THE festive season could undo months of hard work for people using weight loss jabs.
One fitness expert has warned a common Christmas mistake can be soul destroying and pile on up to a stone in days.
TikTok creator @lifewithbexi has sparked a huge reaction after calling out those planning to stop their GLP 1 medication so they can eat freely over Christmas.
She warned the all or nothing mindset around food can backfire badly, leaving people heavier, miserable and stuck in a binge restrict cycle by January.
‘Brutal but it needs saying’
In a viral TikTok video, Bexi said, “Brutal, but it does need to be said.”
She went on to warn that stopping medication to enjoy Christmas food is a risky move and said, “If you think that it is not possible to gain a stone over Christmas, think again.”
Bexi also cautioned that the emotional fallout can be just as damaging, adding, “Come January when they jump on the scales and they’re eight to 14 pounds heavier, they are going to regret every decision they made in December.”
Food is fuel
Speaking exclusively to The Sun, Bexi said she made the video after seeing people misuse weight loss medication in a harmful way.
“I made this video because unfortunately there is still a group of people using weight loss medication with the goal of completely switching off from food,” she said.
“They want to feel suppressed so they don’t eat, believing that this is how they’ll finally be successful or worthy of weight loss.
“But that’s not how the medication is designed to work.”
Bexi was clear that food should not become something to fear.
“Food is fuel. And food is also part of life,” she said.
“Weight loss medication is not meant to create fear, avoidance, or total disconnection from eating.
“It’s designed to support healthier decision making, not to replace it.”
The danger of all or nothing
Bexi explained that Christmas often triggers extreme behaviour at both ends of the spectrum.
“Some people swing to the other extreme,” she said.
“They believe that when they come off the medication, or during occasions like Christmas, they should eat whatever they want, whenever they want.”
“This is the all or nothing mindset we want to avoid whether you’re on a GLP 1 medication or not. There is no switch on, switch off.”
She warned that using Christmas as an excuse to abandon all structure can reinforce damaging habits.
“True food freedom comes from balance, not extremes,” Bexi said.
“Using occasions like Christmas as an excuse to abandon all structure doesn’t support that balance.
“It reinforces the very cycle many people are trying to break.”
How Christmas can derail weight loss
According to Bexi, the period between Christmas and New Year is where many people go wrong.
She said extending indulgence beyond the main celebrations often leads to unwanted fat gain and mental burnout.
“Prolonging the off period often leads to unwanted fat gain and fuels the all or nothing mindset that shows up every January, something so many people struggle with,” she said.
“That’s where it becomes soul destroying.”
Christmas survival plan
Bexi said enjoying Christmas does not mean throwing everything away.
She advised allowing genuine freedom on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day, without obsessing over tracking or rules.
“Give yourself permission to step away from the plan,” she said. “Stop overthinking food choices and simply let things be.”
“Use that headspace to enjoy the freedom. Enjoy the time with loved ones. Give yourself the break you truly deserve.”
She added that fitness goals can wait but family memories cannot.
Why December decisions matter
Bexi stressed that what happens after Boxing Day is crucial.
“When the 27th comes, it’s time to return to structure,” she said.
“This isn’t an excuse to eat whatever you want for another five days. The time between Christmas and New Year is where it’s easy to overeat and get into that headspace, and that backfires in January.”
She said: Balance is what creates long term success,” Bexi said. “Not restriction. Not chaos. And not switching off from food entirely.”
Everything you need to know about fat jabs
Weight loss jabs are all the rage as studies and patient stories reveal they help people shed flab at almost unbelievable rates, as well as appearing to reduce the risk of serious diseases.
Wegovy – a modified version of type 2 diabetes drug Ozempic – and Mounjaro are the leading weight loss injections used in the UK.
Wegovy, real name semaglutide, has been used on the NHS for years while Mounjaro (tirzepatide) is a newer and more powerful addition to the market.
Mounjaro accounts for most private prescriptions for weight loss.
How do they work?
The jabs work by suppressing your appetite, making you eat less so your body burns fat for energy instead and you lose weight.
They do this my mimicking a hormone called GLP-1, which signals to the brain when the stomach is full, so the drugs are officially called GLP-1 receptor agonists.
They slow down digestion and increase insulin production, lowering blood sugar, which is why they were first developed to treat type 2 diabetes in which patients’ sugar levels are too high.
Can I get them?
NHS prescriptions of Wegovy is controlled through specialist weight loss clinics, while Mounjaro is available from GPs but only for the highest risk patients.
For Wegovy, a patient will typically have to have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher, classifying them as medically obese, and also have a weight-related health condition such as high blood pressure. They will be expected to have tried diet and exercise already.
Mounjaro is available from NHS GPs for weight loss but only to a tiny group of patients, with the rollout starting with those with a BMI higher than 40 and with four weight-related health conditions.
Private prescribers offer the jabs, most commonly Mounjaro, to anyone who is obese (BMI of 30+) or overweight (BMI 25-30) with a weight-related health risk.
Private pharmacies have been rapped for handing them out too easily and video calls or face-to-face appointments are now mandatory to check a patient is being truthful about their size and health.
Are there any risks?
Yes – side effects are common but most are relatively mild.
Around half of people taking the drug experience gut issues, including sickness, bloating, acid reflux, constipation and diarrhoea.
Dr Sarah Jarvis, GP and clinical consultant at patient.info, said: “One of the more uncommon side effects is severe acute pancreatitis, which is extremely painful and happens to one in 500 people.”
Other uncommon side effects include altered taste, kidney problems, allergic reactions, gallbladder problems and hypoglycemia.
Evidence has so far been inconclusive about whether the injections are damaging to patients’ mental health.
