I was wrong about GLP-1s
When GLP-1s first came on the scene, I didn’t dismiss them or call them “cheating,” but I was cautiously skeptical. After two years of careful observation, I’ve become cautiously enthusiastic about GLP-1s, for certain people, when used correctly. Used the way most people use them, they can damage your long-term health. Used properly, they can work really well.
First, some basics…
What is a peptide? A peptide is a short chain of amino acids. These are the same building blocks your body uses to make proteins, which signal a variety of functions in the body. The appeal of peptides is that they can imitate signals your body already uses instead of introducing a completely unfamiliar molecule. That said, peptides aren’t inherently safer, more natural or more effective. There are peptides on the market for weight loss, muscle gain, recovery and more. These are NOT steroids. Today I’m sticking to the most popular weight-loss peptide: GLP-1.
What is a GLP-1? GLP-1 stands for glucagon-like peptide-1, which your body produces naturally after you eat. It works in three ways. It signals your pancreas to release insulin when blood sugar is elevated, which is why it started as a Type II diabetes treatment. In your brain, it signals fullness, reduces cravings and helps regulate how much you eat. In your stomach, it slows emptying so you feel fuller longer.
What were people saying when these first came out? Reactions were all over the place. Big pharma was salivating over the next blockbuster drug. Celebrities were using it to drop a few pounds (many of whom now look like demons). People with diabetes were rightfully pissed that celebrities were causing shortages of medication they actually needed. And some fitness professionals called it cheating, which I completely disagreed with. More on that below.
What was I worried about? Celebrity-endorsed weight loss methods have a bad track record. So do blockbuster drugs that make Wall Street drool. Remember when they said OxyContin wasn’t addictive? Nearly a million people have since died of opioid overdoses. When that much money is involved, it’s fair to worry people might lie to keep the gravy train rolling. My other concern (that I still have) was muscle wasting. This is a risk with any dramatic calorie restriction, whether it comes from a GLP-1, surgery or extreme dieting. (Don’t even get me started on “doctor-supervised” nutrition plans that starve you and feed you garbage.) If you lose a bunch of muscle and lean tissue along with the fat, and you’ll wreck your long-term health.
What am I seeing now? I’ve shifted from cautiously pessimistic to cautiously enthusiastic. WHEN MINIMALLY DOSED AND PAIRED WITH STRENGTH TRAINING AND LIFESTYLE CHANGES, I’m seeing good things. When people do what most people do (climb to higher and higher doses, skip strength training and change little else), I’m seeing problems. I’m also seeing interesting effects on food and substance use. GLP-1s seem to quiet the “food noise,” and some people are drinking less and choosing better-quality whole foods. Used correctly, people are losing fat in a healthy way that seems to take far less discipline. I can’t deny that win.
What is the right way? WORK WITH A COACH WHO CAN HELP YOU USE THIS POWERFUL BUT DANGEROUS TOOL. My clients on GLP-1s strength train at least twice a week. We track their skeletal muscle mass monthly on our InBody machine, and we check in on nutrition at least every 90 days. Calories are no longer the concern, but adequate protein and fiber are. Fiber is tricky because you need it, but it can be harder to digest comfortably on a GLP-1. This is a hill I’ll die on: with our strength training, the face time we get with you, our body composition tools, and our nutrition and lifestyle coaching backgrounds, we are better suited to help you successfully use this tool than virtually any other profession.
What is the wrong way? Get your prescription, let your doctor ramp up the dose again and again (maybe he’ll hit a nice bonus), and change nothing else about your lifestyle. You risk losing so much muscle and lean tissue that within a couple of years your health could be wrecked. When you stop the drug, the weight comes back, and then some. I’m seeing this in “high dose, no lifestyle change” people, and maybe you are too: faces that look off, major digestive issues, hair falling out, always cold, feeling like crap. Is being lighter on the scale worth that? Will it be worth it when you need help with basic daily tasks years or even decades sooner than if you’d given a couple of hours a week to strength training? I don’t think so.
Stay away from the black and grey market! Another trend I’m seeing is people saving a buck by buying GLP-1s and other peptides from shady sources. The grey market is full of cheap “research only” or “not for human consumption” peptides that don’t come from reputable sources. Don’t do it.
Whether you’re already on a GLP-1, thinking about it, or don’t think you need one: IF YOU DON’T STRENGTH TRAIN, YOU ARE LOSING STRENGTH YOU’LL WISH YOU HAD LATER. We should talk : )
On Target Fitness provides personalized strength and longevity coaching for adults 40+ in Portsmouth, Kittery, Kingston, and the surrounding Seacoast and southern New Hampshire communities. Our Portsmouth studio serves the greater Seacoast, and our Kingston studio serves southern New Hampshire. We work with clients who value expert guidance, individualized programming, and long-term health so they can stay strong, capable, and independent for decades to come.
