Drugs like Ozempic are increasingly used for weight loss purposes. While calories in vs. calories out do matter and most of us are simply too sedentary, the cause of obesity is complex.
Obesity is one of the biggest challenges we face today for various reasons - only some of which we are in control of.
Some of us suffer from emotional overeating/ binge eating disorder that requires a completely different treatment approach than conventional dieting advice offers. Some of us have loads of environmental toxins in our body i.e. microplastics messing with our hormones. Some of us are not sleeping properly - poor sleep is directly linked to insulin resistance and weight gain. We really need to get better at understanding our own body and which things we can control. We also need to get better as practitioners in the health care system at working cross disciplinary together and understand the interplay of various factors to better help the client.
Calorie counting is simply not cutting it anymore.
So no - I am not surprised that some practitioners simply “give up” and medicate the issue away, as it is a complex issue to treat due to genetics, hormones, environmental toxins, lifestyle, habits, mental health and so forth. To successfully change the course, it can ofte require a team effort - nutritionists, doctors and therapists working together.
Ozempic and Wegovy - both drugs where side effects include reducing intestinal peristalsis to such an extent that the FDA issued a letter in the autumn in which they made it clear that they will henceforth warn against acute intestinal blockage on the packaging. The risk of intestinal blockage is something most of us incl. health professionals and doctors have been unaware of with this apparent weight loss miracle drug.
Intestinal blockage is potentially life-threatening and if you already have a history of digestive disorders, you should stay far away from these medicines. Regardless of the fact that obesity is linked to a domino effect of biochemical problems in the body, the risk of intestinal blockage is simply too serious.
Ozempic may be suitable for some people to kickstart their weightloss journey.
However, we really need to understand the difference between: kickstarting a journey with medication while changing underlying issues through lifestyle and nutrition vs. masking our symptoms with medicine.
Solely relying on an artificial appetite suppressant that only lasts as long as we are on the medication, will lead to loss of muscle mass and further decline in metabolism - risking further weight gain once we get off the drug.
This can be counteracted by focusing on getting enough protein pr. meal. New research shows that the ideal amount of protein for muscle maintenance is around 1.5 gram pr. kg of ideal body weight. We also want to engage in muscle bearing activity minimum 2 x weekly 25 minutes along with light cardio 30 minutes daily (i.e. walking/biking/swimming) to reap the full benefits of movement and its normalising impact on our hunger hormones. These are not drastic changes, and everyone should be doing these steps really. A simple step is to add in 10 minutes walking after ever main meal as this can dramatically lower the following blood sugar response by up to 30% - helping with insulin resistance and weight-loss resistance.
Small steps is really where the magic is at, but as humans we tend to be very black-white in our thinking patterns, why trendy diets and medication has such an appeal to us.
Most of us today are nutrient deficient yet overweight. Our appetite system is tightly regulated by whether or not we have enough nutrients - especially getting sufficient calcium, zinc, vitamin A, and vitamin C, Vitamin D and protein through our diet directly impacts our hunger hormones leptin/ ghrelin. We tend to continue eating when these needs are not met. And being nutrient deficient not only leads to increase risk of gaining weight, but it impairs our cognitive functioning, energy, hormone balance, fertility and our overall wellbeing. Being healthy and thriving is about so much more than just our weight - if we only focus on the weightless without the causative factors leading to our current weight issues, we put our health at risk plain and simple.
Should you be fasting to lose weight?
There is nothing magic about keto nor intermittent fasting - anything that helps us cut calories and changes our diet from hyperprocessed foods to a more wholefood based diet will have beneficial outcome. Giving the body a 12-14 hour break from eating i.e. from 8PM - 9AM has always been a recommendation, yet now we call it “Intermittent Fasting”. Terms and labels sell books and create a hype. Healthy, balanced eating does not sound appealing - rather it sounds like “hard work”. Yet the magic is found in doing the work and not bouncing from one extreme to the other. The work needs to be sustainable and healthy in the longterm. Fasting for longer time periods or drastically cutting carbs tend to affect especially women’s hormones negatively over time - this approach will absolutely work for short-term weight-loss, but for the long run, I see far too many clients following this method, who plateau and see hormonal imbalances.
We always want to be cognisant of what works in the short term often needs to be adjusted for the longterm.