One of the biggest trends in the weight loss space is GLP-1 weight loss drugs. I can’t even keep track of how many times this topic comes up in my Apple News or YouTube feed. Weight loss drugs these days are like low-fat snacks and aerobics were in the 80s and 90s. They’re considered the “magic pill" that’s going to help you lose weight faster than the traditional slower route of creating sustainable habits to help you eat whole foods, strength train regularly, walk more, and get great sleep.
When a client asks me about my thoughts on GLP-1 drugs and if I think she should get on one, I always ask what her reason is for taking it and what kind of results she’s looking to get. Her reason for taking it is the only one that matters regardless of what my opinion and thoughts are on the topic.
If it’s been recommended by her doctor for weight loss, I ask her how she feels about it and what her thoughts are on it.
If she’s on board, I encourage her to do what she feels is right. She can always stop taking it if she finds out it’s not right for her.
If she’s on the fence, we do a deeper dive into the pros and cons of taking it. What kind of results is she looking to achieve? What are her concerns with taking it?
If she definitely does not want to take it for weight loss, I encourage her to advocate for herself with her doctor. While it can be very tempting to jump on the GLP-1 medication bandwagon after reading and hearing all the weight loss success stories, every one has the right to choose not to go on one even with their doctor’s recommendation. It’s your body and you can do as you please.
If you are considering taking a GLP-1, I encourage you to think about what you’re looking to get out of it. Do you see it as a quick fix or are you looking for long-lasting results?
Let’s dive into what a quick fix looks like compared to long-lasting results.
The Quick Fix
We’ll start with a quick fix because quick results is what most people are looking for with weight loss. To be clear, I say this with zero judgement. I wanted results in the fastest and most efficient way possible to make it easier on myself when I was on my weight loss journey. I wanted quick results because I felt so uncomfortable in my body and the long game felt like too much effort.
Spoiler alert! The long game is the most effective way for sustainable results. I’ll get into the details on this later. First, lets talk about fast results with GLP-1s.
Your body produces GLP-1 naturally, however, it doesn’t stick around nearly as long as a synthetic GLP-1 from a drug. This is why GLP-1 drugs can be very effective with suppressing hunger and appetite throughout the day. When you’re less hungry, you tend to eat less. According to this study review here, people taking GLP-1s usually eat 16-39% less calories. While it’s important to be in a caloric deficit to lose weight, the calories-in/calories-out method is more complex than just simple math.
The problem that arises when you’re not eating enough calories, even if you’re losing weight, is that your body could become nutrient deficient. This means your body isn’t getting enough protein, calcium, and other nutrients to support strong bones and muscles which is super important, especially in midlife.
So, you might be losing weight but what’s your overall health look like? Don’t get me wrong. Weight loss can definitely help improve your blood sugar, heart health, and blood pressure. Carrying around excess fat can be harmful to your overall health but, for most people, there’s a way to lose weight without drugs, and much more sustainably.
The type of weight you’re losing is important to take into consideration. You could be losing fat and muscle at the same time which isn’t always a good thing. If you’re not strength training and you’re losing weight, you’re likely losing muscle mass as well. Lean muscles are important for bone and joint support, preventing falls, and being able to function comfortably in your daily life.
In addition to not getting enough nutrients, if you stop using the GLP-1 drug you’ll most likely gain some or all of the weight back within 18 months. This article here from Harvard Medical School talks about how people gain the weight back after stopping GLP-1 drugs. According to this article, this is to be expected because the drugs turn off the “food noise” and your body naturally tells you it wants more calories.
If you don’t have the nutritional skills to know when you’re actually hungry, when to recognize satiety, and how to choose whole foods over ultra-processed foods you naturally fall back into your old eating habits that caused the weight gain in the first place. This is why working with a board certified health and wellness coach is important even if you choose to take GLP-1 drugs. As a board certified health and wellness coach, I’m trained in the psychology of habit creation with a deep understanding of how the body works. I can teach you how to train you body to become a fat burner so it can produce GLP-1 naturally.
Once you get to a healthy weight, your medical insurance might stop paying for your medication since it’s no longer necessary. If your medical insurance stops paying for the drugs you could pay between $149 and $1,349 a month depending on which drug you take. I’ve done the GLP-1 math and you’ll end up paying anywhere from $8,900 up to $80,000 total for five years of GLP-1 medication.
Now, I don’t say this to discourage you from taking a GLP-1 drug but to put things in perspective for you. With that being said, let’s take a look at the lasting results weight loss route.
Long Lasting Results
In my opinion, the first line of defense for weight loss is getting your nutrition, exercise, and sleep habits dialed in. This trifecta will help your body burn fat in a way that will build strong bones and lean muscle mass while managing your blood sugar and keeping your heart healthy. Lifestyle habits that help you create a sustainable whole food eating style, a consistent exercise and sleep routine will balance your hormones so you can minimize cravings for ultra-processed foods. This will keep your hunger and satiating hormones in check so you don’t feel the need to eat when your body doesn’t actually need more calories.
I know, it sounds easier said than done. This is why my clients enlist my help as their health and fitness coach. As I mentioned earlier, habit creation is psychologically based. It’s about creating new neural networks in your brain to help you reach for whole foods rather than ultra-processed foods. It’s not about willpower. It’s about biology and giving your body the resources (meat, eggs, veggies, fruit, nuts, exercise, sleep, sunlight, etc.) it needs to get to a healthy weight for your body type. Once you have these habits dialed in, your body goes to work to do what it’s designed to do: keep you alive and thriving.
When you enroll in my Wellness Abundance For Life program you’ll end up saving money in the long run. You can invest $9,600 to work with me for 12 months or up to $16,000 for GLP-1 drugs if your medical insurance doesn’t cover it. As a bonus, after 12 months of working with me you’ll have lifestyle habits that will help you sustain your healthy body without the side effects of drugs in perpetuity!
If $9,600 for health and fitness coaching sounds like a lot of money to you, think about your return on investment over the rest of your life. Imagine how much money you’ll be saving in the future on drugs and doctors visits when you invest the time, effort, and money into preventative care now. Your future body and bank account will thank you. Not to mention the amplified quality of life by feeling good!
Key Takeaways
I highly recommend working with a board certified health and wellness coach and personal trainer for at least six months (preferably a full year) to learn how to create new nutrition, fitness, and sleep habits before getting on a GLP-1. A really great health and wellness coach will help you learn how to eat more whole foods and less processed foods, stay consistent with a strength training routine that keeps your bones and body strong, and get enough rest to keep your cravings in check and your hunger and appetite levels manageable.
If you’re taking a GLP-1 drug and want to set yourself up for weight loss success for after you stop taking the drug, working with a board certified health and wellness coach and personal trainer is highly recommended. If you’re on weight loss medication and down the road stop taking it because your insurance doesn’t pay for it any longer since you’re at a healthy weight, you’ll want to have healthier nutrition and fitness habits in place to stay at a healthy weight for the rest of your life.
You have the freedom to advocate for your own health and wellness. Gathering information on resources and tools for weight loss will give you the opportunity for you to make a choice that works for you. Nothing is set in stone and the first path you go down might not work for you. A weight loss journey is never linear. There’s always going to be zigs and zags until you find a path that’s sustainable for you. Having a strong support system will help you navigate the zigs and zags more efficiently.