In this Thrive Global series, we hear directly from people sharing stories of transformation after using GLP-1 medications, a new class of drugs for diabetes and weight management.
Charlie’s weight journey
When Charlie Sadler lost his mother to leukemia at 17, he sought comfort in food. “It was so hard losing my mum, and food seemed to help with the bereavement,” says Charlie, who lives in Tamworth, England.
Charlie, who’s now 32, says he never really learned about healthy eating. “I was eating for pure comfort, so I had whatever I wanted, a lot of chocolate and cake. I’d make enough pasta to feed a family of four, just for myself. I felt trapped in a cycle of overeating.”
Why he started a GLP-1
“At my heaviest, I weighed 34 stone (476 pounds), and I’m 5 foot 10,” says Charlie who often experienced shame about his weight.
A lifelong soccer fan, Charlie recalls an upsetting day before starting his GLP-1 journey, when he went to watch his team, Chelsea, play against Manchester United at Old Trafford. “I couldn’t even get through the turnstile, and the feeling of embarrassment ate me alive. It makes you feel worthless.”
On a flight to Barcelona with friends, his seatbelt wouldn’t fit and he had to ask the flight attendant for an extension belt. “It was upsetting and embarrassing.”
In May 2024, Charlie’s father sat him down for a chat about his health and his weight. “My dad’s 70. He’d had a heart attack in his 40s and he was worried about me.” Listening to his father’s concerns wasn’t easy. “My weight has always been a sensitive topic. But it just felt like a serious moment; it was the trigger for me to change. Something switched in my head.”
He began watching what he ate and walking more. A few months after talking with his father, he joined a telehealth weight management program, Juniper, and started taking a GLP-1.
Early experiences on a GLP-1
After his first GLP-1 shot, Charlie says his appetite diminished. “I found I got full a lot quicker and didn’t carry on eating for the sake of eating once I was full.”
There were some side-effects, including dehydration, headaches and nausea. “But you soon learn what your body needs and how it reacts to different foods.”
Charlie says he also experienced emotional side-effects in the first few weeks on the drug. “My mood was low.” But after a few weeks, as the pounds dropped off, his mood lifted. “I felt better in myself, mentally and physically. My confidence slowly increased and I began to feel more focused.”
Charlie made sure he ate regularly: high protein meals with carbohydrates and healthy fats. “I might have a burrito bowl with chicken or shrimp, rice and beans, with seasoned sauce and veggies. I eat a lot of fruit, and I’ll often have strawberries for dessert.”
He isn’t restricting himself to certain types of food. “If I want a little ice cream, I’ll have it. Demonising food doesn’t work for me. I need an approach that will be sustainable long-term.”
How life feels today
Losing weight has motivated Charlie to get outdoors and move. He now takes 10,000 steps a day, including hour-long walks with his two pugs, Nora and Frank.
“I’ve started playing squash and football — which I loved as a kid — I’m just kicking a ball around, but it feels great.” He also goes to the gym regularly. One big accomplishment: “When I’m on the treadmill, I’m now able to run for a few minutes at the end of my work-out. It’s the biggest ‘non-scale’ victory I’ve had.”
And on the scale, the results speak for themselves. Charlie’s lost 162 pounds. “I feel like a new man,” he says, sounding emotional. “I used to live to eat, now I eat to live.”
Charlie feels better about the way he looks too. “For me that’s a big change because I like fashion … I think maybe I try too hard to be cool,” he jokes. “There’s a hoodie in my wardrobe I couldn’t even get over my head and now it’s perfect. I can wear what I want, and feel comfortable. Even my shoes fit better.”
There are many personal wins. On a recent trip to Japan with his girlfriend, Chloe, he walked 22,000 steps on some days. He had energy for sightseeing, and was thrilled he could ride a roller coaster. “I wouldn’t have been able to do it before — it felt fantastic.”
What he wants others to know
“Talk to others who’ve been on GLP-1s and can share their experiences, and maybe you can do the same,” he says. “I’m sharing my tips here to hopefully inspire people with my story.”
Having a clear intention at the start was essential. “I’ve been relentless in how disciplined I’ve been,” says Charlie. “It’s about realizing that I’m worth making good choices. I’ve also learned that facing your fears is the only way of getting through them.”
A year after feeling humiliated at the soccer match, he returned to Old Trafford. “Going back to Old Trafford and walking through the turnstile comfortably and being able to enjoy the match was another victory. “I said, ‘yeah, I’ve done it.’ I’ve lived so much of my life in pure fear. Now I know I can stop being scared and start living. My life has improved tenfold because I’m more myself.”