The following story was sponsored by Novo Nordisk. Heath McFarland is a real Wegovy® patient and a paid spokesperson for Novo Nordisk.

After years of attempts, a weight management medication finally helped me do something I thought was impossible: lose weight and keep it off.

Today, I have lost weight and kept it off, but it was not easy and I certainly did not do it alone. I’d always been big, even as far back as grade school. I was a lineman on the football team. I was strong, just over six feet tall, and in a position where my size was an advantage.

As I got older, got married, and had kids, weight wasn’t necessarily something I spent a lot of time thinking about. I kept getting heavier, but I wasn’t living with obesity. I wasn’t struggling with self-image. I wasn’t unhappy with my weight.

At least, that was the case until a couple of eye-opening experiences changed everything.

Strike One and Strike Two

It was about six years ago, in the fall of 2019, that my wife and I took our two boys on vacation. A big amusement park, trip-of-a-lifetime stuff — until, for the first time, my weight got in the way of being there for my kids.

I was more than 300 pounds and, after a long wait in line, I wasn’t able to fit into the seat of a ride. I was too big. As someone who’s deeply involved in my kids’ lives and relishes the chance to be there for them, it hurt. Strike one.

Shortly after that, my doctor put me on a second blood pressure medication and talked to me about obesity. Strike two.

“These moments were a wake-up call that led to a grim realization: If I don’t change, I’m terrified what might happen.”

I wasn’t entirely sure what to do with that information. One thing I didn’t do, though, was tell my wife the extent of what the doctor said. It was embarrassing, and I didn’t want her to carry the burden of being concerned about my weight and my health.

Instead, I internalized it. It was scary — that’s not even the right word. It was more than that. My grandfather was overweight and had heart problems. These moments were a wake-up call that led to a grim realization: If I don’t change, I’m terrified what might happen.

Change Wasn’t Easy

My boys became my reason for trying to lose weight, what I call my “why.” They were why I was going to improve my weight. But it was frustrating. I became a yo-yo dieter. I’d start a new diet, it would work for a bit, then I’d put the weight back on. Rinse and repeat.

I started trying to lose weight on my own. I reduced my calorie intake and tried to exercise more, but the things I was doing weren’t working for me, and I wasn’t seeing the results I was looking for. I know that it’s important to maintain a reduced-calorie diet and increase physical activity, but when it comes to obesity, many factors may be at play. It’s not always as simple as just eating less and moving more, but I know I needed to change for the sake of my kids. So, I decided to make an appointment with my primary care physician to see what advice he may have.

The Beginning of My Journey

In late 2022, my doctor brought up Wegovy® (semaglutide) injection 2.4 mg to add along with the exercising and the diet changes I was already doing.

Wegovy® (semaglutide) injection is a prescription medicine used with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity to:

  • Reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events such as death, heart attack, or stroke in adults with known heart disease and with either obesity or overweight.
  • Help adults and children aged 12 years and older with obesity, or some adults with excess weight (overweight) who also have weight-related medical problems to lose weight and keep the weight off.

Wegovy® (semaglutide) tablets are a prescription medicine used with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity to:

  • Reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events such as death, heart attack, or stroke in adults with known heart disease and with either obesity or overweight.
  • Help adults with obesity, or some adults with excess weight (overweight) who also have weight-related medical problems to lose weight and keep the weight off.

Wegovy® contains semaglutide and should not be used with other semaglutide-containing products or other GLP-1 receptor agonist medicines.

It is not known if Wegovy® injection is safe and effective:

  • To reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events (death, heart attack, or stroke) in people under 18 years.
  • To help children under 12 years of age lose weight and keep the weight off.

It is not known if Wegovy® tablets are safe and effective for use in people under 18 years of age.

What is the most important information I should know about Wegovy®?

Wegovy® may cause serious side effects, including:

  • Possible thyroid tumors, including cancer. Tell your healthcare provider if you get a lump or swelling in your neck, hoarseness, trouble swallowing, or shortness of breath. These may be symptoms of thyroid cancer. In studies with rodents, Wegovy® and other medicines that work like Wegovy® caused thyroid tumors, including thyroid cancer. It is not known if Wegovy® will cause thyroid tumors or a type of thyroid cancer called medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) in people.
  • Do not use Wegovy® if you or any of your family have ever had a type of thyroid cancer called medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) or if you have an endocrine system condition called Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2).

Do not use Wegovy® if:

  • You or any of your family have ever had a type of thyroid cancer called medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) or if you have an endocrine system condition called Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN 2).
  • You have had a serious allergic reaction to semaglutide or any of the ingredients in Wegovy® injection or Wegovy® tablets.

Wegovy® FlexTouch® pen: Do not share your Wegovy® FlexTouch® pen with other people, even if the needle has been changed. You may give other people a serious infection or get a serious infection from them.

Please see Medication Guide and Prescribing Information, Including Boxed Warning, for Wegovy® at: Novo-pi.com/wegovy.pdf

I’d never considered it, so I looked into it and after talking about it more with my doctor, I felt like it was worth a shot. To some extent, I was willing to try anything.

My doctor called it a tool that I could have to assist in my weight management journey. I didn’t know it at the time, but putting that tool in my kit was so helpful for me. My doctor and I also discussed the side effects of Wegovy®, including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation, as well as other conditions. Everyone is different, so be sure to discuss any side effects with your healthcare professional and work with your healthcare team to see if Wegovy® may be right for you.

Once I made the decision to start taking Wegovy®, my excitement grew. I wasn’t under the impression that a miracle was about to take place or that it would be simple, but I was hopeful to start the journey.

Of course, the results weren’t instant. It was a process. I knew Wegovy® wasn’t going to just do the work for me. It was just one piece of the puzzle, and I’d still have to make lifestyle changes, including a reduced-calorie diet and increased exercise — but for the first time, I felt like I had the right support in place to make lasting progress.