Book Review: Appetite On Pause by Tierra Duncan
Facts. Not Fear. Discussion. Not Diatribe. Up front: I started this year at 341 lbs. On April 14, I was at 327 lbs after some diet changes (not eating a bag - or two! - of mini donuts every day among them, to give you an idea of where I was). That day, I had my annual physical... and took my first GLP-1 shot (Zepbound). On May 7, I began walking most days, starting with just a mile or so those first couple of walks. I weighed 312 lbs at my 1 month checkup for the Zepbound, where I switched to Wegovy instead (slightly cheaper, and my insurance isn't paying for any of this). Today (October 17), after my 3.87 mile walk that is my current near daily routine, I weighed in at 254.2 lbs. Yes, diet changes have played a large role - I also dropped soda nearly completely and eat a lot more seasoned protein and fruits and veggies, among other changes - and yes, the walking has played at least some role (burning nearly 600 calories per walk by itself), but the obvious difference has been the presence of the GLP-1.
Which is the reason I picked up this book. In all honesty, there really wasn't that much conversation with my doc back in April. I knew I needed to change, and I knew enough about these to know that they were something to at least try - and yes, I was aware of at least some of the risks as well. With this book, I learned a *lot* in its relatively short length - right around 200 pages of narrative, given that about 80% of its 241 pages are bibliography.
Duncan does a solid job here of showing all aspects of the various GLP-1 medications - their development, what they do (both for and against your body), how they work, the societal and mental issues surrounding their use, and more - and does so in a very matter of fact, judgement free manner. "This is what is happening, you make your own call what to do with this information as it relates to your body and your life." type narrative.
Perfect for those looking for a quick primer - quick being the operative word here, as this could quite easily be read while waiting for the kids at whatever practice or in whatever school pickup line - this is damn near perfect. For those looking for a more detailed look at the exact chemical compounds and the detailed chemistry of exactly how they work... this is written at a much higher, more general level.
Overall truly a solid work that does exactly what it sets out to do and doesn't waste anyone's time with extra fluff, this is a book that will inform you of this issue, ask you to consider what it says (including with self reflection questions at the end of every chapter, along with a summary of that chapter's key points), and then leaves you to it.
Very much recommended.
This review of Appetite On Pause by Tierra Duncan was originally written on October 17, 2026.
