ice packs to keep them hidden. She uses a separate account to cover the cost.

It’s lonely. She’s found the app support useful, but hasn’t felt able to use any of the coaching sessions. And when people compliment her, she deflects: “I’ve cut out sugar,” “I’m exercising more,” “I’m trying intermittent fasting.”

“This feels right for now. I wish it didn’t have to be a secret, but I don’t have the energy to fight that battle too.”

Marcus: Saying it loud

Marcus, 32, lives alone and works in the civil service. He’s just had his first GLP-1 injection - and announced it to pretty much everyone.

“I like to stir a bit of controversy.”

He describes himself as “the fat kid from every movie” - the one always eating on a dare, cracking jokes before anyone else can. Humour, he admits, is a shield.

So far, the reactions have been mixed.

His mum’s worried. His sister says he’s betraying body positivity. His best mate jokingly asked if they’d still get along if Marcus ends up “thin and fit.”

Work colleagues? Supportive and curious - sometimes too curious.

But Marcus says he had to share. The excitement was real, and the idea of hiding it felt wrong for him.

Different choices. Same truth.

Linda and Marcus are taking opposite routes - and both are completely valid. Whether you choose to share your journey, keep it private, or change your mind along the way, the important thing is this:

You don’t owe anyone an explanation. You deserve support, no matter your path.

Take a moment to notice how you felt reading their stories. Did one approach feel more “acceptable” than the other? Did you judge either of them, even a little?

We’re not here to say what’s right. Just to remind you that your health journey is yours - and whether you tell the world or tell no one, you’re still doing something powerful.

Sources:
Is Obesity Stigma Based on Perceptions of Appearance or Character? Florian van Leeuwen et al., 2015

YouGov UK, 2024 – Public opinion on weight loss jabs