How This Former Weightlifter Lost 80 Pounds After GLP-1s Stopped Working

After trying diets and GLP-1 medications without lasting weight loss, former competitive weightlifter Dana Bichler (pictured above) lost more than 80 pounds following a minimally invasive procedure. Photo: Dana Bichler Former competitive weightlifter Dana Bichler lost more than 80 pounds after undergoing endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG), a minimally invasive weight loss procedure. After struggling with weight regain despite dieting and trying GLP-1 medications, Bichler pursued ESG amid concerns about his obesity-related fatty liver disease. Bichler says the procedure helped him regain his energy, become more physically active, and enjoy activities with his family that had become difficult because of his weight. For years, Dana Bichler was a competitive weightlifter. He felt fit and strong competing at 200 to 210 pounds. But wear and tear on his body and aging eventually pushed him to step away from weightlifting. Without the training, he began to gain weight slowly and steadily. “I tried running, and a few other things, and the weight just crept up,” he told Healthline. Dieting allowed him to lose about 50 pounds, but he would then regain it. At his heaviest, he weighed close …

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