Can Weight Loss Medications Really Help? 3 Women's Stories

Navigating Weight Loss with GLP-1 Medications: Success Stories and Essential Tips

In this episode of Joyful Menopause, host Lynda Enright discusses GLP-1 weight loss medications, focusing on their benefits and potential side effects.

 Emphasizing the importance of sustainable lifestyle changes, Lynda shares the journeys of three women who used these medications: Sarah, Emily, and Mia. 

Each story highlights the necessity of combining medication with diet, exercise, and gut health for long-term success. Lynda offers practical advice for maintaining health during and after the use of weight loss medications, stressing the importance of individual approaches and supporting overall wellness.

00:00 Introduction to GLP-1 Weight Loss Medications

01:02 Understanding GLP-1 Receptor Agonists

01:44 Weighing the Benefits and Risks

02:51 Personalized Approaches to Medication

03:21 Sarah's Success Story

04:43 Emily's Journey Through Setbacks

06:09 Mia's Focus on Overall Health

07:20 Key Takeaways and Tips for Success

07:28 Essential Steps for Using Weight Loss Medications

09:33 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

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Transcript

0:00

GLP 1 weight loss medications, they are all over the news and your friends may be talking about them or you can find lots of online talk about them. Today in Joyful Menopause, I'm talking about GLP 1s. Admittedly, I've been against using medications as much as possible as there are always side effects. If you've ever seen a pharmaceutical ad on television, you know about the side effects. And I see in my clients every day, the tremendous results they get when they focus on sustainable lifestyle changes. But in recent years, there are some new medications available that I have seen to be very helpful for some women. So today I want to talk more about weight loss medications and tell you about the journeys of three women that I've worked with. And you'll leave today with tips for success. So let's get started. Menopause doesn't have to feel like you are living in someone else's body. Your host, Lynda Enright, has spent the last 25 years helping women to thrive in midlife. Here you'll find science based practical advice that you can start using today to get real results for your health. Welcome to Joyful Menopause. We're diving into a topic that so many women have questions about weight loss medications, GLP 1 receptor agonists like Ozempic and Mounjaro primarily help regulate blood sugar by increasing insulin secretion and slowing down digestion, which also can then help with appetite suppression. While most GLP 1s address both blood sugar control and appetite, some may emphasize one effect more than the other, depending on the formulation. It's very helpful to understand what each of these medications do specifically if you're considering medication options. It's important to ask your doctor to explain the purpose, the goals, and the plans for medication use. These medications can be very effective, though there are also concerns to consider side effects like nausea, constipation and muscle loss are common and more serious risks such as pancreatitis are still being investigated. The long term effects, especially in younger populations, remain unclear, raising questions about potential dependency and ethical implications. Additionally, relying too much on medication may shift focus away from essential lifestyle changes like diet and exercise, which are crucial for long term health. So deciding to use weight loss medication is not simple. It comes with a mix of hope, hesitation, and lots of questions. For many women, these medications offer real benefits like improved blood sugar regulation, reduced risk of certain diseases, and of course weight loss, which can be an important component of achieving overall health. But they also can come with side effects, and it's crucial to have support to make lifestyle changes that maximize the benefits, prevent the side effects, and reduce the risk of regaining weight when stopping the medication. What I always emphasize to my clients is that there is absolutely no one size fits all approach. If you've been following me, you hear me say that all the time. Every woman's body, their needs and their circumstances are different. The decision to use medication is deeply personal and there is no shame in seeking support if that feels like the right thing for you. So today we're talking about GLP 1's weight loss medications, and I want to tell you three stories of women that I've worked with and their experiences throughout this process. So first I want to tell you about Sarah, of course, not her real name, none of these are the real names. Sarah had struggled with her weight for many, many years. She felt like she had literally tried everything and she could never sustain any weight loss. She took a lot of time before she decided that she was going to try a GLP 1. Over six months, Sarah lost 40 pounds, and she fortunately experienced very minimal side effects. But she knew also that her insurance was not going to cover the medication forever, which made it really important for her to make lasting, sustainable lifestyle changes while she was on the medication. So that's where I came in. Together, we built a plan to help her maintain her weight loss sustainably. We focused on an anti inflammatory diet filled with whole nutrient dense foods, which helped optimize her nutrition and minimize her side effects. Her exercise routine included strength training to preserve muscle mass and cardio for overall health. We also tackled gut health by adding fiber rich foods and ensuring she stayed hydrated. Sarah's story shows that while medications can help, the key is in the lifestyle changes that you can do while you're on the medication so you can support long term success when you go off of it. So when Sarah's insurance stopped covering the medication, she had a plan in place to move forward and maintain her success. Next there's Emily. Emily started on a weight loss medication and lost 10 pounds initially, but then she hit a frustrating plateau. She also experienced side effects like constipation and muscle loss, which are common. Studies show that constipation affects about 30 percent of those on weight loss medications and muscle loss is something I think it's so important to prevent because with muscle loss, you can slow metabolism and then it makes it harder to maintain any loss long term. Emily felt discouraged, but she wasn't ready to give up. We worked together to adjust her diet, increasing her protein intake and balancing her carbohydrates to support blood sugar regulation in addition to what the medication was doing. I also helped her to find an athletic trainer to help her with her strength training routine, to rebuild muscle mass. to support her metabolic health. For her gut and digestion, we used natural supplements and some dietary tweaks to ease her constipation. Not only does a healthy gut microbiome help digestive health, it's important for long term weight loss and sustainability too. So there's three things we focused on. Getting plenty of protein, creating the right balance of protein and carbs, building her muscle mass, and focusing on gut health. Emily's story highlights that sometimes the journey is not a straight line, but when you make adjustments that are right for your body personally, it is possible to overcome setbacks to stay motivated and to continue to move towards your health goals. And the last story is about Mia. Mia tried the same medication, but she didn't lose any weight. She was in menopause and she didn't care as much about the number on the scale as she did when she was younger. But years of being told she should be a certain weight made this experience really frustrating for her. But like the other women, Mia didn't give up. She reached out for help. Together, we shifted her focus from the scale to overall health. We built a lifestyle plan that was centered on an anti inflammatory diet, regular exercise, and better sleep hygiene. I worked with her to regulate her blood sugar well and manage her stress, which I believe was playing a big role in her being stuck. I helped her see the benefits for choices on her health and well being, like improved digestion, more energy, better mood, rather than just simply focusing on the number on the scale. Mia started feeling better mentally and physically. She found a balance that worked well in her life and she was seeing the results that she wanted. Mia's story is a reminder that weight loss isn't the only measure of success and sometimes the healthiest choice is to focus on sustainable habits. So what can we learn from these stories? Weight loss medications can be helpful tools. They're not magic bullets. Success requires complimentary lifestyle changes. So I want to wrap up today with some essential steps for anyone that's considering or is currently using weight loss medications. Number one, follow an anti inflammatory diet. If you've been following me, you know that I'm always talking about anti inflammatory eating because inflammation is at the root of almost all that ails us, including weight gain, hormone balance, symptoms of menopause, and chronic disease. A focus here helps you build a strong foundation for long term great health. Including things like lean proteins, healthy fats and fiber rich foods, minimizing processed foods and added sugars. This supports overall health, reduces inflammation and can help to prevent side effects of medication. Number two, commit to regular exercise. Strength training in particular helps maintain muscle mass which is essential for healthy metabolism. Cardio supports heart health and endurance, so that's important too, but the strength training is really key to keep metabolism functioning well. My experience with strength training is the area that a lot of women skip and again, so important, particularly through the years of perimenopause and menopause and crucial for maintaining muscle mass if you choose to go on a GLP 1. Number three, support your gut health. Gut health is important for overall health in addition to weight regulation and digestion. If you choose GLP 1 medications, I believe the focus on your gut is a particularly important one because constipation is a relatively common side effect. It will just help you feel so much better too. So staying hydrated, including probiotic and fiber rich foods to prevent constipation, a healthy microbiome is essential for weight regulation, digestion, and overall wellbeing. And lastly, make a plan for post medication maintenance, work with your doctor to gradually transition off medication while continuing healthy habits. When you've included all the tips I've given you, you will have built a foundation of sustainable lifestyle changes. Each of these components is vital for longterm health, whether you choose to use weight loss medication as a tool to reach your goals or not. Each person's journey is unique, and there's no shame in seeking help. Remember, medications are just one part of the puzzle. Sustainable habits are what create lasting change. If you're considering weight loss medication or working on your health journey, know that support is available. Go to the comments to see how you can reach out to me. I'd love to hear your story and help you navigate your path to better health. Thank you for listening today to Joyful Menopause. Don't forget to subscribe, and share this episode with anyone who might find it helpful. Until next time, take care and be well.