The Effect of Exenatide on Weight and Hunger in Obese, Healthy Women

Inclusion Criteria: 1. Females aged 25-60 2. BMI 28-35 kg/m2 3. No known diagnosis of diabetes 4. No known diagnosis of coronary heart disease 5. Self-described sedentary lifestyle with minimal regular cardiovascular exercise (no more than 1 hour per week) 6. Stable weight (variation \< 3 kg within 6 months of screening visit) 7. Ability to give informed consent 8. Ability to follow verbal and written instructions 9. Use of medically approved form of contraception (monophasic oral contraception, intra uterine device, surgical sterilization or 2 combined barrier methods) 10. Nonsmoker (tobacco, marijuana) 11. Outpatient visits every 2 weeks throughout the study period are required. While most of these visits are short (15 minutes)ability to commute to the performance site in Boston, on a regular basis, is necessary. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Type 1 or type 2 diabetes mellitus diagnosed according to American Diabetes Association criteria 2. Coronary heart disease (history of myocardial infarction or unstable angina pectoris) 3. Uncontrolled hypertension hypertension (BP \> 150/90 mmHg on or off antihypertensive medication) 4. Uncontrolled dyslipidemia (LDL \> 200 or TG \> 400 on or off lipid lowering medication) 5. Tobacco, marijuana or intravenous drug use 6. Shift workers (night shift or alternating day/night shifts) 7. Recent weight loss (\> 3 kg within 4 months of the screening visit) 8. Gastroparesis 9. Inflammatory bowel disease 10. Malignancy treated with chemotherapy within the past 3 years 11. History of pancreatitis 12. Depression requiring hospitalization or diagnosis of psychosis 13. Renal insufficiency (creatinine clearance \< 50 ml/min) 14. Transaminases \> 2x above the normal range 15. Pregnancy within 6 months of the screening visit 16. Breastfeeding 17. Failure to use medically approved contraceptive methods 18. History of an eating disorder (anorexia, bulimia or laxative abuse) 19. History of surgery for the treatment of obesity (gastric banding, gastric bypass, gastric stapling) 20. New diagnosis of hypo or hyperthyroidism within 1 year of screening visit 21. Previous participation in a clinical study with exenatide 22. Presence or history of allergic reaction to multiple drugs