Purtle's Internet Lineup for May 16th, 2024 6:22pm
Pics:

• Childhood pictures of Miyamoto and his design for an elephant-shaped clothes hanger for kids, from the December 31, 1993 issue of Famitsu: https://twitter.com/kobunheat/status/1790883882990240166
  
• tom and jerry ass predicament has occured - ‘Dispute’, a quite imprssive real picture captured by Polish photographer Jacek Stankiewicz, featuring two birds embroiled in what appears to be an animated argument. https://twitter.com/Aeyga_X/status/1790944969898786948
  
• arbok is such an exceptionally cool fucking pokemon and I will forever be disappointed that we didn't keep getting new patterns with each game. incredible art https://twitter.com/Lewchube/status/1791151202823999994
  
• Sonic news
  
  • Get ready to keep on rocking with more Sonic Symphony shows through 2024! https://twitter.com/sonic_hedgehog/status/1790064597535535313
• Pokemon news
  
  • we've recently discovered a LOT beta Pokemon DP music, the most notable being an unused encounter theme for fucking Cyrus [SEQ_THE_AKAGI] https://twitter.com/Lewchube/status/1790817388708958397
  • this is one of the rare instances where a song does not exist at all in the final. Team Galactic Grunts have their own encounter theme which is a variation you hear in the final but Cyrus doesn't get shit which is a shame this is a pretty sexy variation
  • Pre-order Jigglypuff, Gengar, and Lechonk supercomfy, supersoft bean bag chairs by Yogibo until July 7th from Pokémon Center: https://twitter.com/Pokemon/status/1791168252812693887

Clips:

• pepeday vs poongko https://twitter.com/FGPerfectShots/status/1790840621185327247
  
• The fact that someone can make a full 1 minute compilation of these is crazy https://twitter.com/WalshEnthusiast/status/1790937622342258928
  
• Cartman uses Ozempic in the first teaser for ‘SOUTH PARK: THE END OF OBESITY’ special. Releasing May 24 on Paramount+ https://twitter.com/DiscussingFilm/status/1790805912753508748
  
• This police K9 bit an officer for being too aggressive toward protesters at a pro-Palestinian rally in Amsterdam. 14/10 https://twitter.com/dog_rates/status/1791138136141054251
  

Videos

• Patriots - do you like schedules? https://twitter.com/Patriots/status/1790894935471751504
  
• The Solar Sermon [3:58] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aF8A5rKfg-g
  
• Opioid Settlements: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO) [25:08] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Io0yuH1CiA0
  

Articles/News/Other

• Twitch will now allow Twerking/Shaking Butt emotes again. https://twitter.com/zachbussey/status/1790829342181724612
  
• Barge strikes bridge in Galveston, Texas, partially collapsing rail line and closing the only road to a small island [:31] https://twitter.com/Breaking911/status/1790795819005653213
  
• NC Senate votes to ban people from wearing masks in public for health reasons https://old.reddit.com/nottheonion/comments/1ctanwz/nc_senate_votes_to_ban_people_from_wearing_masks/
  
  • North Carolina is banning people from wearing masks for health reasons, but may absurdly exempt white supremacists from the ban. https://twitter.com/luckytran/status/1790951221278265448
• Vegetarian and vegan diets linked to lower risk of heart disease, cancer and death, large review finds https://old.reddit.com/science/comments/1ct9ihu/vegetarian_and_vegan_diets_linked_to_lower_risk/
  
• The Life and Death of a Graphics Programmer https://twitter.com/redorav/status/1791082719146836477
  

I was always big but not always obese. I am currently 280 and over 5’8. I am only 17. I usually don’t think too much about how much bigger I am but anytime I see a picture of myself next to other people it’s shocking. Even other people who are also obese or overweight. I took a picture with my friend at a concert Who is also the same age And may be a little bit overweight But not big and compared to her I was about twice Her size towering over her almost a foot. Even My mom and dad They both weigh less than me And I look big Even compared to them And they are both in the 200s. I don’t mind being tall or big just not obese lol.

I have seen a lot of pictures and videos of people going through extreme weight loss. Some of them were morbidly obese and once they are thinner, they keep their excess skin hanging in flaps, that I know needs to be removed with surgery in extreme cases.
Does this happen to all extremely obese people? Or is this only certain cases?

My stats (for context):
Australian - 26 y/o F - PCOS, Epilepsy & CPTSD diagnosis - 164cm (5ft4 ish)
Weight
01/04/2024 = 94kgs (207lbs)
16/05/2024 = 98.6kgs (217lbs)
(I can post before and current pictures if that helps - lemme know)
Hey all - I've been someone who has tried to lose weight their entire life. From gyming 4-5 times a week (cardio & weights, I'm a big weights girlie), to calorie counting, meal prepping, physios, numerous PT's for extended periods of time, nutritionists, dietiticans, and other forms of medication.
I've never considered myself to be morbidly obese (unless Im compared to BMI, which I am often), but rather just someone who carries a lot of muscle and aft (thanks PCOS), I'm just dense (?)
My GP suggested I try Saxenda, the sister to ozempic as a last resort before seriously considering weightloss surgery. I've always been considered about my weight, especially with a large family history of type II diabetes and heart conditions, and a general upbringing around poor self-image. It has been a journey to get this far in my life (lots of therapy and lots of learning).
These past 5 weeks (going on 6 as of next Monday) have been nothing short of a living hell for me.
I went from being able to eat 3 meals a day of high protein, all calorie counted and macro'd appropriately, to barely being able to stomach food in general (struggling to put 1 meal away a day) due to immense nausea of stomach/digestive pain. I cant stomach complex foods or large meals, and have been on the bare minimum to *try* to make sure I am still getting the nutrients I need, but sis - even water churns this belly now.
Prior to Saxenda, I would eat anywhere between 1600-1900 calories a day.
My average daily caloric intake on Saxenda has been 900-1000 calories a day.
I am constantly exhausted. I've stopped going to the gym because I have no energy, I get lightheaded almost instantly, and I'm just generally fatigued and in pain. I've had constant brain fog, again I am assuming this is due to the bare minimum calories I've been able to consume, but honestly with the huge list of side effects, its hard to tell what's responsible for what.
I feel like I've gone completely backwards with all of my fitness progress! I struggle to run more than 30seconds, I struggle to lift any form of weight when before I was lifting quite a lot. Holding my arms in the air to do my hair leaves me out of breath and light headed, let alone being able to walk up the stairs at work, walk through the shops to do groceries, or even consider pushing myself at the gym. I have no energy to cook, to clean, or to do groceries - and honestly my mental health has been *shocking*.
So why the post? Just to share my experience on this nightmare drug that cost me an arm and a leg. I will be continuing on it until I finish all my needles worth (still 2 more pens to go), as my GP refuses to believe my experience is worth 'stopping giving it a go', and that I just need to push on and I'll see the results. I've gained weight, I see no visible changes in my body weight distribution, my clothes are all still fitting the same, I'm constantly fatigued, I have no capacity to move my body without wanting to faint.
I'd love to hear if other people have had negative experiences also, I think after seeing so many success stories, I just feel like I'll never be able to lose the body weight and get down to something more manageable for my size.

Obesity affects about 42% of the adult population in the United States and contributes to the onset of chronic diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and other conditions. Understanding the mechanisms behind this is crucial to combating the obesity epidemic. "We wanted to explore the mechanisms that might explain why late eating increases the risk of obesity," said Dr. Frank A. J. L. Scheer, the senior author of the study. Previous research indicated that late eating is associated with increased body fat and less successful weight loss.
The Study: Timing Matters The researchers asked, "Does the timing of our meals matter when all other factors are consistent?" The answer was a clear yes. Eating just four hours later than usual significantly affected hunger levels, how calories are burned after eating, and how the body stores fat.
In their controlled lab study, the team worked with 16 participants with a Body Mass Index (BMI) in the overweight or obese range. Each participant followed two eating schedules in the lab:
Normal Schedule: Eating at typical meal times. Late Schedule: Similar meals but eaten 4 hours later than usual. Before the lab sessions, participants maintained a fixed sleep-wake schedule for two to three weeks, and for the final three days, they followed a strict diet to standardize intake.
Measurements and Observations In the lab, participants reported their feelings of hunger and cravings, provided frequent small blood samples throughout the day, and had their body temperature and energy expenditure measured. To understand how meal timing affects fat storage pathways, the researchers also took fat tissue biopsies from a subset of participants under both early and late eating conditions for genetic expression analysis.
Study Findings: Hormones, Calories, and Fat Storage The study revealed profound effects of late eating on hunger and the appetite hormones leptin and ghrelin:
Leptin Levels: This satiety hormone was lower over 24 hours during the late eating condition compared to early eating. Calorie Burning: Participants burned calories at a slower rate when following the late eating schedule. Fat Storage Genes: Gene expression in fat tissue showed increased fat creation and decreased breakdown (lipolysis) under late eating conditions. These findings highlight the physiological and molecular mechanisms underlying the correlation between late eating and increased obesity risk.
Implications and Insights These findings align with a substantial body of research indicating that late-night eating can increase a person's likelihood of developing obesity. They elucidate how this might happen by revealing changes in different control systems related to energy balance. By conducting a randomized crossover study and tightly controlling behavioral and environmental factors like physical activity, posture, sleep, and light exposure, the investigators could pinpoint changes in different systems that control energy balance, providing a clearer picture of how our bodies use the food we consume.
This research suggests that modifying our eating times could be a straightforward approach to reduce obesity risk, improve metabolic health, and better manage appetite and fat storage.
Conclusion The study emphasizes that not just what we eat, but when we eat, plays a significant role in health outcomes related to obesity. Shifting meal times earlier could be a viable strategy for reducing hunger, improving metabolic rate, and ultimately aiding in weight management and obesity prevention.
https://youtube.com/shorts/qqFD1mZViis?feature=share
#NutritionScience #ObesityResearch #MetabolicHealth #HealthyEating #LateNightEating #WeightManagement #AppetiteControl #EnergyBalance #HealthAndWellness #DietAndHealth

AFAB, 42, type II diabetes, chronic migraines, hypertension, polycystic ovarian syndrome, hyperthyroidism, obese, ADHD, anxiety, depression, PTSD, agoraphobia.
Propranolol, metformin, levothyroxine, methylphenidate, methylphenidate extended release, desvenlafaxine, zomitriptan. No vitamins or supplements.
One pet cat, no lifestyle changes such as a new pet, partner, diet, or move.
I've had huge, red, raised, intensely itchy hives over 90% of my body for weeks, scalp, ears, chin, neck, shoulders, both arms, chest, back , stomach, butt, legs, feet, even the soles of my feet and palms of my hands. It started suddenly, with no history of hives. I've also had my eye randomly swell shut and my lip swell up a couple times.
I've been taking famotidine twice daily and diphenhydramine throughout the day. It mostly controls or at least lessens it but there's no sign of actual improvement. The moment it wears off, the hives come roaring back.
I saw the doctor, who was concerned it could be an autoimmune condition, and had blood work done. They did a bunch of tests because they did my usual thyroid and a1c in there too. I think the relevant ones for the hives were C-reactive protein and anti-nuclear antibody screen.
The C-reactive protein came back as 1.6mg/dL. The antibody screen came back negative.
From what I read, 1.6mg/dL (I think that's 16mg/L?) is associated with autoimmune conditions, and is considered kinda high?
My doctor called it mildly elevated, though, and I guess paired with a negative anti-nuclear antibody test, my doctor says it's not an autoimmune disease.
I'm just a little confused about why it's elevated and why what I read makes it seem more concerning than my doctor's interpretation seemed. Lupus would have kinda made sense, tbh. But I guess I'm in the clear for autoimmune stuff? So what does it mean that it's that high? Or is it really not that high and I read things that weren't accurate?
The only other test that was abnormal was that my thyroid medication does was a little high. My thyroid is never stable, though. It is always too low or too high and my dose always changes.
So my doctor wants me to try a combination of Zyrtec, Allegra, famotidine, and prescription Singulair for a month and see how it goes.
I could include pictures of the hives/swelling, but they look exactly like hives/swelling.

I worked so hard over the last few years to lose weight. I was my heaviest about 5 years ago at 190 (but suspected I got up to 200). I lost about 30 pounds over the next couple years, regained about 10 pounds 1.5 years ago and it scared me. I really buckled down about a year ago and got into a healthy lifestyle and hit my lowest weight (since high school) of 152 about 3 weeks ago. I have since fallen off the wagon due to lack of structure (out of nursing school/ clinicals for the summer) and have been eating like absolute shit and not exercising. I have no one or blame but myself. I could tell I was regaining weight so stepped on the scale and weighed in at 165. I am devastated and can’t stop crying. It’s an easy fix, I need to pack/ portion meals and work out, but feel absolutely disgusting. My sister is graduating Friday and I’ll be seeing all my family and was looking forward to feeling decent for once in pictures, but will be so embarrassed to be seen now. I have BDD related to thinking I have a facial deformity and am grossly obese so any weight gain has historically been a huge trigger and sent me into a deep depression. Will I look crazy if I pack meals for the next few days while on vacation? Sticking to a meal schedule/ packed meals is always what gets me back on the wagon. I feel hideous and just need some motivation that this is not the end of the world!

As someone who has worked on marketplace dynamics, specifically leading Supply Growth initiatives for large corporations both in private and medical fields, I want to just unpack what is really happening here.
Marketplace Supply & Demand is planned.

1. When introducing a product to a market, the company knows their TAM (Total Addressable Market) and understands what their CAC (Cost of Acquiring Customers) is. The company plans their sales accordingly.
2. Addressable Market was a choice. Lilly could have easily focused on one segment of the market, for instance, patients with obesity < X%, and only with a PA. They did not do this knowing that it would increase their funnel.
3. Top of funnel customers are tracked. They know exactly what % of customers return for a new purchase, and this is called the retention rate. Conversely they know the churn rate, which is % of customers who drop off and don't re-up.
4. They know at which point the demand will exceed the supply. From a business standpoint their goal was clearly to increase their TAM, knowing that their retention rate was so high, that even if a customer churned due to low supply, their return rate would be high.
5. Pharmaceuticals have a long product development & production lifecycle. This means that from a product standpoint, at any given moment, they know if their expected supply will exceed or meet demand. Picture a program manager with gantt charts that specifically outline what number of products will be introduced in the market, and then an equal data point showing what percent of outstanding Rxs will meet that demand. They have this data because pharmacies place orders anytime an Rx comes in. So they actually know exactly what is being ordered. Since they know these numbers, they also know that the increasing the number of Rx's only increases the delta between unmet supply to meet the demand. Lets say for instance right now that delta is 30%, where at any given point in the market only 70% of existing customers will have a supply to meet their demand. This rate is known, expected, and justified for business reasons.
6. Production is ramped up to meet the supply deficit. The supply deficit is used to develop financial forecasts. Those forecasts determine the growth rate, total demand, and expected market penetration into the future. That is how you generate a company valuation. Their stock price reflects this. They aren't being judged for what they deliver, they are being judged by what the demand and growth rate is. That generates stock valuation which generates revenue for shareholders. Supply deficit is financial gain.

Marketplace dynamics are intentional and therefore:

1. Lilly absolutely knew there was going to be a supply issue. They have all the data to predict this. They don't care about the impact that it has on the consumer.
2. The current shortage was a risk that was expected, and ignored. Why? Because they are a publicly traded company with a fiduciary responsibility. Big Pharma is not going to serve the patient's best interest over their financial interests.

So knowing all this, who should we be mad at? For me it is:

1. Doctors who overprescribe for financial reasons.
2. Patients who take this for cosmetic reasons.
3. Pharmacies that don't prioritize patients according to PAs.

EDIT: Because it was brought up a lot. First & foremost, we should be mad at Eli Lilly, for lacking ethics and patient care. Second, our lawmakers who have failed to regulate this predatory GTM planning in pharma.
For me, I understand the system is broken, so I get more irritated at the people who take advantage of it or don't prevent it.
EDIT2: Accidentally swapped supply vs demand terms in a sentence.

Lately I’ve been mourning my body.. I keep seeing pictures pop up from 3 years ago when I first started recovery and at the time I thought I was huge but now looking back it was the best I’ve ever looked.. I had gained a l bit and was just above being UW, the clothes I wore, my aesthetic, my long hair and being so confident for the first time in my life. (Even if I was faking it to make it) Granted that few months of bliss ended up setting me up for failure and it’s not a time I should be idolizing. I just miss the way I looked and that’s it.. I feel like I’ll never look like that again, I had gained so much weight in two years I was obese, then I lost most of it and was boardering the healthy and overweight line but it was the smallest I’d been in 2 years.. I had a ton of stretch marks and loose skin and my boobs sag because of the rapid weight gain then rapid weight loss then I got pregnant and I thought I’d be fine bc I already had stretch marks, loose skin and saggy boobs but now at 33 weeks I somehow have more even tho Im still at a lower weight than I was at my highest weight.
Ugh I’m sorry if that’s all jumbled and makes no sense and I feel like I sound so ungrateful but I’m not, I was told I only had a 10% chance of conceiving naturally because of how damaged my body was from my ED but it miraculously happened and I couldn’t be happier about her coming! I’ve always wanted to be a mom and thought I’d never get the chance without IVF.
I feel pressured not to go back to my ed because I have a daughter and don’t want her to end up with an ed like I did bc of my mom.. I miss my old body that I’ll never have back with out surgery and even then I’ll never have the skin I did back. It also sucks because 2 of the girls I went to high school with who have kids are both super skinny (one has an ed and the other is just naturally skinny) I’m jealous bc I let myself go for 2 years and feel like that wrecked my body more than being pregnant. Anyone else relate? Or am I being over dramatic?

Well, my A1C came back at 5.9, which I know isn't cataclysmic, but I'm pretty freaked out. This is a higher risk pregnancy for multiple reasons, and now I'm at a very high risk for GD. I'm also worried about passing out/getting sick during the three hour glucose challenge I have to take now. Least of my problems though.
My first pregnancy was normal until I got hypertension right at the end, but I feel like my body has been a mess ever since. Luckily no hypertension, but everything else feels out of control. I gained a lot of weight postpartum, but I've lost 20 pounds in the last year and have been getting 300+ minutes of exercise weekly for almost 2 years now. Still obese though.
My typical diet is high fiber and moderate carbohydrate, but during the first trimester it's been very refined carb heavy with half my usual exercise. It's been rough. Luckily not much weight gain if any. I know it's not the whole picture, but I wonder if my lifestyle change over the last two months is contributing to this A1C value? I was a little worried about this for that reason.
Luckily I have a decent understanding of nutrition and how to manage blood sugar, and I'm eating as if I have gestational diabetes starting today. It's ok, I guess, but I'm still so bummed. I've already been so worried because my last few pregnancies were early losses.
Anyone else dealing with pre diabetes in pregnancy? Dealt with? Did you develop full GD? If so, when?
Any advice or encouragment very welcome. Thanks!

DAY: MAY 13, 2024

• 5-13-2024BIKING REVEALED TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH LESS KNEE PAIN LATER IN LIFE A study reveals that people who participated in regular bicycling over their lifetime had a lower prevalence of frequent knee pain, radiographic osteoarthritis (ROA) and symptomatic radiographic osteoarthritis (SOA). Rheumatologists often encourage regular physical activity for the prevention of osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis. However, some exercises are more effective than others.
• 5-13-2024STRESSFUL LIFE EVENTS CAN INCREASE YOUR RISK OF ALZHEIMER’S Stressful life events, such as the death of a loved one or divorce, put a person at greater risk of developing dementia in later life, a recent study has found. But only if the stressful event happened in childhood or midlife. The study included 1,290 people at increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. The researchers looked at 18 stressful life events and when in people’s lives they happened.
• 5-13-2024TIPS FOR LOWERING STROKE RISK May is National Stroke Awareness Month, and as part of everyday awareness, Mayo Clinic health care professionals suggest reducing stroke risk and knowing the signs. A stroke happens every 40 seconds in the U.S., and the likelihood of stroke increases with age, according to the National Institutes of Health. Preventing a stroke is a crucial aspect of health care, as about 80% of all strokes are preventable. The focus is on managing risk factors to reduce the long-term risk of stroke.
• 5-13-2024IT’S TIME TO USE TIKTOK TO TALK TO YOUNG PEOPLE ABOUT OBESITY, SAYS RESEARCHER There is an urgent need to harness the potential of TikTok and other social media channels to provide scientific information about obesity to young people in engaging and accessible way . The popularity and broad reach of such platforms provides the opportunity to reach diverse audiences, including teenagers and young adults, explains lead researcher Dr. Antonella Franceschelli, of Unicamillus International Medical University, Rome, Italy.
• 5-13-2024WHY YOU SHOULD NEVER TAKE NUTRITION ADVICE FROM A CENTENARIAN It’s a cliche of reporting on people who reach 100 years of age, or even 110, to ask them some variation of the question: “What did you do to live this long?” Inevitably, some interesting and unexpected answer is highlighted. Fish and chips every Friday. Drinking a glass of strong liquor every day. Bacon for breakfast every morning. Wine and chocolate. While a popular news story, this is a relatively meaningless question that doesn’t help us understand why certain people have lived so long.
• 5-13-2024JUNK FOOD MARKETING ON VIDEOGAME LIVESTREAMING PLATFORMS INCREASES PURCHASES AND CONSUMPTION AMONG TEENS, STUDY FINDS Food and drink advertisements on videogame livestreaming platforms (VGLSPs) like Twitch are associated with more positive attitudes towards, and purchases and intake of, unhealthy foods that are high in fat, salt and/or sugar (HFSS) like energy drinks among adolescents aged 18 or younger. The concerning findings prompt researchers to call for stronger regulations on digital marketing of unhealthy foods to young people on these platforms, where there is currently no effective regulation
• 5-13-2024HIGHER BLOOD SUGAR LEVEL AT GESTATIONAL DIABETES DIAGNOSIS LINKED TO HARMFUL OUTCOMES FOR MOTHERS AND BABIES The higher the blood sugar level in pregnant women when first diagnosed with diabetes, the higher the risk of complications around and after birth
• 5-13-2024ASKING ADULTS WITH OBESITY ABOUT THEIR WEIGHT DURING CHILDHOOD COULD HELP DETERMINE THEIR MORTALITY RISK Being asked whether you considered yourself a normal weight, plumper or thinner as a child when attending a doctor’s appointment as an adult might appear like a very strange question to ask, but new research suggests that such questions can help identify increased mortality risk in adults living with obesity.
• 5-13-2024ENERGY DRINKS CAN LEAD TO SERIOUS HEART ISSUES IN KIDS AND TEENS, HEALTH EXPERTS SAY Hennessy Sepulveda thought she was going to die. “I began dissociating as I was driving. I was 10 minutes away from my house. My vision started warping and the lights were hitting me really bright,” she said. “I felt my chest pounding, I felt a wave of panic hit me—I knew something was wrong.” Sepulveda, a Florida International University student who was 19 at the time, was admitted to the hospital, and was surprised by the cause of her symptoms
• 5-13-2024A BLOOD TEST TO HELP DETECT LUNG CANCER? NEW TEST OFFERED AT 18 LOCATIONS Julie Harris had never been tested for lung cancer. A low-dose CT scan, the only recommended screening for adults at risk of developing lung cancer, was not something she’d ever found time to do. But when her primary care doctor recently suggested a new blood test to help look for signs of the disease, Harris was intrigued. She had her blood drawn the same day, in the same building as her doctor’s appointment.
• 5-13-2024STUDY SHOWS EXERCISING SLOWS OUR PERCEPTION OF TIME results of a new study show for the first time that individuals tend to experience time as moving slower when they are exercising compared to when they are resting or after completing their exercise.
• 5-13-2024BREAKTHROUGH THERAPIES ARE SAVING LIVES, BUT CAN WE AFFORD THEM? Harnessing the body’s own cells to fight disease, long a medical dream, is finally a reality. Now comes the bill. Last month, Stanford became the first hospital in the nation to use a new $515,000 cell therapy to treat a patient with advanced melanoma. A related approach, costing $420,000 to $475,000, is offering hope to patients with lethal blood cancers. Meanwhile, cells fixed by gene therapy can slow, even stop, the progression of intractable diseases like sickle cell or beta thalassemia—
• 5-13-2024RESEARCH FINDS DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME SPELLS BAD NEWS FOR HEALTHY HABITS
• 5-13-2024HOW READING HELPS YOUNG CHILDREN LEARN ABOUT THE CONCEPT OF PAIN
• 5-13-2024HEART FAILURE PATIENTS WHO DO YOGA HAVE STRONGER HEARTS AND CAN BE MORE ACTIVE, RESEARCH SUGGESTS
• 5-13-2024ITALIAN STUDY FINDS EVIDENCE OF BODY DYSMORPHIA IN PROFILE PICTURES OF PEOPLE LIVING WITH OBESITY
• 5-13-2024UNDERSTANDING AND PREVENTING BLADDER CANCER
• 5-13-2024OUR BRAINS TRICK US INTO THINKING CONSCIOUSNESS CAN RESIDE OUTSIDE THE BODY, RESEARCH ARGUES
• 5-13-2024YOGA SHOWS ‘MOST IMPROVEMENT’ IN RESTORING BRAIN HEALTH IN LONG-TERM CANCER SURVIVORS, RESEARCHER SAYS
• 5-13-2024DISTURBING NEW TRENDS ARE DRIVING UP THE NUMBERS
• 5-13-2024SUPPORTING WEIGHT-LOSS MEDICATIONS WITH ADEQUATE, TAILORED NUTRITION
• 5-13-2024WHAT HAPPENS INSIDE A SLEEPWALKER’S BRAIN?
• 5-13-2024COMING OFF OZEMPIC SLOWLY COULD PREVENT WEIGHT GAIN, STUDY SHOWS
• 5-13-2024STUDY SHOWS ALARMING RISE OF ELECTRONIC VAPING USE IN US ADOLESCENTS
• 5-13-2024UK SURVEY FINDS ‘DISGUST FACTOR’ NEEDS TO BE OVERCOME IF EATING INSECTS IS TO BECOME TRULY MAINSTREAM
• 5-13-2024SEMAGLUTIDE CAN YIELD WEIGHT LOSS, LOWER HEART ISSUES FOR AT LEAST FOUR YEARS IN NON-DIABETIC ADULTS WITH OVERWEIGHT
• 5-13-2024BETTER NUTRITION CAN HELP FIREFIGHTERS FIGHT CANCER
• 5-13-2024EXPLORING THE BIOLOGICAL BASIS FOR RESILIENCE
• 5-13-2024REMOTE HEART FAILURE MONITORING DEVICE COULD PREVENT HOSPITALIZATIONS
• 5-13-2024IDENTICAL ODORS SEEM DIFFERENT WHEN GIVEN DIFFERENT NAMES
• 5-13-2024HOW CANNABIS AND PSILOCYBIN MIGHT HELP SOME OF THE 50 MILLION AMERICANS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING CHRONIC PAIN
• 5-13-2024AUTISTIC CHILDREN COULD BE THE REAL WINNERS FROM ONLINE GAMES
• 5-13-2024TEENAGE USERS OF HIGH-THC CANNABIS VARIETIES TWICE AS LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE PSYCHOTIC EPISODES
• 5-13-2024PEPTIDE-BASED HYDROGEL SHOWS PROMISE FOR A WIDE RANGE OF TISSUE AND ORGAN REPAIR
• 5-13-2024TO AVENGE OR NOT TO AVENGE? PSYCHOLOGISTS DIG DEEPER INTO HOW PEOPLE SEE REVENGE AND THOSE WHO DO IT
• 5-13-2024TRANSGENDER PRETEENS REPORT 13 HOURS OF DAILY SCREEN TIME
• 5-13-2024STUDY FINDINGS DEMONSTRATE BENEFIT TO PEDIATRIC CELIAC DISEASE MASS SCREENING
• 5-13-2024COMMONLY USED ANTIBIOTIC BRINGS MORE COMPLICATIONS, DEATH IN THE SICKEST PATIENTS
• 5-13-2024NEW PAPER EXAMINES POTENTIAL POWER AND PITFALLS OF HARNESSING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE FOR SLEEP MEDICINE
• 5-13-2024VARIATIONS IN TELOMERE LENGTHENING GENES MAY PREDISPOSE SOME PEOPLE TO PAPILLARY THYROID CANCER
• 5-13-2024WHAT IS THE PROCESS OF AN ATHLETE BEING ‘MEDICALLY RETIRED’ DUE TO CONCUSSION?
• 5-13-2024NOT SURE ABOUT VACCINES? HOW MESSAGING IS FRAMED MAKES A DIFFERENCE, NEW RESEARCH SHOWS
• 5-13-2024NEW STUDY REVEALS THE KEY ROLE OF MITOCHONDRIAL PROTEINS IN CARDIAC REGENERATION
• 5-13-2024NEW SYNTHETIC BIOMARKER TECHNOLOGY DIFFERENTIATES BETWEEN PRIOR ZIKA AND DENGUE INFECTIONS
• 5-13-2024IN SEARCH OF THE BEST TEST FOR HEPATIC ENCEPHALOPATHY
• 5-13-2024ORGANIZATIONS PUBLISH JOINT GUIDELINE ON GLUCOCORTICOID-INDUCED ADRENAL INSUFFICIENCY
• 5-13-2024CLINICAL TRIAL INVESTIGATING AFICAMTEN MEETS PRIMARY ENDPOINT IN OBSTRUCTIVE HYPERTROPHIC CARDIOMYOPATHY
• 5-13-2024RESEARCH INVESTIGATES LIMITED EFFICACY OF COMMON LOCAL ANESTHETIC
• 5-13-2024HOW SCIENCE CLEARED THE AIR OVER INHALED HEALTH RISKS
• 5-13-2024WHAT’S KEEPING THE US FROM ALLOWING BETTER SUNSCREENS?
• 5-13-2024PATIENTS CAN NOW STAY CONNECTED BY WEARING ONE
• 5-13-2024THERAPEUTIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR HYPERMUTATED UROTHELIAL CARCINOMAS BEYOND IMMUNOTHERAPY
• 5-13-2024RESEARCHERS REVEAL THE DOUBLE-EDGED-SWORD EFFECT OF OVERCONFIDENCE ON GAMBLING
• 5-13-2024TEAM STUDIES FACTORS RELATED TO A SENSE OF ECONOMIC INSECURITY IN OLDER ADULTS
• 5-13-2024PEDIATRICIAN OFFERS TIPS ON HOW TO SUPPORT HEALTHY MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN YOUR CHILD
• 5-13-2024NEW DEVICE COULD IDENTIFY WHICH BABIES WILL STRUGGLE WITH BREASTFEEDING
• 5-13-2024COULD FLIRT LEAD TO A SUMMER UPTICK?
• 5-13-2024RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS DRAMATIC INCREASE IN FENTANYL SEIZED BY AUTHORITIES IN LAST SIX YEARS
• 5-13-2024CHILD MEASLES CASE AT SACRAMENTO HOSPITAL MAY HAVE EXPOSED 200 PEOPLE, HEALTH OFFICIALS SAY
• 5-13-2024AN AUXILIARY CHD DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM BASED ON MULTI-VIEW AND MULTI-MODAL TRANSTHORACIC ECHOCARDIOGRAMS
• 5-13-2024PROJECTED ESTIMATES OF CANCER IN CANADA IN 2024: STUDY
• 5-13-2024REPORT FINDS PRIVATE HEALTH PLANS PAID HOSPITALS 254% OF WHAT MEDICARE WOULD PAY DURING 2022
• 5-13-2024HOW OBESITY AND METABOLIC SYNDROME AFFECTS WOMEN’S RISKS OF BREAST CANCER AND CANCER-RELATED DEATH
• 5-13-2024CANCER AND COVID DROVE PATIENT TO DOUBLE-LUNG TRANSPLANT
• 5-13-2024CHOLERA OUTBREAK INTENSIFYING IN YEMEN, UN WARNS
• 5-13-2024RESEARCH TAKES ELECTRORETINOGRAPHY TO THE NEXT LEVEL WITH A SOFT MULTI-ELECTRODE SYSTEM
• 5-13-2024NEW STUDY SHOWS CERTAIN COMBINATIONS OF ANTIVIRAL PROTEINS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR LUPUS SYMPTOMS
• 5-13-2024DID A WORM REALLY EAT PART OF ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR.’S BRAIN?
• 5-13-2024REINING IN ROGUE OBAMACARE AGENTS WITHOUT SLOWING ENROLLMENT
• 5-13-2024IS ‘HERD IMMUNITY’ IN INTENSIVE CARE DOING MORE HARM THAN GOOD?
• 5-13-2024TOO MANY AUSTRALIANS AREN’T GETTING A FLU VACCINE—WHY, AND WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT IT?
• 5-13-2024RESEARCHERS FIND 13% REDUCTION IN ASTHMA IN CHILDREN BORN IN AN URBAN LOW EMISSION ZONE
• 5-13-2024RESEARCHERS USE DUAL DRUG STRATEGY TO ADVANCE MELANOMA TREATMENT AGAINST RESISTANCE
• 5-13-2024ENGINEERING MINI HUMAN HEARTS TO STUDY PREGNANCY COMPLICATIONS AND BIRTH DEFECTS
• 5-13-2024FOR TREATING RETINOPATHY OF PREMATURITY, RESEARCH PROVES THAT RANIBIZUMAB IS SAFE
• 5-13-2024STUDY FINDS SENSE OF SHARED SIMULTANEITY INCREASES WITH GROUP SIZE
• 5-13-2024WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
• 5-13-2024ATTACKING BIRTH CONTROL PILLS, US INFLUENCERS PUSH MISINFORMATION
• 5-13-2024UN NEARS LANDMARK DEAL ON COMBATING BIOPIRACY
• 5-13-2024VARIATIONS IN ‘ANCIENT’ IMMUNE CELLS LINKED TO PATIENTS’ SURVIVAL IN CANCER
• 5-13-2024SOURCE OF SUGAR MAY BE MORE IMPORTANT THAN AMOUNT WHEN IT COMES TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF OBESITY IN CHILDREN
• 5-13-2024UK STUDY INVOLVING OVER 80,000 ADULTS FINDS SMOKERS TEND TO EAT LESS AND HAVE A LESS HEALTHY DIET THAN NON-SMOKERS
• 5-13-2024TRIAL REVEALS ANTI-INFLAMMATORY POWER OF AEROBIC EXERCISE IN ADULTS WITH OBESITY
• 5-13-2024LARGE-SCALE FINNISH STUDY DISCOVERS LINK BETWEEN PREMATURE MENOPAUSE AND MORTALITY RISK
• 5-13-2024SOCIODEMOGRAPHICS TIED TO REHAB USE DURING CRITICAL ILLNESS HOSPITALIZATION
• 5-13-2024AVOID OVERHEATING DANGERS WHEN RECHARGING MEDICAL DEVICES
• 5-13-2024LOWER PREVALENCE OF EMPLOYMENT SEEN FOR SURVIVORS OF CHILDHOOD CANCER
• 5-13-2024BLOOD PRESSURE DOWN WITH SELF-MONITORING, SELF-TITRATION OF MEDICATIONS
• 5-13-2024PSILOCYBIN MAY REVERSE ANOREXIA’S COGNITIVE RIGIDITY
• 5-13-2024STUDY HIGHLIGHTS NEED FOR CELL-TYPE-SPECIFIC THERAPIES IN TREATMENT OF HIV
• 5-13-2024INTENSE ULTRASOUND EXTRACTS GENETIC INFO FOR LESS INVASIVE CANCER BIOPSIES
• 5-13-2024WEIGHT LOSS DRUG LINKED WITH REDUCED NEED FOR DIURETICS IN HEART FAILURE PATIENTS
• 5-13-2024EVIDENCE OF A TRAVEL DIRECTION SIGNAL THAT IS INDEPENDENT FROM HEAD DIRECTION IN HUMANS
• 5-13-2024STUDY SHOWS CHATGPT CAN ACCURATELY ANALYZE MEDICAL CHARTS FOR CLINICAL RESEARCH, OTHER APPLICATIONS
• 5-13-2024WHAT MAKES A MEMORY? IT MAY BE RELATED TO HOW HARD YOUR BRAIN HAD TO WORK
• 5-13-2024BIRTH BY C-SECTION MORE THAN DOUBLES ODDS OF MEASLES VACCINE FAILURE, STUDY FINDS
• 5-13-2024SCIENTISTS FIND SLEEP MAY NOT CLEAR BRAIN TOXINS

This section should present a concise overview, capturing the essence of the report. Highlight the expected market growth at a CAGR of 9.30% from 2024 to 2032. Emphasize the key findings such as the major growth drivers, including an alarming rise in obesity rates and an increasing demand for new and effective anti-obesity medications with minimal side effects. Summarize the anticipated challenges and the strategic responses by key market players to these challenges.

Introduction

Define anti-obesity drugs as medications designed to help individuals lose weight or prevent weight gain. These drugs act through various mechanisms, such as appetite suppression, increased satiety, or reduced fat absorption. Clarify the scope of the report, which encompasses the analysis of market trends, regulatory environments, competitive landscape, and technological innovations across North America from 2024 to 2032. The objectives should be to provide stakeholders with comprehensive insights into the market dynamics, investment opportunities, and future trends. Methodologically, rely on a combination of primary and secondary research, including interviews with industry experts, analysis of company reports, and review of relevant medical and business journals.

Market Overview

Provide a snapshot of the market’s current size, incorporating data from the past five years to show growth trends. Discuss how the obesity epidemic in North America has spurred demand for pharmaceutical interventions. Explore the psychological and sociological factors contributing to the market’s expansion, such as increasing public awareness of obesity-related health risks and the growing acceptance of pharmacological treatment over traditional weight-loss methods.

Market Dynamics

Detail the dynamics of the market:

• Drivers: Include the rising healthcare expenditure on obesity-related diseases, government initiatives like public health campaigns, and innovation in drug development leading to more effective treatment options with fewer side effects.
• Restraints: Discuss the high cost of new drug development and market entry, the rigorous and lengthy regulatory approval processes, and the public skepticism regarding the efficacy and safety of anti-obesity drugs.
• Opportunities: Highlight opportunities such as personalized medicine approaches to obesity treatment, expansion into emerging markets, and potential for lifestyle integration with digital health technologies.
• Challenges: Address issues like the competitive pressure from alternative non-pharmacological therapies (e.g., bariatric surgery), patent cliffs, and the ethical concerns over the medicalization of obesity.

Regulatory Landscape

Examine the specific regulations affecting the development and marketing of anti-obesity drugs in the U.S. and Canada. Discuss key FDA and Health Canada guidelines for clinical trials, drug approvals, and marketing. Analyze recent regulatory approvals and the impact of these on the market, including any controversies or recalls that have shaped regulatory strategies.

Patent Analysis

Delve into the patent landscape, identifying key patents that have recently expired and those that are due to expire. Discuss the strategies companies might use to extend patent lifecycles. Analyze new patents filed, focusing on their potential market impact and the technologies they cover.

Investment and Funding Analysis

Offer a deeper look at financial investments in the anti-obesity drugs sector, identifying major funding rounds and the investors involved. Discuss trends in venture capital investments and government or non-profit funding initiatives aimed at combating obesity.

Partnerships and Collaborations

Examine recent strategic partnerships, their goals, and outcomes. Focus on collaborations aimed at research and development, cross-marketing agreements, or geographic expansion. Evaluate how these collaborations have affected market positions of the companies involved.

Competitive Landscape

Provide a more detailed analysis of each key player mentioned. Discuss their strategic initiatives, such as mergers, acquisitions, and new product developments. Evaluate their financial performance, market share, and R&D investments. Analyze the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) for each player to give a rounded picture of the competitive environment.

Market Segmentation

Further segment the market by patient demographics, such as age and gender, alongside the previous segments by drug type and distribution channel. This can provide insights into target marketing strategies and product development.

Geographic Analysis

Deepen the geographic analysis by including not only the U.S. and Canada but also specific regions within these countries that may exhibit unique market dynamics due to local regulatory policies or health trends.

Future Trends and Market Outlook

Speculate on future technological advancements, such as the integration of machine learning and AI in predicting treatment outcomes or personalized medicine. Discuss the impact of potential market entrants and predict how changes in consumer behavior could reshape the market.

FAQ

1. What are anti-obesity drugs?

Answer: Anti-obesity drugs are pharmaceuticals designed to help individuals lose weight or prevent weight gain. They can work through various mechanisms, such as suppressing appetite, increasing feelings of fullness, or inhibiting fat absorption in the body.

2. What is driving the growth of the anti-obesity drugs market in North America?

Answer: The primary drivers include the increasing prevalence of obesity, rising public health awareness, advancements in drug development, and growing demand for effective treatment options with minimal side effects. Government initiatives and increased healthcare spending on obesity-related conditions also contribute significantly to market growth.

3. What are the major challenges facing the anti-obesity drugs market?

Answer: Key challenges include the high cost and complexity of new drug development, stringent regulatory requirements, competition from non-pharmaceutical treatments like bariatric surgery, and public skepticism about the effectiveness and safety of these drugs.

4. How do regulatory agencies impact the anti-obesity drugs market?

Answer: Regulatory agencies like the FDA in the U.S. and Health Canada play a crucial role in approving new drugs, setting guidelines for clinical trials, and monitoring the safety of anti-obesity medications. Their decisions directly affect which drugs are available on the market and influence public trust in these treatments.

5. What recent developments have there been in the field of anti-obesity drugs?

Answer: Recent developments include the approval of new drugs with novel mechanisms of action, significant investments in research and development by major pharmaceutical companies, and the introduction of personalized medicine approaches to treat obesity. Innovations in drug delivery systems and the integration of digital health solutions are also notable trends.

Nothing special, feel free to leave feedback.

A year before I left Boston, we went for dinner one night. It was after ultimate frisbee, and Boloco was the only place open. We were still riding high from the last time, when we'd gotten everyone to swim across the Charles. Some kids from MIT had been eating grapes as they walked across the bridge, and I'd convinced them to throw some to me to try to catch in my mouth. They missed a few times before throwing down the ziplock bag, and I was able to throw one to you, which you caught.
So this time, I'd joked we should climb the fence to the reservoir and see if we could eat burritos on our backs as we swam across, like otters. You liked something I'd said, so instead of rushing it with Boloco, we wandered the grocery aisles to savor the planning. In the end, you'd proposed making a little boat by turning the frisbee upside down and duct taping two water bottles beneath as pontoons. "We could make smores," you said leaning toward me. We bought a tiki torch that we sat in the middle and then piled the rest of the frisbee with marshmallows, graham crackers, and chocolate squares from Hershey bars. Before we left, you ran back to your car to get a sharpie. You wrote "S.S. More" on the side of one water bottle. I posed for a photo.
The platter was awkward, and we dropped a couple pieces of chocolate in the woods. But we got through the fence easily. We broke sticks for our marshmallows and you lit the torch with a lighter from your car. I remember there were these little fish that would nibble at our toes in the shallows. It was unpleasant, but it didn't quite hurt, more ticklish. I was a more confident swimmer, so I pulled the jump rope, swimming on my back, the other hand balancing my marshmallow over the carcinogenic flame.
At some point out on the water, the wind picked up and blew out the torch. We treaded water several minutes as you tried to get the lighter, wet from where you'd stuffed it into your underwear, to work. At the other side of the reservoir, we stood and those little fish nibbled at us, and you shook out the lighter hard, and lit the torch. We ate as much as we pleased, laughing the whole way back. You took a turn with the jump rope.
That summer we drove up and stayed at the cabin your great uncle owned in Maine. The cabin itself was a converted boat, where your uncle, a local politician from Florida, spent his summers with his obese wife. They were the legal guardians of your cousin, whose father disappeared again after relapsing. It was early autumn, and you'd said it was too cold to swim. But we'd go down and jump in the water with your aunt and uncle, who were convinced the cold was soothing to your aunt's gout. I taught the little boy to skip rocks, but I got him in trouble by talking in character as Scarlet O'Hara during a game of Clue, which he wouldn't stop imitating for the rest of the afternoon. His grandfather sent him outside until he stopped. When you and I went to look for him, he was trying to split logs with an axe in his flip flops. We told him not to do that because he could lose his toes, and I told him that voices were only funny for a short time.
You and I didn't sleep in the old boat cabin, which was expectedly small. Instead, we slept in an L in a 12'x12' shed with a light bulb, which hung on an extension cord from a truss. We talked until 3am or 4am, about everything, work, girls, childhood, and the things that we'd done that had finally dragged us into sobriety.
The next morning, I'd said I wanted to see if I could swim across Lewis Cove and back. As soon as I said it, you were in. You were so lean from running all the time, and before we even got past the boats and the lobster traps, you were struggling from the cold. I'd suggested going back or even climbing out on one of the docks holding traps, but you refused. In the middle, you were worried about making it across at all. I figured I could carry you, but without a float, I didn't think I could carry you very far. When we finally got to where we could stand, you got out and tried to warm up. I stayed in the water, swimming back out a little because for some reason I thought a lobster might pinch me. Eventually, I realized how violently you were shivering. So I got out too, and we decided to go find the road and try to hitchhike back.
It turned out to be one of the islands scattered along the coast of Maine. Luckily, the restaurant, the only thing on the island, hadn't yet closed for the year. The staff, who lived on the island in warm months, were shocked to see us on their day off. You asked if they were planning to take their boat across the water anytime soon. "If you're already making the trip, maybe we could carpool?" you suggested. Two of them gave us a lift in a little boat, making thinly veiled comments about the stupidity of summer people most of the way.
The next day, you slept for hours with a fever. Your aunt was angry that I'd been a bad influence. I went back out and tried to complete the round trip swim. I did it carefully, keeping my head out of the water most of the time and swimming a modified breaststroke. I thought maybe a fast pace would help keep my body temperature up. On the other side, I kicked off the rocks and swam back, and it was cold, but I was fine. Back at the cabin, you were awake and gave me a hug when I came in. We looked up the swimming route on your phone and saw that it was indeed an island, a mile and change round trip. That night we bought a few lobsters from some place along the road, which your uncle boiled in seawater.
A few weeks later, you'd tried to set me up with a girl you knew. You showed me a photo of her, a knockout blonde from Florida. You said you'd been telling her all about me and had sent her my website, and that she wanted to visit Boston and meet me. You told me what a good person she was. "She does little things you'd do, like whenever she has spare change, she goes and puts it in the coin return of vending machines so that it'll make someone's day." I asked why you weren't dating her, but you brushed me off. We started arguing somehow at Bukowski's, some comment I'd made because you'd said she routinely got favors from an infatuated ex. I'd told you it sounded like trouble, and that remembering that beauty is fleeting was why I hadn't slept my way through the ultimate frisbee club yet. We ended up finishing our White Trash Cheese Steaks in silence.
I left Boston with some girl the following summer. It fizzled in weeks, but it was years later that I realized how much you loved me. My ex-wife had been organizing photos, and had come across the picture you took of me holding the frisbee boat. She was always jealous of other women, and she asked who I was smiling at in the photo. "He was my friend."

My (35m) wife (35f) and I make more than I ever could have imagined (250k HHI, double what we were making just 4 years ago) yet it I can’t shake the feeling of being “poor” because her spending / never ending desire of big ticket “needs” is stressing me out.
This has been amplified after moving from our starter house in the city to our new build “forever” home in the suburbs. The house is beautiful and we have great neighbours with similar aged kids but it’s taking up too much time and money to maintain for my liking. More importantly it just feels like my wife will never feel content with our own home since she’s always comparing to the neighbours who a) all seem to be at least 5 years older than us b) moved in two years before we did so have a head start on things like interior decorating/landscaping and c) have just flat out spent more than we have and thus I’ll always feel this way despite being in A beautiful home and in the best financial shape of our life.
Off the top of my head, in the past 18 months we’ve have spent 8k on a fence, 3k on window treatments for two rooms, 5k on a mattresses, 4k on a second car, and 5k on lasik. All things that we “needed” but just seems like it’s never ending and leading to more expensive purchases. Now she wants deck and 100k backyard.
We’re saving a decent amount, albeit about 80% of total retirement savings have been in my accounts despite her income being 33% more than mine. I just hate this feeling of non-stop spending when we could be better securing our future. Ive been raising this to our therapist for years but my wife just can’t stop and/or doesn’t seem to care.
The stress led to a mental health breakdown recently in part due to my wife’s spending but also some personal reasons (stress from my job, my niece turned 14, which was the age I was when my dad died to obesity (caused by family, work, and financial stress), and my mom started chemotherapy and I was exposed to her awful financial picture, despite having a paid off house and decent pension).
It’s not all bad financially with my wife so it would be a disservice not to mention the following things that I consider myself lucky to have in a spouse. 1. She’s smart and makes good money 2. She never spends what we don’t have (goes into debt) 3. Her desire for more was the extrinsic motivation that led to increased incomes for both of us, but i thought the saving would continue after we had enough for the new house. Unfortunately, it’s just turned into lifestyle creep.
My main goal is living life to the fullest (heavy on experiences, less so on material possessions) and teaching my daughter a healthy and active lifestyle. Should I be this stressed with our financial picture? Am I just being paranoid? Maybe I need to stay off all these money forums? Or do I need to give my wife some sort of ultamatim about getting on the same page financially if she wants to stay together?
HHI: 250,000 Monthly Net: 11,000 (after taxes, health insurance, 401k, hsa, and dependent care fsa)
Major Expenses Mortgage: 4000 (640,000 remaining, pmt includes P&I, home insurance, and taxes) Daycare: 1300 Grocery/Gas: 600 Utilities: 400 Cleaner: 250 Cars: 0
Retirement Accounts: 152,000 (401k, 403, HSA) Cash: 20,000 Brokerage: 17,000 Monthly Retirement Savings: 3,333 Monthly Sinking Fund Savings: 800

So I've had an online friend for a little over 2 years now. I first met her on omegle when I was looking for people to play minecraft with. We had our 2 week phase and we didn't talk to each other for a year give or take.
A few months ago we started talking again and playing other games together like minecraft and roblox. Around this time I was feeling a bit depressed, specifically because I felt like my irl friends didn't like me, so having someone who actually told me they cared about me was really nice.
But during that time I realized a few odd things. For one she lied about her age. I was 15 when I met her and she also said she was 15. 2 years later she says she's 19. Mildly concerning but I don't think too much about it, as the relationship was in no way romantic.
But another thing is she would constantly nag me to eat a meal every night and get good sleep. Nothing wrong with giving me health advice, but you'll see in a bit why that upset me later on.
We have never actually seen each other and had no idea what each other looked like. But very recently, she sent me a picture of a funny windshield wiper on a car. But in the reflection of the car, I saw her and I learned that she was morbidly obese.
I know that it's insensitive of me to turn someone down just because of their weight. But for one, she felt the need to give me health advice when she doesn't even take care of herself. On top of her lying about her age, and the fact that I realized we don't really click that well (different interests, opinions and whatnot,) I've been distancing myself from her.
Should I end the friendship? If so, what should I say to her if anything at all?

Here is the recap of the 15 monetized posts from Kylea G Weight loss Journey on 05/12/24.
Disclaimer: I am not a physician, influencer, or paid content creator. I am not affiliated with WW. I am semi-retired from healthcare with multiple college degrees. These opinions are my own based on social media content. I wish no harm to Kylea or Joseph "Joe" Gomez.
☎️ If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, please call or text 988 for assistance.
The tagline of Kylea G Weight loss Journey is, "I changed my life with prayer and a playlist of songs. No surgery, no meds. Just Jesus."
DAILY STATS 05/12/24:
0/15 posts discussed prayer
1/15 posts discussed music (summer concerts)
0/15 posts discussed exercise
2/15 posts shared a recipe
3/15 posts were about something she ate or drank
1/15 posts was about food being fuel
1/15 posts was a tribute to Gibson Moon
1/15 posts was about Kylea packing a backpack
1/15 posts was about her pet cat
2/15 posts were about Joe liking bacon and Whataburger
3/15 posts were a tribute to her sweet momma
📢 For our friends at Meta, that means >53% of her monetized content had nothing to do with weight loss, which is the tagline and purpose of her page.
⚠️ Disordered Eating- Daily Food Consumption (Data compiled from monetized content):
0 WW Points: Hot Coffee. No protein shake or almond milk is described
0 WW Points: SalTea Sloth Loaded Strawberry, Watermelon, and Coconut Tea with 1/4 scoop "energy" (caffeine and other additive/chemicals);
4 WW Points: G Hughes Sweet & Spicy Shredded Crockpot Chicken, Cooked Red Potatos & Roasted Corn with spray vegetable oil.
25 WW Points: Great American Iced Cookie Cake Slice
📢 For our friends at Meta, that means Kylea consumed 4 WW points of her (up to) 30 WW point daily allowance and used 25 of her 28 weekly points on a sweet treat= Disordered Eating. This will be explained in more detail below. Please follow your policies on eating disorders and take action against Kylea Gomez.
Recipes Shared for Joe:

1. Cherry Cheesecake Overnight Oats
2. Pretzel Salad

📢 Joe is not on WW and prefers calorie-dense foods (per her content). Why post recipes of items she will not eat and Joe does not prefer?
🚨 Please speak with a medical professional about any questions or concerns you have about your health.
Comments: Although Kylea tried to focus her content on Mother's Day, the focus shifted to triggering food content and deadly messaging on the topic.
⚠️ Binge Eating, Compulsive Buying Disorder (CBD), aka shopping addiction, Death, Disordered Eating, Food Addiction, Gaslighting, Grief, Pregnancy Loss, and Religion will be discussed.
☮️ Today's discussion will be heavy. Please bow out at any time. Your mental health is more important than my comments.
Gibson Moon: Kylea kicked off the day early with this triggering post (she did not use a disclaimer), "Happy Mother's day to the momma's whose babies live in heaven with my sweet boy." An angel wing ornament with Gibson Moon and 9-5-22 is shown. She did not disclose this was an early pregnancy loss, leading followers to believe she lost a living child.
Using the Cat for Content: Kylea is feeling "a lot better" and will only have 1 cup of coffee today and "continue focusing on water." 🤔
Countdown to Concerts: Kylea is excited to "wear my pink boots again" at future summer concerts and "Just 18 days until I take Joseph to see Hardy." Kylea is a master at emasculating Joe with subtle digs. "...until I take Joseph to see Hardy." Please disregard the fact she travels to California tomorrow and getting a puppy in 1 week. I'm convinced she is not capable of living in the present moment.
SalTea Sloth to the Rescue: Why drink water when you can drink thrice-flavored tea with a caffeinated "energy" boost to cure your illness? 😉 This was Joseph's gift to her for Mother's Day.
Tribute to her Sweet Momma: Kylea praises her momma in a series of posts today. A quantity of fresh flowers to equal the 3 decades of her being a mother, a giant iced cookie cake, and gift bag (unknown contents) with a backyard BBQ and a new inflatable hot tub + previous all-expense paid cruise, wardrobe, and accessories were necessary to prove her love and adoration. 💰💖
Joe Loves Bacon & Whataburger: Joe's weight rapidly fluctuated in pictures today. 👀 He was the grill master with a pile of bacon, burgers (not shown), and then goofily posed in front of the unopened Whataburger. (He will be eating there tomorrow.) Remember Joe has not gained ANY weight and eats what he wants. Kylea triggers her followers on purpose for monetary gain. The fact that Meta is paying for this content on a weight loss page is a head scratcher.
The big finale: This is the time to bow out if triggered on the topic of disordered eating. My words will be harsh.
Kylea wants you to believe she has been extremely ill with nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. She consumed a Loaded Tea and brought her own low WW point chicken to a family barbecue. She shows a picture of a large Iced Cookie Cake she purchased. She shows a large piece she eats for 25 WW points. Here we go...
Follower: "That looks good was it worth the points?"
Kylea: "I just see food as food. So it was fine. 💖"
⏸️ This is gaslighting. Kylea has a serious eating disorder. She chooses not to use her WW daily points and obsesses about planning for and obtaining her weekly calorie-dense TREAT.
Food is Fuel Speech: "Hey friends I haven't really had the energy lately to explain, but I view all food as food and not a treat. Green beans, brownies, chicken- it's all food to me. That's the way I feel has helped me the most to completely reform my relationship with food. Fuel. No matter what. 💖 It's all about balance."
Follower: "Yummmm! They got us cupcakes at work, I had to indulge."
Kylea: "I don't look at dessert in that way, to me it's just food. 💖💖"
⏸️ Kylea loves to rate her meals, desserts and treats 10/10 and wants you to mimic her choices.
Follower: "Everyone needs a sweet treat! Your awesome! Enjoy and celebrate your Mom! ❤️ ❤️ ❤️"
Kylea: "I don't use the word treat, just food! 💖💖"
⏸️ This is a lie. Throughout a large portion of her monetized weight loss journey, Kylea used the word "treat" in her content. Somewhere along the way, that word became a trigger for her.
Follower: "Good philosophy. I need to lose obsession with food as comfort and companion."
Kylea: "I did on July 5 of 2021.💖"
⏸️ This is potentially deadly messaging. Kylea wants you to believe she received divine intervention when she wept at the feet of Jesus in July 2021 inside a bath tub (she also claims she could not fit in). She wants you to believe that in that moment, the chains of her 20-year binge eating/food addiction (two separate issues she uses interchangeably) were broken, and she has had a perfect journey since. She is desperate for you to believe she has had no cravings, no setbacks, or plateaus, and has not gained ANY weight since reaching her goal in July 2023. This is a lie proven through her own content.
Many artificial sugars are sweeter than natural sugar. She is addicted to "sweet" and fulfills her cravings daily. She "plans" for calorie-dense sugar bombs weekly and tries to claim treats are medically necessary to jump-start weight loss, keep her out of ketosis, prepare her body for pregnancy...
If food is just food and it is all fuel, why do diseases and conditions like diabetes, hypertension, strokes, and heart attacks occur? Why is there an epidemic of morbid obesity? Foods are not and will never be on a level playing field. Kylea has provided no proof of formal education in medicine, nutrition, health, or wellness. Stop looking to UNeducated influencers for your health and wellness advice. Her motive is to make money. Otherwise, the stats and comments I provide in these daily and weekly recaps would tell a different story.
Kylea has gained weight, and it is obvious, even through highly modified photos. She stopped showing her scale pictures, started wearing larger clothing, spandex tank tops and shorts, became defensive about body shaming, and either hides or shows clothing tags (depending on her mood). She lives in fear of the scale and the truth.
Follower 1: "How? I'm struggling so bad."
Follower 2: "I'm struggling as well! All I think about is food."
Kylea: "finding healthy coping skills"
⏸️ In what world are extramarital affairs, mocking, blocking, and doxxing followers, an out of control shopping addiction, disordered eating, boasting and complaining about your 18+ hour work days 24/7/365, constantly running away from your problems (frequent travel), and inappropriate parasocial relationships with musicians and the Basham & Lee's healthy coping skills? Someone, please explain it to me.
Kylea, you need holistic care from a team of medical professionals. They are not the enemy. People of faith should not feel shame for seeking medical care. It is time to put your devices down and prioritize your health. ☮️
Takeout Purchase: SalTea Sloth Tea with Energy= $8 est + tip;
Shopping: Blue Hydrangea= $24.82 est; *Fresh Cut 2 Dozen Roses= $39.94 est; Iced Cookie Cake= $44.99 est; Items in gift bag= Unknown;
*I do not feel there were 36 roses in the vase.
All info from Reddit. ✌️

I’ve been wanting to lose weight for like 2 years now. I’m F22, and at my heaviest weight (188 lbs). However, I always had what I would call “reverse body dysmorphia” where I look in the mirror at myself and think, “I’m not THAT fat.” Well, I took a picture a couple weeks ago next to my fit, handsome, how did I pull this guy boyfriend and well, let’s just say that photographs tell the truth more than the mirror does. But anyway, I got home from college a week ago, and decided to download a book. It was talking about BMI and how BMI isn’t entirely accurate, and I was curious “Hm, what is my BMI?”
29.4. .6 off from obesity. Surely I was like, “Well, I’m home now and have access to a measuring band. Surely I have some muscle mass.”
Calculated my body fat percentage. 32.6. Obese. Like holy fuck, I’ve never thought I could get here. I’m in my 20s.
So, now to really 100% change my relationship with food. Get it to a healthier weight. I have history of heart disease and diabetes in my family. I have to.
Please send luck, and if anyone wants an accountability buddy DM me! 😃

My mother (56) has been best friends with Gina (names have been changed, also, 56F) since before I came into the picture.
She’s a very demanding and proud woman, without ANY self-awareness. She’s also morbidly obese. For years, doctors have been telling her to lose weight. Her family already has a predisposition for health problems, so the added weight only exacerbates her problem, but she refuses to listen. She’s moved from doctor to doctor to doctor, and refuses to listen.
My father, whom she’s very close with, has warned her that her lifestyle is unhealthy, but she didn’t listen. It got so bad that she yelled at and threw something at my parents when they went over to her house to talk to her about her health. “I never want to see you again!”
Years past, and she’s stuck in her bed. She only moved to cook something for herself, or use the bathroom, which she eventually stopped doing because she decided she was gonna wear diapers. She lives in a disgusting pigsty that smells of human waste and rotting flesh. Recently, she decided to actually use the bathroom, but she slipped and broke her legs.
She calls my mother and demands her help. No “please or thank you” just yelling at her, my father, and I. Cursing at us too. When we called the ambulance, she was curing and yelling at them too. She even barfed on one, then immediately started cussing him out too.
From what I know, she has no mental issues. She’s just an angry cunt, who blames the world for her problems.
When we finally managed to get the hulking woman into a gurney, we could hear her yelling and screaming in the ambulance, all the way down the street.
When we got home, mom broke down crying, with Dad and I comforting her. I made a comment under my breath about how I have zero sympathy for the woman, and mom was deeply offended by it. I told her I understood that that was her friend, but she uproots your life because of her refusal to listen to good advice, and now she blamed you for her issues. Just today, because of she sent her son away, angry at him for only god knows why, she slipped and fell in the bathroom, when she could’ve been helped there. We were on our way to go to an important dinner for my father (he runs a small business and needed this opportunity to network with potential clients). She starts wailing, and I just put my hand on her shoulder, I tell her I’m sorry. She tells me, “I know, please just leave me be.” I do so.
I may have been asshole here by saying something so soon.
Dad pulls my aside later, he completely agreed with me, but can’t get on board with the timing.

UPDATE: Oo na nakabalik na yung sub, good luck sana 'di kayo ma-daijoubu moments iykyk.
Good riddance. Gets ko naman may kanya kanya tayong preference pero imagine na ang taas ng standards mo pero wala kang substance pag kinausap. Mala-Greek God physique hanap pero walking gasul naman yung nagpost. Iba yung thicc in the right places sa obese ha? Isa ka ata sa Big 4 sa bigat mo eh.
Naghahanap ng ka-call pero kailangan may kotse, wtf ka ba? Sana kinausap mo na lang si Lightning Mcqueen deputa ka. Gusto ng kausap pero 6 ft. chinito na naka-glasses hanap, gago ka ba? 9/10 easy on the eyes daw pero tadtad ng filter alagang Retrica tapos 2012 pa yung picture na pagkakita mo in person halatang hinard fuck na ng panahon. Worst case scenario pa yung mga nagkakalat ng sakit tapos 4/10 pa sila in person. Daig pa sila ng Chooks To Go, masarap kahit walang sauce.
Sa susunod kung gusto niyo ng kaya maghost pati may kotse dapat may ambag din kayo ha? Hindi purkit passenger princess eh cellphone lang dala mo, Princess Fiona. May mga feeling main character pa na ayaw ma-reject pero kasuklam suklam naman, amoy putok na pinaghalo sa kulob na utot. Nasabihan pa ko dati na mukhang fuckboy daw ako na sayang daw hindi ako mukhang inosente na may tinatagong libog kaya pass na daw eh putangina mo pala Edna from The Incredibles, kausap lang hanap ko?? 💀
Edit: Dagdag ko pa pala yung mga lalakeng naghahanap ng slim, petite, and chinita pero jubis na chin-hito naman. Small dick energy pag nireject ng babae kase hindi sila pasok sa standard sabay mangsslut shame kase hindi kaya ng fragile masculinity nila yung rejection. 6 ft. daw sila pero yung ego talaga yung sinusukat nila doon.