The New Weight Loss Treatment: Is It Right For You?

Many of us have spent our entire life trying to control or lose weight. We’ve been told that we should eat less and move more.

We’re bombarded everyday with programs such as Weight Watchers, Noom, Jenny Craig, keto, low-carb, low-fat, high protein, and intermittent fasting which offer to help empower you in your struggles to be thin. Bariatric doctors offer gastric sleeves and gastric bypass a surgical interventions for such purpose.  Over the counter drugs are marketed for weight loss. Hypnotists will hypnotize you.

The newest and most talked about treatments are the injectable medications that Oprah Winfrey has recently brought to the forefront of the conversation.

GLP-1 receptor agonists are a class of medications that can be very effective for the treatment of obesity and adult-onset  type 2 diabetes. These medications  mimic a hormone already produced in your body called glucagon-like peptide-1. This hormone targets areas of the brain that regulate appetite and food intake, which reduces cravings, lowers your blood sugar, and slows the digestion of food. When used in conjunction with good nutrition and healthy habits, GLP-1 medications can be a powerful tool on your weight loss journey. The amount of weight one can expect to lose weight depends on a few things: the type of GLP-1 medication, the dosage, and individual factors.

Weight loss happens more quickly for people who experience appetite suppression right away on the starting dose. For others who are not as sensitive to the medication, weight loss may not start until they reach higher doses. It is also common to see faster weight loss in the initial few weeks, followed by a few weeks of slower weight loss. Some people experience greater changes in inches and clothing sizes than in numbers on the scale. Everyone’s weight journey looks different.

You can expect to feel less hungry throughout the day, feel full and satisfied eating smaller portions, fewer cravings, or less “food-focused” thoughts —or any combination of these. Some people experience changes in food preferences and say that certain foods or alcohol don’t appeal to them like they used to.

Hunger levels will vary from person to person. The goal of the medication is to reduce your appetite to a more manageable level — not to completely eliminate your hunger. Hunger is a very normal part of human biology, and hunger cues are actually very important. Paying attention to when you are hungry and when you are full is a great healthy habit that can help guide the way to more intuitive eating  (with the help of this medication). Cravings are also very normal to experience, so if the medication does not eliminate cravings completely for you, that’s usually okay. People report more manageable cravings and find the cravings more easily satisfied (e.g. by a few bites of ice cream as opposed to the whole pint).

These medications are incredibly powerful tools, however relying on medication alone often doesn’t work. Losing weight doesn’t automatically translate to improved health. To really maximize the benefits of medication, it’s important to incorporate healthy habits related to food, nutrition, fitness, mental health, and sleep.  As is the case with most other weight loss programs,  failure to change your diet and lifestyle may set you up for rebound weight gain when you stop the medication or program.

The medication is very expensive. Rapidly proliferating private companies might charge up to $1300 for a one month supply of these injectables. Most health insurance companies, including Medicare, won’t cover the prescription unless you are diagnosed with adult-onset Type 2  diabetes.

No one should go on these injectable medications without discussing it with your primary care doctor. In fact, you need a prescription for the medication. As with any drug, there are potential side effects. Speak with your doctor about such effects.

If you’ve spent your whole life trying to be thin, this could be the exciting break through you’ve dreamt about. However, make an empowered decision about these drugs. Do your research. Have the conversation with your primary care doctor. They’re expensive. They have side effects. They’re not for everyone.