Better Me with BodyByBree
Better Me with BodyByBree
GLP-1 Client Experiences Part 1: Alyssa & Ashley
Discover the potential of GLP-1 medications as we explore their benefits and risks through compelling personal narratives. You'll hear firsthand accounts from Alyssa, Ashley, Andrea, and Julia, each offering unique insights into their experiences with these weight loss aids. From Alyssa's success in maintaining weight loss by adopting healthier habits to Julia's decision to discontinue use due to adverse effects, their stories highlight the importance of making informed, personalized health decisions with professional guidance.
We delve into the mental and physical benefits of using GLP-1 medications and the significance of establishing sustainable health habits beyond initial weight loss. Tune in for these uplifting narratives, offering inspiration and practical insights for pursuing a healthier, more fulfilling lifestyle.
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Are you looking for a space where you will learn to improve your mental strength, emotional health and heal your insecurities from the inside out? Take the first step to living a more meaningful life with the Better Me with Body by Brie podcast. I'm your host, brie. I'm a certified personal trainer, entrepreneur and mother of three. I've helped empower thousands of women to take action through fitness, nutrition, meditation, personal development and aligning thoughts with action. This podcast is for those who are ready to feel inspired and motivated to live a more purposeful life. Let's grow together.
Speaker 1:Welcome to the Better Me with Body by Brie podcast, where we dive deep into the tools and strategies that empower you to take control of your health and wellbeing. Today, we're tackling one of the hottest topics in the wellness world right now Ozempic, also known as semi-glutide, or another common GLP-1 known as trisepatine. It's a medication making waves for weight loss, but there's more to the story than quick results. We'll explore the benefits it promises, the dangers that come with it and how to navigate your fitness and nutrition journey. If you're considering or already on this medication, let's break it down together, because it's not just about weight loss. It's about making sure you are healthy from the inside out. For the last four months, I have dug deep into the peptide world, learning from workshops, podcasts, research journals and interviewing top experts in the field, and I wanted to share what I found with all of my followers so that they can make an informed decision for their own health. It's important for me to cover all the risks, the benefits and first-hand experiences to bring a very raw and vulnerable insight. This episode is part two of a three-part series all about the truth behind GLP-1 medication, the benefits, risks and what you need to know. In this episode, I interview four clients who have had personal experiences with GLP-1s and their stories. I wanted to highlight Alyssa, who lost 60 pounds on semi-glutide and then weaned herself off and kept her results by training with the Body by Brie team and focusing on lifting to build muscle and shifting her lifestyle habits for life.
Speaker 1:Ashley has PCOS and tried a microdose of triseptide after her husband, who is a doctor, suggested that it could help with her symptoms and she was able to get off of her spiralactone medication that she was previously taking for her PCOS. Andrea has been on triseptide for six months now and says it's been an answer to her prayers she can quiet the food noise and stick to her macros and continue lifting to feel her best. Julia was on the one of the first rounds of semi-glutide and she didn't like how it made her feel. She decided to wean herself off because she didn't like being on medication and it did make her feel sick. I wanted to try to get you a sample of a lot of different firsthand experiences so you can make your own decision for yourself. I'm in no way pushing people to get on this medication. My goal is to educate and then let you decide what's best for you. I'm not a medical professional and I have no medical background, so, as always, please speak to your trusted medical provider If you have questions. Let's learn together.
Speaker 1:This is Alyssa's story and her personal experience with semi-glutide. Alyssa, how are you? Welcome to the podcast. Thanks for having me. I'm so glad you're here. People might not know that we how when did we meet? We were in like 20 years, middle school.
Speaker 2:Yeah, like, like, yeah. It's been 20 years, almost 20 or over 20 years, I think.
Speaker 1:That's crazy. That is so crazy. That's so fun. Okay, so I'm really excited for you to share your story with my followers, because I was trying to get clients who have had experience on GLP-1 medications and just get some raw, real experiences. What were your symptoms? What did you feel? Are you glad you did it? Are you still on it? Did you wean off? And we'll just kind of talk about your journey to help our followers see if this is something that can help them or if maybe they're like no, I don't need it, I can do it on my own. So we're here to educate. I'm so grateful that you are going to share your story. Let are going to share your story. Let's first give people a little bit of a background of who you are what you do where you're at, starting from the beginning.
Speaker 2:I mean, I'm a mom. I married my high school sweetheart. I had four babies in four years and a pregnancy in there. So from starting in 2013, I had my oldest, 2014, my next, 2015, a DNC in 2016, my next in 2017, and then my baby in 2018. So for six years, I was just pregnant every year, which takes a toll on your body. I come from like a health back. I was a college cheerleader. I was an all-star cheerleader. I cheered all growing up. So like health was really big in my life, but then, like becoming a mom, it took over my whole body. So I don't feel like I was fully postpartum, out of postpartum until my baby was maybe like four or five years old and then I was like, okay, now it's time to like get my health back and get back on my health journey.
Speaker 1:So that was your poor body, like four babies and like that's insane. Your poor bodies, your hormones are probably all over the place, all over the place.
Speaker 2:I was pregnant and we are moving all over. We had moved in in that like six years. I think we had moved maybe eight times. My husband was in grad school. It was just like wow, when you think of like motherhood in the thick of it. I was in the thick of it for like yes, you were probably like eight years until my baby was like. Even now I feel like I'm in the thick of it, right, but different. But yes, just like I wasn't over my body and my health for a little there, because it was all just focused on kids and you kind of lose yourself as a mom. You kind of like lose yourself a little bit and I hit 2020. And I started taking my body back.
Speaker 2:I a lot of people hated COVID. I loved COVID Because I was able to like refocus on myself. My husband was home and I was like if I'm going to be home, I'm going to run every day, right, and I'm in the gym and a lot of times I had little kids, so I would put all my kids into my car and I would drive to a church parking lot and I would put on like a movie on my phone and I would run in the church parking lot with my kids in the car because I didn't have childcare.
Speaker 1:You're amazing, you are amazing.
Speaker 2:But it didn't. That's kind of like what slowly started my health journey. But then in 2020, what are we in? 2024?, 2021,? I was like I'm going to get in good shape and then I'm going to um, get a mommy makeover, and that's kind of like what started but that was probably your motivation was because you wanted to get that mommy makeover yes, a thousand percent, okay, and that's kind of what started it all.
Speaker 2:Um, and in my mind too. Like you hear mommy makeover and you're like I'm going to get a mommy makeover and then I'm going to be in the best shape of my life, no, all my mommy makeover did was it fixed my abs, my diastasis recti. It got rid of my extra skin because I had a lot of it from having all those pregnancies, and I fixed my chest because they hung all the way down my belly button Right. So I fixed my physical appearance, but nothing else changed and I needed to get my health back and that's when I started with the shots and that's kind of what started everything. But pregnancy mommy came over and then I was like, okay, now I need to get my health ahead of me and like, yeah, so what?
Speaker 1:made you feel like you? What made you feel like you wanted to do the shots?
Speaker 2:so kind of how did you? A lot of people were doing that, like there are a lot of people have started. But I had gone into my plastic surgeon and I was like you know, it was a follow up and I was like, yeah, I got a little roll here, a little rollage here, and he was like you don't need surgery. What you should try, lots that everyone's trying. And I was like, oh really. And he's like, yeah, you should try it, work with my um PA and she'll help you and dose you and start taking your health back, like you don't need. Like. He's like, yeah, you could go and get a little lipo or whatever, but he's like start like taking your health back.
Speaker 1:Start here.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and I was like, oh yeah, I'll do that. So I got on the shots. I got on the shots last March, so March 2023, and started slow. So I think one of your questions was like what was the dosage? I started really low, I think. I was like at 10 units and I worked hand in hand with my PA Um, and every couple of weeks I increased my units, I think only like five and I was like, and every six weeks I met with my the, the girl at the office.
Speaker 2:We were like okay, this is what you weigh. How are you feeling? Do we need to wean off? Should we go more? Um, and she was very, like, involved in what I was doing, which I really like, because a lot of people go get the shots and then they never talked to anyone ever again.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and they don't. They're just told after four weeks up and then four more weeks up again and I'm like, well, what if? What if they're still losing, why would you keep upping, like I feel like you have to be working hand in hand with someone, or that feels very irresponsible to me.
Speaker 2:But so I started in March, march, april, may, june, july, august, september, october, november, december. So I did it for like a good nine, nine to 10 months, right, okay, um, I mean through what you felt like, beginning like walk me through kind of symptoms and how my biggest symptoms really were like nausea, not like I was nauseous and okay, I felt like all the time or like I was pregnant, like if I didn't eat, okay, I would get nauseous and if I ate too much, I would throw up.
Speaker 2:like, okay, I was like teetering on this, am I bulimic? Right, like because you, yeah, much than you throw up and like, yeah, that was a Ben would get so frustrated because he's like listen to your body, because you keep like if you eat too much you're gonna throw up, right, um, so those are my, my biggest things. I never really had any problems with like constipation or like stomach cramps or like anything like that, but mainly it was just like if I didn't eat I'd get sick and if I ate too much I would throw up. And so it's just like knowing my body and like you don't. And that's why people are losing all their muscle all this way, because you don't eat.
Speaker 1:So well and and I think that's the danger is because it's so motivating to see the scale go down but they're not realizing what's going on internally, that it's like no half of that is lean muscle mass that you need for your metabolism health. So that's that's why I'm like, okay, I have to educate people. I have to educate them Like, if you're going to do it, let's do it a healthy way, Yep.
Speaker 2:I mean, I don't get me wrong, Like it, it's a mind trip, right. Like I was even texting Ben this morning and I was like man, I would really love to be where I was in December, but where I was in December wasn't healthy. I was like skin and bones and I had lost all my muscle. Was I skinny? I was so skinny, did you feel good? No, it's just weird because you want to be like, but I was so skinny and the scale was so, but I was not fit and I was tired and you're just kind of sunken, yeah. And now can I show this picture really quick? I don't know if I can show this, show it. I showed this to my sister. My sister was just in town and I was like this is me at my lowest weight, which was in December, and this is me now. So, so obviously I'm tiny, but I had lost all of my muscles. This is me just like maybe 15 pounds heavier, but I've gained all my muscle. Like look at my bum, right.
Speaker 1:I was just going to say your butt. I was just going to say, look, you have like such a cute shape, you have like I can tell that you are healthier.
Speaker 2:I'm 10 times healthier. I had lost all my muscle. I'd lost everything, but I was skinny, but now I'm like muscly and thick and like I have energy and like I look at myself and I'm like, holy crap, like I have muscle. So yeah, on that note, so I got off semaglutide in December and I had to. I was having heart surgery in January and so I had to get off of all was the heart.
Speaker 1:The heart surgery wasn't because of some of my glutide right. That was something previous from years of problems.
Speaker 2:That just got caught up, okay, when I had my heart monitor on. I had a mini heart attack in November, and so they're like, yeah, we're going to figure this out, but they didn't figure it out in January and I had to go back in again in March.
Speaker 1:Do they correlate that at all to semi-glutide?
Speaker 2:No, they more correlate it to like this could be worsened because of COVID, oh interesting. So I always had heart stuff, but then it got really bad.
Speaker 1:It's actually like all that's a whole different podcast, maybe we need a podcast for your heart stuff, for your heart stuff. Okay, sorry, keep going, but that's a whole other thing.
Speaker 2:Anyways, because I had gotten off semaglutide for surgery and then January, February, March, all I could do was lay in bed. I wasn't allowed to work out, I was depressed and I had gotten off semaglut tight. So, naturally, what am I doing? Like yeah it's like a recipe for disaster.
Speaker 1:How um did you feel when you got off of semi-glutide? I wanted to know like. Did your cravings come back full force? Were you starving or was it kind of like? You just like tell me what you felt once you cleaned yourself off.
Speaker 2:I could tell like an increase of appetite. I love eating. I could eat all day and I. I've worked hard on like knowing my hunger, fullness cues and stuff, but I don't have them Like I love to. That's why I love. I really did love being on semaglutide.
Speaker 1:Yeah, what were the? What were the good part Like? Tell me the bad symptoms and the good symptoms you know?
Speaker 2:Yeah, the bad I mean we've kind of talked about bad. Right, I was nauseous all the time. I needed to like make sure I was eating, um, and then I lost all my muscle and I feel like I was more tired than normal. Um, but the good like it literally quieted all my like. I wasn't a muncher like at night, cause I do photography right. So at night I'm editing and I typically will be like munching on stuff.
Speaker 2:But when I was, when I was on some of the tight, I wasn't munchy. I would get full and I could acknowledge that my body was telling me I was full, which was awesome and so getting off of it slowly. I didn't get off of it slowly, I got off of it abruptly and I could tell all those came back full force. Plus, again I was in bed. I just had surgery. I was like loaded from surgery, like my first surgery was like I don't even know eight hours long. So getting on like having surgery and getting off some of Glutide and not being able to work out, kind of just like all piled on and I gained weight fast back Like I went. I think I gained, I lost. I lost about 85 pounds and then I gained about 25 pounds back in like three months.
Speaker 1:Okay, which?
Speaker 2:actually statistically.
Speaker 1:I've heard statistically that you gain two thirds of your weight back. So that's exactly what. So they say like it's possible. They say one third to two thirds of your body weight. You can stats show that you would gain it back, but not everybody does. You know, not everyone. And if they've changed their lifestyle and I bet if you didn't have that surgery and you didn't have to be in bed and you were just laying around, I wonder if you would be able to kind of keep those habits going, cause look at you now you know, yeah.
Speaker 2:So once I got cleared after surgery to like, okay, it was like six weeks, four to six weeks after, so April, I was like, okay, I'm going and I'm going to, I'm going to hit hard and I'm going to go. I got back on some of Glutide for a second Cause. I was like I needed to kind of just like reset my body, which it didn't do anything Like. I did it for like I don't know four weeks and I was just like, okay, I don't need, I'm, I don't want to get bones again. So that's when I kind of was like, and so that's when I kind of was like I need to like get on a good program.
Speaker 2:I need to try something else.
Speaker 1:So I have been on some more Lynn. Which? Some more Lynn is another one of these kinds of shots. It's a lot less intense, that don't know. Samoralin is a peptide, just like GLP-1, but it's very mild and it helps increase your HGH hormones so that you can actually build muscle. So samoralin is tons of benefits with samoralin and no side effects, so great.
Speaker 2:Everything about samoralin is great. It helps quiet a little bit of my food noise. I'm still munchy so I still have the agency to choose, because it's my choice whether I indulge in my snacking right. But Samorlan helps build the muscle mass, helps me sleep, which semaglutide didn't do. Helps increase sex sex drive. Doesn't help increase sex, just sex drive, but yeah. So I've loved being on this option as well.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's amazing. So you've been doing my program, You've been doing my body by Brie program. Your results are insane. Like let's talk about it. Let's talk about how amazing you look you feel your strength Like? Let's talk about that, If I could.
Speaker 2:I eat better and you lay it out. It's beautiful, it's a beautiful food program, all the health stuff. If I could eat better, I would look. I would look like you.
Speaker 1:You do, you look amazing.
Speaker 2:What are you talking about? I so in 10 days I will hit my sixth month mark of working out six days a week that's amazing.
Speaker 1:I've never amazing, I'm not even that consistent of like reading scriptures.
Speaker 2:You know I I'm not that consistent in like not eating sugar, but I have gone. I've traveled to like four different countries, probably like eight different states. I've gone on a vacation. I've moved across the country I in the last six months and I have been consistent and I'm super proud of myself.
Speaker 1:But I love that phenomenal oh, thanks. What did you love about it? I?
Speaker 2:love that I can do it anywhere right, that I have it at my hand and that, like if I a lot of times when I was in Spain like we didn't have gyms they don't have gyms out there and I would pull up the pro, like I feel like I could customize it to where I was, or like you had it all set up and I can like do it a certain way to still get the workout, if that makes sense, like I didn't need to do it exactly like it. It's awesome if I could, but it gave me like options and stuff like that right.
Speaker 1:Well, and with we were really working on trying to speed up your metabolism. I remember you were like this is too much food. I can't eat all this food. Like I'm not used to this. And I'm like Alusa we got to speed up your metabolism because I promise when you start lifting, you're going to start getting hungrier and hungrier, and we need to practice hitting the macro so that when you become more hungry, you know how and what to eat.
Speaker 1:And so I love seeing you reverse diet. I love seeing you build muscle, have all this energy, feel stronger and your body looks amazing, like you can tell that you're a fit, healthy person, and that makes me really, really happy. And, and what's really cool is, I know you said that the semi-glutide kickstarted your journey, but what I love to see is that you took the healthy habits and ran and you're like okay, I'm going to work out six days a week and I'm going to lift heavy and I'm going to make these changes for life, and I really look up to you for being like I'm going to get off of this and I'm going to do it myself and I'm going to. You know, like you said, I'm going to have the agency to choose and you are doing amazing and I'm really proud of you and it's super inspiring, super, super inspiring.
Speaker 2:It's. It's nice to hear that it. It's been an interesting thing as I share about it, like on Instagram and stuff, because it I get messages daily that are like I've started to go to the gym every day because you post that you're at the gym every day and I've been starting to. Things like that really do motivate me. And then I'm like okay, if I can keep going, then maybe that encourages somebody else to go. Or if like, why am I even crying? But if there's like okay, if I can keep going, then maybe that encourages somebody else to go, or if like, why am I even crying?
Speaker 1:But if there's like a mom.
Speaker 2:Right, that's like I'm in the thick of this and this is really hard. Like it gets better. I promise, throw your kids in the car and go for a walk or put a movie on and walk around your house and just start little, because it gets better. And I don't know A lot of people to all run into and they're like, oh, if I could just get that mommy makeover. And I'm like, yeah, but like that's not going to change everything for you. What's going to change is your health habits. The mommy makeover was great and I'm so grateful and blessed that I was able to go get that done and I realized it's a huge advantage and like something that everybody can't get done. It's a huge advantage and like something that everybody can't get done and I'm grateful for it.
Speaker 2:But what changed was like my health journey and I really am so grateful for semaglutide. I am like it really kicked everything, like it showed me that I could do this. It kickstarted everything. It gave me confidence Like I was. So I am so much more confident and just like my body, um, would I do it again? I would. I would do it again, because I feel like it's gonna be my question now what do you feel I would do it again? I would like, if I needed to get my body back in shape and there was one way to do it like, I would do it again because it just started everything for me.
Speaker 1:Well and motivate, or um, results are motivating. So, like, as you start seeing that progress, then you're like well, what else can I do? Okay, Maybe I can work out and maybe. So I can totally see that I think, like you said, the importance of the mental component as well and making sure that, like, for me, I would love to support people that are on it because I think they need that mental component, they need that. Like you're lucky because you're an athlete, right, like you have that drive, you have the goal setting, you have that motivation and the determination because you're an athlete.
Speaker 1:But a lot of people don't and they don't know how to turn it on like you did. And so it would be cool to help people who are on it to be like okay, now let's life coach you, let's change these habits and let's like see where your self-sabotaging habits are coming from, and then, when they see that skinny version of themselves, like, but remember, you didn't feel good. So like, let's find your happy balance where you feel good You've lost weight. So I do feel like my perception is starting to change a lot. I'm seeing the benefit of it and I'm also seeing a lot of clients that have struggled with weight their entire life. Like you said, it's just like their brain chemistry is off.
Speaker 1:I have seen that and it's been a life struggle. And then they get on small doses of triseptide or semi-glutide. It's given them just enough to not white knuckle anymore. And then it like they get that momentum and then they're like, okay, I can lift, I can hit my macros, and so for a while I was super against it. I was like, no, we're not trading being healthy for being skinny. No, no, no, no, no. But I see that there's a way to do it in a healthy way and that there is a benefit out there, like for people. There is and it's it's one of the largest weight loss studies ever in history, and so for the FDA to approve it, I do think that there are healthier ways to do it and incorporate it with lifting, hitting protein, hitting fiber. So anyway, I'm, as I talk to people more too and hear their personal experiences, like I'm glad that you were able to, to have that kickstart you, and if it led to where you're at now, that's amazing yeah.
Speaker 2:And I am. I'm grateful again. Like I wouldn't say it's easy. I mean, like I said, I was texting Ben today and I was like man, if I could just be blah, blah, blah like I was in December, but also be fit. But I don't want to be that, but I do. It's just this constant mind game. Yep, I'm the strongest and healthiest I've ever been ever in my entire life. Like I'm so grateful for the mommy makeover. I'm grateful for semi-glutide. I'm so grateful that I was able to get those heart surgeries because I couldn't breathe or function and now I can like run and walk upstairs and not feel like I'm going to faint, which then kickstarted me into working out. And I'm, like I'm so grateful for your program. I'm so grateful for like the workouts and for like helping me get to where I am. If I could just stop eating lobster rolls out here every day.
Speaker 1:Oh, my gosh, and the blueberry pie. She just moved to Maine like a couple weeks ago.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and like it's lobster fest and like the lobster ravioli at the grill up the street is like. So if I could just like pull back a teeny bit, what I've decided is I don't need to get out breakfast, lunch and dinner. I can just go to dinner. So I have your balance. But it's fine. I am this version of myself right now and I'm enjoying living in Maine, which I feel great and I'm happy and so that's amazing. Yeah.
Speaker 1:Well, and I will say anytime you lose a significant amount of weight, it is a mind game, because even when I was competing, I remember feeling like it was golden handcuffs. I was like I look so good, but I'm 10% body fat, like I lost my period. I can't keep this up forever. But you do have this part of your brain that always looks back and is like but damn, I look good. So you're like, oh. But then you're like but I was miserable. Like no, but that was ugly.
Speaker 2:I was literally like I. What I weighed in December was what I was as a sophomore in high school. Yeah, that's insane. And I'm tall. I'm 5'11" Like being under 150 pounds at my height. I was just like bones. Why do I want to look like bones? I don't I don't yeah. I want to look how I look now. Yeah, which is I'm like thick, but I'm like Okay.
Speaker 1:You're not thick. You're not thick. You're just comparing yourself to your skinniest. You look amazing. You'll like this.
Speaker 2:Ben was um ben was doing bicep curls with the cable. He was doing 100 and I was like I can do that and he's like there's no 100. I was like no, I went over there freaking, just started bicep curling a hundred. I'm like I'm lifting, like it's, it feels great so.
Speaker 1:I'm so proud of you. That has to be the best feeling. I'm so proud of you and I'm so grateful that you could share your story and just give a little more insight to you. Know, maybe this could be a blessing for people, and as long as they do it responsibly and they're working with a physician and they're eating enough food.
Speaker 1:I always tell my clients that are on it, like you have to, what we'll do for our clients is we will calculate their base metabolic rate and say if you can't hit this, you're on too high of a dose.
Speaker 1:If you're not at least hitting your base metabolic rate, you will lose muscle and it will be bad when you get off, because now, like the back, I'll give you like a quick blurt. But the science behind it is your muscles, your metabolism, as you know, because we've talked about this a lot and if you're losing muscle, too much muscle, and then you get off, now your metabolism shot, then your appetite comes back but you don't have the muscle to burn through the food and that's where people get in trouble. But if you can taper and do it slowly and keep your muscle mass and lift and hit your base metabolic rate and hit your protein numbers. You shouldn't lose that much muscle and you could look amazing. So, anyway, that's how we train our clients that are on GLP-1s. And then we also are trying to help them reverse out. You know, if you get off of it and you're so low, we have to help you reverse slowly or you will gain the weight back Very quickly. You will.
Speaker 2:So that's another tool 100% you will gain it back. So doing it smart. And there is a way. Yeah, there are ways to do it smart.
Speaker 1:Yeah, okay. Well, I'm so excited for you. Thank you so much for sharing your story and being vulnerable. And why don't you tell everybody your handle if they want to follow you on Instagram and see your workouts?
Speaker 2:My handle is Alyssa's underscore favorites, so A-L-Y-S-S-A-S underscore favorites. You'll see. I post every single day pretty much the workouts I'm doing with Brie. I'm kind of just staying accountable there. I'm also an open book, so if you have any questions and you DM me, I will answer anything from mommy makeover questions to some glute tight questions to health questions, all there.
Speaker 1:And if you want questions on Body by Brie, she's the best. She always posts all of our workouts like what she's eating. She's awesome. She's so cute. People will love you because you're real and honest and you're relatable. That's why I love you. I love following you. I think you're very motivating. I think you're the cutest mom. I love that. You're real. You say it how it is. There's no like pretending to be something you're not like what you see. This is Alyssa. I really love that about you.
Speaker 2:Well thank you, that's very nice of you.
Speaker 1:All right, I'll talk to you later. Have such a good week. Hey, thank you. This is Ashley and her personal experience with microdosing trizepatide for PCOS. Ashley, I'm so excited you are letting me interview you. Ashley is my sister and she's one of the people that really inspired me to look into GLP-1s for other reasons than just weight loss, Because I want you to kind of tell your story first. Before we tell your story, tell us a little bit of background of you. Like you're a mom, what do you do?
Speaker 3:Yeah, I'm a mom. I love to work out, I've always worked out, I've always eaten healthy, but I love food and I just my my main thing is nutrition. Like if I had a hobby, it would be exercising and food.
Speaker 1:Yeah, exercising and eating would be your hobby, like I work out hard, so I can eat more food. Yep, yep, sounds about right. That's our family and you have four kids?
Speaker 3:Yeah, I have four kids. I love hiking, I love the outdoors Okay, and I love being with my sister.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I'm the best. No, I'm just kidding. So just to give a little background, ashley, because you can't see this because it's a podcast. So Ashley is super fit, very healthy, she works out every day. She's like the epitome of health. But she has PCOS. So tell people what it's like with PCOS. What are some of the symptoms that you feel when you have PCOS?
Speaker 3:I just feel bloated, kind of like I gain a lot of water weight. Still bloated, kind of like I gain a lot of water weight. And I think the main thing is, you know you'll have like worse periods, you know like thicker hair growth. It's like a lot of hormonal stuff, but the number one thing I notice the most is I crave sugar like crazy, like I'm an addict to sugar, no matter how hard I try to stop that noise chatter of the sugar and the carbs, like I can't.
Speaker 1:Yeah, well, and you told me like you felt, like your body was inflamed all the time, like I was always bloated Like every single night.
Speaker 3:My stomach was bloated out. Yeah, probably because of all the sugar and the time. I was bloated Like every single night. My stomach was bloated out. Yeah, probably because of all the sugar and the carbs and the hormones.
Speaker 1:So tell us this is. I wanted Ashley to come on the podcast because, after researching GLP-1s for the last four months and talking to the experts, I'm seeing that there are a lot of other benefits besides just weight loss and that for PCOS it could really relieve symptoms of PCOS. And, Ashley, you're on Spiralactone for your PCOS, right, or I guess you were.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I've been on Spiralactone for years. That's helped with my bloating, but it's still there, which means if I wasn't on it it would be even worse.
Speaker 1:Okay, so tell us how you kind of got started being interested in maybe trying Trizepatide for your PCOS symptoms.
Speaker 3:Well, I was just like everybody else since I worked out hard and you know I ate healthy I was like, oh, I'm never going to try that because I wasn't educated on it. I didn't know anything about it just from what I've heard from people who have been on it. But my husband's a doctor. So he actually received a sample of it and he said sample of it. And he said I'm going to look into this to see if it will help you. And so he did a lot of research on it and as he did his research he found that it would help with my PCOS and he said you should just try it and just do the microdosing and see if it helps, and see if it helps. And so when he told me that you know, we'll just try the smallest amount and just see if it helps with your bloating and your hormone stuff and your sugar cravings, and so that's kind of what made me try it, because we got it for free.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and also what I learned about PCOS is that it is a cousin to type two diabetes. They're both insulin resistant issues.
Speaker 3:Yes, yes, a thousand percent.
Speaker 1:So you feel super inflamed, bloated, you have a hard time digesting your insulin and managing your insulin, and then that affects your hormones. So then, what happened? When you tried the micro dose? How did you feel? And you were really scared to try it. She was like I'm terrified.
Speaker 3:I just I'm healthy, I'm a health nut, and so the thought of injecting myself with something was actually really scary, until my husband said well, you inject yourself with Botox.
Speaker 1:And I was like he has a good point.
Speaker 3:I was like that's true. And then he said and you also take spironolactone, which is a drug. Yeah, this is just you're taking it differently than swallowing it and these are peptides.
Speaker 1:Yes, which is actually better for you.
Speaker 3:So I was uneducated, I didn't know anything. Then, when he educated me on it, I was like, okay, I'm going to try this. And all I can say is I told my sister I want to sell this to every single person out there. Like I felt, like I know every woman has always thought that has a food addiction or, you know, loves chocolate, loves the chips, loves the crackers or whatever. I—the noise chatter stopped and it was the coolest, coolest thing in the entire world.
Speaker 3:Every night I would be thinking what am I going to have for my treat, what am I going to—and I would try to have all these healthy options and I would eat that first, and then it wouldn't satisfy me. And then by the end I was eating a bowl of cereal and then, finally, I felt satisfied. But I didn't even realize that I hadn't been eating those treats, like I had a stash that I would eat every night. And then, all of a sudden I realized, oh my gosh, I didn't even think about it tonight, like that has never happened in my entire life. And it literally just stopped the noise chatter of wanting to have that sugar and feeling that addiction, and that's when I wanted to scream it to the rooftops and I had no side effects whatsoever, none Like I had more energy. I woke up, or, at night, my stomach was flat. My stomach had never been flat at night. I'm like this is the coolest thing. But then I realized it was the foods also that were causing the inflammation the sugars, the flour.
Speaker 1:Like you, know the carbs, All the processed carbs.
Speaker 3:Yes, that was also contributing, but I would still get that, sometimes even not eating that which even when you would eat broccoli or healthy foods or your salad, like you couldn't digest it. Yeah, and I literally have never felt better in my entire life, like I have so much energy, I'm not tired, like I remember you saying you felt like your inflammation in your body went down too.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, it totally went down, like everything that was the problem went away, and then I was so worried about those side effects and my main worry was that I wouldn't want food, because I love food, and so I was worried that, oh my gosh, well, I don't want to like not eat, because I've heard some people when they're on higher doses they don't want to eat food. But I still wanted to eat food. It still tastes good for me, but I could turn it off. I could eat a couple bites of ice cream and then be done, like my brain's, like you don't want that anymore. And it was the coolest. And every woman has said I wish that they could invent something that made you feel satisfied. And they did.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think it's so cool and I love it Well, and what I like, cause I've been watching this journey and I'm like okay, I love that you are still lifting weights every day, You're still working out, you're still hitting your protein. You're still hitting your macros.
Speaker 3:You're not not eating. Yeah, it just cut out all the crap, the sugar, it cut out the thing that I had a problem with.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and didn't you say that you got off of your Spiralactone? Now, yeah, I haven't taken my Spiralactone and that was.
Speaker 3:The other thing is I didn't want people judging me that I was on this Like for weight loss. It wasn't necessarily. I mean, the weight loss is always a plus there's no woman who wouldn't want to lose a couple pounds but it was mainly the food addiction or the sugar addiction. I also have a food one too, but the sugar of always wanting it and it made me feel tired, it made me feel, you know, it messed with my hormones. Everybody knows sugar is not good for you. Yeah, so that was the main thing. That was really, really cool for me, and I don't have to go on sugar bets anymore.
Speaker 1:Well, and like we were talking about this before, that when you're not eating the sugar and all the junk, then your gut health is better. And so now you have more clarity and now, like you said, you're not feeling bloated, you don't feel inflamed, then you're all foggy, yeah, and then you're more energy.
Speaker 1:And sleep probably sleep better too, because you're not eating all that sugar right before bed. Yeah, and then I feel like too, it makes you feel more motivated to continue those healthy habits. So maybe someone who wasn't working out as hard before now they're like I feel so good, I want to eat healthy, I want to work out.
Speaker 3:Well, I have more energy to work out because, I'm not being grog, fogged down by all the crap I ate, and the weekends were the worst for me. Every Monday, I would try to work out. The one thing is that I would do, though, is I would be like bogged down by all the crap I ate, and the weekends were the worst for me. Every Monday, I would try to work out. The one thing that I would do, though, is I would be working out for two hours on Monday because of all the crap I ate on the weekend, and I'm not eating all that crap on the weekend now and then Monday comes around. I'm like you know. I think I can work out for an hour, because I don't need two hours.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so do you feel like it's actually helped your relationship with food? Yeah, definitely.
Speaker 3:For sure.
Speaker 1:So what were your fears going into it, my fears were having side effects. Okay, what was the biggest fear of that? What side effect were you scared?
Speaker 3:about, because I'm healthy, I don't have anything wrong. So I was just like, what if I get constipated, or what if I can't go to the bathroom? Or what if I mess something up? You know what if my hair starts falling out or whatever? But sugar can do all that to you too, that's true, and eating really bad food all the time it can make you constipated and nauseous and groggy. But I've had none of those.
Speaker 1:Because I feel like we do need to clarify. People won't understand the dosing. So Ashley is taking half of the starting dose, so that's considered a micro dose is when you do half of the starting dose and they call it a longevity protocol, where you're not necessarily doing it for extreme weight loss or even for a lot of weight loss, it's more that longevity and the inflammation and the PCOS A thousand percent and you haven't increased that 10 milligrams, so she's not even at the base that you start at normally. That's what this we're talking about. When we say these lower doses or this micro dose, it is a half of the beginning dose and so it really is just that tiny little part that helps. Oh, maybe I'm full like maybe I don't need that or maybe I don't crave that sugar. It's not not eat.
Speaker 1:Yeah and make you feel satisfied and I think that's the biggest piece is that people are thinking of ozempic and people who are obese and then they starve themselves and then they lose muscle mass and hair and they don't look good. They look like they're dying right Because they're not nourished. Yes, so when? So let's about like this, the stigma of it, like when you tell people do you feel like you have to explain?
Speaker 1:yourself, because you don't want to look stupid, like yeah well, I'm not on Ozempic, like I'm not trying to lose weight like, like I'm cheating and I'm not doing the work, because I am still doing the work the work, because I am still doing the work.
Speaker 1:Yeah, exactly. So what would you say to someone who is maybe 20 pounds overweight? They are tracking macros, they are going to the gym every day and let's say because for me I'm always like for sure, First try a blood test, because we have a friend that wants to try this, but I feel like they already under eat, and so I'm like no, no wait, let's see what's going on in your body first, Cause maybe it's different.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it could be your testosterone levels or your estrogen. So I always suggest doing a blood test first to make sure that it's not like sex hormones, because that's foundational, that's number one. But if everything else is looking good and you're doing everything right, what would you say? Would you recommend it to that person who's like I am doing everything right, I am lifting, I am doing it all.
Speaker 3:I want everyone to be on it. Ashley's loving life. I said I want to be the sales rep of this stuff and I want to go sell it to everybody because it's amazing.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I think because Ashley's on such a low dose that she really doesn't have any side effects Like some people might have side effects, and that is true, and if they don't have PCOS it might be different with them.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 1:And once you like, this is just Ashley's. Yeah, this is my experience. But when you do start increasing into those higher doses, people do start feeling nauseous, they do start feeling constipated. So it's very individualized and I do feel like the most important thing to know is that you have to make sure that you are listening to your body and working with a physician so that a doctor can help you dose correctly, because that's and we're not doctors, so we're not telling everyone to do it, we're just joking, we're just telling your.
Speaker 3:I actually I'm not telling everyone to do it, I just want to, because when you find something that works for you, you want other people to enjoy that experience.
Speaker 1:And you feel it's been such a blessing for you. I've seen you like thrive on it. So let's talk about your plan. Do you feel like you can do this long term, since it's such a low dose like a Spiralactone that you just kind of take to keep your CPOS at bay?
Speaker 3:I can't tell them what I'm going to do because I got I'm kind of cheap, so I think I'm going to see like finish it out, because the one month supply that they gave me is actually going to last me like three months because I'm taking such a small dose. So after the three months that I mean any, I don't care. Any woman that got it for free was going to try it because why not? So I just thought I'll try this for free when I run out.
Speaker 1:Then, yeah, I might see what happens and just kind of back because I feel like you were on spiral lactone for years, though, so could you not be on a microdose and just have it help with your, because anytime you lower inflammation in the body, that's a good thing and that's really helpful. So I wonder, like, is it okay to do long-term, just like you would with your Spiralactone?
Speaker 3:Because this is a test side. My husband said it is, it's just me being cheap Got it said it is.
Speaker 1:It's just me being cheap, got it, got it. It's more expensive than your Spiralactone. Yes.
Speaker 3:Yes, actually, no, it's actually about the same. Well, there you go. So, if you feel, better on this.
Speaker 1:Then you know, like that's what I really want to do is like relieve the shame, like it's just like people just don't understand that there are so many different ways to use this, and I think you're such a good example of being able to see the benefits of not just weight loss, because that wasn't even your primary thing. It's like you feel so much better without the inflammation in your body, without eating all the junk, without cons, and you were telling me like the mental capacity of taking away constantly thinking about food.
Speaker 3:I can think of something else. Yeah, like serving people. Yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, Like no, but that's true, Like we're joking, but that is true. Like life is not about what you're eating and if you're being good and if you're eating the sugar are you white, knuckling it?
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:Yes, are you being good on the weekends? Did you eat too much that?
Speaker 3:weekend, feeling guilty, feeling shame, all of that yeah.
Speaker 1:All right. So last question do you have a message for any of our viewers who are thinking of doing it?
Speaker 3:Well, I've already said it, I would definitely I say, try it. If it doesn't work for you, then stop. But it's finding the right dosage. It's finding, you know, the one that works with your body. It's just like anything. Everyone reacts differently, but I would just definitely say what are you out Just trying it, but definitely get your blood work done, just to make sure you know. But I feel like once it's out of your system, then it's gone.
Speaker 1:So and my thought process too is like, try, like, make sure that you are willing to be lifting weights, hitting your protein. You are willing to be lifting weights, hitting your protein, doing the foundational habits 1,000%. So it's like a tool in your toolbox instead of you're just relying on that doing all the work. That's when you get in trouble and that's when you lose all your muscle.
Speaker 3:Definitely I am still and I'm actually focusing, because Bree told me, focus on lifting and less cardio, even though I hate that. But I'm focusing more on lifting now and making sure I get my protein in, and sometimes I might not want a protein shake, but I'll just make myself drink a Fairlife just so I know I got it in.
Speaker 1:Or Body by Brie protein or organic grass, because Fairlife is not the best. Make you have a headache.
Speaker 3:Actually I'm starting to do breeze. I am doing it, I just when I'm in a hurry. I was thinking when I'm in a hurry.
Speaker 1:I'm kidding, I'm kidding. Fair life is fine, but it's not as good for you as mine. Yes, I vouch for that, but yeah, so making sure you have those foundational habits. I think that's so important, because when people only rely on the medication and then they lose muscle and then they get off of it, that's when you have those really scary issues. So there's definitely a lot to think about, but I'm so grateful that you shared your experience, because I think a lot of people are in your boat and they just have so much guilt and shame shame that they're not dedicated enough or they're not disciplined enough, and they're like what is wrong?
Speaker 3:with me. Yeah, I just felt like I honestly had no willpower, or you get tired of having the willpower. Like you just feel like I'm done. Yeah, you know. Yeah, screw this. I'm sick of trying.
Speaker 1:Yeah Well, I am so grateful, ash. Thank you for sharing. I know it's hard to be vulnerable, but also I feel like it's going to help so many people that either have PCOS or hormone imbalances or inflammation, or, like you, where they feel like they're addicted to sugar and they're doing everything right. That little tiny microdose could really help.
Speaker 3:Definitely. I'm glad that you're doing this research and you've also helped me with all of your research.
Speaker 1:Good, I know every time I like would read something or do an interview or listen to a podcast or do a workshop. I was calling Ashley, like Okay, did you know this? Did you know this?
Speaker 3:Like this is so crazy and I get excited for her to learn more about it.
Speaker 1:Yeah and oh. One thing before we leave was a cool thing is that what I learned was that it's regenerative, so it's not just a bandaid masking your insulin resistance. It's actually helping your body to naturally produce GLP one so that your body is more efficient at regulating insulin, which is fascinating.
Speaker 3:Yes, I know, and I did not know that.
Speaker 1:I know it's really cool, so all right, thanks, ash, I'll talk to you later, love you.
Speaker 1:Love you. This was part one of our client's experience on GLP-1 medications. If you're interested in part two, we interviewed two more clients, andrea and Julia. They talk about the pros and cons of being on GLP-1 medications, what they wish they knew and what they were really experiencing as benefits. So if you'd like to learn more, listen to part two.
Speaker 1:Thank you for joining us in today's episode. If you liked the content and want to hear more, remember to hit that subscribe button and write a review. As a small business owner, I appreciate it more than you know. If you are looking for a program to help with self-confidence, to lose weight, get in shape and work on your mental, physical and emotional health, check out my training programs on wwwbodybybricom. My team and I help to hold you accountable through the Body by Bri app, where you log in to see all your workouts, custom meal plan made specifically for you and your needs, and communication through the messenger. You are never alone when you're on the Body by Brie training program. Click the link in the show notes to get more information on how to transform your life from the inside out. Inside Out.