Taking a GLP-1 medication to lose weight? I am not here to shame you.

Are you taking or considering taking a GLP-1 medication to lose weight? I am not here to shame you. 

First, give yourself some credit.  Choosing to take action and invest in your health is something to be proud of.  

As an experienced personal trainer, my first choice for someone trying to lose weight is always going to be dialing in nutrition, fitness, and lifestyle in general.  But I also understand that a GLP-1 can be an effective tool for treating obesity. And that is something I can get behind.  

What I can’t get behind is taking one of these medications but disregarding your eating and exercise habits. If you are not also strength training and eating a high protein diet, you are medicating irresponsibly.  You are no longer trying to get healthy.  You are trying to get skinny, regardless of what is happening inside your body. When you lose weight on a GLP-1, you’re not just losing fat, you’re also losing muscle and yada yada yada you already know this. 

But THIS IS A FAST TRACK TO OSTEOSARCOPENIA.  So, now all you’ve done is traded out one disease for another. And if you ever stop taking your medication, you’re going to gain weight back faster because you will have a lower basal metabolic rate, thanks to less muscle. 

Ok, ok. No more scolding.  I meant it when I said I am not here to shame you.  But I am not against scaring you a bit as a means to get some heavy dumbbells in your hands and EAT some grilled chicken! “But I’m not hungryyyy.” Of course you’re not.  That’s the whole point of taking a GLP-1.  It suppresses your appetite. Do it anyway!!

I bet that if you are someone who was prescribed a weight loss drug, you already know all of this.  Knowledge isn’t the problem.  Perhaps it's ignorance. But I would hope that you just need someone to hold you accountable. Or, maybe, you know what you need to do, but you don’t know how.

If this is you, I highly encourage you to hire a good personal trainer.  

A personal trainer will:

• Show you how to lift with good technique and appropriate loads to build strength safely.  
• Program workouts to meet your current fitness level but challenge you.  No planning needed.
• Help you with what to eat, how much to eat, when to eat, etc.
• Schedule meetings in advance so that you show up and stay consistent.  
• Regularly track your body composition to make sure you’re building muscle, optimizing your weight-loss journey. 
• CARE about your well-being

If you’re going to invest in your health, then make that investment count.  Use the medication as a tool, but don’t forget to build a body that has to carry you through the rest of your life.  

With (tough) love, 

Coach Liz