Taking Ozempic? Don't wait until you've lost the weight!

​Are you taking Ozempic, Wegovy, or another form of Semaglutide for weight loss?  Well, I’m not here to shame you.  Weight loss is HARD.  These drugs are making it possible for people who feel like they have tried EVERYTHING ELSE to finally lose weight.  I do have some advice for you, though:

• Lift Weights.  Don’t wait until you’ve lost the weight.  I know that these drugs are expensive and usually not covered by insurance, so while you may not be able to afford a personal trainer right now, get a strength training plan to do on your own – either at a gym or at home.  You will most likely lose lean mass while taking these medications, but lifting weights will help you minimize that loss, so that you can retain strength and prevent bone loss.  

• Avoid Hyperpalatable Foods.  I hear people say all the time, “The weight is just going to come back as soon as they stop taking it.”  That doesn’t necessarily have to be the case.  Use this time to retrain your brain to prefer whole foods over hyperpalatable foods, which are designed to be addictive (think chips, crackers, french fries, cookies, sweet drinks, ice cream, etc.).  Then, once you stop the medication, you’ll be less likely to crave those addictive foods.

Whole Foods vs. Hyperpalatable Foods

• Prioritize Protein and Vegetables.  I am not a Registered Dietician Nutritionist, but I do know that people on a calorie-restricted diet who eat more lean protein (a minimum of 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight per day), preserve more lean mass than those who don’t.  You will be eating fewer calories on these medications.  Make those calories count.  Choose foods that are nutritionally dense.  

Chicken & Vegetables for Dinner

Am I encouraging everyone to take these meds?  Absolutely not.  First and foremost, I’m not a doctor.   Plus, these drugs have side effects and come with risks, just like all treatments do.  They can be expensive.  And for some people, they don't work at all.  But I don’t think there’s any shame in getting help with something that you have struggled with for so long, especially if your doctor agrees.   Just don't wait to start lifting weights.