If you watched a good amount of the US Open this past weekend, you also got a steady dose of big pharma commercials.
Which brings me right to today’s topic: weight loss drugs.
Specifically, Ozempic (Wegovy and Rybelsus are the other two popular brand names, but Ozempic seems to be EVERYWHERE right now).
So, what is this stuff?
It’s a semaglutide.
Semaglutide – an injectable medication for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, as an accompaniment to diet and exercise.
And of course, the use has been extended to assist in weight loss.
Here’s how it works:
- When we eat food, we produce GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide) which helps us release insulin and makes us feel full.
- When people take Ozempic, it mimics the natural effects of GLP-1, which helps them feel without eating anything.
So, you can see where this is going.
Anecdotally, from the people I personally know taking Ozempic, it seems to help a lot.
BUT, we are very early in this game.
*Full disclosure: Most of what big pharma says, I think is BS.
According to their website, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows with these being the most common side effects:
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Stomach pain
- Vomiting
- Constipation
I always find it interesting when drugs have opposite side effects like diarrhea AND constipation:)
Now, all of the above is no joke, but here are my two biggest concerns:
- Losing muscle. When we lose weight, especially quickly, we tend to lose muscle and bone density.
- Long-term results. What happens after you stop taking the medication? Just like every appetite suppressant before this one, appetite’s return to normal. As do people’s eating habits.
Which leads us to the truth about fitness, weight loss, life changes, etc.:
Temporary actions create temporary results.
Whatever you do to lose weight is what you’re going to have to continue to do to keep it off.
And if it came in a bottle, everybody would look like Rory.
I know it’s not sexy, but building the proper nutrition habits is how we achieve long-term success.
That is why we created the 18STRONG Diet Stack to guide you through the nutritional strategy that works for us.
It’s helped us lose fat, build muscle, and life-long habits.
Now, I’m not your doctor. If your doctor prescribes that you go on one of these medications, do your research and decide if it’s the right thing for you – doctors also need to be questioned.
I tend to look to medication as the last resort. But, there are obviously times we need them.
Alright, that was a little longer than I anticipated, but I hope it helped shed some light.
Your #1 Fan,
Jeff Pelizzaro
PS – The 18STRONG Diet Stack is free, but don’t let the lack of cost or it’s simplicity fool you. It has worked for countless golfers in our Crew.