Jackie McGregor: Mind over muffin: 'Fat jabs' and the temptations of emotional hunger

“Good grief!” I whispered in disbelief at the amount of weight I was carrying. The image hinted strongly that I was no stranger to a McMuffin!

Like many who are guilty of eating all the pies, I’m camera shy. For someone not at peak physical fitness, I can escape a camera opportunity faster than Usain Bolt, but it was my son’s birthday, I was captured.

When I was size 10 with a 24-inch waist (this info is irrelevant; I’d just like to make it known I was that slim) I adored the camera, now I hate it with a vengeance.

Photos of myself force me to acknowledge the health condition that oversized tops help me avoid facing. The sad truth is, I suffer from TB – Two Bellies! The first one appeared after the birth of my child, the second was a loving gift from the menopause (the gift that keeps on giving!)

I am in a constant loop of the old lie - the diet begins tomorrow, it usually does, but it’s over by lunchtime. I am seriously contemplating weight loss jabs. My friend receives them and has so far lost almost two stones. She claims she feels fantastic, her knee pain has gone, and she can spring out of a chair, whereas before, she used to struggle.

She was put on Mounjaro for her type 2 diabetes, and reports having no appetite and no cravings for chocolate, cakes or ice cream.

Weight loss injections work as an appetite suppressant by mimicking a hormone called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). This is an intestinal hormone which is released after eating, and typically makes people feel fuller.

The Department of Health in NI has warned against buying these drugs from social media. It’s essential to obtain weight loss injections from legitimate sources, as buying from unregulated sellers could lead to significant health hazards.

In Northern Ireland, weight loss injections are not currently available through the NHS for general weight management. However, a new Regional Obesity Management Service is planned to launch next year in NI, (the first of its kind) which will include lifestyle support and access to weight loss medications on the NHS, for patients with obesity who meet specific criteria.

I was once given the advice of using the acronym H.A.L.T before reaching for comfort food. I had to ask myself was I any of the following: Hungry, Angry, Lonely or Tired? If I was anything but hungry then I should find something else to do, easier said than done.

Eat less, move more is the common weight loss advice, so why do we find that so difficult? Why turn to jabs? For many eating isn’t a moral failing, it can be a coping strategy to help with unmet emotional needs.

We don’t always eat to satisfy hunger; it can provide a temporary distraction from difficult feelings. Many turn to food for comfort, stress relief, or to reward ourselves. Fighting overeating is about so much more than willpower, that’s why many of us attempting to flee temptation, usually end up leaving a forwarding address.