Weight loss injections are in the news yet again. Horsham-based female personal trainer, Becky, looks at the story unfolding about the death of British woman, Karen McGonigal…
This is one of those posts that I thought I’d never write, and contains things I didn’t think I’d have to say. But, in 2025, this is where we are. None of this advice is official medical advice – I’m a personal trainer, not a doctor – and I would urge anyone experiencing any kind of medical issues to see an appropriate doctor first and foremost. That said – let’s discuss the topic at hand…
Weight loss injections – where we are
Throughout 2025, the conversation about and usage of weight-loss injections has exploded. It feels like they’re everywhere, and that everyone is taking them. These medications aren’t new, they’ve been in certain types of usage for years, but it’s only more recently that they’ve become more accessible, and the reason for their application has broadened.
Today, they are commonly being used essentially as an appetite suppressant, in order to promote weight loss among certain demographics. There has been some controversy as usage has increased – there are concerns about short- and long-term side effects, from nausea and diarrhoea to malnutrition, muscle loss and pancreatitis; some people are worried about physical and emotional dependency; others are concerned that, once the medication stops, the weight will be regained, as some people are leaning heavily on the medication and not making overall lifestyle changes.
Keeping up with the Kardashians
This isn’t the reference you might expect – whilst some celebrities have been open about their weight-loss injection usage, I’m not here to talk about who has or hasn’t used medication. Instead, this is a comment on how we live our lives. It was pointed out in a book that I read a couple of years ago that, as a community, we are no longer simply about keeping up with the Joneses. Culturally, thanks to social media and reality TV, we’re now in the habit of trying to keep up with the entire world – whoever we follow or see online is who we think we ought to be replicating.
Our brains weren’t built to take in so much information, and compare ourselves to so many other people, but this is the trap we’ve fallen into and, as a result, we’re trying to complete an impossible task. We’re unfairly comparing ourselves not with our nearest physical neighbours, but with those who have completely different lives to us.
Where desperation leads us
And that brings me to the recent story of a woman who has died in the UK, whose family believe that this is a result of her having received “black market skinny jabs” provided by a beautician.
This is what I feel I shouldn’t have to say: not only were these injections provided by someone who wasn’t in any way qualified to issue them, but they were also offered at an unbelievably cheap price. As many people know, one of the controversies about weight loss injections is that they have recently significantly gone up in price – some critics have said that this is tantamount to price gouging, because the medication has increased in popularity, and companies are now cashing in – so it very much is a case of buyer beware.
What a lot of people don’t realise is that these are powerful medications. No matter how desperate you are to lose weight, if you are refused them by a doctor, that is probably a strong sign that they are not meant for you. And, unfortunately, if they are recommended to you but you cannot afford the official fee, the answer is not to try to find a way of securing them for a much lower fee via unofficial means.
Ultimately, for many people, weight loss can be achieved without the help of medication. It tends to then happen more slowly, but that is generally the case when we try to change things about our bodies. If you are concerned that you really ought to be being provided with these medications and access is being blocked, the first answer is to seek a second opinion from another qualified doctor, not to go to the black market.
Weight loss should always be approached carefully, no matter the route you are trying to take, please make sure that you look to official, qualified sources of information and remember that, if something seems like too much of a good deal, it probably is.