GLP-1 Agonists for Weight Management

There’s been a lot of buzz lately around GLP-1 medications for weight loss, but what are these really and who are they for? What’s the deal with “Ozempic face” and how can you avoid it?

In this article, we’re separating fact from fiction with a deep dive into GLP-1 agonists, who can take them for weight management, how to prevent side effects, and our top strategies to support you on your journey to maintaining a healthy weight. If you’re considering asking your doctor for a GLP-1s prescription, keep reading!

What Is A Healthy Weight?

First and foremost, a healthy weight isn’t about your jeans size or the number on the scale. Rather, it’s a weight range that supports optimal health. And, most importantly, it varies from person to person! Factors like age, gender, body composition, and height all must be taken into account.

Key measures of healthy weight include:

• Body Mass Index (BMI): BMI uses height and weight to categorize individuals into different weight groups (underweight, normal weight, overweight, obese). However, BMI doesn’t consider muscle mass, bone density, or fat distribution, so it’s best used together with other measurements to get a full grasp on what healthy weight means for your body.

• Waist-to-Hip Ratio: This measures the circumference of the waist compared to the circumference of the hips. A healthy ratio is 0.9 or less for men and 0.85 or less for women.

• Body Composition: This is the percentage of fat, muscle, bone, and water in the body. Skinfold measurements, bioelectrical impedance, and DEXA scans are ways to measure body composition.

How To Get To A Healthy Weight

Leading a healthy, active lifestyle is the best way to keep your weight within an optimal range.

Here are some proven strategies to support your weight management journey naturally:

• Eat a balanced diet: Swap processed foods for fresh fruits and veggies, whole grains, and lean proteins. A typical balanced plate includes 50% fruits and vegetables, 25% lean protein, and 25% whole grains.

• Stay hydrated: Experts recommend drinking at least 64 oz of water daily. Try to get up to the 100 oz mark if you can! Using a water bottle with time markers, flavoring your water with citrus or cucumber, or keeping track with an app can help you meet your daily water needs.

• Exercise regularly: Each week, aim for 150 minutes or more of moderate-intensity cardio exercise (think walking, swimming, or cycling) paired with two strength or resistance workouts (like yoga or weight training).

• Prioritize your sleep: Get 7-8 hours of quality sleep each night.

Pro tip: Avoid making a bunch of lifestyle changes all at once. This can be pretty daunting and difficult to stick to. Instead, focus on setting small, manageable goals and integrating new healthy habits one at a time.

Habit tracking apps and wearables can help you stay motivated and on track, so you can celebrate how far you’ve come!

How GLP-1s Work For Weight Loss

For some, medication can be helpful in supporting the journey towards a healthy weight, particularly if there are medical diagnoses like obesity, diabetes, or heart disease. One class of medication that has gained significant popularity recently are GLP-1 agonists.

GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) is a hormone that impacts your body’s relationships with food.

GLP-1 influences the following processes:

• Insulin levels (a hormone that controls blood sugar)

• Leptin levels (the satisfaction hormone)

• Ghrelin levels (the hunger hormone)

• The journey food takes through the gastrointestinal system

A GLP-1 agonist is a medication that increases the levels of the hormone GLP-1 in the body. It can help with weight management by reducing hunger and delaying digestion, so you stay full and satisfied longer.

Different GLP-1 Medications

Here’s a quick breakdown of the available FDA-approved GLP-1 agonists:

• Semaglutide: Sold as Ozempic and Rybelsus (approved for diabetes) and Wegovy (approved for weight management).

• Terzepatide: Sold as Mounjaro (approved for diabetes) and Zepbound (approved for obesity).

• Liraglutide: Sold as Victoza (approved for diabetes) and Saxenda (approved for weight management).

These medications are typically taken via injection, besides Rybelsus, which is a pill.

If you’re thinking about GLP-1s for your weight management journey, make sure to stick to these FDA-approved pharmaceutical brand names. Compounded alternatives, while legally sold in the U.S., have not been tested in humans, and given the lack of regulation of the compounded formulations, it is impossible to assess the safety of these medications.

Who Can Take GLP-1 Agonists For Weight Management?

GLP-1 medications can help women with hormonal imbalances or changes due to:

• PCOS

• Perimenopause

• Menopause

• Hypothyroidism

These medications are helpful in women with hormonal changes because of the relationship between hormones and insulin. PCOS and low estrogen levels in perimenopause and menopause can lead to insulin resistance, resulting in weight gain.

GLP-1s help regulate insulin levels, and can therefore counteract and prevent excess weight due to insulin resistance.

Here’s what’s required in order to get a prescription from your doctor for a GLP-1 for weight management:

• BMI > 30 or

• BMI > 27 plus one condition such as high blood pressure, pre-diabetes, high cholesterol, sleep apnea, irregular periods, or back and knee pain

Research shows that people who took GLP-1s for a year experienced about a 20% reduction in body weight with terzepatide and 18% with semaglutide. But it’s important to keep in mind that results can vary from person to person, depending on individual factors like age, sex, and medical history.

GLP-1s are considered safe for long-term use, particularly because they help regulate hunger hormones and insulin. However, not everyone will need to take them forever.

Some studies suggest that making healthy lifestyle changes while taking GLP-1s can help maintain weight loss even after stopping the medication.

If these medications aren’t a good fit for you, other FDA-approved options are available to support you on your journey toward a healthy weight:

• Contrave helps reduce food cravings

• Qsymia helps with portion control

Potential GLP-1 Side Effects And Ways To Avoid Them

Common side effects include nausea, constipation, headaches, and fatigue. These are more likely when starting the medication or increasing the dosage. But the good news is that they tend to subside as your body adjusts.

“Ozempic face” can also happen, which refers to fat loss in the face leading to saggy skin around the jaw. This can happen with any rapid weight loss not, just just from GLP-1 agonists.

Here are some tips to minimize these side effects:

• Follow your prescribed dosing schedule.

• Eat a high-fiber, balanced diet.

• Stay well-hydrated.

• Consider ginger supplements for nausea and magnesium for constipation.

• Do at least 150 minutes of cardio and two strength workouts per week.

• Get at least 7-8 hours of sleep per night.

Takeaway

If you’re struggling to lose weight and you meet the requirements for a GLP-1 prescription, these medications may be a good fit to support you on your weight management journey. Have a conversation with your doctor about what’s right for you. Whether or not you take medication for weight management, remember to support your health with a balanced diet of fresh, whole foods, sufficient sleep and hydration, and regular exercise including strength training. Leading a healthy lifestyle can also improve the results when taking GLP-1s.

Last but not least, try not to get hung up on the number on the scale. Keep in mind that a healthy weight means different things for different people.