Midlife Musings
Unfiltered conversations about the real challenges of navigating midlife
Midlife Musings
Episode 10: The Good, the Bad, and the Scary Skinny
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
GLP-1 medications are all the rage these days. And they aren’t going anywhere. For women in perimenopause navigating stubborn weight loss, they can feel like a long-overdue solution.
In this episode of Midlife Musings, we take an honest, nuanced look at what GLP-1s actually are, how they work, and why they can be a genuinely powerful tool for the right woman in the right situation. This isn't a scare piece or sales pitch. It's the conversation you need to have before making a decision.
But powerful tools come with real considerations. We dive deep into the downsides that don't always factor into the decision — muscle loss, nutritional gaps, the critical role of protein and strength training while on these medications, and what happens when you stop taking them. The episode also gets specific about who GLP-1s are and aren't a good fit for, because the answer isn't the same for every woman, and going in without the full picture can create more problems than it solves.
If you're curious about GLP-1s, already on one, or just trying to separate the hype from the reality, this episode gives you the grounded, informed perspective you've been looking for.
Key Takeaways:
- What GLP-1 medications are and how they work in the body
- Why they can be a legitimate and effective tool for women in perimenopause
- The muscle loss risk and why protein and lifting aren't optional while on them
- Who is and isn't a good candidate for GLP-1s
- What you need to have in place before starting, and what can happen when you come off
- Why the medication is only part of the equation
Connect With Us:
Thanks so much for listening. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and share it with someone.
Well, hello. Well, hello. How are you doing?
SPEAKER_01I'm doing great. Actually, things have been um so much better lately.
SPEAKER_00Oh, in what way?
SPEAKER_01Well, I think what's about your car back. I think I got my car back, yes. And I think I came to the conclusion also that I'm gonna keep it. So that was kind of a big um what if? I had a lot of people tell me they love their Jeeps and they've kept them long term, and that was the plan. So I just don't want a car payment. And the car's in great shape. It has 38,000 miles on it. Like, why am I selling this?
SPEAKER_0038,000 miles, and you were gonna sell it?
SPEAKER_01Well, it is a 2018, so it's not brand new by any means, but it's still like the only thing wrong with it is my air conditioning went out, and that's very problematic. I'm a sweater, so like it's not fun. But um I don't know if you knew this, but if you see my stories, it was they quoted me nearly four thousand dollars to fix it. And I was like, I'm sorry, what? Um, but I also had people in my DMs telling me, yeah, yes, don't go to the dealer. One gal who actually lives near me, she was like, go to the the garage at the corner of where I live. Um and I was like, Oh, I love them. I'm like great. So I am hopeful that I would be willing to spend $2,000 on the air conditioning for. I was like, okay, you guys are ridiculous. And that was at Jeep? Yeah, at the actual I tried to do my minor services there. Um but yeah, when it when it becomes big like this, I'm like, okay, I guess I just need to have a local mechanic take care of it. So I was like, uh, it just felt like okay, four grand, the car is eight years old, maybe it's time for a new car. And that's I was like, hey guys, like, is anybody keeping their jeeps long term? And people were like, yes. And I was like, great, okay, we're not gonna get into debt just for air conditioning, we'll just go fix the damn car. And you've no you've never had issues prior to this? None, not not one. I mean, and I love the car, like it's super fun. Like, I really like the car. I'm I'm um I'm someone who likes driving. I love cars, I have owned BMWs, like I really like fast cars. Um so like driving is fun to me. So I do like having a nice car. But I've just been like over the last 10 years, been like, okay, like I had my fun with cars. I just want like a reliable one. We'll pay off and move on with life and yeah, more practical.
SPEAKER_00Yes. Yeah, I had a BMW. I hated that car. It was it was used and I got it off of a lease return, which is a really good way to do it. Sure. Because as you know, as soon as you buy it, it depreciates in value. And yeah, it just didn't make sense for me to buy a brand new one. I am not a car person, like I I like nice cars, and I would love for a while it was a G-Wagon. Now I want a defender. So, yes, like I do like nice things, a Porsche Cayenne, uh, but it's just not in the cards right now. Um, but I'm not a car person by means of I know a lot about cars or anything like that. I would say a year after I bought my BNW, I started dating this guy again who I dated in my early 20s, and he's a car broker. And the first time that we reconnected and went out, he saw my car. He's like, What the fuck happened to your car? I'm like, Oh no. Well, I'm like, what are you talking about? He's like, that paint job is atrocious. And I said, I have no idea what you were like, this is news to me.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00And he's like, it looks like the car got in an accident and like maybe even totaled, and they just did this really bad paint job. Um, I was like, oh, interesting. And then, of course, once he said something, now it was as clear as day and I couldn't unsee it. And then I was talking to one of my coworkers at the gym who was very much a car guy, and he said the same thing. He's like, Oh yeah, I noticed that as soon as you like as soon as I saw the car, I knew that there was something wrong. And then I went to my dad and I said it. He's like, Yeah, I knew it too. I just didn't want to say anything. Like people, right? Oh yeah, no, I I just never liked that car. And I think it was one of those things, like, oh, it's fun to get a BMW, but they're sports performance cars, like they're not to be luxury in the sense that they're comfortable and you know, they're a very like hard ride. Yes. And so the seat was not comfortable. I just didn't enjoy it. I had had an Acura before that, an Acura TL, which they no longer make. I loved that car. It drove well, it was so comfortable. Um, but then yeah, I had to get rid of it, and this is what I got next. And it was just, I think I liked it for a week. And then after that, I was like, no, buyer's remorse. I I had paid it off, and uh it just got to the point where it was having like some problems, and I didn't want to. I mean, BMW's gonna be so expensive to to fix, and I just I don't want to deal with this, I don't like it anyway. So I sold it and then I ended up getting a Toyota Camry, which was also a lease return, and I've loved it. It's great.
SPEAKER_01Those are phenomenal cars. I mean, if I was gonna do it again at this point, uh, this is the first time I've had an American-made car, and I probably would not do it again. Um, but I'm happy with the car. Like I like the look of it. I'm very like visual, so like I the car needs to be cute to me. Yeah. Um, so I really like love the car. I love the ride. And like for me, it was like a it's a nice in-between, like a bougie car. Like I really loved the bouginess of the the BMW, but also like the performance part of it, because yeah, the it's like tight suspension, like you know, they go fast, take a corner, great, great turning radius, you know, and then the Jeep is like more of like a it's a still a sport car, but it had a little bit more luxury to it. So it was like a nice blend of like fun and sporty, but still a little bit kind of fancy. So they put me in a Wrangler while they were fixing my car, um, a brand new one, and I hated it, to be honest.
SPEAKER_00Oh, interesting. In what way?
SPEAKER_01Um It felt like an army car. I I actually like the look of them. I've often kind of been like, oh, I could get a Wrangler. Um, but inside was just like I was like, where's my seat warmers? And like, how come I don't have like touch like to like unlock the car? Like I had to like physically have my keys to like open and close. That was annoying. I was like, oh, I didn't realize how convenient it is to just be able to like touch the handle and it unlocks or locks. Um, just little tiny things like that, where I was just like, I don't know, I have like leather seats, like and the ride was just I don't know, and it felt really small. It was smaller than my car. So I was like, oh, I okay. I just like this is fun for the two weeks I had it, but I want my car back.
SPEAKER_00Oh, now you have it back. So did you get a quote for the AC?
SPEAKER_01No, I gotta take it um hoping, hoping this week that I can take it in because it looks like we're we're in a heat wave again. But I mean, you know, summer's right around the corner, so anyway.
SPEAKER_00Try. We're still technically in winter. I know, right? And like it's gonna be 89. I was looking at my weather up this morning. It's like heat advisory.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. I mean, look at me right now. I'm in a tank top because it's freaking hot outside. Like I went, I worked out this morning, was like, why? Why is it hot right now? It's March.
SPEAKER_00I was I was doing my cardio before this, so around noon, and we had the garage door open because I live I work out in this kind of warehouse gym, and the AC is not great, the heat is not great. Yeah, I was uncomfortable. I'm like, oh, I hope this is not a sign of things to come.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. So uh yeah, I will be getting on the AC ASAP because especially now that I think that I've mentally decided to keep the car. Because I think I've been sort of pondering it since the AC went out. Like, is it worth it to pay for it? Should I get into another car? Because it's in a like, I could sell it for a good amount right now. Obviously, the longer I wait, the less I'll get for it. But I think now that I've been like, no, we're just gonna keep it.
SPEAKER_00Well, I always say indecision is a decision, and even being in limbo, that can be so much more uncomfortable than just deciding one way or the other.
SPEAKER_01A hundred percent.
SPEAKER_00So much mental capacity.
SPEAKER_01I will, I'm gonna tell a short story. When I was thinking of leaving teaching, I gave myself a year to make that decision. That was the worst year of my life. It was awful. And that's I would tell people, I'm just in limbo, I don't know what to do. And it was the constant, like, sometimes I was like, okay, I'm leaving, and then other times I was like, I can't. And that tortured me more than anything. And then once I decided, it was like oh such a relief. I mean, it didn't mean I wasn't stressed about like, oh God, now I have to do this thing, but just not having that mental like back and forth was it was just I mean, asked my sister. She was just like, Oh my god, I'm so like just this is really hard to watch you struggle.
SPEAKER_00Oh, I believe it because I am in the same situation right now, and I have been for months. Should I do it? Should I like knowing I want to do it because the way that it is sucking my soul and taking away from my quality of life, um I just cannot do it anymore. Like, I know that, but it is a little bit of the fear, it's the uncomfortable conversation. There are just so many elements, but I did actually make the decision last week, like, no, I'm gonna do it, and now I just have to get up the courage to have that conversation, which is not easy, but I know I'm gonna feel so relieved.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, you just sometimes you gotta do the hard thing, and it's actually so much better on the other side. I'm like, oh my god. I mean, I'm I'm really glad, like, I will always look back at things and find a bright spot. You know, it taught me a lot about decisions and just like you're never gonna feel 100%. So, like, just make sure, you know, you have a safety net or whatever it is that you're not being dumb, right? I mean, I certainly don't encourage people to just jump without thinking through things, but at some point you do need to make the leap and you'll be fine. Like you have survived a hundred percent of every risk you've taken, so you'll be okay. Love that. There you go. That's my I'm done for today. Well no, you're not done, so you've got a topic that we actually need to discuss. We do, a good one. Um, I think people will be everyone's favorite topic these days.
SPEAKER_00Yes, GLP1s. Let's go. Let's talk about it. We were gonna talk about it, and then before we start recording, we're like, so anything that we want to say that we don't want to say, oh, wait, are we even on the same page about this? Good chat. And so we did, and we kind of started going off on it, and I was like, uh, let's just start recording. Yeah, we're good. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01I was telling you, yeah, I was like, maybe we should have a conversation first, and I was like, I think we're okay, and we're on the agreement. Yeah, okay. Well, I was like, this is why we're friends, because I know she's not off the deep end.
unknownNo.
SPEAKER_01Okay, so GLP1s. Um I think so. I'm gonna just say this. I would like to start by saying I think it's a valid thing to think about in terms of like for a midlife woman, because things have changed, right? And you and I both work with midlife women. And yeah, like you're you just kind of hit this point where you're like, what happened? Why does my body not respond the way it does? So, like, I totally understand why, especially our demographic wants to entertain GLP1. So, like, I think that's why it's probably a good conversation. But I also just want to say, like, yeah, things have changed. Your hormones are crazy right now. Um, and it does make things super hard. So I just want to validate that I think it's valid to be interested in this topic. I don't know if you want to add anything to that.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, no, absolutely. And I also think that what can happen at this time of life because of hormones, also inflammation goes up. And I know that inflammation is a very buzzword right now, and there's gonna be two camps where inflammation is the root of all of your problems, and then the other, like, you don't even know what inflammation is, and they know no, you're not inflamed, you're just not making good choices, and your habits suck. And it's like, I mean, there's nuance, right? But I have seen in myself and in clients that they can be doing everything right, and there is something going on internally, you know, metabolically, that is driving this chronic systemic inflammation, and you can see it, like it's different than just, oh, I'm holding a little bit of body fat. It's like you look like you're retaining a lot of fluid and you just like look puffy and swollen. Like that can be a sign that you have inflammation going on, that simply just cleaning up your diet and sleeping better and making or you know, moving your body more is not going to touch. And that being said, I'm going to admit something that I don't think I have ever admitted publicly.
SPEAKER_02All right.
SPEAKER_00I have admitted that, or we I've discussed many times my chronic health issues, autoimmune disease. So there was a period of time about three and a half years ago, I would say. I can't remember correctly. I was working with my last coach and I was just kind of in maintenance, you know, not really like checking in all the time, training my ass off, but still tracking my macros to a T, like literally checking every single box. I was not drinking alcohol, I was rarely going out to eat, and my weight just started to increase out of nowhere. It made absolutely no sense. And I am not one of those person or one of those people who is in denial about their behaviors, where oh, the bites, looks, and tastes are sneaking in, or oh, I'm overdoing it. No, I wasn't doing any of that. And my weight just kept going up. And I could tell that it was different because, like, although yes, I was training really hard with the purpose of building muscle, I wasn't trying to be in a surplus necessarily with my calories, but probably on the higher end of maintenance. And I started to notice that my legs were, they felt very swollen. It almost felt like lead. So just going on walks was so uncomfortable. And then yeah, like I just started to gain weight and gain weight. I probably gained 15 pounds in, I don't know, a couple of months. And at first I was like, oh yeah, I'm putting up muscle, you know, it's not a big deal. Like, this is what I want. And I'm like, no, this feels different this time. I started to experience a lot of bloating and distension, which you know, I had not had for a really long time. Um, so finally, like, I went to my coach, I'm like, something is wrong. And around that time, he was kind of diving into the immune system and what can happen to women specifically who have what he calls overactive immune systems or disorder, um, which I clearly did. So I was not necessarily gaining a lot of body fat, but I was gaining a lot of inflammation. You could just see it in the pictures. I could feel it in my body. It was just completely different. Um, so he ironically had been like putting together this protocol for women who were experiencing these issues where the immune system is just like in overdrive and it's creating this like inflammatory cascade, um, which is leading to weight gain or like weight loss resistance.
SPEAKER_02Right.
SPEAKER_00So I went on this protocol and part of it was using a GLP one. So I went on semaglutide. Um, I was on it for maybe six months, like not a super high dose, and and I had to do dietary interventions at the same time. So I don't think it was just the GLP one. It was an absolute game changer for getting that inflammation off my body. And like I felt like a new person within weeks. So, in those situations, even though like I didn't have a lot of like I had vanity weight to lose, let's say, right? Like, okay, I put on 15 pounds. Like, most people would look at me and say, I looked fine. I did not feel fine in my body. That is not how I wanted to look or feel. Um, I also knew that there was like something from a health perspective that was going on. So my blood sugars were constantly elevated, and like that is not a good sign. So I'm like, I don't want to be trending towards like pre-diabetes, and we know that these drugs, that is one of the things that they are used for, is diabetes. Um, so it was a godsend for me. I had not taken it for I think three years at this point, but I it moved the needle. Yeah, yeah. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01So well, and I think I was telling you before we started recording, um, I've actually done quite a 180 in terms of my opinion. And let me be clear, it is absolutely just my opinion. I am not a doctor, so I'm not making any recommendations, but my opinion has completely changed. Initially, I was very against GLP1s, but I also said I was also very clear that like I was ignorant to what they were. I hadn't read anything about them. It was just more this thing that just came on the scene. Um, and over that time, one, I have had clients um who have been on GLP1s um or currently on, right? So it was, it became clear, okay, I need to educate myself. And so through that process, I've actually changed my mind. Now, I was telling you, I think they're a game changer for the right person. Um, because while they're not they're not risk-free, I mean, there are risks that come with them. Number one, they've been around a long time. Um and like you were saying, I mean, they do help with um blood sugar regulation, right? And I I'm pretty sure uh those are what they initially were made for, and then they noticed, oh, we got like they're losing weight also, people who take these, right? So of course they found a way to capitalize on that because weight loss is a huge, there's a huge demand for that, of course. Um But I I just think like there are people who the risk is worth it because the risk of being obese and all that comes along with that, which inflammation is, you know, definitely a part of that that picture, right? Um, it's worth it. And actually it's beneficial to reduce the risk from being overweight. Um and then the next piece too is just the the psychological part where, like, as somebody who's never been overweight, I don't understand food noise. I will be very honest. That's not something I've ever struggled with, right? Um, and so I've had to kind of learn and educate myself. And so the ability to quiet that food noise is I mean, I just think that's a game changer for people who really struggle. And there was a lot for me to learn even in that space to understand and be mu much more compassionate too, and you know, be able to meet people where they're at. So like I've come to the conclusion that I I don't love what I see in I was telling you, um, in Hollywood where an averaged weight actress is using it and then becoming unjust like scarily skinny, you know, like what is happening? And you and I grew up in the 90s where it was like heroin chic, right? Like everybody was, you know, waif thin and we like we praised that. Like, like, oh my god, we're back to that. Actually, worse to me, uh, some of these celebrities just are unrecognizable. Um, so I do not um support that, but I do think there is a population, and and I think it'll be like statins, it's just gonna be something that like is ne it's not gonna go away. It will be life-changing and it it will save lives. But I definitely think that's there is a specific population that it is for.
SPEAKER_00So yeah, they're here to stay, but it's definitely a slippery slope. Speaking of celebrities, did you see that? Have you seen Okra lately?
SPEAKER_01I quickly saw like a reel of her walking, and I was like, holy.
SPEAKER_00She well, when you say holy, I want to know your thoughts before I give mine. On her?
SPEAKER_01I mean, she's been like the face of Weight Watchers, right? And then I know Weight Watch, I think she bought Weight Watchers, or she's very tied to them, and then they coupled with Ozempic.
SPEAKER_00Um what it what exactly do you want me to say? Well, well, I mean, we know that Oprah has battled her weight her entire life. And I'm gonna go on a ledge here. This is a it's not even an uncontroversial opinion because I've had a conversation with a client who was an in person who trained with me in person for years, and very much I mean, I would call her obese. She could not lose weight. It was like, you know, kind of losing and gaining the same couple of pounds no matter what we tried from a nutrition perspective. And this was around the time that I was really starting to get into more personal development and psychology and trauma and you know, really thinking. Figuring out why people do what they do, why they self-sabotage, why they can't make changes, even though they desire to. And because I used to be the young dumb trainer, you just don't want it bad enough. You're like, you're late, you know what I mean? Like you don't have discipline and willpower. It's like, no, no, no. It can be so much more deep than that. Uh, if you don't know Oprah's story, I think she was raped at that point, and there have definitely been uh I mean, I'm not gonna say studies, that's not the right word, but victims of sexual abuse have said that they often will gain weight after that as a way to no longer make themselves attractive, desirable, you know, stick out because it's a protective mechanism.
SPEAKER_01A hundred percent.
SPEAKER_00Right. And so I think that that was part of Oprah's inability to lose weight. There was something, you know, a past trauma. Um, but then also obesity is a disease. It's not just because you are lazy, like there is something genetically off, and that is going to make you more susceptible to weight gain. It is going to mean that you have that incessant food noise that someone like I have a little bit of food noise. I love to eat. I am a foodie. Sure. Like admittedly, like when I finish one meal, I'm thinking about the next. I'm going to bed at night, like I can't wait to eat my breakfast. But like I can shut that off. Right. When you have debilitating food noise, it takes up so much mental space, and that is exhausting and it really prevents you from living a quality of life. But also, it has these other physical health ramifications because of the weight that you gain as a result. So I think with Oprah, it was multifactoral. Um, so for her, because again, as someone who was in fitness from a very young age, you know, I was looking at all the celebrity trainers. So I saw her doing the programs with Bob Green and being on Weight Watchers and like, oh, Oprah finally lost the weight, and then she gained it back. And I can imagine for her, like being in the public eye, just how I mean embarrassing that is for that, right? Even though she is this very successful, powerful woman that a lot of women look up to. So I do not fault her by any means for taking a drug that is going to change her life. Um, and I'm assuming that she will never gain the way back, and that is wonderful. But when I saw that video, I was like, Who was that? I had to do a double take. Yeah, she looked, I mean, frail isn't the right word because she's older. She looks like doesn't not even from like her face. I mean, she looked good, she's stylish, she's got this like slick ponytail and a nice habit on, but the way she was moving, she's only 72 years old. Yeah, you know, look like she was 90. Yeah. That was alarming.
SPEAKER_01I I agree a hundred percent. And like I will say, yes, I've obviously she's been in the public eyes and she's been in my, you know, I I've known about her, right, my whole life. Um, it's clear she has battled her weight. Like it's it's been a struggle. So like I do think she's probably the one uh she's in that category of like, yes, GLP ones are a good solution because she clearly can't and I don't mean this negatively, and it's not a judgment, but she can't manage her weight otherwise. Like it hasn't worked. For someone who has all the resources at her back and call, right? I mean, like, look, let's look at her. Like, she could have whatever she wants, whatever support. I mean, she could have a private chef, she could have a private trainer, like, and yet she has still battled her weight. So clearly there's more going on. And I agree, you she's obviously had trauma. She's also a very like um driven person, right? Which we tend to be a little bit neurotic, right? Um, and like yet, she still hasn't been able like to do that. So, like, yeah, I agree that it's probab it has been the right call for her. Um, but yeah, I don't love seeing that women end up looking frail. I mean, I I think all those celebrities that I'm seeing pop up on my FYP are just scary. Like they just look like you blow on them and they're gonna just crumble. And like their face, like you can see, like literally their skeleton, you know, it's just like, okay, guys, like, are we taking it too far or we're just not putting in the support, you know, that happens. Like you and I, I know, are on the same page in terms of like we are not the like quick fat loss, you know, like rapid fat loss type where you can lose too much muscle, where you can kind of put yourself in a worse position, right? But that's what happens with a GLP one without you know the the stuff that you and I do. Like, this is why like I know I won't go out of business because even if you're on a GLP one, you still need all the things that I teach my clients in order to stay healthy with this. And if you want to come off of it, although, you know, for someone who truly needs a GLP one, you're likely gonna be on it the rest of your life. But some people want to come off, but then you need to have supports in place. Otherwise, I think the statistic is pretty high that you're gonna regain the weight.
SPEAKER_00Going back to Oprah real quick and then I'll get off that soapbox. But I don't know why she looked the way that she did when she was in that video is because she is just under nourish at this point and not pulling herself properly. Uh, but I have seen other videos where she's deadlifting, she looks great and she looks strong. So, you know, maybe that was just a snapshot in time and it's not like perception isn't always reality. I I don't know. Um, but going back to the actresses who are skeletonly thin, you also have to realize that is not without its health consequences. Correct. They're just running to the other extreme. Being overweight or obese has negative health consequences, but so does being malnourished. And because now they're probably not only losing muscle, so they're gonna be probably insulin resistant, you know, uh skinny fat, like you could be pre-diabetic or diabetic because you're underweight and have no muscle. Uh and they're gonna be losing bone because I mean, are they weight strength training? Who knows? But I think at the rate that you're losing weight, you just the the bone remodeling the muscle can't keep up.
SPEAKER_01So that and like obviously, we know one of the mechanisms is appetite gets decreased, which is what allows them to lose weight, right? They're in a deficit. That deficit is obviously on the aggressive side. But something I tell my clients too is one of the reasons why we still emphasize like quality food when we're dieting, even more so, is because you lose opportunity to bring in nutrients, right? So this is where I will say, like, hey, when we're dieting, especially if we're being a little more aggressive, which sometimes it's necessary, or whatever, for whatever reason we're being a little more aggressive, um, you're obviously less food is coming in. So this is where multivitamin actually is beneficial. Like, yeah, let's put that in right now. Like I I do that when I diet because well, I'm eating less. So like there's just less opportunity to actually get in those nutrients. And you know, there's a lot of reasons why you want higher quality food, but at the same time, like Yeah. So like yeah, what this look that they have of just literally being malnourished. Like, you're yeah, because how much are you eating? I mean, I hear statistics of them eating like a thousand or less calories. Yeah, how are you getting in all your vitamin C and bad vitamin A and how are you getting in enough fiber with a thousand calories, you know? There's no way.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I would love to see what those diets are actually made up of.
SPEAKER_01It's it's crazy. But I I do think that it proves a very valid point I know that you and I stand for, and that's that at the end of the day, calories do matter, and uh this is on a very public stage, we can see that in action, right? I mean, these things work because people are eating less. Um but I don't think you and I are the type of coach that says that's all that matters. Like you said, like a lot of people have food noise and they struggle. I do too, by the way. Like I just because I have never struggled, like being overweight, doesn't mean that like I'm not sad when I finish, you know, my burger and fries, or like I get a Sunday, and then I'm like, I want more. Like a hundred percent. I got donuts this morning. I I bought myself two, and it took a moment for me to convince myself, Nondre, just eat one right now. You can save the other one for tomorrow. And like, but I sat there for like a good minute. Like, I really want to eat that second one, you know, like because yeah, like that's our physiology.
SPEAKER_00So yeah, we we are wired to eat. There's actually a book called that, which I read. It's a fabulous book. Yep, sitting on my shelf right now, Rob Wolf. Rob Wolf, right? Yeah, it it's just so interesting how everybody is so different. I got really into monitoring blood sugar and all that, almost to the point where like it became neurotic and I couldn't do it anymore. Me too. But uh yeah, I was like, nope, nope, can't do this.
SPEAKER_01I had a a continuous glucose monitor, even though I had healthy blood sugar levels.
SPEAKER_00My my fingers were like raw from how much I was, it was not good. Um, and that's just my personality, right? Like I am very not like I mean, a little all or nothing, I would say, but uh yeah, if I decide to do something like I'm going hard in the pig sometimes to my detriment. But um, anyway, you know, one thing that I thought was so fascinating about that book is because they were doing blood sugar tests on different people. And like you could take one person and give them a bowl of ice cream, and their blood sugar would spike to 200, and someone else's would not spike at all. So it really comes down to our unique physiology, our gut bike microbiome, I'm sure how we manage stress, all of that. Um, so anyway, but kind of to that point, we'll going back to the GLPs, is everyone is going to react to them differently. So I was on one at the same time where you know, Vince was working with other women who were on this protocol. I was working like in the same company with them. So like we were kind of swapping stories, and there were some who were so sick, like they were throwing up, they like their digestion, they were constipated, um, they felt nauseous all the time. It was just horrendous. And then here I am, like, no problems whatsoever. Um, I never experienced any of the negative side effects. Why that is, I can't say for sure. Again, I think we're all just different, right? Um, and and sometimes like the devil is in the dose, and I feel like there are a lot of people who are over-medicated, and special like I was under medical supervision. This was not me buying a GLP one through an influencer's discount code. Like that is the biggest Please don't do that, people. Those people, like that is just so out of integrity. I cannot. There's this, I'm not gonna name names, but there's this woman who her following like exploded. She went from no followers a year ago to now she has 178,000. And she went from being 50 pounds overweight to now looking pretty sickly skinny, you know. Um, it has lost a lot of muscle. And like, I know that women eat that up, yeah, right. Um, but now she's pushing the peptide. She's come out saying that she's on a micro dose dose of trisepertide. I'm like, for what? Yeah. And she's saying, like, oh, for inflammation, for food noise. I'm like, no, no, you are not the candidate for this, my man. Uh yeah. That's what really grinds my gears. Um, uh one other thing I will mention, and I don't know if this has something to do with the GLP one, but talking about like my own food noise, because I did admit that I love to eat, I would consider myself a foodie. I even talked about on my Instagram stories a couple of days ago, where I was like, you know what, I've never admitted this out loud. So I got on stories after dinner and I was like, you know what? I love food. I'm just like you. And when I get done with dinner, I always want more. I am disappointed when it's done. No matter how full and satisfied I am, like if it tasted good, I would love to keep eating.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00And I got a lot of comments from people like, oh my gosh, thank you for acknowledging that. And so obviously I have barriers in place so that I am not just sitting there on my hands, like, oh gosh, don't go back into the kitchen. Like I immediately go out for a walk. I come home and do my skincare routine. I watch a show. So I have developed the skills over time to not keep eating. But interestingly, I have noticed that like my cravings for any, let's say, hyperpalatable, calorie-dense, like treat-type food has significantly diminished since I took that medication. And that was three years ago. So I don't know if it just like did something to my brain, like it rewired it. But um, yeah, it was fascinating to me. I want to ask someone who has more experience or more knowledge with how these actually work, like if that could be a thing that's had this long-lasting of an impact. That's the only other thing that I can think of. Um, and then the other thing that, oh, the benefit, not just from a weight loss perspective, but they're noticing a decrease in alcoholism and gambling from people who are on them because it does something to like that addiction pathway in the brain.
SPEAKER_01Well, you have GLP1 receptors in your brain, and it is also attached to dopamine, which is you know, why it quiets that food noise, right? Like most of us love food because of the dopamine hit, right? It's a reward, which is, you know, and I try to um educate my clients, and and I talk about it a lot actually on my public podcasts, where I'm like, you are, like we said, wired to eat. Like this is how as humans we've survived this long, is that when our brains operate from the scarcity, like, oh, food is scarce, it's but it's not anymore, right? And so anytime, like especially calorie-dense food is around, yes, you're going to want to eat it. That is part of being a human and what has allowed us to like survive this long, right? So, like understanding that that is how you're wired is really important in self-compassion and then being able to then put in place strategies that help, right? But yeah, the GLP ones are working on that piece in terms of like the dopamine and the receptors, right?
SPEAKER_00So, yeah, I could see where alcohol can be improved because again, it's gonna hit those those receptors, which well, and gambling is the gambling is the ultimate in dopamine. Because dopamine is the neurochemical or neurotransmitter of wanting more, chasing more. So think of a slot machine, right? It's just like constant, you know, like one after the other, and you just keep going and going. So it makes perfect sense. Yes, there are receptors on your brain, in your gut, uh, and that's how it works on the hunger and fullness is it is a GLP1 agonist. So it works in concert with these hormones, which make you feel more full, which slow digestion so that that you stay full for longer. Um, so yeah, there are many benefits for sure, but for the right candidate. And I do have a client right now who is on it, and she was someone who I know and trust that she was doing all the right things. Like this woman is the box checker of all box checkers. I do believe that she was tracking accurately, and she had made some good progress, she had lost weight, and then she just stalled out. And looking at the pictures, I could tell uh she has a condition um that is inflammatory in nature, right? So it's not like full-blown autoimmune, but has components of that. And yeah, just by looking at her pictures, I could see like she is dealing with inflammation. This is just not excess, like, yes, there's excess body fat, but there's another component. Um, and so I put her in touch with the medical company that I went through, and she got on the medication, and within a week, the weight just started to drop. Um, and it's been slow and steady, but it's been a game changer for her. And she hasn't had like some negative side effects where, okay, yeah, you know, I feel a little bit fuller, um, a little bit of like digestion issues, but nothing extreme. So that is really good. And again, why it's so important to work with a professional so that you get on the right dose, and if needed, they can titrate you up based on how your body is responding.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. I was gonna say, going back real quick to like dopamine. I I think it was a mentor of mine, I don't remember now where, but um was saying dopamine is actually not necessarily like a reward uh neurotransmitter. It's actually a reinforcing. So like when you do something that's beneficial to your your physiology, your body in a in any way, dopamine is there to reinforce it. So like it's yes, it is a reward, but what it's really trying to do is create these pathways, right, so that that action gets repeated. Um, and then of course, what we know about you know, brain and you know, um just neurons, right? The more they fire together, like the easier and easier. That's how habits are formed, right? So dopamine is part of that habit formation process. So that's like how I like people to think about it. It's not just like, oh, you get a reward, you know, because donuts are delicious. It's like, no, your brain's like, oh, that's high calorie. It was really easy to eat. I'm gonna reward you. I want to like reinforce you doing that again and again and again, right?
SPEAKER_00So um there are two really great books on dopamine that I would recommend anyone read. One, my favorite is Dopamine Nation. It just breaks it down so simply, and then the other is called The Molecule of More. Like that's that's what I've not heard of that one. I haven't read it all, but I'm kind of to your point, like I think the molecule of more, like kind of enforcing as you were saying, yeah, just like you know, whether it's negative or positive, we continue to do that. Thing that's why social media is so addicting. Yes. Can you like refreshing your app like, oh, did that person like my post? Did I get a comment? Yep.
SPEAKER_01I I just think too, it's part of why I really like people to learn a little bit. I don't think people need to know as much or be as fanatical as I am about health and nutrition and all of this stuff. But I think it's really helpful to just understand like uh bait like the basics of how your brain works, how your physiology works, because one, I work with only women and we are so hard on ourselves and we blame ourselves. Oh, I'm you know, I'm so bad at this, I'm terrible, like I'm such a bad person, you know. And it's like, no, actually, that is wired in your genetics. And so it's helpful to like understand that and then to like lean into self-compassion. And then I don't know if you know, do you know who Joshua Hillis is? Oh, I love him. Yes. So I love his stuff in terms of like eating skills, and he talks a lot about you know, learning how to sit in that discomfort of wanting more and or of cravings, like that's normal, and we all have to navigate that. I think some people have much higher again, food noise, right? Um, than others, but we're all having to deal with the fact that like we're surrounded by food, surrounded by really delicious food, and we are constantly having to navigate uh the your brain going, Hey, we should eat that. That's really good. There's a lot of calories in that, you know, and like or sitting with that disappointment. That's uh discomf that's uncomfortable.
SPEAKER_00But he is who I learned that concept from of like of sitting with the discomfort, the desire of wanting more. And then what is the skill? So now I have developed the skills over time to be able to sit with that and then have the barriers in place to make it more tolerable.
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_01So I think that's a great thing, like in this discussion, because as we're talking about GLP1s, a lot of people think that they need the GLP one because they cannot navigate food, right? And I would encourage people, unless it's like super loud, right? Or they're like that there's medically, like, yeah, we got to get you on one. I would encourage, like, hey, maybe you just haven't developed the food skills, like the eating skills that would actually be helpful, right? Or you don't recognize that we're all dealing with some level of food noise, that we're all having to be uncomfortable with the wanting. Um, certainly, like you said, we all have a different probably threshold for that. And there's a ton of reasons why I can't tell you exactly why genetics, environment, trauma, whatnot, um, stress. But like we're all having to navigate that. And I think that's really helpful because I hear women talking to me and they just feel like they're the only one and they're failing. And what is wrong with them? I'm like, oh, you're a human. That's all. And this is how you're supposed to operate. It's just your body has not caught up with this modern food environment. It's like you're just you're operating from like a really old operating system that has no idea you're not gonna die from famine, you're gonna die from overeating.
SPEAKER_00Yes, yes, you're operating from a prehistoric reptilian brain. So give yourself some compassion that it's not a lack of willpower or self-control, it's how your brain is wired and then coupled with the modern food environment, which is so abundant, and and you know what's really fucking sick? And I how can food marketers live with themselves? You know, I mess myself a lot. Of the earth, I'm sorry if there are anyone, anyone listening right now. Who is in that industry, but those people deserve to be put in jail because they know exactly what they're doing. I mean, I just manufactured those foods to be hyperproof. Yes.
SPEAKER_01I assume they're compartmentalizing. And, you know, just saying, well, people have choice. And like we have seen this happen where you try to take away these foods, and people get very upset. They want the choice to have them. They don't actually want this taken away from them at this point, right? And people so people want autonomy. So, like, yeah, that's this is where I go. How do you live with yourself knowing? Like, people can't say no. Like, it's just so hard. Like, do you want to know why my great-grandmother was able to like maintain her weight so much easier? Well, because she didn't live in this food environment. It's not because of anything except there was not this abundance, you know, that was here. And now we have to navigate that. And I think you would agree, it doesn't help that we live in like a very stressful environment where like everybody's underslept, overstressed, has too much on their plate, you know, and is kind of run ragged. Like, that's not a great environment to then have to deal with a food-abundant environment.
SPEAKER_00So at the end of the day, we all have agency, which is true, but not everyone has the psychological capability to exert that agency. Sure. Right. Or the resource. Yeah. Yeah. 100%. Like maybe they just that's what they can afford for sure. So I I think though we need to not even maybe summarize because we're kind of getting to the the end here, but and I I wrote a post, I'm gonna go back really quick, um, about this is very snarky, but that's just my personality these days. Um, maybe it's not food noise, maybe you just and I'll I'll write out kind of what I what I wrote because there is a big difference between the food noise that we were talking about in the beginning that someone who is obese and really cannot shut it off is experiencing, and someone who, let's be honest, just doesn't have a great relationship with food and has been chronic dieting their whole life. So I'm just gonna read through the slides. Sure. Maybe it's not food noise, maybe you just continue to label foods as good and bad and are fixated on the ones you shouldn't have. Are still believing you need to cut out entire food groups to lose weight. Uh, try to be perfect during the week and never allow yourself to enjoy foods that provide nutritional relief and take the edge off your cravings. Don't give yourself permission to eat more calories and you try to survive on as few as possible. Need ways to make simple meals more enjoyable so they actually taste good and you look forward to eating them. Wait too long in between meals and you end up feeling so ravenous that you want to eat everything in sight. Skip breakfast and then graze all day instead of sticking to a consistent eating schedule that helps you better predict hunger. Avoid meal planning, so we're always having to think about what you're going to eat next since you're not prepared. Eat tiny meals instead of high volume ones that you're feeling satisfied and keep you full for hours. Don't have hobbies, interests, or passions that allow for fun, joy, and connection. Food is the only way you socialize and fill your satisfaction cup. Use food is your only coping mechanism to manage stress or deal with difficult emotions. And lastly, neglect getting sufficient sleep so your hunger and cravings are through the roof the next day.
SPEAKER_01So Yeah, I agree. I think there's a lot that should be explored before because it might actually be any one of those things you just had.
SPEAKER_00Or all of those things. Combination, right? That's where we talk about like the skills. So, yes, at the end of the day, weight loss is very simple. Create a calorie deficit, but hopefully you are aware at this point, simple does not mean easy in the modern environment that we are in. Um, all that to say, I still don't believe that if you are someone who has five, 10, up towards of like, let's say, 30 pounds of weight to lose, that you are a candidate. Now, if you have done, and if you can say with all honesty, I have done everything right. I am moving my body, I am strength training, I am tracking my food accurately on a food scale 90 to 95% of the time. And I have been doing that for six months, and I have seen no change, then okay, maybe there is a deeper issue going on that needs to be addressed, and a GLP one could be beneficial for you. But if you have not been doing that, and this is your way of taking the easy way out, I'm sorry, no, you need to go back to the drawing board. And you more time, more patience, more skills, and more honesty with yourself.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. I mean, it's yeah, I just think it's a a path that has to be very well thought out because there's so much that could be actually impacting right what's happening there. Um, and it's uh this is uh something I say a lot is that food is nuanced. It I I wish it was as easy as eat this, don't eat that, but it's not. And and then we have this psychology piece as humans that, you know, can get in the way. I mean, without even realizing it. And and the the the thing that makes this messy is that we all have to eat every day multiple times a day. So you cannot get away. It's not like exercise, where you like there's plenty of people who don't act ever exercise, right? It's not like it's necessary for life, even though, I mean, we know obviously it is it is actually, but nobody's dying immediately from it, right? So you can't get away from it, and so you have to deal with it. And we just live in a really complicated environment with our physiology survival like drive, and then the food that we have engineered, which just makes it tough. So yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. One other point before I forget to consider if you are considering one of these medications and you are not someone who has an actual need, these things are very expensive. They can be if they are not covered by insurance. So is that something you know? I mean, I would much rather put that money into coaching where they're not negative side equip, not negative side effects, and you're actually learning the skills because you know they will say, I'm not one of these people that if you go on it, then you may have to be on it forever. Is that something that you want to do? Do you want to deal with the possible negative side of side effects? So those are all things to consider before making that leap.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, and I I don't think they're going, I I am 100% sure they're not going away. Um, and I think they can be a good thing for the right person. There are more coming out. Yeah, exactly. Right. Um but I I also think like, you know, just like we have come around to accept that statins are very helpful. I mean, it's not my first line of defense though. If somebody has high cholesterol, I don't tell them, oh, immediately you need to go on a statin. It's like, hey, why don't we take the things that we know impact cholesterol and do what we can. And if we cannot bring it down into a safe level, then yes, statins are very helpful. Or if you're a person where your your cholesterol is like 300 plus, please get on a statin. Please reduce your risk immediately and then work on right the things that we know improve that. But like I just think for there's a population of women who want to get on a GLP one who it's like with the cholesterol, like you're a little outside of the optimal, but we would never put you on a statin because you're at your total cholesterol's 230, right? I mean, 230, sure, it's over optimal, but like that doesn't warrant a statin at that point. I mean, to me, you have you're so close to, hey, let's just make the lifestyle and the diet um changes that need to happen. And I just f I feel like that is the crowd that's getting really marketed to. That they're just maybe slightly outside of healthy. And hey, look how easy it could be. And like, because I get it, it's hard, especially like if you're let's say 30% body fat or 35. Like, that's not morbidly obese. It's overweight, but it's not like you're not really, you're not dying tomorrow from from that. Um, but it it's harder to lose weight, uh, you know, the leaner you get. So I can see where it's like, well, here's this shot, pill, whatever. Right. Now they're pills.
SPEAKER_00Oh, I didn't know that. I thought it was just a shot.
SPEAKER_01Well, I don't know. On Hulu, because I have I watch most of my shows, my one show, Grace Anatomy, um, through Hulu, and I don't pay for ads to be taken out. And I would say 80% of the commercials are for a GLP one.
SPEAKER_00Oh wow. I don't watch cable television, I only watch the streaming services, but I actually haven't noticed that. Oh, well, I'm I am using the streaming services because it's old Gray's Anatomy. But yeah. I've not watched Gray's Anatomy. I'm still watching the pit. I've watched a lot of shows right now. Oh, that's next.
SPEAKER_01After I finish the entire series of Gray's Anatomy. I'm on season 18.
SPEAKER_00Oh my gosh, that's wild. Yeah. Yeah, watch the pit. I'm also watching one. Oh, on Hulu. A love story about JFK Jr. Oh no, I do want to see. Oh, it's so good. There's only eight episodes. I only have one more to go. So it's like you know how it's gonna end, but it's really in yeah. Um, so there's a lot of good TV. I good TV and trash TV. I'm also watching one on Netflix called Age of Attraction. It's blind, but I think it's better. So they get all these people together and like kind of on a compound, it's beautiful place up in uh Whistler, and they kind of do a speed dating thing to start, see if they're you know connecting with whoever, and then they start to couple up. So the premise is they do not know each other's age. Oh, and until they decide that they actually want to become a couple and commit to each other, that's when they disclose their age. And oh it is wild.
SPEAKER_01That's interesting.
SPEAKER_00It's interesting. This is good TV.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I am all for some good trash TV. Like, I just feel like I'm what I do like job-wise, and like I love research and I love learning. Like, I feel like my brain is so engaged most of the day that I am all for trash TV in the evening. I need it. Feel normal. Well, there's one for you. There you go. Thank you. I because I like Love is Blind, although I think I'm a few seasons behind because once I started Gray's Anatomy, I get very fixated. Like it's just all Gray's Anatomy, plus actually station 19, because they're kind of they um intertwine.
SPEAKER_00That is all I'm watching right now until I finish them. Well, and I get that because Gray's Anatomy, you can watch as many as you want, whereas these ones I'm forced to wait until the next week. So yeah, I will have to check that one out.
SPEAKER_01Hey, well, great conversation. Yes, I hope that was helpful. And yeah, um, I think honestly, questions? Yeah. No, that's actually where I was was going is to say, like, hey, we're already like in that realm. I think people maybe because I don't talk about it publicly, might think, oh, I don't deal with GLP ones, but I do, and I am actively always trying to stay abreast of you know what what's um I don't want to say popular, but like this is what clients are talking about. And I'm already actively, you know, getting clients either on a GLP one or wanting to get on one. So like, yeah, we we can be a resource if needed.
SPEAKER_00And I would say if you're gonna go on a G LP1, like you need a coach that much more for sure because of the issues that you're gonna have to navigate. As you were saying earlier, if your appetite is suppressed, uh it's gonna be harder to get in those foods that are higher quality, more nutrient dense, you're gonna need support around that. And then just building the foundational habits so that if you do want to come off at one point and you are a candidate for that, then you're gonna be able to sustain those results. And that's something that your doctor is not gonna be able to give you the time for. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01And I think too, I will always come back to, you know, understanding your own physical physiology and understand that like there's nothing wrong with you. Uh food noise is quite normal considering our physiology and our environment. So, you know, it it does require effort and work. Um, but I sometimes I've I can feel like how relieved people are like, oh, it it just it's hard. Like, yeah, it's hard. Um, so let me support you, let me give you strategies, you know, to deal with that. But like just understanding we're all over here going, I want to eat all the donuts or insert whatever your favorite part is.
SPEAKER_00Absolutely. All right, good stuff. Well, until next week. Until next week. Yes.
SPEAKER_01Bye.