Jonathan Van Ness is taking weight-loss medication to help him deal with a binge-eating disorder that, he says, caused him to rapidly gain and lose weight in the past.
The hairstylist and Queer Eye alum, 37, shared in a post via TikTok on Wednesday, January 8 that he is using a GLP-1, a category of medication that includes Ozempic and is used to treat diabetes and aid in weight loss.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, GLP-1 medications mimic the GLP-1 hormone that the small intestine makes naturally. The hormone slows stomach emptying and increases how full you feel after eating.
“Alright, I have a confession to make. Yes, I am on a GLP-1 or a weight-loss medication,” Van Ness said in his post. “If you have been following me for a long time, you’ll know that I gained and lost weight several times very publicly. And this time in my life, I knew that I needed a little bit of extra help.”
While Van Ness said he tried taking the medication as a pill in the past, it did not work. Now, he’s using an injectable GLP-1.
“With everything I’ve been through publicly and privately in the last couple years, I gained quite a bit of weight, wasn’t feeling good,” Van Ness added. “The most important thing was, my binge-eating disorder was out of control.”
He continued, “I was consistently making decisions that I regretted with compulsive eating and with bingeing that just left me feeling really not good, depressed and out of control.”
Van Ness began taking the injections in September and he says he “felt immediately better.”
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“I, for the first time in my life, have had control over my food intake,” he explained. “It has helped me so massively, and that’s part of why I wanna be honest with you about it because I know how important asking for help is, and how much asking for help can change your life in terms of healing. This time, I needed help.”
Van Ness added that he had Dr. Terry Simpson, a surgeon and culinary medicine expert, on his “Getting Curious” podcast this week to talk more about weight loss medications and whether they are the “future of weight loss and metabolic health” or “just another wellness trend.”
“I got so many questions, so we will be revisiting this,” he said. “We love you, I love you, and thank you for listening, and I wish you all a good day.”
If you or someone you know struggles with an eating disorder, visit the National Alliance for Eating Disorders website or call their hotline at +1 (866) 662-1235. Text “ALLIANCE” to 741741 for free, 24/7 support.
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