S2, Ep25: How Much Women Spend on Weight Loss Yearly

S2, Ep25: How Much Are Women Really Spending on Weight Loss?

Episode Description

In this episode of Weight There’s More – Get the Skinny with Sue & Kim, we are talking about the money women spend every year trying to lose weight — and why so many still feel frustrated, stuck, or like they are starting over again.

From weight loss shots and surgery to supplements, restrictive diets, gym memberships, meal plans, apps, challenges, protein products, and quick fixes, the cost adds up fast.

The U.S. weight loss market was estimated at $135 billion in 2025, including health clubs, and women continue to be a major part of the weight loss conversation. CDC data has shown that women are more likely than men to report trying to lose weight, and women also make up about 80% of bariatric surgery patients. 

But here is the real question:

After spending all that money, are women getting the one thing they actually need — a simple, realistic, sustainable strategy to keep the weight off?

Sue and Kim discuss how easy it is to invest in the next diet, next product, next shot, next supplement, or next program without ever learning how to build daily structure, consistency, confidence, and long-term maintenance habits.

This episode is not about shame. It is about awareness.

Because women are not failing because they have not spent enough money.

Many have already spent thousands.

What they need now is a strategy that fits real life.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:02

Welcome to another episode of Wake There's More Gets a Skinny with Sue and Kim. This podcast is all about real talk, real experiences, and the real journey behind weight loss, health, and learning how to actually keep it off. I'm Sue and my co-host is Kim. And together we've spent years navigating the ups and downs, victories and challenges of weight loss, mindset, and lifestyle change. Around here, we believe weight loss is the only part of the journey. Each week, we're diving into topics like long-term weight loss success, mindset shifts, gastric surgery journeys, fitness, nutrition, motivation, and everyday struggles that women face when trying to live healthier lives. We are not medical professionals. Everything we share on this podcast comes from our personal experiences, opinions, and the lessons we've learned along the way. Think of this podcast like sitting down with two friends who have been through it, figured some things out, and now we're here to share the truth about what it really takes to transform your life and keep the weight off. So go grab your cup of coffee or even your protein shake and let's get real about health, weight loss, and everything in between. Because remember, weight there's more. Hey Kim. We're back. Welcome back. Yes, yes. What are we getting for into together?

SPEAKER_02 1:32

Oh, I know. What was that? I said, what are we getting into today?

SPEAKER_01 1:36

Well, I thought we could share how much money we spend, women in general, spend on ourselves a year trying to keep weight off or lose weight. Uh when I looked at the numbers, I was kind of astonished.

SPEAKER_02 1:58

Yeah, I don't think a lot of people do that analysis and break it down. Um yeah, so you just did this post um a few days ago. So you um you have weight loss surgery, 17 to 26,000, depending on what your insurance covers.

SPEAKER_01 2:21

Yeah, and so I feel like with that, that's like a one-time fee, but you know, women do choose that option. A lot of times we uh insurance will cover it, but there's always you know a chance that they don't, and you're paying out of pocket.

SPEAKER_02 2:38

Yeah, and the course the hot topic GLP one, that's I think everybody's talking about that every day right now. Yes, I think that's really open.

SPEAKER_01 2:50

Yeah, yeah. If you break it down to to do the shots every month and the weight loss medications, you're paying anywhere from$3,000 to$16,200, depending on your insurance, the dosage. Um, obviously, most probably 75% of us women who are on GPL1s are paying out of pocket.

SPEAKER_02 3:19

Now, is that per year? Three to sixteen per year?

SPEAKER_01 3:22

Yes. Yes, okay.

SPEAKER_02 3:24

And that's obviously a big variable. It's so new, and you know, it's it's hard to get real stats on that, but I I would agree with that number.

SPEAKER_01 3:33

Um, because if you're paying out of pocket for a little dosage, you're you know, and the medical, you know, for a small dosage is what I researched was like 170 bucks a month plus the doctor's fee, or you know, the the you know, the questions, the website, all that, that's a another additional fee, somewhere between 129 and 149 dollars, depending. But that one time the small dosage is the start, um, that gets increased up to you know over$200, depending on you know how high your dose dosage is every month. So yeah, it can cost like anywhere between$300 and$500 a month, depending on you know which you know gimmick place you want to get the GPO1s from.

SPEAKER_02 4:36

Well, and the and I don't think GLPs are going away. I think they're getting um a little more mainstream and they're streamlining their uh billing process. Um yeah, I and and the big question is, are you staying on it? You know, how long can you sustain that? Um I have a friend that went away last week to um like a wellness retreat that she goes to every year, and that was one of their big topics was GLP1s, and that they're not sustainable unless someone is making the commitment like you and I made with surgery to change your lifestyle after. So I found that kind of interesting that um they're kind of parallel as far as what you have to do to make it stick. So, what we've all learned post-surgery is that it's a lot of work and it's a lifestyle change and it's diet, it's exercise, it's all those things. Same for your GLP um patients. Um, you know, either you stay on it, and and we don't know how healthy that is. There's just not enough research out there, um, or you know, making that big change, which I I I think they're saying like 90% of the patients are not making the change. There's a very slim percentage of people that are doing you know what they set out to do.

SPEAKER_01 6:08

Um and gym like with anything, once you yeah, gym membership, that's another one, and it depends on where you're going, and that's based on paying a$65 a month fee, which you know, Al and I pay$100 at one gym each, and then I pay I think sixty dollars at another gym. Um you know, because I do my personal training out of the other gym. So gotcha. Uh yeah, it gets pretty pricey.

SPEAKER_02 6:43

I think I do rail training.

SPEAKER_01 6:45

And then on top of it, if you want to add personal training, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 6:52

So I guess kind of why we're bringing this up is what what are you willing to pay? What did you feel you overpaid for? You know, like I I can honestly say a lot of my gym memberships I didn't utilize to the fullest. Um some of the online, like V Shred, P90X, like all of these, you know, programs that you buy into. Um, I did a Wall Pilates app. You know, were any of those worth it? Um, I mean, it got me to where I am now as far as making that decision to to try the surgery. But um, oh, you have workout clothes on here too. Oh my gosh. Well, here's the thing too. Remember our episode with the gym um intimidation? So are you dressing for yourself? Are you dressing for everybody else in that gym? I mean, obviously you need clothes to exercise in. That's all well and good, but how much are you investing in them to you know have it be unless you're sponsored? I don't know, is Nike sponsoring you yet, Sue?

SPEAKER_01 8:03

I wish.

SPEAKER_02 8:05

I do see you in a a a few Nike t-shirts in your workout videos.

SPEAKER_00 8:09

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 8:11

But yeah, um, yeah, that can get really expensive. And I think, you know, mindset comes into play again. You know, you can save yourself a little money on those clothes if you're not worried about so much what um what you look like in the gym.

SPEAKER_00 8:26

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 8:26

Um, I mean, I I definitely wear leggings to spin class because I don't want uh my thighs rubbing on the seat. Like I'm not gonna wear short shorts because I'm afraid they're gonna ride up and rub. So like they're functional. I the the leggings that I've bought this year, I have justified it.

SPEAKER_01 8:45

Um yeah, because it and it does depend on what kind of exercise you're doing, because I don't want to run with like I can't run with short shorts. First of all, I don't have like sexy legs to run in short shorts, but um, I don't want, I don't like it crawling up my legs while I'm running. Yeah. So I kind of stick to the capri workout pants, you know. That's my style, and I'm sticking to it.

SPEAKER_02 9:18

That's right. No re no reason to change that now. Um, yeah, yeah. You also have home equipment in here. Okay.

SPEAKER_00 9:26

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 9:26

How many people raise your hands, have a stair climber or treadmill that you put your clothes on? And it's it's your clothes hanger, not your home equipment. Oh my god, that's funny. I don't know how many times we've been through elliptical stair climber, which I have right now, and treadmill that just and gym memberships, and gosh, the amount of money I've spent that really was not a good investment.

SPEAKER_01 10:01

Yeah. Um, supplements, fat burners, power powders, the appetite suppressants, not just like the GLP stuff or you know, the weight loss medication, but you know, there's those little you go into the drugstore, Walmart, and on the shelf they have the appetite suppressants and you know the cheap stuff. And um, you know, how much do we spend on that stuff? Because people want a quick fix.

SPEAKER_02 10:32

Vitamins too, like supplements, you're saying, but like, how how do you know if you're even gonna get the result you're looking for? So I'm a little um burnt out right now with all my supplements, and like I know they've got to be good for me. Turmeric, come on, but like, yeah, how can I prove to you, Sue? This turmeric is working great. I love it. Like, and I have recommended it to my my gals, pals in in my workout class, because it can't be bad. Turmeric and danger, you know, Tony Hawk is promoting it.

SPEAKER_01 11:08

Yes, it's yes, everybody says it's fabulous for you, and it's a weight loss, you know, a great for weight loss, and you know, I you know, we are guilty here of loading up on supplements and fat burners and you know, the creatine, pre-workout, the pre-workout, all that stuff, and we just decided about two months ago to finish up what we got and just to stop taking it all and stop using it all. I mean, the protein powders we still use because obviously it it's there, it's still we know it's healthy for you to get that extra protein in, but yeah, all that other stuff we stop because realistically, do we know if it made a difference or not? So we're we're trying to find out if it made a difference after we got off of it all.

SPEAKER_02 12:06

I don't blame you. I mean, I I think a lot of our listeners would agree that you just get tired of spending the money and not seeing your return on investment, you know. Uh yeah, I I want proof. I want something, you know, I don't know. I just not a quick fix. If you tell me I will notice it in three months, I'm okay with that, or six months even. Yeah.

unknown 12:32

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 12:32

You know, if if I when I signed up for the surgery, if they told me they were, you know, they said you don't have a lot to lose, you know, you're it we can only base it off like they're saying with the GLPs, like 20% of your weight, 10% of your weight, something. Do the math. Like you're you don't have a lot to lose. But this and this and this is gonna happen. You might have to wait three years, but this is where you're gonna be. I think I would have accepted that, you know. So just give me some proof, not just I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 13:01

It's it's kind of a rough time right now. Yeah, yeah. I'm really curious to see. You know, we've only been off it. Um, you know, we're I've been probably off of it for about three weeks now because you know, we just kind of wean ourselves off what when when the canister is empty, we didn't replace it. And so to me, I haven't noticed the difference. Like, you know, so creatine for me, because of the surgery, um, still, you know, made me hyped up a little bit, more energy, but I feel like I'm hyped up with energy regardless because of the way I choose to you know live my life now, embracing the aging and that eating, being healthy.

SPEAKER_02 13:50

And so that gets me excited and hyped up naturally, which maybe you wouldn't have been as much 10 years ago, but now you're noticing you know the great strides you've made more recently. Yeah, I think that's fair. I mean, uh everybody's gonna apply this differently, and and we're just throwing it out there of like, how much have you spent, how much do you think you've gotten out of it, and where do you want to go from here? You know, we're just we're just talking about life because we're living it, and we really have no solution in this topic. It's more of a hey, hey, how did it happen for you and what are you doing now kind of thing?

SPEAKER_01 14:36

Like, yeah, you know, is there a way we can yeah, no, it's just making our our audience think about for themselves like wow, how much have I actually spent on this weight loss thing over and over and over again? Because every time something doesn't work, we try something else.

SPEAKER_02 15:03

Yeah, I guess it depends on on where you are in your journey too, you know, like have you been trying things and just trying new things and and kind of giving up on that quick fix? Um, you know, where are you in your journey? And you know, are you to a point where you're ready to flip the switch? Or um you've been there, done that, and you can kind of agree that you're where we are right now, you know, just that we kind of know, and and you're even still trying new things. You're hey, let's uh let's stop spending money over here. It may not be working, let's test it out. You know, you could use that extra money for an you know, a personal trainer, or you know, just you've already been spending the money, maybe shift it over to a place where you might get more benefit.

SPEAKER_01 15:54

Yeah, yeah, I agree. You know, especially with the commercial diet programs, you know, Weight Watchers. I still think Weight Watchers to me is probably the most simple and realistic way to follow a diet plan. Um, but you know, we've we've all done it. We've tried keto, paleo, uh what's the what's the other ones out there? Atkins, you know.

SPEAKER_02 16:23

What was it? Wasn't there like a Palm Springs diet or something? Yeah, the Santa Barbara diet.

SPEAKER_01 16:29

Yes, where you drank that the Santa something, Santa was it palm springs? It was something the beach diet, where you drank that awful like uh vegetable drink. Cocoa beach.

SPEAKER_02 16:44

I want to say I want to say it was the beach diet, something beach, though. I think it was a name of a beach, and now it's leaving my brain.

SPEAKER_01 16:53

LA weight loss, but yeah, yes, and I mean like somebody knows if somebody knows the name of that beach diet, comment below. Malibu, yeah, something stupid.

SPEAKER_02 17:05

Why am I not getting it? Yeah. Um, yeah, so just to reel it back in because I get sidetracked so easily. Um yeah, yeah. I think we just wanted to kind of put that question out there of what do you think we spend? What have you actually spent? And and are you needing some relief from that? Kind of the the rocket money. Oh, you have two subscriptions, we'll cancel those for you. Maybe you just needed this little jolt in your um daily routine to say, wait a second, I'm probably spending too much over here and and I need it over here. Um you know, just do a quick little reassessment of because honestly, if your finances aren't perfect, your mindset's not going to be perfect and your weight loss is not going to be there, or whatever your goals are, but you're not gonna be able to achieve them if if you're unhappy in one area and it if it happens to be the amount of money you're spending. Um right now I'm comfortable with like my gym membership. Um, I just increased it a little bit to add more days of the week because obviously it's gonna, you know, cost extra to go more. Um, but I'm okay with it. Like I really do feel justified. Um, and I I mean for me, I'm just I'm in a a good place for that.

SPEAKER_01 18:33

Yeah. Yeah. So at the end of the day, um women spend anywhere from$2,000 to$7,000 just on gym supplement programs, meal replacements, uh, apps, trainers, and fitness products. Um, with the TLP shots, that can take you up to$20,000 plus a year. And then um with the surgery, it could be anywhere from$20,000 to$35 a year. And so you have to take a look like I we didn't even talk about having cosmetic surgery after gastric sleep or after gastric surgery. So that's gonna be started on that. Yes, and you know, and a lot of insurances don't cover it, so that's out of pocket.

SPEAKER_02 19:24

That's what bothers me is you know, a lot of it I feel should be covered for some women that just really, really need it. And you know, maybe maybe someone like me may not need it. I think I do. I would love to have it done. I don't think that's in the cards for me right now. I don't think that's a realistic goal for me, but I feel bad for the women that just are really suffering um and can't get their insurance to cover it. So that's a whole healthcare fiasco that gets under my skin.

SPEAKER_01 19:57

So yeah, yeah, that's a lot of money. Yeah, that's a that's the price we pay after we have surgery. Um, you know, we just I feel that we just need to reevaluate what what we don't need as part of the, you know, for tools as part of this journey. As you get older, you realize, oh, I never needed to have, you know, maybe I like to work out at home all the time, and I have this gym membership I never use. I go to the gym once a week or once a month. Like, get rid of it if you enjoy working out at home or you love working out outdoors. Like, there are things that you could take that money and use it somewhere else, you know, reevaluate all the supplements you use, and and do you actually feel better about yourself being on them? Like, do you feel like they're helping you in some way? For me, and everybody's different. I feel like, yeah, maybe I got hyped up for a minute or two, you know, at the gym, you know, for my workout, but you know, I could get hype up at the gym regardless of having that stuff in my system. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 21:18

Yeah. Yeah, that's cool. I think um that's a good, a good um time to just re-evaluate and make sure your your investments are in the you know, in what needs to be there. I don't know what else to say about that.

SPEAKER_01 21:38

It's just that we try we we spend thousands of dollars every year to lose weight. Just spend it wisely. I'd be interested to see if somebody, you know, makes a comment, you know, and talks about how much they spend themselves. I'd be interested. To hear.

SPEAKER_02 22:01

Yeah. And how you feel about what you've spent. Give us a little feedback on that as well.

SPEAKER_01 22:07

Yeah. I I feel what I've spent for me now has been worth it. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 22:17

Did you do did you dive into your own? Did you figure out the dollar?

SPEAKER_01 22:21

No, but I should have for this for this segment. I I feel like the surgery was a success for me. And I worked really hard to use the tool that was given to me. Was it perfect? No. Did I struggle? Yes. And you know, we still struggle. I still struggle. You know, 17 years later, almost 17 years later. And you know, but and then you learn the tricks of the trade as you go on. Like, you know. Yeah. And then you learn to cut out things, you know, because at first you're like, oh, I'm gonna get this, and I'm gonna get this, and I'm gonna do this, and you're really excited. And then you before you know it, you don't realize, like, wow, that I've spent a lot of money this year on weight loss, on keeping the weight off. Yeah, and there's you know, it's just real simple. Like, I feel like there's you can make it very simple and realistic and sustainable. Like, you don't need to, you don't need to get the shots, or you don't need to have the supplements if you just spend 85 to 90 percent of your day being healthy, and making healthier choices, and that's that's including you know your mindset, your self-care, like we always promote, um, making healthier choices when you're eating, and you know, making a healthy choice to get exercising, some type of exercise.

SPEAKER_02 23:59

Yeah, that's very thought-provoking, Sue.

SPEAKER_01 24:05

I know. Think about it 85 to 90 percent of your day is healthy.

SPEAKER_02 24:12

Okay, uh that's a goal, that is not my current reality. Thanks a lot, Sue.

SPEAKER_01 24:18

Yeah, but you know what? It's all right if the other 10, you know, as long as you feel like, gosh, 90 of this day was me being proactive, embracing living healthy. The other 10, okay, well, maybe tomorrow it might be 100%. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 24:38

I mean, not every day is gonna be 100.

SPEAKER_01 24:40

No, I guess. Not every day is gonna be 100, but not every day is gonna be 60. You're not gonna when you and I now are at the point where we're we're being realistic and simple and trying to, you know, at least be we're more self-conscious about what we're eating, more so than we've ever been.

SPEAKER_02 25:05

Yeah, yeah. That's fair. But we spun this into a whole other topic. I hope everybody listens to the end because this just got really really interesting. I almost hung up on you. Oh shut putting that mirror up.

SPEAKER_01 25:24

That's right. Let's get let's get in front of that mirror tomorrow and just say 90% healthy today.

SPEAKER_02 25:32

I'm gonna go right 90% on my mirror with dry rice marks. That's right. You should. It'll be so helpful.

SPEAKER_01 25:38

It'll make what is that for?

unknown 25:40

I know.

SPEAKER_02 25:41

Why did I do that? Oh, so funny.

SPEAKER_01 25:45

Oh my gosh. All right. With that, I think um if anybody's got any comments, please like, subscribe, share, tell your friends, comment, please. We are we have we want some comments. We're we're looking for some comments.

SPEAKER_02 26:02

Yeah, I hope our I there's a couple ladies I've given our information to that I've met out and about. So I'm curious to know if if they've logged on. Um because yeah, I think it this this little community can grow if we just keep telling our friends and yes, exactly.

SPEAKER_01 26:20

Yes, exactly. All right. Well, with that being said, wait there's more. Thanks for listening, everyone. Thanks for listening. Bye till next time. What's up, another episode of Wait There's More. If you enjoyed today's conversation, make sure you subscribe, follow, and share this episode with someone who could use a little motivation on your health journey. And don't forget to connect with us on social media where we share tips and encouragement from our own journeys. You can find us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube by just searching Wait There's More Gets a Skinny With Suing Ken. Remember, your transformation is about more than just the number on the scale, because wait there's more. Thanks for listening, and we'll see you next time on Wait There's More, Gets a Skinny With Sue and Kit.