I’ve been on 150 diets, and L.A.’s secrecy about taking Ozempic makes no sense to me
Good morning. Here’s what you need to know to start your day.
- L.A.’s secrecy about taking Ozempic.
- Nine concerns the Dodgers should have about facing the Mets in the NLCS.
- Where to eat and drink near Dodger Stadium before or after a game.
- And here’s today’s eNewspaper
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
150 diets and counting
They say in the weight-loss world not to dwell on past defeats and focus on what you can do now.
But by my count, I’ve been on more than 150 diets.
Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, South Beach, fat camps, shakes, liquid diets, low carb, high fiber, zero fat, paleo, diet pills, four grapefruits a day, seven micro meals a day, six days of deprivation followed by one glorious cheat day....
And then there were the ones I invented myself: Eating exclusively BBQ chicken sandwiches from Carl’s Jr. for lunch and dinner. Drinking a protein shake before every meal.
The diet show
But each one shared a common theme: They were very public.
I made a big show out of each new effort, slipping details into conversation, loudly demurring dessert, refusing the offer of a doughnut from the box at work, showing off my latest diet app filled with entries like “½ turkey sandwich, 1 pack of oatmeal w/ banana, veggie egg white omelet, unsweetened ice tea, grilled chicken salad, dressing on side.”
But there is a fatalism about a lifetime of traditional weight loss regimes, because statistics show that the vast majority of people can’t keep the pounds off. Even as I was determined to make the new diet succeed, in my heart I knew it would fail.
So dieting became more performance art for me, a way to let the people in my life know I had not given up and was still trying — that this body still might be temporary and that my “after” photos were just a few hundred healthy salads away. The diet show felt so important because I could not imagine a world where it would be fine to be overweight.
L.A.’s Ozempic fever
I’ve been thinking a lot about this pathology as Ozempic fever hits Los Angeles.
It began last year with articles hailing the drug as a weight-loss game changer. Available only by prescription, it and other GLP-1 drugs like Mounjaro and Wegovy spawned lucrative black markets and sparked gossip about whether that actor, talent agent or executive had hired a particularly sadistic personal trainer or if it was just another case of “Ozempic face.”
L.A. is particularly susceptible to “miracle” cures (trust me, I took Fen-Phen in the 1990s and lived to tell about it). And there are some troubling aspects of the Ozempic gold rush that don’t get enough attention:
- Karen Kaplan wrote about how the GLP-1s have worsened health disparities.
- Mike Hiltzik showed how insurance companies and drug makers have restricted people’s access to the drugs.
- Andrea Chang recently reported on how Ozempic is upending L.A.’s health and wellness industry.
And Jon Healey dug into the many Ozempic scams.
But I remain obsessed about one aspect of the story: why some people who lose weight with these drugs insist on keeping their injectable helper a secret.
The mob goes after secret Ozempic users
In some corners of the tabloid world, there seems to be a witch hunt to unmask celebrities who hit the red carpet a few pounds lighter as stealth Ozempic users. “Everyone has been lying, saying, ‘Oh smaller portions.’ Like shut the f— up,” comedian Amy Schumer told an interviewer last year. “You are on Ozempic or one of those things or you got work done.” (Schumer tried the drug and said it disagreed with her).
Recently, the mob came for Lizzo, who responded on Instagram: “When you finally get Ozempic allegations after five months of weight training and calorie deficit… It’s like a reward.”
There are many layers of shame that come from the unfair judgments people make about the severely obese. One is that the weight is a character flaw that can only be conquered by willpower, exercise and self-control. This theory has been thoroughly discredited, but it’s left a stigma for some people who lose weight with drugs or surgery and stay quiet about it.
Not me. After decades on the weight-loss treadmill — including gastric sleve surgery — I looked at the new class of drugs with great hope. My doctor prescribed me Mounjaro, and within hours I was letting my world know that this might be the one that finally sticks.
Is there a better way?
But something unexpected happened with this new diet:
A nagging feeling about whether this was actually healthy. Not the drug itself, which studies show have relatively few side effects. I grew up in an era when fat people were told dieting was the only path.
But this view is being challenged. I spent the pandemic reading more than a dozen books about body acceptance and what some activists call America’s “war” on fat people. These fat activists argue the bad health effects of obesity have been widely overstated, that “diet culture” and much of the medical establishment is cruel in their treatment of fat people, who need love, support and equality rather than lectures and judgment.
These arguments blow my mind... and yet I keep injecting Mounjaro each week. The lure of a victorious trip to the scale remains just too powerful.
But I often ponder whether the true breakthrough will come the day I decide I don’t need to.
Today’s top stories
Dodgers will face the Mets in the National League Championship Series
- Kiké Hernández renews his reputation for October heroics: ‘This guy always rises.’
- Nine concerns the Dodgers should have about facing the Mets in the NLCS.
- Dodgers vanquish recent postseason frustrations in NLDS Game 5 win over Padres.
Crime & courts
- The disturbing video of Sean “Diddy” Combs attacking Cassie is now at center of his sex abuse case.
- Ex-members of L.A. sheriff’s alleged “secret police” testify to oversight commission.
- Famed Beverly Hills watch dealer faces prison time after pleading guilty to fraud.
- A rock hurled at a car kills a 25-year-old woman driving in the Antelope Valley. Her family demands answers.
Election 2024
- Harris’ doctor reports she’s in “excellent health.” Her campaign wants to draw a contrast with Trump.
- Poll: If Trump wins the White House, Californians want their next senator to fight back.
- In poll of Latinos, Harris viewed more positively by women than men.
- Are men reluctant to vote for a woman? Harris backers confront the question head on.
What else is going on
- California officials reject more SpaceX rocket launches, with some citing Musk’s X posts.
- LAUSD math, English test scores show strong gains, but most students still not proficient.
- Beloved bear Noni dies at the Sequoia Park Zoo, breaking hearts of visitors, staff and her furry best friend.
- Intense UCLA policing draws scrutiny as security chief speaks out on handling protests.
- California’s ban on certain hemp products clears early legal challenge.
- After early October heat wave, Southern California’s forecast is cooler weather over next few days.
Get unlimited access to the Los Angeles Times. Subscribe here.
Commentary and opinions
- Plaschke: Playoff demons be gone! Dodgers outlast Padres to advance to NLCS.
- Ali: Elon Musk’s courtship with MAGA has driven X into misinformation abyss.
- Hiltzik: The latest info on California’s $20 minimum wage for fast food workers — higher pay, no job losses and minimal price hikes.
This morning’s must reads
Pilot in Catalina crash that killed 5 took off after dark: like flying into a ‘black hole.’ Plane wasn’t authorized to take off after sunset, according to the Catalina airport manager.
Other must reads
- “Sideways” turns 20. A generation later, are the kids drinking Merlot?
- A surprising $3,000 water bill ended their lawn. Then fire torched their yard. What next?
How can we make this newsletter more useful? Send comments to essentialcalifornia@latimes.com.
For your downtime
Going out
- ⚾ Where to eat and drink near Dodger Stadium before or after a game.
- 👻 31 things to do in L.A. that will spook, thrill and frightfully delight you in October.
- 🍝 The top 10 Italian spots in L.A. from the 101 Best Restaurants guide.
Staying in
- 📚 De Los Reads: Paola Santos’ “How to Eat a Mango” and other Latino authors we’re reading in October.
- 🥗 Here’s a recipe for Beef Bulgogi Bowl With Kimchi.
- ✏️ Get our free daily crossword puzzle, sudoku, word search and arcade games.
And finally ... a great photo
Show us your favorite place in California! Send us photos you have taken of spots in California that are special — natural or human-made — and tell us why they’re important to you.
Today’s great photo is from Times contributor Steve Galluzzo. Steve captured this shot at the Palisades vs. Westchester high school football game.
Have a great day, from the Essential California team
Ryan Fonseca, reporter
Defne Karabatur, fellow
Andrew Campa, Sunday reporter
Hunter Clauss, multiplatform editor
Christian Orozco, assistant editor
Stephanie Chavez, deputy metro editor
Karim Doumar, head of newsletters
Check our top stories, topics and the latest articles on latimes.com.
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
